BRICKYARD BBQ & BAR — Restaurant in Toronto

usually don’t write reviews, but this experience left me no choice.

If you value your time, your money, and your peace of mind, do not support this establishment — despite it being a Black-owned business. I’m normally a huge advocate for supporting Black-owned spaces, but this restaurant provided the worst service I’ve experienced in all of Toronto, and it would be irresponsible of me to recommend it to anyone.

I ignored the many warning signs in other reviews and decided to give them a chance anyway. Unfortunately, everything they described was true — and even worse in person.

The Service Was Abysmal We arrived around 1:30 PM on Sunday, August 11th, and entered through a side door where we were casually brushed off by what appeared to be a manager, a server, and a kitchen staff member. We were vaguely directed to “go that way” if we were here for brunch. No warm welcome. No guidance. Nothing.

At the host station, we were met by a woman sitting cross-legged in a chair who barely acknowledged us. She told us to sit anywhere that wasn’t reserved. So we did — and then sat at our table for nearly 30 minutes without anyone approaching us. No server, no menus, not even water.

We eventually had to get up ourselves to check out the buffet. Nothing was labeled. We had to lift every lid to figure out what was what. The omelette station was unmanned, and we waited 15 minutes before anyone showed up.

Back at the table, there was no salt, pepper, or proper setup — just cutlery and small plates. We saw a staff member serving another table and flagged her down. She told us she wasn’t our server but would try to find them. Another 10 minutes passed before someone finally arrived. No greeting, no apology, just, “Do you want water?” We eventually got our drinks — again, after another 10 minutes.

No AC on One of the Hottest Days of the Year This was on one of the hottest weekends in Toronto, and there was no air conditioning. We were left sweating, thirsty, and ignored.

The Staff Seemed Disengaged and Unmotivated Many warming trays weren’t even lit, so food was lukewarm at best. The fruit platter ran out, and another customer had to request a refill — which took 20 minutes. I watched him finish two plates of food before the fruit even arrived.

I also witnessed complete disorganization: the hostess seated one family, only for another group to claim the same table through the manager, causing unnecessary conflict.

The general atmosphere? Frustration. People weren’t eating more than one plate — not because they were full, but because the vibe was so off and the experience so poor that they just wanted to leave.

The Hype Doesn’t Match Reality The brunch is heavily marketed on TikTok and Instagram as a lively, Caribbean-style experience. What you get in reality? A chaotic, uncomfortable, and disorganized mess. Maybe influencers are treated differently — but regular guests are clearly not a priority.

And About Those Review Replies… The owner often replies to negative reviews asking people to email them — but the email bounces back. If you want to follow up, you’re better off contacting the events coordinator listed on their site. At least she replies.

Final Thoughts

If this place doesn’t drastically improve its service, ambiance, and customer care, it won’t survive the winter. Toronto has plenty of Black-owned establishments that go above and beyond to provide good service and a welcoming environment. Support those instead.

Unless major changes are made, I strongly urge you to...

On a hot Saturday in July 2025, my Southern black American husband and I decided to check this place out for the first time.

Our server's name is Destiny and her enthusiasm and bubbly personality was not what we've come to expect when patronizing most black establishments in the GTA.

Due to the menu being so extensive, we welcomed her advise on what to order, sides and all. When our Grand Slam Platter(4 Sides) arrived, my amateur photographer husband sprang up out of his seat to capture pictures of this beautiful spread.

I would be remiss if I didn't say that we were both blown away by the sheer presentation of the food. I became slightly annoyed at the fact that hubby was taking up my eating time by taking photos from every angle !

The platter was absolute perfection ! The beef and pork ribs were so tender, they fell off the bone, the chicken was smokey and moist, the Cajun wings were crispy and delicious.

All of the sides were delectable. The seasoning and mellowness of the baked beans was on point, the crunchy creamy coleslaw and sweet potato fries with garlic aioli dip complimented our BBQ feast very well.

It's quite obvious why the Brickyard BBQ and Bar has won so many awards for BBQ. They've MASTERED the art of BBQ, hands down.

We were a tad disappointed when Destiny informed us that they were out of cornbread, the man from the south loves his cornbread. When we were halfway finished our meal, out comes Errey (the chef) with some hot cornbread, whaaaaaaaat !!!!!

Destiny must have conveyed our disappointment to the chef and he whipped up a batch in record time. Yes indeed , let me repeat that , ERREY WHIPPED UP A BATCH OF CORNBREAD !

We highly recommend this establishment for anyone who loves Barbecue, good vibes, top notch service (ask for Destiny) and supporting black owned businesses.

They truly are a prime example for other black owned eateries to follow.

Needless to say , they haven't seen the...

I had never been to Brickyard BBQ before, but we were craving ribs and the positive reviews drew us in. We arrived around 2:15 PM on a Sunday and noticed there was a brunch buffet promotion. Unfortunately, by the time a server approached our table (around 2:40 PM), we were informed that no fresh food would be brought out and the buffet would be ending shortly. By 3 PM, most of the other guests had cleared out, leaving only a few occupied tables. We decided to order the $205 platter, which included a full rack of ribs, brisket, BBQ chicken, wings, and various sides. After quite a wait, our food was finally brought to our table. I had already started touching the food when a staff member came over and took the entire platter away only to deliver it to another table. We didn’t receive our own food until 4 PM, and by then, the experience was already disappointing and unfortunately, the food didn’t redeem it. The ribs were tough, chewy, and overly fatty. The brisket, while flavorful, was also quite fatty. The chicken was decent, but considering we came specifically for ribs, the overall quality was underwhelming especially at nearly $300 after tax and tip.

Several nearby tables were also voicing complaints and were being compensated for both food and service. While I don’t typically ask for that, it felt like a gesture that should have been offered. Our server, who noted she was new, apologized repeatedly and explained they were understaffed. We also saw the chef being called out multiple times to speak with other dissatisfied tables.

As someone who has worked in the service industry for over a decade, I understand that things can go wrong. But I left feeling extremely let down by the atmosphere, the service, and especially the food, given the high...