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

I am visiting Toronto this weekend, from the States, to see Rush in concert, in their hometown, for their "50 Something" Tour. I wanted a piece of black cod ( aka sablefish, not found in the States too often ), and perused several menus of restaurants online. Pearl Diver had it on the menu, and so I gave it a go, and was very pleased with my whole dining experience. The fish was fresh and delicious, as well as the house salad and the coconut creme brulee. The beer taps and the cocktails were also good. The service was excellent and the staff were so welcoming. I wish I could eat oysters but they don't agree with me; however I enjoyed watching the gentleman at the oyster bar carefully preparing each oyster dish, as we spoke about music and other things. I will come back here the next time I am visiting Toronto. It made my visit to Toronto that much more special. read more

Dove down seeking glory, came up clutching average. Had dinner here and tried a number of dishes: east and west coast oysters, lobster sliders, PEI mussels and black cod. All tasted ok, with the best value being the happy hour priced oysters and the worst value being the tiny lobster sliders. Place has a popping vibe. Service was friendly. Menu is of course seafood heavy but they have non seafood options too. read more

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Stopped by PD on a Thursday afternoon for happy hour during a recent visit to Toronto. My initial vibe was iffy. The young lady at the front was very friendly but seemed a little uptight as did some of the staff. Eventually they loosened up and I had a great time sitting at the bar and being hosted by Tanisha. The music and food selection won me over. After settling in, Tanisha provided amazing customer service and made great recommendations for my first time, including a delicious salad, also tried the sticky toffee desert! Michael was incredible at the oyster bar, thanks for the tasty treat and he also offered great service with welcoming personality. I will be back! read more

Pearl Diver is an assuming spot. I had a good feeling looking at the menu but the true jackpot was the 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! read more

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Toronto foodie scene strikes gold again, for me! Pearl Diver has got to be the cutest dive bar/restaurant combo I've ever been to. I stumbled upon it a few steps from my hotel, and I am so incredibly grateful that I did. To have such a gem in walking distance felt really special! Both the food and service were impeccable. The tables looked too closely situated, so I chose the open seating at the bar. The bartender was friendly and funny. The music was amazing - not too loud, but just enough to be heard clearly over the restaurant chatter. I loved the menu and immediately saw several options I wanted to try. Let me first say that I was impressed to see steelhead trout underneath the entrees. It's one of my favorite fish (along with rainbow trout) to consume and at home (USA) I am used to purchasing and cooking at home. So, I was excited to dig in and enjoy it being prepared by a professional kitchen/chef! I ordered the steelhead trout with kimchi fried rice, broccolini, and a sunnyside up egg. Words cannot suffice how DIVINE and delectable this entire meal was. Everything was perfectly executed individually and a delicious flavor bomb collectively. As the egg yolk slowly flowed like a river over the kimchi fried rice with a forkful of trout and a broccolini spear. Tears of joy worthy! LOL. I had such a wonderful experience from the time I entered until my exit, while plotting when I'd return. After watching a gentleman shuck the oysters, next time, trying them here are at the top of my list! read more

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Cannot recommend this place enough! Would seriously give it 10 stars if I could. Ambiance, service and food were AMAZING. From beginning to end. Our server Anthony made such great recommendations throughout the entire meal and was so kind and informative about Toronto. When they tell you to get the Toffee Pudding. Get. the. toffee. Pudding. Or two. My husband and I ate the whole thing in 3 minutes lol read more

Pearl Diver - Sticky Toffee Pudding - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Delayed review. We were here a few months ago, in summer time for Friday girl's night! We are both oyster lovers, and looked for a place in Downtown East, and that cozy, not a large/busy place and have some happy hour deal. Pearl Diver was the perfect place for us (2). We wanted a quiet place to catch up :) We had: Divers dozen (x2) Smaller size oysters with limited varieties, but enough to satisfy raw oyster lovers! We had two rounds hahaha. Calamari With sesame and panko crust and sweet chili and lime dip. Unfortunately, I was not impressed. The calamari was a bit rubbery. What I tasted was the crust, which is missing the point of this food. We enjoyed happy hour drinks (beers). I liked at home, casual atmosphere of this place. Not loud, less people with fresh oyster and happy hour deal. read more

Pearl Diver - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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This restaurant has been recommended to me a lot and I can see why! From the service, food, and everything in between, it was just phenomenal. The oysters were creamy and fresh for $24 for a dozen before 6! So so good. The mackerel with the banchan was juicy, not too salty, and the banchan complimented the fish so nicely while providing variety. The burger cooked at a medium rare was juicy, flavourful and smoky. The fries were AMAZING. We made a total of $103 for all three and I was just stunned. This included an automatic 18% gratuity which was very well deserved! read more

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It's been a really long time since I've updated my review, however, every time my best friend from the United States comes in this is the place we meet up (because it's her favourite restaurant in Toronto). We came in for dinner had the kimchi rice and we had the two dozen oysters. We had the owner talked to us directly and made sure that we were taking care of, and I truly appreciated that. We made reservations in advance and happy that we got a booth and were comfortably seated. It's a very lively place and we've never had bad service! read more

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had a bad experience last night. the service was terrible, the food mediocre and they added 18% gratuity without notification. when I asked ab it, the manager was obnoxious and told me to go and read the fine print. I refused to pay and said- no problem, I'm not paying at all, feel free to call the police. guess what? the bill was miraculously adjusted. the food was mediocre too. the lobster sliders were soggy and the seared tuna tasted like it was made a day before. the oysters were very good. read more

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This place is so good!! The oyster specials brings me in and the kitchen consistently impresses us. Other than the seafood, we recommend the kimchi fried rice, chowder, pork belly, and sticky toffee. read more

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Pearl Diver is a "must go to" hidden gem in Toronto. They offer happy hour everyday from 4:30-6:30 and they included specials on a dozen oysters. On Thursday they offer 100 oysters for $100. My husband and I shared two dozen because they were that good and fresh. We thought they were the best oysters we've ever had. The owner was welcoming and our waitress Luna was exceptional. They offer other seafood and non-seafood small plates and larger plates. The sticky toffee pudding we shared for dessert was a real treat. We look forward to returning soon! read more

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So overall I gave this place 3 stars, but tbh the food was 5/5. It's the service and atmosphere which were lacking. We were a party of two and had a reservation which we'd mentioned was an anniversary. This is because at the time of calling we were asked if it was a special occasion and we said anniversary. When we arrived, the booth we were given wasn't cleaned - not a big issue, mistakes happen. We asked a busser to quickly wipe it down at which point we were given our menus. At no point in the meal were we given a card, app, dessert, or any indication of acknowledgement it was our anniversary. This isn't a requirement, but if they ask at the time of booking, you'd think they might have done something. It took awhile for our orders to be taken, and also quite a while for our drinks to arrive. Again, this might have just been a combo of bad luck, but our food took a very long time to come out. To be fair it was a busy night, but we'd asked to have the dinner expedited as we had tickets to a nearby show, and when we made the reservation we thought 1.5 hours would have been enough time to order, get our food and be on our way out. The food itself was very good, reasonably priced and the sticky toffee pudding was the highlight, but overall based solely on the service we recieved, I wouldn't return. read more

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I cannot say enough how amazingly consistent their food is. Highly recommend people make a reservation to check them out. their seafood tower is outstanding and the staff attentive. read more

I haven't even eaten at Pearl Diver, and I already have a major issue: their so-called 18% "Hospitality Included" fee. Let's call this what it is - a mandatory service charge masquerading as a tip. Since when did "gratuity," which is by definition a voluntary thank you for service, become a compulsory tax on diners before they've even tasted the food or experienced the service? This is an outrageous way to do business. The menu prices should reflect the actual cost of your food and paying your staff a fair wage - like in virtually every other profession where people aren't "tipped" just for doing their job. Forcing this fee not only feels deceptive to the customer but also completely undermines any incentive for staff to provide genuinely excellent service. Why bother, when their "tip" is already guaranteed? I was considering trying Pearl Diver, but this policy alone is enough to make me take my business elsewhere. It's a blatant price hike hidden under a misleading name, and it's a practice that needs to be called out. Customers deserve transparency and the right to decide what "hospitality" they've received and how they wish to acknowledge it - not have it dictated and pre-charged. read more

Food and customer are good. Nothing bad. Oysters are fresh and mussels favor are yummy

I have come here not too long ago with a group of work friends. I had a small soup and salad. It was delicious, fresh and filling. Unfortunately, however, our service was very poor. He didn't pay very much attention to us and was not overly helpful. No stars taken off for it, b/c it's within their right, but they don't really do modifications. read more

Great seafood restaurant with a quiet and casual ambiance. The inside is quite small but cozy. Their fresh raw oysters are excellent! Upon arrival at our table, the server explained which oysters were from the west coast (BC) vs. east coast (PEI)... and we could certainly taste the difference. Their other popular menu items included the seafood tower and diver scallops. Some of their menu items changed from time to time (such as the fish selection and sides - e.g. maple miso cauliflower), and they usually have daily specials. read more

Relaxing atmosphere. I ordered the surf and turf - loved it. Service was very quick but not to a point where they wanted to kick you out. It feels like walking into an old Irish pub. Great for going to after work hours if you need to unwind. read more

Are you on a see food diet or seafood diet? Well, I was surely on a seafood diet last week as I feasted on these yummy oysters, mackerel and sardines! Pearl diver located in Adelaide St. Toronto serves great seafood if you didn't know already. They have a pub type setting with their specialty being seafood and variety of beer. We tried their Malpeque oysters from the happy hour menu that runs between 4-6 along with Korean style mackerel, and grilled sardines. My favourite was the Mackerel. Everything was SO good about this dish. I would also recommend trying their British Pub Ale beer - tastes so good with the seafood. If you're looking for a good seafood place in downtown, this is a spot you should definitely try out! read more

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A friendly place in a neighbourhood that could use more restaurants. The seafood tower looks cool. Tastes ok. What surprised me was the mackerel. It was very good and nice side dishes! read more

Pearl Diver - Korean style Atlantic mackerel - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Arrived here when they opened so we could get a seat for happy hour. Had a super pleasant experience -- staff was friendly and attentive. The focaccia isn't really foccacia (more like peasant or French bread) but still tasty and nicely grilled. The happy hour oysters were fresh and served with a zippy cocktail sauce and mignonette. Decent little wine selection. 5 stars! read more

Pearl Diver - Focaccia and a dozen oysters at happy hour - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came to Pearl Diver for its Tuesday Seafood Tower Special. I also added a dozen "Made in Canada 1" Oysters (so 24 oysters in total). Quite frankly, I don't eat enough oysters to know which is which. But I can tell the oysters were very fresh, clean, and they tasted delicious. I should have paired them with some white wine. However, having only cold seafood as dinner was probably not the best idea during winter. Yes, you should order the seafood tower, but also order 1-2 appetizers or 1 main to pair with. I highly recommend taking advantage of their daily specials - you will not regret it. Thursday's 100 oysters look especially attractive for a group of friends. 10% off for Yelp Check-ins. read more

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Wow! What a great yelp find!! All of the staff were super friendly and the owner was even there shucking oysters. The goat cheese salad was something special!! The seafood tower was fantastic. The oysters were fresh and delicious. The pan fried edamame was also a big hit (especially for our son). Joe makes the best dirty martini ever! He was such a pleasure to talk to and made us feel like we were having fine food at a friend's house. read more

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Amazing food service and atmosphere. Pork Belly with cabbage appetizer complemented the PEI mussels which came with an incredible home made focaccia bread. All the staff was super friendly and helpful and the over all vibe was relaxed. If you have a hankering for seafood in a casual warm environment this is the place! read more

Pearl Diver - PEI Mussels - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Very good deal on the $100/100 oysters! It was the perfect amount shared between 4 or 5 people. Calamari was pretty good. Kind of disappointed on the clam chowder tho, was a bit watery, but still good! read more

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I was promptly greeted by the friendly host and waiters when I got in. My table was not ready, but I was informed it was being prepped, which was appreciated. I ordered the pan fried edamame and enjoyed it very much. We also ordered the Diver's special (a dozen of Malpeque PEI) x2. For mains, the orders were Atlantic Steelhead Trout - I found the trout quite fishy for my taste; however, the sides that came along with the dish were delicious! Icelandic Cod tasted fantastic - there was a kick of sour chili to the dish, and the cumin was prominent. AAA Flatiron Steak was also delicious; the steak was cooked perfectly to my taste, and the sauce they served it in was good. We were seated in a secluded room, so getting our waiter over was hard; that was the only reason I rated this a 4-star. However, our waiter was friendly and helpful. read more

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LOVE the oysters here! We came on a Thursday night without a reservation and got seated immediately at the bar bc there weren't other seats available, but the bar was the move bc you can see them prepare the oysters right in front of you. They have tons of oyster options with descriptions on the walls. We got a dozen malpeques and a dozen of the canadian combo (4 each of the fanny bay, kusshi, and forgot the third oyster type). Canadian combo was more expensive and was great to try bc there's a huge variety in the flavors of the oysters but we actually enjoyed the malpequest most even though they were cheapest, bc they were the biggest and tasted super fresh as well. The service here is also great and I wish I could come back for more oysters! read more

Pearl Diver - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great selection of oysters. Menu has something for everyone, even the kids, while being high quality and creative. Service is excellent.

Wonderful experience, warm and cozy restaurant. Service is great, the staff are efficient and friendly. The food is tasty, the oyster we ordered are very fresh. Will definitely be revisiting this location again very soon. read more

Pearl Diver - Calamari - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Amazing pub-like restaurant - not just for oysters but for great drinks and decent pub style seafood. We order fish n chips, calamari and mussels. Make sure to get the bread with mussels as it is great with the broth! Finished with a warm sticky toffee cake, highly recommended! Service was quick and thoughtful, and the wooden booths were comfy and private! read more

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Pear Diver is always fresh!! We love going on Tuesdays for their special on seafood tower. I believe it's $65 for the whole tower and you get more than enough food for 2 people! We always get the mussels as it is super flavourful, and the bread it comes with just completes the meal so well. read more

Pearl Diver - Seafood tower - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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A great seafood place. Lovely chowder, and the tenderness of the sea bass was preserved well in the dish. The spice rub was not what I had in mind, but it proved a delightful surprise. The fish did taste rather "fishy," but since I experienced no discomfort afterward, maybe I was a bit too sensitive about it. The staff were friendly, so points to that as well. read more

Superb food, drinks and service! Highly recommend! The staff and ambiance is also top notch

Easily my favorite restaurant in Toronto - drinks, food, service were all phenomenal! Drinks were so yummy and mixed very well. We tried 3 of the martinis (lychee, pear, and raspberry) and doubled up a couple times because they were just so dang good! The bartender did not hesitate to share what liquor she used upon inquiry - I ended up purchasing a handle of the Soho lychee liquor when I got back to the states and now use it in everything. I'm struggling to recreate the drink though because white cranberry juice is near impossible to find here. We chose a handful of oysters from their extensive list to create a dozen and by the time we were wrapping up our meal, we realized it was oyster happy hour, so we ordered a dozen more! My happy sentiments about the oysters resonates among all the other seafood items we ordered except for the tandoori cod, which was overpowered by seasoning and seemed to be a strange addition to the menu. The scallops and raw shrimp were excellent though. We ordered the bread pudding to wrap up our meal and the spices were perfect to warm our bellies before heading back out into the cold. Before dessert arrived, I made a trip to the restroom and on the way back up the stairs, I noticed black sesame cake written in chalk on one of the pillars, so obviously we ordered that as well since it's one of my favorite flavors. The two desserts were the perfect ending to this blissful meal. read more

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I love this place! They have one of the best oyster selections (so so fresh) and the best cheese burger! My friend actually came here twice while we were visiting Toronto! Their cocktails are also delicious and pretty crafty! I highly recommend this place!! read more

Pearl Diver - Best cheese burger!!! - Seafood Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Walked in without a reservation with my bf around 6:00 and we were seated right away. We both ordered the lobster roll- mine with fries and his with Caesar salad- and they were delicious. The Caesar came with anchovies and scallops which I thought was a great extra. Also the house-made hot sauce here is delicious. Would come back to try something else. read more

Fantastic! Service 5/5. Staff are kind and attentive. They keep the place clean. There are a few tables set up in the parking lot right beside the resto. Social distancing was easy and it felt safe. This was a rare occasion for me to be eating out on a patio. And it was nice to see that they didn't overpack their patio with extra tables/people. Food 5/5. Really good!! We had the sea bream (highly recommend!), calamari (so good, we ordered 2!), chili garlic shrimp (good but I didn't taste the 'chili' part of it), foccacia bread (has a good texture and flavour), hakka fried rice (would get again. Not a big portion but a good side) and of course, oysters. Everything tasted fresh and we ate it all :) we also had basque cheesecake for dessert. Would return! read more

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Came to PD on a good day. Didn't realized it was 100 oysters for $100 every Thursday! The oysters were fresh, loved the different types of sauces. My favourites was the mango habanero and the red wine vinaigrette. Didn't order any main dishes but would love to come back for it. But we did order PD fries ($7), think it would have been better, it was over fried and the calamari was really good esp, liked the sesame in the batter and for the price for it ($10). The service was great! I was early for my reso and instead of me waiting at the door they offered a seat at the bar while waiting for my table to be ready. Will be back for more oysters and try their main dishes! read more

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