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John & Sons Oyster House - DowntownReservations
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Seafood Restaurant Reviews
John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown Reviews List
John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown is out of the way from the hustle and bustle of the financial core but at the same time right in the middle of it, hidden away. From ducking down our little street, you feel as though you are doing something deliciously wicked. When you walk in the door of our 40 seat joint, you feel as though you’ve stumbled upon the best speakeasy in town and you’re getting away with flouting all the rules while everyone else behaves. You may think you’ll only have a few oysters and a quick drink while you’re there, but everything around you conspires to make you want to stay longer. Our fare varies according to the time of year, coastal fishing quotas and weather conditions. We can always shuck to order from a selection of 5-10 different Oysters daily, drawn from both our own beds in P.E.I. and the best growers in Canada, the USA and further abroad.
See more John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown details
42 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Rating Breakdown 42 reviews
5 stars
(14)
4 stars
(24)
3 stars
(4)
2 stars
(0)
1 star
(0)
Food
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- fit for foodies(22)
- neighborhood gem(18)
- great for lunch(9)
- hot spot(9)
- vibrant bar scene(7)
- good for groups(4)
John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown Reviews List
Review 1 for John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Fantastic spot
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Excellent food, great menu....would recommend to anyone!"
Dined on 5/07/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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Review 2 for John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Solid Bay Street Seafooder
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Tucked away on Temperance, just west of Bay, this small, vibrant seafooder is a great spot for lunch. Good variety of mainly seafood fare, well prepared with fresh ingredients. Efficient, friendly service. Really fills a void in the downtown core seafood restaurant options."
Dined on 5/01/2013
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 3 for John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Hidden gem
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Stuck away in the financial district of Toronto it was a surprise to find it buzzing on a Monday night.
It has exactly the right atmosphere for an oyster bar. The staff are friendly and knowledgable about their product oysters.
It is a well planned menu and well executed.
We will be back"
It has exactly the right atmosphere for an oyster bar. The staff are friendly and knowledgable about their product oysters.
It is a well planned menu and well executed.
We will be back"
Dined on 4/29/2013
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 4 for John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Fantastic and friendly service
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Fantastic and friendly service with consistently excellent food."
Dined on 19/04/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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Review 5 for John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
John and Sons Oyster house
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"John and Sons Oyster house was nice. I love these little hideaways (and it is - nestled between construction and a more vibrant sign for a restaurant across the street).
We started with:
- Raw oysters, I prefer the pacific variety - small, less fishy and all awesome. They were wonderful. I especially liked their pear, shallot sauce (comes on the dish of hot sauces that go with your oysters)
- Lobster poutine, worth every dollar in the $23 that it costs. Fries were crunchy, lobster wasn't chewy.
- Crab cake, fantastic taste but it's tiny... Like blink and you miss it.
- Calamari, pass. Chewy and not a great hot sauce
- Indian Candy, be warned, not regular smoked salmon
- Baked rockerfella oysters, nothing to write home about"
- Raw oysters, I prefer the pacific variety - small, less fishy and all awesome. They were wonderful. I especially liked their pear, shallot sauce (comes on the dish of hot sauces that go with your oysters)
- Lobster poutine, worth every dollar in the $23 that it costs. Fries were crunchy, lobster wasn't chewy.
- Crab cake, fantastic taste but it's tiny... Like blink and you miss it.
- Calamari, pass. Chewy and not a great hot sauce
- Indian Candy, be warned, not regular smoked salmon
- Baked rockerfella oysters, nothing to write home about"
Dined on 11/04/2013
2008
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, special occasion, hot spot
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Review 6 for John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
This restaurant exudes a warm,
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"This restaurant exudes a warm, inviting and comfortable feeling. Good location for downtown Toronto. Food is always good. The Cappuccino is best in the city and they actually know how to make them properly which is hard to find in Toronto. Wine list is variable, a manageable size and there seems to be something for everyone. By all accounts the martini's are good as well. Wait staff is always attentive and pleasant.
Always an enjoyable dinner experience."
Dined on 14/02/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list
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Review 7 for John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Service was pretty slow at
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Service was pretty slow at the beginning and it took a while for our drink order to be taken, etc. The clam chowder was a bit runnier than I like but the oysters were excellent."
Dined on 15/02/2013
2013
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Review 8 for John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
good casual dining
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Dined at John and Sons downtown - great oysters, the clam chowder was a hearty serving of very satisfying, good tasting chowder and the fish n chips presented was an excellent battered fish but soggy fries."
Dined on 24/01/2013
2010
Special Features: neighborhood gem, hot spot
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Ratings-Only Reviews for John & Sons Oyster House - Downtown
Based on the average of (34) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.3
/
5
3 out of 3 recommend this product
Food
(Outstanding)
4.3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic