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| - I want to write this review, but I also DON'T want to write this review because I want this place all to myself.
This is the best bar that I've ever been to in the world.
Yep. There, I've said it. My favorite bar in the world. Time here stands still. Actually, I wish it did, because everytime I'm at the rooftop, I emerge to find 3-4 hours have magically passed and I've done some serious damage to my credit card.
The view of Toronto is stunning. The atmosphere is classy but relaxed in a library-leather couch-fireplace kind of way. Sinatra and big band greats filter in on the unobtrusive sound system. The bartenders are lifers. They've worked there for decades. We were at the lounge two years ago and had a couple of cocktails that changed our lives. Fast forward two years and the SAME bartender remembered us and we fell back into the same familiar banter and conversation.
Speaking of cocktails, these are the best I've ever had, anywhere. My favorite is of course the old fashioned, but the maple manhattan is seriously amazing. Bourbon sour with Knob Creek or Woodford Reserve hits the spot too. The bartenders are true experts at their craft.
The main downsides to this place are that it gets horribly crowded at night and the drinks are painfully expensive (martinis $20-22 and cocktails $18). To combat one of these ills, our favorite time to be there is in the afternoon, say 2 or 3ish. You can enjoy the breathtaking views without the crowds and learn more about the experts tending bar and crafting drinks. If you're a fan of a stiff drink and some quiet conversation, check out this gem at the top of the Park Hyatt.
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