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Mill Street Brewery
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants Brasseries Bars, Brasseries [Edit]
55 Mill StToronto, ON M5A 3C4
Neighbourhood: Distillery District
(416) 681-0338
- Hours:
Mon-Tue 11 am - 12 am
Wed-Thu 11 am - 1 am
Fri 11 am - 2 am
Sat 9:30 am - 2 am
Sun 9:30 am - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
92 reviews for Mill Street Brewery
Review Highlights
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"The Tankhouse and Coffee Porter were the best." In 17 reviews -
"the Tankhouse Ale, proved to be a real winner." In 9 reviews -
"The lobster grilled cheese was delicious." In 4 reviews
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91 reviews in English
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Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
It was so much better than I expected. I thought it would be just some glorified pub food, which is was, but it was tasty and good value for money (for the most part).
We came earlier for their brewery tour. It wasn't a tour, more an educational talk. Since their expansion in the last ten years, they have moved their brewery to another facility in Scarborough but their experimental and some select beers are brewed here, and served in the restaurant (great test audience). I won't describe too much of it, and leave it for you to experience.
You meet in their retail store, a small little space if you have a big group. You can get some samples of 4 of their beers. If you're familiar with the brand, you've probably have these before (tankhouse, organic, stock ale and coffee porter). They do sell beer here, as well as Mill St paraphernalia (bottle openers, magnets, t shirts, mugs etc). They also sell 1.89L of the raseberry infused beer. A great souvenir is the beer mug/beer combo (on sale today for $4.95, usually $6.95).
After the tour, we had a reservation for foods. Although it's a big restaurant, the area we got seated in was really cramped. Maybe we just had too many people, and our big fluffy parks didn't help. There are coat hooks, but are minimal.
The food itself was pretty good. I don't think I've ever had sweet potato fries this good. It's got some batter around the ouiside, making it crunchy on the outside and sweet on the inside. Tastes so good,don't even need dip.
We ordered ($5) the baked pretzel with dip. It was yummy, I think I didn't even share and ate both pretzels, if I remember right. Was quite intoxicated.
I got the Crock pot ($18). Although really good, not really worth the money. It's got some sausage, duck and beef in a stew with potatoes and gnocchi. It's super filling. But i don't think it was worth $18 at all.
On the other hand, AT got the sweet potato lamb and fig sheppard's pie, toped with gouda. Not only was it unique, it was extremely tasty and only $13. Comes with a salad.
Others got the Chicken and Leek pot pie. I think it was tasty, but awfully filling and the ladies dining with me had to take half home.
We didn't order dessert, but the birthday girl got a nice warm chocolate molten cake. Great size, and very warm. I would recommend.
As for drinks, the pints are about $6.40, but they do have 3 flights of half pints for $8. Tasty, but I was annoyed that my fruity beer was switched for mill st's god awful lemon tea beer. As a light weight, I liked being able to try them all and that's all the drinks i needed.
The only issue was that at the end of the evening, we wanted a change of environment for another drink, but there's nothing else in the area (except Sterling room, but at 9pm, the evening hadn't begun and cover was $20). Balzac's and Soma had closed, and there was no where else to go. I mean, i guess people would be coming here!
Free parking on Parliament Street, free after 4pm on weekends, and 6pm on weekdays. -
Review from Teresa H.
Greektown, Toronto, ON
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
The first time I went here was with a group of about 12 people. It was one of the worst service experiences I've ever sat through (2nd to the time I was mistaken for an American in Rome). 12 of us ordered at the same time, 40 minutes later, half of us received our food. 45 minutes later the other half of us minus two received their food. By them some people had left. Eventually the two guys who ordered first received their food. Irony, the people who ordered first received their food last.
After some insistence to the waitress, the manager was brought over to discuss the problems. She explained the problem was their ticket system in the kitchen which sounded like they couldn't accommodate large parties. All of us left with a bad taste, and I was going to write a 1 star review.
But like all good Canadians, we are willing to give a second chance given the right circumstances. As the group I was with was a Meetup Group, and I know that there are other Toronto Meetup Groups who meet at Mill Street, I think the bad word of mouth would not be good for this restaurant. We were asked to return for complimentary appetizers.
We returned and were served appetizer platters after our first beer. So much that we didn't really need to order entrees.
Beer is good, food is adequate(when received), service was semi-redeemed. I'd still like to see how they deal with a large party with entrees.
I am giving this restaurant 3 stars for their willingness to make amends. But I probably wouldn't go here especially as I find there are other restaurants at the Distillery district that I prefer. -
Review from Mary C.
Richmond Hill, ON
2/29/2012 3 photos
My family and I were in the Distillery District the other day and despite raining we had a pretty good time. Kind of sucks that everything except the restaurants close at 5pm on the weekends. Because of that we ended up having an early dinner. Since it was my parent's first time at the Distillery, I felt it would be appropriate to eat at the brewery!
Mill St. Extra Special Bitter (ESB):
I generally don't prefer darker beers because they are so bitter, but this one wasn't too bad. I'm no professional beer connoisseur, but I thought the beer was alright. Could've been a a little colder.
Brewmaster's Mussels:
I really liked this dish despite it's small size. The mussels were steamed with some Belgian beer, chorizo, and some other stuff. The beer flavour wasn't overpowering, but strong enough to know its there. The chorizo gave it a nice flavouring.
Distillery Burger:
My sister ordered this burger and she had quite a bit of difficulty finishing it. Not because it didn't taste good, but because it was just too much food! The burger came topped with a BBQ sauce made from Mill St. Coffee Porter beer, swiss cheese and crispy fried onions. Really good burger! Meat was juicy and tender. I really liked that the burger came with and egg bread burger bun, because I think it just tastes so much better than regular buns.The fries reminded me of new york fries, and came fresh and hot. Perfect compliment to the burger.
Traditional Roast Beef Dinner:
A lot of us ended up ordering this because it sounded so appetizing from the menu! It comes with some steamed vegetables, mash potatoes, yorkshire pudding, and a side of horseradish. I ordered my roast beef medium rare, and found they gave me more of a medium. Despite being a little more cooked than I would've liked it, it was still a very good roast beef. Make sure you come on Sundays after 5pm if you ever want to try this. That is the only time they serve it each week!
Usually my parents don't care much for eating pub food, but they actually said they didn't mind this meal. I guess you can't go wrong with decent food at very decent prices. I really want to come here again in the day time because you get a free brewery tour with your meal! -
Review from Samir N.
4/14/2012
The Distillery is actually wayyyy cooler than anything that was recommended by a tourist book can be expected to be. I was able to cruise right up to the bar early on a Saturday evening and order drinks without having to box out. I was sceptical of the Lemon Tea Ale, but man it was tasty. Tasty enough to where I wish I had more time to taste their regular wheat beer. The Helles Bock was also pretty tasty.
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Review from Angie F.
Toronto, ON
1/18/2012
Alright food. Great atmosphere. The service was the worst part for me.
My coleslaw came clearly without dressing, and I kindly asked the server for a side of it, and he told me I was wrong, that there was dressing on it. My girlfriends Coleslaw had dressing on it, I tasted it to compair, and mine absolutely did not. I don't know why he wanted to challenge me on this? Is the 3 cents of dressing that worth it to them? Or does he just enjoy arguing?
Either way, unacceptable. I would go back if I had a different server. -
Review from Juliana H.
Toronto, ON
1/28/2012
Three out of five is really 60% if we look at it mathematically. That's exactly what I'd give Mill Street. Simply put, the food is lackluster. I've been here many times though rarely is it my first, second, or even third choice. I just think for the money, you can have a much better meal at a lot of other places.
Today, heading home on the Lakeshore, we passed by the Distillery. Because it's convenient, we stopped here for lunch. I had the lobster grill cheese. I've never knowingly had canned lobster before, but what was on my sandwich seemed like the lobster equivalent of canned tuna; it was mushy, flavorless, and generic. The sandwich was supposed to have brie in it, but I failed to see or taste any. And the bread was so dry it ripped up the inside of my mouth. The coleslaw that accompanied the sandwich tasted like it had just been dumped out of one of those bags of salad you can pick up at the grocery store if you're too lazy to wash and prep lettuce. Simply put, there was no love in this meal.
I'm not much for sharing details of stomach upset, so let's just say this meal was operating on borrowed time and leave it at that.
The only reason this place isn't a 2/5 is at least the servers are pleasant and it doesn't take an eternity to "enjoy" a meal. The best things to say about today's lunch are at least this place is across the lane from SOMA and you can pick up some Mill Street beer which is good. -
Review from Kim M.
4/10/2012
Looked so forward to stopping here for a flight of beers and baked pretzels.
Service - seated and served by lackluster people who looked like they didn't like their jobs. Not sure what the problem was but this was the most lacking service we had in our entire Toronto trip.
Atmosphere - big-chain brew pub.
Food - the pretzels were really mediocre. The aioli and marinara dips were yuck. Where is the mustard? The cheese dip? Perhaps other food is better although the reviews don't seem to support that theory. The brunch foods I saw on other tables looked good though.
Beer - first, very disappointed that the three set flights can not be modified. So for example each of the flights includes a fruit beer (which the server said was raspberry and turned out to be lemon) and either a porter or stout. We didn't want to taste any of these but wanted to taste other combinations. Anyway, frustrating. Then the beers were really almost mediocre. The IPA was best. Overall they were on the warm side - less than refrigerator temperature.
Tasting Room / Retail Store - we should have gone left as we entered instead of right into the restaurant. The only reason this review gets 3 stars in the friendly worker in the tasting room who offered generous samples of the brewery's most common 4 beers that would be found in restaurants. These samples were colder than the restaurant. I only wish there had been something we wanted to buy from here. -
Review from Tara A.
1/15/2012
Given the fact that yesterday was stupid cold and we needed a place to warm up quickly, we hopped into the Mill Street Brewery for some "rib sticking eats" (as my BF so eloquently said).
It was quite packed given it was so bone chilling cold out and no one seemed to be minding the coldness they ensued to get there. Maybe it was due to the friendly servers or perhaps it was because they could see their beer being made before their very eyes.. Nevertheless, despite the hustle and bustle we were able to grab a table immediately.
The coffee was continually flowing which made us all happy considering our frozen fingers. I ordered the fish and chips. I really liked the fish but the chips were a bit soggy. Not sure if they had been sitting a bit or just because they were presented under the fish... (hmm thoughts to ponder). My BF and my father both order the Mill Pot (with all of the goodness from a variety of animals.) I tried a taste and the only thing lacking was a bun to soak up the excess goodness at the end. (maybe they are open to suggestions?!)
Overall it was a good experience and I have every intention of making an effort to get to the Distillery more. It's such a gem within a chaotic city -
Review from Jon M.
3/22/2012
Cool space in one of the old distillery alleys. Really like the area, repurposed industrial campus. Mill Street offers a bunch of house brews along with standard bar fare. The IPA was good and on a warm afternoon it was a nice place to park our tired legs for a bit. Outdoor seating was hard to come by and would seem to be in-demand during the summer.
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Review from Linda M.
11/17/2011
If you want to have dinner and drinks here on a Saturday night, be prepared to wait at least 30-45 minutes. Luckily, we were. The bar space was very crowded, but we found a bench near the front of the restaurant that was empty so camped out there while we waited for a table. I like that you also have the option to wander the Distillery until your table is available, however we were waiting for more people so decided to stay put. And it was cold.
We were seated and immediately asked for our drink orders, even though I didn't see a drink menu (do they have one?). I asked for water until I could make a decision. The waiter came back with the brews for the boys and recommended the Mill Street Organic when I told him my preferences. It was a good recommendation, I liked it - but I'm still wondering if there's an actual menu or if we're expected to know what's available.
Since I wasn't too hungry, I decided on the shrimp tacos from the appetizers menu. I received three soft tacos, with a healthy dollop of filling in each. The problem came when I tried to fold them - either they were toasted too much or a little stale, because the wrap kept ripping and was very difficult to fold. Also, the sauce was very watery in consistency so it was impossible to eat it without making a mess on my hands and the plate. It was pretty good, but I would have enjoyed more heat and less onion flavour.
The atmosphere is classic Distillery - high ceilings with exposed ducts and beams. It's also VERY loud.
All in all, a fun relaxed vibe with good beer and decent food. I'd definitely go back if someone else wanted to, but I'm not likely to be the one to suggest it.Listed in: November's 30 in 30
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Review from Joanna L.
Toronto, ON
10/24/2011
I'm giving Mill Street Brewery three stars based on my recent experience having brunch there with a large group.
The brunch menu at the Mill Street Brewery is so-so.
You get what you pay for, I guess, because it's also fairly inexpensive.
I went for the poached eggs with salmon, which came with very salty and cold potatoes, 2 slivers of melon and somewhat flavourless salmon. The eggs were done hard. I had ordered soft poached.
I'm not sure about the lunch and dinner food but I honestly wouldn't come here again to eat.
The service, on the other hand, is excellent. (hence the 3 stars) They've got ample staff to take care of a group.
It was really busy on a recent Saturday morning/early afternoon.
People love having a few beers and hanging out as it's one of the few restos in The Distillery that's not too pricey. -
Review from Ciru N.
Toronto, ON
3/14/2012
Visited the Mill St Brewery for the first time on March 10th to show some out-of-town friends around the Distillery area. Showed up quite late - around 11PM and you wouldn't think from being outside that the place would be this packed on a cold night. Boy was it ever packed.
My party arrived in two groups - the initial 5 were told that the wait would be 40 minutes and got comfortable at the bar, only to be picked up for a table in less than 5 minutes ...communication error?? They were happy nonetheless :-) The remaining 3 of us joined them at the table about 10 minutes later. The server we had was quite good, and seemed to be ready on hand as soon as drinks were getting finished.
Around the table, most of the guys had the Tankhouse Ale, and a light Ale. My out-of-towners who favor the likes of Bud and Miller beer said they found the beers to be "sour"? I thought all beers are sour so not sure what that meant. Anyway, I was pumped to try their Fruity Beer, but they were out of it (very disappointed in this!) , and had to settle for a Green Apple Smirnoff which was delicious!
Foodwise, heard the Butter Chicken was GREAT (bowl licked clean good), and so was their house burger. The chicken-pot-pie got less rave reviews.
All in all, the atmosphere was great, on the loud side, but that's what a pub should be, the pricing was affordable (pints for $6.40) and it was warm and cozy in there. We stayed till 2AM, although the thought of losing 1hr with DST meant it was 3AM- sucks! Overall, a great night, Ill try and return over summer. -
Review from Asheley R.
Halifax, NS
Errrrrrrbody be recommending I hit up the distillery district, so thank goodness we had the cutest of lady's to show us around mill st. A-MA-ZING. First off the distillery district? If you have never been, you simply must go. I was there at dark and with everything closed and I still fell in love. We went with the intentions of grabbing wings and a ever so famous vanilla porter. They unfortunately poured the last vanilla porter when we ordered--travesty.
We settled for a round of cobblestone stout and wings to start. Both were phenom. I haven't dabbled much into the world of dark and bitter beers. But I did seem to enjoy this particular brew. I found it smooth with little aftertaste and nutty-ness. The hot wings were so so so good! Even I found them just a touch too hot- how I like them. The bbq ones were pretty tasty as well. Lots of meat on the bone, no anorexic chickens used at mill st.
My boyfriend ordered the grilled flat iron steak sandy, of which he raved about the entire trip. I had a little nibble, for yelp-age sake and I can agree. I had the portobello sandwich as I couldn't resist even the slightest amount of goat cheese. My favorite part had to actually be the fries. Crispy and golden with what appeared to be sea salt. The sandwich itself was yummy, but I felt more goat cheese was needed and a little less portobello.
All around awesome meal. Not to mention the unbelievable atmosphere, Very neat inside with a working fireplace. This was our favorite meal in TO... so far!
I must go back for vanilla porter, I just must. The beer selection is thrrrrrrough the roof.Listed in: Tip er Back
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Review from Patio M.
Toronto, ON
12/17/2011
The Mill Street Brewery is a pub in a tourist area. That said, the food here is 'safe' for parents and people from out of town like fish and chips etc. My personal favourite is the shrimp tacos.
On Mondays, all of their appetizers are 5 bucks! Try the shrimp tacos!!
They also have the MBA (Masters of Beer Appreciation) card which is their incentive programme. You get a stamp for every beer and if you fill the card, you get your name engraved on the keg at the door. You have to ask for a card, they only give it to locals and regulars.
If you find yourself in the Distillery, it is a great place to pop in for a beer and grab a bite! -
Review from Cindy H.
8/18/2011
On our way to see Cirque, we popped into the Distillery District for some quick eats and beer.
It was extremely busy for a Tuesday evening. Luckily our timing was good and we got a 2-person table on the back patio immediately.
Coffee porter brew was tasty and I had my usual Mill St. Organic. Service was alright. We had the usual pub fare - Brie Quesadilla ($12) and Steak skewers ($10). However, the shrimp tacos were not that great - probably some better items would be their interesting Poutines (pulled pork & chicken).
If you're looking for the typical pub food, Mill Street meets the standard; however, nothing really exciting in the menu choices. Good beer, nice atmosphere and a TON of indoor seating. -
Review from Olivia S.
North York, ON
9/24/2011 1 photo
I had a great time at Mill St with a friend visiting from out of town! It was my first time eating/drinking here, although I had heard lots of great stuff about it before.
The beer was delicious, the service and atmosphere was friendly and fun, the food was slightly overpriced for pub fare but still pretty good. Compared to the other very expensive distillery district restaurant Mill st is much cheaper.
I had no complaints and my friend only had one: The drinks are too expensive unless you're buying beer. Her tiny martini was over $10. My suggestion, since drink-wise Mill St is known for their beer, don't come here for anything but!
You can buy cases of the beer they make in house! -
Review from Justine H.
Toronto, ON
Restaurant: Mill Street Brewery
Cuisine: Pub Food
Location: Distillery District
Address: 55 Mill St
Price Range: $10-15
1: Poor
2: OK
3: Good
4: Very Good
5: Excellent
Food: 1
Service: 3
Ambiance: 2
Overall: 2
Extra information:
*Own Mill Street Retail Store
*Lots of Beer options
*Large seating area
*Large screen TVs
*Patio seating
I had my doubts going to this restaurant because when I looked up the reviews, a lot of people mentioned how this is more of a drinking place so the food is mediocre. Plus I was going for lunch with a family so I wasn't planning to drink which defeats the purpose of going to a Pub place. However, I've never been to the Distillery District so I thought I might as well give it a try.
The restaurant is very big with a patio outside for seating when the weather is nice. We had to stand around for few minutes until the hostess came and she didn't even greet us properly. This was uncalled for because it wasn't even that busy- plus why have those hostess tables outside when there is so host to guide you in? However, our server was very friendly so that made up for it service wise. The restaurant has high ceiling while gives it a bit of cabin feel- with large screen TVs around this place would be good for large group parties or if you want to drop by for beer.
Ordered: PULLED PORK POUTINE - This is from the Appetizer menu but it was pretty big in size, I guess it's because this is a 'pub' style restaurant? It came with too much gravy on top I couldn't even see the fries or the meat underneath. However, underneath all the gravy, there were lots of pulled pork and cheese on top. Pulled pork was soft and chewy with all the gravy goodness. This was tasty with fresh green onion that was added on top- but when it comes to it, I would choose New York fries poutine over this any day.
Ordered: MEDIUM WINGS(15) - They have Wings special on Tuesdays so we decided to give it a try. They were 50 cents each. This was SO BAD, it was prob the worst wings I've ever had. The sauce was more sweet than sour- which is weird for hot wings. It was luke warm (kind of cold) and dry. I think they prob used the old wings from the day before and then just heated up the sauce and tossed it. The meat was tough and tasteless, it was just horrible! NEVER AGAIN!!
Ordered: FLAT IRON STEAK SANDWICH - This came with fries, coleslaw and a pickle wedge. They cook the steak to your liking so I chose Medium Rare. Caramelized onions inside the sandwich gives it a bit of flavor but the sandwich was overall a little too dry. This def needs some more sauce to balance out the steak in the sandwich with the bread. This was prob the best dish out of 4 if I had to pick one.
Ordered: DISTILLERY BURGER - Apparently this is one of their most popular burger so I decided to give it a try. This was another big disappointment. The burger was so dry and the beef patty was tough and over cooked. Coleslaw is just pieces of cabbage and carrot with no sauce or seasoning whatsoever. I wasn't sure what it was suppose to be? more like a salad without dressing? The fries were just mediocre.
SUMMARY: I guess the reviews were right- this is more of a drinking place and the food is just mediocre. But these days there are so many restaurants with good selection of alcohol PLUS delicious food so I don't think I will ever go back.
*chomp chomp* -
Review from Sophie D.
Toronto, ON
9/21/2011
This is a decent pub; they have good food specials and a great beer selection. The Distillery District is a nice area. I have one major grouch though. I ordered some wings that were on special (50c each, but you had to order a minimum of ten). Since I was by myself, I could only get through half of them, but when I asked to get the rest to go, they refused! I asked what the logic of this was, and the server said "Um, something to do with they don't want people ordering too many and then not eating them" or something.
Okay, what? How does this is any way make any sense at all? First of all, let me just point out the completely bloody obvious: this policy does not save the Mill St Brewery any money. In fact, it probably does the opposite, since once someone has had this experience, they're likely to order less next time. Second obvious point: the customer was always going to pay for those wings anyway. It's not like we're going to demand a refund for our uneaten portion of wings. They've got their money, so why should they care if we take it home and have a delicious midnight snack? Why are they so desperate to throw away perfectly good food?
I'll tell you why. They surely must be reheating the wings and serving them again. It's the only possible reason why they would insist on not letting you take them home. Either they are throwing out a hell of a lot of uneaten wings--which if true, is also immensely irresponsible when we have a global food crisis and people are starving to death in Somalia--OR they are serving them up again to the next sap. Why else? If you've got a better explanation for this ridiculous policy, I'd love to hear it...
Finally: if you're not going to let people take home the food that they are paying for, you should inform them of that BEFORE THEY ORDER. I'm paying for it, so it's my food. if I want to take it home instead of see it thrown in the garbage, I should be allowed to. -
Review from Teena D.
10/8/2011 10 photos
After Gord and I saw "The Odd Couple" this afternoon, we had supper at the Mill St. Brewpub, about a block from the theatre. It's been a while since we've been there.
It was a gorgeous afternoon (sunny and 24C) so we sat on the patio ... the patio and the restaurant ended up being packed and there was a line-up.
Gord started with the fish and shrimp cakes ... he said they were good (I'm not a fan of fish cakes).
Then he had the Chicken Schnitzel from their Oktoberfest menu which he said was good too.
I had the buttered chicken which was delicious.
Our waiter, Gio, was attentive when we got there before it got busy. -
Review from Reynold P.
Toronto, ON
10/8/2011
Mill Street Brewery is the perfect spot for relaxing with friends. Right in the middle of the Distillery district lies a great patio serving great food with good service.
Any given sun-day is the optimal day to dine here. Take advantage of there shaded outside seating and cold drinks. I had their homemade root beer. It's good but has less bite than Barq's.
For starters, you have to get the shrimp tacos. The absolute best tacos I've had. 3 fried shrimp on guac and salsa with a tad of spicy aioli wrapped in soft tortilla shells. Goodness, I can have these everyday.
For my entree I had the Steak Sandwich. It's nothing too special here but the steak is cooked to perfection and sliced in between a big onion bin. It's definitely one of the bigger Steak Sandwiches I've had in Toronto. The pickle and coleslaw were good sides to cut through the heavy/creamy bbq and aioli sauces in the sandwich.
My gf had the "Proper Steak Pot Pie". She loved it. Served with a side of green peas and mash, it went down well. The portions are large so maybe a doggy bag is in order. But leftovers are always good with a favourite flick.
Overall, I really like the food here. Even though it's standard pub food, it's certainly done right with a few twists. I recommend it for a lunch or dinner on a nice breezy summer's/fall day. -
Review from Elvis A.
7/13/2011
This review is just for the pub section of this Brewery as we only had drinks here. As expected they have wide variety of Mill Street brews here. The setup is really nice so full marks there for the ambiance. We ordered the sampler packs that were comprised of Original 4 and 4 Season. I personally am not a big fan of this style of brews but enjoyed them nonetheless. Friends on the other hand enjoyed it immensely and after trying the samplers went for a pint of the their favorite picks. The setup coupled with the distillery adds to the appeal of this spot. I guess I will have to revisit and try the food as well.
3 Star overall (1 star deducted due to personal Bias of preferring Belgian Style Beers :)) -
Review from Imran N.
5/8/2011
Ok if you think of this place as a restaurant, it's not amazing.
But if you think of this place as a pub, it's a good one.
It's similar to the beer bistro because they have beer as an ingredient on many of their menu items. But the selection of beer is strictly mill street - and it's pretty good beer. Plus they have special beers for the season. Nice.
Most menu items are decently priced, some feel not worth it. But all in all, it's pub food, with a one notch higher rating. Mondays is a good happy hour day.
Also, it's nice that they have a tasting room right at the entrance and of course, the distillery district itself. -
Review from Arwen L.
4/17/2011 2 photos
This is a good place in the Distillery District if you are looking for a hearty meal and some good craft brewed beer to complement it.
I was a bit bummed when I realized their samplers were pre-set and you could not customize them. However, I saw the method in their madness as I would have never ordered their "Fruit Beer" because I typically don't enjoy lambics, etc. I was quite surprised by their raspberry-flavored beer! It was really good!!!
I also sampled the IPA, Extra Special Bitter and the Pilsner because of the sampler choice I selected. I would have gone for a different sampler but it would have put me on my arse and I actually had to go to a meeting that afternoon!
For my meal, I needed something to warm me up so I went for the Chicken and Leek Pot Pie. It was great and just what I needed!
I also stopped in the gift shop on my way out and picked up a couple of bottle of the brews I didn't get a chance to sample: The Cobblestone Stout, the Tankhouse Ale and the Coffee Porter! YUM, can't wait to break them open!Listed in: Hmmmmmmmm, Beer!, Touring Toronto
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Review from Rob B.
Acton, ON
5/7/2011
Standard pub food mixed with beer inspired extras such as "beer drenched cedar planked salmon". The prices were reasonable compared to neighboring competitors.
Service:
This place only takes a handful of reservations to allow room for walk-in's. We were quoted a 45 min wait at the restaurant after being denied a reservation over the phone. We wandered around the Distillery District shops for 15 minutes until our table pager rang. The service was friendly, prompt, attractive and attentive. A+ for the wait staff.
Drinks:
Cryptic tasting platters that feature 4 small glasses of beer are the easiest way to sample what is brewed on site. Compared to other micro breweries that I've visited, I was a little disappointed that the beer didn't taste better. I didn't want a 2nd glass of anything so I continued to happily sample everything. Only one of the beers that I tried (of some 10 different flavors) had a fresh out of the cask taste. The other 9 had the same marinated taste shared by common kegs available anywhere.
Food:
The food was adequate but not outstanding. Laminated menus offered standard pre-frozen burgers, small pieces of fish, and familiar fries presented as you'd expect in any bar. It's disappointing only because if the menu and presentation of the food was improved, this place could be one of the best watering holes in the city.
Would I go back:
I'll go back to the Mill Street Brewery if I'm in the area and in the mood for a beer and conversation. I won't go back if I'm looking for a special meal or something out of the ordinary. -
Review from Corinne M.
9/9/2011
I'm surprised of the negative ratings for food here as I came here on vacation with my boyfriend over the Labor Day weekend and was pleasantly surprised by the beer and our food. I had a chicken wrap and my boyfriend had the plank steak sandwich, both of which were good. His steak sandwich was really well cooked to his liking which is not something you're always offered in a sandwich.
BUT THE BEER! I'm from Queens, NY so I'd never had Mill Street beer before but that Wit beer on tap? Probably the best Hefeweizen on tap I've ever had. It has the perfect balance of sweetness in an unfiltered beer..
When I go back to Toronto again (which I'm sure I will!) I will go back there.
The only downside is the wait. -
Review from S W.
Mississauga, ON
6/8/2011
Good beer, distinctively slow service. Having been here many times over 5 years, amazing what you are willing to forget when you are desperate for different food, due to proximity to the office this is a great place if you can take two hour lunches.
4 co-workers and I went here for a Friday lunch. Ordering the Drunken Chicken and Basmati rice I finally got my food after a lot of time. Now I am sure this has happened to everyone at least once. You are so hungry, pressed for time, that you just eat it and don't bother sending it back. The rice was cold and clumped together. Usually a sign that it was microwaved and leftover from the night before that it couldn't be disguised or saved by the chicken and sauce.
The terrible part is when this was mentioned to the server, who was great, who then informed the manager after which NOTHING WAS DONE?!?!??
It wasn't until I walked up the her that she pasted on a fake smile and said I heard your food wasn't good. I wasn't expecting the food to be comped but to do NOTHING except hope we would leave without a word set all new low for customer service. She said she was willing to make the dish again. This was after I went to the, the manager, and brought it to her attention and after spending close to two hours just wasn't going to work.
Well they got my money and I hope they made enough money doing that to customers and in exchange I am happy to post this review.
The server was great but couldn't overcome poor food and mgt. -
Review from Mariko M.
1/1/2011
Came here on NYE for a quick bite before heading to a house party. We were reservation-less so we couldn't have Mill Street's NYE menu, but ordering from the menu was just fine.
The ambiance is great. Found in the heart of the Distillery District, Mill Street brews their own beer ready to be served in the dining area. I found the service to be excellent. Our server was an Irish lad who was very efficient and extremely professional. He knew both the food and beer menu well. All servers should be like this guy.
To start, we ordered the red pepper dip .... it was a-ok. Nothing out of this world, but I still enjoyed eating it. For my meal, I ordered the chicken pot pie accompanied by the Mill Street Lemon Tea Beer. Both of which I thoroughly enjoyed!!
I want to try the pretzels ... I'll have to come back. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
12/7/2010 7 photos
My review will be based on Mill Street Brewery's Weekend Brunch experience, which I found it is A-OK!
We arrived around 12:30 pm on a Sunday afternoon during Toronto Christmas Market event as I expected there is going to be a long wait! To my surprise, we were seated right away! I am glad that the restaurant has anticipate the booming business and layout more tables and have extra staffs.
Our waiter is nice and friendly. Took our order and our food arrived in 10 minutes!! I was expecting with a full house, it will take a lot longer to be served.
Egg Charlotte ($9) and Mill Street Omelet ($9) are both A-OK, especially for the prices they are charging and the location (hey I am in a touristy area)... But I suspected that they are precooked and sitting under heated lamp waiting for my order.
It is so warm and toasty inside as they have the heat on maximum... the waitresses all wearing short skirts and I see the need for that! :P
I will for sure want to come back and try some of their beers and ales on tap!Listed in: Weekend Brunchs in GTA!, A Day in the Distillery…
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Review from Rosie S.
5/16/2011
UGH I just can't figure out why we all keep coming back here!!!
The menu SOUNDS good... but it never, ever is. NEVER!
I've been here at least half a dozen times by default.
As others have said, it's no so bad if you make half-assed excuses for them, like it's a "pub", not a "restaurant", or that they focus on beer so their food must suffer a little, or it's just the most affordable option in the Distillery, blah, blah, blah...
One of my pet peeves: Quesadillas that slide apart. COME ON. It's not hard. If I can do it at home, can you PLEASE figure it out since I'm PAYING YOU to know how to COOK THE STUFF that's on YOUR MENU??? Nothing is certifiably terrible, but nothing is even "great". Passable, fine, but that's it.
Ahem. Apologies for the all-caps.
What would people say if this was at, say, King & Yonge... or the Ossington strip? Roncesvalles? I can't imagine. It just happens to be located in what a lot of people consider to be a food desert, in terms of dining out. They forget what a short walk it is to King St. E.
Obviously they have a great beer selection, and it's cool to see all the pipes and vats and stuff, but none of that makes up for the mediocre food.
Meet you there next time we're going to a Soulpepper show. You know it's gonna happen. Unavoidable. UGH!!! -
Review from Mel U.
12/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
**Must have the Tankhouse. Also, purchase the current Barley Wine from the gift shop. Can be aged up to five years.**
What a great place!
Located within the labyrinth of the Distillery District, Mill Street Brewery is a place I would definitely be a regular at -- if I lived in Toronto, that is. We only stayed for a couple brews (well, one for me; two for AB), and I loved the Tankhouse (a copper red ale, with a heavy hop... *slurp*).
I also grabbed a quick sample of the coffee porter and organically-brewed ale in the gift shop, and can only conclude that this small local brewery is quite impressive! Our bartender was exceptionally nice and helpful, and the gift shop employee seemingly shared her sunny disposition.
What is it about Canada and all these happy, smiley, friendly people!? I love it. I want to go back and have beers with the locals!Listed in: Taste of Toronto
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Review from Tina H.
4/19/2011
They infuse many menu items with beer.
Poutine is tasty.
Arugula salad with the added salmon was ok. Nothing stellar but better than salads at other pubs. Quite expensive at $21. I'd want a $21 salad to taste amazing but this one didn't.
Service was friendly.
They have daily specials. Probably a better idea to go here if you can catch one of those. Paying full price seems like a rip off. Also, stick to pub food. The salad was a disappointment. -
Review from Julie D.
10/11/2010
Certainly not my first choice for dining in the Distrillery District. I was interested in patio dining, but everywhere was already filled with a long wait. We were able to get a table here in the bar. Not the best table, very noisy and we were in the middle of a high traffic area. Our server was thoughtful enough to move us to a table along the wall when one opened up.
I had the Bang Bang Shrimp soft tacos. The shrimp were jalapeno breaded, tossed in aioli and topped with my favorite, cilantro, salsa and avacado. These puppies were SO good! I really loved my meal here! -
Review from Helena K.
10/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is pretty rad. Completely bumping on the Saturday night before Thanksgiving, so there was a 30-40 minute wait, which my friend and I bypassed by taking a high-top. Rather cramped and crowded in the land of high-tops, but it's not too bad.
It's a great place to stop by after checking out all the amazing shops and galleries in the Distillery District. Fun, bustling atmosphere, and an eclectic, but decent, music selection.
The brewery nachos are aces (definitely add guacamole). The veggie burger, however, is not house made (I always ask beforehand), so I opted for the portobello sandwich, which was actually much better than most other portobello sandwiches I've had.
I highly recommend trying a flight of beer. Among my favorites: Tankhouse Ale, Fruit Beer, IPA, and the ESB. But the real winners are the two seasonal selections: Octoberfest and Pumpkin Ale. (Yeah, I drank a lot of beer that night ...)
Definitely check out the shop where they have a stellar selection of t-shirts, koozies, bottle openers, etc., and where you can take home a sixer of Tankhouse Ale (among other options) or a growler of your choice. You may also sample select brews here. -
Review from Mark S.
Toronto, ON
6/6/2011
Not satisfied with this first-time experience. And it takes me a lot not to be satisfied, I'm generally a good reviewer.
We were a group of two. Service was slow. It was cool outside and no one was offering us to be seated for a few moments, so we went inside to the main desk and waited to be seated. There was a sign saying to go back out to be seated, but it was too cool, so we flagged a waitress to get us seated, who went to find a hostess.
We finally got seated at a really cramped two-seater table in the corner. At least we could see the hockey game. At the entrance of the restaurant while I was waiting to be seated, there was a menu with "beer cocktails" on it. When I got to the table and asked to order, the waitress said that that menu wasn't in effect yet and I couldn't order a "beer cocktail".
So we ordered two $5 appetizers and two mains. Mine was very poor; It was a the BBQ Chicken special sandwich. A huge bun, with about a cold-cut size slice of chicken in it. The fries it came with were so soggy and soft I was getting sick just looking at them.
The only thing I can say that was good about this meal was the wine that I ordered. Which says a lot about about a place which is supposed to have beer as its flagship item. -
Review from Jo P.
11/25/2011
We loved the restaurant and loved the Distillery District. The Mussels were delicious, the Kobe Burgers with Oka were also a huge hit. They were geering up for the Christmas market in the Brewery District and I would strongly suggest it!
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Review from Lucia A.
10/12/2011
The lobster grilled cheese was delicious! So was the pumpkin lager. We're heading back tomorrow to pick up a few six-packs of the tasty beer brewed in the district. Fun, local eatery in Toronto!
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Review from Helen Y.
Vancouver, BC
11/3/2010
I like this place..
when u don't feel like dressing up, when u don't feel like worrying about calorie intake, when u don't feel like going to bier market yet again....
unique old building, interesting selection of beers, decent food for a brewery... great for easy weekend afternoon.. -
Review from Kat T.
10/23/2011
Mill Street Brunch on a Saturday was packed! For those who don't mind a little hair of the dog, they serve beer pretty early. I just got a coffee to drink.
Of the food options, they are all pretty big portions.
The peameal bacon is really coated in that meal stuff, not that I eat pork anyway.
There is also a benedict with salmon, or off-menu option is eggs florentine with spinach, which is what I ordered.
For a large group, the waitress was really amazing at getting everyone's requests just right. I ordered the sauce on the side, which I always do. But, this was one of the best options ever. The hollandaise sauce was terrible. Everyone else's eggs were smothered in this bright yellow sauce that looks like maybe it had separated a little. Everyone else ate it without complaint, but I dipped one bite in and was happy to eat my poached eggs with salt and pepper alone.
Eggs were a bit firm, but I asked for 'medium' poached eggs.
Beer reviews to come! -
Review from Jeff C.
East York, ON
11/29/2011 6 Check-ins Here
The Mills Street Brewery is an institution in the area. When ever we are at the distillery district that's where we go for a meal. They are that perfect sweet spot between cheap diner food and fancy foo foo restaurant. Beer lovers can rejoice as the selection is huge (it is a brewery!). You can buy jugs of Mill Street for home too. I usually go for the burgers and on Sunday brunch visits the breakfast dishes are nice too. For cider lovers they sometimes have one on tap.
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Review from Monica S.
11/30/2010
What a great find.. Big thanks to Sandy who lives in the hood and recommended MSB..
Perfect location for a casual meeting with friends. Food was delicious! I tried their special butternut squash - corn chowder.. Delishhh
The chicken, avocado wrap was AMAZING.. sweet potato fries on the side! YUMMMM
I love this area and MSB is a great place..
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