Bar Clams

Had dinner on the patio 8/22/25, Wow! Lots great to be said for this ‘taste of the east coast’. There were 4 of us so we tried lots and shared everything. The molasses bread is addictive and out of this world, as was the cabbage, the squash, scallops, crab dip and the oysters were shucked perfectly and lovely. I personally like mine, a bit colder, but still enjoyed them. We shared a cherry sundae and the lemon meringue pie for dessert. The sundae was great but the lemon meringue was outstanding! I can’t wait to go back to try more of the menu items! Staff and service were terrific as well. Hats off to everyone involved, it’s a Toronto Gem

TLDR: Fantastic vibe, amazing service, pricey for portion sizes, hits and misses on taste. Stopped by for lunch and got: - Molasses Bread: The undisputed star of the meal. Best molasses bread in the city, no question. Soft and light and faintly sweet, with the side butter just elevating the whole thing. - Seafood Plate: The seafood was fresh and good quality, with the crudo being the tastiest of the bunch. But there's not a lot there. - Baked Clams: The topping was tasty, though the clams were a tad rubbery and really small. - Chowder: I prefer my chowder on the thicker side. But despite this being light and soupy, enjoyed it since there was a lot of seafood in it. - Ontario Trout and Pink Shrimp: Pretty tasty, though pretty standard. - Lemon Meringue: Smooth and creamy, with a delightfully nutty crust. - Banana Split: Standard ice cream scoops with tastily torched banana. Place itself is interesting - it almost makes you feel like you're dining in a ship. Service is next level with how friendly and helpful and efficient they are. I think this is one of those places where the lively vibe and excellent service are what add to the enjoyment of the meal.

Our party thoroughly enjoyed the experience overall! The staff is what truly made my review five stars. Without that, I would have given it a four. The food was enjoyable. I had the steak frites and while the steak was pretty chewy, the fries were amazing. Also had the shrimp cocktail and the cocktail sauce could have had a touch of more horseradish. The lemon meringue pie was fantastic. In terms of the staff, our waitress sort of disappeared on us even though it didn’t seem to be all that busy. She seemed like a joy when we engaged in the beginning. However, we were later assisted by a guy who I’d say was a manager. I believe he realized we had been unassisted for a while and stepped in as we didn’t wave someone down for our waitress. He was significantly helpful and valued our feedback. It was a genuine experience giving our feedback and not one of those it goes over their head type of feedback. When he realized we just arrive to Toronto and found this restaurant on a whim, he went to tell us the history of the restaurant. We had no clue the owner was from The Bear! That was pretty cool to know. He also spoke of the other restaurant owned by the same owner then went into things to do in Toronto during our visit. In terms of the atmosphere, it was quite a unique space. It was not what I was expecting even after looking at TikTok’s. I guess I was more focused on the look of the food than what the videos background showed. Would go again for sure!

This place is 100% a vibe, food was good, only feedback were the shrimp were tough, like they were cooked to quick and flashed in ice sp they got tough. Not the end of the world. Probably the best dirty martini I've ever had, outstanding fish sandwich. Cocktails were simple but perfect. Very happy I was able to go will I was in Toronto.

My partner and I had a great time at Bar Clams! The raw oysters and clams were so fresh and delicious. I really loved the Nova Scotia east coast clams we had. We also tried the molasses bread, pickled beets, and the chowder, and it was all amazing. They had a nice selection of wine and cocktails. The staff made it a great experience.

I really wanted to love this place, but overall it was just okay. The space itself is a vibe and the service was very friendly — I’d probably come back to try a few different dishes and give it another shot, but it felt quite pricey for the portion sizes. Drinks: Martini — I really dislike pre-mixed cocktails (just a personal preference), but $16 for a pre-made, maybe 2oz martini felt a bit much. Margarita — $17 and arrived with no garnish at all. It looked lonely in the glass Seafood platter: The crudo was excellent, but otherwise the platter was underwhelming — a couple of the clams had clearly gone bad (both myself and my dining companion had to spit them out). Iceberg Salad: just fine, it was essentially a bowl of lettuce Mains: Fish sandwich — Tasty, reminded me of a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish, a little on the salty side. Trout & shrimp — Excellent, the sauce especially stood out. In short — portions felt small for the price, and while I’d give it another try, I was expecting a bit more as I usually love Matheson’s spots.

This places looks and feels awesome to share a meal in, the crew are ultra friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. The vibe and menu are both killer and the food is solid… but the asking price is kinda ridiculous. I should not be dropping nearly $200 on a child portion of fish and chips, a hot turkey sandwich, and essentially 3 apps (the bacon scallops and about a cup of seafood chowder). You can tell the staff are use to hearing this since they really made sure we understood how small the portions were.. our waiter even made it clear that half or more of the items in the “plates” section are app sized. Even the ones he said were entree size were still small. So if you are looking to drop $40-60 per person on a nice afternoon snack, check out bar clams.

Bar Clams is a love letter to the Maritimes with a Matty Matheson twist. As someone from Saint John, NB, I was thrilled to see classics elevated with care and creativity. Highlights: oysters, seafood platter, seafood & spinach dip with Ritz crackers (brilliant!), fresh-cut fries, and a perfectly fried fish burger. Desserts were unreal—especially the lemon meringue and the Strawberry Parfait (made with mascarpone and lemon chiffon cake). Don’t skip the bacon scallops. This place nails it—nostalgic, elevated, and absolutely worth a visit. BTW - you have to get their molasses brown bread!!! Special shout out to Keegan, Cassandra $ Kalan for their fantastic service and hospitality!

Bar Clams is Matty Matheson's newest Toronto restaurant, a Maritimes diner. Located where Fonda Balam used to be, along Dundas St. W. and Palmerston Ave, the restaurant is unassuming on the outside. Once you enter, you are transported to another space, giving off retro diner vibes with blue/white floor tiles, a mirrored ceiling and glass block windows. The restaurant also is primarily counter seating. The walls are also lined with Matty Matheson's photos with his grandparents, a special ode to his East coast roots and upbringing. Whether you go to Bar Clams for a fancy date night, a friends night out, a solo meal, or with your family, the menu has something for everyone. Bar Clams currently is open for lunch and dinner. Both the lunch and dinner menus have a variety of East coast offerings including raw, steamed, or fried seafood (clams, oysters, shrimp, cod, etc.), soups/salads, larger plates (think diner food like donairs, mackerel BLTs, hot turkey or hamburger plates, grilled cheese, corned beef hash, etc.), and sides. There is a bit of everything for everyone, whether you're in the mood for some fancy seafood or some diner food like a classic grilled cheese. I stopped by for lunch on Tues around 11:30am - I believe on the 3rd or 4th day after they officially opened. There were already a few parties eating lunch. Service was friendly and staff answered any questions I had regarding the food and the portion sizes. Since I was dining alone, I opted to get a few small plates to eat for lunch. I ordered the following items: - Shrimp cocktail (came with 4 shrimps and a cocktail sauce) - Clam strips with bellies (with cocktail and tartar sauce) - Seafood chowder Price wise, the seafood can be a bit pricey, however, the quality of the seafood is definitely top notch. The shrimp was extremely fresh and snappy - the cocktail sauce made the shrimp shine even more. The fried clam strips with bellies was filling and heavy but tasty. The star of the entire meal was the chowder. The seafood chowder was filled with clams, fish, and onions - the perfect bowl of soup on a cold day. I definitely would return for the chowder!! Overall, a casual retro diner serving east coast classics, an ode to Matty Matheson's roots. I anticipate Bar Clams to get busier once the secret is out that it's open. A great casual spot for seafood, sandwiches, or that delicious seafood chowder.