BarChef — Restaurant in Toronto

My girlfriend and I came here on Saturday for our anniversary. We loved the vibe of the place and enjoyed the cocktails, but overall left feeling quite sour about our experience. In two hours, my partner and I had 3 appetizers and 4 cocktails, for a total of $300. On quality of the drinks alone, the price can be justified. Yet, we spent that money in celebration of our anniversary and left feeling quite dismissed and unwelcome.

To start, the atmosphere and drinks were great. The bar is well-designed, intimate, and felt perfect for a date night. My girlfriend and I met bartending and share an appreciation for a well-made drink. We were quite excited to experience high-end, curated cocktails. With respect to that, they were fantastic. Each cocktail we tried was unique, tasty, and felt curated. My personal favourite was the Honey Bee Penicillin drink, which was exceptional and truly an experience.

That being said, we were quite thrown off by the service and 2-hour dining limit. I need to qualify that my partner and I were both in the service industry for many years, and we understand the need for dining limits. There's nothing more frustrating than a table camping for 3 hours with just water in front of them. In contrast, we were excited to try as many unique cocktails as possible and were eager to order frequently and spend money.

However, our server reminded us about the time limit the entire evening. The first thing the server asked us when she greeted was if we were celebrating anything. When we let her know that it was our anniversary she congratulated us and then immediately reminded us that we have a two-hour limit on the table. That theme continued the entire night. "We are nearing the halfway mark now" and "only 30 more minutes guys" was quite jarring and off-putting. Frankly, the consistent reminders made us feel unwelcome. With 15 minutes left in the reservation, my girlfriend asked to order another cocktail, to which the server said "Well that cocktail takes 10 minutes to make and you only have 15 minutes left". It was only after we asked for the bill did a manager come by and offer to seat us at the bar. By that point, we felt unwelcome and unwilling to stay and continue spending our money here.

For a bar that specializes in high-end, crafted cocktails, and even has a whole menu section dedicated to "slow-sippers", having a two-hour limit - and enforcing it so strongly - feels discordant. I go to a cocktail bar to drink, chat, and relax. Instead, I felt rushed and awkward. It was like being at a dinner party and the host keeps saying "I have to be up really early for work everyone". So you would like me to leave then? Doesn't really create a feeling of hospitality when your guests feel unwelcome.

I would love to experience the 50 other unique cocktails I wasn't able to order, however I would have a hard time convincing myself to go back just based on this experience alone. Food for thought for anyone looking to come here for an...

BarChef is not an establishment that you simply visit, but rather one you experience with your full range of senses. If you’ve never had the incredible pleasure, I strongly suggest that you add it to your bucket list immediately. Calling my first encounter there “unforgettable” would almost certainly be a conservative description of my experience.

Walking through the front door, you almost feel like you’ve been sent back in time to an upscale, prohibition-era speakeasy. The exposed brick, handsome decor, and dimmed lighting (not to mention suspender-wearing mixologists) create a perfectly intimate and exclusive ambiance which only helps set the stage for the breathtaking cocktail creations you’re about to enjoy.

Within seconds of our party taking our seats at the bar, we were warmly welcomed by the most friendly and attentive mixologists who both went above and beyond to curate a memorable experience (special shout-out and thanks to Vanja & Cayden for their exceptional efforts!). Within minutes of arriving and for the duration of our time there we were all on a first name basis, just to give you an idea of the level of service you can expect.

Speaking of expectations, I had been told in advance about the incredibly unique and impressive cocktail creations that BarChef is known for, but I can tell you that words alone are incapable of describing the multi-sensory experience they deliver.

The majority of these edible artworks (particularly those from their “Modernist Series”) are so elaborate and visually stunning that you almost feel guilty consuming them. If you’re one who appreciates finer details and the art of presentation, you will certainly not be disappointed. Every whiskey ice ball is even meticulously carved by hand to give you an idea of the attention to detail. Even less intricate items from the “Overture Series”, which are prepared by the talented mixologists behind the bar, feature a sophisticated array of ingredients, housemade bitters, and flavours that delight the senses.

Highlights from our orders include cryo poached wafers that gave us frosty breath, spirit-filled orbs that melted in your mouths, dry ice fog that blanketed the bartop in front of us, and delectable foams that offered the most complex flavour profiles. All that, and we barely scratched the surface of the extensive menu’s offerings which is something we will definitely have to remedy in the near future.

In conclusion, if it was possible to leave a review with more than 5 stars I would absolutely be doing so. From the perfect atmosphere to the unparalleled service and one-of-kind creative concoctions, BarChef is undoubtedly one of the most unique and memorable cocktail bars I’ve ever been to. If you’re looking for a WOW-worthy spot that’s like no other out there, you just found it!

P.S. Thanks to our great friend Dharm for taking us to this remarkable spot! We hope our experience last night will be the first of many...

Barchef! Speaking as a person who is passionate about cooking and mixology - this was a very disappointing experience for such a high end place. I’ll explain why.

First of, when we made our reservation we mentioned that the reason for our visit was a birthday - and it wasn’t acknowledged neither by the hostess, nor by the waitress. A simple “happy birthday!” would do :)

We started the evening with a charcuterie board which was $39 and didn’t have much to it. Two small slices of beetroot, some soft cheese and blue cheese, 1 (one) piece of prosciutto, and half a sausage cut in half. It came with about 5-6 small pieces of toasted baguette, and the server mentioned to let them know if we need more. I said that we definitely need more right away, since it was a really small amount. Then she brought more bread only for us to later see a $1 charge for it. How more cheap could you possibly get?

Now my favorite part. The modernist series cocktails, which were called experiences for idk what reason. The girl who brings out food and drinks has a very thick accent and it was extremely difficult to understand what she was telling us about the cocktails, since it was also noisy, and she wouldn’t speak clearly. But the “experience” itself is a cocktail put in a setup, with some edible elements. Speaking of elderflower one, the class was 1/4 full, so again we’re talking portions. And the taste was good, but it wasn’t worth the price. As to the margarita, it was pretty basic, with a gelatin edible element which tasted like nothing unfortunately.

I think we were definitely expecting more, and some things that can be improved are: Hospitality: Please make sure your hosts see the reason for a reservation. Make sure the waiters are friendly, accommodating, and knowledgeable. Communication: I would really love to know what that girl had to say about the cocktails during the presentation. I couldn’t because of the accent. Portions/pricing: I understand you are a high end spot and I don’t mind it unless you deliver a spectacular experience. But it wasn’t it. You would exceed expectations for customers to come back.

I would highlight the atmosphere, it was perfect for a date, the design of the place, and the selection of alcohol is impressive too.

If you’re looking for a good cocktail experience (which is a real experience, not just a set up), please take a look at my profile, one of the recent reviews.

Thank you for hosting us, I hope you can improve...