Looking for the original Bar Towel blog? You can find it at www.thebartowel.com.

We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.

Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!

King Taps - First Canadian Place

Discuss Ontario's brewpubs, pubs, beer bars and restaurants here.

Moderators: Craig, Cass

Quotashun
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:38 am
Location: Toronto

Post by Quotashun »

El Pinguino wrote:
Quotashun wrote:I've been a couple times now (once on Saturday and again last night). Super young staff with little to no beer knowledge (they're at least friendly and the service is on point), solid tap list and pretty good food.

As a sports fan, I'm a bit of a sucker for places like this and The Craft Brasserie. They're pretty much the only places with solid, big tap lists in the city where you can also catch the game and get a decent bite of food (as far as I know).
I like Craft Brasserie and am going to check out King Taps today. You could add Loose Moose to your "sports bar with lots of craft beer" list.
Good call, forgot about Loose Moose.

User avatar
screw2000
Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Formerly GTA, now HRM!

Post by screw2000 »

So I've visited twice now. A few random thoughts:

1. Two distinct crowds: the expected Financial District after-work crowd during the week (peak obnoxion and long lines on Thursday), and a decidedly younger crowd on Saturdays.

2. Tap list is solid. Will be interesting if they can maintain a good rotating roster in the long run.

3. Haven't done a deep dive into the food (only had apps on the first visit), but what I had was decent.

4. Pricing is fine given the area, but if you're one of those folks who have an issue with shrinking serving sizes, you're not going to be happy (lots of 14oz skinny glasses, even on mainstream beers).

5. Low ceiling + hard surfaces = this place gets LOUD when full.

Anyone know who the financial backers are? Girl from out west thought it was one of the big Vancouver players. I haven't been able to find anything.

Quotashun
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:38 am
Location: Toronto

Post by Quotashun »

screw2000 wrote: Anyone know who the financial backers are? Girl from out west thought it was one of the big Vancouver players. I haven't been able to find anything.
Whoever owns The Cactus Club, apparently.

midlife crisis
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2009
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by midlife crisis »

screw2000 wrote: 4. Pricing is fine given the area, but if you're one of those folks who have an issue with shrinking serving sizes, you're not going to be happy (lots of 14oz skinny glasses, even on mainstream beers).g.
I HATE this. Especially when the glasses are shaped like traditional 20 oz. Nonic pints - do they think we're too stupid to notice the difference? I was very disappointed when a couple of Toronto's most beloved beer bars adopted these. I'd much rather pay the going rate for a proper pint, whatever it is, or buy a half if that is all I can afford. But I guess no one wants to be the first to breach the psychological barrier of the $10 pint.

User avatar
cratez
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2284
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:29 pm
Location: Brantford, Ontario
Contact:

Post by cratez »

Nothing to see here, folks. Visited in late July and had a very underwhelming experience. Was greeted by 4 grimacing bouncers at the doors before walking into a 20-something club-like atmosphere with excruciatingly loud music. Only tap that caught my attention was an APA collab between the bar and Muskoka and it was sub-par (earthy and grassy with some diacetyl). The bar was packed with students and young singles, most of whom were dressed for the club. So I stood out badly with my beer t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Didn't try the food because eating at a club is the most awkward thing ever. I would not be surprised to see a dance floor introduced here in the near future. Doubtful that I would return as there are much better places to enjoy a pint in T.O. and the tap list wasn't even close to what was posted online.
"Bar people do not live as long as vegan joggers. However, they have more fun." - Bruce Elliott

jrenihan
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:36 am

Post by jrenihan »

I have to disagree- sort of. You are right about the vibe, but for its location, this place is great. The tap list is very good (you have to watch for the "seasonal" or "rotating" menu, which is large and features some very good things) and there is nothing remotely comparable in the immediate area. It is certainly a far better tap list than Beer Bistro. Obviously, this place is not aiming to cater primarily to beer geeks. But if you work in the area (as I do), it is a pretty excellent addition.
Ren

midlife crisis
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2009
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by midlife crisis »

And we will soon also have the Craft place at Yonge + Adelaide. 120 taps! :o

Plus I guess the Donnelly's pub in Commerce Court. We shall see.

User avatar
Gedge
Bar Fly
Posts: 890
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:19 pm
Location: Dementia Five

Post by Gedge »

Agree that this place is a haven for douchebros. However, if you go on Sunday the rotating taps are $5 which is basically half the taps on offer. When I was in one of those taps was Jelly King. And the pizza wasn't half bad.

As for the small pints - how are these guys any worse than Godspeed charging $6.25 for a 13 oz pour? Seems more and more the norm in the "elevated" beer bars in town.

User avatar
cratez
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2284
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:29 pm
Location: Brantford, Ontario
Contact:

Post by cratez »

jrenihan wrote:The tap list is very good (you have to watch for the "seasonal" or "rotating" menu, which is large and features some very good things)

I did not see any such menu. Just noticed that at least 10 of the taps I was looking for weren't on the beer menu that was given to me by the bartender. If there were interesting rotators on, and I missed them because I was looking at the "wrong" / regular menu, then I guess that is my bad (?). But the tap list I saw was very pedestrian.
jrenihan wrote:Obviously, this place is not aiming to cater primarily to beer geeks. But if you work in the area (as I do), it is a pretty excellent addition.
It could be that the atmosphere is entirely different on a Tuesday at 5pm, and maybe more in my wheelhouse at that time. But the vibe at 9ish on a Saturday reminded me of the piss-up bars/clubs I went to when I was 20, where people would drink 10 beers before arriving. Not my scene nowadays.
"Bar people do not live as long as vegan joggers. However, they have more fun." - Bruce Elliott

jrenihan
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:36 am

Post by jrenihan »

jrenihan wrote:The tap list is very good (you have to watch for the "seasonal" or "rotating" menu, which is large and features some very good things)

I did not see any such menu. Just noticed that at least 10 of the taps I was looking for weren't on the beer menu that was given to me by the bartender. If there were interesting rotators on, and I missed them because I was looking at the "wrong" / regular menu, then I guess that is my bad (?). But the tap list I saw was very pedestrian. [/quote]

The way they do things is sort of silly and it is easy to miss the second beer menu. The first time I went in I didn't see it (and it was not handed to me), and I had a similar view as you regarding the list (although, for the vicinity, it is still good). But the rotating list is long and gets legitimately good stuff. Last time I was in, there were 2 or 3 dry-hopped sours, a Brett IPA from Dunham and generally a good assortment of beers from a variety of local craft breweries. It's not Bar Hop, but it is hard to complain about the lineup - once you find the full list!

cratez wrote: It could be that the atmosphere is entirely different on a Tuesday at 5pm, and maybe more in my wheelhouse at that time. But the vibe at 9ish on a Saturday reminded me of the piss-up bars/clubs I went to when I was 20, where people would drink 10 beers before arriving. Not my scene nowadays.
I hear you on that. The vibe is better than that during the week, but still not good or what you or I are (or probably anybody on this website) are looking for. But I don't view King Taps as a destination that I would actively choose to make a trip to go to. Rather, it's a "what's a close spot to grab a quick beer" place. And it works really well in that regard.
Ren

midlife crisis
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2009
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by midlife crisis »

So how do you access the secret rotating list? I have not seen it either.

jrenihan
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:36 am

Post by jrenihan »

It's just randomly distributed on tables/the bar on a different menu. It's not secret, just poorly advertised. I have no idea why they fail to bring it to people's attention or why it is not automatically included in the menu items provided when you sit down.
Ren

midlife crisis
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2009
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by midlife crisis »

Thanks - will make sure I get one next time.

User avatar
lister
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2071
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:33 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by lister »

I've been to King Taps three times. All on Sundays. The second and third times were to use promotional $25 "gift cards" that were mailed out. I had six to use, due to recycle bin "diving", so brought friends.

Two Sundays were in the afternoon and one was late night on the August long weekend.

The rotating (and regular list beers) are better than I thought they would be. Sizes suck. $5 Sunday rotating taps is still a pretty good deal.

The food has been okay. Pizzas are rather salty and I like salt.

The Sunday afternoon crowds and noise weren't too bad. That late Sunday was effectively a late Saturday night due to the holiday so there were far more people and far more noise.

Recorded music levels on a Sunday afternoon were good. Music selection varied. Live music levels varied. The DJ was far too loud. The live band was relatively fine. Why live music has to crank the volume is beyond me. "Yes, yes, we can hear you well enough, thank you!"

I may occasionally go again on Sundays. It's tough though when I live near both Bar Hops and Wvrst.
lister

Post Reply