The Bar Towel

Was at barhop last Sunday for early afternoon lunch..brilliant,...deep fried pickles and stuffed jalapenos...omg...my falafel was huge and couldnt finish it...had Citraddiction $5 pint on Sunday and a farmhouse saison from bellwoods...my god...why have I not been here before...Always go to cest What, but I have a new fave hot spot...begin a new jon Monday at King/University so I see a lot more visits in my future

I REALLY need to get over for a lunch burger, I take it those are amazing and a deal at the mid-day price?

when i was there last week, i had the green curry mussels.
think they were $14?
two people could eat them and be full. they were great.

The mussels here are almost as good as Beer Bistro. I go on Mondays sometimes...2lbs with fries for $10!

I tend to enjoy sitting at the bar...but the place gets packed pretty fast most nights...with no space at the bar...so I've had to skip out a few times.

Back there today ...the snails on toast app was phenomenal, the burger is amazing too...tap list we all know is second to none

El Pinguino wrote: but the place gets packed pretty fast most nights...with no space at the bar...so I've had to skip out a few times.

This happens to me and my partner about every third visit, especially if we go on weekend nights. It's a great problem for them to have and I'm glad they're so successful, but I've always wondered whether expanding upstairs would be an option for them since it seems like the logical next step. I think right now it's just a house apartment that's leased out by the landlord (whoever they are).

cratez wrote:This happens to me and my partner about every third visit, especially if we go on weekend nights. It's a great problem for them to have and I'm glad they're so successful, but I've always wondered whether expanding upstairs would be an option for them since it seems like the logical next step. I think right now it's just a house apartment that's leased out by the landlord (whoever they are).

It's been interesting watching Bar Hop grow in popularity. The location certainly has helped. Lots of non-craft beer people there. I don't even bother trying to go during primetime hours.

Would be nice if Belly Buster got the boot. More patio space and I'd love a nanobrewery. Would be interesting to see what Rob, Matt and Co do for brews. Or perhaps I wonder what the legalities are of brewing off-site and serving at Bar Hop.

I've been a fan of Barhop since Day 1. It opened with great momentum, and has never looked back. Yes, it's so crowded now during prime time. I'm patient and usually get a seat at the bar.

To Lister's point, I think there are a few pretzel-logic mind-numbing rules. Maybe Mill Street's Distillery location is a good example of how to solve the pub on one side/brewery on the other? Hopefully some experts will add to this.

I do love the location...and I really enjoy the vibe. Overall I don't want them to change anything. It is usually on my way home, having been somewhere else first, that I walk in and walk out.
Otherwise I make it a habit to head over there before the work crowd / weekend dinner crowds show up.

zane9 wrote:I've been a fan of Barhop since Day 1. It opened with great momentum, and has never looked back.

let's not kid ourselves. it was a gong show for the first 3 months. kitchen was backed up. servers were literally RUNNING back and forth.
it's a much different place now than what it was before.
wish their capacity could increase by 20 seats (not much more) and that they had a real patio.
oh well.

atomeyes wrote:let's not kid ourselves. it was a gong show for the first 3 months. kitchen was backed up. servers were literally RUNNING back and forth.
it's a much different place now than what it was before.

I think Barhop wasn't prepared for the volume of business, and service was shaky at the beginning.

A few more seats would be nice, but it's fine as is. The neighbourhood itself is perfect for growth in pubs.

atomeyes wrote: it's a much different place now than what it was before.
wish their capacity could increase by 20 seats (not much more) and that they had a real patio.
oh well.

Yeah, that's my biggest complaint too. The last 3 times I have attempted to have pints there, I have been turned away at the door and told the wait time was 45 minutes +.

Seating for an additional 20 would be perfect.

i'll be honest as well: it isn't the most handsome of Toronto spaces. feels more like what I'd expect from a bar back in Winnipeg. it's dark and doesn't have much style to it.

i don't go there for the asthetics, but a freshening up would probably be a nice change.
not that they need to do that, since they're pretty packed.

atomeyes wrote:i'll be honest as well: it isn't the most handsome of Toronto spaces. feels more like what I'd expect from a bar back in Winnipeg. it's dark and doesn't have much style to it.

i don't go there for the asthetics, but a freshening up would probably be a nice change.
not that they need to do that, since they're pretty packed.

I completely disagree. Too many Toronto bars focus on style over substance, while slacking on everything else. No other T.O. beer bar nails the combo of service, food, ambience (in terms of people actually talking to each other), and beer selection the way Bar Hop does. And the prices are reasonable too. We need more places like Bar Hop - which is basically our city's version of The Long Room, The Pony Bar, The ChurchKey, etc. – and less like Bier Markt. That said, I would like to see them expand at some point.

atomeyes wrote:i'll be honest as well: it isn't the most handsome of Toronto spaces. feels more like what I'd expect from a bar back in Winnipeg. it's dark and doesn't have much style to it.

What would be your example of a handsome Toronto bar?

I rarely sit at the tables either in the front or back preferring the bar and I like that space. Feels comfortable to me.