I had the pleasure of celebrating a friend's birthday at 12welve Bistro in Whitby and it was a…read morereally good evening of good food and celebration! It was a mingling type of event with finger foods, including Bruschetta Crostinis, Cheeseburger Sliders, Fried Chicken Sliders, Spring Rolls, Coconut Shrimps, and Assorted Flatbreads. Everything was really good, with very generous portions that resulted in lots of takeout containers. The food, drinks, venue, and staff were all excellent! The DJ provided a great mix of music all evening.

We were here for the first time since their opening about 5 years ago, it was when we were a big…read morefan of our local brewing company "Brock St Brewing co" which this restaurant is affiliated with. I remember that I was very disappointed by the food, but at that time, I thought that they were just doing some experimentation to introduce interesting Asian fusion food in this culinarily underwhelming town of Whitby. Thought it would be a good try. So I decided to come back maybe after this place settled more, but then COVID hit. And we never had a chance to come back until today. Unfortunately, the food experience was even worse this time. And their beer went very far from my beer preference, serving a lot of beers with wacky flavors - looks like those beers are taking over their craft beer lineups. Food: We had # Charred octopus with seasoned tomato sauce, chorizo, Calabria chili, ink tapioca crisp. Well, Octopus did not have "charred" flavor. Surface had no crispness. The portion was huge, but the octopus was rubbery texture, dry. The tomato sauce underneath it was just too much for the octopus portion. Over-seasoned & salty tomato sauce with additional salt and spice from chorizo pieces. Do they want to make me thirsty to sell more beer? Yes that might have worked, and unfortunately it didn't. I waited for our server to order another beer but it took her more than 15 minutes to come to our table . # Jagerschnitzel : Essentially, schnitzel. Came with braised red cabbage, apple sauerkraut, Yukon mashed potato with "mushroom sauce". Schnitzel was endlessly huge but dry. Mushroom sauce tasted like can or some pre-made cheap & junky taste. A lot of mashed potatoes. Well suited for those who want to get a lot of comfort food to fill stomach with no intention of enjoying delicacy. Beer was OK. They have rotating beer selections on tap. We had tap beers such as IPA, Scotch Ale and Premium Pilsner. IPA was not as good, it left a lot of one-dimensional bitter aftertaste. If I want IPA then I will go to Town Brewery. Premium Pilsner was good. We also had Scotch Ale which was also good with nice Scotch aftertaste. Do I come back? No, if the food quality remains the same.

Great farm to table restaurant still offering great service and food. We came on a Sunday for a…read more"date night", we ended up sitting at the bar but moved to a table when one opened up. The bartender was friendly and knowledgeable, and when we moved to our table our server was also great. Cocktails were fabulous and the ambiance of the place is very nice. My wife ordered this vegetarian squash dish and she loved it. I ordered the steak and the cook was perfect but I found the sauce overpowering. It's personal preference, I like my steak with just salt and pepper without sauce. My fault for not reading the menu correctly. The sides of purée and veggies were great. Overall KB hits it out of the ballpark and is so much better than the chain upscale eateries.

Been here a few times with my friends who live in the east end. This time was for a friend's big…read morebday. The menu changes all the time and menu gets released the day off. Every dish I had was very good. For this meal I ordered something different, the shrimp stuffed catfish. Never had catfish so this dish was calling me. The sauce was very tasty and had a nice kick of heat to finish. Catfish was good and the shrimp stuffing was more like a meat ball texture and not really whole shrimp like I thought. Service was very good. Our waitress was chatty and was joking around with us which was fun. Ambiance is more on the rustic side almost had a saloon feel, partly because of the old building but it was quaint. There was plenty of free parking in the rear which was convenient. All in KB is a good option if you are looking for an above average restaurant in the east end.

The food quality is not good, poor ingredients for sure. Big portions though... ordered the chicken…read moreparm with pasta. Chicken was generous, but overcooked and sauce was grainy. Also ordered the buffalo cauliflower and is was not good at all! Very muchy, tasted like I don't even know... not recommended. Tables a bit sticky, on the day I went with my family, it wasn't busy, but service took a bit long.

A pretty good lunch spot if you're in the area…read more I came here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon before catching a movie. The service was great, and the vibes were chill. The selection of food options was also pretty good. I got the Buffalo Chicken Wrap, but it also had the chance to try the chicken wrap, which is slightly different. Both were good in their own way. the fries were not my favourite but still pretty tasty. If you're a host sauce lover like myself, they have their house made hot sauce that they put on the Buffalo Chicken Strips, that you can try, but they will charge you $1 for it. They have lots of TVs to watch sports on as well. Overall, the food was pretty good, the service was fast & friendly. The prices were also pretty too!

On Sunday, I headed to Whitby to meet up with friends at BarDown Gastropub. This eatery is located…read moreat Iroquois Park Complex, but runs independently from the sports complex. I like that you don't have to go through the sports complex to get to this restaurant. I parked in the parking lot in front of this eatery. There are steps to go up to get to the restaurant. It's also wheelchair-accessible with a ramp. Bar down is a hockey term. When a hockey player shoots the puck and it hits the bottom of the crossbar first, followed by going straight into the net, it's bar down. Some folks also call it bar south. We were a group of four. It was a thrill for me to get to check out the kitchen. Jody and Chris were kind to give us a tour and were delightful hosts. We also got to meet the chef, John Charles, who is the mastermind behind the dishes. We ordered way too much food. We wanted to sample lots of it. We did! Our order consisted of these items: - BarDown smash burger with fries - Truly Canadian Detroit-style pizza - Jerk chicken penne - Buttermilk chicken tenders - Cajun roasted red pepper and garlic parm wings, with fries - Ahi tuna poke - BarDown nachos - Street fish tacos I got multiple refills on Diet Pepsi. Each glass of it was crisp and delightful. This restaurant is on City of Whitby property. The city has a contract with Pepsi, so it's Pepsi products here. It was nice seeing customers watching the Blue Jays spring training. This eatery houses the largest screen in the city. Wow! The BarDown smash burger was excellent. It has two beef patties that were juicy with crispy edges. The bun was yummy and held everything together, including the pickles. It was excellent! The truly Canadian Detroit-style pizza has an odd name, but it is Canadian. It had mushrooms, which made me happy. It also had pepperoni, bacon, and peppers, with a side of ranch. I liked the crispy edges and yummy toppings. The herbed tomato sauce was awesome! If you like a spicy kick, get the jerk chicken penne. The penne was al dente. The jerk chicken was tender. The heat kicks in slowly after your first bite and builds. The flavours were perfect. So good! This place is known for its buttermilk chicken tenders. I was in heaven enjoying one. It was juicy and had the best crunch. I dipped it in the plum sauce. Yum! I also loved the coleslaw that accompanied the tenders. It was crunchy and delicious. The fries were excellent. We got generous portions. I loved them. The ridges were perfect to get more ketchup or whatever condiment you like. I love wings. This eatery makes fabulous wings. Each one was huge. Both the cajun roasted red pepper and garlic parm wings were meaty and yummy. I loved the veggies, which made me feel like I was eating something healthy-ish. My favourite item was the ahi tuna poke. Think nachos, but with wonton crisps. The tuna was crusted in white and black sesame. It had avocado, pico, pineapple salsa, pickled chili, ginger soy, sriracha aioli, and cilantro crema. Fabulous! It was incredible. I am still dreaming about it. You get a generous portion of BarDown nachos. The spicy beef chili was amazing with the melted cheese, pico, and nachos chips. The street tacos were so bright and scrumptious. We got beer-battered fish, with shredded lettuce, pineapple salsa, slaw, and cilantro lime crema. The fish was flaky and yummy. This place makes such a great pineapple salsa. I loved how light and bright these tacos were. It's a family-friendly establishment. I saw a group of young hockey boys with their parents eating at a long table after their game. The hockey arena has a concession stand that sells your usual hot dogs, chips, pop, pizza, and more. It runs independently from this eatery. I used the washroom a couple of times during the three hours that were were here. The women's washroom was exceptionally clean. No issues. This eatery is on Skip the Dishes. I had a wonderful experience having lunch with friends. The food is excellent. I'd return in a heartbeat. (74)

We stopped in Oshawa for dinner after being delayed by a nearby accident and chose Portly Piper Pub…read morebased on its 3,000+ reviews and 4.3-star rating. Parking seemed limited at first, but there's more available in the back. Just a tip: be careful not to miss the entrance, since exiting is a one-way street and re-entering can be tricky. We arrived around 6:45 pm and saw a small line with two groups ahead, but the place is much bigger than it looks from the outside and we were seated quickly in a comfortable booth for four. The pub was clean, and I was especially surprised at how spacious and tidy the washrooms were--not what I usually expect from a pub, which tend to feel older and worn. The menu is huge, and TVs are everywhere--even in our booth. Between us, we tried a good range of dishes: 1. Caprese Salad with Steak - nicely balanced with pesto, though the steak was a little dry. 2. Fish and Chips - incredible portion for $18! Crispy, perfectly cooked fish with fries, coleslaw, and even a Caesar salad. The fries were well-seasoned (no ketchup needed), coleslaw was enjoyable despite me usually not liking it, and the Caesar was delicious. 3. Mexican Salad - flavorful, fresh, and generous in portion. 4. Tuesday Wing Special - wings were $0.90 each, so I ordered 15 with a Coke Zero. The garlic Parmesan was disappointing--dry and lacking flavor--but the Buffalo ranch wings were tender and spot-on. Service was friendly, though our waitress could have been more proactive with drink and water refills. Overall, I was impressed. Clean space, huge portions, good value, and a welcoming pub atmosphere. Definitely a solid stop if you're in the area.

Loved this local sports bar/pub restaurant. It's spacious - with dining booth seating at the back,…read morehigh bar seating in the front, and a patio! When we went for dinner, it was pretty busy with lots of locals and families. Despite this, the service was great and they got our dishes served in really good time. Also, the portions and pricing is PHENOMENAL - like a seafood or steak main dish for $28-$37?? Amazing. For the 2 of us, we were very hungry so we ordered an EVERYTHING GRILLED PLATTER and GRILLED VEGETABLE & GOAT CHEESE SALAD to share. There was definitely enough food for us. The platter had a good variety of meats. The shrimp and crispy but airy light tater tots were my favourite. The quality of the meats for the steak, chicken, lamb skewers & grilled squid were definitely mediocre and a bit rubber, but still cooked & seasoned well. The salad was overall satisfactory too!

I've been here a couple times and always get the same thing, the powerbowl salad with blackened…read moresalmon. Ordered it again yesterday, I was very satisfied with the portion size but sadly they forgot the dressing so the salad was super dry and the salmon was over cooked.

This pub had a great atmosphere that really spoke to its UK theme. The decor was a total mix of all…read morethe countries that make up the United Kingdom (although I didn't see any Welsh items) including photos, old signs, flags and more. The food, haddock & chips and bison burger, were both excellent, reasonably priced, and the big portions were very filling. After the meal, we played a game of pool at the coin-op table which was a blast even if we were very, very, rusty. We had a great time and will definitely return.

My friend always tells me I bring her to the most random restaurants; I take that as a compliment…read more This was no exception; she didn't even know this place existed! The Thirsty Monk has resided downtown Oshawa for years at one location or another. Since noticing that it's a gastropub, I had to go. What is a gastropub? It's a pub that serves gourmet food rather than traditional pub fare. The Thirsty Monk has a great menu worthy of being called a gastropub. I was glad I had scanned the menu ahead of time or it would've taken forever to choose! I decided I couldn't go to this place without trying the Strongbow Cider Fondue. It was freaking delicious. Cheesy and creamy and yum. Good luck on guessing what else is in it. We asked our server, but she didn't really give much away. We tried but, still couldn't figure it out! The Tuscan Goat Cheese Chicken won my heart. Sweet potato fries FTW. My friend couldn't decide between Chicken Parm(something she orders almost EVERYWHERE we go, AAAH!!!) and the Penne Arabiatta with sausage. She made me pick. Needless to say, she was getting the penne! The food arrived and when I went to snap a pic, the penne did not have sausage, it had chicken. We were starving, even though we polished off the cider fondue, so she didn't say anything. She loved it. My chicken was good. I think I liked the goat cheese filling better than the chicken. I could've been more moist, but it tasted delicious. The sweet potato fries were crispy and addicting. The vegetables were flavourful with a little crunch. All in all a great meal! I definitely want to come back; the menu is calling me. The food was high quality and the beer was cold. Head downtown to the Thirsty Monk. You will be pleasantly surprised! Not only is it a restaurant/pub, but they also have live entertainment. Check their website for details!

Absolutely THE MOST UNDERWHELMED I've ever been by a restaurant. I was sort of embarrassed for our…read morewaitress. Nothing on tap. Minimal Ingredients in the kitchen. ALL the staff left at once to go for a cigarette. Is this place closing?

Nice patio, good service and food presentation. I ordered the fish tacos which come with a side of…read moreguacamole and tortilla chips. Tacos were average 6.5/10. The ratio of tortilla chips to guacamole was insane, like ten million chips to one tiny thing of guacamole. Good otherwise

When I lived in Cambridge, I would drive by Fionn MacCool's in Kitchener and wondered what it was…read more I assumed it was just a pub, but the outside looked so classy with rich colours and clean lines, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I've long since moved back to Durham, so I set my eyes on the Ajax location. We headed over for lunch on a Saturday. The sun was shining and the patio was calling us! After a look at the menus, we were delighted to see that they had brunch until 3pm! That sealed the deal. My man ordered Our Original Benny and I chose Brekky Pie. Even though we hadn't eaten breakfast yet, we couldn't resist ordering a pint. The been menu was impressive and diverse. I tried Shock Top and he tried Red Stripe. He LOVED the eggs benedict. He used all of his homefries to eat ALL of the sauce. His plate was clean in record time....and then he started eating MY homefries. GRR! My Brekky Pie was delicious. The pastry was flaky and tasty. The scrambled egg inside was full of fresh veggies an Guinness bratwurst...holy crap. I'd like to try those brats alone, because they were DAMN good. The service was great and did not hesitate to offer suggestions when we were unsure. I really liked this place. It had a great vibe. I'd like to try more of their food and beer selection! It's nice to see that pub food doesn't only consist of nachos and wings!

Yay! Patios are open again!⁠ ⁠…read moreIt was nice to be able to dine out again after self isolating for the past few months. Being out on a patio was nice. It was a hot day but thankfully, we had an umbrella.⁠ ⁠ Don't worry, proper precautions were taken to avoid contact with other people, including staff. Menus were online so no contact. Our server wore a mask the entire time.⁠ ⁠ We were also the first customers of the day so we got through fairly quickly.⁠ I've had wings from their Pickering location and they were good. That's one of the reasons for choosing here today. We weren't disappointed. The wings were as good as expected and our server was excellent!

Some of the best wings I have ever tried. I really recommend the Kick n Roasted Pepper wings…read more Absolutely mouthwatering!