I really want to say I like it, but can't. I asked for smoked Turkey and I have never tasted anything so terrible. I do not see the quality. Who eats this food?

I most recently visited their new yorkville location. I think the gig is up overall on caplansky's. Of top priority the smoked meat is dry and tasteless. The latkes were swimming in oil and over cooked as well as flavorless. There were about 10 random people that came into the shop and lined up to order and almost the same 10 were a few minutes later lined up to complain about such things as... more

Fantastic bbq pulled pork sammich on what seems to be a flattened everything bagel / bialy?
Exceptional FRIED latkes that glisten with magic upon serving.
Super chill and friendly service.

This place claims to have the best corned beef but it just doesn't. I was really disappointed. They taste close to how Druxy's used to be, which is really bad. We came down just to try their food. The matzo ball soup was hard. Their corned beef was hard too. I really wanted to like this place since I heard so many good things about them. It was very disappointing.

Bbq beef brisket sandwich was good but a bit too sweet. Child friendly and easy to find parking nearby. Lots of construction going on in the neighborhood which was a bit annoying. Fries are OK. Smoked meat OK. Waitstaff professional and experienced. Decor unique and comfy. Bathrooms reasonably clean. Way too many flies made it a little annoying. More hype than anything.

I gotta say, I really enjoyed Caplansky's - a lot and even though we got take out. The Sandwiches are super soft and piled with meat, the latkes were numerous and tasty. Looking at the menu, I'll definitely be back to indulge. Also, it was nice to see Zane Caplansky at his establishment serving the customers. Awesome. Recommend/two thumbs up.

Good food, bad service.
The Reuben was tasty but not the same as some New York deli standards. The pickles were great.
The service was very disappointing. We had to wait for a long time for someone to take our orders while five staff sat in the rear of the restaurant socialising. It seemed like none of the staff were happy to be there.

I really WANT to like this place. I do. But I can't.

The staff are pleasant, but the smoked meat has NEVER really lived up to my expectations.

It's OK. Fair. Mediocre. Meh. And sometimes less than that.

On my most recent visit, I couldn't find fatty enough meat in their precut and plastic packaged offerings, so the guy was nice enough to cut me some fresh - but the grey chunk of meat that he... more

Place was dirty.
Knish was cold.
Waitress was rude and sneaky. (Decided to keep our change when we paid)
Food was overpriced.
Smoked meat was good not great.
Beyoncé has terrible taste in food.

Good day to you.

Got the smoked meat combo for $13.95
You get a choice of fries, salad or hash brown. I went with the hash brown. As always these sandwiches come with a dill pickle. I really hate dill pickles so it always ends up in the garbage.
Portions are very generous here. When I saw the hash brown I thought they had brought a full meal to the wrong table it was so huge. The smoked meat was oh so soft and... more

There's just something really cozy and homey about this place. Nothing cheers me up quicker than some latkes and sour cream. It's near my apartment, so I usually come here for brunch after a late night... a little bit hungover... The breakfast platter and cream cheese and lox bagel breathes new life into me. The servers are so so friendly, and occasionally Zane Caplansky is there helping with... more

We visited Caplansky's while in town because we saw it in the documentary Deli Man and we wanted to support a family owned Jewish deli. We wanted very much to love it but can't really say we did. The place is super cute and the staff was incredible... No complaints there. But the food we ordered was not what we expected. The matzoh ball soup had too much pepper and just wasn't what we're used... more

Huge fan of classic deli sandwiches but Caplanskys fell short of expectations. I was expecting the smoked meat to be full of flavor and tender but instead it was rubbery and a non descript taste.

Selection of condiments was a great touch, but shouldn't be required in order to enjoy this type of meal. I'd try again but would definitely get something different.

Updated to say we went again last night (in the hood craving smoked meat) and after our appetizer, the server cleared our plates and took our *dirty* cutlery off our plates, complete with gravy and food bits attached from the plate, and plunked them down on the table for us to reuse and possibly get norovirus.

If you don't know that it's not hygienic to put cutlery that's been in someone's... more

I am sure they should close down as a restaurant deli and open up as a PR shop. Seriously, this deli has better skills at landing itself in the news and getting free advertising than delivering good food. The chicken is the most tasteless chicken since Mandarin. Their so-called famous deli smoked meat sandwiches would be banished to a street cart if this were Montreal. Service was really... more

So full disclosure off the bat, I'm invoking value in rating this restaurant.

The food itself is about 3.5 stars. It's relatively straightforward Jewish deli food. I've enjoyed the reuben sandwich and the corned beef. I'm guessing its homemade, but I'm not sure. The corned beef was a bit dry, but not terrible. Bread couldn't hold up to the meat. They make a big deal about their house mustards,... more

I first heard of this place through Dragon's den. (Hey don't judge me- it's an entertaining show!) Ever since I saw the owners numerous attempts It's always been in my mind to check this place out. When i saw his mustards for sale in a local grocery store, I decided- this week is the week!

Well yesterday was the day! It was a happenin' little place! They have a take out section and of course... more

I am a huge lover of corned beef (and pastrami)...so when visiting Toronto we just HAD to make a visit to Caplansky's for a smoked meat sandwich. Man am I glad we did!

I ordered a "plain" smoked meat sandwich (medium fattiness,,,they ask and you get to choose your level) and selected matzo ball soup as my side dish (you could also have latkes or a side salad). We also ordered a plate of latke... more

For Toronto downtown core at least, there's not a large selection of Jewish deli style places to choose from. This place sure does hit the spot though if that's what your craving.

I've been coming here every couple months for the past few years, and really narrowed it down to one main thing I like here - The pickled tongue! Everything is else is just noise to me. Honourable mention might go to... more

Worth the trip

In Toronto on business and with a free weekend, I came on my own, having heard that this was Geddy Lee's (Rush) favourite deli. I enjoyed the walk from the Art Gallery in the sunshine, (about a kilometre) and was not disappointed. OK, the man himself was eating elsewhere that day, but he was missing out. The matkes, smoked meat... more

Not bad, but not great

Not to many places you can go for corned beef in the Spadina and College street areas any more. Food not bad but corned beef can be sliced a little thinner as the thick cuts of meat can be a bit chewy. Still a fair piece of meat that keeps you going to dinner and then some. Lunch for three... more

classic deli in midtown Toronto...and now at the airport too

Have you heard the expression "what am I, chopped liver?" Well I'm not chopped liver but I do like to eat it at Caplansky's. Plus melt-in-your-mouth brisket, turkey club, matzah ball soup, smoked meat, and "top ten Toronto" French fries. The tasty burger is part chopped beef, part smoked meat. Try the chocolate cake for dessert (if you have room!)

Eh - leaves a lot to be desired

Wish I had read these reviews before visiting. We live in Buffalo and visit toronto quite often. There are thousands of places to eat. Would rank this as nothing special and giving it a poor rating mostly on service. It took 1 hour to get our food (table of 4, no difficult orders). we were not in a rush and... more

Early lunch

Great smoked meet. They slice it a bit too thick for me, but that doesn't chance the wonderful flavor of their meat mixed with the 4 types of home made mustard.
My favorite of the 4 was definitely the "hot and horseradishy"

Just OK

On a recent trip to Ontario with my mom and kids, we stopped at Caplansky's after seeing it featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Everything about it was just okay. The sandwiches ordered "regular" only had a little meat, as did the vegetarian brie sandwich (very sparse). The service was slow and it was a little pricey for what it... more

Very average

We made the trip here on a touring walk of Toronto. We had heard of the place from Triple D on the Food Network. Service was awful and the server seemed overwhelmed and completely lacking in personality. Food was okay but not worth the trip. Most of the diners around us were unhappy. One woman just about walked out.

Would definitely not try this place

A couple of Sundays ago, we visited Caplansky's Deli. It was a Sunday afternoon with friends since we have seen the restaurant on Dragon's Den. The Fressor for $17 was small and dry. The fries looked like it was made the day b4 cold and very few. I think I should have complained but I didn't and will probably not... more

Delicious

I don't understand bad reviews. I had nothing but a great experience when I visited! The smoked meat sandwich was to die for and the service was super efficient. Don't listen to naysayers: this is a great place to check out if you love delicious food and great service

Cleaseeness required

We went Sunday around 4pm company with a kids...Food is OK ...smoke meat poutine had a great gravy, but french fries was cold and dark, overcooked in a very old oil (you have taste of dirty oil), cheese curds did not melt.
Kishka was perfect, taste like homemade.
A lot of deserts on menu, but in a front fridge only... more

It's OK

This place has been hyped on a couple of food shows. That's the problem. This place is ok but hardly knock your socks off good. A buddy and I tried it on a beautiful afternoon on the patio . The service was efficient. They put up their own meats.We tried the smoked meat and the corned beef . They were... more

Disappointing - Poor Food and servcie

I had read good reviews about this restaurant and finally decided to try it out. You will have to park on the street and parking in that area is $2.25 an hour.
The decor is unappealing - think greasy-spoon deli. We were seated right away. The seating is very close together and uncomfortable, especially when they seat a stranger only... more

Just Blew Guy F's credibility

Total disappointment!
Everything was loaded with too much pepper ie chopped liver, Latkas, kishka gravy, poutine. They offer lean Med & fatty smoked meat but had only lean. My Foodie sister and I were tasting so we shared a fried salami and a smoked meat sandwiches, the salami was cut unevenly and the sandwich was sliced not in half, but... more

pickled tongue was great

My husband thoroughly enjoyed his pickled tongue sandwich which was tender & flavourful. I ordered the smoked meat hash & it was pretty good except for the bizarre slightly acidic taste to it.
Our daughter had "The Howard Jack" which had french toast, beef bacon, and maple syrup. It was delicious & very filling. The beef bacon was thick, and... more

Just what my taste buds were waiting for

Was at kensington eye institute with a buddy having his cataract removed. we had time for lunch betwen his surgery and doctor's release.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOW what a great choise. we sat on the patio and watched a young girl with her mother enjoy great looking grilled cheese, but my buddy and i both chose the SMOKED MEAT HASH BREAKFAST. a great... more

Average

Good place but I would say a bit overrated. We had the smoked meat sandwich and the corned beef. The smoked meat was ok but definitely not one of the best. Many other places would come to mind for smoked meat before I'd think of this one. We tried the poutine also, it was fantastic. Homemade fresh fries, with smoked... more

Glad we finally tried Caplansky's

We're in the Kensington Market area now and again, but somehow never tried Caplansky's before. We were there on a Friday night, but it wasn't crowded at all. We sat on the patio as it was a nice evening.
I should mention that their menu is well marked for people like me who need a gluten free dish. They also... more

A card up my sleeve with Caplanski's

It's cool to know a great place to eat with amazing home style mouth watering food at great prices . A real neighbor hood feel right down to the miss matched floor tiles where everyone waits with anticipation for the meal to come out . I don't know what's better , the cream cheese blueberry crepes or the BBQ sandwich... more

Decent Deli

While in Toronto on vacation I decided to try this deli that has been featured on TV to test the smoked meat for myself. Arrived about 11:15 on a weekday. The deli was quite large with a good sized patio. At that time of day the patrons were scarce so we had some time to peruse the menu and make... more

Will go back again

We visited Caplansky's on a Friday night. We saw it on TV and made the drive downtown... it was worth the drive. My husband ordered the beef ribs, which were huge! Yes they have a large bone, but they are beef ribs. There was more than enough meat on the bones, to the point he couldn't finish his plate. The... more

Food is good, service is hit and miss

I'm not really sure who our server was, it seemed like about 8 different people. We ordered deep fried pickles when we ordered our drinks and they never came. Food was good, it's a small place and I didn't like the feel of it. I felt like I was eating at a fast food place but the food took forever... more

Enjoyable time

Did not disappoint. Sat out in the patio since the weather was lovely. We went as family of four and yet not one of us had smoked meat. We had the bbq smoked brisket which was excellent and juicy. The smokey beef ribs was large but mainly bones and not as much meat as expected. The liver and onions were... more

Fried chicken with maple syrup. Who knew

I might be the only reviewer who hasn't tried the smoked meat sandwich. Instead, during my one visit to Caplansky's (which I'd been told is a Toronto institution) I decided to try the fried chicken. I was not disappointed. First off, the chicken is great on its own. But then they give you a small cup of maple syrup, eh?... more

Basically Good

For us Americans, smoked meat is hard to come by. We came Caplansky's for this reason only and we were very pleased with our focus of attention. However, the side dishes were hit and miss (knish, fries). The service was just fine and the place looks like a deli should look!

For Deli its tough to beat this place

Ok this lived up to the hype , classic deli stop. The sandwich smoked meat is incredible , coleslaw pickles sides all soooo good. I tried most of the menu and you wont be disappointed prices are also very reasonable and has patio seating. Its a busy place so plan your timing.

Absolutely Amazing Deli

We were told about Caplanski's by a friend of mine that lives in Kensington Market. The folks at the deli told us most people from the U.S. Hear about them from the Food Network - lots of positive press, and I can see why.
I had the Geddy, which was simply delicious, with a side of beef bacon. I'm a... more

Almost like I remember

Caplansky's has been on my too try list for a while now... I finally got to go with my Husband just tonight and we were not disappointed.
We got there quite close to closing on a Saturday night, but it was still busy enough and the staff were very welcoming.
We had to try the basics, and then some...
Deli... more

Good food and service

Located in a great area - by Kensington Market in downtown Toronto. As soon as you walk through the door the wonderful smell of brisket hits you... Mmmm. The food is great... It clearly is all made fresh on site. The portions are huge and prices are very fair. Service is wonderful. Don't forget to try the cheesecake or maple... more

Very good food and great for families

We went out as a family (2 young children in tow) and decided for something yummy....some of our guests had the smoked meat...very delish....some had the braised beef; out of this world. I had the fried chicken.....do not order it. Nothing fancy or tasty....stick with what they are known for which is the awesome smoked meat that is done on... more

Get involved with a smoked meat sandwich. I did

When I travel, there are a few things I seek out intentionally: a hotel where I will accumulate massive rewards points, a good cup of coffee, a well-stocked book store, and a deli. Why a deli? Why not?!? Deli food is so very yummy and, in Canada, there is the added bonus of the smoked meat competition between Toronto and... more

this is a deli? Oy gevalt

The smoked meat was okay, a bit too thickly sliced, but the coleslaw? Full of sugar -- I ended up with a mouthful of cankers. The kishka? The kishka itself was good, but the gravy was full of smoked meat. (I thought it was ground beef till I read the menu afterwards online). Why?? And the matzoh ball soup was... more

A Great Place for Dinner! Deli Extraordinaire

Too of the line smoke meat, chopped liver, southern fried chicken and more. Of course you get Zane's passion and love for the heritage of a great family deli business.
Go...enjoy!

Don't believe the hype

We went out of our way to have lunch here based on reviews and TV hype.
We were pleasantly greeted and promptly seated. The tables, floors and chairs had a grimey stickiness. The bbq brisket sandwich was bland at best and the bottom part of the bun was soaking wet with a watery sauce. It came with a small quarter... more

A Little Disappointing

While living at Eglinton & Avenue Rd for 7 or 8 years in my 20s eating at Yitz's became an almost daily occurrence for me. I ate so much matzo ball soup and so many tongue sandwiches and plates of new dills and salads and Saturday night dinners... Anyway, I digress. I have been wanting to try this place for... more

Late lunch

We enjoyed the lunch it all tasted great, the wait staff were very polite and helpful with the menu. We left full and will come back

Highly overated

Pooped in here for lunch and ordered a bowl of matza ball soup and a smoked meat sandwich.
The soup was tasteless and the matza balls rock hard and tasteless too.
The smoked meat is cut thick and is dry. It's served on a piece of dry rye bread.
There was nothing enjoyable about this meal at all. What a... more

Delivery Review

I just wanted to share our 2 experiences with their delivery option because we love their food and loved the idea that on days we didn't want to get out of the house that they were an option for dinner. Both times we ordered from them delivery our food showed up in the paper bag and you could tell from... more

Maybe an 'off day

2 for lunch on a busy weekday at noon. Seated quickly though after a short wait in line. Corned beef sandwich with chicken soup and a meatloaf sandwich with fries. Service was friendly, but slow as molasses. Deli sandwich was fatty and came without the soup. The waitress seemed surprised that she hadn't brought the soup? Meatloaf sandwich was the... more

Smoked meat at it's best

This place is fantastic! Right up there with Schwartz deli in Montreal. I loved the sandwich, the service was excellent. Only thing is, get in there early, there can be a wait for seats. On my to do list in the future.

Outstanding

This is a place not to be missed if you love deli sandwiches. They serve among the best smoked meat sandwiches I have ever tasted. They pile the smoky, rich meat high on rye. I had the deep fried pickles and enjoyed them although my son was not as impressed. He had their version of fries which were of the... more

Amazing lunch

My fiancé and I went to Caplansky`s for lunch Saturday, November 23. The wait was not long (but we would have waited anways).
Service was excellent, rates are reasonable, and the food, well, I just can`t say enough. I had a turkey sandwich with latkes, and he had the corned beef sandwich with Matzoh Ball soup.
Taking home one of... more

A Toronto Institution - a great example of Classic

I knew the inception of the idea when Caplansky's was housed within the Monarch Tavern back in the day and I knew then that it would grow and yet still be Classic. If you are going with friends and you wish to be adventurous then order the meat platter with some pickles to start you off. This way you get... more

extremely good

We had seen Caplansky's on TV and thought we had to give it a try. It was everything Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives had made it out to be.
We had the matzo ball soup. The matzo ball was tender and tasty. The broth was delicate with a hint of dill. The dish was simply excellent.
We also had the beef... more

A return to the old neighbourhood

About 28 years ago, I attended George Brown College at the Kensington Market campus on Nassau Street. As a poor student you would look for places to eat that provided good food at a good price. At that time there was the European Quality Meats and Sausages store on Baldwin Street which provided excellent sausage on a bun for $2.00... more

First visit and won't be the last

College Street is better known for Italian food, But Caplansky's could change this. Got seated fairly fast by a smiling server ( it was early Saturday evening,can't say how it would be if it was later...).The menu has many of the traditionally smoked meats- brisket and turkey, I tried something a bit more unusual- Smoked meat loaf. The entree consisted... more

First visit to Caplansky's Deli - Toronto

I attended along with my wife , Caplansky's Deli, on College Street, on a Saturday, around noon.
This was our first visit. When we arrived about 20 people were in a line in front of us. The lineup quickly reduced in short order. The initial view upon entering was of happiness, with people laughing, smiling, and in boisterous mood. Things... more

This restaurant is a joke

The service at caplansky's is a disaster from the minute you walk in the front door until the second you walk out. It's not like we were expecting first class service either just a bit of friendly acknowledgement throughout the meal. There were so many people working, we counted at least five or six servers and a manager, but no... more

Pretty mindblowing deli

The smoked meat gravy is outstanding. It is more like a chili than a gravy. I had the knish, which was outstanding and had the gravy on it. I also had the smoked meat poutine, which had great fries, actual cheese curds, and the smoked meat gravy. I tried some of the mac and cheese with smoked meat. The mac... more

Nice Deli Some Good Some OK

My wife and I had lunch at Caplansky's Deli a couple of days ago. Very good service. The smoked meat sandwich was one of the best I ever tasted. But we were disappointed with the matzo ball soup. It lacked flavor. In addition, I wasn't crazy about the bbq beef sandwich. The beef was tender but the bbq sauce tasted... more

Amazing smoked meat

The smoked meat sandwiches are unbelievable and you can buy some to take home as well. We also had the mac & cheese which was fantastic too.

I think that Zane Caplansky has a winner. His deli is tops in my book.

The meat is tender,juicy,like butter,beautifully spiced,coffee,desserts,service all homey and warm,very welcoming.

It is a great mitzvah to find a local Toronto deli,in the heart of old Jewish Toronto that serves such mouth-watering smoked meat sandwiches,super fries,and incredible desserts. I also think the joyous,warm... more

The smoked meat is delicious. Portions are quite generous; the option to get more exists but I've never felt it necessary. The service is pretty good and the staff are super friendly. The restaurant is usually pretty busy and there's good reason for it.

Can't seem to package take out properly! Check your take-out thoroughly because something will probably be missing!

Courteous staff and hearty portions. The smoked meat is to die for. It simply melts in your mouth. Highly recommended of you are a meat eater.

What a great place for smoked meat. I walked in on a whim and sat down, the staff are excellent; welcoming and always about. The food was fresh and very tasty, quite honestly the best smoked meat I've had in Toronto so far. Will definitely come back with my vegetarian partner to get her take, there are options on the menu other than meat which is always nice to see from a deli :)

Being going to Schwartzs for 50 years. Dined all over Toronto and New York. Tried to be fair with this review but it is not real montreal style smoked meat. Expensive, mediocre service. Still waiting for a good joint in TO

You're walking into a minefield of passionate opinions when you ask who serves the best smoked meat. But Zane Caplansky has gone back to the roots to find the secret and he can rightfully stake a claim to the best in downtown TO. Love him.

Very good smoked meat in a savour place.

"""Over rated deli food. Cute ambience - fun, but not for deli mavens."""

Good for deli meat sandwiches

"""I have been going here at least once a month for more than 2 years. But lately starting in 2011, I have noticed that both the food serving size and the customer service are decreasing."""

Went for dinner and the food was awesome so went later one night and had poutine (scaled down menu was a bit of a disappointment). The gravy in the poutine was not gravy it was soup.

"""Good sandwiches, although a bit overrated."""

"""Great smoked meat sandwiches, cabbage borscht, fries, and poutine. They smoke their own meat and it's a little different every time you go. But most people have been eating at Caplansky's since they operated out of the rented kitchen at the Monarch Tave"""

still not Shwartz' in Montreal

This place is in a smallpub crawl area, with Augusta's to the Southest and Cloak & Dagger close by the West. Both of the former are decent though not the most exciting bars in the city, and this location gets the blond and pilsners of the bigger craft brewery distributors. This place is only useful in that if you go for some deli with sulfites you can also get a half-decent beer. It is not... more

"""Unpredictable - from sublime to ridiculous - but when it's good, it's the best deli in Toronto."""

great smoked meat.

this deli is number one

"""Except for the smoked meat (outstanding, if you get it fatty) and the bbq brisket, the food's no hell. But it's convenient for university folks-- who think it's trendy -- to hang out and old-timers to wish it were the '50s so there'd be some decent deli i"""

These people have no idea what good pastrami and corned beef should taste like. Bizaare that they are on your list at all.

Pity the Torontonians who think this is good.

"""Fairish imitation of Montreal delis tries hard but comes up short. Flavoursome food, patio good when not crowded; but for """"the real thing"""" smoked meat wise you gotta travel east."""

Caplanksy’s offers excellent house-smoked meats with an all-micro beer list. I had the Thelma’s Grilled Salami sandwich and a bowl of the Split Pea and Smoked Ham soup, both of which tasted superb. It was a bit too early to enjoy a beer, but I noticed Denison’s Dunkel, Michael Duggan’s #9 IPA, Beau’s LugTread Lagered Ale, and Steam Whistle Pilsner on tap, with Mill Street Organic Lager and... more

Food is great, some other things not so much

You may have noticed already, but if not I'll let you in on a secret: there's a little deli revival going on in Toronto, and it's headed by Zane Caplansky and his downtown Deli, Caplanky's. I'm going to go right to the point and say that Caplansky's isn't perfect. Their service is, well, a little shmutzy. I've been numerous times and had my order mixed up on most occasions. The servers are all... more

Amazing smoked meat, nice relaxed atmosphere. The only thing not to like is that you may not smoke on the patio (even the uncovered section)

Casual, friendly, Jewish-style delicatessen serving a short-list of classics including smoked meat, the leo, and knish.