Johny Banana
181 Bathurst Street
Phone: 416-304-0101
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Johny Banana is a brightly coloured, pleasant little eatery on the corner of Queen and Bathurst. Decked out in lime green and orange, and covered in paintings of Mexican wrestlers and surfers, this bright little resto specializes in "burritos that taste authentically Mexican". But don't worry, Northerners, they'll also appeal to diners who favour the familiar comfort of Tex Mex flavours.
My friend and I met at Johnny Banana one day for lunch in their sun-drenched dining room, and I asked my server to recommend a burrito. He suggested pork or chicken, so I went for the standard chicken while my friend ordered the mole version. We both received our burritos quickly.
The first thing I noticed upon biting into my generous burrito was the absence of spice. According to my friend, I was supposed to ask for it: but my server didn't mention it, so I just figured that being a Mexican place, I'd get some. I figured wrong. I'm sure this all could've been remedied with a trip back to the serving counter, but I was too lazy and too hungry, and even without hot pepper sauce, my burrito provided sufficient flavour to keep me seated.
Dominated by the limey zest of lime-rice, my burrito's citrus top notes were piquant compliments to earthy beans, green vegetables and sweet, tender chicken. Although not as spicy as I'd have liked it, my burrito was definitely fresh and flavourful.
Trading bites with my dining companion, I expected to be driven to jealousy by his mole-drizzled version, but was sad to learn that his burrito was just like mine, only blander. I could see the mole sauce, but I couldn't taste it. We're both mole fans, and were saddened by our loss.
My meal at Johny Banana wasn't making me scream "Aye Curumba!", but it was tasty, fresh and reasonably priced. I won't go out of my way to grab a burrito here, but I will stop by when I'm in the neighbhourhood--and next time, I'll ask for hot sauce.
Large burritos: $6.95/each
Comments (15)
I've been at Johnny Banana a couple of times since they opened and have never been disappointed. Last time that I was there, a few weeks ago, I had chicken enchiladas (the daily special, not on the regular menu) with green tomatillo sauce that were divine. There was also a spicy pork dish on the menu that my friend tried that was very good. You might want to give it another try.
Based on mixed reviews we had read on this site and on others, we decided to give it a whirl. What a disappointment! Where do I begin?
It all started off so much potential. We entered into a very funky space with a packed dining room, where the staff obligingly made room for our party. We quickly ordered "Tequitinis" (Tequila martinis), and an appetizer (guacamole), which all arrived rather quickly.
From this point forward, everything went downhill.
First, we received a medium-sized bowl of fresh guacamole, accompanied by approximately a dozen small crispy tortilla chips in a tiny dish--not what we had expected for nearly $10. We had to ask them to replenish the chips three times in order to get enough to use up the guacamole.
Second, we waited for our mains for over an hour, with absolutely no acknowledgment from the staff. This just made us fume even more, and we eventually managed to flag down a passing server to ask about our meal. Instead of apologizing for the delay, or offering an explanation, we were told that it would "be right out". After about another 5-10 minute wait--and what seemed like a larger than normal flurry of activity in the kitchen--our food arrived.
Our disappointment continued; all of the dishes we ordered were underwhelming. The lasagna maya that I ordered had the potential to be a unique take on the traditional dish, but lacked flavour and colour. The enchiladas were bland and cold. The burrito was more akin to a wrap proffered from Fresh, and the so-called "Mexican panzerotti" was more like a focaccia sandwich I could pick up from any deli for a fraction of the price.
We finished our mains, and while the dessert menu looked tempting at first glance, we decided that we wanted to spend no more of our money at such a place.
After finally flagging down staff to get our bill, they offered us an olive-branch in the form of a shared dessert--a biscuit-sized layered shortbread with dolce de leche in between. It was tasty, but didn't make up for the lack of service, and especially the lack of acknowledgment of a screw-up or delay on their part.
I must give kudos, however, for the interior design -- I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect.
In all other respects, however, this resto failed to impress. I will never be back and will definitely inform others.
Guys I have a Mexican background and I even lived in Mexico for a while and I can say that the food at Johny Banana is quite good. I really loved their mole enchiladas and their pork n' roll that is like a taco al pastor. For dessert I recommend their churros with hot chocolate!! or their atole with tequila rose yummie.... I don't think that a couple of winter vacations in Mexico can make people a Mexican food connoisseur and there are not enough Mexican restaurants in Toronto that can play as a reference. The place is gorgeous, I loved that wrestler!!! ;)
Had a burrito there last night...grilled to crispy perfection...adding guacomole for and extra 0.50 shouldn't be an option, it should be mandatory. I wasn't sure at first if there was table service, but soon guessed that one orders at the counter. (I'm often slow to catch on...) But the main highlight: the cookie, which I believe was a Mexican wedding cake. Oh my! Really, it was heaven, rolled in icing sugar. Paired with that perfect hot chocolate...forget the burrito!
Johnny has been through several iterations since opening back in ~2006. They started off as a sit down dining restaurant, but that didn't go over quite so well ,as some old reviews above attest to. Then they re-invented themselves as more of a take-out/eat in fast (but good) food place. So some of the old reviews here are just not accurate anymore.
I live around the corner and have been there many times. I've always loved the food, especially the steak burrito. I like my food spicy but a medium at Johnny Banana is good for me, they can really turn the heat up if you want, look out! My favourite thing about the burrito, aside from the heavenly taste, is the way it's rolled up and grilled. It doesn't fall apart. It's miraculous.
For desert, the hot chocolate azteca is bloody awesome. Chocolate, chili, and spice, inspired by the way the Aztecs used cocao long ago. It's an experience not to be missed, if you are a spice-lover. Forget Starbucks.
Oh, one other thing, it's a little up (north) the street from Queen and Bathurst. You won't miss the bright green sign if you look for it, but you have to look for it. Enjoy!
I missed the sit-down version, but I've eaten there quite a bit (less so since we moved further away). I'm pretty much in agreement with Dan (except that I prefer the chorizo-potato burrito). The one problem I've had there is that on a takeout order once, they made my wife's burrito as spicy as they did mine (which did not go over well).
I don't love JB - there's better Mexican out there - but I don't think it's fair to review it based on one dish on one visit. There's a reason restaurant critics visit places more than once and order lots of food: results vary from night to night and dish to dish.
I think JB is awesome! I lived in Mexico for almost 10 years and I can say these are the only burritos that taste like Mexican and no Tex-Mex. I would really recommend the "Cactus" burrito (I usually have it "medium-hot"), it's delicious. I love that they also have sweet stuff like alfajores and flan. Definitely a great spot for lunch or dinner.
Kate, the comments range from 2006 (with my first comment) because JB was originally a very different restaurant -- a more complete dinner menu, and much more than burritos. I think that didn't do so well, and it was reinvented as more of a fast-food burrito place. I haven't been back since my original visits in 2006/7 before it changed. Too bad that the original review wasn't kept to provide context for the comments, or the old comments deleted when the new review went up, since some of the comments pertain only to the old review (and the old menu).
They just add a pork burrito that it has become my favourite. What I like about this place is that burritos taste fresh and that there is an authenticity in the whole experience. I hope they open more locations cause I don't live in the area and I would love to eat there more often!
I've been to Johny Banana's a few times, generally I enjoyed the food and my experience until my last visit. I ordered a small burrito like I always do, however this time it was much smaller than usual as well as smaller than the display burrito (there are two sample burrito's for size reference near where you order). When I mentioned this to the staff I was told 'we can make you another one but it will be the same size'. I was also told that that was the size the small always was and that the sample needed to be changed.
The food tastes good but as far as I'm concerned it is not worth my money to pay $6 for a mini burrito. You'll get better value, better taste and better customer service going to burrito bandito's, big fat burrito or mission burrito.
I just discovered this burrito joint. I didn't know about it until I moved into the neighbourhood some weeks ago. I think they have pretty unique stuff like their cactus and chorizo with potato burrito. I love the ambience and the fact that they took the time to explain to me their menu. I think their flavour is closer to Mexican food than other burrito places and their quality is really good. I liked that they are a green company, they use these eco friendly containers, instead of the foam ones. Thumbs up for that!
I have to say that this is my favourite burrito place in Toronto, their food is fresh and the flavour is really authentic. I love the chicken with mole burrito, that sauce is just delicious! I also like that they sell beer. Definitely one of the best spots in Queen West.
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