The Korova Milkbar sits between the restaurants of Little Italy and the hallowed grungy hangouts of Bathurst and College, and sets itself apart from just about every bar in the area. It's not that the décor or drink options are spectacularly unique, in fact rather the opposite. There's no discernible style or vibe to the place, which gives it an unpretentious and rather inviting air. The magnetic poetry sets scattered across the wall are a good metaphor for the fact that a night at Korova is whatever you make of it.
Manager Brittany Crick is a self-confessed literary junkie, and named her place after the infamous establishment in Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange. Unlike that fictional bar, Crick's Korova doesn't serve opiate-laced dairy drinks, but a 750 mL bottle of Fin du Monde for $15 will get you where you need to be just as quick. If you'd like something a little smaller try their Burt Reynolds shot for $3.50, so named because, made with Captain Morgan's Rum and Butterscotch Schnapps, it has a tough exterior but a soft underside. More standard drinks include tallcans of PBR for $4.50, and bottles of Steamwhistle and Red Stripe for $4.50.
While the downstairs part of the bar is crammed with as many tables and chairs as possible and looks like a good place for an intimate evening getting sloshed with a few friends, the upstairs venue portion is another story. Active at least five nights a week, it's becoming a favourite party spot for Korova's growing clientele. Just as unassuming as downstairs, it looks as if someone's cleared their apartment of all furniture and laid a rug down at one end of the room to serve as a stage.
The setting is perfect for a crowded house party feel. Korova's booker describes the kinds of acts he books as pretty eclectic, everything from the anti-globalization music scene (whatever that is), to side projects by members of the Wooden Sky and Spiral Beach. When I stopped by they were setting up for something called a "Paranormal Groove Orgy." Alas, I did not stick around.
In addition to the upstairs venue, Korova has a third section: a small leafy patio out back that by all rights should be full every sunny afternoon of the summer months.
Having been open for three months, Crick admits she's still tinkering, and that's not a bad thing. She scrapped her martini menu because customers ordered martinis about once a week. Ditto for her brunch menu. But Korova's strengths are clearly its easiness and versatility. For quiet conversation downstairs or sweaty dance parties upstairs, it's a refreshing change to the regular College Street fare.
Additional Details
- Beers on Tap:
- Flying Monkey Amber Ale, Hoptical Illusion
- Signature Drink:
- Burt Reynolds shot
- Bar Snacks:
- None
- Patio:
- Yes
- Music/Genre:
- Indie rock
- Live Music:
- Yes
- Who Goes There:
- 20 somethings, students
- Hours:
- 7PM until 2AM daily
Discussion
17 Comments
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Nice to see some craft beer on tap!
This place looks like a bad photocopy of other bars I would never go to.
I think if you're going to name your bar Korova, it's your responsibility to make it a theme bar...or leave the name to someone who will.
La Fin Du Monde (not fin du monde) retails for about $5 at lcbo. I'd rather stay at home and drink it.
Thanks for the review, I still haven't been but have been meaning to check it out. To the guy above who would rather stay home and drink wine, fine that's totally cool, I do that a lot too; but the chances of me catching a band or meeting someone new at my house are quite slim. Thus, we go out to bars.
There's a korova in new york that's themed. http://www.korovamilkbar.com/site/photos.php
Do we really need another club in Toronto?
The Fin Du Monde is actually priced at 12.25 which isn't to bad of a markup considering it'll take you an hour to drink it.
Why would anybody drink the swill that is PBR when there are real beers on tap?
Korova is phenomenal! Woot!
Korova is phenomenal!Woot!
"La Fin Du Monde not fin du monde" is a douche
Fin Du Monde is a shit, overly sweet beer. Stocking a beer for perceived cache' alone is lame... "Its from QUEBEC guysss".... IMHO bring in something like Chimay or another Unibroue offering. Then again, people that will frequent this bar won't know the difference between Fin Du Monde and Sneaky Dee's "pitcher special"
Charles, have you even been to the milkbar? they have more than fin du monde and PBR. I'd say they probably have close to 30 different beers. at least check the place out before you dis their selection and clientele.
"I think if you're going to name your bar Korova, it's your responsibility to make it a theme bar...or leave the name to someone who will."
I second this statement. By any other name, it looks like a decent bar. Otherwise I'm not attending, out of spite.
Damn...Why would they use such a famous name, and then instantly turn people off ever going there with the very first view of such an oxymoronicaly named setting
...He says moronaly ;-p
Pfft
I don't think you people realize what would happen in a bar visually themed like a real Korova Milkbar. The look of the place would bring in a lot of wankers and coke-clubbers who have no clue about the reference, but think mannequins and white couches are super fly. I've been to KM a few times and heard pretty good things from anyone I know that's been there. The crowd and staff are usually great, which is really what makes a bar.
I'm sad to see that korovas Moloko cocktail isn't mentioned as their signature drink. basically a white russian with tequila instead of vodka. not exactly creative but still really tasty.
Everything is cheaper retail my friend. That shirt on your back that cost you $20.00, that actually cost five cents to make. Now thats a mark-up.