Duke’s Refresher + Bar

I’m a big fan of this place. The atmosphere is welcoming, whether with friends or looking for a seat at the bar. The beer selection is good, covering the spectrum and a regular rotation of new beers. They present craft beers without being pretentious about it. The menu is good, and their chicken fingers really are top notch, none of that frozen crap here.
Highly recommend this place, whether it’s beers with friends or a place to watch the game.

How do you make a bar that is part of a much larger enterprise not feel corporate or cookie cutter… you hire the right people.
The food works, the prices are right, but some of the long time staff make the place awesome. The come up with silly hat days, derby races, your own mug for the right price (you have to ask if there are any). My only complaint would be on the «pint» sizes but then again you can stick with their ever changing selection of craft canned beer — pineapple IPA (pretty awesome and who knew).

Super loud, generic chain, cater-​to-​the-​mass sports bar. I like the interior and that’s about it. Drinks were bad, service was slow.

I went here with a few friends. We tried a few of their craft beers and I really liked the Mill St. Stout. I ordered the chicken parmesan krunch sandwich which, surprisingly, was really filling considering that I was starving. The idea of deep frying the lasagna is unique but nothing special about the marinara sauce. I think they can still add a bit of a twist to it so it can be tastier, but I guess if people go there for the craft beers, who cares about amazing food? I liked the ambiance and the server is really nice so that’s a plus.

Staff a bit inattentive; kitschy and eclectic ambiance that played 90s hip hop. Tons of old taps decorating the place and clientele were artsy college students and young professionals
Ordered a side salad, KFC (Korean fried chicken), and a Canadian pale ale. Tasty fried chicken and very well priced pitcher. Would certainly return.

This place is a gem and I’m so glad that it’s near my workplace. It’s good bar food with a small price tag! I always order the chicken fingers but the portion is big under $ 10. Very saucy and comes with fries… similar to Jack Astor’s but at a much lower price point! It’s a fun and laid back place to go with coworkers or if you’re in the area looking for a quick bite. I highly recommend this bar and they also have quite a variety of beers so you can’t go wrong! The only downside is the service can be iffy depending on how busy it gets.

Great spot when you’re in the mood for good food and decently priced beers. My meal came to just $ 30 including tax and tip, and I had the fish & chips and two pints (they have about five different beers that are always priced at just $ 5/​pint). Our server was great — attentive, but not too intrusive. We came on a Monday night and they had $ 5 apps, which seemed like a great deal although we each opted for a full meal.

Gord and I had supper this evening at Duke’s Refresher + Bar. Gord likes it there because of their craft beer selection.
They play B movies (with the sound off) on a couple TVs which are fun to watch because they are so bad!
We both ordered wings. Gord got his lightly dusted with salt. He said they were good. I got mine with medium sauce. They were good. I took half of them home and will have for supper tonight.
Meghan was our server and she was fun. She was attentive and took excellent care of us.

I’ve been here twice now and the impression I get is just kinda ok. Weird cowboy /​punk theme. Pint selection seems decent and the place is always packed to the walls with the after work drinks crowd. Service is always exactly passable.
I’ve never had the food so I’ll rerate when that happens.

Was there last night before going to a Raptors Game.
It had mean a few months since I was there last.
Sat at the bar and got the same friendly service.
The bartender informed me of some changes to the menu. Thankfully their excellent burgers are untouched.
Tried the wings and was not disappointed: fair size, crispy and tasty.
My only complaint is the lack of reception, a bit frustrating while waiting for my friend to arrive.
Maybe I should just put my phone down once in a while…

Quality after work location… came in with a couple of work buddies for a drink to check it out. Bright, friendly staff, good selection of drinks. I literally was only here for about 25 minutes, but now that I know it is within walking distance of my office at Yonge and Dundas, I will plan a much more involved visit, especially since the warm weather is on it’s way.
Update: came back last night, unfortunately our waitress didnt seem to be having a good day. Not friendly, not attentive. Although my friend ordered the chicken fingers and they were yummy.
Probably venture to new locations before coming back here again.

I’m giving it 2 stars only because at least the bar and service was great. But we ordered a ‘short’ order nacho (to go) and we got back to hotel it literally had less then 10chips covered in the toppings, most of which was lettuce. This all cost over $ 10. So I paid a little over a dollar a chip. This may be a tourist area, but THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU GET TO TAKE ADVANTAGE. Shame on you.

I knew I’d like this place from the second I heard the Alanis Morissette song playing when I walked in. A modern take on a 90s dive bar, with a bikini top hanging off a pair of deer antlers and a soundtrack that brought me back to my high school days, the bar brings about a refreshing sense of nostalgia.
I was quite happy when the bartender gave me the full rundown of the menu, naming all of the specials instead of the usual «what can I get you to drink?» that I hear at most Toronto bars. They have a pretty big selection of beer and prices that will satisfy any budget. My friend had the chicken fingers, which I know are pretty «low brow» cuisine, but they were some of the best I’ve ever had.
The space is pretty large and had a good after work crowd when I went. It would be interesting to see what this place is like on the weekends. I will definitely be back!

I’ll be back!
Stopped in here after a brief trip to see a friend living in the area. This spot amazed me the first time in came and has done it yet again!
It’s directly across from the Chelsea Hotel I’m then downtown area which makes most of its patrons international travelers mixed with university students (which makes for great times and conversations)
The bar menu itself is normal but all things are huge and made differently then norm bar grub.. try the nacho log which is, you guessed it nachos but on a long board and each chip separated and ingredients add one after another until the board is full.
The bar list is extensive and and tops elf liquors extensive as well.
The beer list is through the roof with I’d day maybe 30 plus beers on tap and bottles. 5.00 pints all day!!!
The staff here are amazing and we’ll versed in what beers are best for you including where it’s made and a small history behind it.
Later in the evenings a local dj comes in and spins house music but not to loud (starts about 10pm)
Pros– Staff, menu, drink selection
Cons — still haven’t found any.

Come for the $ 5 specials! Awesome place for university students as the crowd is pretty young. I love the décor of the place, and the atmosphere is loud and lively. The servers are extremely friendly and welcoming. My boyfriend had the tacos and the chicken wings. He claimed the chicken wings are the best he’s had so far compared to restaurants like St. Louis, Duff’s and Big Slice. I recommend passing on the salad though. It was quite pricy and was alright…

Casual pub setting with upstairs and patio setting. Generous food portion and price is reasonable. Burgers are at $ 11 with a thick beef patty on a buttery bun… If you order a salad or fries you have to pay $ 2.75(?) extra so we just got a plate of poutines instead. Tuna and avo sandwich is very good, has Asian flavour (sesame seed oil) and was very tasty. Great craft beer selection although the server insisted central city brewery is local to Ontario… A little knowledge mishap there but gotta say she was very friendly otherwise! They had beer special today and a good selection was priced at $ 5 a pint. That is cheap compared to Vancouver! Overall I was very happy with the food and service here.

Been here a few times for burgers and fish and chips and leave satisfied everytime. For downtown bar food, the portions and prices are reasonable.
My go-​to meal here is the two-​piece fish and chips at $ 15. I have to say that relative to a few months ago, the portion seems slightly smaller, but it is definitely still enough to fill you up. The fish would benefit from a little less time in the fryer because it walks a fine line bordering on burnt. However, I like my deep fried good super crispy and crunchy, so I enjoy it. If you want fish that’s fried with less batter and a little more finesse, try the Duke of Somerset nearby.
The cole slaw is the bum note on the dish. I don’t normally eat cole slaw, so maybe this is a thing, but I usually find theirs bitter. It’s not great, but the portion on this shrunk most noticeably, probably to my benefit.
The fries are averagely tasty. Yummy in the way fries are yummy, but not particularly crispy or seasoned that would warrant a comment.
There’s WiFi here, which might matter to some considering the terrible reception you get inside the restaurant. You have to ask for it and they’ll print you a temporary login. It’s a complicated process without a guarantee as the guy next to me and I both tried it twice to no avail.
Food might require a bit of a wait when they have bigger parties, but service has always good in my experience: friendly, attentive, and quick.

Duke’s has quickly become one of my favourite downtown bars. It has a great vibe, with great music, funky décor, and an awesome second floor balcony that overlooks the entire bar (my favourite spot!). The best thing about this bar, however, is the craft beer! The selection is quite large and I love that they have samplers for you to try before committing to a pint of the good stuff. I’ve always had great service too — friendly, quick and knowledgable about the beers they carry.
The only reason I can’t give this bar 5 stars, is that the food is … well… mediocre. I’ve had the classic cobb salad (romaine lettuce comes uncut which is something I don’t like in a salad) and chicken club (a little on the bland side), and was rather underwhelmed.
Despite the food, I love this bar and continue to drop in for a drink from time to time. Oh, and the free cotton candy when you leave is a nice touch :)

If you are looking to grab a pint around College Park, check out Duke’s Refresher!
The entrance is on Gerrard street and it is located in the Aura building.
I like that they have a great beer selection with rotating craft brews on tap.
Sample sizes (3oz) available if you want to try a few beers.
Also, there are happy hour specials, $ 5 share plates from 5pm to 7pm.
As for the food, they have a good selection of appetizers and mains.
I ordered a salad with seared tuna and it was surprisingly very pretty and tasted great! It was topped with taro crisps and a light vinaigrette.
My friend ordered fish and chips that were a bit overcooked.
We told the server and the cook came out to ask if my friend wanted another serving.
Great service!
This is definitely one of my favorite casual spots for after work drinks!

Holy craft beer Batman. I love beer and this place has a wonderful choice of craft beers to choose from.
The taps of past are on the back wall where you can see the variety that they served from before. Taps are constantly changing and some are so often they are just called taps 1 through 5!
The menu is pretty much consistent in price all the way down which was 7.50 a pint. The time I was there though (noon through 6pm I believe?) the prices for pints are only 5 bucks. 5 bucks! Aren’t I lucky to have a day off? The menu is also listed by IBU rating from lowest to highest. I didn’t see anything too strong on this menu. Amsterdam at the bottom was 65 I think? I’ve been drinking stronger beers recently but the ones I had were good.
I went with the Duggers number 9 American pale ale and a Liberty Village 504 (as in the streetcar) this time.
Recently Unilocal held an amazing pub crawl hosted by Evelyn in which Duke’s was the first stop. I wanted to return on my own and while the place is dead quiet at 3pm I didn’t get to spend any time on the ground floor last time because the event was held upstairs. The ground floor is filled with flat screens on the bar wall and some interesting high top seating/​stools. There are some U shaped tables almost like somebody is intended to be at the center.
So since I was only here for beer last time I have sampled the food here from the previous event and from what we had (silders, nacho board, club sandwich, chicken tacos) the menu is a nice variety of complimentary snack type foods to go great with your drinks.
Dukes has lots of nice taps to partake in. If you like beer this place should definitely be a consideration.