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The Beaver
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Nightlife Bars Restaurants Cafes Canadian (New), Bars, Cafes [Edit]
1192 Queen St WToronto, ON M6J 1J6
Neighbourhoods: West Queen West, Beaconsfield Village
(416) 537-2768
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 2 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
30 reviews for The Beaver
Review Highlights
"The french toast was excellent."
(in 6 reviews)
"Chocolate, almonds, fruit, and maple syrup."
(in 3 reviews)
"There is an outdoor patio which is a bonus."
(in 5 reviews)
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Patrick M.
Toronto, ON
8/29/2011
I'm very tempted to rate The Beaver ***** for the simple reason that they have the very best french toast I have ever put in my body. Yes, you read that right: EVER. (Ya. All caps. Suck it, interweb etiquette police)
And if I permit myself an opportunity to brag ("go ahead, Patrick, you've earned it"), I make pretty fantastic french toast, like, write home to mom fantastic. The Beaver kicks me in the teeth and makes me beg for more, then sends pictures to your mom.
So what's the deal?
Baked chocolate almond french toast, swimming in about a cm of real maple syrup, topped with fluffy-cool whipped cream, and scattered with big juicy berries, grapes (both globe and red), and half a dozen slices of ripe banana. $10.
The toast itself is fluffy, eggy, spongy, caramelized, chocolatey, heavenly.
Order it.
(Rest of the party ate food. I paid it little heed. Brekkie burrito, tofu scramble burrito, two Beaver brekkies... I heard the phrase "these eggs are amazing!" uttered twice in reference to their steamed scramble... lattes were excellent, cappuccino serviceable, french press rather delicious, and a cup of fresh squeezed orange juice that elicited a smile and audible sigh of contentment.)
But seriously: The French Toast.Listed in: Group Buy Coupons Work!
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Review from Martin W.
I really disliked what I ate here. I ordered the BLT and eggs. The BLT tasted like salty microwavable bacon sandwiched between stale toast. That was heaven in comparison with the scrambled eggs. I have never eaten wet sponge before, but I think that describes the scrambled eggs. They were absolutely flavourless, almost as if they used powdered eggs, added powdered milk, and added water, then used a machine to suck out any flavour of goodness of what could have been.
I did not finish this meal and I almost always finish my meal. I cannot remember not finishing a meal because of sheer dislike of my food in my adult life until now. I won't be back. -
Review from Coy W.
12/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
We heard about the fantastic french toast here and it's close by so we dropped in for breakfast.
The place is kind of divey but awesome! We were told to sit anywhere and we went to the back to grab a table. Our waitress brought us a menu and the french toast wasn't on it!!! I'm pretty sure it's a brunch only item. Seeing some of the reviews we decided to stick around to try some other items on the menu. We ordered the breakfast burrito and the BLT so we were going to split our meals to try each item.
The BLT was boring...very standard BLT with minimal B, L and T. The breakfast burrito was solid but it was mostly the chili or salsa as the eggs were extremely weird...extremely weird. I confirmed this when I tried my brothers eggs and they had a weird texture and absolutely no flavour. It was very strange and definitely not good.
The service was weak as well. We were there for an hour and a half. They did not check on us to see if we wanted a refill on water or another coffee...or anything else at all. They were there for the menu and water, our order, bringing our food and we flagged them down for the bill. We still left a good tip though but I don't think I'll be back. -
Review from Linda M.
11/18/2011
Chocolate, almonds, fruit, and maple syrup? Yes please!!
I hit up the Beaver for brunch this past weekend after reading many positive reviews. It's a little difficult to see if you don't know what you're looking for, because the sign is just a "B", but we found it and made our way in. I don't know if it's a "look" they're going for, but the interior seemed kind of run down in my opinion. Not terrible, but not great either. Shabby chic perhaps? They weren't too busy so we had our choice of tables and selected one on the back raised portion of the restaurant. We asked for orange juice, and were informed that it was currently being squeezed - big plus in their favour to have juice THAT fresh. If most places get away with charging $3+ for theirs, I can't complain about having fresh squeezed for $5.
The menu doesn't have a whole lot of options, and I actually did the unthinkable - I ordered the same thing as my DC. This is something that I rarely allow to happen, usually opting to change my order rather than get the same meal. In this case, though, it really was the best choice with no close second: we had the French toast.
When it arrived shortly after, we were presented with plates of thick bread swimming in maple syrup, each with a dollop of whipped cream. It's not a dish for someone counting calories...or sugar intake. I would say that I suffered a serious sugar high shortly after the meal but really it was probably my SO that suffered. The poor guy had to put up with his girlfriend's giddy giggling for a solid hour. In fact, just the phrase "girlfriend's giddy giggling" probably would have been enough to reduce me to giggles.
But back to the French toast. I still don't know what the bread was. I asked the server on our way out, and she said it was croissant but that did not seem right at all. It was far too dense to be a croissant, unless they make terrible croissants. The meal was tasty despite the sugar overload, but I did feel like it was heavier than necessary.
All in all, friendly service and tasty but very dense and heavy French toast. I might try it again for a lunch service, but I'll try another place next time I want brunch. -
Review from jenna m.
10/23/2011
Brunch menu is small but fairly diverse. There seems to be something for everyone depending on your mood ranging from sweet chocolate almond baked french toast to a breakfast burrito. The food is pretty tasty. I had the homemade sausage and was overwhelmed by the sage in the dish. I was not blown away by either brunch experience I have had. The music is by far the best part and is always fantastic. The place actually seems kind of dingy. It could definitely benefit from a fresh coat of paint and a good spit shine cleaning. It is unfortunate because they have a good space, they just need some window dressing. Service was decent. There is an outdoor patio which is a bonus.
I am sorry to say that I would not leave it to beaver. -
Review from Nikkita F.
Toronto, ON
6/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The Beaver is a good place to get a French Stick, or a fresh baked good.. It always smells pretty appealing in there... Ron Burgundy-esque. I really like the Blonde Bartender with the "W" Haircut, he is friendly, fast, and efficient. Even when it is slammed this guy runs the whole bar no problem, with a smile...there is a lack of Vegan Options but the Hummus is good...ask for extra bread... On another note, The beer selection is Vast,Very Cold and very reasonably priced. The Music at night is a great selection, but uneven so it can go from reasonable party level sound to ear blasting in seconds... Who cares though... It is a block from my house and the place is consistent.
Hint: There is this amazing private patio in the back, it was raining when I was there, but we still sat out there due to the coolness... -
Review from Tara Z.
7/19/2011
I don't know why I haven't reviewed this place yet. I keep coming for brunch because I know they'll let me swap in avocado for any of the meat in their breakfasts--always a plus when stopping by after an early morning workout!
The menu is small but everything on it works, and the staff is very friendly. The patio in the back is lovely and private; it's a perfect place to sit out on a warm night. -
Review from Cheri d.
Stopped into the Beaver for a little bite around lunchtime today. Was a bit sad that i missed their breakfast menu, but what can ya do?! I like to sleep in on my day off :)
The place was pretty quiet, but hey, it's a Monday and the weather was on and off rainy, so i'm sure they aren't getting as much walk-by traffic as they usually would.
I just grabbed a Maple Butter Tart, while my friend got a latte, a gluten-free brownie and a chocolate croissant. The butter tart was ok. Personally i like butter tarts that are ooey-gooey-er. I tried the brownie and the chocolate croissant as well. The brownie was REALLY moist and chocolatey. Really good for gluten-free, but not my favourite brownie. But the croissant..... oh the croissant! was SO good. Baked fresh every day and you can taste the freshness right there in your mouth! Soft and buttery and deeeeeeeeelish.
The decor was great and we got a spot at the front counter so we could people watch on Queen St. I'd like to come here at night to see how the place transforms with a DJ. Interesting... -
Review from Doris L.
Toronto, ON
4/13/2011
Went there for brunch on Sunday. Their brunch hit the spot for that particular chilly drizzling Sunday morning while my boyfriend and I shared the breakfast burrito and the french toast special. It was good. I was secretly hoping they had more selection.
The service is what it is. No complaint from me though. -
Review from Alice T.
4/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'd like to give this place 3.5 but since I can't I'm leaning towards 3.
It's a great place if you're trying to please everyone, food, drinks, not too lively but not dead, but like all places that try to do everything, it doesn't do anything particularly well.
The service was good and the staff were friendly and had no problems splitting the checks, refilling waters, letting us sit around, and arriving at all different times.
They offer a wide selection of food but I don't think they have a kitchen, from what I could tell it was all made from behind the bar with a panini press and maybe a few other plug in appliances. Some dishes were more successful than others.
Antipasto plate, yum! Good quality ingredients, nice selection, except for the bread which was a bit stale. But their sweet potato and black bean burrito, not as good, ok but not great. You could tell that it was a collection of already prepared ingredients wrapped up and put on a panini press. Overall the flavour was ok, but the pre-cooked chicken, tasted like, well, pre-cooked chicken.
To their credit, they have some interesting items on the menu, and clearly do make a lot of things from scratch, perhaps at an offsite kitchen? But their menu can also be misleading for a foodie like me, expecting things to be prepared fresh.
I didn't order any drinks so can't speak to the drink menu but they do post drinks with prices on the menu and also on their website, which I think more restaurants should do. Especially since I'm a sparkling water addict and I've seen people charge anywhere from $2-10 for the same bottle of sparkling water and usually the more expensive the bottle, the less likely they'll print it on the menu.
Overall, nice, casual hang out. But I think for something to be 4 stars, the food would need to be exceptional and you can't get that without a proper kitchen. -
Review from Andrea Z.
Beamsville, ON
5/20/2011
Stopped here for lunch earlier today. Cute little place with great atmosphere and great music (from Fever Ray to Fleetwood Mac, I enjoyed it)
I got the black bean & sweet potato burrito, I don't know why everyone seems so up about it, it could have used a bit more spice but it really wasn't all that bad.
The staff seemed pretty miserable, especially our waitress, who also doubled as our cook. We couldn't even get a half-assed smile out of them. Oh well, it is what it is. I would maybe go for lunch to try their chili, or to check out the night scene. -
Review from Marie F.
9/6/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Don't you love it when sandwich boards speak to you? Here I was strolling down Queen in Parkdale in search of a cafe that also had food...then I saw The Beaver's board: "A cafe that sells yummy food too!"
I ordered the apple and cheddar quesadillas which was amazing! I was also going to get a premium salad as a starter and the waiter let me know a salad came with my meal (I hate it when no one tells me and I am stuck with tow salads).
I will definitely be going back and like Kat F said their music selection was awesome (Emily Haines, David Bowie, The Stranglers, and Radiohead). -
Review from Liora I.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2010
Oh The Beaver... The perfect place for a casual dinner, drink or dance party.
I've never been disapointed by the food (I'm so sad to see fellow reviewers disagree) and the bartenders know how to make a good Amaretto Sour. I'll agree that their menu is not so out-of-the-ordinary BUT, it is always generous, fresh and typically served by hotties.
This venue was Will Munro's brainchild and the crowd is queer friendly and knows how to party. The space is a tad on the small side but that just adds to the cozy atmosphere and thank goodness for the back patio where you can get a breath of fresh air when the party heats up.Listed in: Best Queer Bars/Events
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Review from J H.
Toronto, ON
8/16/2011
i've been here for lunch a few times. i've tried a few sandwiches and coffees and they have all been fine, nothing special or memorable. service is fine in a rough-around-the-edges way. i've stopped in for drinks a few times and felt the same way.
this is more of a 2-star for me personally but that be interpreted overly-negatively; i have never had a problem here, i just wouldn't make a plan to go back. -
Review from Caroline Z.
Toronto, ON
10/2/2010
I'm giving the beaver a 3 because I know it doubles as a party joint, and it knows how to do that right. Cooking, on the other hand, is not the beaver's forte. No, maybe it's a clever move on their part not having too elaborate a menu -- their soups/pie/starters are lackluster enough.
I enjoyed the oysters, but oysters generally meet the mark so long as they're of decent quality. The antipasto plate was my favourite pick of the night, and I doubt the beaver cured those meats and aged that cheese.
The soup, veg. pie and veg. pate were ridiculously insipid. We were going crazy with the salt and pepper, tossing it on all our dishes.
One thing I'm always grateful for at the beaver is the lighting and good music -- that, and the company I was with, made the experience tolerable. Hope they change their kitchen staff soon as I like this place otherwise. -
Review from angela k.
Toronto, ON
6/9/2010
The Beaver is turning into a regular stop for me. Great for drinks and to grab a bit on a Friday night when I forgot to eat but went out for drinks anyways. Whoops!
Plenty of vegetarian options. I really enjoyed the burrito when I've ordered it despite a less than stellar review. It's hard to be vegan here, but they've altered a thing or two for friends when they needed it changed.
There is lots of room to sit and music is always stellar. The barkeeps are awesome and friendly. Occasionally the service is slow but it's still really clear the staff are working hard and fast - there are just too many patrons.
It can be a little annoying when I get there early, eat a table and within moments I'm surrounded by people as the bar gets busy but this is a function of bars like this. Now that I know what I'm getting myself into, I can adapt accordingly. It can be loud at times (again, starts off kind of quiet early in the evening but gets loud later) but the music is normally so good that I don't mind.Listed in: For lesbionic folks and their…
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Review from Victoria S.
Toronto, ON
3/14/2011
this is the first place i've been to in toronto with peeler's cider on tap: http://www.peelercider.../ which is delicious and i was delighted to order a pint of it for between $5-6.
secondly, there was a lot to choose from on the menu. everything seemed to be priced fairly. i ordered the "roasted vegetable chipotle chili topped with cheddar & fresh salsa w/ grilled maple corn bread" for $8 (i quoted that from their menu, i'm not nearly that eloquent). and it was really good! and more importantly, it was satisfying.
i met a friend on a week night and it was a great quiet place to catch up. the servers seemed a bit "too cool for school" but that didn't bother me because the food was good. i would definitely go back to meet a friend. -
Review from Kat F.
7/8/2009
I've been here many, many times for drinks and had a great time, and for that reason I'm adding an extra star to my two star review. I went here for lunch yesterday and the food was REALLY underwhelming and I would not recommend it to anyone.
Service was great and so was the music (Air's "Moon SafarI"). One of the cooks went to turn the volume up and was promptly YELLED at (no exaggeration) by two elderly gentlemen who didn't want music with their meals. He barely flinched, apologized and left the volume as it was. I would have really been gritting my teeth at the rudeness of the two customers but the cook handled it well.
Now the food. I was really intrigued by the wonderful options on the menu: baked mac & cheese with swiss, cheddar and shaved reggiano, bean and beet burger with dilled cucumber, red union, grainy dijon aioli and German potatoes, lamb and chevre burger, quince and chevre quesadilla. Lots of veggie options.
Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing, but I can't help but think that a burrito is pretty basic food and hard to screw up. I ordered the black bean and sweet potato burrito ($10) with sour cream, avocado and salsa and it was incredibly underwhelming. The burrito was expertly packed/grilled but the flavour was bland. They used short grain white rice and canned black beans (not that I was expecting dried - I mean, no one should have to slave over a pot of soaking beans) but they were watery and poorly rinsed. I like my Mexican rice to be a little "dirtier". There was NO spice or flavouring to speak of. The sweet potatoes were boiled and flavourless and the tomatoes...
Oh my word, the tomatoes.
CANNED.
I do not appreciate canned tomatoes EVER, unless in a chili or other soupy type of food where there are a million other competing flavours to suppress it. There is no excuse to use watery canned tomatoes in a burrito. It really ruined the burrito and made everything else inside it rather mushy and 'tinny' tasting. This burrito was a real failure. -
Review from Real B.
Toronto, ON
7/9/2011
Friends love this place so I go. It's an interesting mashup of cafe/bar/party/gay/resto/something. Service is indifferent, food is a-ok, nothing fancy but it does the trick actually and the drinks are pretty stiff surprisingly. Gets better as the evening moves on.
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Review from Miriam W.
2/28/2009
I loved the space - I felt right at home upon entering - and our server was terrific but the food fell short for me. The two lunch specials on offer were what I chose and the mac and cheese was bland and the potato pesto soup was just okay.
My dining companion's lunch looked quite enticing, however, which makes me think I just ordered poorly.Listed in: Toronto's West Queen West Art…, Toronto Cafes
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Review from Leeor J.
5/25/2010
I was not impressed with this place at all. Service was terrible. The waitress basically tried to rush us so she could close us out and leave. Pretty lame.
The food there is no better. Heated olives? WTF? Is that meant to bring out the non-existent flavour in these apparent "spiced" olives? They were bad kalamatas at best. The antipasto platter is pretty bad too. More of those olives plus various flavourless cheeses. One of the cheeses was like ricotta but firmer and with no taste. Why is that on the platter on its own? The seating in the back is a bit awkward and doesn't help.
Maybe this place is fun for locals but not worth going out of your way for (like an only cafe for example) -
Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
1/15/2009
I've only ever been here for drinks, but I've always had a great time at the Beaver. In particular, I remember one night when the bar was filled with drag queens singing "I Will Survive" and I think that single moment made my night!
They've always got a great crowd here and decent beers on tap. I've only ever heard good things about the food, which makes me want to revisit for a brunch date.
The exterior is kind of unassuming and it's easy to walk by without realizing what it is. Nights vary from mellow drinking to full-on party, I suggest checking the listings if you're not into the spontaneity. -
Review from Carmen M.
2/6/2010
I was meeting a friend for brunch at the Drake, but, as per usual, it was packed. We decided to walk down the Gladstone, but passed the Beaver Cafe and thought "hey, this is new for us, let's eat here".
When we walked in, we were hit with a wall of heat and grease-smelling smoke. Apparently their ventilation system is non-existent, but nevertheless, we stayed. We arrived around 1:30pm -- the cafe wasn't overly crowded and we were seated right away. The menu is pretty typical, although I noticed a lot of items with tofu. As per usual, I ordered a Diet Coke and, as per usual, it barely had any ice. Seriously, Canada, if you gave me a) copious amounts of ice and b) free refills, I'd love you long time.
I ordered the Avocado and Tomato sandwich, which came with your choice of a side of greens or eggs; that the eggs were a side option was odd to me. My friend ordered the salmon salad, and our food arrived temperature appropriate and pretty quickly. The food was just okay. It was a little on the bland and the average side.
The Beaver Cafe won't blow your socks off, but it definitely is a good choice for a weekend brunch when all else fails. -
Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
9/16/2008 2 photos
The Beaver is a tiny diner on West Queen West. It has been around as long as I can remember, but was purchased by Lynn formerly of Lee's Palace and Will Munro, of Vazeleen fame w few years back and turned into much more than just a diner.
The food is my fav. The portions aren't over the top. They don't drown everything in mayo and the breakfast isn't greasy. For lunch, it's the tuna melt with avocado, breakfast; the burrito and if you're just popping in for a pint, grab the guacamole. Oh, and the bread is all baked fresh daily.
As far as ambiance goes, it's a traditional diner meets great quaint back patio. The bathrooms are small, but very clean and all the young boys who work there, look like they stepped from an 80s Blue Boy magazine. In fact, Will and Lynn are top tier and choosing hot bagel boys.
At night, it's a bar, with local DJs and one-off dance parties. It packs up really fast and leans toward the arty, gay-boy scene.
Service with a smile, it's one of the joints that people move to the west end for. -
Review from Jeff J.
5/9/2011
I'm a Starbucks snob and I thought the coffee here was excellent! It was very strong but not bitter at all. The french toast was excellent. I also HAD to try to eggs with that famous maple sausage. Best sausage I ever had. Service - very friendly laid-back waitress.
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Review from Peter M.
Toronto, ON
3/15/2010
Huh...no brunch/breakfast reviews. Odd. Unlike the other reviews, I've actually only been here in the AM although the other reviewers are making me consider coming later in the evening.
I've been here three times for breakfast/brunch and left pretty happy each time. In ascending order of deliciousness, I've had the salmon salad, breakfast sausage, and then french toast (the last of which I suggest to anyone). The sausage was more sweet than spicy (maple syrup?).
I've been in before noon each time and it is always quieter than I expect. I suppose that the best way to put it would be to say that it seems like a nice place to have a leisurely breakfast and catch up on those New Yorkers that have been piling up.
The staff have always been pleasant and prompt and servings are generous relative to the more popular/trendy brunch/breakfast places. In addition, seating is easier and plates are $4-$5 cheaper.
Not a world beater but more than "ok." I would say "A-OK" which is apparently what three stars means in what I read above. A nice place to chill when you are not intentionally showing people how you know the latest trendy place for breakfast.
p.s. Similar to at least one other reviewer, I dig the dark wood interior.
NOTE: there seems to be a duplicate review for "The Beaver Cafe." -
Review from Q R.
7/18/2010
Was recommended to us by a girl working at a vintage store down the road. Told her we were looking for something authentic to the queen street area since we had just gotten into town a few weeks prior and hadn't had a chance to explore. It's a little tricky to find (just marked by a large "B" light outside)...but once we found it we were pleased. Great service and a cozy place to sit for a couple of hours on a rainy saturday afternoon. Pesto panini was solid and the salmon on black bread was good but a little salty with all the capers. Chocolate cupcake was a tad bit dry but the icing was amazing!
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Review from Karen M.
Toronto, ON
7/3/2009
My friends DJ a 45s night here so I tend to go about once a month. It is a great little spot on Queen west with a nice decor and good music. I am not crazy about their bar stools but it is a great little place to have a few drinks with friends and listen to good music. A few years ago I did go for lunch and I remember enjoying a panini and olive plate.
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Review from Jay I.
Toronto, ON
5/8/2010
It's a decent place, but not for brunch. The hipster breakfast is slow, over-pestoed and their coffee isn't too warm. They have an annoying habit to keep the street door open in the middle of the winter. Nonetheless, it's a great place for a drink and dinner.
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Review from Luisa S.
Vancouver, BC
10/9/2008
The nighttime ambiance really prevents this place from being sequestered into cheesy diner status. The music is muted and cool while the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. Patrons can mull over the previous days events over cocktails. Be sure to come before midnight if you're feeling peck-ish since the kitchen closes rather early and supplies often run low towards the end of the night. Thankfully, we were able to get the last of the humous, which was delicious, but the pita crisps were terrible--very dry and they were pretty stingy with the portions. Overall, though, it was rather pleasant.
