The only reason I'm a repeat customer is because the beer is ridiculously cheap. Do NOT eat the food. I've had a handful of friends fall ill after eating there and I've personally witnessed kitchen staff use the bathroom and walk out without washing their hands. (not to say they didn't wash them once they got back upstairs, just sayin) Go for the beer, stay for the patio. read more

This place may be cheap, but it's definitely not worth it. The same owners of red room, green room, and nirvana. You'd think the fact that they own several places and have had several health code violations they'd make more of an effort. Servers are a bit rude and food is passable. I wouldn't eat there. Drinks? Maybe, but not to eat. read more

After finishing our meals at Epicure Café, my friend and I still had plenty to catch up on so we headed across the street to Java House. Contrary to the establishment's name, we opted for booze. $14 pitchers of sangria? Yes please! When we got there on a weekday evening, the patio was pretty busy but we were promised a table within 10 minutes - and they delivered! A good first impression goes a long way. As soon as I looked at the menu, I spotted the sangria and the decision was made. It definitely wasn't the best sangria I've ever had, but it was pretty good! No fruit, but I didn't really expect that from this place. It was a nice casual atmosphere on the patio, and we were served by about 4 different servers. At one point one appeared at my shoulder but was speaking so quietly I didn't even realize she was there! But for the most part, we enjoyed our pitcher relatively undisturbed. The strangest thing about Java House for me was the bathrooms. You have to walk right through the kitchen to access the stairs down to the bathrooms. At that point it's typical not-so-lovely-Toronto-dive-café-bathrooms, but how can it be sanitary to have people walking through the kitchen where food is being prepared? Is that not some kind of health violation? Minus one star for that. All in all, a nice place for cheap drinks if you're not feeling too fancy. read more

Super cheap food menu (though I've never actually eaten there) Good pint/food combos as well. Cheap liquor menu as well (pitchers for around $13) and you can get pitchers of Sangria. Inside decor is a bit run down and (as somebody else mentioned) the walk to the bathroom shows a kitchen in quite some disarray. Needless to say the atmosphere is about as laid back as you can get, and sometimes consequently so are the servers. But at that price you can't expect my drink to be filled at all times anyway. Patio is great on a sunny day! Good place to start out to keep things cheap, and move on to something a little nicer for food. read more

It's cheap. It can be as short or long as you want it to be. It's good. I've been to Java House a few times and I've always walked away satisfied. The food is dirt cheap and they have mad deals for every day of the week. Saturdays it's something like two entrées and a pitcher of sangria or imported beer for 23 bucks? Unheard of! I like everything I've ordered. It all comes out true to the menu, expect not a lot more. The service is quick on their feet and I like the space. It's feels almost like a fancy lunch spot but not quite there. Notice the patchwork of fabric on the ceiling. It's all in the details! A fun spot to refuel during a nice jaunt in Queen Street West. read more

You don't go to Java house for quality food. You don't go for great service. You go there to have a drink with friends and make noise. I debated whether to give this place three or four stars. Usually I rate restaurants for the service, quality of food and how 'welcome' the staff makes me feel. Java House scores terribly on all three criteria - their waiters attend to you based on your tipping potential (should be obvious what I mean), their food, priced as low as $4, should allude to the quality, and finally the ambiance reminds me of university common rooms decorated on a budget. Yet I gave them 4 stars because their booze is cheap and flows easy. That's what you visit Java House for. When I am drinking beer or that awful thing called 'house wine' with my friends, I could care less about the ambiance. This place, best described as an "hipster dive bar" (!?), in downtown Toronto is therefore my favourite (I have my nickname carved on three tables already). :P read more

Love the Java House. Great to stop in for a bite to eat and a pint (or two, or three) before heading out for the evening. Or just re-locate your evening here! Anyway, the menu is pretty diverse. I'm a fan of just getting a few different appetizers and splitting them all around. Their spring rolls are pretty awesome. Also super cheap. The atmosphere is nice and cozy as well. If the weather is nice definitely set up shop on the patio and get ready for some A+ people watching. read more

Came with a party of 6. With 6 or more, friendly waitress reminded that with this size of a party, bills are not divided, and 15% tips are rolled in, which is the case for most places anyways. $14.95 for pitcher of Sangria or premium import? That's unheard of. We ended up getting 7 entrees, 1 appetizer, two pitchers, and multiple glasses of juice and pop. Total bill out the door including tips was $128. That's crazy cheap! The Sangria is awesome, and the pad thai is so tasty. read more

Java House is a restaurant and bar. They are cash only, so please remember that! Bathrooms are gendered and not physically accessible. The menu is all over the place; they offer coffees, teas, sandwiches, breakfast, a bunch of entrees and about 3 vegan entrees. Sandwiches are ridiculously reasonably priced. I had the brie and avocado, which was great. The service is good, the cocktails are good and the food is good. This isn't a place I'd venture to "on purpose" but rather is one of the few bars I can stand near the Velvet Underground. read more

I can't recall the first time I went to Java House, but I do remember being baffled by its name... The strongest association this place has with coffee is being across the street from a Second Cup. Since then, I've been dozens and dozens of times. Being habitually broke, and somewhat mindful of my health, Java House is a nice alternative to the overwhelming number of junk food options served for comparable prices in the area. The food is cheap. The serving sizes are a little above average, food is pretty tasty, atmosphere is more than tolerable, and staff are somewhat nice. There are several very attractive females who serve there. I remember one of them kind've looked like Scarlett Johansson. I wonder if she still works there... In short, it's worth the price. read more

I don't really like anything about this place. I can see why it is busy but I don't find the side street crammed patio appealing and I definitely can not see myself becoming a regular. My friend chose this for the vegi food, i think and it was so long ago I vaguely remember ordering the most tasteless chicken wings ever. I am sure from the below reviews I could give this another chance and raise the stars but I honestly can not be arsed to go again when there are many other options on this stretch. read more

Java House is perfect at what it is. You see it, and you're like "ah, right - that's where I want to go." And then it exactly meets your expectations. There is lots of beer, and the food is fine and cheap and there are lots of choices. And seriously - it's fine. It's better than average for bar food, even. You're not going to your local five-star restaurant here. The ambiance is excellent, and it's busy but not too loud. In the afternoon you can chill out and read, and in the evening you can meet up with friends and be happy indefinitely. The waitstaff is good-looking and just surly enough. Yay! read more

Neighborhood staple, great service, family owned and operated, great food, inexpensive, decent beverage selection, in the summer, awesome patio read more

Java House is the place I go when I'm craving veggie pad thai and other Asian food -- they do it particularly well and I love how many veggie options they offer. My rating is really 3.5 stars -- it's not spotless, and the service is pretty nonchalant, and I hate walking through the kitchen to get to the bathroom (normally don't care about stuff like this, but it's kind of..icky). However, it's one of my favourite go-to places. - super cheap - great beer - they don't seem to mind if you sit and work/read for a while - food is good; again, the Asian food is great; other menu items are a bit less so Would I take out of town guests to Java House? No. Am I there almost every week? Yup. Enough said. read more

I have such a love-hate relationship with Java. I used to live right around the corner and Java was the closest (and cheapest) place nearby. To say I went there everyday is an understatement. After all those experiences, I think I've overdosed on Java forever, because I haven't gone back. Java has the same menu as Green Room, Red Room, and Nirvana. Same owners, same stuff. Basically this place is a godsend for any student -- you can eat and drink for under $10 on any given night. Their food is literally so cheap it doesn't make sense. And then you taste it, and you're like, "Oh. Right. This is why it's cheap." The things I actually do love there are their deep fried tofu, the pad thai with shrimp, and their avocado brie sandwich (with the soup! mmm soup). Most of their entrees come with a side salad that looks so sad you want to fluff it up and make it happier. But they do have cheap beer, cheap sangria and cheap food. I love this location because they have the little booths for two on the left -- very cute for dates. Two things to note: 1) CASH ONLY. They have an ATM at the back that looks kinda sketchy so make sure you have cash on you. 2) When you go to the washroom, it is super weird because you have to walk THROUGH the kitchen and you see all the little Asian ladies making the food. Very awkward situation. Oh yeah -- if you're in the area, Java's not all that bad. Just don't come expecting mid-blowing food and you'll be fine. read more

I am reluctant to say that I either like Java House or dislike it - the food is really not that great (and in some cases awful) however, it is dirt cheap and doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not. As mentioned in other reviews, they practically give pitchers of beer away here. The food is also very cheap - the first few times I came here I was convinced they left something off the bill. One thing to note though, is that this place is CASH ONLY. I have gotten stuck with the bill numerous times because many of my dirtbag friends didn't have any cash. The service here is hit and miss. Sometimes you will wait forever to order drinks and sometimes you will get a very friendly (and attentive) server. The food is very simple, but I suppose it is a good value. My favourites on the menu are the stuffed french toast (order this with the 'soup of the day' - it is cream of broccoli EVERY day but it's tasty) and the curry chicken. All in all, if you are looking for a cheap place and have low expectations (for food and in life) you might want to consider hanging out here. read more

This place looks very hipster like from afar but I was not impressed with the food. It is located in a great spot and has an outdoor patio. They serve breakfast all day. I was not impressed with the fact that they only take cash. I went to use the bathroom and it dawned on me that maybe the place is rundown alittle. Service was the usual with nothing extraordinary. I had the soup of the day which was a creamy mushroom soup. It was hearty but not very flavourful. I cannot even recall the taste as I was so underwhelmed. All I can recall was the dallop of grated cheddar cheese that the bowl was garnished with. read more

See all

This place is the epitome of a dive bar. Cheap drinks, decent food and a what-you-see-is-what-you-get vibe. Service is usually good, but can get super crowded and scattered on weekends. They have a decent selection of beers on tap- from Mill Street to Blanche de Chambly so this place is perfect for a night where you want to knock back a few pitchers with your friends. My one thing is that the washrooms are a mission to find and you may find yourself accidentally bumping into an Asian lady peeling garlic. read more

I come here for low cost lunch breaks every now and again, and it's a great place to hang out for coffee after a night out. The food isn't great, but it's not bad either. They definitely earn some bonus points from me since they seem to be the only place in the neighborhood that offers perogies. Everything is served in large quantities and it's all dirt cheap. $5 for a pint of premium, and entrees for under $7. Most of the menu seems to be chinese/thai food which is generally pretty decent. I love getting the pad thai whenever I need a large meal. There's very little to dislike. Service is excellent, the food is pretty good, the booze is cheap, their coffee is quite good, and they have excellent music. Definitely worth coming out whether it be for a coffee break, lunch, or just a late night hangout. read more

Cute spot forsure. Stumbled upon it before some fun with the familyy. Nice place to grab some drinks and the staff was great. Didnt get to try the food but it smelt great. read more

This is not a place where you go to eat a fantastic meal. It's a place where you go to grab a nice hot meal for cheap and down a lot of beer. It's a bar more than a grill, really. That being said there are some awesome things on the menu. You really have to know what you're going to order. Like: the entrees are almost all very good. My favourite has to be the curry. The avocado and brie sandwich isn't the best in town but with a greek salad on the side for ~$5 it's a good deal for a healthy and filling meal. But... the quesadillas suck and the perogies too. So, stick with the beer and entree combos and things like that. The best thing on the menu has got to be the fruit soothies. It's something like $6 for 2 oz of any spirit you want, fresh fruit and in any combination you want (I like avocado/banana), sweetened condensed milk, milk and ice all blended together. Really it's a great deal for an alcoholic smoothie like that. Youthful and vibrant atmoshpere and a wonderful patio. I feel very relaxed by the place whenever I go there. PS: the sangria is very good. read more

2.8/5 I used to go here when I was a poor university student. Good place to chill with friends when you don't have much in your pocket. They are cash only and don't expect much with service. It's that kind of place. They also don't split the bill. So make sure you are with a good mathematic friend or make sure to have calculator app in your phone. My go-to is marinated pork sandwich combo with double shot gin & Tonic. read more

LOVE their pad thai & fried tofu. Yes, this place is a dive & the washrooms are a bit sketchy... But in comparison to all of the ketchup-laden pad thais in this city, the sauce on their pad thai tastes almost authentic. In the least likely of places. Go figure. read more

One of the worst places I've experienced for service since going to the Fox and the Fiddle (Annex/any other FATF). The Good: 1. Price. Drinks here are super cheap. The Bad: 1. Service. Inattentive, uncaring, and just don't get things right. 2. Cash. ONLY! Sucks. 3. Ambience. It's a dive bar. 100% 4. Bills. They don't split bills. Why. Not. Tip: avoid unless you have a great crew going and you don't care about poor service? read more

Found out about this place last summer when I was living close by and I fell in love with the cheap beer and food. They have a great patio, I've never sat inside. Every time I've gone I've always managed to find a spot on the patio. While the chairs are just the plastic variety that are very uncomfortable, I can overlook this because of the cheap beer. They have a good variety on tap. The sandwiches at this place are pretty decent, and the Pad Thai isn't too bad either. And while I tend to enjoy my own homemade hummus, they don't do a bad job! It's not fancy, as other reviewers have mentioned, but it is very chill. Take note that you do have to walk through the kitchen to get to the washrooms at this place which are located in the basement. Don't be shy, just walk through! read more

My lunch time experience today was divine. A pint of Stella with the Chicken Curry hit the spot. The Pad Thai my lunch partner enjoyed looked great... Maybe it was the outside patio scene, maybe it was that little bit of San Franciscoesque fog still floating around but this place serves a great lunch that's without pretense and without attitude. The Java House isn't just for a beer or breakfast anymore, at least not in my book. Need wi-fi?? Squat on Second cups' signal x the street..While you order that second beer. read more

Java House. The pit stop for broke students .Cheap Booze. Cheap Food. Everything a student really needs (screw textbooks). The chicken curry is damn good, but the caesar salad and quesadillas tasted the cheap 5 bucks they were. Service was tolerable, and the scenery was eclectic chic, very befitting of the neighbourhood. read more

I had food for the first time here and I will say for the price it is pretty good. I had the crispy chow mien noodles with chicken. It was quite a large portion that was served to me and although it was not the best Chinese food I've had it was still pretty good. For the price of things at this place you won't see me complain much Other dishes that were ordered in our group were: - Vermicelli noodles with spring rolls (FYI does not come with meat). VERDICT: OK but my dish was better - Pirogies combo. VERDICT: good - Schnitzel. VERDICT: not bad - Avocado and Tomato Sandwich. VERDICT: tasteless. read more

do yourself a favour and go to the bathroom before you decide to order any food. Their kitchen is seriously issuous, being open with all the ingredients lying out there as you pass by to go to the washroom. open vats of tomato sauce...i would SERIOUSLY not choose to eat here. HOWEVER, on the drinking side, there is a seriously nice patio in the summer and it is always full. I get why people come here..i don't get why people eat here. The food experience is even worse than the red room and green room. Not great and even though it is dirt cheap you don't really come out feeling like you got any value. read more

I don't get it. There are plenty of wonderful foodie friendly places around the Queen W area and then there is Java House. At first look, the patio area is cute and the small selection of draft beer seems promising. Then the waitresses that seems to have forgotten how to smile brings the menu that is a mix match of random food. My date gets the chow mein and beer while I get the caesar salad, potatoes and coconut juice. I know, totally random. My date raves about the chow mein as I pick at my half cooked potatoes. He clearly doesn't know chow mein, but I'm glad that he is content. Then the bill comes and the emo waitress tells us frankly that they don't accept debit or credit, what the hell? She points us to an ATM machine. My strong opinion is that any place with a liquor licence should accept debit and credit payments! The ATM is by the kitchen and so I got a glimpse into the kitchen. It looks like a disaster and it's clear the employees are not skilled chefs, which explains the food. I'm glimpsing at Melissa F.'s review in 2009 and I feel like we're both saying the same things, guess the place hasn't changed and has retained it's service level through the years. read more

Loved it since the first day I went there. I live in the west end and yet this is the place for drinks! Cheap, dark and fits any size groups. The servers are awesome and energetic and not catatonic like other places. Why 4 and not 5? 'Cause out of the food I can only trust the sandwiches :) the rest of dishes taste exactly the same like fishy fried chicken:). read more

This place is a gem! I love the cool and casual atmosphere coupled with an affordable menu and tasty dishes! One of my go-to places to grab a bite with friends. read more

The Java House is both a great spot for a light lunch or for an evening drink with friends. I first started coming here for the occasional lunch. They have a few different sandwiches and other light fare that makes them a worthwhile destination. They've also got some decent Asian food like chow mien. In the evening (well, all day really) you can enjoy cheap pinks and pitchers. Throughout the week they have different deals that make their good prices even better. Tuesday is a pitcher of beer and a plate of wings for about $13. Wednesday is a pitcher and nachos for $13.50 (and yes, they are decent nachos.) They have a big patio that is often filled during the week, and always filled on Friday/Saturday. Sitting inside isn't bad either, with a variety of diner-esque booths for 2 or 4 people throughout. read more

I have been here twice in the past week with friends from out of town. We sat at the patio both times. They have lots of seating outside but very few on the inside (I can imagine there won't be much seating in the winter). FOOD: We only ordered food the second time we came. I got the Pad Thai and it was decent but slightly on the tangy side, not a very big portion. My friends all thought their food was decent. DRINKS: This is the reason why we came back. Their drinks are dirt cheap. Pitchers of beer for less than $15, sangria, cocktails etc. Pints of beer for $5. They also have daily specials that combine food with beer. After reading some yelp reviews, it seems like the restaurant really tries to promote drinking rather than eating. SERVICE: I would have to say the service was a little odd. The second time we were here we were waiting for our friend to arrive, and within the span of 5 minutes we had FIVE different servers come ask us if we were ready to order! They said they didn't have set tables or a system, which makes me wonder how the tipping works. The restaurant is owned by a south east Asian owner (we think he could be Vietnamese based on the food and the language they were speaking). Besides being annoyed constantly by servers asking us to order our food, we didn't have another bad encounter with their service. I have read many reviews on yelp about their bad service and I have seen customers leave without finishing their food. So I would just be cautious about that. Otherwise, I would definitely return, perhaps more just for the drinks than for the food. Just can't beat that price! read more

One of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. Food was terrible, tables were broken, menus were sticky and stained, and the customer service was non existent. I was greeted with attitude, and even the owner seemed to have little interest in providing his customers with even a mediocre experience. Be cautious because the waiters are very hostile, and the you get what you pay for. read more

Not much to dislike about this place. Good food during the day and good beer at night. I went to Java House twice in a two-day span last weekend. Friday lunch: vegetable omelet that was pretty good. Saturday drinks: pitcher of Mill Street Lager that was delicious. Service was great and prices were right. The only problem was that it was cash-only and their ATM didn't accept American bank cards, so I had to make a mad dash to the TD ATM on Spadina (in the rain) in order to foot the bill. However, it was soon forgiven. I'll be back when I'm in town. read more

Great place to hang out if you don't want to spend a lot of money. Inexpensive pitchers of beer and daily specials! The atmosphere is very casual. Nothing fancy about this place, but that is it's charm. read more

Java House - Vegetable omelette. It was very good. I would order it again. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Java House is great. Food is cheap, but decent-ish quality. Beer is also cheap. I recommend the avocado shake - which i have never seen anywhere else. Also - grilled cheese, pad thai, brie and avocado sandwich are very delicious. Cash only, but there is an ATM in the building. The stairs to the washroom (although they HAVE improved them in the last year) are still a bit of a death trap, so take your time when descending.... Also you have to go through the kitchen to get to them, which i swear must be a healthcode violation, but so far so good.. In summary - Pretty awesome! Although i would consider this a dive bar. Awesome for a dive bar, and pretty awesome for a restaurant. Oh - also, they have a great patio. read more

Stopped in randomly while visiting from NY. It was exactly what I needed and the most affordable breakfast I found during my stay in Toronto. Pancakes, bacon, homefries, fruit, and coffee all for under $8. The atmosphere does come off as a bit divey (the decor, not the clientelle or staff), but if that doesn't scare you off, this is the place to go for breakfast. Wish I could have tried their sandwiches too, they sounded really good. read more

The first time i went there and i completely loved it. For some people it might not be the bar restaurant to chill, but try to be open mind and enjoy. The wings and beer cannot go wrong on that, they also have specials everyday so anyone can just walk in and enjoy daily's meals. The rest of the food is great. I always go there and always leave satisfied!!! read more