Best of Toronto
The Best Pubs in Toronto
The best pubs in Toronto evoke the kind of everybody-knows-your-name ambiance television has taught us to expect from our neighbourhood gin joints. They're warm, inviting places where - even if you're not a regular - you'll be welcomed by a friendly bar(wo)man and served a hearty meal.
They're the places where fiery political debate mixes with goofy personal banter. Where rows of barstools sit occupied from open until closed everyday by the same know-it-alls who you'd despise if they weren't so entertaining.
For the most part these are small places, quaint and fiercely independent with a small staff that the clientele know by name. This is what makes them great. Sure, these places all have respectable menus, and they should be applauded for them. But where it counts, the reason these places really resonate, is the atmosphere created by the people working the bar.
Here are the best pubs in Toronto.
See also:
The best Irish pubs in Toronto
Note: This list was previously published on May 29th, 2008. Venues that were on the original list but did not make the cut for this one include Fynn's of Temple, A Dark Horse, Mill St. Brew Pub, Brazen Head, Pauper's Pub and The Longest Yard. Comments below made up until January 11, 2011 are in reference to the old list. We've purposely kept the archived comments here because we believe they (mostly) add value to this topic. If you don't want to have to wade through all of them, simply hit the "sort by newest first" link at the top of the thread.
Victory Cafe
The Vic has been a Mirvish Village staple for more than a generation. During the summer months this patio is a primo people watching destination and the perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon. But not to be overlooked is the upstairs space for live music, poetry readings and all sorts of bohemian offerings. More »
The Local
This Roncesvalles pub walks the perfect line between divey eclecticism and classy gastro-pub. The menu here is sublime, featuring everything you’d expect from fish and chips to burgers. Best is the Irish stew paired with one of their rotating taps of local craft beer. More »
Betty's
One way to tell a great pub is by its regulars. On any given day you can walk into Betty’s on King Street E. and you’ll find the peanut gallery perched by the window, a row of dudes giving the staff a hard time like they own the place - like a tipsy welcoming committee. More »
The Queen and Beaver
The Queen and Beaver is a pub in a class all its own. This large multi-room gastro-pub offers traditional English pub fare done upscale. It brings to mind images of a private English hunting lodge in the countryside. Fitting for a menu that boasts the likes of rabbit and potato pie or pheasant and white sausage with date-whiskey sauce. More »
The House on Parliament
It can be tough at times to find a seat at this Cabbagetown institution, but a little patience pays off in spades. The food – try the pulled pork sandwich – is magnificent and the clientele is as eclectic as the neighbourhood. Watch out though very soon they move to new digs nextdoor. More »
The Only Cafe
This little hole in the wall on the Danforth has the kind of rock n’ roll vibe you’d expect in the west end except The Only has been doing it since the only thing happening on Ossington was Vietnamese karaoke. Stop in on the weekends for brunch, or any night of the week for one of the best beer lists in the city. More »
Rebel House
This old timey tavern in Rosedale evokes images of our first mayor, William Lyon Mackenzie, as a rebel leader hunched over a table upstairs, planning for his armed resistance against the British. Certainly, this place didn’t exist back in 1837, but there’s plenty of space for future revolutions. More »
C'est What
Since it opened in 1988, C’est What has been one of Toronto’s premier restaurant-pubs. With 35 craft brews on tap, an extensive – and exclusively – VQA wine list, and a stage that has hosted some can con royalty over the years it remains a go to place for tourists and locals alike. More »
The Gem
From the outside, The Gem is entirely unremarkable. In fact, you’d be forgiven for walking by without paying any notice. If you did decide to pop in though, you’d be treated to one of the city’s truly hidden – ahem – gems. This rock n’ roll tavern fills up most nights and when the weather is nice, packs the patio too. More »
The Auld Spot Pub
The best thing about the Auld Spot, besides the stellar menu, reasonably priced drinks, excellent staff and inviting atmosphere, is that west enders no longer need to travel all the way to the Danforth for their fix. With a second location in Little Italy, the great divide at the Don Valley need not be crossed. More »
Discussion
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As with all 'best of' posts, the content was reader generated. So where were you when we were asking for input?
@Jay:
As a denizen of the Danforth I'll admit the Dora's a fantastic pub. Both Allen's and The Only should've made the list too.
I've been consistently disappointed at the Mill Street Pub. C'est What, HoP and Betty's always deliver.
I must say, the food at House On Parliament is hand's down the best pub food I've ever had. I have dreams about the steak and mushroom pie.
Auld Spot and Rebel House are also pretty great.
"What about Paupers and the Madison Avenue pubs"
Paupers is #9 on the list.
Sarah's on Danforth also has a nice beer selection and patio. It's a tad dingy in the colder months though.
Personally, I like the space at the Madison but I think the place is a dump. Great place if your a frat-boy, though.
Glad to see Betty's is one the list though - great patio on a hot summer day.
Motion carried.
Everything at the pub ends up tasting like beer anyway.
The burgers are good, though.
When it has better beer than the bulk of the places on the list...
A friend and I arrived at a half-empty pub on a Thursday evening and was told to wait to be seated, even though there were clearly tables available. I said we were expecting a third to join us but she wouldn't let us have a table and told us we'd have to wait for a table for two. I could hardly believe it!
I'll never set foot in there again. What a sure way to lose business from long-time regulars.
No, I'm not complaining that there are few-east-end places on the lists. I would have nominated something if I wasn't new to the area.
That's why I have been watching the best of lists fervently; to discover places to check out in my new neighbourhood. Unfortunately, I have been left a little dissapointed that more places out this way haven't been nominated.
which east end hood? The Dora Keogh, Allen's, The Auld Spot, The Only are all along the Danforth from Broadview to Jones. If you're in the beaches try Murphy's Law. Can anyone else help a brother out?
Allen's, Dora Keough, and Auld Spot are all good too.
Just how far east are you?
Places in the beaches to check out include Castro's Lounge, Murphy's Law, Feathers, Lion on the Beach.
In the Beaches try Murphy's Law, Lion on the Beach, and Quigley's (all on Queen St. E). The Grover on Kingston Rd. is an OK place too.
-Brian
If you want, you can have thick, fresh cut fries, or even wedges, but shoestring fries are unacceptable. I'll get a pint anywhere, but I'll never order food at a place that serves shoestring fries.
http://blogto.com/restaurants/prohibition
I say this deserves a correcto-box.
what about the rhino? wait that isn't much of a pub...but it does have a good bar stool area and the cheapest selection in town.
I have been drinking at smokeless joe's for over 7 years...every year it goes downhill and their beer selection gets worse and the prices go up...
Back in January we asked blogTO readers to nominate their favourite places in a number of different categories. Based on the nomination round, we then came up with a final set of categories and a list of nominees in each. We then ran a poll asking everyone to vote.
So....ever since the poll ended we've been publishing the results in these Best Of lists. Many of the lists include the final results of the vote + some extra places that were nominated but didn't make it into the final cut. The reason we've sometimes added these extra places is because in many cases the list was narrowed down to 5-10 for purposes of the vote. But when we started publishing these Best Of posts we realized there was more value expanding the list to 10, 12 or 15 spots.
At this point, we're basically finished announcing the results so some of our recent lists have actually been generated by the authors of the post itself in consultation with the rest of the blogTO team. An example of this is the recent Best Cupcakes post. Cupcakes was not a category in our January poll.
Moving forward, expect more blogTO generated Best Of lists but we'll also be conducting future polls to give everyone a chance to have their say.
Perhaps next time around if readers don't get in their picks for places outside the core, then the writers can suggest their own to encourage a little 'diversity'. If the non-core suggestions still aren't good enough to make the list, well then perhaps we should get mad at the neighbourhood for failing to produce a good burger place rather then get mad at the BlogTO writers.
Good mix of colourful locals, the usual suspects on tap and a better than average pub menu. Quality jukebox(es), three lounges and two patios.
What more could you ask for?
It was a shame brushing my teeth because it tasted so damned good!
Most of them offer a good election of entertainment from local actors, singers and comedians.
P.S. Their Beef ‘N Guinness is to die for!
Cheers!
Looks like BlogTO got their "Best fake irish bar" list and "best pubs in Toronto" list mixed up.
No other reason to explain why Brazen Head is on here.
Gotta say though, a list of the best pubs in T.O. is an impossible task
What about Tara Inn on Kingston Road? Way better than BH.
The food is excellent and the hand pulled cask ale goes down very easily. Two patios and stumbling distance to the subway or a cab on Bay.
On Monday's they show British ganster films and football is ALWAYS on up in the lounge.
Artful Dodger - fascinating cross section of toronto, decent grub
Duke of Gloucester - the beer in the carpet speaks for itself
McVeigh's - c'mon guys, this place invented the public house
Queen and Beaver - good food
Hole in the Wall - friendly in the Junction
McCarthy's on Gerard for you eastenders (most legit Irish pub in TO - I felt like I was in county mayo there on a couple of occasions)
Bow and Arrow - brilliant food
Scallywags - never seen a football crowd like this in Canada
After an hour of waiting for our food, they told us that there were some problems with the oven's pilot light and it would be another 10 minutes.
The waiter was apologetic but it was uncool to make us wait that long before explaining the situation.
CEILI COTTAGE
McCarthy's on Gerard needs to be on this list!!
The best pub in Toronto - The Monk's Table. And it's not even on the list here.
A few of these pubs only serve macro brews, there should be a disqualification for this in my opinion.
C'est What for the motherfucking win. I love their microbrew.
Good to see Queen and Beaver up high though...
Please put "as chosen by voters" in bold, red, size 900 font at the top of lists like this to nip the incessant bitching from people like Dave, the second commenter.
I haven't been to all the places listed, but the ones I have were all very good spots.
Say, what happened...it used to be good
Service took a nose-dive (re: group resvn, me too) and the food is now borderline piss poor! (some menu items rank 'average' at best)
Get it together...you have the best beer selection around and people are dissin' What's that about??
You want a great pub in the area? Try The Roy! Always friendly service, great staff, excellent food, and a much better selection of beer.
http://www.enjoidj.blogspot.com