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The Big Slice
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
385 Yonge StToronto, ON M5B 1S1
Neighbourhoods: Ryerson, Downtown Core
(416) 977-8565
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 5 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
32 reviews for The Big Slice
Review Highlights
32 reviews in English
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Review from Sara V.
Toronto, ON
5/20/2012
If you want a large, greasy, inexpensive slice of pizza - this is definitely the right place!
I always pick the freshest pizza or ask if there is one coming out of the oven soon since the slices are amazing fresh but horrible if they've been sitting too long!
It is a sketchy place though so keep your expectations in line. Avoid the bathroom at all costs. But the staff are friendly enough and they let us sit in the shop for hours - which is awesome since we go every week to play board games until the early morning hours. -
Review from Donovan F.
Downtown Core, Toronto, ON
3/20/2012
Big Slice is the best bad decision you'll make on a Friday night.
I had the the Meatball Sandwich. An enormous serving of meatballs, served on a kaiser bun with peppers, onions, mushrooms, marinara, and some sort of cheese (mozarella?)-- it was a true saucy meaty delight.
Eating here everyday would surely put you in an early grave, but when you're craving a hearty slab of sandwich, Big Slice can't be beat. It's horrible for you, but when you want it, you WANT IT!
..don't go there sober. For realz. -
Review from Nicole T.
Burlington, ON
2/7/2012
I'm not going to lie to you. The food is pretty great for such a low price. Not spectacularly mouth-wateringly orgasmic, but pretty good. However, I gave this restaurant one star because of the service. Not because I insist on high quality service at my shitty pizza places, but because the people behind the counter were blatantly racist.
Obviously, as you can tell from my picture, I'm white, so they weren't racist towards me (for reasons that I won't go into because it tends to make people mad). But they were racist to every single black person that entered the shop.
Whenever any black person approached the counter, the guy made them pay before even ordering. That's right, he just demanded 10$ before he took their order, and gave the change after the customer was served.
It was unbelievable, and I'm never going back. -
Review from Mauricio A.
Toronto, ON
10/19/2011
I baptize this place, and hence be known as a "Dive Pizza Place."
I agree with many that nostalgia is a big factor with this place. No, I did not go to Ryerson but I lived nearby so I would pass by this place on my way from *XYZ* more times than I can remember.
Yes, the staff is friendly, I agree with other Yelpers, and although pretty flat (aka:. thin) the slices where a good size and they tastes a bit like some of the ones I have in New York. And they tasted great! However when you are starving and had a few, many things, like a hot dog taste great.
I always ordered mine to go, however the few times I actually sat down and ate, well, this place is a mixture of a zoo, in the sense of the odd, tired, tipsy and skanky characters that walk in and it can just depressing.
The lighting, the tired looking decor and the simple, bargain bin furniture... Sigh.
In the end, I think one of the most important indicators whether a place is really good -nostalgia or not, is if you would be willing to trek it if you live far away. So, would I?
I live near Yonge and Bloor and I have not gone there since I moved out 4 years ago. Even when I walk by it still.
But if I were to be in the hood, very late and starving, I would go in. -
Review from Karl R.
12/4/2011 3 photos
Where do single, lonely, middle aged men go to eat pizza? Right here. The place is sadly occupied by men 35-55, unshaven, wearing sweat pants, blank stares, one per table. Now you know where to find 'em, ladies.
The pizza itself is, well, it is a big slice. $4 with tax. Not many varieties. Fairly dull toppings. More pizza per slice than Pizza Pizza. Better sauce and better crust. They don't slide the pizza back into the oven. The hot table keeps the slices hot and ready for serving. I like that. I hate having to wait for my slice to heat up. Sometimes they over cook it.Listed in: Eating for about $5
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Review from Jeremiah W.
1/9/2012
The problem with yelp is that some people have a problem taking taking things for what they are. You are not going to find a pear and blue cheese slice here. If you want an artisan pizza joint, LOOK ELSEWHERE.
That being said, this hit the spot. A night of drinking with the boys, and I wanted something to eat before I walked home. The pepperoni pizza I found was huge, and cheap.
Thank you Big Slice. You live up to your name and you're open late. And for that, I will forever be grateful. -
Review from Brian K.
11/6/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Fuck all the haters, I still end up coming here after a night out. No, you should not be expecting a Libretto-style Margherita where you can say "ooh, the crust is charred to an appropriate blackness - how authentic!" You get huge ass, thin slices of pie perfect for soaking up the large quantities of booze still residing in your gut.
Do heed the warnings about dining in, as you get some sketchy fucks hanging out here. But the slices are cheap, and filling, and delicious. I like the pepperoni and mushroom.
Get a slice and walk around Ryerson campus if the mood should strike you.Listed in: 30-Day Yelp Challenge [NOV]
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Review from James B.
Toronto, ON
4/10/2012
Good cheap pizza - they have some staples and that is why I keep going back. The pizza slices are huge, and tastes a lot better than the cardboard you get from Pizza Pizza.
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Review from Hideki K.
6/22/2011
The Big Slice is open late, but their food is pretty horrible.
I am not a Ryerson student, so don't have any nostalgic sentimental feelings about this place. Also, when I went I was blasted, so could actually sense my taste buds. I'm not sure what the appeal of this place is aside form the nostalgic factor and the late night factor. -
Review from Larissa W.
2/1/2011
Big Slice was my mistress during my time at Ryerson.
The first slice I ever had there made me feel bloated & sick, but I persevered and pretty soon a slice of cheese with garlic dip became my go-to nightcap/comfort food/anti-depressant/pre-clubbing/post-clubbing/5- am-and-everything-else-is-closed type meal.
Bonus tip! If you have a significant other, let the guy working know just after he starts flirting with you - his embarrassment sometimes translates into free garlic dip.
Bonus tip #2! If you want a certain kind of slice, but there is only one or two slices left on the tray and you KNOW they've been sitting there for a while, let the staff know you'll wait for the next one. It takes 5-10 minutes for them to whip a fresh one up, but it's well worth the wait for piping hot 'za and uber melty cheese.
Bonus tip #3! Don't be shy to point at the exact slice you want. Some are larger than others.
I give Big Slice 4 stars for living up to its name and being the backdrop to many college memories. -
Review from Adam G.
12/15/2011
Ate 4 slices here and got food poisoning felt like dying for 36 hours. Avoid at all costs.
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Review from Graeham M.
Toronto, ON
3/24/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Standing like a proud Lighthouse beckoning wayward sea pilots to shore is the most fitting analogy I can summon when describing the power and influence the Big Slice has held at the S.E. corner of Yonge and Gerrard streets. What the Lighthouse has done for generations of Seamen the Big Slice has done for decades of late night club kids, students cramming for finals and sordid casts of assorted ne 'er-do-wells.
If you can tolerate a steady stream of mid 90's techno drivel at ear popping decibel levels, a semi hostile loosely formed line-up where you WILL have to jostle for position, AND you possess the almost super human ability to digest pizza swimming in grease at 3:00am, then the Big Slice is for you! -
Review from Aviva S.
4/24/2011
More like a 3.7. Haha.
Good place.
Big slices worth your money at a good price, friendly workers (even at 3:00 AM).
What more can you ask for? :) -
Review from Dom L.
Toronto, ON
9/11/2010
So, after waiting in rush line for two hours (with one to go!) at Ryerson for the film festival yesterday, I was hungry. Starving. Famished. I needed something big and I needed it quick.
Luckily, the Big Slice was just around the corner. I had never been there before, but had often passed it and know someone who swears by the place. So I bravely ventured in, ordered a slice of pepperoni and walked the maaaassive piece of pie back to the line up. On the way, I got stares and someone even loudly exclaimed "that's a huge slice!" Indeed, random street guy, indeed. The slices ARE huge, the name is not a lie.
Now, I was so hungry that I could have eaten cardboard and given it at least a 2 star rating, so it's possible that if I decide to return, that my 3 stars will turn to 2. The slice? Not that great. It had been out for awhile, I think. It was very thin and floppy, and tasted average, or maybe a little below, thinking back. Not that I minded at the time.
Overall, might only be good in case of emergencies. -
Review from Briana M.
6/11/2009
DISCLAIMER: I have never had Big Slice while sober.
Oh, college. It's 3:30 am, you're drunk and hungry. Who are you going to call? At 89 Chestnut it was A) Hong Shing, B) Garden, or C) Big Slice.
Big Slice lives up to its name. These pizzas are HUGE. 20 some-odd inches of huge! I would always order the breaded chicken cutlet, peppers and onions, and get my drunken pig on. My male friends were always amazed at the fact that I could eat 3+ slices of this bad boy, but man. It tasted like success. So basically, if you're wasted and you want to pig out on a pizza the size of a card table, DO IT UP! Get yo big slice on, bitchez! -
Review from Aliyah K.
12/21/2009 1 photo
I don't remember much of my visit to The Big Slice, but here is what did make it to memory...
1am
hungry
walking
see man with pizza
ask where he got it
hubby and i walk in proper direction
walk in
smile
order
get our pizza
sit down
smile
eat
walk back to hotel
raid mini bar
smile
sleep
dream of really good pizza
check receipt
it was not a dream, i did in fact have really good pizzaListed in: Travels..., Not Just For College Kids,…
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Review from Jonathan S.
York, ON
5/5/2010
As a lifelong Toronto resident, The Big Slice was just part of the seedy downtown background. A dirty sign, grimy windows and transient crowd hanging outside crumbling steps would instead drive me north, the expensively gentrified pies of Yorkville, or South, to the Eaton Centre and points beyond.
Last week, I attended a training session at College Park. Lunchtime options nearby are limited, and the location and price were right. So, I sidestepped the tough guys outside, and waited on line for the chance to enjoy a Big Slice big slice, sitting at what looked like a repurposed office chair, under a delightful poster of Freddy Krueger.
I'll admit to food snobbery, but the slice was fantastic. Retro pepperoni and mushroom; the kind of pizza that I enjoyed as a kid, before I knew from terroir, or micro-regional differences in soil, or woodburning ovens. The pie came straight from the oven; too hot to touch, and pooling with neon-orange grease that threatened to course down my chin as I ate. It was huge; easily a slice-and-a-half's worth of the immediate competitions. It was authentic in the way that it satisfied those basic childhood cravings; the texture of a blistered crust on my tongue; the tang of pepperoni, the feathery feel of shaved mushrooms...the mixture of salt and grease that said this meal was a special treat.
And all for $4.20 with a can of diet pepsi (we all have to grow up some time, don't we?).
There may be more grown-up pies out there, but to me pizza is first and foremost kid's food. And for providing that childhood the experience of folding a slice that's bigger than my head, even in very adult surroundings, The Big Slice deserves its place in Toronto's culinary landscape. -
Review from Jonathan K.
Toronto, ON
6/12/2010
When I rate a restaurant, I always think "could I have the same thing but better if I walked for 60 seconds?" In this case, unless you're drunk off your ass and need a big slice, man, aw yeah let's get some BIG SLICE, woot, the answer is yes: "Amato's".
So yeah, two stars if sober, five stars if not so much with the sober. -
Review from Heather B.
Scarborough, ON
9/5/2009
Am I the only one that isn't impressed with this place ?
I really think it's crap.
I've been here twice now not by choice lol...friends rave about it.
I just dont like anything about this place.
The pizza is dry and rubbery, The staff are rude and not friendly it's just basically "next? next? next?" aka hurry up and pick the pizza slice u want, AND ..the atmosphere is not nice and don't get me started on the washrooms :S .
I know it's not a place to go if you want a restaurant kinda style place but I mean they could do a lot more with this place...it's just blah.
I will stick with my yummy pizza pizza :) -
Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
3/6/2010
This place is reason why I am still full the morning after. Big Slice is something you scream out at a party and are guaranteed to have at least two people willing to brave whatever weather to get their fix.
I've been here many times and I've seen some pretty weird things. I guess it's the location and late night hours. For example, maybe don't use the hot sauce? I once witnessed another table make a bet for to chug hot sauce directly from the bottle for thirty seconds. Entertaining at three in the morning, yes. Hygienic, no. Do we know if these things are cleaned often, probably, it's a gamble.
The slices are really big. I got the vegetarian, it comes with tomato, red onion and green pepper, maybe mushroom. Maybe. It was really good, but it was the second last slice meaning sitting out for a tad too long. You cannot imagine my saddness when I saw a beautiful fresh veggie pizza come out of the oven and onto the counter just before I was leaving. And I know what that would taste like.
All the craziness is just part of the charm and adventure. Dinner and a show. However, it's all about the pizza and Big Slice knows how it's done. -
Review from Devan R.
6/18/2009
Damn right I'm a fan, I've been hitting Big Slice my whole life. There are 4 main reasons as to why:
1) As a little child I can remember how big the slices used to be. I remember them being equivalent to say 3 standard slices of pizza. I also strongly believe that over the past 10 years the slice has become even smaller then what they used to be. Still massive tho.
2) It's mad cheap. For $5 you can score a solid slice with a can of iced tea or bottle of water for example. One of the cheapest most satisfying meals downtown.
3) I went to Ryerson for a number of years, and my classrooms were mostly in Kerr Hall which is just minutes from Slice. So in between classes and on my way home I frequented it. (Ryerson student discounts also available)
4) Open hella late. I think even as late as 4am on weekends. What's clucth is hitting slice on the way from a concert, club or whatever really. Especially satisfying during those moments.
In terms of the quality of pizza, overall it is quite enjoyable. If you are fortunate enough to arrive as they pull a fresh pie out of the oven, you'd be hard lovin' it. Otherwise, the pizza is fairly fresh as they experience a high amount of turnaround throughout the day so slices aren't sitting around too long.
My favourite pizza is the Ground Beef & Pepperoni which is a staple there. You can also expect to find straight pep, Canadian (mush, pep, bacon) Hawaiian (ham, pineapple, tomato), cheese, and veg on the reg. Although I have never had anything to eat besides the pizza, Slice does offer lasagna, spaghetti & meat balls, Italian sandwiches and wings as well.
The pizzeria has seating for mad people, so you don't have to worry about finding a spot to slam your slice(s). There is an ATM at the back and staff have to buzz you into the washrooms.
Libretto's and Terroni's make "Pizza", Big Slice makes Big Slices. -
Review from Alejandro A.
Toronto, ON
12/16/2008
The Big Slice is a college staple, but anyone who thinks that their pizza is dirty hasn't ordered a fresh pizza for take out.
They are known for having very large slices of pizza, and for being open until 4am. Many post drink-town residents find themselves here before relocating themselves to their beds, and I think it's because of this that many people equate Bit Slice with barf (if it's the last thing you eat, you tend to blame that instead of the 30 beers you drank in 4 hours)
Anyway, trust me and try these guys on for size when there's sunshine outside. Ordering a whole pizza is definitely worth it, but the major downside is that they are extremely unreliable on delivery. I've had a pizza take 90 minutes to arrive. Since then, I order for take out, show up in 20 minutes and awkwardly stare at them from a chair until my pizza is ready. -
Review from Bryan N.
Burnaby, BC
9/8/2009
It's huge and dry. .. Around $4 a slice ..
The only good thing about this place is they open till 5 am. -
Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2008 1 photo
This place was a huge staple of my college diet -- heck, anything that consisted of bread, cheese, and tubed meat was high on my list. Plus, just as its namesake says, it's a freaking big slice and could be rationed for two separate meals if I was feeling particularly studentesque.
I don't know if my adult palate has changed or what, but I no longer have the same death-grip attachment to Big Slice. I still like the crust -- fluffy and doughy -- but the rest of the pizza doesn't cut it for me anymore. The cheese kinda tastes plasticky and the meat toppings weigh the slice down with grease... which sometimes is okay, particularly when you're blazingly hungover.
On that note, can anyone tell me why all the customers seem like they're drunk, even when it's 11:45 in the morning? -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
6/8/2010
I really wanted this place to rate higher. I first went there in the early 80's. I specifically remember a visit in 1984, where it was the first place I took my pizza-connoisseur friend from NYC. It lived up to his expectations back then.
Jonathan K and I ordered a whole 14" pie to eat in, half plain cheese (the baseline from which I judge all pies), half mushrooms/hot pepper/pineapple. Without the distractions of toppings, there was a bit of a weird taste on the plain cheese side, something I've noticed at other pizzeria's. Some herb in the tomato sauce? That processed pizza sauce taste? I'm just not sure.
Anyway, it's a step up from Pizza Pizza, but definitely a step down from Bitondo's and Danforth Pizza House. (I won't compare to Terroni or Libretto, 'cause it's a pie of a different colour.)
BTW, the pie only took 20 minutes from scratch, so if you've got a bit of time and a friend, order rather than choosing a pre-made slice. -
Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2008
Biggest slice ever versus sketchiest block ever. It's a tough decision.
Big Slice has decent pizza for super cheap -- definitely a key component of an education at Ryerson. Plus they give you a discount if you're a Ryerson student. But I am no longer a student, slaving away overnight at editing suites two blocks down. I can now afford to go elsewhere and not be frightened off by the...interesting array of people who congregate in front of here, whether they're from the Youth Drop-In Centre a couple doors down, or Zanzibar (skeezy strip club).
If it is really late and you live around the corner like I once did, then Big Slice is your place. Otherwise, take it or leave it. -
Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
8/28/2008 1 photo
I will admit that there probably are better slices of pizza to be found in the city, but I think that I can say with a fair bit of certainty that there are none larger than at the Big Slice. The big slice has many things in its favour; first off it's famous, it played a minor role in the Hulk 2 as background. Second, it's open until 4 in the morning; while it may not be the best pizza in the city at noon, it is at 3am.
I find the best trick is to ask as what pizza (there will usually be 3 or 4) is the freshest and choose that one although if it's a tie between two, their sausage and pepperoni slice is very good. It does sometimes mean that you have to have the dreaded vegetarian (I'm not saying that Big Slices' is particularly bad just that the idea of nothing but vegetables on a pizza should be insulting to everyone) but even a slice covered in vegetables is best when it's fresh and gooey. Definitely a place to go when the late night hunger pangs strike.
Like the review? Check out the link to my blog on my profile. -
Review from Perry L.
Toronto, ON
5/11/2011
Slices are HUUUGE and cheap, and the service is very friendly. They're open until 5AM, so late night benders at the Dungeon/Library, rejoice!
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Review from Brandon H.
4/20/2009
Big isn't everything. I ordered a plain cheese slice. What I didn't expect was the the texture of the rubbery dough and plastic cheese.
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Review from joe b.
Brampton, ON
4/18/2009
when i was a teen i took the subway downtown, bought records at the famous "play d record" and i would alyways stop off at big slice, it was a little cleaner and a little better tasting, still ok, but dont use the toilet, it looks a junkies fantasy (straight outta saw the movie (part 1))... also right
down the street there are the aspiring youth hobos at evergreen (former squeegie kids) so i have to agree with melissa, stating "sketchy area)...........just a note try the swarma place next door it is awsome.... -
Review from Ben N.
4/24/2011
Place is BALLING. Arguably THE highlight of my first trip to Canada [and Toronto]. I come from a suburb of New York City where the pizza is pretty good. Was interested in trying some Canadian pizza at some point during my 3-night trip to see what was up. Walked from the waterfront all the way up to York on Yonge and passed The Big Slice on the way. Caught my eye, but I didn't stop to take a close look. Was really hungry after the walk and remembered the place that had intrigued me hours before. My buddies couldn't suggest anything better, so we went for it. So happy I did. What a unique slice of pizza. I did have fresh slices, though. Yes, slices. I bet I could down eight of those suckers if necessary. Reasonable and incredibly filling. A joint like this would make a KILLING in NYC. I'd love to have a slice right now, but I'm over 300 miles away!
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Review from Jeff B.
7/3/2010
Slice is too big.
