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Dark Horse Espresso Bar
Category: Food Coffee & Tea Coffee & Tea [Edit]
684 Queen St WToronto, ON M6J
Neighbourhoods: West Queen West, Trinity Bellwoods
(647) 352-3512
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 7 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 7 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
24 reviews for Dark Horse Espresso Bar
Review Highlights
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"All locations share a communal table, which really reflects..." In 3 reviews -
"Their Chai Latte is amazing." In 5 reviews -
"The look and feel of the cafe is modern, but laid back." In 4 reviews
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Dorothy A.
5/20/2012
After more than a half dozen visits to Toronto we are finding good independent coffeehouses. (Thank you, Yelp!). Dark House (either the Queen W or Spadina locations) has become a regular spot and we have not been disappointed with the quality of the coffee drinks. The latte art ranges from nice to excellent and the espresso is uniformly rich with beautiful creama.
Since my partner and I are both retired, the inability to sit for hours and write a college paper isn't a problem. Maybe I am showing my advanced years but having free access to the Internet for hours on end isn't a negative. Especially when as non-students we like a place to sit and enjoy our coffee without taking it to-go.
The two locations we frequent offer flat whites which are quite good. While not on the board menu the drink is available and baristas have no trouble with the request.
All in all a great place for a coffee. -
Review from Alex H.
Toronto, ON
4/18/2012
Overall, good enough service and tasty warm drinks. Dark Horse is a good place to grab a coffee on the go or sit down for a few hours - but don't expect to get a lot of paper work done with the constant Queen St hipster traffic and slightly awkward table sizes.
You can get a Cappucino for $3.10 or tea for $1.90, so it won't break the bank. -
Review from Mary D.
2/3/2012 1 photo
Stopped in this morning enroute to work, and grabbed a non-fat latte for myself and an Americano for my husband.
It was a great latte! Smooth, creamy, and not too bitter, but not too sweet either. And it was made with love! Literally - the barista left a little latte art of a heart for me. I don't know why, but that gets me every time.
I'll try and support this place more often - always happy to support local businesses, especially when I'm happy with the product! -
Review from Warren G.
Toronto, ON
5/13/2012
Great coffee!
Had the drip coffee and a HUGE muffin that was made without butter and sugar. It was really good, surprisingly. We just finished the 10k run so it was a great place to go after the run and relax. The communal table is always a favourite of mine. -
Review from Chad M.
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
M "Do you have almond milk?"
H "Yes, but only if you want it cold."
M "What do you mean?"
H "Well, almond milk doesn't froth well."
M "I have them all the time and they're fine."
H "Well I can make you a latte, but I won't stand by it."
M "Okay, I'll take a latte then."
So, yeah, worst almond milk latte I've ever had. The almond milk was clumpy and only on the surface, with black espresso undernearth. It's not that almond milk doesn't froth well, it's that you don't know how to steam it correctly. Don't offer to do it if you have no clue WTF you are doing.
A total waste of $4.50.
There internet wasn't working either, so I asked them to reboot their router. After I waited 10 minutes or so I could connect, but it was incredibly slow.
If you're going to offer internet, offer internet. If I wanted to use a 300 baud modem I'd transport myself back to 1981.
Speedtest results: PING 662ms D/L: .009 U/L: .024
Image: http://img840.imagesha...
It's amazing that my afternoon could be ruined by a coffee shop.
#firstworldproblems -
Review from John C.
Mississauga, ON
3/9/2012
The best Espresso in the city of Toronto and a very cool spot.
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Review from Dishan W.
All the Dark Horse(es) I've been to have been a fun experience. This new-ish location look fantastic inside, but like my coffee going mate noted you can definitely get the feeling of it turning more chain-like by simple things like their furniture/seating. My americano smelt great and was flavourful so they do their drinks right for me here. And my friend's drink (can't recall if it was latte or cappuccino) had some amazing latte art! Just like a marine in an Avatar body, latte art coupled with instagram is a potent mix for me!
This area is just crawling with all kinds of coffee shops that it's becoming harder to choose. But if I were to bring a first timer to an coffee shop in the area I would certainly choose Dark Horse as a safe bet. It does not really garner friendly charm, but their drinks are good and they have a solid option of food to choose from as well. Staff while never going over the top awesome have been friendly and easy going so that's always a plus.
Those benches opposite the counter are weird and tiny, but fun to sit on regardless. I prefer this location to their Dundas/Spadina one as it does seem more cozy and welcoming but overall I am a fan of Dark Horse!Listed in: Caffeine Adventures!
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Review from Eric M.
Toronto, ON
1/4/2012
I love Dark Horse. It's my morning routine. Lattes are fantastic and I'm obsessed with the lemon scones! The customer service is friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed if you can avoid the morning rush.
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
4/9/2011 6 photos
Dark Horse Espresso is the busiest stops for our Koffee Krawl.. Buzzing with energy and activities!!
People! Beautiful interesting People! (Does that includes us Yelpers? Or Vivek's "just get out of bed" sexy look?)
Not easy to try hoarding some seats for us... sitting right at the Espresso Bar was fun watching the Baristas making espresso drinks non stop!
Dark Horse Espresso has this party action vibe even in the Sunday noon hour.
Thanks Wayne C for queueing up to get me my cappuccino while I chatting up with all the other yelpers.. isn't it what a good host should be doing?
Cappuccino is A-OK! -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
4/8/2011 1 photo
- ~ Koffee Krawl ~ - # 3
Dark Horse(Queen W) was so busy, I thought I stepped inside a Tim Hortons during Lunch time. No roll-up-the-rim here but lacking that the overall design had quite uniqueness separate from their Spadina location. As Dark Horse expands their brand, it gives me that JJ Bean feel from the westcoast.
As I wait in queue because the Koffee Krawl UYE Host too lazy to get off her ASS, I notice they display 3 bags of Beans all different Bean variety showing the Detour brand(Dundas, ON?). Did I mention how BUSY this place is?? Baristas working at speed-of-sound, wow. 3.5'd
Cappuccino($3somethin) - A-OK
Who was it that told me to chug the remaining half of the Capp???@@
# Location
------l------------------------------------------- -----
? I Sam James Coffee Pocket
1 I Sam James Coffee Bar
2 I Cafe Pamenar
3 I DARK HORSE (Queen W)
4 I Thor Espresso Bar
5 I Jimmy's Coffee( I Timed Out @@)Listed in: Coffee Drinks
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Review from Stephanie C.
Toronto, ON
1/3/2011
Barely open for a day and the new Dark Horse Espresso has become a second home for many in the neighbourhood.
Dark Horse opened in the space that once occupied the former Square Fruit Market and the owners have done a fine job transforming it into a cozy yet airy cafe. Beautiful dark wood floors, red painted walls, tin ceiling make up the decor.
Like the other Dark Horse cafes, a communal table is located at the front near the windows. But if you're shy about sitting there with strangers, there's plenty of seating found at the bar and at small individual tables along the wall.
They're open until 7pm, which seems to be the norm for most coffee joints in the city. But they make a damn fine Americano so I'll forgive them for their somewhat limited hours. -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
3/25/2011
As a chain of sorts coffee place, this is really good.
There truly is very little that I can add that has not already been said about the coffee. I will say, if you have a choice, pick this for your walkabouts on queen as opposed to some other , shall remain nameless chains.
So I shall add a few other worthy notes. The design of this place is interesting. I rather like the cozy corner options, sit at the bar or communal table and it`s, how can i put this? Funky desk/laptop station-esque L shaped tables.
The staff are friendly and helpful. They will freely describe their myriad of pastries with you! I will say they offer sandwiches but they are on the pricey side.
My particular fave - the washroom. Clean and modern. YAY!!! To me, public bathrooms are an extreme source of anxiety. So it was a great relief to me to not have to walk to the basement and to not see a gross bathroom.Listed in: Coffee Adventures in Toronto
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Review from Eliah H.
Toronto, ON
1/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
This Dark Horse on Queen St. W. is I believe the latest extension of their cafe business. Though I've reviewed Dark Horse in the east end already I thought it worth reviewing this particular spot as I like it a little bit more. The cafe has a nice cozy feel and the staff are friendly and really make the effort to satisfy their customers. I love the liberal use of blond stained wood, the vintage style bulb lighting, the whole decor of the place. Some may not care for the seating arrangement but I call it unique.
As with the other Dark Horse establishments they serve both Epic espresso from 49th Parallel and their own Dark Horse blend from Detour Coffee. I really like their house blend espresso, it's flavor is multidimensional and rolls around the tongue nicely. Fantastic in milk based drinks the Dark Horse espresso makes a fabulous cappuccino. In fact I think the cappuccino I had here is perhaps one of, if not the best, cappy I've had in recent memory.
A really top notch place to get espresso based drinks and the odd side pastry. I do wish they'd also offer a selection of regular brewed coffees though. At any rate I don't think you'll be disappointed. Highly recommend, 4 1/2 stars.Listed in: Eliah's Big List of Go To…
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Review from Kat T.
1/5/2011
Dark Horse staff are so decent and have HAD to expand because they have the best coffee in town. Purveyors of the 49th parallel brand of espresso roast, I buy beans to take home and I've tried a lot of their drinks. One of the best parts of this place- the Cortado is on the menu.
Have you ever said to yourself, "A latte has so much milk, and I like the taste of the espresso, but need a bit of milk to tone it down."?
The Cortado is just for you- a bit of milk, not so much foam that you get through to the coffee- I'm looking at you, Cappuccino; and some sweet heart shaped design to brighten your morning.
This Dark Horse, like all the others, is how I wish my house looked. Big, thick wooden tables and sparse, but great lighting. Couldn't have wished for a better establishment to take over this little corner.Listed in: Intelligent(sia) Coffee
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Review from Luke S.
1/5/2011
The coffee is excellent, among the best in TO. Just the right amount of tartness to it. Not burnt. Not too mild. Very flavourful. It is difficult to find better coffee, IMO.
They have a thing for communal tables. Not me. There are a few 'bench-like contraptions' - for lack of a better word - on the wall where you can sit, too, but it looks kind of weird. Like, as in elementary school.
On the downside, yet another coffee shop in Queen West. How many do we need, really??? -
Review from Susan C.
Toronto, ON
3/5/2011
Their Chai Latte is amazing! Right when I took the first sip, I knew this drink would be a constant for me for now on from here!
I'm extremely excited to try their other drinks soon! -
Review from Toronto L.
Toronto, ON
7/9/2011
the Toronto Lover system:
5 stars = Must visit!
4 stars = Really good. I take my friends here.
3 stars = Somewhat worth it... if you have nowhere better to go.
2 stars = Below average. Attend only when necessary.
1 star = Do not visit!
Dark Horse Espresso is put together with such care and good taste that your expectations will certainly rise when you walk in. The atmosphere is lovely and comfortable, and the location on Queen Street West is such that you will not be swarmed with Hipsters or tourists as you sit down for a coffee and snack. Everything here is great. Try a sweet cookie bursting with delicious ingredients like toffee and almonds, and definitely go for the coffee. They can do almost anything: Americano, Cappuccino, Espresso, and they put a real effort into the beans and production of your beverage. Well furnished, quiet enough for a conversation, and cozy enough to get some work done. Personally, I'd like to see everything on the menu cost $1 less, but you can't have everything. Almost perfect.
4 stars -
Review from K B.
Toronto, ON
1/6/2011
After much speculation about what the latest addition to our ever changing block, I was pleasantly surprised to see the Dark Horse signage revealed on the windows.
The coffee is excellent and the space itself is extremely well done. I would imagine the people at Quaff aren't too happy to see their new neighbors, but hopefully there are enough caffeine junkies nearby to sustain them both.
It would be nice to see them get a tap of a local craft brew of some sort in the off chance you felt like an afternoon sud. Just a thought. -
Review from jocelyn l.
7/10/2011
Love the decor/ ambience...and good coffee. Love this location.
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Review from Amy D.
2/23/2011
I have previously been to both Dark horses' and when i heard that they opened a new bar i was excited to try it out. I love the way they are decorated, plus they all look different. All locations share a communal table, which really reflects on the young creative community that frequents Dark Horse. I come here for the coffee and not the service. The people who wrk here are also the people who frequent here (read point above) so i find service is not that great. However i will continue to come here because i love the vibe but most of all they make the best lattes in town.
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Review from Rafi N.
Toronto, ON
4/4/2011
I've been to Dark Horse before, but at a different location. It's a great place for a coffee or tea and it's the third stop on the coffee crawl train.
The service is good. They seem genuinely happy and are quite social. You can see they work as fast as they can, while maintaining the integrity of their food and drink.
I had a chai latte. It tasted like chai, lightly spiced and it was creamy. I also had a piece of a blueberry square which was good.
The look and feel of the cafe is modern, but laid back. It is clean and so are the washrooms. If they can maintain a clean washroom which such a large crowd, then they must be doing something right. The temperature was a little too high and it was a relief to have the door open.
This chain is starting to spread its wings across the city. For a chain, it maintains a somewhat independent feel, but it's starting to fade. It's like when your favorite indy-rock band goes commercial... Sure you may still like the music, but you still feel conflicted. Having said that, Dark Horse isn't my favorite, but it's still a great place for a coffee or tea.Listed in: Psychoactive Stimulants
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Review from Leslie-Anne W.
Toronto, ON
A new dark horse location on queen west! Barn boards and nifty Edison light bulbs adorn this gorgeous space. Coffee is delicious and the atmosphere is hipster calm. Lovely addition to the queen west coffee landscape.
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Review from Sarita A.
Toronto, ON
2/13/2011
I really want to give them a lower score for their pretentious vibe - but let's start with the best point - it's good coffee, and that's what they've got going for them in all their locations.
The actual space, is beautiful with use of various woods, and general set-up. They are often full on the weekend (including some people not leaving their laptops and textbooks any time soon), so I do think they could have utilized their space better with more seating (though perhaps it would not have looked as aesthetically pleasing).
I do find you have to wait around to order your coffee in the morning, if someone is not right by the cash. Or they want to finish a conversation before asking for your order or slow down the process of finishing your drink, because they are gabbing. Perhaps I caught them on days when they weren't fully awake? Or I'm just in a rush in the morning (like the rest of the world).
All in all, great coffee, some nice treats, could do better on customer service and more seating. It's a bit pricier than some other places in the hood. -
Review from Mohammad G.
10/25/2011
alllllmost great. little too typical thespian coffee staff for me. hardly cared and the dude at the counter took everything i said and flipped it into an oppurtunity to tell me something weird about himself and then would just stop talking and walk away. the barista was very sweet and kind. coffee itself was PRETTY good. lets face it in sf and even san jose we're spoiled with incredible coffee so it may not be fair. the consistency of the espresso and milk was a bit off for me...a little more craftsmenship and a friendlier staff would make this place great. but hey they were packed so why fix something thats not broken?
