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Parts & Labour
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants Canadian (New) Bars, Canadian (New) [Edit]
1566 Queen St WToronto, ON M6R 1A3
Neighbourhood: Parkdale
(416) 588-7750
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 6 pm - 2 am
Sun 11 am - 3 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
34 reviews for Parts & Labour
Review Highlights
"We started off with the roasted bone marrow ($17) with sea..."
(in 5 reviews)
"I chose the crispy pork belly for a starter and was very..."
(in 5 reviews)
"For dessert, we tried the "Candy Plate."
(in 3 reviews)
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Q H.
North York, ON
Parts and Labour (P&L) is against my idea of quality dining experience in every single aspect - stuffy, noisy, random people walking around and yelling, shared tables, crowded, packed, no privacy. And I loved it.
We ordered lamb rack and striploin (pictures attached).
The steak was a bit overcooked and tough. But it definitely had the pronounced rich flavor of marbling and grilled smokey taste. It wasn't that juicy but it had natural feel in its texture. I wouldn't say the taste is refined, but it was delicious. The fries were delicious as well.
The lamb was a bit bland at first. It didn't seem to be seasoned. Then I dipped the meat in the sauce, and the distinctive lamb flavor came alive. The sauce (tomato chilli) had an interesting mix of initial sour ketchup taste with smooth acidic salsa bite and spicy aftertaste. It definitely complimented the lamb. The veggies were cooked nicely as well. They went together well with the the bits of bacons (lardon).
In addition, portion was more than enough, and the foods looked pretty good on the plates.
Service was quick. Foods arrived sooner than we thought. The server was somewhat attentive in the busy dining area. The tables are quite large. I noticed my friend was sitting quite a bit away from me on the other side. But you have to share the tables with other customers.
Customers are hipsters, ambiguous sexualities, ambiguous sexes, 1980s manchild, overall-lovers, poseur biker gang, nerds, cocky hipsters who think they are too intelligent for this world and cave people who came out for the first time. All of them in one evening.
Total for 1 beer, a glass of wine, lamb rack and striploin was $84 without tip. Very competitive pricing.
Dont bring your date to this restaurant. Or a friend to have a deep talk with. Or a friend to have a relaxing dinner with. Or a friend to pass the time with. Just go with a bunch of friends and make the loudest noise possible. The energetic vibe and uplifting atmosphere are something worth experiencing. -
Review from Suzie S.
Toronto, ON
1/12/2012
I've been to Parts and Labour a few times both for dinner in the afternoon and drinks later in the evening.
I love how this bar/restaurant was once a community hardware store. From the name to the old hardware store sign outside to the leftover industrial fixings inside - the old character of the hardware store still rings through in every corner.
What I don't love are the long picnic style tables - They provide truly awkward seating unless you're coming for dinner with a large group, which makes me think that Parts and Labour needs to decide whether it's going more down the bar or restaurant route...
The food isn't bad, though it isn't distinctive or flavourful enough to merit the hefty price tag that it comes with. To tell you the truth, I don't even remember what I ate when I had dinner there... enough said.
The late night bar portion of Parts and Labour is definitely the reason to visit this place. The crowd is cool, and isn't pretentious like the downtown bar/club crowd can sometimes be. A DJ spins decent music, and if you so desire, there's a club downstairs (that I believe there is a cover for). On the plus side, I've never had to wait in line to get into the bar at night time, and it usually isn't too crowded. -
Review from Alex K.
Toronto, ON
11/30/2011
Let me be very clear - this is good, rich, hearty, filling food. Good lord did I ever sleep like a baby after my meal here last night. It's a great restaurant if a meat-heavy meal is what you're in the mood for.
Seven of us went here for dinner last night. No need for a rezo (probably because it was a tuesday night and raining cats and dogs) and we had a great big table all for us. The place is aesthetically surprising - you'd expect it to be a smaller, homelier place, but instead it's an expansive seating area, a long attractive bar and what looks to be a drinking/dancing floor in the back, but which may have just been absent of tables that particular evening. Local celeb Kent P. ordered some fancy cocktail. I had a glass of the riesling which was just fine for an Ontario wine with some unbearably lame name like "Smooth Criminal" or something equally embarrassing. Two flutes of prosecco for ladies and some beers as well. Bottles were well priced at $5 and the wine a bit steeper at around $11 a drink.
Starters were great. Onion soup and snails, a light red lettuce salad, seared fish , but the show stopper was certainly the terrine plate. The 'small' - it comes in two sizes - was big enough for the seven of us to all eat from. Each part was fantastic and while I can't remember each treat I do know that a duck mousse was particularly good.
We ordered three bottles of wine, a reasonable Montepulciano for $40 which went great with everything. Many plates at the table, but in my humble option the 10 oz steak which I ordered took the cake. A bit well done for my liking, but still delicious. And with marrow and butter it was hard to be displeased. Kent's shoestring fries came out cold - not uncommon with shoestring - but my cottage fries were very crispy and good. A side of sprouts with ham and hot peppers was also delicious.
We skipped dessert and coffee but I would guess that they would have been as good as everything else.
Generally the whole experience was nice. Good company and good food. But in many ways Parts & Labour just reminded me of a less exciting Hawksmore - the very popular London steakhouse. It was good hearty food and I enjoyed it all, but apart from a few interesting side notes, like the marrow butter, nothing jumped out as too exciting.
Ultimately it's the same criticism I levelled (perhaps unfairly) at the wonderful people at Woodlot - everything was regularly cooked good food. The steak at P&L was great, but not amazing. Even the terrine could have been easily found at any one of the boutique food stores in Toronto. Maybe that is a foolish ground for criticism, but I do want more than the convenience of not cooking when I eat out.
Parts & Labour was good, but attentive staff seemed indifferent to our meals (the head waiter - perhaps owner? - however, was fantastic) which were not that different from what I make at home. That wouldn't be a big deal except that our night ended up costing $100 each with tip. Not too crazy for a good meal, but a bit deflating when you think about getting your steak, sprouts and terrine at the Friendly Butcher, three bottles of Chateauneuf at the LCBO and having just as nice a night in.
Good, but not great. -
Review from Tamara l.
Toronto, ON
2/8/2012
I have nothing but great things to say about this place. Not only was the restaurant decor great but the service and food was excellent. We went on a friday night with our infant and the waiter asked me if i wanted to seat myself somewhere else as he said there is a draft coming down the wall and didn't want my baby to be cold. Then he brought my husband downstairs to an area for private functions and said that he could change our baby in there since they dont have a change table. He made some terrific recommendations, which we ordered and all the food was amazing. We ordered the special, a very pricey entree, $60 but it was well worth it. It was an awesome seafood pie that I wish they had on their regular menu. I am certainly going back there soon as there were quite a few different dishes I need to try!
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Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
We came here for a birthday, and picked it as the criteria was a one stop shop, Dinner + lounge/club that wasn't pretentious and had good food.
I would give the DINNER 3 stars, but the club downstairs 1 star.
Let me explain.
Making RESERVATIONS was quite easy, but they did insist there was a $30 charge per person, just to make sure we all were eating a meal, and not just snacks. We were also told that we couldn't really get a private area, I realized later, it's because it's a big open space with communal tables. These tables could fit about 14 people, but doesn't help that seating is not benches, but very wide plastic chairs. Any stragglers would have to sit at a shared table next door.
Also, I wanted to bring a cake, but the slicing / plating fee was $3 a person. Ridiculous.
The MENU has a bunch of Appetizers (Plates) that range from $10-15. And Entrees that range from ($18-30). Between the 3 of us, we ordered 2 plates, 2 entrees and a side. It was totally enough.
The only thing was that there was a lot of new ingredients and words that I had no idea, and had to keep asking the server. Not saying they needed to explain it all, but at the same time, the descriptions could have been more straight forward, rather than deceiving.
The SERVICE was a decent speed, and the server nice. Except:
- when I asked her about this dish that I kept seeing passed around that looked good (after our meal), she told me that it was the special, and because some of the party wanted to order right away, she didn't have time to tell us on the other end of the table. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS! I bet I spoke her a dozen times before we actually ordered, asking about items on the menu. I was quite upset, because we totally would have ordered the whole roasted Partridge.
- one of the items I asked about was Gnudi. She explained to us that it was "potatoless gnocci, stuffed with cheese, deep fried, and covered with sauce and more cheese". When it came, it was 4 big balls of ricotta cheese deep fried. It looked nothing like gnocchi. I think this is unacceptable.
Here what we got:
- mejoohl dates, stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon (5 pieces, recommended)
- roasted bone (2 veal bones with marrow) Excellent, and it's veal and not pork for the first time
- gnudi (for $17 it was not worth it) 3 balls
- half roasted smoked chicken. This was excellent chicken, and well worth the $27. I did see that others who ordered this had crispier skin than ours, but still very good
- side of broccoli rape with chili. there was a skunky flavour to this, and I thought it tasted like the smell of MJ if that makes any sense. Would not order this again. ($8)
- dessert was yummy. chocolate pudding with marshmellow toasted on top. a stale ginger cookie came with ($8)
Things that other got:
- steaks were listed as Kansas Cut. When asked what it was, it was described as something with the bone in. As it arrives, it was a big thick slab of meat, and I was told completely different than described. The frites tasted very good.
- cooki and creme terrine. Something unique, and was quite tasty.
Total cost for 3 people sharing was about $42 without drinks. But including the 18% mandatory tip for over 8 people. I bet you know how I feel about paying this tip given what happened.
They also do not give separate bills. I never understand why restaurants refuse this. The receipt even shows that she had to pick all the seats. Well, we brought out a pen and calculator, and figured it out. Good thing we were sober.
Then we went downstairs to THE SHOP. They have a DJ and live music here. It's a small narrow basement, unfinished floors, but it was cozy. Mixed drinks were $4 and so were OV Premium beers.
At first the Dj was mixing some old rock and roll tunes and although a bit loud, seemed nice.
But then it got worse. The LIVE BAND showed up, and decided to crank up the volume even more. With more speakers in this basement than it needs, it got loud quickly. And the band wanted it even louder. We couldn't hear each other, and couldn't think! The birthday boy CC had to make makeshift earplugs so as not to destroy his ears. And the music wasn't amazing either. We quickly left, disappointed.
I usually give places 4 stars for something I really loved and would come again. 3 stars for the food, but 2 for the service. The price points seem a bit expensive for what you get and the food didn't wow me (except the chicken).Listed in: Great for Groups!, Don't expect Separate Bills
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Review from Jason B.
8/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been to Parts and Labour both for dinner and for the night life while crawling Queen West with friends. We quite enjoyed the funky vibrations the dj was spinning - they make you wanna shake your tail feather! They also have a club in the basement which has a cover charge - but we never ventured that far.
The old hardware store atmosphere is really trendy and has a great vibe... for night life... but the beer hall tables were not much of a setting for a romantic dinner though. In my humble opinion, the prices were not reflected in the quality nor the portions of the food; though the service was great, my food was mildly flavored and not served hot.Listed in: Trendy, Funky, Groovy Music…
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Review from jenna m.
When you walk into Parts, you feel as if you have just stepped into the coolest scenester joint in Brooklyn, NYC. I would like to consider myself a relatively cool person, however, no matter how stylish I may feel that day, P and L will always have the upper hand. A renovated former hardware store turned restaurant/bar/lounge with an awesome live music venue in the basement equals one of the best ideas ever! I was really bummed out when I heard that Oddfellow's was closing=(. I shed a tear in honour of the delicious stews and all you can eat taco night. I was sceptical of this new establishment and longed for my tall can of stiegl and stew in the private side room at Oddfellows. It looks like you need protection, from this new Westside Connection=) haha O.k. it is important to keep an open mind. And P and L is now right by my house. Bonus!
I had the privy of attending the opening of P and L. I have never felt so unhip in my life! My cousin was responsible for creating the soul artwork that hangs in the joint; a beautiful series of cast metal sculptures of the great lakes( I helped with a little bit of Lake Superior, watch out Warhol! hahaha). http://www.designboom.....
The vibe of the place is actually super chill and friendly. At first thought I would need to get some crazy tattoos and be clad in plaid to be accepted, however, not the case at all. There are several long communal tables with Brian Richer's amazing cylindrical fluorescent light fixtures hanging above them. They are stunning and super funky. Hanging above the length of the bar are unusual fire extinguisher light installations in various colors. The bar stools are giant springs with leather seats. Very cool! The music is always awesome, however, sometimes the acoustics in the main area have some reverb. So, I would suggest if you are trying to have an intimate conversation to try to grab a table at the back by the kitchen. Oh the food. Matty the executive chef is so nice and fantastic at what he does. The menu is very interesting and channels a traditional French reliance on game meat and rich flavors. I went once for brunch but in retrospect my selection of pancakes was too safe and I was left feeling uninspired. However, the burger is one of the best that I have ever had! The P and L sauce makes McDonald's big mac seem like the grossest thing on the planet. The garlic aioli on the French fries is out of this world! I highly recommend the dish and the establishment.
All and all I love Parts and Labour! So fun to sit at a communal table and potentially make some new friends over coctkails=) Another gastronomic treasure and a too hip to be square joint in Parkdale. But make um understand Its Westside foe Life!Listed in: best brunch joints in Toronto
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Review from Kieran S.
Toronto, ON
3/23/2011
I only went here for brunch, but with the Hoof Cafe closed, this has to be the best brunch in the city.
The seared pig ear was fantastic. There are two fried eggs in truffle oil that sit a top of a spicy hash. Underneath the spicy hash lies the crispy pigs ear. It's very tasty. The demi that accompanies the dish adds another great component.
My companion had the P & L fried eggs with pork belly, pancakes and hash. She was as impressed as I was. The pancake was moist, and as somebody wrote above, the trotter sauce is really delicious.
Further, for Toronto brunch, neither dish was that expensive. The P & L fried eggs with pork belly came out to $14, while the seared pig ear was $12. And when so many brunch places gouge for coffee, Parts and Labour charges a reasonable $1.50 for some very good drip coffee.
Great brunch, will definitely be going back very soon. -
Review from Keith M.
Toronto, ON
8/18/2011
Although I live nearby at Sorauren & Dundas, it's taken a few weeks to make it here and I was not disappointed. It's a pretty trendy/cool atmosphere but certainly not that you would feel unwelcome. It tends to get a little more loud / packed / randy as the night goes on but it was fine watching a nice crowd of people stream in from 8pm to 11pm.
A friend and I had a few beers and shared the daily specials of a roof-grown raw veggie platter and 35oz streak which was awesome but got hammered by the bill, over $100 for the food alone. Not the same kind of value meal as the new Tim Horton's down the street but you're not getting a 35oz streak there with vegetables grown on its roof. The normal menu was more reasonably priced.
The service was great and overall I'm absolutely heading back, next time to pick something a little more standard and budget conscious from the menu. -
Review from Steph L.
5/25/2011
It's hard to believe that this place used to be a hardware store.
Sure you have to wander down a dark street full of shady characters and run-down shops... but once you step inside...
Exposed white brick walls, long wooden tables, brightly colored lamps, accented by random parts... trendy and fun!
We perched ourselves at the bar and reviewed the recently updated drink menu.
The food menu didn't look all that bad. Because of the mixed reviews I wasn't sure what to expect.
We had the steak tartar... which was alright. Maybe the kitchen was closing and they were in a hurry, but I wasn't overly impressed with our snack. A bit too warm, not chopped finely enough... very peppery... I still ate it.
However, I liked the drinks and the bar staff was totally awesome.
The Wild Celery and Blood Orange cocktail was wicked easy going down.
Not "sour", heavy on the Grand Marnier, but good.
It's a fun place! I didn't know that they had a downstairs area.
Curious, we wandered downstairs where it's a club with one of the worst sound systems I've ever heard. I felt like I stumbled upon a basement party full of drunk teenagers.
Yeah, I think I'll stick to enjoying my drinks upstairs. -
Review from Melinda M.
Toronto, ON
7/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food here is really good, but the vibe was wrong for me. And in a place where you're sitting at long tables, sharing with strangers, the vibe is important.
By vibe, I don't mean decor. The decor was cool. Very similar to Oddfellows, which makes sense, same owners and designers. Hip, big and industrial looking.
I feel like they are catering to a young, naive crowd who don't eat out much besides chain restaurants, and need a lot of education about the menu and what's on it. I don't know why this bothered me - maybe the proximity to others in the restaurant? Everyone around us was in awe of someone's order of bone marrow. It did look very good, but these people were in awe because they'd never seen it before. I also heard a girl call the rabbit special "duck". Same difference? Tastes like chicken?
So, go, enjoy the food. It's delicious, fresh and they do interesting things with it. I definitely would go back, but I'd try to sit at the bar. -
Review from Angela L.
2/11/2011
Having gone straight downstairs to the basement dance floor every time prior, we finally set a date and made a reservation to have dinner at Parts & Labour one night. Passing by the atmospherically dim and buzzing main dining room with the communal tables, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we were to be seated in the much better lit and action-packed back room. Maybe it was just the table d'hote-like atmosphere and warm service from the owners that we got from being seated kitchen-side, but this was one great dining experience.
My juicy medium rare flatiron steak was cooked to bloody perfection and sat on a large bed of golden crispy fries. My dinner companions all reported their meals to be delicious too. Water and wine refills were made before the bottoms of glasses could be seen and service checks were made frequently via smiles, nods, and small talk.
I've heard great things about some of their other dishes (namely, their burger) and look forward to going back on another night when I'll be able to slip away into a dreamy food coma after dinner instead of having to further fill myself with drinks and dance for the rest of the night (not that I'm complaining about dancing, just dancing with an overly full stomach). -
Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
4/10/2011
If you're going to do brunch, this is the way to do it.
Parts and Labour manages to be completely satisfying and completely surprising at the same time. A difficult balance when it comes to breakfast foods! The space doesn't have your typical sunny, brunch-y decor (looking at you, Cora's), instead it's stylish! Go figure, I'm told they also rock a pretty good dinner menu as well.
I had the steak and eggs, scrambled instead of poached. My request was not looked down upon and just made the meal that much more enjoyable to me. It was a perfectly cooked and seasoned, medium rare steak on a bed of gorgeous French fires. The best? Dipping the fries in the shallot jus that slightly pooled at the bottom of the plate. Crispy shallots on top made a few bites soar a couple extra notches.
A sweet part of this whole deal was the service. Nothing was too fast or too slow. Everyone just seemed genuinely excited for us to be there. When our server asked how everything was, he said it in a way that actually meant/sounded like "How is it? Effing amazing, eh? Yeah, I know, right?! Good decision, guys"
It's the kind of meal and experience I would gladly wake up early-ish for again, to trek to Queen West and beat those Sunday rushes.Listed in: 5 Star Toronto******
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Review from Tanya N.
4/14/2011 4 photos
interesting yet simple decor with communal tables with long fluorescent light bulbs grouped together to make what looked like large light tubes. We made reservations for 6:30pm on a Thursday. This place was pretty empty but soon got really busy & was buzzing with people around 8pm.
The server explained that the menu recently changed so they didn't have many specials and were just focusing on the menu items.
We started off with the roasted bone marrow ($17) with sea salt served with a white bean puree and a parsley salad. We all enjoyed it. Topped off our bread with the puree, the melt in your mouth marrow and the parsley salad. The parsley gave it a refreshing taste to the otherwise savoury app.
I opted for the papadelle that came with sweetbread, peas, oyster mushrooms and talleggio ($20). The talleggio came in large chunks and didn't really melt into the pasta so I either cut it into smaller pieces or just ate the whole thing. Sweetbreads were more meaty than others that I have tried which had more of a fatty texture to them. It was pretty good but a bit bland. The dish could have been hotter as well. It was warm by the time I got it so half way through it was cold.
My friend got the ham hock with a rasher of bacon on polenta.
New word learned: rasher = slice. We asked our waiter and he had to confirm since he didn't know either (which made us feel better for not knowing). The ham was really tender and almost had a duck confit texture to it. I had a bite and enjoyed it though my friend thought that the whole dish got a bit too salty towards the end.
This place was good and I think once they get more comfortable with the new menu it'll be better. -
Review from Rian D.
Montréal, QC
11/1/2010
I went here for Halloween and had a fantabulous time.
It's been a while since I've gone somewhere and was able to say "hotdamn that place was banging" (and yes I do talk like that... esp. after a bevvie or two).
The upstairs seemed nice, more of a hang time hob-nob locale. I didn't stay up there long however because my feet needed to find the dancefloor.
The downstairs was playing amazing Brit rock/pop/punk/80's/New wave awesomeness that made me dance my ass off all night.
I really have nothing negative to say... nice loungey upstairs, low ceiling divebar-esque dancefloor downstairs. It was like 2 amazing worlds colliding.
I didn't try the food or cocktails, I stuck with beer. Service was swift and prices were ok.
Now granted, I was a tad gibbled so I am looking forward to going back soon to see if my beer gogles measure up to reality.
I don't think I'll be disappointed.
EDIT #1:
Went back recently on a Friday, once again had a great effing time downstairs in the basement dancetastic party place. However, more sober this time realized the beer selection was ok... not much in bottles mostly tallboy cans... and average pricing as well. But this by no means impeded my night.
I have yet to eat here. heh.
EDIT #2:
My office had our xmas party there. Upstairs this time. The food was delicious! I don't know if we were fed meal options from their menu but if this is what comes out of their kitchen, I'm sure their regular menu will not disappoint! Also the wait staff was great even though several of us were likely annoyingly gibbled. It was an open bar. -
Review from Imran N.
3/30/2011
The party seems to keep pushing further and further out.
On a non descript and not planned night, i ended up here with friends
and staff from 7 numbers after a big dinner.
I instantly liked the place. The music was great - alternative, rock, punk, etc. The one thing that catches your eye is the amazing chandelier and cool picnic bench seating.
I've never eaten here, but drank here twice and enjoyed it thoroughly both times.
It's a little out on the west end, but well worth it.
Not sure how long it will last before everyone finds out and it becomes too packed. for those that like to dance, there's the basement too. -
Review from Tom G.
Toronto, ON
10/10/2010
I'm gonna give this the full 5.
To start it's a great room. You might think the communal table idea could get outta hand, but it's handled well. They seat groups at either end of the table and then infill as the night goes on. But it really doesn't feel like you're "stuck" with other diners. And then the whole restaurant takes on this nicely busy look with heads and conversation all around you.
Decor is a concept piece... fire extinguishers made into bar lights, the Castor light fixtures over the table. Minimal, but not cold. Dark and warm.
It helps that the crowd and the staff are an attractive bunch, but there was no sense of this being a scene. Ages and looks were mixed.
We were a party of four... we had the short-ribs ragu, the steak frites, the polenta, and the burger. I inhaled the ragu. I won't try and dissect it. As good as a Terroni pasta dish. I sampled the steak and the polenta dishes. Steak frites was flawless.
But it was the polenta that got me. I'm going back for that. As it was, my sister-in-law had the polenta and I was stealing off her plate the whole time. Mmmmm. Polenta.
Service was brisk and constant---except--I think our desert order got botched. A few inquisitive glances at our server and he came over to confirm they were taking too long, something had gone wrong, and they would be off the bill. Actually it gave us more time just to sip wine & coffee.
Flourless chocolate cake and strawberry ice cream. Not too big. Not too sweet. Beautiful texture and tastes. Once again, close to flawless. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
10/15/2010 11 photos
Drinks- 4 stars
Love the cocktail menu. Good selections and every single ingredients in the mix are listed.
The Pimms Cup ($10) I ordered is delicious and refreshing. There are dices of fresh fruits: orange, strawsberry, blueberrys and cucumber slice, mixed with Pimms #1 which gives a hint of spice and critus. Really fruity indeed but not sweet, my kind of drink!
Deco - 3.5 stars
Great open space. Interesting decorations: reuse of hardware items. The only thing I have to complain is the lighting. It got really so dim and all the food they serve just looks like dark/brown in colour.. (maybe it is good that I did not realize what I was eating!)
Services - 2 stars
The "Please Leave Me Alone" hostess in the front was really laid back. When I told her we just have something light, she said oh just sit at the bar. I found the bar seatings not too comfy, I really cannot be bouncing up and down and have a drink that will make me sick. Finally, we got moved to a communal table. The place is half emptied, I really don't see the problem.
Food - 1.5 stars
The menu is interesting but really you really do need to make them taste good with the prices you are charging. Since with the dim lighting, customers cannot see the presentation.. and even if it is nicely presented but it does not taste good.
The Roasted bone marrow was so undercook, it is practically raw inside... that taste is so overwhelming sickening. Unluckily I have the one served at Black Hoof if not I will never ever eat this again in my life.
The other dish we ordered were average, not really worth the price they are charging!
I would have give 4 stars if I just rating Parts and Labour as a bar and on the drinks alone... But their food menu left me so disappointed. This place have great potential just ned to work on improving on the quality of their food!
They accepts all credit cards.Listed in: Places I Would Go For A Drink…, A Day in Parkdale!
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Review from E C.
7/5/2011
I think that Parts and Labour should have a warning sign affixed to its exterior, similar to the rules and regulations posted at public swimming pools. The proposed signage would read something like this:
1. Warning: If you are over the age of 26, you will likely want to flee the premises before 11:30pm. Busloads of young people clad in either lycra, Affliction, Naked and Famous, or an ironic combination of the three, are likely to invade the bar.
2. Although we make every attempt to deter our patrons from fist pumping and 'sexy grinding' by playing Ariel Pink very loudly, please note that it is likely this embarrassing behavior will still take place after 12pm.
3. If you are dining with us and would like to carry a conversation with your guest(s), we would advise that you sit at the bar. Be warned that if you dine at a communal table, you may be seated next to a group of fashionable but inexperienced diners with a lot of disposable income, who consider taleggio and polenta a culinary adventure.
4. The cocktails here, when properly mixed, are pretty tasty. Our bartenders should receive props, especially in light of the post-traumatic stress they must experience while dealing with a portion of our clientele (see #1).
5. Be brave. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
10/13/2010 1 photo
If I can start consuming and digesting ambiance and decor, Parts and Labour would be rated pretty well especially when I enjoyed those Suspension Spring Coil Stools at the bar area. It's like those spring ducks & horses at the kids playground but these ones are for adult. The Fire Hydrant Lamps work well for the bar while the mood Fluorescent tube lighting at the dining area makes it feel like you're in a Garage.
Unfortunately I haven't developed the ability to absorb atmosphere yet, but I have properly developed an iron-stomach to keep down the half undercooked Roasted Bone Marrow of the Roasted Bone Marrow White Bean Crostini Herb Salad($14.00). The environment was too dark for me to see the actual meal itself so how I determined that was the lingering overwhelming AFTERTASTE.
Roasted Pork Belly Seared Scallop Charred Scallions Grated Foie Gras White Onion Apple Smear Star Anise ($16.00). The Pork Belly is a reminder of Lechon/Chinese BBQ Pork that has a good crackling crisp skin but less of the savoury flavour than BBQ Pork. Along with Scallop and Charred Scallion, it turned out to be a near passing grade of an Appetizer. Didn't even realize Foie was there.
The Candy Plate($12.00) Dessert, I would have been happy with a couple of the Caramelized Marshmallow(yum) and the Chocolate Mint then charge me $4.50 at most. The Candied Orange Peel, Chocolate Toffee, Shortbread could have been left out.
The service was a bit hard to judge at this encounter as it was your average service however our Waitress seemed to be a clean freak and kept coming back to clean our table multiple times which was kind of disruptive in my view and when she was cleaning, my face was literally inches away from the plate on her hand as she moved side to side. Depending on your clean table factor, you might like this style more than I. -
Review from ritchie c.
Toronto, ON
1/19/2011
Get the elk, get the burger, GET THE MARROW!!!!
AVOID THE OYSTER MUSHROOM SALAD.
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Review from Noemi W.
Halifax, NS
1/25/2011
This is purely a review of the brunch here. I didn't go for dinner nor for drinks.
This was one of the best brunches I've had in a very long time. I got the P&L which is essentially two fried eggs on top of hash on top of pork on top of a pancake which is then surround by a fabulous maple trotteur sauce. This might sound like a strange combination but it's delicious. It all goes so well together and it was cooked perfectly.
My brunch companions both had the steak and eggs and were in pure ecstasy as long as they had food on their plates. You get a nicely-sized steak with two perfectly poached eggs and fries, topped with an absolutely delicious au jus sauce. It's such a simple meal but when it's done as well as it was done here, it becomes a thing of excellence.
I also had a ceasar, extra spicy, because I wanted to try one of their drinks. I think this may have been one of the best ceasar's I've ever had, with fresh horseradish and a pickled carrot.
I would go back every Sunday for their brunch if I could. -
Review from Sean T.
8/29/2011
Amazing culinary experience . Great service!
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Review from Vic G.
Toronto, ON
9/18/2010
Having been to Oddfellows numerous times, I was looking forward to a trip a bit further out west than usual, to Parts and Labour in Parkdale. Upon entering the restaurant, I was a bit taken aback by the size of the space. It's quite large, with a long bar and numerous communal tables near the exposed brick wall. Very spacious and overall a cool vibe with the music and peeps drinking and eating.
We arrived on a Saturday night without reservations and were seated immediately without any issues. The food is more refined than you might expect for a Parkdale resto-bar. My partner opted for the wild roof salad which was dressed with a very tasty buttermilk honey dressing. I chose the crispy pork belly for a starter and was very pleased. The outside of the pork belly was wonderfully crisp and full of flavour. It was served over toast with a side of spicy mustard. Definitely a good way to start off.
She decided on the polenta for a main which she absolutely loved. It was creamy and rich and for some reason not something you see that often on restaurant menus. I was boring and chose the burger, which was good, but nothing spectacular. The bacon was overly fatty and the bun by the end of it all was soggy and falling apart. Don't get me wrong, it was a tasty burger, but nothing fantastic.
For dessert, we tried the "Candy Plate". These are all homemade treats, including roasted marshmallows! You can't really go wrong with roasted marshmallows, so that was a nice treat. The peppermint patty was a bit too crunch, and I was somewhat disappointed the peanut butter cups were not in that evening.
Overall, given the decor and vibe, coupled with the above-average food, this is definitely a place I'd return to in the future. I believe brunch just started there on Sept 12th so a return trip may be sooner rather than later. -
Review from Kent P.
The best brunch in TO? I think so. I hesitate writing this because I don't really want to wait in line. Only Sundays. Excellent mix of quality/local ingredients and grease. Just do it. Nike.
Listed in: Meat., Brunch., You get what you pay for
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/6/2010
@partsnlabour Probably my favorite dining experience in TO so far.
To be fair, our treatment was a… Read more »
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Review from Evan J.
Toronto, ON
7/16/2011
I've been to parts and labour a few times for drinks. It's has never been my favourite place to go as I find it to be way too loud inside.
Last night was my first time dining here, so I feel I can now review this place fairly.
The place is super trendy. It has a cool vibe going and the crowd is young hipster-ish.
I had the burger, and a Greek cheese appetizer. Though not bad, both where nothing to talk about. Burger and fries where $18. You better cook a mean burger for that price.
My friend had a pasta type dish (can't remember what it was called) that was pretty tasty. It had some kick to it. I wish I ordered that instead. It was not great, but had more flavour than the burger.
Parts and Labour is just not my scene, but it's a cool place and I understand it's appeal. It not a place that I would ever choose to go to.
I would say, for the prices of the food, it's not that great, so skip this place for dinner and just head here for drinks. -
Review from Marie F.
I first heard of Parts & Labour when I picked up a Now magazine last month; on the cover was a picture of the Social's Richard Lambert (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) and OddFellow's Jesse Girard (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...). This bar/restaurant/Live venue hybrid had just opened in May and I was surprised to see that it had no revue...
I was curious to see how an old hardware store would be converted in the holy trinity of social gatherings (music, food, drinks), so I rounded up a little group of friends and headed over to Parts & Labour on a Wednesday night around midnight. Maybe it was because the next day was a holiday or maybe this place has managed to find a niche in Parkdale, either way this place was packed!
There was no cover and we sat by the bar and I were immediately greeted by a super sweet "Tall Paul Bunyan" type bartender. Things didn't start off so hot when he told me they didn't carry Malibu Rum... he did apologize a few times and offered alternatives.
As I waited for my friends to drizzle in, I got a chance to look around. There are long communal table against one wall for dinning, a small cafeteria area in the back and semi-truck suspension springs as seats at the bar. The music was definitely cranked at 13 and made it challenging to have a conversation. They played whole albums ranging from Nirvana to The Sonics.
Although the kitchen was closed, I took a look at the menu and I am not going to lie, it looked both frightening and intriguing. Lamb heart tartar, fried pig face, horse tongue sandwich, ect...
Will I go back? Probably and I definitely want to give the food a try or check out a concert in "The Shop" downstairs. -
Review from Sharon S.
Toronto, ON
7/6/2010
I went to Parts & Labour for the first time last week after my boyfriend heard about it...
We just had the address for the place and didn't realize it was an old Pro Hardware store converted into a restaurant/lounge/bar. We missed it the first time going by.
The decor is simple and slick with lots of community tables and a large bar. I had the Sea bass carpaccio to start which was served with yummy radishes, green onions and an amazing drizzle sauce. My BF had their warm salad which was a special that day and all the veggies are locally grown and/or from their roof-top garden. It was delicious.
For my entree I had the Horse Tenderloin. I was skeptical at first as I have never had horse before but my BF encouraged me to give it a go. I must say I was so surprised at how amazing and tender it was. First of all, it was served on a huge cutting board that I almost wanted to steal for my own use at home, but the meat was cooked to perfection, medium-rate, juicy and just melted in my mouth. The portion size was just perfect for me and it came with some aparagus, mashed potato and bone marrow which I gave to my BF to suck on. My BF had the Cornish Hen which was very good as well but I think he had food envy when it came to the horse.
I encourage anyone to check this place out it's a hidden gem. -
Review from Andre M.
Toronto, ON
6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
We went as a group of 30 and they sat us up front. Everyone all night had to walk through us. A few of us ordered food -- which frankly was not that impressive. I think I had heard great things and expected more. P&L is a nifty spot in a dour neighbourhood that is undergoing a renaissance. P&L is part of the reason and the crowd was certainly hip and beautiful, but the service and food were just plain ok.
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Review from The Vong Choice I.
Toronto, ON
6/22/2011
Put the team of the Social, Oddfellows and Castor Design together and out comes Parts and Labour. Uber trendy with a splash of punk rocker rawness all done with an urban artsy feel. Cylindrical light fixtures and bright coloured pot lights hang from the ceilings with an abundance of car parts as in windshields and mirrors throughout the 5000 square foot space which is bustling with energy. This is a great addition to the mix of restos in Parkdale from Cowbell, the Local Kitchen and Mitzi's Sister making this a strip as a destination for culninary delights and fun times. This Friday, P & L is full of parkdale hipster types with their scarves around their necks, thick black glasses and checkered shirts, and ladies with fun t-shirts and stilettos on, it's definitely kicking tonight.
My appetizer is the roasted bone marrow presented on the actual bone, with white bean puree and crostinis on a herb salad. The marrow is rich and creamy and you need to scoop it out of the bones with a spoon. For presentation alone it's worth ordering.The 12 Oz pork chop bone in, with a layered potato and bacon napoleon-like block that was so delicious and also oozed with cheese flavour along side some greens and apple cider sauce perfectly plated on a butcher's wood board. The pork was cooked medium and was a bit dry and it was a huge entree. Unfortunately I wasn't able to finish the meat but did manage to finish the potato layered cake! -
Review from sunnee s.
Toronto, ON
4/12/2011
if you absolutely love brunch but have a breakfast type brunch hating boyfriend like mine, you need to come here . its true . with hoof cafe closed, this is the best brunch place of its kind .
i didnt give it a full 5 stars however, cuz of 2 reasons . ONE . communal table . this isnt really something to complain about, its just my personal preference . i DO like, actually more than like, communal tables at coffee shops . but for a sit down meal, no . i like my table space when eating . plus, i dont like feeling like im being staring at as i stuff myself silly . it makes me feel like a slob . TWO . im pretty small, 5'2" tall, weighing 105lbs, but when i looked at my bf's order, i thought there wasnt enough food, even for myself . there isnt enough food on the plate !! he actually ended up getting a burger afterwards . :|
so i ordered the P&L porkbelly pancake dish & the bf got the trout . mine was unbelievably delish ! pancake was soo fluffy, pork belly had the perfect amount of fat w the perfect crispiness of the skin and the egg was cooked just .. perfect . all the items on the plate went together so well . i wanted to go to the kitchen, convince the chef he needs to come w me, take him home, lock him up in my basement so he can live w me and make me brunch everyday :) my boyfriend's dish HOWEVER, while being absolutely delish as well, it was wayyyy too small . he said it was like having sex but not finishing . it was a complete tease . haha the amount of fish was smaller than the half of my tiny fist . the rest were just salad, hard boiled egg & little pieces of little pickled radishes . as im looking at the menu online right now, i just noticed they forgot to give him a toast too . boo :(
i'll be back, but definitely will be avoiding the trout .Listed in: i do brunch amazing
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Review from J D.
Toronto, ON
3/9/2011
The space feels a bit cavernous. When we arrived we were told we had the table for 2.5 hours. Oh. That wasn't mentioned when we booked. Our server was amazing but the manager came and asked us to keep it down. I really have no idea why- the kids sitting nearby??? Please!! The music was loud and it was Saturday night after 8! The cocktails were delish. The burger and frites were good but the wagu not so much. The pasta tasted fine but all of the plating was really blah, so uninspired! The 50s music in the basement was obscure and boring.
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Review from Nick P.
Toronto, ON
9/11/2010
wonderful bar, lounge and resto in Parkdale. Stunning fully stocked bar, wide open space with some interesting details. The food is surprisingly good. Very high quality and executed perfectly. Probabaly the best place to eat and drink in the neighbourhood. Well priced and wide range. Very comfortable and totally accessible. Basement is a venue for bands and entertainment.
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Review from Jessica H.
Toronto, ON
10/12/2010
This is a great space, with good music, a cool vibe and visually interesting decor, patrons and staff. It is typically Queen West West, in the pervasive hipster ethos and relentless trendiness of everything within it, right down to the oh so unique punk bar downstairs. However, and this is a big however for a restaurant, the food was unremarkable except when it was actually bad. The steak tartare lacked seasoning and was ridiculously oversized- appeared to be a supermarket package of ground beef flipped onto a plate and than decorated with artfully scattered crackers; the vegetable terrine was sent back for having an unpleasent bitter aftertaste; the other dishes were only so-so. I should note however, that the cocktails were fabulous- my manhattan was wonderfull with the olive instead of cherry a nice modification.
Where Parts and Labour shines is in drinks and in atmosphere- in short it would make a great bar, instead of a mediocre trendy restaurant on a strip choked with them.
