Solid cocktails overall. The space is pretty small, but we were able to get a table easily right after work. I had a Shelly in Athens and tried a friend's Lady Jang. Both cocktails were well made. I tend to prefer drinks with sharper contrasts, and these leaned more toward flavors that blended together. Based on the ingredient lists, I was anticipating more distinct notes, but instead, everything kind of melded together (not in a bad way). I'd be curious to try other drinks if I were to go back to see if I feel the same. read more

Bar Raval - Shelly in Athens - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We made a reservation on a weekday and when we arrived, our table was ready. The bar has both counter tables inside and heated patio. We were seated inside and enjoying the beautiful wood carved decorations. The drinks menu offers great variety of cocktails, wine, beer and liquor. The food menu includes great tapas options for sharing. The staff are friendly and the service is fast. read more

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Let's just say you don't need to travel to Barcelona when you have Bar Raval. Bar Raval is "a Barcelona-inspired pinxto bar with small plates to share and a variety of cocktails, beer, wine, and fortifieds." Luckily I have a friend who lives in Toronto and she recommended meeting us here for drinks and apps. You can't make reservations here, its a walk-in only bar, which is cool but just so you are aware, come early. We arrived around 4pm to meet my friend. The place (super tiny) was already packed. With lack of seats, people choose to stand around the small bar tables to drink, eat and converse. This is exactly what we did. It is also very loud but really fun and different from anything that I have been to before. We ordered a few different cocktails since they are known for them here as well as a bunch of tapas. Everything was excellent! The service was also great, always coming around from time to time asking if we needed anything. I would definitely come back here and if you are ever in Toronto, make Bar Raval one of your stops. You will love it! Cheers ~ read more

Bar Raval - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A cocktail bar with a beautiful interior, has great cocktails, and delicious light bites. No reservations, walk ins only. It's a free for all with seating with it being first come first served with the bar stools. At times you may find yourself standing by your high top table or bar. Some of the snacks we got were packed with flavour and so good! Tomato bread 5/5 - Doesn't sound like much but this was so good and topped with two anchovies. Didn't think a tomatoes on bread could be so good! Stracciatella & boquerones 5/5 - A MUST GET! Creamy, stracciatella on bread, topped with anchovies. The cheese pairs so well with the fresh crispy toasted bread and salty anchovies. I still think about this toast often! Boquerones 4/5 - A croquette that is perfectly fried and delicious. Good but can skip and get another toast on the side. Apple olive oil cake 4/5 - Surprisingly pretty good. It's dense so great for sharing. A bit on the heavy side. Cocktails were great here and comes with many flavours and different options, so there's always something for everyone! read more

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The bar is located down the block from Old School Restaurant. So we decided to stop in for a drink. It is small with amazing woodwork. The ceiling has large carved beams and the bar is made of uniquely shaped wood with bowls carved in to hold various supplies. It reminded me of a small tapas restaurant in Spain because it is one! Sitting at the bar we were able to see the kitchen and the chefs working. The bar tender/ waiter worked inside and another worked the patio area. The orders went out quickly and were made with fresh produce. The margarita was made with fresh fruit and mixtures unlike the ones you get from a ready made bottle. I watched the bartender peel, squeeze, and pour to create the perfect drink. I don't want to give it away , that's why I'm vague. We had just eaten but I wanted to try dome tapas, the mushroom medley was perfect. It was made with three different mushrooms sauted in a wine butter sauce and toasted bread. The mushrooms, sauce and bread were the perfect combination. It was so good that we finished it quickly- thankfully it wasn't too filling. I would loved to have tried a few other items however we had just finished brunch and only had a little room left. This is a Must Go! read more

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Feeling sorry for myself on Saturday led me to ordering in. Therefore, I can't speak about the service or ambiance...yet. I want to see the interior of this place enough so that I've been trying to visit all summer. Back to my take out adventure: I ordered the Fried Eggplant and honey - this was delicious! Appreciated the thicker slices of eggplant so that it didn't get 'mushy'. The honey added a nice sweetness to it. I would definitely order again. I also ordered the Marcona almonds - at first it was a definite meh when compared to the eggplant but the next day I tried it again and appreciated the mild flavour. It doesn't have the same aftertaste that traditional almonds can have. Now I'm trying to figure out where they sell larger quantities in the area. The food definitely stands up on its own. Hoping to go back soon! read more

The VIIIIBES. Great space, creatively decorated. Dark, moody, crowded, loud and people are here for a good time! Menu also looked incredible, unfortunately my friends and I came just for a night cap. Will be back again to explore the menu more. read more

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Stopped by Bar Raval around 10:30 pm and loved the chic, European-inspired vibe. It really is a very cute and fun decor. Inside was packed, but the two of us were greeted right away and shown to the heated patio--cozy once your drink arrived and those heaters kicked in. The music was mixed (faint allowing us to chat). * Service: Friendly and attentive, though it took a bit longer than expected for our drinks. Once we flagged down our server, they checked in right away with a smile. * Drinks: I ordered a whiskey sour--well balanced, smooth. My husband's palomito was sweeter with a slightly larger pour, also nice. * Atmosphere: Super chic, lively after 10 pm, and the heated patio is a good fallback if it's too crowded inside. There's a connecting door in the back if you can get through the crowd. I'd definitely come back earlier to snag a table inside (and maybe try their tapas!), but even late-night patio service was a good time for a grown and chic vibe for a drink. read more

Bar Raval - Whiskey sour and palomito - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My husband and I had our first date here and came back on the day he proposed. So for that reason it is my favourite bar in Toronto.

The bar makes a striking first impression, with rich cherry wood accents adding warmth and elegance to the space. But then your gaze drifts upward--to a ceiling where the paint is visibly peeling, hinting at some wear. It's a cozy spot, housing just six bar stools, and when we visited on a hot day, the wide-open front door welcomed the heat. While the service left much to be desired, the food and drinks more than made up for it. read more

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Pretty packed but it was worth it because the food was great. We had the shrimp and chistorra. A bit pricey but you pay for the gorgeous ambiance. We were really floored how gorgeous the space was. read more

We arrived shortly after 6 pm. Once inside, I felt as if I were in another world. It was before sunset time, but the inside was dark/dim with unique indirect lighting fixtures. The space was small - it was like a hideout cave in the city :) A server greeted us and said "wherever you want" - there are a few high-top tables, window counter areas, and a bar counter area with a limited number of bar stools. Essentially, it is a standing bar. All the bar stools were already taken by earlier visitors. As time passes, many people entered and grab drinks. Some are in groups, some are solo. In spite of the small size of the space and the number of people inside, I did not feel my private space was invaded by others. Maybe because of the way they arrange the lighting? Comfortable. We had Food: (From CONSERVAS -Canned seafood): Razor Clams (From PINTXOS - small snack) :Stracciatella & Boquerones (From TAPAS - appetizers) : Octopus & Sobrassada Drink: - Cocktail specially made for my girlfriend's preference (gin based, fruity, and fizzy) - See You No More - Raval Martini - Left Field 'Greenwood IPA' - Burdock APA (on tap) - Estrella Damm (Spanish Lager) We loved Stracciatella & Boquerones. A layer of milky, slightly sweet, super melty fresh cheese, silky marinated white anchovy, and a thin slice of crispy bread. Enjoyed all these different textures and flavors. The refreshing parsley sauce on top perfected the dish. Wow to the Octopus & Sobrassada. Octopus pieces are hot and crisp outside but tender inside. The pieces of Sobrassada (Spanish cured sausage) transferred their flavor - saltiness, sourness, and spiciness onto other ingredients, and harmonized the taste of the dish. The paprika in Sobrassada rounded the flavor and gave it an appetizing red color. Yum! We had Razor clams for the first time (we were a bit nervous :) - it was chewy and soft, which was a pleasant surprise! Among all the drinks - my girlfriend and I both agreed that "See You No More" was the best.:) Highly recommend. Of course, the prices are higher than other bars. But we were happy about our experiences there! read more

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Bar Raval is one of the most popular Spanish tapas bars in Toronto, as evidenced by it being constantly packed at any time of day (especially on weekends), and there is always a lineup. We came in the late afternoon / early evening on Saturday, and the wait for a table was about 20 minutes. They don't take reservations and there isn't a formal system for lining up, so you just have to hang around the place while waiting for a table space to open up. Its unique interior design pays homage to the design by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. The interior is very small and has limited seatings. Inside the restaurant, there are small tables for standing and a few stools along the perimeter of the restaurant. They have a small patio in front that is great for the summer months. We sat at the patio and enjoyed the summer weather, very chill vibe, and nice music. One of the things I like most about tapas is the small portions, so you can try a lot of different things. The items in "Conservas" section all come in tins and served with chips. For the rest of the tapas, some come with bread and some don't. The bread served in a lot of the tapas is really good - nicely toasted and crispy on the edges; some are infused with garlic. All the food we tried were excellent. My favourites were the Squid in Ink, Razor Clams, Tomato Bread (finely diced fresh tomatoes on top of toasted bread), Mushrooms & Shrimps Tower, Heirloom Tomatoes & Tonnato, Octopus with Beans, and Shrimp a la Planxa (large Argentinian shrimps with lobster & garlic sauce - very tasty). read more

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Their food was amazing, but extremely small in size (tapas size). Our server was super nice as well. I loved all the dishes expect for the 24 months jambon; left like it was nothing special. read more

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One of the top bars in the city, so you're going to expect a wait. Add yourself to their online waitlist as soon as possible. When we looked online, there wasn't much of a waitlist, but as we were about to go 45-30mins in advance, we added ourselves to the digital waitlist and found ourselves in a long line. Perhaps everyone added themselves to the waitlist around the same time. We had to wait nearly an additional hour once we got there on a weekend evening. Their digital waitlist isn't that accurate at all! The atmosphere is lively, great vibes and dimly lit. We were "seated" in a section with small high round tables with a sprinkle of stools around that section. There are not enough seats for all the tables. We were lucky and took it upon ourselves to grab stools to sit down when another table emptied next to us. Otherwise, expect to stand and enjoy your drinks and bites. The quality of the food and cocktails are next level. It blew us away, well thought out and refined. Not one dish disappointed. The standout has to be the Mushroom Tower. Price point is about $15~ for cocktails and $15-20 per tapa sharable among 2-3. They can also add more single portions so there is never that awkward sharing moment. The cocktails are delicious, and the server will help you pick one that fits your palate. read more

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We were walking through the neighborhood while on vacation and started to get hungry. We surveyed our options and found this tapas bar. We decided to check it out and we are happy we did. We walked in and we were greeted immediately. It was a beautiful day, so we took a small table outside. Our server came over quickly and took our drink order. I was craving a white wine and he made a great suggestion that worked well for me. We looked over the menu and decided to go with the ham croquetas and sobrassada. Our food came out shortly and it looked great. The flavor of the sobrassada was amazing. It was fatty, spicy, umami, and incredible. It was served with toasted points and a little olive oil. We truly enjoyed it. The jamon croquetas were very indulgent. They were very cheesey and we fell in love with them. Overall, we really enjoyed our meal. The location was amazing, service was great, and the food was on point. We will definitely stop by again if in the area. Highly recommend. read more

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Came here for drinks on a Friday night. Staff were lovely and drinks were served quickly. We did end up ordering some bread and cheese which was absurdly overpriced considering it tasted like left over dollar atore bread with 5 PC brand cheese cubes. No olive oil was provided. Most of all, there are no chairs inside the space, leaving us to stand with our drinks and "food". Will not return here, simply because there are plenty of charming and delightful spots in downtown Toronto read more

Bar Raval - three glasses of wine on a bar - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

GREAT FOOD AND SERVICES! GREAT ATMOSPHERE!!! Last 2+ years has been a tough time for many restaurants. I noticed a handful of my favorite restaurants have been closed for business since then or suffered a major drop in quality. I feel so happy that Bar Raval has maintained its usual high standard! Their service is still top notch, and the food is awesome as always! I'll definitely go back often as I did before. read more

Bar Raval - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Great ambience, authentic tapas dishes, totally worth the trip. Great vibe for a nice date night or a night out with friends. Love the bar area. read more

Absolutely amazing. Blown away by the food. I don't think there's anything on the menu that isn't amazing. We found the flavours were paired just so perfectly in everything we ordered. The dishes were sometimes seemingly simple, but tasted out of this world. I can't say enough how good everything tasted. Whoever is back there making this stuff is a real genius. There's more to it than food, and everything really was great. The cocktails were crafted masterfully, everything came out at just the right time, our server gave us just the right level of attentiveness. Only thing to be warned of, is that there could be a bit of a wait. Check the waitlist and get yourself on it before you arrive on the Yelp app. Having to wait can be less than ideal, but the hostess was magnificent. She really made us feel welcome and taken care of. The waiting list and notifications all worked out smoothly. We didn't have to wait as long as anticipated. read more

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Unique tapas bar with delicious drinks. It is super crowded during the night and it was a bit difficult to get our order through. Heirloom Tomatoes & Tonnato was marked as $16 which I thought was pretty expensive for tomatoes. I was wrong. Okay, it is still pretty pricy but we wanted to lick the plate because the dressing/sauce (?) was that delicious. Jamon Croquetas was also a decent choice. It is a creamy ham croquette with mashed potatoes. This is a tapas bar after all, so don't expect to get full after the dishes. Also ordered several drinks and cocktails including Say Less, Magic City, and See U Never. Every drink was pleasant. See U Never was my personal favorite because I loveee the taste of yuzu and sour flavors in general. Plus, the interior is super cool! It seemed casual yet formal at the same time. We did not really have a designated seat. Instead, about half of the people were probably standing around the big table that's connected to the wall. read more

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Very cool tapas place, went above and beyond to make space for us when they seemed pretty full at first glance. The food was excellent from top to bottom, and the cocktails were fresh and inventive. Highly recommend. read more

Bar Raval - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

One of the best bars in Toronto. It's always packed unfortunately but worth the wait. Cocktails are pricey but amazing. Great small bites and atmosphere. read more

What a special bar! I was able to get a high-top table at Bar Raval on a Friday night, which seemed a win in itself. I was thrilled since it was my birthday, and the vibe was just right. The cozy design, warm wood, and dark lighting make this space a perfect winter escape in the city. Monica, our server, was fantastic! Since I have been abstaining more and more from alcohol, I was personally very excited with the mocktails that Monica continued to create for us. These bartenders are true artists, and the staff seems to be having a blast. The energy and excitement make this place a true gem in Toronto. Though the space is tight, the free-form and organic architecture keep the space welcoming. The outdoor patio is heated and tented for winter overflow, which is great! read more

I want to warn you right off the bat, this is a mostly standing bar so you need to go in with the proper expectations. Sadly, I did not. That's my own fault. So I did not end up staying for food, but I did have a cocktail that was more than exceptional. If you want something refreshing with an herbal complexity, try the "Say Less"!!! The hostess, who was also my server, was not super friendly. Maybe because she realized I was only ordering one drink and then leaving. She tried to smile, but it mostly came off as catty and annoyed. Overall, the vibe here was really hip and everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves. read more

Bar Raval - Say Less cocktail - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I've been seeing a lot of reviews and blogs about Bar Raval so we decided to stop by for drinks. We initially joined the waiting list online before visiting. Once we received a text we made our way to the bar. At first we took a seat on the very small patio outside. There weren't many available tables and shared a corner of a ledge with another couple. It didn't seem like there were waiters for specific areas of the restaurant, just random employees walking around, with no one checking in with us. Once we flagged down a waiter, we ordered the See U Never cocktail. We also asked the waiter if it was possible to get an actual table without having to share a corner of a ledge cramped with people. Our waiter directed us inside, where we also were cramped up with another couple sharing a ledge. We then received our drinks and took a sip and they were not very good. It tasted like the smell of dish soap and had a very strange after taste. We then asked for our bill and paid for some overpriced dish soap and went to another bar where we had a good old mojito. I understand that Bar Raval is trying to do something a little different with their set up and have some type of Spanish influence but I don't think this is it. I've visited Spain many times and the only thing reminiscent of the Spanish culture is the interior which somewhat resembles gaudi architecture. read more

Bar Raval - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

fantastic service. delicious food. excellent cocktails. would highly recommend. the broccolini and potatoes were phenomenal and there wasn't a dis that did not hit read more

Nothing exceptional about Bar Raval. The interior is very nice but you have to stand around the bar until someone gives up their seat and there are only 4 seats in the entire place. The food was somewhat overpriced and nothing impressive. The service was good but I would not recommend this place if you are visiting Toronto and have limited time to try out different restaurants. read more

Bar Raval - Interior - only 4 seats in the entire bar - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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loved the atmosphere. The service was exceptional and the food outstanding. A fun cool place to be.

Excellent food, drinks, service, and decor. Fave dishes were the kitchen bread, mushroom tower, hot octopus. Loved the cocktails as well - all very unique and delicious. Would be nice if they had a bit more of a dessert menu. read more

Bar Raval - mushroom tower - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

An aclectic group of cocktails. Waiters recommendations are spot on. Great flavor. Enjoyed each sip. Nice atmosphere. And cheesecake? Yup. Delicious. read more

For a bar that's a part of the 50 best bars list, I was pretty disappointed. The drink I ordered was great (it's everything I like in a drink), but the service was poor. I'm new to the city so I got scared to visit other bars in Toronto because of this experience thinking that I would get the same treatment. read more

Bar Raval - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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The waits are long for dinner but so worth it. The food is just amazing and so filled with flavors and nuanced use of spices and preparations that you probably cannot go wrong no matter what you order. We were seated outside because the inside was packed on a busy Saturday but we asked if we could possibly move inside and they found a standing room only place at their indoor wall counter which was totally fine. The weather had turned very windy and chilly so we appreciated the warm and lively interior. We had some really great wine and spectacular octopus with lemon butter and amazing grilling technique. It was really sublime so we order another one an hour later. LOL! We also enjoyed their tomato toast as a sort of palate cleanser, so to speak. The atmosphere is super laid back and the wait staff is so friendly and efficient for such a crazy, hectic place. We really loved the décor too - super interesting woodwork. read more

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what a gorgeous gorgeous bar. EJ was the sweetest!!! loved the drinks and the names!!! Definitely must visit while you are in Toronto ! read more

Bar Raval - coconut limoncello spirtz, magic city, say less, and under the bridge. - Spanish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Very ok. A mix of quality with the tapas. Cool atmosphere, was glad we went on a quiet weeknight. Liked the mushroom shrimp tower, jamon croquettes, and eggplant and honey. The octopus wasn't great (flavor or texture). Glad we tried it, but not among my favorite food in the city read more

Mezz was a fantastic server, the shishito peppers were sublime, and the under the bridge cocktail was absolute perfection. read more

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Food was delicious, not much seating but we got the patio. The food portion was a lot smaller than I expected but then it's tapas. Our waiter was amazing, didn't get his name but I believe he is Filipino. read more

If I could I'd give ZERO star to the HOST at Bar Raval tonight July 9th 2018. I've been here over the years before they had the seating set up now at the front of bar and not to the side. Regardless.... host who may have a resting B face that put us off to start. He didn't greet new faces at the door. He would be chatting to regulars he would know. When we asked about the tables, he only said first come first serve. (Duh? Really it's not my first time here) we really just want to know how many he knows are waiting and how long. We went back up to ask how long does he think it will be. He doesn't know ... while there was a table visible to all 3 of us that was paying on the credit card machine. The typical hostess would point it out and say there's one that should be moving shortly! Not this dude. Our server was 5 stars. Food was 5 stars. I would say 95% of the host and staff for takeout calls would be 4 stars with my experience this year downtown. This host is ZERO! Not even a thank you nor good night because he was busy talking to another regular patron. read more

Love this tapas spot. The food is sooo good and the bar is stunning. Come early to get a seated table otherwise you'll be standing

I think I like Bar Raval. I think I had a good time. I think I ate: Chicken Liver Mousse with Rhubarb Squid on Black Rice They tasted good. The place was packed even on a weekday and there was a line trying to get in when I was leaving. I think I need to go back again and try out their tapas and cocktails again. I do need to invite Danica C as she was such a good host and it was the first time we went out together. PS It was never a good idea to have a cider flight before meeting your friends as those sweet cider can made someone really drunk by 3 pm. read more

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