T BONES

On our never-ending quest to find hidden gems near home, The Hubby and I headed to T Bones for a steak dinner under $20. Found through RFD, I was curious about the no-frills Scarborough restaurant that’s open 24/7 and had great reviews online. I wasn’t disappointed, but I also wasn’t wowed. There’s no question that T Bones’ prices were a great value compared to other steakhouses (although it seems their prices have increased from $14.99 for 16 oz ribeye to $17.99), but The Hubby cooks up a pretty delicious steak at home that ends being around the same cost.

Atmosphere: T Bones was a stand alone restaurant and looked right out of an episode of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. The quick service restaurant had an old school interior including metal frame chairs and artificial greenery. Many of the table were filled with families of four. After placing our order at the counter, we sat down at an empty table (with plenty of natural light) and waited for our number to be called.

Service: Being a quick service restaurant, we didn’t interact much with the staff. Orders were served up on cafeteria trays, including utensils, for customers to pick up when ready. Our steaks were cooked quickly and there wasn’t a long wait.

Food: In addition to steak, T Bones’ menu has burgers, souvlaki and fish and chips. Although I was tempted by the homemade burger combo, both The Hubby and I did stick to ordering steak. For him, a 16oz ribeye with mashed potatoes and gravy. For me, an 8oz sirloin topped with grilled onions with roast potatoes and salad. Each plate came with little paper cups of steak sauce and butter. For sides, the mashed potato and gravy was excellent, smooth potatoes and a rich, savoury gravy. The roasted potatoes were more stewed with a light tomato sauce. I was not thrilled with the grilled onions, which had some burnt parts, but then others that were quite soggy.

As for the steaks themselves, not bad for the price. The ribeye could have been more marbled and the sirloin more rare, but overall, decent. Both The Hubby and I would have preferred a heavier hand with the salt, but a dip in the steak sauce fixed that for me. My sirloin was tender and the portions were large.

Overall, I’m not sure if I’d be back, but only because it seems like prices have gone up. If the ribeye special continues to creep up and gets to over $20 including tax and tip, I’d rather buy a steak and cook it at home.