Paella anyone? I bet you haven't heard that in a while. And…read morehonestly, who knew it was such a Portuguese thing too? We all know Spain made it famous, but Portugal? INSANE. Back to why I do this. I'm endlessly curious about food, people, and the magic that happens when great meals meet good music. Friendships just seem to evolve naturally around a table. And thank you, E, for another incredible photo -- your choices are always perfect. Mercado on St. Clair is a hidden gem. What was once beside my mom's flower shop downtown has now found a home in a slightly more industrial setting on Caledonia -- and somehow, it works perfectly. Cozy seating inside, a great covered patio outside, and that village-style European restaurant vibe you hope to stumble across. First off, the waiter was phenomenal. He walked us through the menu, explained everything perfectly, and genuinely elevated the whole experience. The menu is massive -- meat, seafood, everything you could want -- but we came for the paella. We were told it takes time because they make it the proper way. Not overly crispy, just authentic, rich, and layered with flavour. Worth every minute of the wait. To start, we had the gambas / shrimp in a rich red garlic and herb sauce plus extra toasted bread for dipping, per our waiter's recommendation. Absolute rockstar move. The other appetizer was a delicious beef stew served over crunchy rustic bread. Simple, hearty, and top notch. Now... drum roll please. This may have been the best paella I've ever had. Okay okay, maybe somewhere along the coast in Spain I've had one fresher... but this was absolutely off the charts. Zero fishy smell. Just beautiful saffron-infused rice with that perfect slight crisp, loaded with mussels, clams, octopus, calamari, shrimp, and more. Built for two people to share and completely unforgettable. A few glasses of house white later and bam - there was absolutely no chance I was going back to work. And dessert? I kept telling myself: "No dessert, Frank. No dessert." But there's a rule in life ; if you see crème brûlée on a menu, you order it. This wasn't exactly crème brûlée, but a cheesecake-inspired version of it. Two spoons, four bites, and thank you very much. Favourite meal of the year so far. Completely blown away by this place. Mercatto -- go now. Go fast.

I was there for my birthday and this place didn't disappoint, even on a Monday…read more The atmosphere was calming and refreshing with an upbeat fun whimsical garden. Service was friendly and prompt. The food was delicious. We were a party of thee and ordered a plater that served us well. All ate from the Beira Mar platter and all meats and seafood were cooked well to order. Fantastic place for a night out or a get together with other friends family or special occasion.

Came here first time tonight and wasn't disappointed. Food, service and decor was all amazing for…read morethe price. Dinner for 4 with soft drinks including everything just a little over 200$. But we had soups and tons of seafood including two lobster tails. We got the dinner for 4 thing. And I think the leftovers are enough for two more dinners. Our server, I think Anita, was amazing at her job as well. Will come back again after I finally finish the leftovers and give it some breathing room.

Delicious, generous portions and perfectly cooked seafood. It was my parent's first seafood boil,…read moreand they loved it! Service was excellent; our waiter was friendly, attentive, and welcoming (She made sure to refill our drinks as soon as we were finished and thirsty for more, showed us where the restroom was, and cracked a few jokes with us). The restaurant was clean, quiet (came on a weekday and we were the only customers around 2pm) and relaxed. As tourists, we really appreciated the warm hospitality and satisfying meal.

One star for the convoluted business that it is…read more So I arrived at the restaurant to take my mom out for a fun night of Egyptian food, the restaurant occupied two commercial units thought its very unusual why they don't unify it was one unit. One side is for takeout but patrons are sitting there to dine in and the other side is for dine in, but the employees also do take out. Confusing YES. So I arrived in blindly following a line. I eventually tapped the person behind me, is this the line to get a table. He says no it's the line to order... okay. About 20min in the line I finally get the deal what everyone is doing, they order their seafood order at the front where the precious alive seafood is stored- it's like a pick what you eat counter. So I order their sangarita with a salad and yellow rice and a calamari with no sides (you save like $4 for just skipping that). After ordering she asked if I had a table?? I said no, then she comes out with seven yellow sticky notes and says there are 6 parties waiting for a table. I asked how long? Maybe 40min. She also advises me that i can put myself on the list for a table and she can hold my order up to 45min- they won't start cooking until you have a table. So I asked how long for takeout, she says 20min. Well I did my math, I waited 20min in line, and 20min for food that is not partially cooked so 40min, I can live with that. Watched the server rip the slip, and just fyi the fish was charged at $35/kg costing $60 and the calamari at 1lb was $22. She asked me to wait on the side, saw her put the slip with the raw fish and placed it ON THE FLOOR behind the counter. As I waited on the side I can see quite a number of orders piled in Rubbermaid containers on the floor. Behind the counter I can see the coats of the employees piled up next to what looks like to be the washed cutlery for table service and the employees use the same yellow rag to wipe every cutlery. I also saw employees clear the tables and return to prepare more cutlery- did they wash their hand in the kitchen??? I was then prompt to pay on their pay unit. It prompted me tip. SKIP tip for takeout. Then she tells me it's 2% charge if I pay credit card no charge for debit. So I pay debit. I waited patiently, I stood near the washroom and overheard how a male customer found a $100 bill in the washroom and handed it to the restaurant- they didn't even ask around if anyone dropped it. Then when I had waited 30min (10min past the estimated time, I asked for an update ). They assured me 10 more minutes. Then after 10min I asked again, they said 1min. And then they came out with my take out. The gave me a complimentary hummus for the slow service, but I don't think it made up for the undersized sides they served me. Just look at my pic and look at the website photo. Overall , if you have 2-3hours this is your place. THIS PLACE WAS ABSOLUTELY CHAOS! I'm questioning food stored on the floor even though it's in a Rubbermaid and then that bin placed back on the scale, touched by the gloved hands and potentially cross contaminating food. During the whole time I didn't see anyone clean or mop the floor- what if people are trekking sidewalk salt in the winter. I am really concerned. Eat dangerously here if you want. I do say the food was seasoned well but won't be returning.

Definitely a hidden gem! Stumbled upon this place in a plaza and must I say, everything was cooked…read moreto perfection and extremely flavourful. Me and my siblings got a food platter with lobster, rice, calamari and another platter that I forgot to take a picture of with rice and fish and salad. The sause was mermaid sauce? If I remember correctly and it was so good! Definitely recommend.

Oysters! I have…read morewalked past this restaurant for 10 years saying I'm going to check it out one day and i finally made it happen! We were seated at the bar and got to watch all the actions. We tries a various different type of oysters and decided that the east coast ones were our favourite! Definitely will return here again.

I ordered an appetizer and some sparkling wine during my visit. The drinks and food were delicious!…read moreThey offered a wide and interesting selection of appetizers and entrees. I was impressed with the wide variety of fresh seafood! I was also very happy with the attentive service I received! I would very much love to return!

This place does seafood drizzled in sauces. Service is pretty good…read more Got a small shrimp, mixing rice & fries with house sauce (not on menu) & sweet chili (the the recommended sauces). House sauce is creamy garlic & not too strong, so it can complement other sauces. The shrimp were quite fresh. The rice was lightly buttered with a light flavour. The fries good: crispy, dusted & with a savoury bite. There wasn't much sauce so it only flavoured the shrimp, not the carbs (of which there was a lot).

The food was great with plenty of different dishes and sides to choose from at a fair price…read more The service is friendly and efficient with a family friendly atmosphere. Great for a night out with family or friends and nice place to go for a hot lunch.

I feel so lucky to be able to try this place out on a Wednesday night. It was packed even though it…read morewas near closing time. I was blown away by how amazing the scallop burger was! Perfectly battered and fried scallops on top of their homemade sauces. Everything was well seasoned and appropriately portioned. The okonomiyaki was packed with goodies like caramelized onions, fried egg, ham and salmon. We got the shucked oysters and drinks which aren't shown in the pic, but they were sooo delicious as well. Can't forget about the awesome service and vibes! They were amazing.

Part of a longer review…read more.. You don't so much book a table at Honest Weight as you wander into it. Tucked in the Junction, it still looks and feels like the fish shop it once was, except the counters have given way to small tables and the chalkboard now lists what's cooking tonight. There's nothing slick about it, no marble tabletops or velvet banquettes. Instead, Honest Weight disarms you with something much rarer in Toronto dining: warmth. The kind of warmth that feels like stepping into a friend's East Coast home--where the fish is fresh, the welcome genuine, and you're looked after in a way that feels instinctive.

The food was exquisite and delicious, beautifully presented, and the ingredients were fresh. The…read moreservice was professional and attentive, and the environment was elegant and comfortable. Overall, it was a very good experience.

Picked this spot for girly night. We loved it here! Such a pretty spot and food was delicious…read more Met the chef and learned about the private dining room and tasting experience. We cant wait to be back!

Young guy standing outside, turned out to be the greeter, and server. Oysters were great, from…read moreBoston and Vancouver. Bostons were better, bigger. Professional service.

Pearl Diver is an assuming spot. I had a good feeling looking at the menu but the true jackpot was…read morethe dining experience in person. Cozy atmosphere and the service was kind, making us feel relaxed. Maybe too relaxed that we ordered dessert even after being stuffed already. Starting with the mvp of the meal, the dessert - Sticky Toffee Pudding, did not disappoint. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it was the best I've had. Tender snd delicate cake, ample syrup and the twist was some sort of sour tamarind or cherry candy on top. Perfect! The grilled mackerel was also absolutely divine. Really well prepared and meaty. The mussel dish was incredible too. The broth was gingery, garlicky and coconuty and very comforting to have on a cool night! I wish they had some sort of dry bread to go with it. However, the only bread option, focaccia was ordered. The focaccia was lovely on its own! Not an ideal pairing with the mussels but not bad either. I would absolutely revisit!