12 O’ lunch

I found this place while casually walking in Downtown Toronto and it instantly became my favourite restaurant in the city. It always was my first stop every time I found myself in Toronto.
Price is adequate for what you get, about 12 – 15 $ for a meal. Five stars for the quality of food, the kindness of the personnel, how dishes are presented. I tried all the dishes and they are all very good.
A big plus for achieving a surprisingly quiet atmosphere, though being located on the very chaotic Dundas Street, it is almost surreal! The location is perfect for people working in City Downtown or tourists shopping at the famous Toronto Eaton Center.

Let me say that I really enjoyed this Bibimbap. ⁴⁄₅ stars is because I thought 12 bucks was a little steep.
However, I would give the flavor and the quaint atmosphere 4.5÷5.
Go with the hot bowl and let the bottom of your rice crisp a few minutes to taste!

This place was intriguing based on the descriptions of an «indoor venetian-​type setting» at a Korean restaurant in the middle of downtown Toronto. We found ourselves in the area this morning and were craving a nice, healthy meal.
We came in at around 1:00pm and the place was empty. We were immediately guided to the counter to place our orders before finding a seat (they either know their clientele really well or could tell that we were newbies to the place). After reviewing the three different types of bibimbap they offered (cold, hot, and something else). Both my company and I decided on the hot bibimbap, one with chicken and one with tofu and brown rice. Nothing negative to say about either one, they were delicious and it was so flavourful we didn’t need to add much of the sauce.
We were treated at the start to miso soup, battered tofu, and homemade kimchi. I found the latter two too spicy for my tastebuds but my company did appear to enjoy them.
All in all, if you’re along this strip and looking for a good bowl of bibimbap give this place a try. You won’t regret it.

At 9.29 for a pork bone soup, this is the most expensive pork bone soup in Toronto!
I like the concept of this restaurant, where you go up to the front to order, then they bring your order to your table — so you don’t have to pay any tips.
Unfortunately, the food really falls short. The pork bones have no meat on them, and the soup has little flavour, just a lot of salt.
My friend’s bento box was quite small, and I think he was still hungry afterwards.
In other words, the portions are really small, with very high prices.
I wasn’t really expecting any side dishes, and none were included.
There’s a new Korean restaurant around the corner opening up.
I don’t think I would come back.

I go there for lunch when I don’t brown bag it. Have known the Adjuma and Ajossi for a long time at a different establishment. Their cold bibim bap is good. They actually use kelp (kombu) in it which is a lovely addition. How do you spell UMAME!!! Rice is a good quality as well. Have some books and magazines about Korea which you can read while you wait for your takeout. They have tables as well. I like going there as a healthy alternative which is tasty and vegetable-​heavy. Also, friendly staff which is always nice. Only criticism is that the noodle stir fries that I have tried were greasy. Good soondubu chigae. Ask for extra gochu garu on the side if you like it hot.

Although I had eaten breakfast around 10am, I started getting extremely hungry around noon for some odd reason, I decided to take an earlier lunch than usual and forfill a random craving for porkbone soup. Using google I looked up restaurants serving Korean cuisine nearby my office and found a recommendation for 12 O’Lunch on BlogTo. Of course, when I have a craving for something no one is available to help me indulge it, so I went by myself to order take-​out as I am too self-​concious to eat alone in public, but when I got there, I saw that they had only one customer eating by herself. She made it look so easy, I was tempted to join her (by eating alone too, not actually sitting at her tablle).
By the time I arrived it was 12:45pm and most restaurants I passed on the way were packed, so I had to wonder why this cute little dive is empty. When I saw their price for porkbone soup ($ 9.45+tax) I thought I had my answer. Also, maybe not enough Koreans in the area? I can only speculate, although I will say for myself that the price alone will deterr me from returning, hence the 3 stars, that and there were no appetizers that are usually served with the dish (ie. kimchi, beansprouts etc.). Although they did give me a salad that you would expect from sushi places that servie miso soup and salad witht their lunch specials. Still I prefer my Korean cusine, strictly Korean.
The atmostphere was super cute. Like the blogger «Gadjo Savilla» on BlogTo mentioned «If not for the colourful photos of the food plus the scents and sounds of a busy kitchen, I would have thought I stumbled into a crêperie» (Refer to:
). Service is given with a smile and helpful suggestions.
As for the quality of the dish itself, I have no complaints, except maybe put more potatoes. There was literally one chunk and although it was good, it was the only one in the bowl. The pork bone was tender and delicious. The soup was burning hot almost the entire time I was eating it, which I like and it was the right amount of spiciness so I didn’t have to keep a glass of water beside me as I ate it (not that that would help much).
Conclusion: Way over priced for a simple dish that contains nothing more than thin slices of meat on a giant bone, some broth, one potato and beansprouts. Had I known that they raised their prices since Gadjo Savilla posted his review, I would probably have looked elsewhere for my craving needs. But still I give them 3 stars because it was delicious and my craving has been satisfied. So thanks 12 O’Lunch :)

Introduced my friend to Korean food, randomly chose this spot mostly because it was new and I was in the mood to explore!
I found that the fast food style of 12 o’ clock is great for first timers as it means that the dishes are very much standardized and in a familiar form. Think something similar to ‘Made in Japan’. The price to quality ratio is decent, not at all the best I’ve had but it’s nothing terrible so I’d recommend it as an early dinner location for people heading out after a day of shopping or leaving by greyhound.
Do not come here if you are looking for authentic Korean, no point having false expectations right?
Cheers!

A solid Korean place for a fast and easy dinner or a delicious and healthy lunch.
Terrific kalbi; every time I come I can’t seem to stay away from the sweet and delicious ribs.
Dumplings are great, and I have seen my friends thoroughly enjoy the chicken katsu.
Each portion comes with salad, noodles, rice. The price averages at around $ 11/​person, so its almost a $/​per person place.
The décor is nothing to write home about, but if you want a quick lunch in the area and don’t have a reservation this is sure to please.

Average food for average prices. Portions were slightly small. Interior is well designed.

I agree with Dishan, 3.5 stars (I put 3 so it will average out to 3.5!).
Cute, fresh and fast Korean food. As the name suggests, this is a great lunch spot — a happy medium between food court options (which usually don’t have very nice seating areas) and sit-​down restaurants (sometimes too slow for a tight lunch hour!). You pay at the counter and they bring the food out to your table.
The décor is cheerful and bright, with a trellis ceiling with fake flowers. If you think hard enough, you can imagine it’s summer and you’re sitting in a garden (until someone opens the door and the cold air rushes in: S). There is a TV and a stack of magazines for those dining alone.
I had bibimbap with just veggies and egg ($ 8) — a healthy and satisfying meal! It arrived in less than 10 minutes and comes with a small bowl of miso soup. They serve the Korean chilli pepper paste on the side so you can adjust the spiciness.
I would definitely come back and maybe try some of the other dishes!
P. S. They do take-​out as well

3.5 stars over here!
I’m surprised no one else on Unilocal has been here before given the fact that it’s colourful window letters of «Korean Food» and «BIBIMBAP» catches my eye each time I walk past it. There is something distinctly «Asian» looking when you glance at the building with the colourful yellow banner all the way down to the font used. And I approve of it wholeheartedly!
Lately this small stretch of Dundas West has found me dining around that area and right after Japango sushi, 12 o’lunch would be my go to place.
Unlike other bibimbap I’ve experienced, 12 o’s dish comes with no“korean morsels” and that was disappointing, but after you go up and give your order (very food court like) the food appears before you in a matter of minutes and while the portions are not large and they lack the dolsot «technology» the food was tasty and felt wholesome.
The seating area feels as if it’s meant to be in the outdoors, which was interesting (sort of like walking around in the Venetian in Vegas with the whole fake ceiling). There are 12 or 14 menu options of which 5 — 6 were box sets and the rest dishes like bibimbap and pork bone soup.
I would recommend 12 o’lunch especially if you want a quick meal and it does seem to be an environment that invites solo dining to be nice and peaceful.