Johnny G’s

This place is so awful we felt upset after had breakfast there. Me and my friend was in breakfast mood, turned out that they simply don’t know how to cook, everything is sloppy and lousy. The cook must hate cooking breakfast or sth. Food is cold and takes forever to come to our table. They microwave all the shit which is not what I’m coming to restaurant for. For over 10 dollars a plate yet they can’t even put butter on the toast. Instead there is puddle of margarine. My friend said the only good thing about this place is the water is cold!!! Don’t throw your money in the drain and the food there would put you into mild depression.

Always on the hunt for good breakfast in my neighborhood, I was surprised to see this pop up on Unilocal recently. Had I never noticed this place before or was it new (I actually don’t know the answer.) Regardless, we saw the 3 star rating and decided to try it after looking at the menu.
I believe that Johnny G’s deserves 4 stars. It’s one of the cheapest joints in Cabbagetown for breakfast (well under $ 10) and the service was friendly and quick. The food wasn’t overly flavorful but once again, it was $ 6.99. I felt like it was good for the price point.
The space is huge and full of natural light (and on nice days, all the windows are open). There was a decent sized menu and a good one for lunch, so maybe I need to come back.
Overall — will your breakfast tastebuds be amazed? No. But will they be satisfied and your pocket book only a little lighter? Yes.

The brunch is cheap (comes with coffee!), but basic. The atmosphere in warmer months is great, windows open to the street. You can’t beat $ 20 all in for two people.

Have been here a few times and come with a friend who has been here at least twenty times in less than two years.
On the plus side:
— reliable quality food
— cozy dining room in winter, open floor-​to-​ceiling windows in summer
— unpretentious atmosphere and menu (no quinoa with chorizo and kale breakfast bowls or anything like that– and when you eat your smoked salmon eggs benny, that’s alright!)
— decent prices (between fall and now, prices have gone up about a dollar with a new menu print-​out)
— unlimited coffee
— if you come at the tail end of brunch on a weekend and there is no one waiting for a table, you can stay and chat with coffee, and linger without feeling bad
Cons:
— might get fast service one day, slow to greet and take orders another day
— backup kitchen and wait staff arrived at noon on a Sunday rush (seemed quite late given that the only server was rushing and doing everything for a dining room of 20 tables– hats off to her)
— if OJ comes with the breakfast, we were not told of this (perhaps we didn’t read the menu well enough)
— if you’re looking for interesting, innovative, super-​healthy, local, trendy, hipster food/​atmosphere, look elsewhere; this place is a reliable bet when you don’t know where else to go or the wait is too long elsewhere

I was looking forward to trying this place out today. my friend and I was greeted and quickly seated. our drinks came fast. we were very eager to eat. the only waitress working was busy speaking with an elderly customer. we waited over 20 minutes. but her friendly conversation never seemed to end. there was customers waiting to at the same time. we have up and left. we were offered the drinks for free and an apology with an explanation that the waitress hasn’t seen that customer and she was a nun. I would not attempt this place again.

I ended up here because gourmet burger next door was closed. I was hungry and look at review for this place it looked decent. Thou seem like might be good or bad but I’m taking my chances
Got serve almost immediately, so that a plus. Small diner, décor isn’t anything special thou. On the table was still wet didn’t bother to wipe it down. Still a bit sticky.
I should note its been about 20 mins wait which isn’t bad. Eggs, sausage, ham, bacon and home fires were good. My only was hard slightly toasted toast.
All in all a good meal, service was lacking, waitress was friendly but didn’t really check in much on me. She went out in front of restaurant to smoke, I guess they dont have back entrance. It’s off setting but what can you do.

My story seems very similar to many other reviews on here. None of the other restaurants in the neighbourhood open up earlier than 11am during the week so I forced myself to give this place another try. Boy i wished I hadn’t. For the third time in 6 visits I found hair in my food. What gives? Seriously??? They charge a dollar for extra artificial maple syrup and the home fries are always tasteless. The eggs, bacon and toast were delicious but it was hard to get the picture of hair outta my head. Service was good but I will never be coming back here again. Don’t make the same mistake I did…

Definitely a nice diner breakfast. Swift service, caring wait staff, yummy pancakes! Not a gourmet experience, just a good breakfast for a good price and a good place.

I hate writing reviews like this but what we encountered here two weeks ago has STILL been on my mind so I’ve got to get it out.
We came for brunch and sat at a window table, ordered drinks and watched as our server went out for a smoke before bringing them to us (and stood right in front of our table for the entirety of it so it was really hard to miss.) She brought us our drinks (without washing her hands before she started carrying people’s food to their tables I might add) and started taking our food order. Then the funniest thing happened — her cell phone rang, and she answered it, MID ORDER. She didnt even excuse herself or really check who was calling, she just whipped out her phone and started gabbing away in another language, while my husband and I stared in disbelief. She even went as far as to walk away from the table on her phone without us finishing ordering our food. Now, I know, we should have taken the opportunity to leave right then and there but it was freezing outside and I was enjoying my tea so we thought it would at least be entertaining to see what else could happen.
About 10 minutes later she came back to «pick up where she left off» and finish taking our order. Food came and was fine, no complaints, other than her smelling of cigarettes and not washing her hands every time she came back from one of her frequent breaks.
We watched as her and the older gentleman in the kitchen got into a screaming match about «her only having two hands» in the middle of the restaurant and then answer her phone again while taking another table’s order — with their reaction to it being way less shocked than ours — so these things might just be some of the enjoyed atmosphere of the place.
Either way this place is a pretty serious staple in the area it seems, so people must enjoy the «entertainment» with their meal.

Great place for brunch, but get there on the earlier side as they are always busy. Good good food for a decent price. Sometimes the service is lacking, but for the most part they are friendly. Johnny G’s is a on our short list of favorites.

Great food, very good service, price is the only reason they didn’t get five stars. Menu is broad and plares are full. I’ll be back

We came here for brunch because the House on Parliament was not yet opened, but in hindsight we really should have just waited. We walked in and took a table near the kitchen, because they kind of have this open kitchen thing going on and I like to see how my food is made when I can. Big mistake, huge. Watching eggs sop around on the flattop crusted with meat grease was not the most appetizing. We ordered anyway, because I think I was a little hungover and food is food.
The place itself is kind of charming, in an Old Country kind of way. Everything seemed to be a little bit sticky, or covered in a very fine layer of dust. I personally like cozy neighbourhood places because I’m hipster trash like that, but this was a little too sticky for my liking. Our waitress reminds me of my time staying over at my Greek friend’s grandmother’s house. I tried to thank her in Greek, but I just got a curt nod. It wasn’t that she wasn’t nice, but it was very apparent she knew who her regulars were, and I definitely was not one of them.
We ordered the Big Breakfast and Eggs Parisian with a side of asparagus. The asparagus came on a sad little plate and it seemed like it was dumped right out of a can. It was so sad looking I think it was crying on the plate, or perhaps canned salt water leaking onto the plate. I mentioned that I thought the asparagus was going to be fresh, or if not fresh then at least not mushy and limp. The waitress took it away and still billed us for it even though I barely ate one whole asparagus. I don’t care so much about the $ 5ish as much as it is the principle of things. Both actual dishes were so underwhelming to the point I finally understood how my Asian parents felt when I told them I was pursuing a bachelor of arts degree.
There are so many other places to eat in Cabbagetown that I don’t feel like Johnny G’s should be your priority. Go brunch at any of the pub-​like places down Parliament. Trust me, money back guaranteed.

Johnny G’s was pretty good.
The food was okay, the service was excellent.
Our coffee and water were always refilled and the staff were very warm here.
I had the chicken eggs Benedict which was good, but not amazing, and a little bit pricey.
The potato wedges were big but surprisingly good. I’m usually not a fan but I liked these ones.
I might come back for a burger but probably not for breakfast.

Food is OK, nothing special. Most of the breakfasts I’ve eaten there are usually over cooked, especially the eggs. You ask for over easy… because you like to dip your toast in them… you get over-​med to well done.
The main server there who is an older brunette women is nice, but plays favourites with her regulars. Last time I was in there with my partner, she left his breakfast sitting on the counter while she just kept gabbing away to these people for a good 5−10mins. This morning I tried to have breakfast there by myself. She told me to sit anywhere, so I took a seat at a clean table. These 2 male customers come in after me and she cleans there table… gets them coffees and menus… then takes there order. Meanwhile I’m sitting there not even being acknowledged. After 10 mins, I walked out.
I don’t plan on going back. I’ll walk the extra blocks to Chew-​Chews Diner.

I love this place, they are so family oriented !!! We come here once in awhile and it’s good to see that there are still places that take the effort to remember you. The service is efficient and the food is a great greasy spoon.
The whole idea of them remembering us makes me and my family feel at home. Amazing food and most importantly AMAZING staff. Thanks for always accommodating us and always going the extra mile.

Came here for breakfast last weekend. The service was not speedy but the prices were very reasonable, and you got both coffee and orange juice with your meal!
It was the Monday between Canada Day and the Weekend, so I don’t think Johnny was expecting the place to be mobbed. I had the English Breakfast for 8.50 and my girlfriend got the Eggs Benny. She said the Hollandaise was very nice and homemade.

Partner and I tried this place out for brunch … won’t be back.
I had terrible french toast my partner had terrible scrambled eggs, sausage and home fries… greasy and bland.
This place is FILTHY!!! and DIRTY!!! I was looking for a way to post pics I took of filth encrusted salt and pepper shakers, tables and chairs … no surface in this restaurant was free of build-​up and grime. I’m not looking for fancy but cleanliness is a matter of public health …
After placing our order, I noticed that the cutlery was dirty … that is … ALL THE CUTLERY AT OUR TABLE /​2 spoons, 2 knives, 2 forks — were smeared with grease. When I asked for a new set they were immediately replaced with clean cutlery, without fuss.
Shortly after that something in the salt shaker caught my eye, upon closer inspection, it looked like lint and dirt in the salt. So I asked to exchange the salt with people nearby, and when they handed their salt to me … I could see lint and dirt in the salt. I opened it up and shook out about 1 tsp to see that it was lint and dirt mixed in with the salt. I’m no detective but it seems like someone must’ve spilled salt on a counter or floor and used it anyway to refill the shakers.
So… I called the owner, who was also waitressing, and showed her the salt shaker … she was appropriately mortified and removed it… and took the original one I had swapped earlier, and placed it on our table. When I told her it was also dirty /​contaminated salt, she wouldn’t hear it… she refused to examine it saying that sometimes seasonings get mixed into the salt. ??? Really???
It was not seasoning … it was hairs, and lint, and crumbs and other unidentifiable particles. Oh … and the shaker itself was so dirty it looked like it had been rolled in grease and ketchup, dried to a crust and them rolled in grease and ketchup, repeatedly, over the next few years … as I said I took pictures.
To think that this is what could be seen … the thought of what the kitchen looked like, behind-​the-​scene, makes me feel ill.
It might seem that after all of this it makes sense that we did not enjoy our food … but the food was lousy and poorly prepared. Period.
I am writing this review as a WARNING: that if you are someone with a compromised immune system, highly susceptible to food poisoning — or you simply don’t like to eat food off of and/​or from apparatus caked in years of dirt (and probably fecal matter) … this restaurant is not for you (or your children or elderly parents and friends).
PS — the staff were friendly and welcoming although someone needs to introduce them to a scrub brush and heavy duty degreasers and disinfectants! Shame!

I love new brunch places, so I’m giving this place a 3 star rather than a two, but otherwise it would get a 2.
I went on a sunday which might as well be renamed brunnchday and it was, as expected, packed. the good thing was we were able to get a table quickly but, every table was full and there was only ONE waitress. who, btw, was ridiculously rude. i at one point thought maybe it was a joke, she was being so rude.
the food came very quickly once we finally got our orders in and it was good, but nothing to write home about. there is tea or coffee and orange or apple juice with the breakfast, which is nice.
the waitress winked at me and called me honey when i was paying as though she hadn’t been a meany the whole entire time.
your waitron can really make or break your experience and unfortunately she really made mine a terrible one.
i would try it once more as it is in a lovely area and the place itself is quite cute, but if the server is rude again, it’s bad enough to boycott. what kind of brunch place only has one waiter on a sunday morning?

This place rocks!
$ 6.99 plus tax for the big breakfast including coffee (free refills) and orange juice.
If you like fancy this place might not be for you.
However if you like comfortable, friendly, and great value then give it a try. I’ve never had a problem with anything I have eaten here it all has tasted great.
The waitresses are fabulous it is obvious they give a pancake about good service!

Service friendly, small-​town feel. Very nice, attentive but not overbearing. Both people working took a smoke break and started smoking right outside the open entrance door… so the whole place smelled like smoke. I’m not a huge fan of that, despite my affinity to date and befriend smokers exclusively.
Well priced. Unexciting. Women’s bathroom door — don’t even try to go in there, you will get locked in and die, most likely. That my be my strange fear of getting locked in public washrooms talking, but that door DEFINITELY doesn’t close right…
Our meals were supposed to come with tea/​coffee, but we got none and no one offered…
3 stars because of the pricing and the sweet service.