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Crush Wine Bar
- Hours:
Mon, Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am
Tue 11:30 am - 10 pm
Wed-Thu 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sun 11:30 am - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
18 reviews for Crush Wine Bar
18 reviews in English
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Review from Mariko M.
5/6/2012
Came here last night with some pals and had a great night! For a Saturday, it wasn't too busy (which was nice). Making reservations was pretty painless; Open Table is a 'plus' in my books.
We sat in the dining room, but when their patio opens up, I will most definitely be sitting there! The interior is very nice - it has this industrial look (think: the Distillery restos).
The wine menu here is very lengthy with bottles coming from many parts of the world. I ordered a bottle from Argentina (the Etchart Torrontes); a light and fruity white wine, it's a great wine to drink in the summer. As my 'main,' I had the beet rissotto - it was meatless yet very filling and delicious.
Service was excellent! I didn't catch our waiter's name, but he was extremely entertaining and added to the night.
Yay; I'm a fan. -
Review from Raymond W.
Toronto, ON
4/27/2012 1 photo
Crush Wine Bar, my first five star review. Despite what happened, this wine bar is the closest to a five star establishment I've experienced in this city, and I've only enjoyed the five star experience in Asia. For a restaurant bar on pretentious King West, this is truly remarkable.
My first visit was during TIFF 2011, I made a reservation for two on open table rather than by telephone, which is highly uncharacteristic. The plan was to meet up with an old friend whom I've not seen in years, I thought I'd choose a venue which appropriated our age. We have grown up since our last encounter..
I showed up at 8:30, was greeted by the Maitre'D and the restaurant manager, he walked me to my table by the window. I would have chosen the exact same table, so I was happy to know that a little thought went into my placement. Or at least I'd like to think so. I waited for my friend to show up so I had time observe the décor very carefully.
There's a freshly snipped rose head in a mini vase at each table, all the glassware had the restaurant's logo printed on it, the vintage art on the walls all appeared to be advertisement from the industrial era, and the dining floor was so dimply lit that it reminded me of my grandfather's mahogany office on a rainy afternoon. I would describe it as; modern nostalgic. The bar at the front of the house sits approximately 8-10 patrons, and I've never seen anyone under 30. Which is just the greatest thing someone like me can ask for. People my age plague this neighbourhood!
I got a call from my friend, she told me she wasn't going to come until 9:30. I felt my face flush, I became angry with how she seemed to shrug off her tardiness, and her complete nonchalant tone. Here I was, to sit at my table alone for an entire hour. What can one do other than to order the cheese platter and start drinking?
I got three types of cheese including the blue, a glass of port ('97), and a glass of sherry. The cheese came in small chalks served with dried fruits I think and a fresh slice of honey comb. The honey complimented the cheese brilliantly! And it indeed was fresh. The glass of port ended up being the best port I've ever had in a restaurant, and the sherry was quite pleasant as well.
After half an hour, the lovely Maitre'D lady came to me with a local restaurant newsletter for me to read, sensing my obvious frustration. How considerate. Did I mention she was gorgeous?
After my friend finally decided to show, it dawned on me that she was under-dressed, severely so in fact. As soon as she took off her leather jacket to reveal a green tank top I immediately prayed that she would put it back on. But like many prayers it went unanswered.
I got the steak tenderloin, I don't remember what she ordered.
I do remember speaking to the manager about the bottle of wine I ordered, and how I wished there were more selections from Argentina and Chile. The man must have been a sommelier because he knew everything that came out of his mouth. Very knowledgeable. The conversation was actually pleasant and not awkward at all.
I drank the entire bottle by myself because my friendly was kind enough to enlighten me to her alcohol allergy only after the cork was unscrewed...
The bill came out to just over two hundred, this wasn't a date...but I paid anyway.
She drove me home. She better have!
I came here two weeks later with my friend Jennifer after storming out of Rodney's Oyster Bar for their outrageously poor service and hideously mannered staff, I walked into Crush without a reservation and Mark the manager not only found a table for me, but even remembered my name! Oh you saint!
When angry I order wine, and this time I did it by the glass. Along with my swordfish and oysters I had a glass of Port ('94 this time[not as good as the '97]), the icewine, and something else. When I have finished with my drinks, Mark came to me and handed me a complimentary glass of Dom Pérignon '01. He said that it would complete the pairing, and I was very grateful.
He also mentioned that an order of Argentinian or Chilean wine has been placed alongside of other South American wines. I wanted to hug the man!
Mark the manager, the man should practically wear a cape!
I debated whether to award Crush Wine Bar with my first 5 star rating because I did think the food could use some improvement, but the Great & All Mighty Jennifer K reminded me that this place was afterall; a wine bar. And under those circumstances, it was one heck of a glorious place!
Don't go there expecting free drinks though, I'm just special.
I did notice from their online menu that the '97 Port went from $17/oz to $40/oz. Is film festival some kind of boxing week for restaurants? It's either that, or this is the best ageing wine in history!!
Crush (the competition) Wine Bar!
Simply a well managed business.
5 Stars, well...by Canadian Standards anyway. -
Review from Steph L.
12/4/2011 Seated via OpenTable
With a name that contains the words "Wine" and "Bar", I was pretty much sold.
If you are looking for a more casual place to dine on King West, Crush Wine Bar is just that. The decor is pleasant and comfortable but plain compared to other dining establishments in the area. I did find that it was too bright and not very ambient. I wasn't even on a date and I still asked them to turn down the lights.
As for the service, it was fantastic! We were running about 10 minutes late for our reservation on a Saturday. They called to check if they should hold our table and we were greeted and seated right away upon arrival.
The place wasn't super busy for a Saturday night. You can have a conversation without shouting.
The wine list is extensive as expected.
Large range of old world, new world wines, local wines at different price points.
The food was a surprise. The menu had some great items and the food was great!
* Seared Foie Gras
You can't really go wrong with Foie. The sweet plum compote and and bread pudding were perfectly sweet, savory, and interesting texturally.
* Roasted Bone Marrow
It's not the Black Hoof. I liked the marrow here but didn't love it. I found it a bit under-seasoned but the fried capers where awesome.
* Oysters
They get their oysters from Oyster Boy.
They were fresh but they only have oysters from P.E.I.
Overall, I enjoyed my visit here. The food is good and there's lot of wine.
The waitstaff is friendly and helpful. If you have questions they don't make you feel silly for asking. I'll probably be back some day with friends. -
Review from Maheen M.
9/14/2011
I went here last night on a date and I have to say I was impressed! I have to give kudos to my date for picking a great restaurant. When I got there, I was immediately greeted. As my usual fashion, I was early so I hung out at the bar and decided to try out one of their wines. They have a variety of various wines you can try from all over the world. Samples of 3oz range from $7-50+, a bit on the pricey side but worth it to try a unique wine.
When my date arrived, we were seated in our own table for 2 by a window. Our waitress got us quickly started on sparkling water.
Appetizer
We decided to go with a cheese plate with 5 different types of cheeses. It was great, we ask our server to stay away from stinky cheeses. I was a fan of semi dried apricots. I would order this again as it was fun trying something new.
Entrees
Grilled Swordfish - perfectly cooked, just a bit raw in the middle. The couscous was ok, the romaine or greens were a bit bitter but maybe that was in the intention of dish.
Scallops - my date enjoyed them, I did not get complaints from his end on the dish.
Service
Very attentive, almost too attentive. We were approached not once but twice by the maitre'd. Both times he interrupted our conversation. It was nice to checked up on but it was a little overkill.
Overall
Food - 3.5 stars
Service - 4 stars
Looking for a fancy wine bar and upscale food, Crush Wine Bar is your place to visit! -
Review from Esther P.
Toronto, ON
2/21/2012 Seated via OpenTable
My second time at Crush and it was superb as per usual. The rainbow trout is my favourite and is consistently outstanding. For some strange reason I felt the need to order frites with my dinner, however these were not at all necessary and actually took away from how marvellous my meal was.
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Review from Avitania B.
Toronto, ON
3/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came in with 4 friends to get our wine on before continuing on to some douchey club downtown. Unable to get a table, we decided to belly up to the bar, where two of my companions shared a dessert while my husband and I split the duck confit poutine and a charcuterie plate.
The pluses:
- Epoisses on the menu. I didn't partake (I didn't want to frighten my dining companions with the smell), but any place that serves this delectably stinky cheese gets a plus in my book.
- Decent service. Although it was REALLY hard to hear the server over the din of a Friday night crowd, but more on that later
- Duck confit poutine was good, if a bit on the salty side.
The minuses:
- It's loud in there. The acoustics are awful. I could barely hear what the server as saying, not just because of the general restaurant noise, but also due to the cougars guffawing loudly at the next table. JEEEZ, ladies. INSIDE VOICES, PLEASE.
- Cured meats on the charcuterie board were bland and basically forgettable. Some salami, cornichons, a dry terrine and something else. Yawn.
- Prices are high, but as to be expected for the area.
I can't say that a visit to Crush is worth a special trip, but if you're in need of a drink before continuing on with the rest of your evening, it's a decent stop. -
Review from Luisa D.
9/25/2010
I met a friend here for drinks on my first night in Toronto. It was fine but didn't blow me away. I was surprised how quiet it was. We sat at the bar and the service was ok - not a ton of personality.
We each ordered a glass of the Southbrook Cabernet Rosé which was nicely refreshing. I hadn't eaten dinner and I found it hard to pick something on the menu. I ended up going with steak tartare and a side of marinated beets. The tartare was ok, a bit spicy but I've had better. The marinated beets were very tasty and more importantly a very pretty pink. :)
Once we were done it was almost 11 and they were pretty much done for the night. We didn't feel inspired to stay so we moved on. I don't think I'll be in a rush to return to Crush. -
Review from Vivek S.
2/24/2010
Ooh-la-la wine bar at King and Spadina. I enjoyed a noisy lunch here amidst the Winterlicious crowd. Being too cool for school, I avoided the prix fixe and went for a superb caesar salad and Arctic char served with cassoulet and ham hocks. Deeeelicious.
The restaurants interior is commodious and elegant with exposed brick and beam and rich hardwood floors. And frickin' passages from "Brideshead Revisited" scrawled on the walls in chalk.
It's pricy, so make sure someone's buying.
Obligatory Title Pun: Pardon my mush, 'cause I've got a CRUSH.
Menu Readability: Stoic sans-serif with lots of whitespace.
Need to mention: There is coat check for your mink.
What this place teaches me about myself: Evelyn Waugh? Seriously? And I thought *I* was pretentious.Listed in: Spendy, Spendy
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Review from Jennifer N.
Toronto, ON
8/12/2008
If you want overpriced bland food served to you by snooty, cold and clueless servers, then go here.
Crush Wine Bar is the perfect example of the hoity-toity wannabe posh wannabe high-end that serve sh!tty food kind of "restaurant" that litter King Street West.Listed in: Don't Eat Here
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Review from Sarah T.
Toronto, ON
12/23/2009
I got really drunk on wine at Crush. Eric the sommelier is a fine man :)
The meal was great. We had oysters, carpaccio, tuna tartar and a cheese plate.
When the waiter said that there was a 50 ounze (i am joking) bone in ribeye as the special. My first thought was, "heck yeah!" My fellow diners mentioned that they missed me eating the steak because it was gone so quickly.
Try the oddities on the red wine list - they are excellent.
The ambience is great. The service was excellent. I would go here before I walk next door to Brassaii. -
Review from Angela N.
Toronto, ON
4/6/2010
I went to Crush for the first time last night. Had the Alsace flight of three wines - two of which were fabulous. The charcuterie board was lovely and the service was very friendly. It's definitely pricy but we enjoyed the night.
Here was the strange thing: when we got there we said we were only having drinks - the restaurant was 3/4 empty and it was well past "dinner hour" but the hostess still made us sit at the bar. I'm not sure why and we didn't ask to be moved but still a bit odd. -
Review from Marc W.
11/1/2008
I was in town for business and wanted some good wine and food. The pretty blond lady at the bar was up on the wines they were service and had at least good general wine knowledge.
The service was very good. I had the charcuterie plate as an app and the braised beef cheeks for the entree. Both were very good. Because I wanted to learn about all wines possible, I limited myself to Canadian wines. I was able to find three of them by the glass. The Ontario wines were not bad, although I will admit to having low expectations.
The only downside is that the food was rather expensive, I will agree with Jennifer N. there for sure. But I was on a mini-holiday and didnt mind splurging too much. -
Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
11/27/2008 1 photo
We went to Crush for one of their Brown Bag Wine Tasting classes and had a really good experience here! The class cost $35 ($40.25 with tax) and included 6 tastes of wine in an hour and a half. We tasted 6 different wines and had to guess the grape and region, which is something I have ZERO experience in. I mean, I've been to wine tastings, but have generally enjoyed the "drinking" part more than reflecting on the nose and palate.
But even for someone with no experience, I had a fun time guessing, and I definitely learned a lot about different grape types and regions, even by just being wrong most of the time. The sommeliers (there were two of them, not sure if they both work full-time at Crush) were really knowledgeable and not snooty at all. They walked around and chatted with people, answering questions, and they even gave an extra glass of your favourite wine if you asked for it :). From what I was hearing, the wines they gave us were pretty expensive or rare, so it was nice to be able to taste something you won't necessarily be able to get in the LCBO.
We thought about staying for dinner after the tasting, but the restaurant just looked way too overpriced for what the menu was. The atmosphere was nice inside, and maybe if I have a couple hundred dollars sitting around that I have no use for, I'll stop by the restaurant and see what it's like. But it's far more likely that I'll spend that money on another wine class -- it's a fun evening where you get to learn about wine, and of course, drink it. -
Review from William R.
Mississauga, ON
12/4/2011
This is our fourth time to Crush this year and will be back again before the month ends. Let me say that it has become my favourite place to wine and dine my wife, family, and friends. The team of Mark Moffat and chef Michael Wilson are there to please you. Last night I invited my long time dinner friends of 16 years- 6 of us in total- where we each take turns treating each other to different restaurants with in Metro Toronto. They all have agreed that my choice last night is a place that they would definitely come back to. The food is always exquisitely prepared and very flavourful. We enjoyed the seafood tower which is made up of oysters, shrimps, lobster tails, mussels and crab claws with a bottle of Cremant from France. For dinner we all ordered different entrees. I started with a tomato based soup with Mussels which I previously had and requested for that evening. My Sable fish was perfectly cooked with a very nice white wine sauce that just complimented everything that it came with. For dessert I had a 3 cheese selection. Indeed it was a truly a wonderful evening with an extra special touch when sommelier Mark surprised us with a lovely dessert wine from France compliments of the house. It was another great experience at Crush.
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Review from Bunny S.
ON
12/10/2008
I really wanna give this place 3.5*.
Nicely chosen wine list, pleasant room, knowledgeable service and solid food. Nothing knocked it out of the park, but nothing disappointed. Hearty onion soup, nicely prepared fish, classic sticky toffee pudding for dessert, and a good selection of cheese.
Crush is a very solid option on the King West strip and a suitable choice for business dinners (note that they do have private space), date or double-date-night, or late-r night drinking for 30+-somethings. A good time. -
Review from e.e. t.
Toronto, ON
6/1/2010
Some of the best food I've had in Toronto! This place was wonderful. The wine list was extensive and the sommalier even assisted me in selecting the proper pairing for my dinner.
I had the Lake Erie Pickerel...what a great choice! My guest had the Tenderloin and loved it as well.
The service was attentive and friendly and never overbearing.
One of my top restaurants in Toronto! -
Review from Malgosia G.
Toronto, ON
10/28/2009
I really like the location, ambiance, and service at Crush. Everything else is very mediocre.
I have eaten here 3 times because this place is very close to my office. Once for dinner, and twice for lunch. The food is nice - small portions and sometimes awkward combinations, but for the price, totally not worth it.
I have also dropped by 3 or 4 times for a glass of wine and a snack. The wine selection is ok - definitely not amazing and very overpriced. The cheese plate was depressing.
After my last visit I vowed never to return, despite the convenient location and cozy atmosphere and those moments of laziness where you want to go somewhere but don't have the energy to walk further. So far I've managed to keep my promise 2 months. -
Review from Jenny J.
Toronto, ON
6/5/2011
Went this evening for dinner with a friend - food was fantastic, I had arugula salad and bison, she had basic salad with beef striploin, both cooked to perfection. Only complaint is seated us too close to a very large and loud group, would prob request to be seated away from any large groups next time - seating area is a very large room noise travels easily
