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| - The most common praise of Dark Horse is its patio; the most common complaint about Dark Horse is its lack of service on the patio...
If you've been to Bloor West Village, you know that there aren't a lot of patios in the neighbourhood, and any patio that you do find is likely going to be small, cramped, and full of people. With the exception of the Firkin on Runnymede, Dark Horse has one of the biggest and best outdoor spaces in the village to drink pints, people watch or eat burgers and fries.
But, as many people have pointed out before me, the service can range anywhere from slow to crappy when you're sitting out there. While you're waiting, you may even be waiting so long for service that you'll feel compelled to go inside and get your own drinks, which causes the server to give you attitude when she eventually gets to your table, which causes you to feel uncomfortable; you see the vicious circle taking shape here...
All-in-all, the food at Dark Horse isn't half bad. Granted, they aren't going to win any awards anytime soon, but for pub food that goes well with a few drinks, it's pretty decent. While some of the food, like the calamari and nachos, is previously frozen and highly unimaginative, other items, like their Village Burger or fish and chips, are clearly made in-house and truly tasty. They also serve a weekend brunch that is worth checking out, but expect to wait for a table; it fills up quickly with the neighbourhood locals.
All of the expected draft options are here...I think. Truth-be-told, the server never actually rattled off the draft list to us in the limited time she spent at our table. Luckily, there were a few beer-branded signs in the patio, which makes the process a little easier, but a lot less convenient.
Dark Horse's problems are easily fixable; they just need a bit more staff. Trust me, sit back on the patio, have a pint, and watch them work. It'll quickly become obvious that they're understaffed. Another server or two during their busier times, and Dark Horse could be fantastic.
Truth be told, it's just a pub, and a fairly average one at that. If you're in a hurry, you may want to avoid this place, but if you've got some time to kill and want to soak up some sun on a patio, Dark Horse provides nicely.
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