geo4

Rules:

D/ town considered: South of Bloor; West of Parliament; East of Dufferin.

Argue all you want about those parameters.

Main criteria: Not too busy; good quality pints (doesn't have to be a large selection); friendly clientele; no hipsters (crucial); not too many suits; decent food; no loud music.

I need to discover a few good pubs for when my pater comes to visit in the Summer. Fox and Firkins etc. are not considered fair game.

Thanks in advance.

I'll suggest: P.J. O' Briens.

geo4

Bill_S

When I was a grad student at U of T, one of my colleages liked the Black Bull on Queen St. Definitely no hipster types or suits in those days (late 80s). No idea if it's still the same kind of place, though.

geo4

On NE corner of Queen and Spadina? I think it's more punky now.

I will check it out though- ahhh I'm having a haircut tonight right near there. Good excuse for a couple of pints.

Much obliged.

Bill_S

I think it's about a block east of Spadina, on the north side.

Mr Lee

What's that place on Dundas West? Has an open front in summer. Village Idiot? Only place outside the north east (of England) I've ever seen Newcastle Brown on draught... Isn't bad.
A bit rough and ready is the Imperial on Dundas East. Always smells of chips and vinegar.
The Embassy at Yonge and Wellington (?) is okay as well. A bit "sports bar" but not too bad.

Can never remember names of half the places I end up in downtown, that's the problem...

geo4

Ahhh used to be my local- how could I forget.

The landlord is a lovely Egyptian fella who used to live in Liverpool. It gets crazy busy though.

club_biscuit

v.hard to find. I can't separate PJ O'Briens from a firkin pub by much if at all.

Elephant and castle on queen would have fitted the bill - closed a few years ago though I heard it ?moved to bloor and church maybe

north of bloor (by about a block)- the madison mid-week (not thursday) always easy, no-frill.

much further north (yes, yes, the rules) - the Duke of York at yonge and eglinton always seems to draw a crowd

oh - and there's a place that's pretty okay on cumberland (or is it yorkville)...can't remember the name, maybe someone else can chip in - I've been there a few times and have liked it well enough....wish I could remember the name!!

dbd33

It's now at Yonge and Gerrard.


North side, up a flight of stairs from the street?

club_biscuit

no south side - a bit more residential part of the street (cumberland, I think) - I want to say it starts with an 's' but I could be way off on that one. sorry.

club_biscuit

I wonder if you might be referring to Hemingway's with this one? Has a rooftop patio in the summer, can do some "star-gazing" (celeb star, of course) when the film festival is on.

dbd33

That's it. Not a place I often visit, hence struggling with the name.

geo4

Oh well.

Pretty Flowers

I'd recommend the Bedford Academy in Yorkville too. But I don't drink beer so...

Otherwise other fine hostelries from my time in T. include

Paupers - Bathurst and Bloor
Queen - Queen and Bathurst (but looks closed now)
The Viceroy - Bloor and Markham

I'm actually not hugely fond of pub type bars in Canada, they tend to be pretty fake. I remember one in Burlington that had false plastic glass in the windows.

And I detest Hemingways with a pathological passion - its far too pretentious for me...

geo4

Conveniently located just a two minute walk from my house. I find the staff really rude so it does have that English vibe to it.