Hands down BarChef is one of the best cocktail lounges I have ever been to.
One of my last nights in Toronto I went on a mini bar hop down Queen St. W with a girlfriend of mine and BarChef was one of our stops. Yes, it was a wee bit expensive. But, it was SO worth it.
We walked in and immediately I noticed the large curtains you enter through, candlelit ambiance, and overall dark, romantic atmosphere. We sat ourselves at the bar and took a look at the cocktail menu. Our bartender, Mateo was so wonderful! He walked us through the many types of cocktails that they served. We settled on the modernist cocktails, ranging in price from $20-$30 in price. I got myself the Pastel Violette (Unsure if that's what it was actually called, but along those lines). Basically, it was the alcoholic version of a london fog. Damn, it was amazing. It was beautifully presented, well crafted, and so, so, so delicious. It even had edible flowers and everything. Mateo mixed my drink right in front of me and by pouring the two mixtures together, it created a beautiful smoky effect. Check out the attached video.
I have to give credit where credit is due. BarChef, you sure know what you're doing. The service was impeccable, the drinks were unbelievable and from what I could tell by the food menu, they've got some tasty options on there as well.
Date night, girls night out, just looking for a damn good drink? Come to BarChef.