Churchmouse & Firkin

A good central located, Brit-​style pub, in the heart of the gay village. It has gone through some various changes over the years, though not a big deal at all: A couple name changes I believe (don’t quote me on that), and it has also changed its interior décor and layout slightly a couple of times to, I assume provide more seating.
That being said, the seating is tight, almost too tight for a quiet and private chat during peak hours. I have literally sat at a table, less than a foot from another table, bumping arms and legs, and trying desperately to get comfortable in such a tight and small area, and I am not by far, a large person.
The outdoor patio on the north side of the restaurant is pleasant, especially in the dead heat of summer, if you are looking to eat while checking out the street crowd. Of course, there is A/​C indoors which is a pleasant balance. Take note: like indoors, the patio is much too small, much too tiny a space to, in my opinion actually enjoy dinner without again, smacking others or God forbid, bump into a waiter at full speed which I’ve seen happen. Personally, although it’s fun to crowd watch, but just keep in mind you can literally have periods of anxiety from the very tight and not particularly comfortable furniture.
Ok, the food and service. I have to admit, service is 100% completely hit and miss. At times, when there is seating on the second floor, me and my party of friends have been almost forgotten upstairs, for 45 minutes — be careful on how many staff actually do work upstairs. In contrast, I’ve had good customer service on the main floor, with our waiter only a smile away. It is hard to peg down the quality of the service. It could be better but it could always be much worse. Choose your seating carefully, almost strategically I think is good advice.
The food, in my opinion is where the pub falls short of expectations. Now of course, it’s a very standard fare, like ALMOST all other pubs downtown, i.e. a lack of something different, of variety, of uniqueness. Do NOT expect anything more elaborate than the regular burger or chicken fingers or a chicken sandwich smothered in gravy. But that’s the type of food you are aware of in pubs. It’s bar food, it’s not a food that stands out in any way whatsoever. Quality? I have had pure cold food before which eludes me for a restaurant. I find the food rather bland and have had to ask the waiter on 2 occasions to return it and actually cook the food. Maybe others have had better experiences with the food or feel the need for more variety is not an issue at all, especially if the food is more of a quick liquor lunch and some nachos before heading back to work or home.
As for the range of alcoholic drinks, i.e. Beers, the again, standard fare, 100%, nothing unique sadly. The same can be said with the wines, with even more of a generic menu for those who would prefer wine.
Lastly, the location is again a great location, the patio is very tight, but at least the patio is there to accommodate more people and the walk by crowd is always a fun, extra bonus to a few beers. Service is — adequate, not terrible, not by any means glowing but again, it is a standard pub environment which you know instinctively when you see the restaurant and choose to dine there.
All that being said, I think it is a good «watering hole» for the local community and it has been there for years now, which in itself on Church St. is a MIRACLE beyond words (the village has really suffered from high rents and so many great stores and bars are closed and long gone), so I would end my review and say that this pub has managed to keep itself in the same spot and it’s always a place to plan around for some really basic eating out.

I went there for a social outing with my volleyball team and it was great. The host sat us in a booth and was attentive but not annoyingly which we appreciated. Just a quick is everything good? Need a refill?
The food was awesome and the specials were will priced! I had the fish and chips and it was to die for. So tasty and the tartar sauce was great too.
The Butlers draft is well priced and goes down good with the pub food.

Love this place. It is perfect for people watching, hanging with friends, or as a date-​night stop-​in. The food is pretty good, and the staff seems to be friendly. I have been here three times now and have not had a bad experience yet.

Believe what you read. Very tasty! Stopped by with mom around 3:30PM Tuesday. Sat inside with Eric as our server (name on the receipt). He was fantastic — great personality. Ordered the fried pickles. Now, I consider myself a connoisseur on these babies and these are some of the best that I have ever had (Texas and South Carolina included). They are spear shaped (not my fav) but the pickle was kosher dill with a great bite — not too wet, or salty — perfect. Coating was wonderful. Love. Mom ordered the Shepherd Pie — she ranked it has one of the 2 best ever. I had the Butter Chicken (never heard of it before) but I loved it. Chicken in an tomato based, Indian spiced sauce served with tandoori mash potatoes and a yougurt/​dill cream drizzle. The naan was hot and delicious. This place is solid, clean, airy, just perfect for a wonderful lunch, Great service. Two entrees, one appetizer and bill ran $ 39.00

This is definitely one of the best firkin locations. It has a great patio for lovely days. The drink deals are definitely a awesome price. 5 dollars for butlers pint is fine by me! The food here is average pub grub but it’s more a place you go for the atmosphere and music ! Service is fast and friendly, and there is a lot of selection of seating. Definitely a fave spot in this neighbourhood.

Great upstairs seating, cozy and attentive service. Wine is overpriced and limited, but good appetizers!

Ate there tonight (June 25, 2015). Food was average but service was horrible. Waitress walked by like we were invisible. Bartender was too busy socializing to serve drinks. Spent close to $ 100 and they wanted $ 2 for a slice of bread to eat with a sausage. First time ever that I did not leave a tip. There are too many other good restaurants with staff that care to eat where it appears they don’t want your businesses, just your cash. Never again.

Having visited the ‘not so renovated’ Churchmouse a year and a half ago, I wasn’t too impressed. Average food, below average décor, and carpets that belonged in a museum.
My hockey team started going here after the renovations, and they did an AMAZING job! The menu is great, the portions just right, and the staff are truly welcoming. The new patio is a great addition, I only wish it were able to get a bit more sun.
One of the only places where I can say that I’m not too upset when they’re busy, as I’m just happy they’re doing so well. The servers make this place, and it seems like most of them stay long term — for sure a good sign.

Food was excellent, though we had a waiter swap out, and we were told ‘shed left for the day’ but she was still serving people a few tables over when we left.
The boy who took over for us was still pretty good, though when my friend tried getting his phone number with a witty pick up line, he declined!

I love this bar! My friends come every week. Delicious food, cozy atmosphere, friendly staff) in bar is always busy !! I advise you to go for a pleasant stay!

2 floor neighbourhood pub with exceptional service and great pub food and industry standard drink prices that include a daily $ 5 pint selection. They’re on Twitter too @ChurchmouseFrkn.
Always a great time every visit.

One of the closest pubs to my home, it’s a reliable favorite when in need of a drink or some food.
Like: Staff is always super friendly and chatty — they feel like friends. Menu is varied, reasonably priced and has good quality options. Prices are great, especially the daily drinks specials which can be as low $ 5 for a pint or glass of wine. They recently renovated and it looks nicer than ever.
Dislike: Not a whole lot. This is a place that is consistently a good option. Can be fairly busy, especially on the patio in nice weather.
Definitely a place I’d go back to over and over — especially the patio. After numerous visits, I’ve rarely had anything bad to say.

Friend and I went for the Sunday Brunch. Specials were stilll on but I teally wanted eggs benedict. The only thing I can say is the hollandaise was separating but it was still good.
What made the day was our server, Cody. He was amazing. We will definitely be back.

Had an awful experience at this restaurant. I lost my wallet and realised it only when I got home. I called the restaurant and told the manager exactly where I was seated. Their response:” you can call back later or you come back here to look yourself!” So when I got back to the restaurant, I saw the wallet lying under my chair. It didn’t take me more than one second. I had a word with the manager to express my disappointment that the waiter didn’t try to look for my wallet. It is not their responsibility but certainly would be an act of good customer service and kindness. Instead the manager said «it’s our company policy to not look. I’m sorry. And we are done», with hands pointing at the door asking me to leave!

I had visited this restaurant with three friends and was the paying the bill and ordering on behalf of the group. We ordered a plater of nachos among other items. The consensus at the table was we would have cheese on our nachos. The manager actually was taking our order and was involved in our decision. He ended up bringing nachos with no cheese. When I informed him that we wanted cheese on our nachos, he offered to take it back and get the cook to put cheese on the order (putting the chips in the oven twice). I said, «No, you will take it back and make a new one.» The negative expression on his face suggested that he failed to appreciate that an assertive request like the one I made, was appropriate considering the circumstances.
A month later I visited the restaurant as a guest of my friend who’s son has worked in the industry for over 10 years. Based on the experience she had she opted to leave no tip. She had an awareness of the statement it would make but felt it was reasonable and appropriate based on the circumstances. As I was leaving I was confronted by the manager who admonished me for not leaving a tip. I didn’t clarify to him that it was not my card paying the bill but supported my friend in her decision. He told me never to return to the restaurant — ever.

I have been coming here for a few years now, and Churchmouse & Firkin is always a solid bet for a cold pint and a quick bite to eat. I always try to order off the specials menu as this usually ensures that the food is made fresh, rather than cooked from frozen.
Since they renovated, the patio and inside space is far more modern and trendy. They also have daily specials (both for food and drinks) and the new bar downstairs is very nice indeed.
After their recent renovations, they tried using a «check in» system inside the front door whereby you tell the host how many people you need seating for. This caused a lot of hassle in my experience and I think they have recently stopped this system for indoor seating.

The food is good, but could be better. The best thing about this place is definitely the patio. It’s recently renovated and looks great both inside and out. Drinks are good, but could be colder. Service is very good and it’s a great location. Would give it a higher rating if the food was better. Perfect spot for people watching on a weekend afternoon.

Restaurants in the village divide into basically two categories: low-​quality, intermediate priced pubs or higher-​quality, high-​price restaurants. The Churchmouse & Firkin is in the former category, but I’m happy to say it’s near the top of it.
First to note, the Churchmouse is a part of the giant Firkin pub chain in the «New Britania Style» (when you read that sentence, you should make sure to either pronounce the quotation marks as ‘quote’ or make physical air quotes with your hands). As such, it’s pretty standard pub FOOD You can expect consistently average pub food at these places. You will never be wowed, but hopefully you won’t be too disappointed. I’ve found the shepherd’s pie to be perfectly decent and the burger to be over-​cooked and dry. I will say the quality of the food exceeds that of both O’Grady’s (which I doubt anyone will argue with) and Hair of the Dog (which some may want to debate with me).
The DRINKS are pretty standard pub drinks. On the tap list you get the macros like Rickard’s and Canadian as well as some of the macro-micro’s like Steamwhistle. A pint is $ 7.70 with tax, which is sadly pretty standard prices on the street for quite pedestrian beers. They do make an effort with their Caesar’s. Cocktails are low-​quantity as is standard, but I do like that they have Pimm’s in summer, although with a mere 1.5oz of the low-​alcohol liquor. Wines are expensive and bad… give them a miss for sure.
The SERVICE here is generally pretty good. The staff are friendly and helpful. The patio can be a bit hit and miss, but I’ve always felt some genuine friendliness from the staff.
OVERALL, if your plan is a pub-​type restaurant on Church Street, this is your correct choice. It’s so much better than O’Grady’s, I can’t fathom why anyone goes across the street, except for their giant patio in summer.

3 of us popped in on a Thursday afternoon for a late lunch (2:30pm). We were seated immediately and provided with menus. A few minutes later our server came by and asked if we wanted to order drinks. He took our drink order and they were out in less than 5 minutes.
The server was friendly and apologized for not coming over sooner (as soon as we arrived) as he was busy taking food out to other patrons. There was no need to apologize as he was there within a reasonable time frame… plus he was friendly and had a great personality.
Menu is typical pub fare with some interesting items on it.
I ordered the Chicken Gumbo and a Caesar salad. 1 dining companion ordered the grilled parmesan cheese sandwich (came with fries and a deep fried pickle). The 3^rd person ordered a maple glazed chicken salad. Our server asked if I wanted the gumbo with my meal or as an appetizer, I opted to have it as an appetizer and it was out within 5 minutes.
My gumbo was not really gumbo… although it contained some of the ingredients gumbo has (okra, tomatoes, rice, etc). It was far too watery to be called gumbo (it was along the lines of a watered down tomato soup)…plus it contained maybe 2 shirt button sized pieces of chicken and no andouille sausage. it was a disappointment as I LOVE gumbo and it would have been perfect on a cold winters day. My salad was ok… a bit under dressed with a pretty bland Caesar salad dressing. No lemon wedge, no parmesan cheese offered.
The dining companion who had the grilled cheese sandwich loved it. He said it was excellent and the deep fried pickle was an added bonus. Fries were typical pub fare.
Our other friend enjoyed his grilled chicken salad (it was sliced breast of chicken on what appeared to be spinach but could have been organic lettuce). He said the maple glaze on it was excellent.
All in all, the food was ok… very pub style food. Service very good. Warm environment.
I would have rated it 3 ½ stars but ½ star ratings are not possible. I the gumbo wasn’t a let down the review would have been 4 stars.
I will revisit if in the area to try other items.

After Gord and I toured the Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens, we walked to the Churchmouse & Firkin for supper.
It was a busy spot and we managed to grab a table by the window.
Mark was our server and he took really good care of us. He was funny and friendly. He seemed to know everyone and obviously loves his job.
Gord ordered Pad Thai (rice noodles, chicken, egg, green onions and bean sprouts all tossed in our tangy pad thai sauce). It was tasty.
I was going to order wings but Mark talked me into ordering one of the specials, Meat Lasagna and Garlic Bread. It was good too (thanks, Mark!).
We had a fun time and will definitely popped back in the next time we are in that ‘hood.