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Town Crier Pub
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
19 reviews for Town Crier Pub
19 reviews in English
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Review from Rob C.
Moncton, NB
Updated - 5/4/2012 5 Check-ins Here
after visiting Toronto and visiting the Town Crier several nights in a row with a large group of people, I have to upgrade my rating to 5/5. There's some tasty food on the menu. The beef short rib for example is delicious. They make a decent poutine. For pub food, this is tough to beat.
And the beers. There are so many of them, including a healthy list of belgians. Delirium Tremens on tap? Yes please! The only knock I can say about their beer list is that the Canadians are somewhat poorly represented. Not poorly enough to diminish my enthusiasm by a star, however.
You could do far worse than having this as your local. It does get busy though, so get in early.Listed in: Downtown Toronto
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/12/2012
Nice, old style british pub. Dark walls, lots of paneling. Decent tap list. On tap, they have a… Read more »
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Review from Malini D.
Toronto, ON
4/28/2012
Great beer selection, decent to great food, much improved staff.
I usually come here for my fix for delicious German/Belgian beers on tap. They have a large tap menu, and a great bottled beer menu (but you have to ask for it!). The beer has been great, although I did get a pretty sour Delirium Tremens once. I assume it was at the end of the keg. Aside from that hiccup, it's been great.
For food, their maple-glazed shortrib was fantastic. Their spatzel and blueberry duck, not so much. Stick to their heavier meals like stews and lambs, because they do them well. Their fries are really good, too. The rest should be ignored.
As for the staff, at first they were kind of stand-offish and not terribly knowledgeable. They're now well-seasoned and the ones I've had lately have been extremely nice. Great improvement.
This place fills up fast, so get there ASAP! -
Review from Shiona R.
4/8/2012
I have eaten here several times. It is my go to place with my friend when we need somewhere fairly chilled out and quiet in the area of King and John. Also if you have been to watch a film at the cinema across the road it is the perfect place to go for a post film drink.
There is not a vast amount of space and the tables are a bit cramped. However we have been failry fortunate as generally when we have visited the place is not rammed with people.
They have a small patio...this does get very busy!
The beer selection is rather immense...I am not really a beer person, but my friends who are love the selection. My friend loves this place as they have Leffe Blonde on tap, this makes him happy.
I have always had good eperiences with the staff, friendly and helpful.
The food is good, lots of things to try. I would recommend the mussels, burgers are good too. The diet burger is my go to option...all the fun sans the bun. Even the side salad is good and perfectly dressed. -
Review from Jon O.
1/19/2012 5 Check-ins Here
I guess I should review this place since I'm the current duke.
What used to be the Fat Belgian is now the Town Crier. I had never been in the Fat Belgian so they can already consider the name change a success story. If you like your varied beer selection The Town Crier has a solid list. It's not the most extensive in the city, but it has enough for everyone.
The decor is a little old-fashioned, I'm not really sure what they're going for, it can feel quite empty if there isn't much activity because both the ground and upper floors are very open. The patio is great in the summer if you can manage to find a spot.
I haven't had much of the food, so I'll let you read the other reviews if you're looking for dinner advice. If you're looking for drinking advice, I'd recommend this bar if you have a medium to large group of friends who have varied beer preferences and you're looking for a place to have a boisterous conversation. Depending on how busy it is the servers can be difficult to grab, so hopefully you're in a mood to relax and slowly drink a few beers with friends. -
Review from Kate H.
York, ON
11/5/2011
Ages and ages ago I bought a Groupon type thing for this place. I always hate using them, and always start off my dinner by apologizing and promising the server we will tip well. We cashed it in at the end of August and it's taken me that long to sit down and write this!
Our server (I can't recall her name) just laughed and said, "the fine print lets us add 15% on to the total automatically, it's fine!" The owner designed the coupon well - lots of businesses set up their staff to fail with these things, putting them in crummy positions that grate on their nerves and result in bad service. Not the case here at all.
She did not use this as an excuse to ignore us, she was a perfect server. Very sweet. Made lots of suggestions and was fast and attentive despite it being packed. We chose a table upstairs in one of the windows that open quite wide and tall and allows you to get a lovely vantage of the neighborhood and skyline. Super comfortable club chairs to slouch into. Lovely. A patio experience without a plastic table and too-much street noise.
Fantastic beer selection, goes without saying.
I had a steak-related special and found it to be perfectly cooked, with very good sides.
A wonderful experience! -
Review from KL M.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2011
I have never actually eaten here even though I've probably been here at least a dozen times. So, I can't speak of the food, but I do know the drink menu pretty well. It's a place of great value and selection for beer drinkers and even non-beer drinkers. There are over 50 premium beers on tap - reasonably priced Belgian ones among them - and also a good selection of non-beers. By this I mean ciders, fruity beers, and something fantastic and refreshing called a Radler.
The servers are hit and miss, but the good ones are great. -
Review from Johnathan N.
Brampton, ON
Now, I'll be honest. When you say you have 50 European beers on tap and you're counting a Stella tap, a Creemore tap, and 5 Hacker-Pschorrs (Hackers-Pschorr?) I make a bit of a face.
Still, the Town Crier redeems itself ably. Kwak, Erdinger, Palm, La Trappe, Affligem, Delirium, Grimbergen, to say nothing of the better half of Fuller's selection and at least 3 interesting ciders make for a very strong showing.
The food menu is solid German pub fare - currywurst, beef stew, braised pork, frites. Our 3-cheese beer flatbread was just-okay, but the stew was rich and meaty, and the frites were exactly right.
Service was friendly and reasonably quick, and once you factor in the patio and the upstairs dining room, capacity is excellent for this neighbourhood. The atmosphere is pubby - dark walls, low chairs, comfortable but not dingy.
Would be 5 stars if the kitchen blew me away but as it is we're still talking about a very solid choice for beer drinkers in the area.
Pro-tip: you dips the frites *in* the stew, see? -
Review from Vivek S.
Brought to you by the same team that owns Sin and Redemption and the Village Idiot is the Town Crier Pub at John and Adelaide. Having assumed and renovated the spot that once housed the Fat Belgian, the TCP is much like her sisters on McCaul: a cozy gastropub with a determined focus on suds. There are fifty (count 'em, FIFTY) beers on tap here, with some very interesting selections. The brews are sorted geographically, and they have some really interesting picks. On my visit I tried a Grimbergen; a trappist style brown beer that was sweet and deep. It comes served with a walnut on the side (weird, I know) which is apparently meant to bring out some of the flavours. Or maybe it's just a walnut. Who knows.
The space is a bit of a let down. I was disappointed that they have boarded up the glorious open-to-below that once was in order to maximize square-footage on the two floors. It does make the lower level seem a bit claustrophobic, but hey, it's a pub so that's hardly worth complaining about. Also for some reason there are fans everywhere. Is there something we should know?
I have yet to try the food, so I shall reserve comment until next time. For my first visit, the Town Crier proved itself to be an excellent addition to John street.
Obligatory Title Pun: It's my PUB and I'll CRIER if I want to.
Menu Readability: While I hate that each page is printed to resemble a scroll (MS Publisher anyone?), it's actually laid out neatly, and I appreciate the geographic divisions.
Need to mention: I actually counted 52 beers on tap. Hot damn.
What this place teaches me about myself: The old walnut trick. I fall for it every time.Listed in: Hogtown Beer Haunts, Pubs in Toronto
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Review from Cheri D.
Toronto, ON
2/11/2012
Excellent selection of Belgian beers at a great price! The other British/International beers are your standard names. Food is decent for the price as well. Service is friendly and approachable for the most part. There are a few staff who will openly judge and mock your beer selections though.
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Review from Gord M.
East York, ON
5/16/2011
It's a great thing about to happen. *3.5 stars
The Town Crier is off to a decent start:
- 50 beers on tap
- An ever-improving staff
- A solid menu that has yet to disappoint
This is a German pub, so don't order the burger for the love of meat! Get the pork knuckle, the spatzele or even the currywurst, ask the bartender to recommend a beer and you'll be in European heaven.
It's a big space, both inside and out: two floors of seating inside and a John St-sized, west-facing patio in front, so don't be afraid to bring along friends, just save me a spot on the patio.
I've been three times and each visit has been better, so I'd overlook some of the harsh, early reviews and give it a chance. Worst-case, you'll end up with a full belly, an aching liver and a farmer tan. -
Review from Diane C.
5/21/2011
How do you spell relief from a stupid weekend shift and the apparent Rapture that didn't happen? P-A-T-I-O.
Came here with a friend, who's been frequenting the place - and the 50-beer selection - since it recently opened.
The patio's a bit small, so on a wonderful day like today, it was packed. But it's better than being indoors, which seems kind of dark inside.
Our server was great. I hadn't been there before, so he asked what kind of beer I was looking for and offered me samples to try. And I'm a bit of a girly-girl when it comes to beers, and wanted something light, so I picked a half-pint of the Stiegl Radler. YUM! Highly recommended.
I also had the Town Crier burger on a whole wheat bun. Very satisfying. And the whole meal was totally wallet-friendly.
Between the food and the service, I give it two thumbs up. A good start to what I hope is the beginning of my summer-long patio crawl. -
Review from Martin W.
7/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This is a very cool looking pub. The patio in the front looks nice and the upstairs is great.
What I didn't like was the schnitzel that I ordered. It was too salty and soggy for my liking. This was unfortunate since the waitress was the one who recommended it to me. I hope the rest of their menu tastes better!
Also, they have a weird bathroom setup. You have to go up a narrow set of stairs to get to them, so if you are upstairs you have to go down a set of stairs then back up again. Very odd. -
Review from Gordon J.
Toronto, ON
3/30/2011 1 photo
Tonight after work I decided to check out a new pub a block away from where I work, the Town Crier Pub/Halfway Beer House. I had heard they had many beers on tap and was not disappointed. I counted 47 taps but heard there were actually over 50. A great variety too, from different countries and a few Ontario craft beers too, including Urthel Hop-it which is very hard to find in Toronto.
I enjoyed the atmosphere. Of course I sat at the bar and Sam, the bartender, really seemed to know his beers. He had a few good stories too. I was well served and treated well. Later Toni took over for Sam when his shift was over and she too looked after everyone well.
Although I was there for the beer selection, I decided to stay to eat. The woman who was sitting a few seats down ordered a burger with fries which looked great, so I decided it looked like a good place to eat and ordered a club sandwich, with fires and no tomatoes. Glad I did. Real chicken and bacon, a Dijon mayo sauce on a fresh bun and it was great.
On Friday nights I enjoy stopping on the way home for a couple of pints, a chance to read, and unwind from my weeks work. I am sure the Town Crier Pub will be a regular place for me to do just that. -
Review from Teena D.
4/2/2011 4 photos
For supper before the Blue Jays game tonight, Gord and I went to the Town Crier Pub/Halfway Beer House. It's at John/Adelaide Street and recently opened (it's where the Fat Belgian used to be).
Gord had been there on Wednesday evening and liked it.
It's a cute place. There are two levels and it was packed. We managed to grabbed a table upstairs. They have about 50 drafts from around the world at the two bars.
Gord had gotten the chicken club sandwich and fries Wednesday night and got it again tonight. I ordered the burger and fries. It was okay ... the burger was a bit dry and not very juicy. The place was packed and our food came out quickly so I'm assuming it was precooked and put on the grill to heat up.
Toni, our server, was great ... friendly and fast.
I'll be back for a beer. -
Review from Robin D.
4/19/2011
Came here with some co-workers on a Monday night. Was very quiet and mostly empty.
Seems they have a good selection of European beers. And I got the Belgium Beef Stew and Belgium Frites for entree. I love fries and I loved the fries dipped in the stew. Yumm.. -
Review from Scott W.
Oshawa, ON
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fantastic food and service. Decor of the pub was great as well. I will be returning with friends next time i'm in the area.
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Review from vivian v.
Aurora, ON
4/11/2011
for an old co-worker, they decided to have her going away party at this place called the town crier pub. having never heard of it, i just assumed it was going to be like the fox and fiddle across the street. thankfully, it was nothing like it.
we stuck to the downstairs, so i can't give a good indication to what it was like on the second level, but the downstairs was definitely a nice setting. we had the entire middle section for ourselves, so i feel bad for everyone around us who had to deal with our noise. but the atmosphere was incredibly friendly, when we clapped for people who came in, others joined in and cheered. no complaints were made and everyone had a good time.
there is a separate beer menu, so don't ask me if they have any other alcohol. i assume that they do, i think i saw someone drinking a vodka/soda, or something like it, but my panic of asking caused me to try the girliest fruitiest beer on the menu as i detest beer. but it wasn't bad.
also, the waitress was amazing at keeping everyone's orders separate and remembering what everyone was drinking as we shuffled around.
for food, i only ate some fries, as i'm currently unemployed and spending more than 5 bucks on a meal is absurd to me right now, but trying to think back to my employment days, i don't think the prices were too bad and there were good choices and even random choices- escargot... really?
all in all, i'd recommend it for a quick bite or for a drink with friends if you prefer a pub scene. as long as you aren't a hipster looking to hook up. it's more a post-work style environment, consider the area. -
Review from Kaiping S.
2/14/2012
over 50 beers from around the world, each served in a glass proper for its consumption. friendly bartenders. didn't try the food tho. that is all.
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Review from Jack S.
Toronto, ON
5/12/2011
I went to check out the Town Crier with a friend recently after seeing a (fantastic) documentary at the TIFF Lightbox. I had heard they had 50 taps, and was looking forward to sampling some interesting beer. Unfortunately, I found that my server did not seem to know a great deal about the beers on tap, or if he did, he did not seem overly anxious to share his knowledge with me. Although we were the only table inside, he almost completely ignored us. Then when we ordered food, he forgot it. All in all, we were made to feel unwelcome and uncomfortable. Several days later, a friend mentioned that he'd also tried out the Town Crier in the past week, and was treated miserably by the same server. Sadly, I was unsurprised.
