- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Pickle Barrel Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Delis Delis [Edit]
595 Bay StToronto, ON M5G 2C2
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 977-6677
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
11 reviews for Pickle Barrel Restaurant
11 reviews in English
-
Review from Jorge L.
4/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
There are many good reasons why you should like this place:
1. It has a greasy burger if you don't care taking care of your heart
2. There's a pretentious healthy menu for those who ostentatiously watch their diet (and have cheesecake as dessert)
3. Free parking after 6pm
I am a sucker for free parking and this is a big plus. Food will be food for any franchise so I enjoy their different perks. There are cool booths where you can have decent conversation.
The last time I was in a small restaurant, I heard a story about bad cousin picking up another bad ass cousin. It was so bad that I dreamed about it for three nights.
The servers are adequately friendly and I had no complaint. It's not great. But then again, this is a franchise... this is NOT Cava.
I don't think you can get "excellent" service in any restaurant that offers $25 meals. I'm just saying. -
Review from Jonathan S.
York, ON
5/24/2012
From it's humble beginnings as a suburban deli and rib joint, the Pickle Barrel has grown to become Toronto's version of the Cheesecake Factory (at least until the actual Cheesecake Factory arrives).
The chain's own slogan now promises 'something for everyone', a claim backed up by a phonebook-sized menu (complete with advertisements). Time was, if you stuck to the old-school deli, the all-day breakfasts and the Passover menu (for the doubly-unkosher cihcken fingers and greek salad) you could still put together an enjoyable greasy-spoon experience.
Then, they hired Rose Reisman as a consultant, and all Hell broke loose.
Today's Pickle Barrel largely eschews the food and portion sizes of yore. There are wraps. There are panini. There is nutty couscous. I want to know what nutty couscous decided these options were necessary.
Deli staple lox and cream cheese is no longer available on a proper bagel; only thin slices of stale black bread (did I mention that dinner used to come with a massive, fresh pumpernickel loaf? Just sayin').
Bran muffins that tasted as good as they tenderized your innards are nowhere to be found. Proper greasebomb latkes have only recently returned, a quarter of their former size, while the illustriously deep-fried french toast seems to be gone for good (NOTE TO FOODIES: THEY SELL IT AT THE NEW YORKER DELI ON BAY STREET).
Ribs are still fine, but smothered in iteratively sweeter sauce for higher prices. Liver with onions and a bonus grilled hot dog is but a memory.
I pause to note that I am reviewing a restaurant that no longer exists.
I wonder if this is how the Cheesecake factory got it's start. -
Review from Monica F.
5/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I visit this location weekly for take-out lunch (or sometimes to buy dinner if I don't feel like making it.) Huge portions for $5.99 plus tax... pretty good deal.
-
Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
11/11/2010
Barrel of Pickles is a place I am brought to frequently for birthdays. People know that large groups can do well here without much of a wait at all. And so, Facebook messages and events are made all pointing towards the Pickle Barrel.
So really, it's not my fault that I have tried so many things on the menu! I've probably sampled at least one dish for each chapter of their book-like menu. That is about 8 things. That is HUGE menu. From that, the odds are already stacked against them. How is possible that one kitchen can make 500 dishes, all amazingly?
My favourite of the dishes has been the steak fajita which I found to be delectable. So delectable that in fact I decided to try their chicken counterpart last night for a friend's birthday dinner. They were decent and very filling, yet missing some loving. The chicken was a bit dried out and had hard fat. The grated cheese seemed left out, oily and clumped together. All edible enough, just not that great. And that's how I've found most of the food. It always seems to have missed the mark somehow.
Service has also been meh. They don't do the free birthday slice of cake thang either! Mostly they just kind of mutter, "Happy Birthday" when the special day is mentioned. I've also encountered some painfully long waits for food with the waiter never checking in, no refills and bill paying problems.
I would like to say I wouldn't be gracing this establishment again but I really can't promise it. It's not really worth it.Listed in: Yonge Street Hits and Misses
-
Review from Alex x.
NORTH YORK, ON
11/17/2010
It's really just another boring franchise-- ordinary atmosphere, bland food, slow service, inattentive server, lots of kids all over the place, food overpriced for what you get;
save your hard-earned money and go elsewhere...unless your palates have low standards. -
Review from Avitania B.
Toronto, ON
7/5/2010
I walked in with low expectations (after all, the place is called Pickle Barrel), and I'm glad to say that my expectations were well met. It's like going to one of the nicer sit-down restaurants at Disneyland: huge space, plenty of wait staff but slow/apathetic service, and mediocre food that serves all types of palates but not particularly well. The blended alcoholic drinks were very weak. At least it's less expensive than I would expect considering the location and "eatertainment" type ambience.
Pickle Barrel's alright, but it definitely wouldn't be my first, second, or even third choice for a meal in the area. -
Review from Jenny C.
Kingston, ON
1/24/2011
I've been to this place a couple of times and I've usually come away satisfied. Not amazed, but not like I had wasted my money.
Personally, I feel that the Pickle Barrel is really just a larger Kelsey's with a bigger & better menu. The food was fairly delicious, but nothing particularly fresh tasting. I've had good service and I've had slow and unfriendly service.
I'm sure this place could be something quite amazing if they simply were a little pickier on who they hired as staff, and upped the quality of their meals, but I don't think they'll ever have that need.
For now, it remains an ol' faithful when you want a nicer version of Kelseys. -
Review from Amanda A.
Toronto, ON
7/28/2009
I would not go back. There's nothing special about this place, and the service was terrible. If you're really craving Pickle Barrel - go to the one at Yonge and Eglinton or Yorkdale. Same food, but better service.
Steak was overcooked, I mean it was well-well done, when medium was requested. I had some "thai" dish, which I didn't expect to taste authentic, but it reminded me of a frozen dinner.
Too much money, and wasted too much time waiting on the slow service. Don't bother. -
Review from Jay K.
Oshawa, ON
2/21/2010
Not sure why there's so much negativity towards this restaurant. This us one of our favroite restaurants and we've been coming here for years. I've dined here since it's early days when it was just a plain old deli eatery. The menu I'd extensive and the food is more than acceptable. It's affordable food in a classy atmosphere. Highly recommend.
-
Review from Andy H.
8/7/2008
I had such a great lunch at the other Pickle Barrel nearby, that I decided to grab some breakfast here a few days later. Well it was my second choice, because Eggspectation was extremely packed. Anyways we had such a good meal, that I am kind of happy that the other place was too busy. I ordered a delicious mixed berry waffle. It was pretty good and to wash it down, I had some orange juice. The place serves breakfast all day, so don't worry about getting here at any particular time. Go, because while it may be a small chain, Pickle Barrel is greatness!
Listed in: Oh Yelp Canada!
-
Review from Danielle S.
Toronto, ON
5/2/2009
Don't really get the hype about this place. The food is mediocre at best and the service is terrible whether they are busy or not. All the servers seem indifferent.
