- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Lahore Tikka House
Categories: Restaurants Indian Restaurants Pakistani Indian, Pakistani
1365 Gerrard Street EastToronto, ON M4L 1Z3
Neighbourhood: Leslieville
(416) 406-1668
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 12 pm - 1 am
Fri-Sat 12 pm - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
91 reviews for Lahore Tikka House
Review Highlights
"I've also tried the butter chicken."
(in 23 reviews)
"The garlic naan was absolutely divine."
(in 10 reviews)
"the five of us split some aloo gobi and chana masla."
(in 9 reviews)
Loading...
91 reviews in English
-
Review from Salman N.
North York, ON
2/6/2012
One of the best Pakistani restaurants in the GTA.
Don't go in expecting good service or decor or even regular plates (as you get paper plates).
It's all about the food here. Besides some of their vegetarian dishes (not their specialty), everything reliably always tastes amazing. -
Review from Ashley P.
Toronto, ON
1/31/2012
I've only been here once in the summer time. It was outdoor seating, but in a covered tent. The tables were wooden picnic style. This place was packed!!!
We ordered a couple of dishes and some naan. Overall it was good. I enjoyed the food, but I found that it was overpriced for what it was.
I would come here again of course, but it wouldn't be my first choice for indian food in this area. -
Review from Jessica M.
Toronto, ON
12/30/2011
This place is great. It was my first experience trying Pakistani/Indian food and sure, I've had the occasional naan here and there but their garlic naan is just pure bliss. It puts you in a different zone when you eat this. Seriously.
I tried a few other dishes but honestly, my friend did all the ordering and I did all the eating. Everything was delicious! Another noteworthy mention is the ambience. They had beautiful saris and other decorations covering their walls and when I went today (on a Thursday), it was quite busy around 7pm.
By the way, try the mango lassi drink - not too bad. Only complaint is that it was room temperature whereas I prefer a cooled drink but that could be the way it's served, who knows. -
Review from Reezo B.
Toronto, ON
9/30/2011
HALAL
Its true, the atmosphere is tacky. They are slowly developing. They finally opened up their other side that was under construction for like 10 years. Maybe 10 years from today you'll see new interior decor.
BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT! They use styrofoam cups and plates for the hundreds of people they serve each day instead of just washing plates. Its pretty messed up that they serve you food in styrofoam plates, very bad impression.
THE FOOD IS OFF THE HEEZIE. Chicken Tikka Masala and Garlic Naan is unlike any other I've had. -
Review from Cam Y.
Toronto, ON
1/2/2012
Almost perfect indian food.
How to make it better? Loose the styrofoam plates and plastic forks.
Otherwise an interesting experience with top notch indian food.
Much better than 99% of indian food in the GTA. -
Review from Muhammad Miguel Ali H.
10/28/2011
I have many roots from Pakistan and I have been to Lahore many times - I am deeply proud of my Pakistani roots and it's always great to see those roots celebrated
Yes - Pakistan gets a bad rap for nuclear missiles, but their finest export is actually their food and Lahore Tikka House is proof of that!
I want to reiterate what the other reviews have said, in that, when you walk into this place, you TRULY do feel like you're in Lahore, with its pastel walls, dusty exterior, helpful service, URDU SPOKEN EVERYWHERE LOUDLY, and of course, the wonderful cuisine
Honestly, if you can't fly to Pakistan, visiting this great restaurant is the closest you can get!
Enjoy all! -
Review from Eric W.
Toronto, ON
9/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
So three things really sum this place up.
1) the atmosphere is about as bad as it gets. imagine eating in a tire shop, off of old lawn furniture and styrofoam plates. the walls are covered in fabrics and tape, you sit at tables 14 people long, and the lighting is stings of christmas lights and shop lamps. then imagine there being no real rhyme or reason to the ordering system.- order drinks from the server, food from the cashier, take a number, and one of maybe ten servers brings it out in no real order.
2) they have a really nice bathroom, and thats totally weirds
3) the food is ridiculously good, and makes up for all the craziness of the place. naan to die for, biryani thats is so full of flavour you want to roll around on the ground clutching your tummy. and if you are lucky, this guy walks around with grilled peppers sometimes. they are great.
all in all, a landmark, albeit a nutty one. -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
8/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Before coming here I had really mixed reviews from (Indian) friends. Some said it was awesome and some said the atmosphere is not worth the money. So I expected the worst.
I was pleasantly surprised. On a Friday night it's hard to miss the glowing building and highly decorated 'patio'. It was late, 9pm, and was really busy but they were able to accommodate 15 of us.
This "patio" is a sari decorated outspurt of the restaurant , basically their parking lot. But it does not feel like such thing. You've been transported to another world here.
Yes, hey have foam cups and paper plates but it's more sanitary ad we dint mind at all.
They give you a menu, and you go and order at the cash. They will give you a number. With such a big group, we split our order into 3 and just went up in turn. There was a lady there that also helped some of us out.
Take the number back to your table, and wait, briefly for food.
At first I was surprised at the small quantity for $ value, but was reminded that it quite filling.
So for 4 people we got
- Butter Chicken $12
- Lamb Gorhst $11 (lamb in a sort of spicy sauce)
- 3 orders of naan
- Lamb kebobs ($2,25 each) they were quite small not worth it really
- 2 orders of Biyrani (lamb and chicken) which was filling and flavourful
- beef ribs - really good when not over cooked. Enough to share
Our bill came to $20 a person, including a generous tip.
There's tons of wait staff here and they were all really friendly. At one point, instead of going up to order more food, our server helped me order it from the table - it was nice and we made it worth his while.
Yum -
Review from BURB G.
Newmarket, ON
9/9/2011
This place is so crazy and the ambiance is over the top.. it makes me giggle everytime I go there. This time the restaurant part was in a plastic tent on ashphalt and all the tables are crooked. The plates and glasses are disposable.
The food is hot and fresh and the flavour good. The prices have gone up a bit since I was last there but it's still really reasonable.
As crazy as the decor I love going there.. as the food is always really good. -
Review from Alexa M.
Toronto, ON
7/22/2011
Nothing more to add, I feel like everyone else has hit the mark with their descriptions. It is an amazing place, and yes authentic, the food is great, but there are some factors that have caused me to devalue this spot.
Well, my complaint is that they obviously are catering to a certain type of demographic which leaves the rest of the demographics who would like to discover South Asian food out in the cold. So here goes:
For one thing, why plastic plates and cutlery all the time? Come on people, haven't we heard that there's an island of plastic floating around the Pacific Ocean that we should be concerned about? Google that up if you've never heard of it (great pacific garbage patch). For some people this may not be a deal breaker, but for a restaurant I would think that some cutlery could be afforded.
Another thing, why is this place always under construction? For the last 5 or who knows how many years it has been like that. It has great great potential, but falls short because of the sub par decor, and the sense of being rushed a bit when I am eating there during the summer time, in order that the next customer can take my place.
But if you just want to eat genuine Pakistani food and you're not bothered by the amount of plastic that goes through this place, and the decor, then it's not bad at all. -
Review from Sandra K.
North York, ON
7/10/2011
I love this place. I feel like I'm an honorary member of Pakistani family when I'm there.
It's a great place to go with a big group as it's casual and can handle disorganization. Great for a summer day, the outdoor patio is welcoming.
The food was great and very well priced. The kabab's were the obvious winner of the dishes, in particular the lamb kabobs. The butter chicken was your average fare.
Among the vegetarian dishes, we tried the saag paneer, which was good but greasy, and the muter paneer, which was tasty but too heavy on the green peas.
The "special" tea was something to beware. The pink concoction seemed sour, and watching them making the tea in the huge barrels on my way out made be lose my appetite a bit. Maybe it's an acquired taste.
Overall, a definite staple to add to your list authentic pakistani/indian food. -
Review from Kashif H.
11/29/2011
Nice papri chat but "not that great" gol gappas ...
-
Review from Mauricio A.
Toronto, ON
6/23/2011
This is one of those Pakistani places that I go with a bunch of friends. About 8 of us go there to eat and clog our arteries.
Okay, first and foremost, this place has been 'under construction' for at least 4 years since I have known of it and some of my friends told me they have been under construction for far longer.
Now let's not kid ourselves, when you eat here, you are eating in glorified portables and during the summer they make their parking lot into a so-called "patio." The food is served on paper styrofoam and the cutlery is plastic. The decor and everything about this place screams 'low, low budget' except for their bathrooms which are in the new building, they nice and are in huge contrast to the rest of this place. So for sure you are not going for the decor. Service is basic but serviceable.
The food is not bad, incredibly oily and unhealthy. However, it's tasty you don't come to Tikka if you want to eat health food. Check your table after you in a group, the amount of grease is quite shocking. Normally, I will avoid rice dishes and just go for the veggies and the meats. Most dishes are in the $9-$14 range so if order a number of dishes, then it adds up, but nothing surprising about that. Yet overall, I refuse to believe this is the best Pakistani place in Toronto, it can't be. But when I ask people about a great place in Toronto, almost everyone names this place.
Having said that, if you go with a group and eat communal style, everyone sharing, I think it enhances the experience. I would not take someone on a date here, for fear they might think I am cheap due to the horrible decor, however, I would go with a few friends simply because I do not know a better place.Listed in: My Reviews
-
Review from Meena A.
5/11/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This place isn't getting five stars because I'm judging it based on Canadian standards.
It's getting five stars because I feel like I'm back in Lahore every time I step in (which is too often). Their food is Lahori, their decor is Lahori, the service is, well... Slightly better than Lahore. And when you pay, you might as well be spending in rupees. My boyfriend and I have had three courses here in under thirty dollars!!
Now you tell me a place in Toronto that has food this delicious and doesn't charge an arm and a leg!
I wouldn't trade this place for the world, not even for my moms chicken tikka masala. -
Review from Anni L.
7/25/2011
I went here on my friend's recommendation (plus he was driving so i dont think i was in a position to complain). At first the name sounded like Tikka whorehouse....i was like "where are we going?".
I was not in the mood for pakistani/indian type of food so my mood going in was mildly subdued with less enthusiasm than that of my friends.
So we get there and out front is two vehicles that are purely from anywhere but here. There were tourists taking pictures in front of them with their children. It was those single motorbike with space for two passengers in a cart that you see in the movies.
This restaurant had a large outdoor section under a big decorative tent. We however went to sit in the indoor section. We ordered some grilled beef skewers, tandoori chicken, butter chicken and curry lamb. Everything we ordered tasted succulent.
There was loud clubbing music at some point and alot of waiters/bussers running around. When you enter this place you feel alive.
At the end of the meal, we had to go to the counter to pay with our receipt. The meal was reasonable. Came to around $15 per person. On our way out, we decided to exit via the outdoor tent. Suddenly there was drumming and a few staff broke into chanting and dancing. We were privileged to witness a live musical performance. The whole place was very festive. Definitely a place to go if you want to experience something different. -
Review from Sandeep D.
Toronto, ON
9/12/2011
Best Indian/Pakistani food I have had in Canada. The prices are little high but I think it is returned with the atmosphere of the restaurant.
So my favorite dish is the chicken tikka masala. The food is a bit oily but that is only a minor drawback of an otherwise fantastic meal. The food is full of flavor and color and it is obvious that all of their food is made from scratch and in house.
Be sure to have the Kulfi before you leave. A frozen treat that ends with a little surprise! -
Review from Colin S.
Toronto, ON
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
My favourite restaurant in Toronto. Whileacking in visual appeal, and serving on disposal plates, the food is amazing. The kebobs with rice, butter chicken or red snapper are all favourites...
-
Review from Sandra T.
Toronto, ON
4/24/2011
The strangest restaurant I've visited ...
From the outside, the restaurant looks like a house covered in colourful cloth ... so entering the restaurant feels like you are entering a house ... a cloth covered house.
Inside, the walls are also covered in cloth. There are also twinkly fairy lights. In the background, you hear clubbing dance music.
Sort of felt like I was on set for Slumdog Millionaire.
Food is pretty decent but didn't bow my mind like I was hoping...
Veggie Biryani was my favourite - by far!
Food is served on styrofoam plates with plastic cutlery.
Not sure why but the mood seemed kind of depressing to me. There were these young guys with big black garbage bags wandering around clearing tables into these bags. Made me think of that scene in slumdog where the kids are in the garbage dump picking through the trash.
It was interesting :) -
Review from Kevin N.
Mississauga, ON
8/13/2011
The food at this place is at best, mediocre. I guess it satisfies the inexperienced palates of Canadians but for someone who has grown up eating familiar Pakistani dishes such as Karahi Chicken - cooked with respectable authenticity - I was grossly disappointed with the quality of the food.
That is not even the worst part of my experience. 3 of my colleagues and I, visited this place for the first time this afternoon for lunch and we ordered Butter Chicken, and the forementioned Karahi Chicken. When the dishes arrived we were shocked by:
a) the fact that there were ONLY 4 tiny pieces of chicken in a pool of gravy &
b) 5 equally tiny pieces of Karahi Chicken with 2 pieces being bones with no meat at all.
One of us immediately informed the waiter about the quantity of butter chicken, and with a confused expression he headed back to get more. When 'more' finally arrived we were astounded to now see - wait for it...- a total of only 5 tiny pieces of chicken. We paid an outrageous $58 in total to RATION out 8 pieces of chicken along with the meager portion of rice - served on a paper plate - amongst the four of us.
This is clearly the most ridiculously atrocious dining experience I've ever had. If you think that the food here is great, sacrifice some $ for gas and pay a visit to Mississauga or Scarborough where you will find exponentially better food at much more reasonable prices! I'll be more than willing to throw some names if you message me... -
Review from Juliana H.
Toronto, ON
8/19/2011
Lahore was the very first place I tried on Gerrard back in the day. For this reason, it still holds a certain nostalgia for me. The portables, the plastic utensils and plates, the sporadic Bollywood tunes, and the colourful materials tacked to the walls and ceiling all bring me back to the first mouthful of the combo sizzler - I was hooked.
Unfortunately, the love affair is almost over. I have noted the quality and quantity of the dishes has really suffered. For example, if you get the chicken tikka masala you get a few scared pieces of chicken drowning in a sea of very oily sauce. Okay, maybe that's to be expected from that specific dish, but I find the same problem with other dishes such as the palak paneer. Some dishes are still good though... the chicken kabab is tasty though seriously salty and the naan is always satisfying.
I'm not going to pan the place because the service is really good and the world's slowest reno is, in its own right, awesome. It is my most sincere wish that Lahore steps up its game and reclaims it's former glory days of serving this gori some quality eats. -
Review from Ayesha A.
5/4/2011
The food used to be better, now a lot of it tastes the same as it's gained popularity over the years but this place is awesome to go to with a group.
For one on one or a very small number, there are better desi cuisines you can go to, and it's not super cheap, but it's awesome if you're with a group, especially on a nice evening, because it's chaotic, packed, full of staff, full of food options and sweets, and just a load of fun.
The place is decorated in saris with a rickshaw in the front. The food doesn't take too long to come but excellent indian/pakistani cuisine is not the reason to go, because it's not the greatest
Every time I go it seems to have expanded again, over the last 7 years.
Nonetheless, it's worth going.
Even though you'll find a lot of people of different races there, they tend to put spice even if you ask for 'mild'.Listed in: Indian Food
-
Review from Simika K.
10/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went there after more than 5 years. The place is finally out of construction mode (I think...), and the decor is uhm...cute in a whoa, kind of a wedding tent in Bangladesh, but I have to hand it to them - their food is still pretty good! Normally I get their butter chicken, but today we went with their Karahi Beef and chicken kabobs, plus a couple of naans for a quick lunch. The guy at the order desk was super busy and distracted but very very sweet. The food came relatively quickly, so they really were catering to the lunch crowd, and I think for the price, the taste and the location, it's definitely worth 3.5- 4 stars.
-
Review from Dee D.
York, ON
5/14/2011
Oh my God. This is the closest thing to actually eating in Pakistan/India you will get in Toronto. The whole atmosphere is authentic. Amazing for large groups. You get small menus and a pen, and just check off what everyone wants and it's all brought out at a reasonable amount of time. Everyone can dig in off all the plates! The naan is fresh and amazing, you will not want to stop eating them; especially dipping them in the butter chicken. The kababs(especially lamb) are just my kind of spicy. Don't be shy to try the fish either! I would pretty much eat everything on the menu.
The wait staff is very attentive and sometimes the owner will come and chat with you.
One down side is the parking which really doesn't matter once you get the food in your mouth, but the parking lot is terrible to park in. Everyone just parks how ever they want and it's hard to get in and out. Worth it though! -
Review from Rachel F.
Toronto, ON
8/9/2011
Muttar paneer here is the best in the city and so is the garlic naan.
It has hiked in price considerably over the past 5 years or so (I guess to pay for the long-running renos) but I still love the food.
Service is always friendly.
We went last week and there is now more space to park at the side, brilliant! -
Review from Christian P.
Toronto, ON
11/8/2011
Fast and furious!! cheap and pretty good; going there is like going to eat in the family kitchen of a very nice Indian family (staff is soooo friendly and smiling!!). I would like the upscale version of it now.
-
Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
30 Sec Summary
-----------------------
1. Do not come to Lahore Tikka house if you expect to be on a diet - you will lose- the food is wicked and filling
2. Chicken, Beef and Steak kabobs
3. Beef biryani with delicate and tasty basmati rice
4. Tandoori nann with Garlic ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
4. Portions to feed a family of four (too much for two folks to eat!)
5. Parking for free along the side streets
6. Dec-ore and ambiance right out of the near east!
7. Kooky ordering process (line up for table, come back and line up to order food, get food, eat, line up and pay)
8. The summer months outside are the best - winter is alittle cold inside the restaurant unless you site at the far back
Come back every time and you will be happy and very very full! -
Review from Tong J.
Lahore is vibrant, upbeat, fun and exotic. I can't remember the last time I had this much fun at a restaurant. Everywhere I turned, I saw people having fun, laughing with their friends and family. This is the kind of place I love.
You know what else I love about this place? I love that it made me forget I was in Toronto. Instead, I felt like I was at a big party, a celebration of good food, in a large simple hut somewhere in Asia.
I also liked the ordering system. Once you are seated, they give you a one page menu, then you walk up to a cashier and tell the staff what you want. They'll hand you an assign number which you place it on your table. You go back to the cash register station and pay after you've eaten.
The food came out hot and fast. The first dish came to our table in less than 5 minutes. It was that fast.
We saw a hot sizzling plate of Lahori Beef Kabab on the table next to ours and had to order it. OMG, what a good start! The Kabab was tasty and well seasoned. All I wanted to do was wrap the garlic naan around the kabab and eat it like a hot dog.
The garlic naan was absolutely divine! Just imagine fresh hot naan with a garlic-pesto-like spread all over it!
Aloo Gobi was zesty. I generally don't care for cauliflower. But let me tell you, I never knew cauliflower could taste this good!
Chana Masala was "get down, get down" good! Spicy and delicious. One of my favorite Chana Masala dishes in town.
If you want a fancy, romantic and fine dinning experience, you should head to Yorkville. Don't come here.
But if you want to hang out in a fun place with Bollywood vibe and share a good Pakistan/Punjabi food with a large group of close friends and family in an "exotic" setting, I highly recommend the Lahore.
Tips: Leave your Burberry, Gucci, Prada attire at home. Wear something you don't mind throwing in a washer afterwards. Yeah, you are going to smell like Lahore. But you wouldn't care, because you are going to feel so happy leaving that place.Listed in: Top Notch TO
-
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
1/30/2011 2 photos
I really feel the LOVE when I was eating at Lahore Tikka House!!
I was fully prepared for a crappy under construction/renovation place before my arrival from reading the reviewers and from my fellow dining mates. But I find that the imperfection of the deco gave it a certain charm.
We were seated in the "Patio", just love this open and communal style seating! It gave me a feel of attending a wedding with all the music and noises, a feel of eating in an Asian countryside somewhere (yes it did get hot with the crowd and all the spicy and smoke from the food).
Garlic Naan ($1.95)
- was so good... yes a full carb attack.. fresh and soft and oily!!
Butter Chicken ($10.95)
- deliciously oily, the sauce taste so good with the Naan bread.. the chicken itself is so so
Aloo Gobi ($7.25) and Chana Masala ($7.25)
- hot and spicy and oily cauliflower and potato/chick pea! Guilty delicious and even my non veggie eating friend could not stop complimenting how good his veggie is!!
Lahori Beef Kabab ($1.99 each)
- soft and nicely spiced...and the sizzling hot plate makes the oil splashing everywhere.... hmmmm
Kashmiri Chai ($2.49)
- Pakistani tea tasted so good.. especially I am a fan of nuts... I drank that like a dessert! My first experience with pink tea.. now I am in love!
Lahori Kuifi ($2.50)
- creamy, custardy ice popsicle that never melt?? It is so devilish creamy ... just don't think about the fat content and enjoy!!
The services here is awesome for a hole in the wall, under construction restaurant!! I have more attention than in one of those high priced snobby restaurants.
PS the waiter was walking around with a long skewers of green chili peppers!! Just wave him down and he gave me all the chili I want!! :)
I can't wait to come back here again with my dear friends!!
Talking about smell and smoke eating here! My phone smells like Butter Chicken....I can smell it even I tried wipping it down.... -
Review from Aaron B.
Toronto, ON
10/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Not good, way way way too much oil. I was hoping this would be a good find but I wasn't impressed at all
-
Review from Kelly A.
3/25/2011 2 photos
Funky place in Little India, decorated with lights and tapestries. This was my first true Pakistani dining experience. I found the food heaviier in spicing and oil or ghee than most Indian food.
The chana masala we ordered hot and it sure was. The kids had mild chicken tikka and we had spicy butter chicken. The butter chicken and chana masala were in a pool of oil. Let's just say we had a little bit of trouble digesting it. The salad was a nice foil to the rich main dishes.
The staff was extremely personable and took a family vacation photo for us after they saw us taking photos of the kids sitting on the chairs. -
Review from M P.
Toronto, ON
7/4/2011
Love this place!! Since I was brought to this resto, I find myself craving for it occasionally....
Lots of goodies on the menu.... Lamb chops and Biryanis are my fave!! Try their imported drinks to add to the experience!! Oh, talk about speed.... You place an order at the front, sit down and within 10 minutes, your food is served (HOT and SUPER TASTY!!)
I have never been to Pakistan, but this is authentic all right (so I've been told).
I'm going back, for shizzzzle! -
Review from Doris T.
3/30/2011 4 photos
Where do I begin?
The mango lassi-delicious!
Beef boti kabab, karai gosht (lamb), karai chicken-sizzling and fantastic!
Garlic and butter naan-soft and flavorful!
Malai kulfi-mmmmmmmmm.....
Decor-creative dupattas and cozy atmosphere....
Staff-friendly and super efficient!
Props-South Asian flags, baby taxi for photoshoot...
Price-mad cheap for the quality/quantity!
Diet- ruined ; But do I care? NO
Loved it, loved it, loved it! Might even go back to Toronto just to eat here :)
PS They are revamping the whole restaurant and expanding it...just think of the awesome food on the terrace that will be open in the summer!Listed in: With family and friends
-
Review from Ming C.
Markham, ON
4/9/2011
This place is absolutely disgusting...DISGUSTINGLY DELICIOUS!!!!! When I was preggo and had mad cravings for spiciness....this place hit the spot and then some. I just love everything about it...the decor, the perpetual renovating look...etc. This is definitely the most wanna be glamourous hole in the wall there is.
Portions are pretty big...we've ordered So many things off the menu...and never fail...even if it's not our style...I'm always glad that I tried it! I love love love this place...
Good to bring family and friends and especially kids since it's packed, busy and loud like a good old Chinese restaurant. They even have a baby change/nursing room (I think) there. Not the cleanest of all places...but hey come on...how many places actually have these things?...since my little guys been born...I have to say the only place I'm guaranteed this is at the malls. We have even driven from markham to here to bring for dinner in maple...lol. I know...we're a little fanatic.
Anyhow...a toronto must! -
Review from Nauman Z.
North York, ON
1/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a PAKISTANI restaurant people, Lahore is the capital of one of the provinces in Pakistan. Indian food tastes dull, has no meat in it and is usually quite tasteless. This is what Pakistani food tastes like. Kebabs, Naans, Lamb and Karahi Woks are a Pakistani thing.
Anyway, personally since I'm a Born and bred Lahori, their food is Horrible and a disgrace to the famous Lahori taste. I only eat here when I forget how horrible the food is here. -
Review from slaman S.
Toronto, ON
1/28/2011
I am shocked at the reviews on Yelp. This restaurant is the best non-fine dining South Asian restaurant in the city. Don't expect fancy furniture, don't expect not to eat in a portable, don't expect to have to walk through the kitchen to get to the bathroom, don't expect to eat off stainless steel cutlery or drink out of non-disposable glasses, and don't expect not to stink...
The kebabs are amazing... the chicken tikka appetizers are amazing... the pickled chili is wonderfully salty.. the kashmiri chai is aromatic... the service is friendly... and you feel like you are "home"... if home is in Punjab, Pakistan.
Fantastic restaurant - my favorite part about it is the diversity of the clientele. If you want good Punjabi cooking, eat there! -
Review from A H.
Ottawa, ON
4/29/2011
Food = overly oily
Chicken karai has no chicken meat, just bones
Salad = oily lettuce
Dishes = all disposable
Service = horrible ... No waiter ever knows whats going on
Washroom = good, last i checked
Environment = uncomfortable with plastic chairs and portables
Oh and ... Are they still renovating??? Its a joke; i think they're too cheap to finish the reno because its generating enough cash as is. Why? I think its all got to do with location and name: their food and service used to be good, but that was years ago. Plus, there are a lot of visitors in the area because it is Toronto's most popular desi bazaar... So a lot of their customers don't know how bad the food is or don't care because they just want a desi environment.
I pay for: good food and good service. This place has neither. So i asked myself: what am i tipping for when there is bad service? And what am i paying the bill for when the food is not good? Then it became obvious: if you care about using a good washroom over and above good food and service, go for it!
Otherwise, i recommend Tandoori Time ( highway 27 and Albion)
Thanks -
Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
12/4/2010
Lahore Tikka House SUCKS. I completely "get" why people still love this place. Its been under renovation for at least six years. The moment you sit, you are swarmed by Pakistani men with light eyes offering you pink Kashmiri tea. The bathrooms are palatial and heck there are TUK TUKS out front. Its all "on the other side of town" and "unique" I understand, but the food itself.. not so good.
Basically EVERYTHING is doused in oil. It is the most oily food I have ever eaten, not that spicy and it is truly lacking any love. Everything is served in Styrofoam with plastic cutlery and the indoor seating feels very "portable-esque" or "cheap RV-esque" even. Its pretty bad. You sit on outdoor plastic tables inside or out and everything is disposable including glassware.
The "vegetarian platter" looks like kitchen scraps on a sizzling plate swimming in oil. Its deplorable. Awful. The Saag is so oily its almost amazing. The meat dishes (say my dining companions) are better, but still unremarkable.
You should pay cash, the one time I tried VISA they rang it through twice (surprise! when i got my statement) and I had to get VISA to reverse. I assume its a mistake but still.
FULL star for the tuk tuk photo ops and the delicious Kulfi (get it to go)
No booze on premises which is a shame because of the patio and because drunk and Tuk Tuks is twice the fun. -
Review from Jenne Y.
Toronto, ON
4/14/2011
If you're thinking about eating at Lahore Tikka House, you'd better not be on a diet. And if you are, you'd better be ready to take a slight detour from said diet... this is not heart healthy food. But that being said, it is absolutely delicious!
When G and I first found out about LTH, we went back every three days. Twice on weekends. Seriously, this food was like a bad crack addiction. We couldn't get enough. My pants were busting at the seams begging me to stop but there were no interventions here.
We've tried several different items on the menu, from the chana masala (so good) to the matar paneer (so not good... the cheese was so shriveled and dried) to the vegetable platter and the biryani, but time and time again, we ALWAYS order the chicken tikka masala and the lamb kebabs. Always.
Yes, the food is covered in at least an inch of oil (dieters, you have already been warned!) and I do usually pour it out to one side (yes, POUR) and the picnicky plates and cutlery are kind of atrocious, but I will turn a blind eye as long as I can have my tastebud-enticing chicken tikka masala and the pure spicy goodness of the lamb kebabs. All wrapped in LTH's soft, chewy, delicious naan and a generous helping of fragrant basmati rice.
If you haven't been yet, you need to go now. Seriously, why are you still reading? GO!
I'm heading out the door as I type... -
Review from Ian C.
Toronto, ON
4/5/2011
This place qualifies as an epic meal. Sometimes you go for the food, sometimes great service... Lahore Tikka House was for the experience! We sat in plastic chairs, eating out of styrofoam, in a portable with colourful cloths draped over the walls. I felt like I was in another country.
Food was tasty, highlights were butter chicken, kebabs, mattar paneer, and biryani. Liked how there was tons of fresh herbs. Didn't like how oily it was.
I dont understand why they don't move all the patio furniture to the building where the bathroom is. It might not be finished, but surely its better than the portables... -
Review from Alison M.
Toronto, ON
8/12/2011
Aah, Lahore, my lovely neighbour... really good authentic food and casual if somewhat chaotic atmosphere. Agree with most of the other posters :) Prices are getting a bit 'up there' though.
We live not too far down the street from them, and my neighbour has a running joke with her husband. She wants him to finish a reno job, and he says he will get it done 'as soon as Lahore Tikka finishes theirs', LOL. So far, he's had over five YEARS I believe, and she's pissed, ha ha ha.
Good spot though. If you want cheaper or delivery, order from Makkah on the Danforth, or Chandni Chowk on Gerrard, they are both really good too.
Cheers!
