The Owl of Minerva in Pickering

A hidden gem in Pickering.

Great and solid Korean food! Yummy! Pork Chops are amazing, Chicken soup are very close to home and staff is so so nice! 10/10

Amazing Experience OwlPickering offers exceptional service and a warm, inviting atmosphere. The staff is attentive, and everything is thoughtfully prepared. Highly recommended for a memorable visit! Food

Wonderful Service A huge thank you to Jay, the manager at Owlof Minerva Pickering, for the outstanding service and care. The experience was delightful, and every detail was handled perfectly. Highly appreciated and highly recommended! Food

We come to this restaurant at least once a week. Best Korean food in the city! Manager Jay outstanding customer service and the whole staff.

Amazing Food and Amazing Service

Not good food, especially compared to the numerous korean restaurants I have eaten in Toronto and around the world. I knew it was not good and I knew not to trust the good reviews here, they probably do not know good and authentic Korean food. The Bulgogi soup, the beef was chewy and the soup was meh! The Kamjatang was not good either! I have eaten in another Minerva restaurants, and it was also meh so this is my last time in this chain of restaurant. I was craving for Korean food to tonight and in our area this was just one of two Korean ones, probably should have tried the other! Serves me right to give in to my cravings! The place s atmosphere was also bland like their food, it has a cafeteria atmosphere, unlike other Korean restaurants, where you can feel the authenticity. The service was meh as well. I saw customers leaving and they said their thank yous, and the owner or staff did not even acknowledge them. And they also have the gall to ask for a service tip even if it is for take-out, I mean it is prevalent nowadays but there are some places that do not do this egregious custom, which is commendable.

Manager is not respectful

The whole family went to this restaurant at about 6 oclock tonight. After sitting down and ordering pork bone soup, the boss said that it was sold out. I couldnt believe it.

The restaurant specializing in pork bone soup does not sell pork bone soup. This restaurant needs the chain store headquarters to investigate this deceptive behavior. I wasted time and money on this trip. I will never eat at this chain restaurant again.

The food here is always good and consistent. Been here many times now, its got to be the cleanest and best managed location. Giving them a 1 star, its my 3rd time this month coming here 1 minute past 9pm (9:01 pm). They close at 9:30 yet they refuse to take my order. Put a sign up or something. Why put your hours on google and your front door that you close at 9:30pm? Perhaps its always the one male waiter with a blue jays hat, all 3 occasions was with him.

AMAZING BIBIMBAP!!!!!

I cant believe its been over a year since I introduced my cousins to Korean cuisine at The Famous Owl of Minerva in Pickering. They really enjoyed it so were back again, this time introducing another cousin to this wonderfully delicious food. Of course, we had to have the KamJaTang Jeongol, a deluxe family sized version of Korean Pork Bone Soup, served in a large pot, complete with a gas burner to keep it hot. It was a beautiful presentation and very delicious. Great start! Our next dish was the Dolsot BiBimBap, a beef dish with vegetables, topped with a fried egg and served over rice in a hot stone bowl. Delicious! LA Kalbi, thinly sliced beef ribs served sizzling on a hot plate was next. This is one of my favourites and we had to order a large platter. A winner every time! Its hard to resist a good fried chicken, especially when its the ultra crispy and boneless Korean Fried Chicken, aka KFC. We had a combo with two flavours - Soy Garlic and Honey Garlic Butter Chicken. They were both excellent! Not to be forgotten, the complimentary sides of kimchi, bean sprouts, pickled radishes, and zucchini were the perfect complements to these dishes. We also enjoyed some aloe vera fruit drinks that were very refreshing. The food and service at this Pickering establishment never disappoints! Theyre always very friendly, polite, yet professional, making us feel very welcomed. Thank you! ----------------------------- 2020 There are few things more comforting than a good bowl of soup. Korean Pork Bone Soup is one of my favourites. The recently opened Owl of Minerva in Pickering does a very good version and this was my first time being able to enjoy it seated at their location. Ive had takeout before but I think I prefer having this dish on location. Yummy!

Great little spot with excellent food and service.

Tasty and reliable as always. But, a bit too salty on the squid bokkeum.

Good food, good service

Cant do much better than Owl of Minerva for Korean food.

Big portion and delicious food,we will be back! Parking: Kingston road and Liverpool Food : 5/5 |

The place inside had a run down look. I was told that the original restaurant was very good. Sadly, the taste of the food was way below par for Korean cuisine. The young man who served us was quick to respond, for which I gave the establishment 2 stars.

When they just opened a few years ago it was ok price, service and quality of the food was good BUT, they increased their prices way too much. As I m Korean, my personal opinion is that the food really isn t that fresh and not nearly good enough to justify the cost. Lots of MSG. Definitely not worth with the ridiculous price. I would rather drive downtown or to North York for Korean food.

Soupiest jap chae I have ever had.

This restaurant has become my go-to comfort food spot with my boyfriend. We always order their gamjatang, and it never disappoints. The atmosphere here is fantastic, with a vibe that almost feels like being in a Korean drama its charming and cozy. The staff is friendly, and the overall experience is always enjoyable. This place has quickly become my favorite spot to eat, and I highly recommend it for anyone craving delicious Korean food in a welcoming setting.

Pork bone soup is good! Spicy and tasty! Dont need to travel to north York for a pork bone soup.. come to Pickering if you live on east side! Vegetarian options: Tofu soup! Or you can always request meat to be removed! Parking: After the meal why not enjoy Tim Hortons which is beside the restaurant and parking is plenty available!

Be sure to help after passing by!

Best restaurant in Pickering

Always delicious. Staff and kitchen moves quick when dining in and take out. I personally love the chicken dubap and the kimchi pancake.

It was a very enjoyable experience. I had a chicken dish from the lunch menu. I will be visiting again and you should too.

I m a fan of the original Owl location and this location lives up to the name. I have been to this location multiple times, the service is always fantastic and the food is incredible. The pork bone soup is the must try but the Korean friend chicken is also a great choice, it s crispy and very flavourful, even though is boneless and skinless.

Absolutely amazing food, with fantastic price to portion ratio. For a little over $20 each me and my girlfriend walked out of Owl absolutely stuffed with excellent Korean food. The service was also very quick and the server was very kind. Absolutely will go again!

The special soy garlic chicken is the best. You can choose from three different tastes.

Authentic Korean food, very delicious

So fun. So many side dishes! Yummy!!!

The food was so delicious. There are people who have never been there, but I dont think there are people who have been there just once. Business has no choice but to go well. Thank you~

Not only does this restaurant have good food, but the staff is also very friendly. Above all, the food is made with sincere and high-quality food, so the taste is the best !! I would like to visit again. I highly recommend it

Im pretty sure the donkatsu I ordered was not fresh. the breading was hard as a rock and the meat was mushy....disappointing..wont be surprised that my palate is bleeding after the meal

Fantastic! Korean fried chicken, bibimbap, gyoza, everything great and authentic. Service was great, what more can you ask for? Authentic and portions are large. Already thinking of our next visit.

It s the best soondub I got in Toronto

The Korean food served here is delicious and authentic. The kimchi was incredibly fresh and bursting with flavour. The staff was even generous enough to give me a small sample to try out. Overall, I appreciate the hospitality and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for an exceptional dining experience.

You need better customer service, the location in Guelph would let me substitute the kimchi and cucumbers for another small container of rice(way cheaper than vegetables) for the same price and she wouldnt even ask to see if they could. So use logic.. youd literally save money if you gave me white rice instead of vegetables. That is why I wont ever go here again. Lost a weekly customer. But flavour is lit!

It was the best Gamjatang I ve ever had in Toronto. Even Kimchi was very authentic. Its the most delicious gamjatang Ive had in Toronto. I was impressed that the cabbage kimchi came in a size that I could tear and eat. Seokbakji is a soup restaurant style, so I thought of Korea while eating it. Boss, please keep it running for a long time.

Authentic Korean food, very tasty and comforting

Went to the Pickering location for some good Korean food. The ban chan was good. Kim chi was a bit spicy but overall it was a great dinner. Ordered dukbokgi again which didnt come with an egg. Apparently the menu has changed slightly since last visit.

Used to love those place but ordered Dak chul Pan and Kim chi fried rice yesterday was bland and a bit funny and sure enough had diarrhea today. The quality has dropped consistently and yesterday was the lowest.

I like it

We were happy to enjoy some Korean food near by, and we were able to visit this place a couple of times and everything was delicious. However, last Sunday when we ordered take-outs, the soup tasted different than normally in store. It tasted sour and we thought it was just because the container. Me and my husband finished it and my son didn t eat it .Both my husband and I suffered from diarrhea through Monday and Tuesday, and unsurprisingly, my son was fine. We suspect the take-outs were different than the in-store foods, or it has been sitting in the kitchen for days. Anyhow, I don t think I would ever eat food from this place again, or at least never order take-outs from here.

Best pork bone soup

One of the best Korean place in Durham region. Food is best of my liking. Quick and reasonable price for the quantity .

Amazing flavorful food! Loved every taste of it. I was so glad I dropped by.

Best Korean food in Durham. Were regulars, great food. Ive been trying many different options in the menu, and service is fast extra friendly.

Food is good

Pork bone soup as good as in any other branch. Parking always available. Ted was great. He brought me extra bones.

Excellent food and service. Loved the taste of the food and the staffs are very friendly.

Seriously the food here is better than ... well lets just keep it PG. The fried chicken will bless your soul.

First time on this place, super clean, really nice and fast service. We tried some soup and they were super tasty, we will back to try more from the menu. 100% recommended.

Parking: Came early, place is popular. Food

Pro s: - The banchan (side dishes) tasted really fresh and the food was up to par; maybe almost better than the North York location - Overall, since it s newly built and renovated, it seemed more welcoming compared to the other locations I ve been to. - Had the Gamjatang ( : Pork bone soup), along with Soondae ( ); see pictures - Parking - Accept all payment methods: cash, debit credit FYI: It s for now 10% off with cash, for pick up orders (not dine in). Overall, it s good to see (Owl of Minerva) to extend its locations as far east as Pickering!

The pork Donkatsu sounds delicious, with a crispy exterior and tender meat. The rice portion may have been small, but the generous serving of meat more than made up for it. The added bonus of a second layer of meat adds to the overall appeal of the dish.

Great food and service. We would be coming back more often. Customer service was exceptional. Thank you

The best KAM JATANG and the most I like here was the perilla seeds on it. Affordable and Delicious food only in Durham region. Definitely will come back and refer to our friends.

I dont get the high reviews as wasnt impressed with the food and even less by cafeteria like atmosphere

Probably best owl franchise store ive been to. Food tasted fresh and had good amount. Place was also very clean and spatious. Could be cause the store is new

Ordered takeaway soup and it was delicious, owners and staff were very kind

Amazing food, very quick service! The food comes out hot and tastes delicious! We ordered a bunch of different things and shared it among the table, definitely recommend doing the same to get the best experience of the food.

I ordered gamjatang from this place at least over 10 times, and this is the first time they cooked the meat, but the inside was just completely raw and inedible. The soup, rice and potato were fine, but the meat was only cooked on the outside and the inside was raw, and my whole family was disappointed.

It seems to be the most delicious among the branches of Owl Korean Restaurant. The carefully cooked pork bone soup is especially delicious! The sweet and spicy fried chicken wings & garlic fried chicken wings are also a must-have! Paired with ice-cold beer, this is the taste of My Love from the Star Jun Ji-hyun~

Their Korean food tastes very authentic and delicious, and the fragrant pork bone soup is very enjoyable. I will bring friends around to go there again!

Pork Bone soup and fried chicken are really good, will come back again

I Love this place. We are so many times eating here. Food is fresh and amazing.

My favorite Korean food, their pork bone soup and fried chicken are delicious, I will go there again next time

Came across this restaurant searching for good Korean restaurants. The reviews were pretty consistent so decided to check it out. Was. Not. Disappointed. At. All! The food was very reasonably priced and the portions were pretty decent. But the flavours....on point for every dish we had. From the Gyoza to the Dakchulpan... everything was amazing. Staff were so friendly and attentive, it was a nice cozy atmosphere to enjoy a tasty meal. Definitely would recommend as a dinner option.

This is my go to place for Korean food in Durham. The food portion is very good and the taste is very authentic.

Placed a pick up order, phone service was great and my order was ready to hand to me as I walked in. Pricing is very expensive for basically fried chicken though, wouldnt go here again.

Great place

We were a party of 8 and the staff were attentive and accommodating even though a few of our party were late. They accommodated our request for less spicy dishes for the kids, and most of our meals came out at the same time.

The food was so fresh & delicious! I m definitely coming back!

Food was fantastic

Arrived past noon and there was plenty of seating so we were able to get a table right away. We ordered the Sunday special - Gamja Tang aka pork bone broth, bimbimbap, Korean Fried Chicken - Yangnyeom, & Bulgogi DupBap. Everything tasted great. The fried chicken is superb and to think it s skinless and boneless too. A hit with the whole family. By the time we were ready to leave, the restaurant was full and with only two servers in the front, it made it hard to get their attention. But the servers were friendly and work hard to take care of everyone. Worth coming back here when I am in the mood for Korean food or fried chicken!

Very delicious

Right when I saw that yellow sign I knew this was going to be a solid restaurant. The service although suffered from a bit of a language barrier was nonetheless not only fast - but went above and beyond. The food came out quick, and in large servings. Food was solid, drink was solid, seating was solid. The only reason I didnt give this five stars is because some of the pricing I found a bit expensive compared to competition. Will be back!

Great tasty food, good sized portions, and service with a smile. Will definitely be back to the Pickering location!

Pork Bone Soup is Very Delicious! !!

Delicious food, super friendly staff!! Don Katsu fish and their delicious Korean fried chicken in the honey butter sauce. Delicious!!!!! Food

Really authentic and awesome Korean food.

Love the pork bone soup and side dishes.

Always five stars here!

This place is beyond bussin, the food is crazy flavorful and u get a huge portion. The service was friendly and quick. Ill be going back to this place soon for sure.

Always Tasty. We are on a mission to try every menu item at this restaurant. Always consistent with taste and flavor. Thank You

Very good food ! Our favorite is the soy garlic chicken. Good service as well.

Food quality is ok. Service needs to be improved.

Wonderful experience! Amazing food. Great service. Daily specials are a nice touch! Prices are a bit high for Pickering location. Be prepared to spend a lot because everything is so delicious! Gets busy. Will return for sure.

Absolutely fantastic atmosphere, service and food. ONE OF A KIND!!! HIGHLY recommend!

First time going here and it was absolutely awesome! The waitress was attentive and kind. The food was delicious!

Beef Short Ribs and Korean Chicken is AAA+

Legit bibimbap and korean fried chicken!

Ordered Bibimbop for takeout. Staff was really friendly, but the food was just awful. Everything but the rice was cold. Not lukewarm, cold. The main ingredients came in what looked like a microwavable dinner meal, and the top seal was impossible to take off. Next morning woke up feeling like I had mild food poisoning.

One of the nicest Korean places (I have personally been to the young street one and the one in Pickering - the young street branch can get quite busy ) - spicy pork with steamed rice - ammmmazing

Food was great, Not many good Korean spots in Durham but this place always hits the spot!

We ordered takeout online from Owl of Minerva in Pickering. Firstly, there were some sides that were missing from our order. The food also gave my husband and I food poisoning. The service was subpar, as the online discount was not honoured. They said that we needed to call in to get the discount, but it didnt say anything of that nature online when we ordered.

First time going to this location, excellent service, good food, will come back for sure

Great location, off highway, near Pickering Go Station and Pickering Town Center. 5% cash discount. Take out and dine in available. LLBO 20% off daily specials. Opens 10am-11pm. Same great taste, bold flavours. Good service.

The best place to get Korean food

Quite frankly the beat owl location, their spicy bulgogi and spicy chicken absolutely amazing

Always a solid Korean spot. Favourite dish is Jeyukbokeum. Their spicy pork is the bestttttt

Amazing food! The pork bone soup and kimchi jjigae are great if you like spicy food! The bulgogi and LA galbi are great for those who dont. Ive only had takeout but the service seems good.

The best fried chicken I have ever had (The single portion is to much food for one person thought) Food

The best comfort food. Good staff and SUPER CLEAN restaurant

Delicious good, their squid and rib plates are the best. their bibimbap is also really good.

Great way to introduce myself to Korean food. Loved the little dishes they brought to the table. The cucumbers were amazing.

Good dishes we ordered . Server abit rude. Food

best korean food in GTA!

This place serves small dishes of kimchi and other pickled vegetables along with its main dishes. Always freshly made and piping hot. They table top hot pot for one as well as ones you can share. They have Korean fried chicken. I usually only get one dish, since the portions are large and hearty. The portions are always larger than expected. They are licensed. They also serve tea. This is the only Korean Restaurant in Pickering - so this is a good option to something new.

Good food if u like spicy food. Good service. Reccomend katsu or pork bone soup. Parking: Small lot

They forcing us to order more. They said atleast 8.99 each person should order. I went there with my brother together with my mom (senior) and my daughter which only 11 years old. I order 2 porkbone soup and 2 xtra rice. We decided to leave the restaurant because we forcing us to order more. Why will i order the food that we cannot able to finish?????

Love the food

I had the spicy beef bulgogi. The flavor was good and it was nice to be offered some kimchi and cucumber salad. Service was quick. The restaurant could really use some upgrades.

Its fun to enjoy beer in a small glass (^^) You can enjoy everything from refreshing to heavy beers.

Great food great crew pricing is also very good

It was easy to find this place. I always pass by on Kingston, and it is pretty easy to get into the plaza as well. The food was amazing, and what I was really amused about was how the food was sealed. It was very new to me. And I absolutely loved the napa cabbage and radish kimchi side dishes they served additionally. Will come back again to try more dishes. And i highly recommend trying their jajangmyeon (black bean noodles), and if you end up with too much sauce, you can always mix in some rice and a sunny side egg to clean it all up :) ---------------------------- Edit : may 28th 2023 This was my first time eating at the restaurant, and Ive always gotten takeout. I love that they brought this here. Its one of the few korean restaurants in Durham. I believe I got their pork bone gamja Tang, and I was obsessed. They gave me so many sides that I loved them all. The shrimp was my favorite, too. Overall, i felt really welcomed as a solo diner (there were other solo diners). I came in so around lunch on a Sunday, and it wasnt busy until after I got seated, so expect a wait when you do go. Parking: It is a small parking lot but it doesnt get too busy as there are a few stores around. There is free street parking by the residential area as well if you look, but I expect a bit of walking. Wheelchair accessibility: It is a narrow store to get, and there is a curb as well to get over. I would recommend calling them to see if they can accommodate comfortably for you.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this Korean restaurant. Ive been to many and the food here was great! It started to get busy on a Friday evening so the staff were very busy but they were very friendly. Im looking forward to going there again.

First time eating from here and I order thru Ubereats, I had the kimchi fried rice and I received burnt rice. It smelled like the end of the pot. No season no flavour very disappointing.

The fried chicken is good!

Good food...

I was very happy that there is finally some Asian food options in Pickering and over the past 2 years I have been visiting and ordered my favourite bibimbap. Every single time I have diarrhea and vomiting and food poisoning symptoms. Durham public collected samples from me and confirmed to me they have findings that the restaurant didn t wash their veggies properly. So now fast forward to 2 years later, I decided to give it a try again. We ordered a seafood pancake and a tofu soup. OMG. The seafood pancake was delivered to my table burnt, and the tofu soup was super salty that I have to add half bottle of cold water to dilute it out. They refuse to do anything. Sorry I will never come to this place again.

Do not recommend going here anymore, their food quality control went down the drain since covid, soups were really salty and the 2 sharable snacks we ordered came pretty burnt, only plus is that they have more servers now and that service has improved a bit

Good Food, Good Service.!!! We ll be back.

This is our go-to Korean restaurant in the Pickering area. Been here multiple times & our experience has been really good every time! The service is quick and everything we ate was delicious. The sides are really tasty and my favourite dish is the squid in a sizzling platter. The korean fried chicken is also good, although I wouldn t come here for the chicken, but rather to eat other Korean dishes.

Great service. Amazing food. First time. Will be back for sure!

Food is great!!

Awesome food!!!!!!

Much more quiet/family oriented than the Koreatown/Toronto location. Same amazing taste! Pork bone soup and fried chicken dishes were fantastic!

If you are ever in the Pickering and Durham area, you wont want to miss out on classic homestyle Korean cuisine with the famous Owl of Pickering! Since expanding their reach to the Durham region, OWL continues to hit on all the marks with the classic dishes such Gamjatang (Pork Bone Soup), Seafood Pancake, Jajangmyeon, LA Kalbi and table cooking stews! Whether its a meal for yourself, or with friends and family, you will feel like home with the amazing service and hospitality at Owl Pickering!

Take out: Kalguksu tasted awful and the chicken smelled so badly to the point that I couldnt eat the chicken and soup. Gamjatang was on average according to what my husband said. I thought about not leaving a review several times, but it seemed like it wasnt the right time, so Im leaving a review. As a Korean, it was a strange kalguksu that I had never seen or tasted. The chicken smell was so bad that I couldnt eat the chicken and threw it away. Of course I couldnt eat the soup and barely ate the noodles... I think I ate half of the noodles... I cant eat pork or beef and since I moved far to the east, there were no Korean restaurants nearby, so I chose the nearby Pickering Owl. Should I think its my fault for ordering kalguksu at Owl? Honestly, it was a very disappointing lunch.

Great pork bone soup! Staff are attentive and service quick!

This is very good food! Gamsahabnida!

Cheap, low quality garbage: they say the apple doesn t fall far from the tree, just like Kia & Hyundai, this place is another house of horrors by the Koreans! Found a large piece of cardboard in my soup . looks like the North Koreans finally got to them

Good