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New York Subway
Categories: Restaurants Sandwiches Food Specialty Food Ethnic Food Sandwiches, Ethnic Food
520 Queen St WToronto, ON M5V 2B3
Neighbourhoods: Alexandra Park, Queen Street West
(416) 703-4496
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
30 reviews for New York Subway
Review Highlights
"For a $6 burrito, it doesn't get better."
(in 24 reviews)
"I tried the lamb satay jumbo burrito as this was..."
(in 3 reviews)
"...chicken, even some random butter chicken rolls - I always..."
(in 3 reviews)
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Vicky W.
North York, ON
1/11/2012
When this place closed for a year - I was really SAD.
I couldnt believe how much I missed this place.
I always order the same thing (potato/veg) roti and I always inhale it.
Its such comfort food.
This hole-in-the-wall is truly one of my fav places to eat in the city. -
Review from Ed S.
11/14/2011
I don't know what people are raving about. I'm from NYC and while Mexican food isn't our claim to fame, we can still get much better burritos than this. I'm not even sure what's served qualifies as a burrito.
I had the lamb satay burrito and my wife had the ground beef burrito. Neither had rice, beans, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, salsa fresca or salsa verde. It's also open on one end so basically what's called a burrito is more like a gyro using a tortilla instead of a pita.
Should I hold any of that total un-burrito like stuff against them? I'm willing to overlook all that if it tastes amazing. Neither did. The taste was basically average. Inoffensive is the best way to describe the flavor. Like I said, I have no idea what people are raving about. This is basically a 3 star quick wrap place, but a 1 star burrito place so I split the difference. -
Review from Gloria B.
Toronto, ON
11/3/2011
I liked the food! I got the bean burrito, and it was delicious. The spices were great and the portion was perfect for me, though I'm not a big eater.
The service was not welcoming or warm. I felt awkward giving them business (as it is right beside Subway)
the location is great, the food is good, but beware of awkward service... -
Review from Jen C.
10/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've passed by this place umpteen times and knew that a lot of people enjoyed the "burritos" here. Since I was in the area, I finally made my first visit today and got the beef burrito. Though I'm not sure about that pinkish mayo and I ordered it spicy (it wasn't that spicy), this was fast, tasty, and decent. About what you'd expect. Scrolling through the other reviews, I look forward to checking out this potato burrito.
Definitely get your meal to go - the street corner has better atmosphere than the interior. -
Review from Mick M.
Toronto, ON
12/10/2011
I would like to copy Ed S. from NY's November 14 2011 review verbatim! It's SO much like how I feel about my experience at NY Subway that I'm actually beginning to believe that I may in fact BE Ed S. and not Mick M. as I have been led to believe by those I have trusted all my life. I know my parents lied to me before so who's to say they were telling the truth about this?
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Review from Graham R.
Toronto, ON
9/14/2011 1 photo
I had heard so many good things about this place over the years but by the time I finally got around to trying them they had shut down. Fortunately it was just for a short renovation and they are back open again. I went today with a fellow foodie that is a huge fan of this place. I tried the lamb satay jumbo burrito as this was reccomended by the lady at the cash.
The burrito: Well it's a little different from most burritos as they don't use beans and rice and I would compare it more to a jumbo fajita. At $6.45 it was great value and very filling. The taste of the lamb was really good though I think they could add some more spice to it and overdue it a bit with what tastes like thousand islands dressing. My burrito w/ 2 drinks (mango nectar and bottle of water) came to $10.44 which is quite good for the area. Most places it is hard to find lunch for under $15 nearby.
Conclusion: I would definitely return as the food was very good for the price I paid. I would give them a 7.5/10 for this experience. -
Review from Rannie T.
Toronto, ON
Before all those other fancy burrito places, there was New York Subway.
When I was first dragged in here to try a potato burrito. I thought my friend was crazy. I soon discovered that potatos in a burrito were the best idea ever.
It's a must try after an afternoon shopping along the Queen West Strip. -
Review from Tara Z.
11/4/2010
The food? Delicious.
The service? Fast.
The selection? Excellent.
So why so few stars? Because this place is DEPRESSING AS ALL FUCK--the wall calendar that's still turned to last month; the photo of the owner in his prime, wearing chef's whites, directly above the counter where, thirty years later, he slathers hot sauce on satay wraps; the splotchy wall paint and chipped tile and the cafeteria trays dishing up your sandwiches if you decide to eat there instead of taking your food to go. It's pretty grim, guys. -
Review from Alan X.
Toronto, ON
4/10/2011
Same family as Ghandi Cuisine, nuff said!
My only concern is Dino's hygiene. Try ordering food that does not require a lot of food handling... ;) -
Review from Matt M.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2010
Food is sub-par, the service is a fucking joke, and the place is not merely "dingy" (as though that's somehow endearing), but totally unclean. Do not bother unless you want to hang out in a dive with sticky tables and listen to shit music for 20 minutes while you wait for an unintelligible old man to hand you your "burrito". Oh, and since when do "burritos" come with something resembling Caesar dressing mixed with Miracle Whip and sugar water all over them? The beef "satay" (ordered spicy) was bland and gross, and my girlfriend's chicken (ordered medium) was passable but somehow spicier than mine.
If you're in a rush and for some fucked-up reason you need to eat on that block, Subway (the shitty chain restaurant) is next door. It's faster and costs about the same and your shirt probably won't stick to the table. (And nobody on Yelp will have falsely led you to believe that you're about to eat a decent meal.) Also, Subway (the chain shithole, not the garbage burrito dive) accepts debit and credit cards. -
Review from Adeel O.
4/8/2010 ROTD 9/2/2010
I know my burritos and there's nothing "burrito" about what this place serves up. There's also nothing "subway" about what you want to get here, for what they *do* serve are some awesome warm wraps with freshly prepared, flat-grilled skewered meats which were tender as heck, and if I had to guess, marinated. Yes, they have veggie stuff too, but I was in meatatarian mode.
The place isn't meant to be pleasing to the eye...the walls are painted yellow, the ceiling is sky blue and there are faded black & white posters of the new york skyline on one wall while the wall in the back actually has a faded photo of a sub.
Dino, the bearded Greek guy who prepares your hot skewered chicken burritos, has been working at New York Subway for fourteen of its fifteen year existence. The only other patron I talked to has been coming here for ten.
What else is there to say? -
Review from Janelle W.
7/5/2009 4 photos
Thursday, 15:00 -- Considers spending weekend away from annoying Fourth of July celebration. Performs google and yelp searches for must-try restaurants in nearby cities such as Toronto, Chicago, Cleveland, St. Louis.
Thursday, 15:40 -- Reads about Mexican-Indian fusion burritos at New York Subway in Toronto.
Thursday, 15:41 -- Starts packing.
Friday, 09:00 -- Drops off dog at grandparents'. Drives to Toronto.
Friday, 14:24 -- Consumes cauliflower burrito and chicken satay burrito at New York Subway.
Friday, 14:42 -- Has über-happy tummy.
Sunday, 12:36 -- Returns for another New York Subway fix before driving back to the States.
New York Subway is my kind of place. It's a dingy hole-in-the-wall with worn and slightly sticky booths. The floor tiles are chipped, and don't appear to have been cleaned since the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup. The grill is grease-stained and seasoned over time by the savory juices cooked out of their satay chicken. Hours are written at the bottom of an old wood panel next to the door. Though they're open daily, the closing time is unidentifiably scratched out on half the days.
He is my hero who decided to fuse Indian food with Mexican. Curried potatoes and cauliflower in a soft tortilla? Yes, please. Chicken satay burrito? Keep 'em coming. Butter chicken roll? One of many reasons I'll be visiting Toronto regularly.
*** CASH ONLY *** -
Review from Noel D.
8/7/2009 ROTD 12/8/2009
My ex-girlfriend introduced me to this place... Don't let the run-down appearance fool you because all the stories you've heard about how great this joint is are true. Also, don't be fooled about the "Subway" in the name because this is a burrito spot -- even though they are the size of subway sandwiches.
The one fellow who works there draws comparisons to the Soup Nazi because he's no nonsense and I've heard can be difficult with certain people, but he's actually a great guy and will treat you well if you return the favour. I recommend any of the jumbo burritos, especially the spinach one. Be prepared to wait a good 10-15 minutes or even more when the place is busy, but it takes time to create such delicious food. Those burritos are out of this world.Listed in: Reviews of the Day
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Review from Tammy Y.
Toronto, ON
6/26/2009 ROTD 4/30/2010
"Dingy", "ugliest", and "filthy". Yes, fellow Yelpers, your comrades-in-arms have not led you astray here. This place is a dump, but something about its shabby-chic thing kind of authenticates its food as the real deal. None of this "restaurant makeover" nouveau-moderne faux-mexicano or exotic Indian crap! This is New York Subway and the name is totally misleading but it don't matter cause they are keeping it so REAL.
There are a ton of things on the menu - lamb, beef, chicken, even some random butter chicken rolls - I always just go in for the lamb or chicken, Medium spicy. Given, there are variations of both meats, but they've never asked us to specify, so it's just plain old, "uhh... one lamb, and one chicken, please). Even with the size, they kinda just give us the up-down and somehow just correctly determine what we'd be happy with. And they always come out correct - as if we'd know any better - but it's part of the Realness.
To come in here expecting a fat ball of a burrito a la Bandidos is barking up the wrong tree. These burritos are more torpedo-shaped and are spiced with just the right amount of Indian/Asian flavourings. Also - way cheaper than aforementioned Bandidos.
Genuine, mostly friendly folks (they even let me duck into the back to wash my hands once), and a definite staple for a satisifying grab and go in that weird block of Queen West. -
Review from vivian v.
Aurora, ON
6/16/2009 ROTD 6/25/2009
Believe me, I'm fully aware of how dingy this place looks from the outside and I even tried to get my friends to eat elsewhere the first time I was dragged to this place. I'm a really picky eater, (I know, real shocker right?) and for a bean-hater, a burrito joint isn't at the top of my list. But when I noticed they had quesadillas, I was swayed to stay. And boy am I glad I did. Delish.
It's not something I could eat every day, but when I'm craving it, I can't stop myself. I finally managed to convince the guys to head there for lunch today and I'm so glad I did. That chicken quesadilla really hit the right spot for me. I'm pretty sure I even sunk into my booth. Unfortunately, I always find that I have to drink two bottles/cans/cartons of whatever drink I choose. It's not even that it's hot, it's that there is that much food that needs to be washed down.
Also, be prepared to wait for your meal. But I promise it will be worth it.
What i found out on this latest trip:
a) cash only. no debit, credit, blahblahblah. so bring cash.
b) you don't really watch them make the food, they don't ask you what ingredients you want. So if you have any sort of allergy, make sure to let them know when you order. Or else you'll play the shit card like a co worker and make them recreate your sub sans onions.
Oh, if you go, get a burrito. it's apparently the best in the city despite the name of "subway" -
Review from Chris P.
I have finally found a burrito place in Toronto to rival my love of Chipotle!
Cheap and tasty, what more could you want. For a $6 burrito, it doesn't get better. I had the beef satay burrito which comes with grilled beef chunks, lettuce, tomato, onion, hot sauce, and mystery burrito sauce. Yum yum!
This place is a little more pleasant now too (on the inside). It looks as though they've recently painted the walls and ceiling. The fan on the ceiling is no longer a shade of grease but a pale blue shade.
Cash only! -
Review from ness y.
Toronto, ON
2/7/2010
Sadly, Yelpers, I was disappointed with New York Subway.
True, like others mentioned, it was frigid in the little shop on late January visit around 1pm. Thanks, though, I never would have noticed if it had I not intentionally made plans to meet my cousin there based on your reviews. Indeed, it was dingy and ugly. And yup, we steered away from the subs and ordered burritos - from a very nice guy at the counter, then a stern man did cook them.
I paid much more than I'd expected, but I assured myself that Yelpers would ensure it would be worth it. As we sat, I anticipated big, honking, deliciousness in a hungry delirium. And then, anticipated some more...
It wasn't busy, but our order took about 25 minutes to prepare. When my cousin went to pick up our order from the counter, I thought she had returned only with hers because when I took a quick glance it looked (I hoped?) that I saw 1 super burrito. It was really 2 skinny side-by-side shlongs.
The shrimp in my jumbo shrimp burrito was cooked well; not too long as to be rubbery at all. But barely pink. Though I was impressed with the quality and quantity of the shrimp itself, it was bland in comparison to the finely chopped iceberg lettuce and mayo mix. I had ordered medium, I guess by mistake, in this neighbourhood. It tasted like negative medium.
My cousin said she liked hers. But then again, she only ate half and had been starving.
I might be back, if it were not for the fact that there is no such thing as jumbo chicken or jumbo beef. I thought that maybe I'd just read the menu wrong, or they left out the comma. Had what I ordered actually been called: "jumbo shrimp, burrito"? Grammar-schmammer. Time and taste can't make up for a mere pause. -
Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
8/12/2009 1 Check-in Here
Walked into this placed based completely on the other Yelp reviews and it's confirmed, this place is a gem! I tried out the butter chicken roll and was quite satisfied...cheap and tasty!
As a word of caution though, the butter chicken roll does not contain any solid pieces of chicken...its some kind of paste and sauce together...I know this doesn't sound appetizing, but it's quite good! -
Review from sunnee s.
Toronto, ON
11/22/2010
mmmm .. this is one grungy, dirty, filthy little place . i love hole in the wall restaurants but i wouldnt have dared to step into this place if it weren't for its exquisite reviews . this place takes hole in the wall to a whole new level . both the dirtiness & the yummyness wise .
i love mine half beef, half cauliflower, hot . its one of my most favorite things to eat in toronto . i felt pretty intimidated by the cook behind the counter, but once i read that hes like a soup nazi from seinfeld, i warmed up a little and surprisingly he did the same . or so i think . but i swear i think i saw him smile .
yea, this place looks pretty sketchy, but don't be a princess and give it a chance ! GO WITH AN OPEN MIND ! get the burrito ! half beef, half cauliflower ! YUM . oh ! but make sure you take it to go ! -
Review from Jonathan K.
Toronto, ON
1/4/2010
I agree with the other reviewers here. I just wanted to add that the vegetarian options at New York Subway are at least as good as the meat options, if not better.
Vegetarians: this place is a gem for you too. Get the mixed vegetable burrito and choose your top three veg's.
I do want to warn people about something though: the last few times I've been, the guy preparing the food was handling money as well - cash only. It's pretty gross frankly, but the burritos are delicious. -
Review from Danielle P.
Toronto, ON
4/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
I wanted to write this review while the flavors were still mingling with my tongue. And did they mingle, it's like a feisty fiesta in there. Each bite is layered with spice, and each spice is followed by harmonious medley of vegetables and fish.
This was a two day eat for me, day one was an introduction to a beautiful hybrid baby between a burrito and a curried potato roti. I had the white fish, it was flaky, moist and flavorful. I am a big fan of mushrooms in burritos, and for the first time I didn't feel like a freaky food pariah as mushrooms, potatoes, onions and fish played together peacefully. Each bite was a texture adventure, that carried over two days.
Day two was a burrito rescue from fridge to microwave for a quick nuke. Just enough to take the chill off. Not only were the flavors heightened, but because of the parchment paper lining there was absolutely soggy surrender. Bite after bite was filled with fish no small feat as the burrito was sizable.
Bottom line...as this was only takeout for me I can't speak to the restaurant ambiance, but if it is mirrored in any way by this delicious burrito, I'm in! -
Review from Erin H.
Toronto, ON
9/3/2008
I've often wondered how this filthy little place on Queen St. Kept in business when each restaurant around it was trying to out-sleek the other. The answer I came up with when I finally did try the fares of this sandwich/burrito shop was simple, it doesn't have to, it's just plain good.
Being a fake-atarian I didn't know what to choose so the proprietor was rather stern in telling me I should have the spinach wrap - "try spinach, spinach is good...you want spicy?". When a man who has been standing in front of a grill for 30 years asks you if you want spicy, you say yes.
Let me tall you, when the man finally handed me my giant burrito stuffed with cooked spinach (which tasted a lot like Palak Paneer - one of my favorite Indian dishes), potato, some kind of delectable sauce, but no cheese - apparently you have to be there early for that, I was happy, very happy. In other words, don't let its dirty façade fool you this place is top notch. -
Review from Lynda W.
Toronto, ON
8/25/2008 2 photos
From the outside New York Subway looks like a dingy old subway shop. Don't be fooled my friends, NY subway is like the inside of an oreo cookie - delish!
Each sub is made to order on a grill - oh yeah hot and fresh. You can specify spiciness to your liking. Most burritos (technically that's what they are. I'm all about the technical correctness.. muhahah) come in two sizes, regular or large. The burritos start off with a tortilla shell, and then the filling is put in. Next they are grilled so the outside shell is toasty and the filling is nice and warm. There are a lot of selections for vegetarians. One of my favorites being the mushroom burrito (this one only comes in the large size, don't ask why. $6.95). Another good choice is the mixed veggies.
A great little shop. Staff are extremely friendly. Can get busy at certain times, considering subs take probably around 5 minutes to make start to finish. But well worth the wait.... -
Review from Deanna W.
8/9/2009
The plan for a group of downtown office servants with an hour to spare for lunch:
-leave work at the most convenient time for lunch, usually involves measuring when the 'lull' is most likely to occur in the day
-make call to NY sub and preorder-A MUST
-collect or confiscate ttc passes for the GO commuters in the group and run to the nearest streetcar stop.
-curse at sky meaninglessly if the car is taking it's time
-arrive at destination, no lineup a sign of good things to come! avert eyes slightly at the dingyness inside but no matter, good cheap food comes in all venues.
-pick up orders and allow 10 minutes to scarf down savoured burritos before eating the rest on the ride back.
New York subway serves up subs yes but this is a bit of a misnomer because they are most well known for their fusion stylized burritos. You can get satay burritos which are grilled meats on the 'ol faithful grill they have running. They are spiced up, mixed together with lettuce, onions, hot sauce and a creamy mystery white sauce. I've had the lamb satay a few times now and it's really delicious, the meat is charred right and the fact that they grill their creations (like the boyz and the bandidos) after rolling them up is a plus. Burrito business wannabes take note: grilling the final roll is key, the grilling process creates a toasty crust on the outside which helps to make the entire burrito more solid and stable for eating. For the more hungry heffers, the jumbo burritos are monster wraps stuffed with meat and stir fried veggies such as potatoes, onions and a ton of mushrooms. $5.95 for a satay burrito and $7.95 jumbo burrito definitely make New York subway a more tasty and enticing deal than your pedestrian Subway combo.
Tummies happy and tastebuds tingling, our heroes shuttle back to the office to round out the rest of their day.
FIN -
Review from Karl R.
1/30/2010 1 photo
I don't think I have much to add. It's small and you'd probably pass this place a billion times and not notice unless you were a careful student of Yelp. You'd probably also assume it specialized in subs. But inexpensive, no nonsense burritos are its forte. I had one chicken and one beef burrito (medium spicy... you get to pick). Each was under $4. The chicken I favor over the beef. They use ground beef vs pulled. But all 'n ' all both were a nice size for a nice price. My only gripe was it was -14c the day I went and the place did not appear to have any heat on. Maybe their grill was the establishment's only source of heat. It was damn cold. But you can't beat the price.
Listed in: Eating for about $5
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Review from Xander L.
Toronto, ON
7/29/2009
left the yelp event and wandered east.. after my coffee craving was fulfilled at Timmys D' and i took a turn into my favorite mexi-indian fusion restaurant.
there is something magical in the almost snail like pace that the non smiling chef behind the counter brings to the food.
my favorite treat here is the mixed vegetable california roll with medium spice... the california roll here is not even related to its sushi counterpart... it is a grilled burrito style roll with Indian spiced roots..
mmm for $4.95 and the option to buy mango nectar its a hidden gem... the grease and old photos of new york with the twin towers add to the charm..
try and get the chef to smile.. -
Review from Duke L.
Toronto, ON
4/23/2009
Easily the ugliest place on Queen St. W. - but really who cares?
The burritos are absolutely amazing. Mind you I never understood why they called them burritos, because I've never had any burritos that even come close to as good as this.
Being a meatarian, the best thing on the menu is the jumbo grilled chicken burrito - perfectly cumin-spiced skewered chicken that is then wrapped with tastily marinated potatoes in a tortilla and grilled again. It's deceivingly filling, don't underestimate its heft or girth. Get a fork to eat the bottom half. The lamb burrito is worth a try, but I still prefer the chicken.
The staff is stern and the service minimal. It takes a good ten minutes from start to finish to get your food. As a teenager, the bearded guy scared me in a soup nazi kinda way. Oh and take out is really recommended, unless you want to smell the grease you ate for the rest of the day.
The only reason this doesn't get five stars in my books is on a hygenic basis. Washing hands after handling money is optional in their books, and scratching of the hairy chest might be their secret spice. And I have no idea what the Kyrgyz or Tibetan gent in the back is always doing.
Despite all this, order your food, have a smoke, maybe pickup some beers, come back and get the best burrito in town. -
Review from Mike T.
Toronto, ON
12/31/2009
I must be missing something. I have had many people tell me that the "burritos" here are top notch, and the reviews on Yelp state the same.
I've now been here twice but the first time I ordered a chicken burrito, didn't think it was that great but I was told afterwards "You've gotta get the JUMBO burrito man!!!", my bad.
Okay, so I go here again and get "the Jumbo burrito", hot of course. This isn't a mexican style burrito at all. It's more of a chicken dinner wrapped in a tortilla. I am writing this sweating more than I do at Moksha Yoga as it had some kick. It was good, just not the style of burrito that I had expected.
I know I can't be the first guy to ask that no mushrooms touch my burrito, and sure enough I get home and this freakin' thing is full of the dirty fungus.
I think they've painted the place and did the yearly cleaning as it was better than the first time I went but I didn't see a "PASS" on the windows anywhere.
Staff was very friendly (except for the sneak attack on my burrito with mushrooms).
This would probably make a great "drunk dining" place except my A.D.D. would kick in while waiting the 20 minutes for my food.
Back to Burrito Boyz/Banditios for this guy. -
Review from Richie P.
Guelph, ON
2/28/2010
Been to this place a few times by now. It's always quite good. The chicken and beef options are great, but where this place really shines is the vegetarian burritos. The cauliflower burrito is a little strange but worthwhile, but the potato burrito is truly transcendent. It's something that you wouldn't think would be very good, but it is.
Also, that sauce they put in most of the burritos is so good.
Order spicy. -
Review from A K.
Mississauga, ON
1/18/2009
great place - amazing burritos - needs a bit of a face lift inside and out - especially inside but great great food :)
