The Lakeview Lunch Humbly Hits the Spot

1132 Dundas Street West
Phone: 416.530.0871

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Posted by Tanja
August 29, 2007

Currently 3.29/5
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Rating: 3.3/5 (14 votes cast)

While there are dozens of restaurants across town trying to achieve a nostalgic vibe via kitschy decor and booth seating, the Lakeview Lunch isn't one of them. Not that the humble Lakeview doesn't have both those things and more, but it just has never had to try. It's been this way since it opened in 1947.

Hanging our jackets on a pair of chrome coat hooks, my friends and I file into a U-shaped, art deco style wooden booth. Avoiding a couple patched spots, we get comfortable and start things off right with a few bottomless cups of coffee ($1.45) and a chocolate milkshake ($4.95). The milkshake is so thick it remains motionless when picked up, the straws having to be coaxed into leaning over. Nice.

For dinner: Banana Pancakes with Eggs, Home-fries, Toast and Baked Beans, the Avocado Cheddar Burger and Mushroom Swiss Burger, a Hot Open-Faced Sandwich with Mashed Potatoes and a Pesto Chicken Pizza ($7.95-$9.95).

The pancakes (pictured at the top) are more weighty than fluffy but delicious never-the-less. Stealing the show were the accompanying home-fries. A crispy kind of wonderful, these were promptly robbed by others at the table. Mental note: Come back for brunch.

That Avocado Cheddar burger on beef proves a tangy choice. We order the patty medium-well and it arrives totally cooked through yet juicy. All Lakeview burgers can be made veggie, so we switch up the Mushroom Swiss to veg and are pleasantly surprised! The patty is savoury and made of real, visible veggies (i.e. peas, pepper, corn, etc) - would definitely order it again.

My fave diner classic is the Hot Open-Faced Sandwich, but this one isn't quite up to par. The mashed potatoes are fantastic, but the boring white bread is stale, bringing down the whole dish.

Finally, the Pesto Chicken Pizza. Going with pesto (from distrust in the tomato sauce at most non-Italian eateries) proves a good call. While a little heavy on the cheese, the pesto cuts right through and the crisp thin-crust holds up well, making this delicious (and totally sharable) dish a worthwhile pick.

Coffees are filled for the *insert much too high number here* time as the sun goes down and the red neons in the window are flicked on. No room for pie tonight... but there's always next time.

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Your experience is much different than mine. The Lakeview Lunch has a reputation as being one of the worst restaurants in town. Awful service and poor quality food, served with a scowl. They closed last year and reopened under new management, but the food and service didn't change. Our breakfast orders, which were supposed to come with toast, didn't, and I asked the waitress. I was told they didn't have a toaster. A diner. No toaster. Not that it was broken, but that it didn't exist (though fully half of the menu items include toast). She said she sometimes went home and toasted bread to bring to the diner. I'm not making this up.

After a couple of utterly disappointing experiences, I've never returned, although I live quite nearby. Honestly I haven't been there in a year, and based on this review, I'm wondering if they've gotten in an entirely new chef and new waitstaff (which would be the minimum necessary to overhaul the place).

Posted by: Anon at August 29, 2007 9:36 AM

The Lakeview is one of my fav places for breakfast - huge portions, tasty food, a great selection of omelettes.

I have never had a problem getting toast.

Posted by: A_Zelig at August 29, 2007 10:04 AM

if you haven't been there in a year then how do you know what it's like under new management? i've been a regular at lakeview for a few years now and have never had problems getting toast or with the service. when it comes to diner food this place is the best.

Posted by: bart at August 29, 2007 11:57 AM

I went to the Lakeview after they shut down and re-opened but no better. I had to ask the server to wipe off the table twice because it was so dirty. Then had to ask twice for a glass of water. The service is bad.

If the tables are that dirty I worry about the kitchen.

Posted by: Paul at August 29, 2007 1:05 PM

We stumbled upon Lakeview Lunch about a month ago and enjoyed a very delicious omlette and eggs and bacon. There was a selection of toast (and plenty of condiments too!) The home fries were indeed a crispy highlight of the meal. The freshly squeezed grapefruit juice was amazing! The service wasn't super, but also not bad. The only complaint we could make is that we had to go up to the counter to pay after asking for and not getting our bill at the table. We both decided that we would definitely go back again while walking away with our satisfied full bellies though.

Posted by: Angie at August 29, 2007 1:31 PM

the food is passable, the service is patchy. the whole place still seems run down.

Posted by: jeeff at August 29, 2007 3:05 PM

The last couple times I've been there the service has been ridiculously slow and good-naturedly incompetent, but the food was good. If the waitress is running home to cook stuff, maybe that explains the delay. :P

Posted by: Jon at August 29, 2007 3:10 PM

Parts of Boondocks Saint's were also filmed at the Lakeview. It plays a prominent role in a few scenes.

Posted by: stuart at August 29, 2007 6:29 PM

For those questioning the staff: go in one of these evenings. They have some young staffers in the evenings who are AWESOME! They staff that's in early on weekdays is bad (i went in today and she couldn't figure out how to make a milkshake) so I avoid it too early in the day, but later on, love 'em to death.

Posted by: Tanja at August 29, 2007 10:05 PM

i adore the lakeview lunch. the mashed potatoes are awesome, and my mushroom and swiss veggie burger was delicious!

Posted by: laurel at August 7, 2008 10:12 AM

of course, i start loving a place and it goes and closes. typical. RIP a damn good lunch.

Posted by: laurel at August 28, 2008 7:30 PM