Ok for a quick bite

I get the impression the menu has not changed in years. The food was OK, it looks like a place where local workers grab a beer and a lunch. It has old world charm, I will give it that, and the prices were decent. The name kind of sums it up. Old Queen Mother !!!

Excellent Salmon Tacos

Great house wine, cabernet with salmon tacos, with chili's on the side and fresh cilantro, black beans, corn tortillas. Definitely will come back. Went after rave reviews with friends who frequent when in TO. Cater to all food preferences, allergies, without any hesitance. All dishes, quinoa, pad Thai, looked amazing and went fast. A real find: )

Still going strong

I've been to the Queen Mum several times over the years and went again recently. Although I would've given it a full 5 star rating a few years ago, it still manages to impress. The fusion of Thai, continental and Mexican dishes gives it an authentic yet eclectic feel. I also like the range of prices. You can order a... more

Great chicken. Too bad about the rest

I used to love this place for its imaginative, healthy, consistently fresh and delicious food. It's one of the long-time survivors of the changing scene on Queen Street West. I recently moved back to Toronto after many years away, and was happy to see the old Queen Mother still standing her ground. The nicely spiced chicken was lovely. The spicy... more

Fantastic. A lucky find

A Toronto legend and we didn't even know it. Sat in a great peaceful back alley courtyard. It was quiet with a cool breeze. The wait staff were prompt and friendly, We had a variety of food.Spicy chicken sandwiches, hamburger, and Salmon tacos. All delicious. I had an artichoke omelette that was great. The desserts were huge and awesome. We... more

Great setting and delicious food

I chose this restaurant because of the excellent reviews and was not disappointed. I asked to sit in the back patio and was pleasantly surprised by its quiet, calm surroundings. I was alone, something I'm generally not comfortable with, but the staff made me feel welcome and gave me just the right amount of attention. I enjoyed the delicious Pad... more

Ping Gai, Amazingly Delicious

I could be reviewing the restaurant which is casual, comfortable and blessed with a wonderful kitchen and servers. But my real praise is for their dish of ping gai. Frankly, I have only tasted other menu items on partners' plates because this dish is so amazingly delicious, I just can't order anything else. If you're in downtown Toronto, this is... more

Best food tasted in Canada

We went to Toronto for new year eve and we tried lots of different foods, Chinese, Indian,Thai and this was the best dinners.Food was delicious and rightly priced. We tried Ping Gai and it was mouth watering delicious.Chicken was cooked perfectly and it was so tasty. It is small place but one of best food and should definitely try it.

I Just love the Queen Mother

had another perfect dinner at the Queen Mother Cafe in downtown Toronto. We have been going there for years whenever we visit Toronto and it never fails to please. My spouse raved about the Chicken Curry Soup, we split the Pingai Chicken dinner and I had a fabulous piece of cake for dessert. The meals are delicious, large size portions... more

Tipping

The food was very nice and the hidden gem patio was lovely but I was not at all impressed by the fact that they helped themselves to a much larger tip than the one I had written on my credit card slip!

Yummy lunch

I went here for work lunch. The food was really tasty and fairly speedy service. It has a strange ambience, but it does work for this place. It was about $12-15 p/person per entree which is very reasonable for downtown Toronto (and large portions). I had the Ping Gai - really well cooked with some amazing flavours. Definitely worth a... more

Best food on Queen Street

Asian fusion food. Excellent, exciting and ever changing deserts. Late night service. Victorian pub atmosphere. Strange combination of abiance, food, setting, but it works. One of my favourite restaurants in Toronto!

I never miss a meal when I'm in town

My girlfriend used to work here and invited me out for dinner and I absolutely love the Ping Gai. Amazing flavour, great service, and cute little patio if you're here in the summer. I always bring friends here and they agree with me. Do not miss their dessert, there are so many pies!

Reliably delicious

I love eating at the Queen Mother, not only because their food is delicious, the prices fair and their servers more than competent, but because the staff and kitchen always accommodate my allergies and never make me feel stupid for having them or as if my requests are an inconvenience. I have had to change some of my orders to... more

Quiet Oasis in a Bustling Downtown

I love Queen Mother Cafe. The food here is always superb and the service was wonderful. This was my 3rd time here and I prefer to only go during summer as their patio is an oasis in the city, a quiet break from all the traffic and shoppers.
I had the Spicy Chicken sandwich and my friend had the quinoa... more

Asian Fusion

Great place for a good soul meal as this place was recommended by a friend. Let me tell you it was exactly what I was expecting when I ordered the dinner and it was light and flavorful. It definitely gets packed as it's close to the opera house so will recommend to be early or later than seven thirty. Friendly... more

just average

We went to The Queen Mother as a couple of our friends told us it was just great. Unfortunately we just did not see what they saw in this place. We had the calamari and the dim sum to start. The calamari was perfectly cooked, but quite greasy, there were pools of oil on the plate. The dim sum is... more

my fauvorite stop

we cannot leave Toronto without going to Queen Mother.
I love their sticky rice with Peanut sauce, try their spring rolls, they are so light (not oily) they padtai is very good. Service is always good and consistent. We have being coming for the last 15 years... more

Terrible Service

I went to Queen Mother Cafe last night with a few girlfriends for drinks and dinner. I was extremely disappointed with the slow and rude service. We waited a good 40mins for apps and easily an hour for dinner. Our waitress couldn't be bothered to ask if we wanted more drinks, recommend dishes, or put on a smile on they're... more

Quaint place with great food

We really loved the eclectic atmosphere of this place and the varied menu. We were a group of five and everyone loved their meal. This place is worth visiting again and is conveniently located.

So much potential

I was so looking forward to going to this restaurant and sadly it was not the experience I had hoped for. Although the food wasn't great, the awful service we received made it all the worse. The waitress was slow, kept getting our orders incorrectly and then offered the table next to us a few visits to see how things... more

A Must Try

If you are in the area, Queen Mother Cafe is a must. The atmosphere is cozy but comfortable. I don't know if they can take large groups. The cost is reasonable for Toronto. The service is prompt, but a little reserved. They have a signature dish that I confess is the main reason I return every time I'm in Toronto.... more

Don't go there

My friends (5 people in total) and I had dinner last night and Queen Mother. First of all the place charges an 18% mandatory tip, which I consider excessive. We had two bottles of wine and a cake, which we brought; they charged corkage and cakeage, which summed $30. On top of this, the waitress was so unorganized that she... more

What a great name for a restaurant-Queen Mother Cafe

We were hoping to meet some royalty.....This was a very late almost supper/lunch choice made on the street. So happy we made that choice. Lots of interesting things in the restaurant. Great art on the walls. Service was very professional. I had the Sri Lankin (with eggplant) vegetable roti- it was excellent. On the table was also Lime Chicken-which I'm... more

Quaint but the food ain't all that

After a long abbe fun trip down Queens Street, my colleague and i speed in here because we were famished. We are effectively pescatarians on this business trip (or in my case halal meat only) so this severely limited our menu choices. Sadly we were tempted by the gorgeous looking cakes at the counter. The restaurant is funky as befits... more

A wee bit over-rated

Yes its funky and edgy but the food is not exceptional.
Worth a visit if you like this style of small restaurant.

Excellent value and really good food

First night in Toronto, saw a queue in this restaurant and thought we would join it, the food was amazing and well worth the wait.

Quality food and good service ! - hidden gem patio

I just had one of the best lunches ever at this neighborhood gem ! The Ping Gai chicken has now been tried many times, lunch and dinner, and has been "certifiably" consistent so this dish deserves a more than "5 star" rating with its awesome limey/ginger marinade. I also like the Kao Swey and other Laotian, Korean and other Asian... more

Generous helpings

We wandered into the Queen Mother during the film festival. We saw what the customers on either side of us were eating and ordered the ping gai. It was delicious! We had leftovers the next day. The service was very good even though the restaurant was busy. The desserts looked good but the main course had filled us up. I'd... more

Interesting Place

This is one of the last independent restaurants on Queen St. It has a very diverse menu, which is usually not a good sign, but we had several types of entrees, and they were all good. The service was a little slow, but dinner was our event for the night, so it did not bother us.

Eclectic And Enjoyable

We stopped here for lunch during the film festival and found it to be a delightful dining option. Very interesting, international menu with an Asian bent. Interesting options for vegetarians and carnivores alike. The service is friendly and welcoming too. We started with the calamari appetizer, which was excellent and a sign of good things to come. I had Sri... more

Our new favourite place

The staff were friendly, the food was unreal tasty and the atmosphere is just right.
We stopped in for a late night dinner, post an AGO show and had the best meal in a really long time.
We started with their tomato soup - delicious and tangy. Then my husband ordered the Pad Thai and I the Green Goddess dip.... more

Friendly attentive staff

Friendly staph when I was there, this was the first time in many years I had good calamari. Nice batter and sauce and melt in your mouth tender. I followed with the Khao Soy Gai, a very delicious dish that had an amazing broth!!! I liked the atmosphere and felt the place very comforting and not too loud.

Charming Back Patio

We stopped in for a late dinner on a Saturday night after we couldn't get a table at Khao San Road. I'm quite pleased that we ended up at the Queen Mother.
We walked in, and were asked if we wanted to sit outside. We did, so they directed us down a staircase, through a hallway, and up through another... more

The Thai flavored dishes were awesome

We were here with a group of 5. The menu offered interesting dishes. Everyone liked their choices and the calamari appetizer was great. The waitress was knowledgeable and attentive, the food came out promptly and well seasoned and we all had a good time.

Consistently Awesome

I have eaten at the Queen Mother about 200 times. It sounds like an exaggeration but it might not even be enough! This Queen West institution is homey, friendly and a great place for brunch, lunch or dinner.
The atmosphere: The restaurant is a mix of booths, tables and banquettes in an old building on Queen West, near University Avenue.... more

Still good

The Queen Mother has faded a bit but its still a pleasant place for brunch or dinner. Thai food is still enjoyable and the patio is comfortable, although it could stand an update. Overall I like the QM as a nice place to drop in for a relaxed meal and a drink or two.

Yummy

Got take out here for our family. Thought it was pretty good - didn't care for the dumplings though - which were highly rated. If you're in the area it's worth trying! The pad thai was yummy!

Try someplace else

Apparently the Queen Mother is resting on its laurels. Our recent visit there consisted of a surly waitress who exchanged our menus three times (perhaps so that we could notice the $5 spike in costs from lunch to dinner prices... even though the food and portions are pretty similar). She was rude, did not offer us drinks, or desert/tea/coffee. The... more

This is our new place

^ That's what we said within 5 minutes of being there. Great atmosphere, great selection, great service. Highly recommend the Pad Thai.
And such a convenient location too! Very good all around.

A Royal Treat

I hadn't been to this restaurant in a few years. Despite the menu being the same, I thoroughly enjoyed it and won't wait as long for my next visit.
The patio out back is a quiet oasis in a busy part of Toronto. I particularly like that there are several vegetarian options on the menu. Tasty ones too. I had... more

Past Its Prime

The Queen Mother has been doing something right - after all, it's been a feature on the Queen West Strip for 30 years or so. But based on my recent experience, it really doesn't deserve its status as an "institution."
Old uncomfortable chairs, an uncommunicative wait staff and a long wait for food even when the place was a third... more

Really tasty pad thai

The pad thai was super delicious (moderately priced), and they had a cute back patio tucked away at the back that was a cute little spot to catch up with friends. It was really easy to forget that you were right downtown, with the atmosphere and little secluded area. It's your typical Queen St restaurant though - hipsters and both... more

Great Pad Thai - Funky Queen West Restaurant

Been here a few time with friends and always enjoy the funky crowd and great Pad Thai. Try to get a booth as the tables are really jammed in there and you will be more comfortable with a bit more privacy to linger over good conversation and great food in the booths. This is really easy to get to, just... more

Queen Mum stands above the REST

I live in Cape breton, visit Toronto at least once a year. When I did live in Toronto, I would make my way to the Queen Mother Cafe! The Laotian Spring Rolls, salads, sticky rice and YES two types of peanut sauces. Pad Thai beautiful! It's an amazing place, each summer I treat myself to the Queen Mother and Sue... more

Quirky - but not so great

I had dinner here with two friends. We had a great conversation, The server was professional, friendly and caring. But the food was sub-standard. My noodle dish was supposed to come with vegetables, but was just noodles, sauce, and stringy chicken. Not recommended.

great afternoon

went to the back patio for a cold drink and ended up staying for dinner, food was good but not what i expected, the prices great, the back patio is so comfortable and they make you feel so welcome you may forget to leave, we kind of did, the day was not a warm one but the patio is all... more

nice atmosphere

We sat out on the back patio for dinner, food was very good, nice atmosphere and good service. Only issue was a (yuck) Hair in my food...the waitress promptly removed it with apologies and brought me more and then of course removed item from bill.
The hair thing happens, it's gross but I figure it's how it's handled thats more... more

Great food and great service

Ate here for lunch during our stay and the food was impeccable! We both tried the specials and were not disappointed. It was very busy but the staff handled it well and we never waited to long for anything. They don't take debit though, so be sure to bring cash/credit

Ping Gai chicken not to be missed

While staying at the nearby Sheraton, I asked the concierge for a good place to eat within easy walking distance and she recommended the Queen Mother Cafe. Away i went, 3 short blocks, and got a table in the window, where I watched the world go by.
I ordered the Ping Gai chicken which was as good as the waiter... more

Oh Wow, The Queen Mum is a hit

I had to go into Toronto on business with a colleague. Fortunately my colleague lived in Toronto for a number of years previously and knew exactly where to eat when we need to stop for lunch – The Queen Mother Café.

When she first mentioned it I imagined an English pub type place, but it was in fact Thai. It is located within walking distance of all the major tourist places such as the Eaton... more

I really like this place. The food is consistently good ...

I really like this place. The food is consistently good – day or evening. The ambiance is great, and the menu selection is very nice. I always love coming back here.

Queen Mother Café

All I can say is, 'yummy!’ If you like semi-authentic Asian, then this is a great place to go.

The Queen Mother Café (www.queenmothercafe.ca) would make a really good first date spot. While I went with a relative, I though it had the right atmosphere as a introductory date spot.

It was loud enough that the table next to you couldn't listen in but not so loud that you had to shout. The... more

Very original dishes you will find there, with international influence. And tasty food. All this in an English pub atmosphere. In the middle of lively Queen Street.

Queen Mother

A bustling little restaunt on Queen Street West and a Toronto institution. The Queen Mum's got an excellent menu and a good wine list.

It's casual and friendly and fun, seats about 100 and has a lovely enclosed patio out back which fills up fast during the summer months. The Ping Gai is (in my opinion) the best dish on the menu - best to avoid the dinner/pre theatre rush.