AAA Bar — Restaurant in Toronto

We had a large group of around 20 people looking for drinks and food this past Friday before heading to the ACC for a Dave Matthews Band show. Familiar with the previous incarnation "Laide" I was looking forward to seeing the new concept that owners Racquel Youtzy and Tiz Pivetta had opened as I haven't been to this corner in several months, Toronto is a little bit of a drive these days.

Wow, the bar has really opened up and feels much bigger than before, the decor is very ranch-like and feels like you just walked into a Texas saloon. Great tequila menu, very nice lighting, not the enveloping darkness of Laide, and a decent selection of draught beers as well. I was informed that Mill Street Organic is coming on tap soon, in the interim I had a few draughts of Creemore Springs who are certified Non-GMO by Greenpeace Canada.

Our group pretty much all ordered food. The menu is short and to the point and concentrates on Texas-style barbecue, offering Brisket, Pulled Pork Sarneys, Chicken and Waffles, Ribs when available and Texas-style Chili which has no beans and no vegetables, just a meat fest. On special this evening was Sea Bass & Chips. I got to try a little bit of everything. The brisket is served traditionally on wax paper with a couple pieces of white bread. Sauce is served on the side, but you won't need any. The rub is absolutely delicious and the meat was super tender. The chicken & waffles was also good, but to be honest I'd rather have had the brisket all to myself!! We had a side of spicy slaw as well which was tasty and was red cabbage-based. Friends had the chili and the fish & chips so I got to try a little bit of both of those, I was very impressed with the chili and would even consider splitting one as an appetizer with someone else, but the fish and chips was awesome. I don't think I've ever had sea bass served as a fish and chips, the batter was light and delicious and held its consistency without breaking up everywhere, the fish was moist and tender, couldn't fault any part of the meal to be honest.

I tried the Hornitos tequila as well, YUM! You could either have a shot or enjoy sipping on it, it's so good.

The meat for Triple A is purchased from St. Lawrence market, great source for quality meats, and smoked off site by the owners at their commercial kitchen. As someone who eats bbq a lot I can say quite safely that this was the best brisket I've had this side of the Dinosaur BBQ down in Rochester, NY. If you've been there, you'll know that's a serious endorsement. I think you'll agree with me once you've tried it.

Congrats to the Triple A Bar team on this successful re-invention of 138 Adelaide St. East, I hope my taste buds will be...

We stumbled upon this dive bar after it was recommended in our Lonely Planet pocket guide, and it didn’t disappoint. The service was excellent from the start, and although it wasn’t busy when we arrived, the place quickly filled up. The music was fantastic all night, and the vibe was perfect.

They don’t serve food, but they allow you to bring in takeaway, so we nipped out to grab something and enjoyed our meal right at the bar.

When we left, we accidentally forgot our pocket guide, but after a quick email, they kindly found it for us, and we were able to pick it up a few days later.

This place is definitely worth checking out if you're in Toronto, and we’ll certainly be...

3.5

I've been here a handful of times, both for dinner and private events.

The food is delicious. I've enjoyed everything I have eaten including ribs, chicken wings, burrito, mac and cheese, brisket and my favourite, the nachos! I don't really like the plain piece of white bread with the ribs. It would be nice to have something else. The prices are a bit high, but not too high that I wouldn't come back.

It can be a bit loud a times.

The staff is really friendly, especially the owner. It seems like everyone who works there loves it, so that's always good to see. On occasion I find that the service can...