Upper Deck By Fran's opened earlier this summer right above 20 College Street, Toronto. The new all-season rooftop patio at Upper Deck offered a more casual approach to dining. Its menu focuses on Americana and International flavors, and includes a more modern take on classic comfort foods. They have several classic diner food like salads, sandwiches, bite into a made-from-scratch burger, and a pretty extensive $5 menu.

Photo Credit: https://foodinthecitytoronto.com/

Several dishes are shareable, so it would be a great place to hang with friends during lunch or dinner. Additionally, Upper Deck By Fran's spans two floors, and features two bars, plenty of communal seating, and an all-season rooftop patio with a retractable roof. The retractable roof allow the patio to be open all season long. So you don't need to fret that summer is almost over.

Upper Deck By Fran's also had an extensive selection of wine, draught and cider on their drinks menu. Did you know that they also grow their own herbs on the rooftop? I thought that was pretty impressive.

Strawberry, Orange, Banana Sangria White ($9 for 1.5 oz | Shareable $30 for 16 oz)

 

 Cucumber Thyme Caprioska ($9 for 1.5 oz | Shareable $30 for 16 oz)

 

We started off with an order of Chili Lime Shrimp Cup ($5) - cilantro, chili honey sauce, lime, dill sauce, which is part of Upper Deck By Fran's $5 snack menu. The juicy and succulent shrimp was marinated with chili honey sauce, which added a nice kick. The cooled wonton was slightly hard, but it was still a tasty shareable appetizer. 

 

Bacon Cheese Bomb ($5) - munster cheese, served with marinara sauce for dipping

The Spicy BBQ Pork Spare Ribs (One Pound $11.95 | Two Pounds $19 | Three Pounds $29) were fall of the bone, and the marinate was a flavorful blend. This was a must-order dish!



The Grilled Cilantro Shrimp Salad ($15.95) - grilled shrimp, mixed greens, peppers, red onions, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, was a classic take on a salad with moist pieces of shrimp. The dressing gives it a tangy sweetness to the salad filled with colorful vegetables. 


There are a couple of brunch favorites on the menu including Chicken and Waffle ($15.95) - with spicy honey maple syrup. I love fried chicken, so this was a must-order for me. The chicken was savory and well-seasoned. However, a few bites of the chicken was a little dry, but it's understandable as white meat isn't as moist as dark meat.



The sky-high Boomtown Burger ($25) - two patties, lemon chicken, cheddar, guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, aioli, pickles, was delicious. The burger was generously portioned, and could easily be shared between 2-3 people as well.



Ultimate Grilled Cheese - Munster, Jack, Cheddar Cheese, tomato, and fresh basil 



The Famous Red Velvet Cheesecake ($9) arrived beautifully presented on a white plate. The red velvet filling was topped with a creamy cheesecake layer and drizzled with chocolate resulting in a moist dessert. 



Overall, I thought that the service made the entire lunch experience a wonderful one. Our server was outgoing, attentive, and prompt to clear out plates.

 After nine years of successfully running the club, Club 120. Owners Todd Klinck and Mandy Goodhandy decided to acquire the downstairs space that used to house Spring Rolls, and turned it into a casual restaurant. The two opened up 120 Diner last August 2014, and they aim to serve comfort food, and drinks at reasonable prices. The diner also has a fully equipped bar offering alcoholic drinks such as sangria, custom cocktails, craft beers on tap, and much more. 120 Diner is also open late until 2 am, which is perfect for those looking for late night eats in the downtown core. 

Additionally, for those who would like to order comfort food from 120 Diner for take-out, they can do so using Just Eat.

 I decided to get the Fried Calamari ($8.95) - with spicy mayo dipping sauce, as a starter. I was quite surprised with the portion size of the calamari, as it was more than enough for two people. It's of great value for those who enjoy calamari (like myself). A few pieces were overly deep-fried, but overall it was a flavorful dish without being too crisp or salty. The homemade mayo dipping sauce added a little spice to the calamari, which was good.

 For his appetizer, my brother opted for their Crunchy Coconut Shrimp ($11.95) - giant shrimp, battered, served with spicy chili homemade mayo. As stated on the menu, this is one of 120 Diner's top selling menu items. The dish itself was a sizable portion, and came with five large shrimps coated with coconut. I tried two pieces, and found that the shrimp was tasty, while the coconut crust provided a nice crunch to it.  

 For my main, I opted for the Grilled Cheese ($11.95) - 3 cheeses on rosemary focaccia bread with spicy chili mayo. What drew me to this particular item was the use of focaccia bread, as I normally see restaurants using regular white bread. The dish arrived with a warm and toasted focaccia bread cut in half, and filled with three different types of cheeses oozing out of it. It was a filling sandwich, and I liked how the different cheeses complemented one another.

 My brother got the Fish and Chips ($13.95) - haddock with fresh cut fries and tartar sauce. Once again, we were pleasantly surprised with the portion. The coating of the two pieces of haddock fish had a subtle crispy crunch, but the fish itself was flaky, and cooked just right. The overall execution of the fish was good despite its larger size. I also liked that it wasn't greasy at all, as it was not seeped in oil.

crispy and flaky but I think it may be better to substitute peanut oil to achieve a browner crust.

crispy and flaky but I think it may be better to substitute peanut oil to achieve a browner crust.

 Besides food, 120 Diner also offers entertainment such as karaoke nights, comedy show nights, and live music entertainment on certain days of the week. I had dinner on a Friday, and they had a comedy show that night. The show started at around 9 pm, and showcases local comedians performing a few minutes of their stand-up set. It was a full house that night filled with customers looking for a good laugh.

 To end the night, I ordered the Whopper Chocolate Malt Cake ($7.00) - decadent chocolate cake with crushed whopper chocolate icing, topped with whoppers. One of the main ingredients used in the cake was malted milk, which gives it a very thick chocolatey texture. As a chocolate lover, I enjoyed the strong chocolate taste of the cake. Lastly, it was topped off with a few pieces of Whoppers candy, which mainly added to the aesthetic.

Our server, Zane, was friendly, and genuinely helpful. He came to our table a few times throughout the night to check up on us, and promptly took away finished dishes. 

Like I previously mentioned, the menu at 120 Diner features a number of comfort food such as poutine, nachos, tuna melt, burgers, meatloaf and mash, and etc ... A majority of the food items are very reasonably priced for the amount of food that you get. Lastly, 120 Diner has ample seating with both table and booth seating to the side, which are aligned perfectly to face the stage. If you're looking for both food, and entertainment at the same venue, then 120 Diner is a good place to go. Many thanks to Todd of 120 Diner for the warm hospitality, as I had a fun and tasty evening.

 Also, 120 Diner is located south of Richmond St E (on the west side of the street), and there are plenty of free parking spots after 9 pm on Lombard St.

Address: 120 Church St Toronto, ON M5C2G8