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| - My favorite band Wilco was playing at Massey Hall on a Friday night, so I needed to find a place closeby to have a few snacks and beers pre-concert. Here's my breakdown of Joey Eaton Centre:
Food (4/5): Pretty large menu including burgers, sandwhiches, pasta, steaks, etc. so there is something for everyone, however I did notice that a lot of the appetizers are asian-influenced (lettuce wraps, chili chicken, gyoza, etc.). We shared the Sashimi Tuna Salad and the Tandoori Chicken Flatbread. Both were great selections! On a past visit, I had the Killer Ahi Tuna Tacos and they were indeed killer. I would highly recommend either one of the items with tuna.
Drinks (4/5): For a chain, I was pretty impressed with beer selections. Probably about 10 beers on tap but I noticed their bottled beer selection was good too - they had one of my favs Erdinger. I had a seasonal Muskoka Harvest Ale. Didn't pay much attention to wine list.
Ambiance (4/5): The room is very slick and has 2 floors. Noise level is a tad high but bearable. Good place to enjoy the game too, with a good amount of flat screen TVs without making it feel like a sports bar. Crowd is quite mixed given the location, expect tourists, students, some after-work business types gawking at the service staff (Joey must have a strict hiring policy for staff that are easy on the eyes), and nearby condo-dwellers. In the summer, the covered patio is very nice and looks onto busy Dundas street.
Service (4/5): The staff are very good at identifying when your drink is empty and the bartender provided us with her favorites upon request. She had good taste since we enjoyed both her recommendations. If you need a good workout after your meal, go to the washroom - it's a hike! I called the same day for a reservation and was told that only 10% of seats can be reserved so we walked in around 530pm. Joey was quite packed already, so we sat at the bar which we enjoy doing.
Value (4/5): For a restaurant chain, I was quite impressed with the quality of the food. Entrees range from $13-35. We had 2 glasses of wine, 2 pints of beer, salad, flatbread and side of fries for $92 incl. tax and tip. Felt a tad expensive but for quality food/drink and convenient location, I would go back again!
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