Rhum Corner — Restaurant in Toronto

Exceptionally Expensive. This review is tough to write because when my wife and I first walked in, we immediately loved this place. However, the rum list was extremely overpriced, and that really took away from our experience.

First the good: The vibe is lively and fun, the service was fantastic, and the food was really great. We sat at the bar and the bartender was friendly and knowledgeable. The cocktails that we had were well made and delicious. The food and cocktails were great deals price-wise.

Now, the rum list. First of all, it is extremely impressive. I am a big rum drinker and I've gone to a lot of rum bars. Rhum Corner has the largest selection I have EVER seen in one place. The list is filled with hard to find stuff. Again, even being fairly knowledgeable about rums, there was a bunch of stuff on the list that I had never even heard of before. When I first saw this list, I got extremely excited and got ready to settle in for a night of drinking rums.

Then, I ordered my first one, and I realized that all of the rums were priced for 1oz pours. This is not mentioned anywhere that I saw, and I do have to say that in my experience the standard pour ordering a spirit off a list like this is at least 1.5 and often 2 oz. At 2oz pours the list would have been a deal. At 1oz, most of the rums at the Rhum Corner were double the price of what they would be anywhere else. This was especially the case for the lower end stuff. I'm sure that they would argue that they have rums you cannot get anywhere else, and for those rums, the very expensive ones, I can't really speak to the price. But although rare, much of the list is available, and there really is no excuse for charging the prices that they charge.

It was a huge disappointment. I would have sat in this bar all night trying different rums, but I cannot bring myself to pay these extremely inflated prices. We loved everything else about this place, but it just feels like the prices are taking advantage of most customer's lack of knowledge about the...

Overall: After reading Jen Agg's book, I decided to try one of her spots in order to complete the picture. Initially, I was nervous; high expectations of glamorous Toronto joints have often left me indifferent. I am pleased to announce, that her and her fabulous staff did not disappoint and I was, in fact, really impressed with EVERY aspect of her restaurant. (Read more for an in-depth review)

The Staff: My friend and I came in about an hour after opening, on a Tuesday. Our server (I never grabbed her name, sorry!) was very attentive, without hovering, which made me happy considering there were only a few tables at the time. Food, drinks, bill and all the encompassing clean up was well spaced, each time with a pleasant smile and interaction. The two cooks and bartender looked like they were having a good time at work, and gave us a polite smile and nod on the way out.

The Food & Drink: I'll say one thing: those cooks know how to season, WELL. For food we ordered the Griot (street style) and the Macaroni au Gratin . Every bite had flavor and everything was cohesive. The coleslaw, light and acidic, peppers sauteed, but still with crunch, delicious fritters and fatty pork that I could probably eat a bucketful. The macaroni was deliciously creamy, but surprisingly not that heavy. Personally, the pasta could've been cooked a touch more, but I'm sure it's fine for most. For our drink, we got the delicious, Zombie, and ended the night with a second one. For what each item cost (food under 20!) I was blown away.

The Atmosphere: I really liked decor and overall warm feel of the space. The art was stunning, lighting appropriate and really did feel kind of like a cool beach hangout in the middle of TO. As a kitchen worker, I was also really impressed by the tiny kitchen space the cooks used, yet kept clean and organized.

Ultimately, Jen and her staff did not disappoint, and I'm eager to try another location of hers in the near future. Keep up...

This spot is electric. Greeted promptly upon my arrival at the door and given a seat at the bar. What a great way to be welcomed into a restaurant. Offered a beverage and given water. Lovely waitress advised me that our table will be ready in two minutes. True to her word I was seated and greeted again by another waiter. My partner came and joined me a few minutes later. In no time he had his Red Stripe beer in hand (Jamaican favourite). We ordered our food and just enjoyed the music of Haiti I am assuming, and the overall ambiance of the place. While waiting for our meal to arrive I was quite taken by the atmosphere. I ordered the Accra fritters and macaroni and cheese. My Guy ordered the Oxtail. Of course I had to take a bite of the Oxtail, ooohhh my God! That is the most memorable one I have had in a long time. Talk about melt in my mouth, shut the front door and back while I have a moment. I enjoyed the fritters and Mac and cheese. Over all I give this spot 2 thumbs way up. Thank you Bartender, waitress and waiter that were so welcoming, gracious and patient with us and allowed us to enjoy my partners birthday. Will we be back? No question. Even if I pop in alone for a drink and quick bite. Rhum Bar/ Rhum Corner don't ever leave. You are a...