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Dukes Refresher

4.3 (23 reviews)
ModerateAmerican, Bars, Barbeque
Closed • 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

Dukes Refresher Photos

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DUKES REFRESHER ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Hipster
Casual
Trendy
Loud

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Anna C.

It was a bit expensive but the portions were large enough. I would skip the Mac and cheese next time but that chicken was pretty decent. Great hangout spot for after a game or concert. There's lots of games and tables so it'd be a good option for large groups. I went on a Friday night but service was still great! It was just a bit sticky everywhere

Aiko I.

Friday night, girls night! Right in the middle of St Lawrence Market area. Although I have often been in to this area for work related meetings for one decade, I did not notice this pub until today. Looks like this place is relatively new (since 2019 just before the pandemic) but has kept good reputation since. Glad that we tried this place today. We were here right after work around 5. I made reservation but the sign at the entrance hall said you can walk in and have a seat. Because I had reservation I stayed there hoping to get someone's attention but for good 10 mins no one came up to me. I went to a bar area and asked - then finally was taken to the table reserved for us. But no one came to the table for a while to bring menu and take orders, so we walked up to the bar area again asking for menu and someone to take care of our table. The server who finally came to our table explained that, there was someone who was assigned to our table, but this person was late coming in for work. Really? :( But service went OK afterwards. Drink: Happy hour draught for $5, and I was pleased to know that they have my favorite Town Brewery Square Wheels IPA! Excited:) . Also tried Ceasar... but it was not impressive virtually and taste-wise. Not as tangy and it tasted kinda thin and cheap, and the flavor was weak. Food was good though. Beef and mushroom poutine was one of the best that I had before. Home cut fries with a lot of tender stake cubes. Also a lot of flavorful sautéed cremini slices. And most importantly, the gravy was very good! Packed with flavors in this dish, I strongly recommend this. Our choice of pizza was Great White. The dough was perfectly chewy and thin, great texture and flavor. The use of 4 different cheese (Grana Padano cream, Truffle Cheese, mozzarella, brie) was impressive, each asserts it's own flavor yet all blend well to make the pizza so rich and harmonious. Roasted cremini mushrooms was again, hitting the perfect texture and flavor point. I will come back!!!

Excited to try Duke's Refresher in downtown Toronto!
Martinez R.

An amazingly FUN bar to come to in downtown Toronto! On arrival, you must find your own seat, and this could be a challenge. I came with a group of 5 on a Saturday evening and it took my crew 30 minutes to find a table. Once you're at your table, the servers will come around regularly to check up on you. While you wait for your food, you can check out the bar games--like pool, ski-ball and even a small basketball court (which was my favourite part). I ordered the Chef's Fav pizza and it was marvellous! Full of flavour and was a big enough size to share. Only flaw was the pizza was a little too salty for my liking. My friend also ordered the Buffalo Poutine and their chicken was over salted as well. Either than this, the place was great and had such a fun ambiance. Would definitely check this place out again!

Jeslyn X.

Nice place to chill out. Located on Front Street to the west of St. Lawrence Market. We came here for a small drink. Their nachos was really good, crispy with a lot of cheese on top. Service was great, a very nice waitress hosted us.

Peachy keen
Chandni P.

Great big bar, they have arcade games, pinball machines, ping pong table and more. We just dropped by for a drink, the cocktail was made perfect. Prices are reasonable. They do have outdoor and rooftop (wasn't open today) . You seat yourself and both bar menu and food menu is placed for you to take on your way in, as you can seat yourself anywhere at the bar. Do visit when your in the Lawrence st market area!

Restaurant main level
Nikki K.

Love love love this bar! Such a great vibe in the city, the atmosphere is loud but a good loud, it's popular spot. I like that it wasn't crazy packed on a Friday night. The food was AMAZING! So good for a bar, we got chicken fingers and French fries and my gosh the fries were so good. The games were so fun especially the basketball, it's an amazing vibe to hang out. The cocktails were hilarious and so good.

MARGHERITA PIZZA
Marcella Q.

For a pub, they nail at the food! The margherita pizza is crunchy in a thin crust, fresh, delicious! The place has a super creative and fun decoration. It's a nice place to have fun! They also have fliperama options! The service is very friendly and energetic!

Basketball court
Grace Y.

[3.5/5 stars]: Came here last Friday night for a friend's birthday. We had dinner and drinks. I didn't know, but this place is basically the refurbished space of the old Jack's ok front. It's pretty cool and has its own basketball net and ping pong tables which you can use and play free of charge. Which is amazing because you have to pay an arm and a leg to play ping pong at spin. Additionally, their pitchers were $6 and their shots were $4. Huge plus! Cheap drinks and free ping pong and basketball. They also have skeeball but you have to pay a dollar to play. We ordered beers and the meat lover's pizza which was okay. Our server was extremely nice but took 35 mins to flag him down and bring us the bill. Service was slow. It was a busy place. I would totally come back here for the cheap drinks and activities but not too impressed with the food. It was just pub food.

Thomas and Carolyn drinking on the patio!

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4 months ago

Good Pizza. Cool games. Nice bartenders. Great location. Big TVs. Nice sports bar. Recommend

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2 years ago

Has a specific and chill vibe, good pizza, and great service. Perfect place to come for dinner after a day on the islands/waterfront.

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3 years ago

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King Taps - Truffle fries

King Taps

(485 reviews)

$$

Financial District, Downtown Core

Best vodka sauce in the whole world! Service was amazing great guy serving. The vodka sauce was the…read morebest thing I've ever ate in my life felt I should leave my first review ever. You guys should think about making that into a pasta holy that was good.

King taps is not my usual happy hour choice but we wanted a change of pace and the leafs game was…read moreon. They always put the leafs game on when they're playing which is Mae's them a reliable game spot. Over the past couple of years I felt their food quality has slowly declined but today was different. Way exceeded my expectations. We started with a corona zero and ranch water (passion fruit flavour) we were both really happy with it. The didn't skimp on the tequila. We started with the Brussels sprouts which is always a great choice from here. Crispy on the outside and not an overwhelming Brussels sprout taste. This is likely because there is a generous sprinkling of grated parm and a great amount of dip. We tried the crispy tuna sushi. The tuna was beautifully marinated, so flavourful. And the sushi was nice and crispy. The vodka pie was a seasonal item and when we saw it listed, we knew we needed to try it. The sauce- amazing, the press was nice and flaky and light and really tasty. And the soccer Sada added nice saltines and flavour without being too overwhelming. For happy hour, the apps and pizzas were $5 off, and the ranch water was $5. I'd come back for the pizza alone! Jeans was our waitress and she was great!

Cactus Club Cafe - Crispy yam fries, chicken sliders and another peach Bellini

Cactus Club Cafe

(693 reviews)

$$

Financial District, Downtown Core

This was not our first time at a Cactus Club but this was the first time at this one. As expected…read moreit did not disappoint. It was a Sunday night , the day after Valentine's Day and it was packed. Good thing we had reservations. Despite how busy it was we were seated right away and our server Sarah was an absolute gem. Our drinks came out quickly and well made. They have a great wine list and we took advantage of it. So, ambience - check. Service - check. But it was the food that blew us away I started with the Wagyu carpaccio that emma's to die for. Just perfect with the crostinis. The my wife had the avocado bowl with salmon and I had the mushroom striploin. Both meals just freaking delicious- these folks have it down to a science and the food was off the charts. Some people may disagree because it's a chain restaurant but when they hit on all cylinders, which they have every time we've been there, it's awesome. Cactus Club - highly highly recommended. Ask for Sarah - she is amazing.

One of the gold standards of casual dining meets elegant ambiance…read more Date Night - Cactus Club Work lunch/Dinner - Cactus Club Drinks - Cactus Club It's a one size fits all if you want an elevated dining experience where you feel taken care of. Of course it comes with a price tag, but those willing to participate will get themselves many brownie points. Food/Drink is always consistent on each visit. Staff are typically very friendly. You also don't feel judged by anyone when you're in the place cause there's so many different crowds that come here for the vibes. You'll mostly see the Finance crowd since it is in the heart of financial district, but there's all types that come eat here cause it's just so consistently good. Steak & Frites w/ a glass of wine - 8/10 Angus Burger - 8/10 Ravioli - 8/10

LIBRARY BAR - Close, But No Cigar

LIBRARY BAR

(160 reviews)

$$$

Financial District, Downtown Core

I would go back again in a heartbeat. This was one of the best meals and experiences of the year…read more The shaved prime rib steak with the dipping au jus plus French onion soup as an appetizer... this was phenomenal. Every aspect from the sauce to the baguette to the meat was so tasty. I also recommend getting the garlic aoli for the fries. The drinks were very well done and unique in flavor as well, in particular I tried to the midnight show which was like a raspberry espresso martini. It was fantastic. The ambiance of the place is spectacular as well with a cool, library naturally, vibe. The servers were also great and helped accommodate my date who is gluten free, and her baguette replacement was the best that she'd ever had of a gluten free option. All in all top tier experience start to finish.

This cocktail bar inside Fairmont Royal York Hotel has a nice classy ambiance. It feels like…read morestepping into a movie set, with the iconic clock tower. They decorate the lobby, bar area, and the whole main floor with Christmas decorations during the holiday season, including the giant Christmas tree in the lobby (complete with its own lighting ceremony and live music performance). Good selection of drinks and great customer service. Fun facts: The Royal York Hotel opened in 1929. It hosted royalty, heads of state, and golden-age Hollywood legends like Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock when they were in town filming or staying upstairs in the hotel. Stepping inside is like time-traveling back decades, with velvet seating, brass accents, and dark, moody lighting. As soon as you walk into the Library Bar, the real centerpiece that grabs your attention is the massive oil portrait above the fireplace. That dignified gentleman watching you sip your drink is George Locke, the very first chief librarian of the Toronto Public Library. I love that a librarian is the patron saint of this bar! The drinks here aren't just cocktails; they're chapters in a story. The current menu, titled "Ink & Alchemy," is actually inspired by Michael Ondaatje's famous novel In the Skin of a Lion. Created by their award-winning mixologist James Grant, the menu is a tribute to the people who built this city: the immigrants, bridge-builders, thieves, and dreamers. You aren't just sipping a martini; you're drinking a liquid homage to Toronto's history.

Teller's Bar and Lounge

Teller's Bar and Lounge

(21 reviews)

$$

Downtown Core

Fantastic food and service at tellers bar and lounge!! We came back for an anniversary dinner since…read morewe got married at one king west hotel and the food was just as we remembered-- fabulous! Their bar and lounge is located in the lobby of the hotel so it could get a little noisy, but the lounge is a separate area up a small set of stairs and is a little quieter and more intimate. They started us off with glasses of champagne (yum)!! We ordered the French onion soup with was delicious w generous amount of melted cheese , soft bread, soft onions, and crispy onion bits! Very good For mains I got the truffle gnocchi. Omg the truffle cream sauce was sooooo good. Much better than all the other Italian places in Toronto! It was rich, creamy and full of truffle flavor. The gnocchi could have been softer but the sauce and shaved truffle was perfect. I also got a side steak which was grilled to perfection and had a wonderful herb crust and deep flavor. It came with some nice light micro greens. We also got the one burger with their signature logo on the bun. It came out piping hot with fresh crunchy veggies and crispy well seasoned fries.

Food/Drinks: This was our first time in Toronto, and this restaurant was located directly inside of…read morethe hotel that we were staying in. The drinks and the food were very average, not too strong at all when it came to the drinks, and the food wasn't out of this world but good. The presentation for both the food and the drinks was pretty nice. Location: The location was directly within the entrance of the hotel, which made it very convenient for us to grab something to eat, especially the first night since we got here a little late. You can lounge in this location, and some people are dressed up, but some people are casual who are also within this hotel. I'm not sure about parking on the regular since we did parking through the hotel as well. Service: The biggest reason as to why I gave it a three-star is because one of the bartenders was very unfriendly, and to be honest, it could have been because it was nighttime, but it really threw us off because you hear how nice Canadians are, and to be honest, the majority of the places that we went to afterward were exactly what people say and how nice they were except for this location. One of the bartenders was a guy, and he was just very straightforward, did not smile at us, and honestly, when I asked certain questions about the menu, he responded with comments as if I should know what the menu means. I just didn't like his attitude at all, and it really threw me off, but because we had a voucher through the hotel, it's the only reason why we gave it a go for the first night and didn't end up going back the remainder of the time that we were there.

LOUIX LOUIS - NY trips frites

LOUIX LOUIS

(173 reviews)

$$$

Downtown Core

Perched high above the bustle of downtown Toronto, LOUIX LOUIS makes a compelling first impression…read more The dining room is genuinely handsome -- a study in polished Art Deco glamour softened by sweeping city views that lend every table a sense of occasion. On a Valentine's Day brunch visit, the atmosphere alone was enough to justify the reservation. The kitchen demonstrates genuine competence: dishes arrive with care, the pacing is unhurried, and the mise en scène -- from tableside presentation to that now-famous thirteen-layer chocolate cake -- reveals an establishment that understands the theatre of fine dining. That towering slice of chocolate cake, in particular, is a masterstroke of marketing and pastry craft in equal measure; it draws the eye, earns its reputation, and very nearly steals the show. Where LOUIX LOUIS gives one pause is in the cuisine's ability to fully match its surroundings. The cooking is accomplished and reliably pleasant, yet seldom rises to the level of genuine distinction one might hope for at this price point. Dishes satisfy without surprising; technique is evident but inspiration, at moments, feels held in reserve. For the corporate traveller or the visitor seeking a polished, geographically convenient showcase of the city's skyline, this represents an entirely sound choice. For those seeking an experience whose flavours linger as long as the view, the kitchen has room yet to grow into its magnificent stage. Service is attentive and well-intentioned, though it can occasionally want for the depth of knowledge that elevates a good meal into a memorable one. LOUIX LOUIS is, in sum, a very good restaurant striving -- not quite yet arriving -- at greatness. The bones are exceptional; one hopes the culinary vision will, in time, catch up with them.

My boyfriend took me here for our anniversary and it was memorable to say the least. This…read morerestaurant is located in upstairs on the 31st floor of the St. Regis hotel. Coming in, it felt very luxurious. To be honest I was a little nervous because I came in feeling out of place as it is not somewhere I would eat casually, but the waitress that assisted us was so kind! We came strictly for cake as we had eaten right before, but we took a peek at the winterlicious menu, and the prices looked super affordable! We ordered the cake and yes, it maybe just be a tall slice of cake, but it was moist and decadent and probably my favourite cake. Overall, if you are a chocolate cake fanatic, this is the place to go!

After Seven - The green house

After Seven

(65 reviews)

Downtown Core

There is a particular pleasure in discovering a bar that requires you to earn your entrance. After…read moreSeven conceals itself behind an ice cream counter, its existence betrayed only by those who know to ask -- a conceit that could easily feel gimmicky but instead lands with genuine charm, setting the tone for what follows with quiet confidence. The room is small, intentional, and lovely: intimate seating, a sculptural emerald bar, and an atmosphere drawn from the Japanese cocktail tradition. The aesthetic is precise without being cold, and the candle-warm lighting encourages exactly the kind of unhurried conversation that a well-made cocktail deserves. But the bartenders are the true heart of the place. On the evening of my visit, the two behind the bar moved with a remarkable synchrony -- finishing each other's thoughts, trading warmth and wit in equal measure, drawing guests effortlessly into the orbit of their easy rapport. It is the kind of hospitality that cannot be trained into existence; it is either present or it isn't, and here it is very much present. The cocktail menu is East Asian in its inspiration and genuinely inventive in its execution.

such a hidden gem and speakeasy in toronto!! we went on a late weekday so we did not have to fill a…read morereservation, and instead was able to get seated right away at the bar area as we walked in. this place seems to specialize in asian flavoring, so drinks may taste umami on top of the sweetness and alcoholic taste of the drinks. i appreciate the art and tedious mixture of the drinks we had! this place was dimly lit and served the perfect vibe for me and my partner to chat, enjoy our beverages, and take cute pictures.

Dukes Refresher - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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