John & Sons Oyster House — Restaurant in Toronto

The best oyster bar I have ever been to, period!

Growing up on the West Coast, oysters have definitely been a favourite of mine. We decided to give John & Sons a shot since it was within earshot of our hotel and the menu seemed enticing with good prices. Walking in, the vibe was very East Coast, exactly what I had hoped an oyster bar would look like!

We began by ordering a round of half a dozen oysters to try them out before committing, but after a little spice, it became clear we were going all out. We ordered an English Style Clam Chowder, some simple Bread and Butter, "to die for" Smelts, along with some drinks, and almost three dozen oysters. With a wide selection of oysters from various regions ranging between the East and West Coast, each oyster had its own distinct flavour.

Regarding service, the waiter and waitress seeing our table were very attentive and overall great. The waiter in particular was very friendly and easygoing; he also knew what seemed to be a great deal about oysters by explaining why some oysters tasted the way they did due to the type of ocean they're from (he hypothesizes, at least).

Overall, we were very impressed by both the food and service and were honestly surprised given its tucked away location off Bay Street. When visiting Toronto, we highly recommend visiting John & Sons Oyster House. We will definitely be returning here when...

As a very picky reviewer, I have no second thoughts in giving this place 5 stars, would give even more if I could. When we came in as a party of 3, and saw the place packed, we assumed we couldn’t get any seats. However, they were able to accommodate us at the bar, and made sure we didn’t feel left out compared to the tables. This is where the level of service comes in.

The service here is amazing. Everyone is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. You don’t feel guilty asking them questions, and they answer every question with detail and a smile. We ordered the Tuna Tartare, Fish and Chips, Seafood Linguine, and the burger, along with some oysters. All of the foods came in a timely and organized manner.

The tuna tartare was first, which was great. This was followed by the best east and west coast oysters I’ve had in Toronto by far. Very creamy, and flavourful.

These were all followed by our main dishes mentioned above. The fish and chips were simply great! However the stars were the pasta and burger. The seafood pasta was one of the best pastas I’ve had overall, the flavour balance was amazing. But the most pleasantly surprising was the burger: couldn’t believe they were hiding one of the top 3 burgers I’ve had right here in an oyster bar. The burger is much recommended, and absolutely amazing!

We will definitely be back for more! 5...

Had dinner here before "Come from Away", Thurs. Feb. 21st. Had a reservation for 6:30pm, very busy that night. The staff is lovely and this restaurant feels very welcoming. I had the lobster roll (usually a lunch item) but John (owner) arranged for me to have one, so I do appreciate it, thank you John. I guess I am use to the lobster roll at Smoked and Cracked (no longer in business) which was extremely good. Their lobster roll was served either hot or cold. This lobster roll was cold. It was good, but not enough lobster (I know it is expensive) It was mostly bun to be honest. Came with a plain salad, would have appreciated either coleslaw or potato salad with it; in fact no salads on the menu that I could see, not sure why. My husband had the fish and chips; again I guess we can't compare this to places that are dedicated to fish and chips, because the portions are much larger. 2 pieces of fish, small and frites (small chips), just ok. Also had the fish tacos, they need work, have you tried the fish tacos at Local? That's what I compare them to. Maybe their specialty is oysters? Will try something different next time. Will...