The Bar Towel

JerCraigs wrote:I for one welcome our new restaurant overlords!

** WHAT?**

Simpsons reference, but it doesn't quite work... it seemed funnier at the time

JerCraigs wrote:Simpsons reference, but it doesn't quite work... it seemed funnier at the time

i think he's still making reference to the noise level at bb

Ahh!

One of my top two favourite beer pubs in TO. I've been there many times. The biggest and best international bottle selection in the city in my experience. Great food options too. Very nice contemporary atmosphere. Live jazz some nights. Staff that really knows their products; I often select based on their advice. Friendly, and often busy.

Last time I was there the soft pretzel was a very nice light snack with drinks. Ended up ordering another one. Got into the cantillon for the first time as well.

So...anyone else bene to Beer Bistor lately?
It's still my overall favourite palce for beer + food.
However, when I visited recently I was a bit surprised by a few things:
1 - a beer was lined out with black marker on their menu, something I've never seen them do before and tends to be common at cheaper bars.
2 - related to that, a number of other beers were not available, such as Rochefort 10 and 8.
3 - it was a Saturday night...yet I didn't recognize a single bartender or employee in there aside from the new manager guy that appeared after BB was sold.

It was still a great time and I'll be back next week to hopefully have a more familiar experience...I just hope it's not a sign of things changing.

We delivered Rochefort 8 and 10 yesterday.

El Pinguino wrote:So...anyone else bene to Beer Bistor lately?
It's still my overall favourite palce for beer + food.
However, when I visited recently I was a bit surprised by a few things:
1 - a beer was lined out with black marker on their menu, something I've never seen them do before and tends to be common at cheaper bars.
2 - related to that, a number of other beers were not available, such as Rochefort 10 and 8.
3 - it was a Saturday night...yet I didn't recognize a single bartender or employee in there aside from the new manager guy that appeared after BB was sold.

It was still a great time and I'll be back next week to hopefully have a more familiar experience...I just hope it's not a sign of things changing.

In fairness #1 and #3 aren't that concerning, and it appears the Rocheforts are back in stock. IMO beerbistro has improved dramatically in the last several months; whether it's due to the new ownership I'm not sure. I've just noticed that it's a lot more welcoming and less pretentious than a few years ago. Plus they've re-stocked a shit ton of fresh and awesome U.S. bottles and Dave the bartender is a first-rate server. The place has gone from being completely off my radar to one of my favourite spots in the city.

I've heard the former owners of Beer Bistro have opened Craft Dogs located at King and Church

shrike wrote:I've heard the former owners of Beer Bistro have opened Craft Dogs located at King and Church

http://www.bartowel.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=9021

beerbistro is/was a standout, food wise good if you order the right thing - they were Mike Schatzel's inspiration for Blue Monk in Elmwood Village, Buffalo, NY (who of course have a thousand times better draught menu because it's 'Merica.)

I will have to go and make sure bb is still cranking out a mean Kobe taco. The beerbistro experience is really worth the visit.

That's interesting about the Blue Monk, I didn't know that. Very different vibe in there, much more blue collar. I suppose it would have to be, since it caters to whatever it is people from Buffalo do instead of financial douches like me.

squeaky wrote:That's interesting about the Blue Monk, I didn't know that. Very different vibe in there, much more blue collar. I suppose it would have to be, since it caters to whatever it is people from Buffalo do instead of financial douches like me.

Well it's sure not Bay Street and neither is Elmwood - it's students and academics and mysteriously self-suffucuent people who have money god-knows-how to live there in those huge, nice houses. Absolutely stunning area, what would you do for a living.
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Haven't been to beer bistro in quite a while, but going with some friends for a session later this week. Anything new and exciting here? One observation, from the online draught menu, is that there aren't any "sessionable" beers on offer -- nothing under 5%, and most well above. Two Shillow beers on tap, which look interesting. Anyone have any comments on them?

EDIT: sorry, one beer under 5% on the menu, a Berliner Weisse, but not my thing, especially for a session.

midlife crisis wrote:Haven't been to beer bistro in quite a while, but going with some friends for a session later this week. Anything new and exciting here? One observation, from the online draught menu, is that there aren't any "sessionable" beers on offer -- nothing under 5%, and most well above. Two Shillow beers on tap, which look interesting. Anyone have any comments on them?

EDIT: sorry, one beer under 5% on the menu, a Berliner Weisse, but not my thing, especially for a session.

With a few exceptions, the bottle list is now current and former LCBO listings and the draft list is nothing special compared to Bar Hop, Volo, Only, Craft, etc. Nice to see Lagunitas and Arrogant Bastard on tap, and their house beers are okay, but overall the beer lineup is a shadow of its former self. For sessionable stuff, it looks like Urquell and the Berliner Weisse are your only options. I don't remember any notable session beers being on last time I was there (early October).