We'd just finished a very tasty meal at a nearby Korean restaurant, and I had passed Northwood on my way there, so I figured why not check the place out and grab a cocktail or two? We showed up around 7:00 and the place was maybe half full, so we snagged a couple of spots at the bar. After a quick perusal of their promising menu, I was very intrigued by a cocktail that included "raisin-infused scotch" among its ingredients, so obviously I had to get that. (I can't remember what it was called or what any of the other components were, and the website is hopelessly out of date.) It was ready a few minutes later and it's really fantastic. My first thought was that perhaps the raisin flavor was a little too pronounced, but as I kept sipping, I began to taste the other ingredients and they all worked so well together. I enjoyed the heck out of this beverage. And although we had planned to order another drink, the relaxed service meant that by the time we were asked, we were ready to move on. So that part was a little disappointing. Still, Northwood is a super cool little place and the vibe inside is terrific. I'm sure I'll return. read more

We stopped in at Northwood last night. It's a small cute spot. They have a good beer selection. I ordered hummus. Gord ordered German potato salad but they didn't have any so he ordered salt cod. The hummus was just okay. There was a layer of olive oil on top of the hummus which was kind of weird so I mixed it in so I could get at with the hummus. Gord said his salt cod was okay. We both ordered more bread. When I followed up with our server about a half hour later, she said the kitchen was closed ... um, thanks for letting us know instead of keeping us waiting! So we ended up finishing the hummus and salt cod with spoons. The bathrooms are in the basement and a nasty smell will hit you as you heading down the stairs. read more

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I feel like I was pretty harsh with the mediocre 3-star review for Northwood the first time around. Northwood is excellent for what it is - a quaint cocktail bar in the Bloor-Christie neighbourhood. The $14 cocktails (which is very affordable considering what other cocktail bars are charging nowadays) are all very interesting. I feel like the cocktail menu is smaller than it was previously, to its benefit in my opinion. My friend and I tried maybe 6 different types of cocktails and they were all very refreshing. Northwood doesn't serve much in terms of food, so make sure you have something in your stomachs before your visit. Aside from that, it's nothing but green lights. Take a seat on their spacious patio and get some good conversation going. read more

I've been coming here since they opened and wow wow the place has gone downhill. Deafeningly loud. Nightclub loud. There isnt a dancefloor here. Its people wanting to drink and talk, instead you have to scream. For the last 3 years, service has always been horrible. Horribly understaffed so everyone working is completely frazzled and oftentimes rude. Your glass will be empty for a long time. If you mention in passing you went to Northwood, you'll often be met with "the place with horrible service?". Its become a thing. read more

Stroller friendly and opens during daytime hours? Before we are doing bedtime?! Huge win. Fun beverage list, if not expensive. Service was quick and friendly, kind to my baby. Bathroom down a flight of stairs. Will be back often - amazing warm cocktail list including a hot toddy so perfect when you're sick! read more

Bar Crawl #1: Beau's Kissmeyer Nordic Pale Ale & St Bernardus Abt 12 Happy Hour Everyday till 7 pm! $2 off drafts and bottles/cans. Sweet! Of course I have to start off with a pint: Beau's Kissmeyer Nordic Pale Ale ($5.50 with HH specials!) and my Yelp friend with a can of Howe Sound Lager ($4.5 with HH Special). And of course if you prefer some exquisite import: A bottle of St Bernardus Abt 12 ($28). The interior is dark, dim and cozy. I like how Northwood is a coffee/beer/cocktail drinking place as that means I can hang out here the whole day. Too bad they were out of the 8oz Cold Brew to go. I guess I have to come back soon to try out their cocktails and coffee! And free WIFI!! Oh that means I can even yelp a bit! read more

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I've always loved the ambiance and chill vibes at Northwood. The music isn't too loud and the room isn't too dark so you can't see your friend lol. Great hang out place. Good drinks and ok wine selection. Their charcuterie board could improve with better textures but this place is definitely a great hangout or date spot! :) read more

This is a cute cocktail bar with a pretty large patio. The patio is shaded so it's really nice for a summer day. Cocktails were really good. The menu is extensive. I especially liked my second drink - Communion. The cocktails range between 12$-14$ generally. They have a small snack menu for bits and bites. They were decently busy and filling up when we went, but service was still quick. read more

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Good cocktails and service. The plumbing pipe held toilet paper holder for the loo in the basement at this bar. If it were earlier and warmer, a cocktail with cold brew coffee would have sit just right (ugh early morning tomorrow). read more

Northwood - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This is probably my favorite place to drink/sit/frig around on a laptop/watch people/get drunk at. It's very versatile. Opens at 10am, have some Pig Iron Coffee (get that stuff at Lit Espresso Bar, too), sit and watch Christie Pitts park, get a sandwich, switch to bourbon, see who goes in and out of Toronto BJJ across the street, order more bourbon, and repeat. Their cocktail menu is very impressive...not huge but the drinks on it are all delicious. I sort of regret writing this review because I don't want YOU sitting in my spot next time I go in. Yelp piggy backin', bastards. read more

So my last update was a little off. They have stopped with the oysters, and the patio isn't in full swing, but... They have done some pop-up menus with varying chefs, but it looks like they've got some keepers for supper hour and they aren't messing around. Get some of their delish delights (think: tortiere, pea soup with biscuits and braised beef poutine) to go with your craft cocktails and reasonably priced wine and beer. Mmm K? read more

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This place is.for.cocktails. One of my favourite places for drinks and they also have a few different rotating beer taps. The service here is amazing, especially Nico, they make bomb cocktails. I had so many good ones that I can't remember all the names. My partner had one with earl grey tea and pepper; very interesting flavours here. The cocktail menu is also massive. Don't go for the food tho; expensive for snack sized dishes. But if you need something, it's still available and tastes good enough. I would definitely recommend this place to someone visiting the area. And just remember, ask for Nico. read more

After seeing this place pop up on Yelp and being featured in a newsletter/blog that I follow I decided to give these guys a try. They're only a 10 minute walk from my house so I thought this would be a great opportunity to find a new brunch spot close to home. I popped in Saturday morning with my girlfriend only to find out that they're doing brunch on Sundays only at the moment. No matter, I grabbed a tea to go, of which I had 4 choices of loose leaf varieties to choose from. The woman working was very friendly and explained how they're taking things one step at a time and slowly introducing more and more. Right now this is a great place to hang out during the day to grab a hot beverage and chit-chat with a friend or come in the evening for a cocktail or two. No open Wifi networks popped up during my visit so this may not be the place at the moment to hang out if you're trying to get work done/being a laptop hobo. read more

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Big fan of Northwood. Cocktails are priced great for what you get and service is lovely! Unpretentious and a perfect place to hang out on the patio. Just make sure you eat before you come - this really is drinks only. read more

The newest hipster cafe/bar/saloon to hit Bloorcourt and the first really big makeover on this block in recent years, Northwood is brand new, opening its doors yesterday. The atmosphere was really enjoyable and relaxed but then again, there was only a trickle of customers coming in and discovering the place. If you ever entered Regal Gardens, the Chinese restaurant that pre-dated Northwood, the interior is not even recognizable in a wonderful way. They did a complete gut. The east wall is now exposed brick, a long bar on the west side featuring an eclectic cage holding all the liquor, a chalk board menu of preferred uppers and downers and a mish mash of old schoolhouse chairs, wicker bar stools, wooden benches and sturdy retro pub chairs. It's got that nostalgic dive bar feel without the actual griminess or smell, maybe because it's only seen one night of patrons so far but I appreciate this. It's clear a lot of thought went into the place and the furnishings, which is really refreshing. The staff are friendly, the coffee is good, the selection of sweeteners includes coconut sugar and maple sugar. I even had an enjoyable vegan cookie. Menu and brunch to come. I was promised vegan options which is enough to win my return patronage and if it's good, make me a regular. I did not check out the liquor but hopefully they have a nice selection of local and craft beers, as places like this are inclined to. The only drawback I saw was the extra .50c for soy-based drinks. Down with the soy tax! read more

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I keep trying to give this place a chance and it disappoints me over and over again. The staff is just too rude. And only IPAs on tap. read more

I love sitting here in the afternoon to work. The interior is so nice, the coffee is good and it's possibly my favourite local chill out place. Admittedly I haven't been here in the evening for drinks yet but the cocktail menu looks smashing. One year later... I love this place even more. read more

Northwood - Rooibos tea at 7pm. What a rebel. - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I was quite impressed with the variety of cocktails Northwood had in their menu. Since I like bourbon and cognac, I finally settled for the Tiki Old Fashioned (yes that's what it was called). It had that blended deepness of cognac with a citrus finish. Definitely a drink only for those that like hard liquor. I'm glad that the bartender was nice enough to describe the differences and particulars about each drink as I doubt any first timers like myself would know which cocktail to best order. Meanwhile, my friends also enjoyed there drinks but I don't remember the drink names (see pics for parts of their drink menu). Northwood is a cozy and chill bar to try unique cocktails and catch up with friends. Try to go earlier as I heard that it can get really packed by late evening. Cheers! read more

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Northwood is overall a great bar in a convenient location. Lots of interesting beers available in bottles/cans (I love Dieu du Ciel so I might be a little biased here). Also, they've got Kissmeyer on tap which was crisp and refreshing. I've never had their cocktails but they look unique and worth trying. They have a pretty large inside area, and a nice-sized patio. The decor is cute and cozy. The service was really friendly and attentive. The only reason this place isn't getting a 5 star is because of the price -- it's really expensive at least for me (my Kissmeyer pint was $8.75). I didn't realize they have a happy hour every day from 5-7 though ($2 off any beer), so I'd definitely be back to try that. Def recommend this place especially for a fancy date night or a tasty cocktail. read more

A welcome addition to the bloor west hood. Impressive list of (bottled) beer and a few nice draughts. Wine list & cocktails are unique. Snacks are served (sandwiches and the like) and good coffee is part of the mantra. Possibly the best iced drip coffee i have ever tasted. No milk or sugar required! I like when cafes are true to their name: serving both caffeine and booze in true European fashion. The patio is lovely, as is the interior. The bathrooms are spotless and have a cozy cottage-like charm. Thumbs up! read more

Northwood - Iced drip - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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From the same people who opened Mulberry bar. It's literally just down the street from Mulberry in which I highly welcome it. Service: Knowledgeable casual service. Cocktails: Expansive cocktail menu with many distinct tastes that would cater to a wide variety of cocktail enthusiast. Ambiance: In comparison to Mulberry, noticeably different type of environment. Arguably more livelier, dim ambiance. Good amount of seating is available which can accommodate groups. Recommendation: If you want cocktails or out on a bar hopping mood, you definitely have to make this one of the spots to land in. read more

I love this place! Tried it for the first time last night. My fiancé had a Radical Roads Pale Ale beer and the Tobermory and I had the Raspberry Beret. Twice. Because it tasted so good! Tons of very tasty drink options no matter your preference, whether it's gin, vodka, tequila, brandy, bourbon, or vodka. Small, dimly lit, cozy. About 12-15 tables. Went on a Saturday night around 6:30 with no trouble getting in. Bartender/servers were all kind and welcoming. Particularly loved their menu - great photography and presentation. Parked on a side street about 30 seconds away for free next to Christie Pitts park. Great experience and will definitely be back! read more

Northwood - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Vibe is typical Ossignton/Bloor student yuppie bar with dim lighting and wooden tables. A lot of Drake on the playlist ands overall good vibes. All their sours say "lemon" but what they really mean is "lemon syrup". As a result, the cocktails are too sweet and do not taste fresh or balanced. Very friendly staff. read more

Such a cozy comfortable spot, and such creative, tasty drinks. We tried three different cocktails and they were all fresh and delicious. The fresh herbs and dried fruit slices are nice touches. The service was super and the staff was helpful in picking out drinks. I love it, I wish we lived here and could come all the time. read more

The extensive variety of cocktails on the Northwood menu makes it hard to choose! I tried two cocktails from the Spirit-driven section: the Royal Oak and the Normandy. Both were exquisitely crafted and full-flavoured. The menu also offers some interesting beers. The vibe is cozy and the service is friendly and attentive. A great place for a casual evening with your mates. read more

Northwood - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My go-to date spot. ;) It's cozy, intimate, and very romantic. Cocktails are pricey, but they are made with artful care and designed to indulge in. Food menu includes cheese boards and charcuterie, but seems to change a lot. Would be nice if there were more hearty options for when you want a good meal to soak up those cocktails every now and again. read more

Was sitting outside and the wood table was crawling with little tiny bugs :/ had to keep shooing them away with their menu! Other than that the drinks were food with good craft beer and wine selections. Had their Old Fashioned and the orange/ice was done right! Didn't have a chance to try their food but the atmosphere inside looked perfect for a summer night. Friendly staff and very relaxing vibe. Will be back :) read more

Wicked bar with a mind boggling cocktail menu. Maybe the best ive seen, cocktail wise. The level of creativity is extremely on point, to say the least. Service was mind boggling also. On point service and on point cocktail menu = one thing .... Wait for it .... Killer date spot to say the least. Ok, so I wasn't on a date (just bein' honest) but next time ive got one lined up i wonder where I'll be taking my special someone?? Hmm. Let me think about that for a second. bellwoods brewery? Nah. burdock? Fuck no. I'm going to northwood on bloor street west. Bingo! Did I mention that they also have a patio? holy hell. Give me a break northwood! That's wicked. 4/5 stars overall. It would be a 5/5 if it wasn't absurdly expensive and also the crowd is like 95% tech industry power couples so ya 4/5 read more

Toronto gets it. At least its nightlife industry gets it. This is yet another golden lit, dark-walled, laid back, approachable bar that says, 'hither, but where else is there the cackle of drunken kids, heartwarming thirtysomethings and comedic snarling trios of women along with shots of fernet, and a casual, open enough space for anyone who isn't interested in drinking?" It could be the fact that I hail from the land of more bars per capita than most places but somehow most bars are packed, and I have the feeling I've seen it all... but, from an outsider's perspective... the approachability of a bar is more important than anything else, and Northwood gets the point: there's no fucking curtain, there's no hostess ready to say no, and there's no line. There are chairs outside in case you want to wait for a better seat... there's standing room inside. There's low tables, bench tables and a bar. Service was massively attentive and casual. Table service through the night with plenty of water top offs. And, with the fernet on the menu that can be slung back or taken a nip off of... this place is like an alternatively better version of many hideouts in SF. People in Canada are nicer. The drinks are cheaper. And there's more leg room. read more

Our server at the Crafty Coyote recommended Northwood to us. I had two cocktails - a Hot Toddy and a Violet Hour cocktail. The Violet Hour was the best tequila cocktail I have ever had. There were many cocktails to choose from and will definitely be back again for more. read more

Northwood - Violet Hour - Cafes Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I wish I owned some kind of share in this place that allowed me to always have a table here. Living around the corner I've spent a few years finishing a bottle of wine with friends and facing the dark options of a Bloor West selection of bars whose zenith was Pour Boy's (yeah there's Piston or 3 Speed but..I dunno. We never jived.) Now instead of walking into decades of burps and sad old zoo cougars, we get to hop over to Northwood; fresh paint and friendship. It's a comfy and beautiful spot, and the drinks are priced up but not high (a single Fernet with lemon was $5.60, for example). Daytime: My boyfriend and I came in here for the first time mid-morning, and had really pleasant espressos looking out on Christie Pits in the sunny front window. Crowd: I know it's hard for some to hear, but "hipsters" are just people under 35 with a shred of whimsy. Conclusion: The world is great and I love it. read more

Northwood has been on my list of places to check out for some time now and so glad that I was in Koreatown so that I could drop by. The drink menu is bigger than the food menu - my kind of place. Between the selection of classic cocktails, original cocktails, sours & smashes and coffee-based drinks, I was in lush heaven. The drinks are boozy but delicious. I really enjoyed the twists on the classic cocktails. Can't complain about about the price either - $14 a pop is a steal. I highly recommend the papermoon as a shot choice (can be served as a cocktail as well). Cute patio too. Will definitely return. read more

I spent the better part of a day at Northwood and enjoyed it so much I wasn't even tired of being there at the end of it all. The atmosphere is great for working during the day and socializing during the evening. Seriously, this cafe covers it all. An added bonus of being there so long means that I experienced a lot of what they have to offer, and from lattes to sparkling wine at happy hour, to cheese plates, everything I had I liked. The menus are small, but creative and the staff is efficiently friendly. It would be one of my main hangs if I lived in Toronto. read more

I was at Northwood on Friday August 8, 2014 with some friends. First the place has the worst menu...one of the dish is white beans blended in house with some dry bread! seriously!! you could at least use real beans. It tasted like water sewage. I am still washing my mouth from that. Now I was Ok with that after all it is a drinking place so I did not go there for the food. Now we were a big group. We asked them to split our bills since we were drinking and we were not attached by the hips! The answer was no we do not do that unless you wanna give us your credit card and we open a tap. My boyfriend and I said yes to this. We gave our visa and order drinks and some lame food as follows: Ginger ale 3 beers that awful white beans with the dry bread some even more awful cheese (I really hate French wanna be restaurants) one scotch one cider *extra side dish of bread. Now, my b/f and I wanted to leave the party earlier so I approached the over worked bartender. I should mention now the place gets busy and they are very under staffed. I told him we had a tap and I would like to clear it. He gave me a bill and I noticed the scotch and three beers were missing...I told him about this omission....you see I could just not mention about this but I am a normal citizen not a thief! He went back and added the drinks...here is my problem. He ADDED what I told him was missing but DID NOT TAKE IT OUT OF WHERE ELSE HE HAD IT! I mean yea busy but it is not my job to move drinks from one tap to another. Now one of my friend called me the next day and told me they over charged her exactly those 4 drinks that I told him he was missing. I sent the receipt to my friend and told her that it was paid in full except that side bread. I forgot to mention the extra sad bread order was not on my bill. I told my friend I am sorry I forgot the extra stupid bread...but I was pissed the restaurant charged my friends for something ALREADY PAID FOR! Now this is my advise to Northwood or any other bar establishment serving groups that are not gonna all come together or leave together and not providing 5star menu: If you are too cheap to have a system where you can put numbers so people can have different bills, perhaps you should not be in the bar business. No 10 people go to a place to have drinks and need to wait until the end of the night to pay all at the same time!!!!!! this is stupid! You are Bloor and Ossington, a place to go before you go somewhere else...read your targets!!! If you think your staff cannot keep track of who drinks what (assuming your staff is sober), funny you assumed your drinking patrons should do the calculations and the remembering! It all boiled down to service. Your service sucks. You basically robbed my friend. I will never be back at the Northwood and I hope you do not rip off others like you did to us. Also BTW, your staff was defensive...not sure if this was being overworked or underpaid or just cranky but guess what, I wished I did not tip you... Have good short life. read more

Cute and cozy spot for beer, especially during the daily (!) happy hour. One day when my beer bud and I were exploring that end of Bloor for the first time, we saw the sandwich board advertising $2 off any beer between 5 and 7. I made a mental note for us to come back. We're glad we did - we love the vibe, the decor, the service. This isn't a local for us, but we make a point of coming in for a pint when the location and timing works out. This is the first place we tried Kissmeyer on tap. A tad pricey during regular hours (we've found it for significantly less), but nice at $6.75 (before tip). The place does fill up from 5 to 7, so be warned you might not find a table if you arrive too late or come with too many people. Some folks make this their coffee and laptop spot during the late afternoons and this spills over into happy hour. A lot of people are here for the cocktails, not the beer, so it's fun to sit at the bar and watch the concoctioneering. read more

Richard P from Northwood is now messaging me trying to convince me of the benefits of their 'tab' system. See my previous review, it does not work. He says its hard to do separate bills and a lot of work for servers and customers (huh?!)...so they don't want to do it. I wonder how all those other restaurants do it? Magic? Actually when you do split bills its so nice and easy for the customer and we love it!! For now I'll continue to avoid this place at all costs. Richard P's private messages to me explicitly told me that they do NOT do separate bills. They do allow you to try and calculate what you owe on the one bill that you receive, but that is NOT a separate bill. He also" justified" to me in previous messages why northwood doesn't do separate bills, so I'm not sure what his comment to my review even means. Regardless, I will never return after the rude service I received. As the server at the last restaurant I went to told me "of course I can do separate bills for you, and any place that says they can't is lying or has severely outdated equipment" If anyone wants clarification on what was sent to me, feel free to pm me! :) read more

Really wished this place was around when I worked in the Bloor & Shaw area. The last time I walked by this location it was a questionable Chinese restaurant. I couldn't help but notice there's something much better going on when I strolled by the other day. I could sense it was a coffee shop when I walked in based on the amount of people clicking away on their laptops. I figured I would rest my feet at the bar and have my fourth cup of coffee that day. I looked around to see if there was a menu and grabbed their clipboard -- it listed all the fancy coffees they make, but thankfully they had three edible options at the bottom. I opted for the ham & swiss sandwich. Americano was good. Girl working there was friendly, and the decor was quite nice. It's not a unique experience with lots of wood & black paint (similar to Beaconsfield or Churchill) but I appreciated the effort in making the place comfortable. Quite a bit of time passed since I finished my drink and I was wondering if my sandwich was coming or not. I was actually about to pack up and forget about it, but then a dude finally came with what turned out to be a rather delicious hot snack. Maybe not worth the six-plus dollars it cost (though it came with grapefruit which I skipped) but I was still satisfied. Would really like to see some more snacks. Even maybe just some baked goods like muffins or cookies. I realise it's also probably a rocking bar at night, but if it's going to do the coffee shop vibe in the morning/afternoon I would like to have a little more variety. I would have killed for some soup. read more

I am far too old and grumpy to put up with wobbly chairs and tables, overpriced cocktails and a ridiculous menu. The staff seemed to hate their jobs while we were there. I get it. I have hated serving tables too. I really think that this place is best for a burgeoning young relationship where you aren't eating anyway and are trying to impress your date with how sophisticated you are. read more

I stopped in here with a friend for a drink in between other stops on our route on a Friday night. Obviously with such great reviews, we were looking forward to coming to Northwood. We walked in and it was very dark inside. No problem though, it was nighttime and it's a bar so the lighting was acceptable. Actually, this would be a GREAT place to bring someone when you're either not looking so hot or the person you're with isn't looking so hot! Anyway... The place was full when we walked in. All tables and bar stools were occupied but the guy behind the bar motioned to an empty table at the back and so we sat there. A server came to our table promptly with a menu. When she returned to take our order, my friend was in the washroom. I ordered a dubbel ($9) (so glad this beer is so often on drink menus now), and I told the server that my friend would order when she returned to her seat. Our server brought my drink along with a bottle of water and two glasses. My friend was still checking the menu. The server never returned... NEVER. I finished my beer and she hadn't even come by again ONCE! We decided that since the service sucked we'd be on our way. I put $12 (a 10 and a twoonie) on the table to cover my beer+tax+tip. After we were walking down the street, my friend handed me the twoonie I had left. She said she took it because the server didn't deserve it. I actually felt pretty bad because that meant I was actually 17 cents short on the actual bill with tax. I was then a little embarrassed that I ended up being short, but whatever. Anyway, I'm sure this place is great with a different server. I'd totally come back, pay my amount owing from my first visit and leave an appropriate tip on whatever I had during my return. (I just wouldn't bring a friend who might reclaim my tip money!) Even though the place was busy, the crowd was a little tame. Everyone was seated so my first impression was that this is more of a date place. (Actually, as far as ambiance, it reminded me a bit of Bar Volo). So yeah, the poor rating is really just based on the service, which was as I mentioned: non-existent. That said, I totally want to go back. And if anyone from Northwood is reading this... I'm seriously really sorry about being 17-cents short! (Not so sorry my friend scammed the tip as it wasn't really deserved anyway). read more

The owner has Phd in Film.... no wonder the lighting is sensational! I've never seen better lighting in a bar. Specialty cocktails are great. Lady Grey Sour... original and tasty. Yogi Berra might say... "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded". The last time I walked by, I wanted to stop in, but it was kind of packed. read more