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| - Pravda is a prime candidate for an inaugural Yelp Elite event in Toronto, once the community is established here. The reason I say that is it bears remarkable resemblance to Mr. Smiths in San Francisco that has hosted Yelp so successfully in their home town. Those fortunate enough to have attended will need little explanation but for the rest let me explain:
Pravda is a little off the beaten path. It's not in trendy King west, busy College street, or the dreaded entertainment district. Instead it's down the street from the financial district and while it's surrounded by some of Toronto's best restaurants, you will consistently bump into someone outside offering to rid you of all that change in your pocket.
Inside Pravda is nicely decorated (Russian theme of course), somewhat a mix of modern and classic with a great atmosphere. It has a second floor overlooking the crowd on the first, no real dance floor, though people always seem to create their own, and a nice small VIP area, bar included, in the back which reminds me a lot of the upstairs nook at Mr. Smiths with the waitress counter.
The patrons, while scarce during the week, are out in droves over the weekend, generally older (meaning no 19 year olds, a good thing), and an overall good looking, fun crowd.
The Pravda staff, like Mr. Smiths, are really what make it an enjoyable place. Unlike some of its competition on the west side of the city, the bouncers are respectful and friendly, the bar and wait staff is always pleasant, and the management cares about its customers. (I had an incident with my credit card a while back and the owners and Andrea, the manager, put in the effort to chase it down until it was resolved) While they do at times get crowded and have a line, their primary goal is to move through it and get everyone through in a courteous manner.
Now, unlike Mr. Smiths, as I hope you've already guessed, being a vodka bar Pravda's menu is limited to vodka, many many kinds of it, cocktails based on it, beer, and wine. That suits me fine but something you want to keep in mind as you consider it.
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