Mhel

What is Mhel? Located on a quiet residential stretch just off Bloor at 276 Havelock Street, Mhel is a 30-seat Korean-Japanese snack bar founded by husband-and-wife duo Young Hoon Ji and Seung-Min Yi. The warmly lit room revolves around a 12-seat counter overlooking the open hearth where Ji works the grill, flanked by a handful of minimalist wood tables. Named after the Jeju dialect term for anchovy, the dining room pairs relaxed izakaya energy with meticulous craft.

Mhel Menu & What to Order The blackboard menu rotates daily based on local market finds and pristine imports like koshihikari rice and cold-pressed sesame oil. Standouts regularly feature Hoon's saikyoyaki trout rice, charcoal-grilled kanpachi accented with fermented black bean and umeboshi, crisp shredded burdock root, and dashi-bathed seasonal agebitashi. Min Yi curates a sharp selection of rare artisanal sake to wash down the savoury fare, while the silken Japanese purin provides an essential sweet finish.

Know Before You Go Reservations are available through Resy with strict dining windows (1 hour 45 minutes for pairs), though a small allocation of counter stools is held for prompt walk-ins right at 5:30 p.m. The room fills up rapidly and runs loud and energetic through the evening. Located between Ossington and Dufferin subway stations, transit is your best bet as residential street parking is scarce.