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Mon-Wed 6 pm - 2 am
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Precisely what it ought to be. If you have friends who think they don't like tequila or, perhaps worse, friends who like terrible tequila because they don't know any better, this is the place. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, the selection is unparalleled in the city. I hear their mixed drinks leave something to be desired but I haven't tried em myself - stick to the tequila straight and you'll do fine.
If you're new to tequila, and maybe wary because all the tequila you've tried has tasted like fire and paint thinner, Reposado is a really great place to fix that, because they do it right. Ask the bartender for something gentle and "silver" (clear, hasn't been sitting in barrels for years) just to get the flavour figured out. Tequila has a lovely fruity flavour but a lot of people dive in to the añejo (aged) stuff which is golden from the oak, and can taste almost more like whiskey than fruit. Aging does all kinds of wonderful things to the flavour, don't get me wrong, but starting with the silver stuff helps you understand where it comes from. Then you can move through the aging process, they can even assemble you a tasting flight that takes a single tequila through its ages. Very educationadrunk.
Strangely, I've never been here when they've had live music going, but it ought to be a great place for it - cozy, good booze, nice vibe.
Perfect experience. A million thanks to Jan and Jason for being charming barkeeps, ideal DJs, tasteful mixologists, and generous tourist suggestion-givers. (If you guys see this, we didn't make it to Black Hoof, but it's top on my list for next time I'm back in town!)
The stained glass behind the bar helped earn that elusive fifth star. So did the garden in the back, the tremendous tequila selection, the fresh squeezed lemon in the sour, and the juicy, spicy chorizo dish (charcuterie supplied by El Gaucho down the street, Jason told us) with perfectly salty tapenade.
Between two of us, we indulged in:
Two classic margaritas (so tart. made with hornitos. perfecto.)
Agave "Manhattan," made with tequila, galliano, and sweet vermouth, garnished with a twist. (As a bourbon drinker, I was on the fence for this unlikely recipe, but I admit that it was tasty.)
"La Vida Buena," with tequila, fresh grapefruit, and agave nectar. This might have been my fave.
Blood orange margarita. Fresh juice, tart.
Strawberry margarita. Fresh strawberry puree. very similar to original.
I like the atmosphere, the live music, lack of a cover on a Thursday night with said live music, the (cute) bartender, the lighting, the location-- its all there. Unfortunately the few drinks i had, although clearly girly and could arguably be their weakest drinks, the blood orange margarita, mango margarita, and their cosmolita, weren't great. Pretty sour to be honest-- but I appreciated what they were trying to do. How often can one get a blood orange margarita? I think next time I will stick with straight up shots. :)
I spent one hazy evening here last summer, drinking the most amazing margaritas (traditional lime with top notch tequila). When we needed a change we moved on to delerium tremens on tap, a rare delight. We ate some nibblies from the tapas menu, all of which were excellent enough to make up for prices (a bit high for tapas). The back patio felt cozy without feeling small and dark. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, though we definitely left somewhat intoxicated, so my judgement may be slightly flawed.
Reposado is really a gorgeous little bar. It's dark and tea-light lit, cozy and intimate. The bar glows warmly and has some beautifully backlit stained glass. This is a fantastic place for a date or relaxed drink with good friends.
I have to admit that unfortunately I didn't actually intend to go out that night for tequila, so I didn't try any of what is actually their specialty. But the beer list is quite nice, so it's a good place for any drink at all. Service was very friendly.
Would definitely go back especially to actually try the tequila...
Was on the patio for most of my visit. The Patio is quite dark but no music so quite good for chatting. Waitress was quick to ask if my double rum and coke order should be in a tall glass. Quite impressive as no one ever asks me this before I actually request it. Good atmosphere. Another great location on Ossington.
Reposado is a great place to kick back and enjoy some quality jazz and top-notch tequila and margaritas.
This bar gives off the vibe of being down to earth, yet endlessly cool. My friend's dad is the owner and can be usually seen at the front of the place, singing your (or at least my) favourite jazz tunes with the in-house band, The Reposadoists! If they're not on, then Piper's Laptop will be playing (which is quite literally my friend Piper's laptop, expect she's in Europe right now.)
The place is small and long, so can get cramped pretty easily, but there's a cozy patio in the back, that has low tables and chairs, and a tiki bar where you can chill as you patiently wait for an open seat. Whoever designed the inside definitely has good taste in my opinion, with large, beautiful and unique photographic prints on the exposed brick walls.
I'm not going to comment too much on the margaritas, as I'm definitely not a tequila aficionado, but I DO suggest the blood-orange margarita. I dig the vibe of the place and only wish I went there more often.
Perks: During my first visit, this past Valentine's Day, my friend's mom came around to every table distributing Hershey's Kisses to everyone. I also met Stefan Brogren. All you early 90s kids know who I'm talking about. That's right, "Snake" from Degrassi.
Amazing, I know. Other Toronto based actors and indie musicians can be seen here regularly. So what are you waiting for? Get over to Ossington, order yourself a margarita, request an Ella Fitzgerald song and wink at the cute bartender for me. Thanks!
This place hits all the right notes with me when it comes to decor both inside and out.
Inside you are welcomed with with dim lighting, exposed brick, dark tables and chairs, black ceiling, candles, floating shelf window thing opposite the L shaped rosewood bar, and a stained glass window. Bathrooms are kept nice and tidy with white back splash, aluminum tile trim, and a hand dryer that will blow the skin off your hands.
The patio is one of my favorites in the city, despite the very low furniture. Nice wooden deck, tall wood privacy fencing, inlaid lighting on the wooden floorboards, and a tiki bar so you don't have to get up and hit the bar for more tequila.
The service here is great, even when it's busy the servers will take the time to explain whatever it is you want. The tequila's available here are much more refined than anywhere else in the city. Even if you don't want tequila they have great beers on tap like Delirium Tremens and Stratford Pilsner.
Overall, this place becomes more and more of a go to spot for a night out of drinks with friends. The prices can be steep when reaching the top shelf tequilas but that goes for any beverage of choice. Good bang for buck and the intimate setting just tops it off.
I went to Reposado Saturday night with a group of friends and had a pretty good time.
It's a small but intimate space. This particular night they had a $5 cover charge and a live jazzy/blues rockabilly type band. It was a really good vibe, not too loud...
The drinks can be a little bit pricey but if you're really nice the bar staff will usually agree to bring them down to a 1 ounce and save you a couple bux.
It's a fairly Queen West "indy" crowd but respectful.
I'd go back there
Been here 3 times - all Saturday nights and I have concluded that tequila makes people friendly. It is so easy to strike up a conversation in this small lounge. Pauline..... the girl from Ipanema is your go to girl - she tends the bar and is extremely helpful explaining all tequila varieties. Great mix of tunes and not played loud so talk all ya want. Every so often the bar gets very crowded very quickly, then it thins out just as quick, then crowded again....so pay attention when it thins out or you will wait awhile to get a drink. The backyard patio has no bar service and was packed last Saturday.......that explains the wave of people ....coming in and out to buy their drinks.
Saturday 11:59pm & the place was jumpin with a live band....that the doorman described as..."double… Read more »
I think for most people Tequila brings back memories of shitty Jose Cuervo and having your head in the toliet.
Reposado helps to mellow those cringe-worthy memories. This place is really great!
There is a extensive list of tequila complete with sampling flights (if you can afford them, they are a bit pricey). The mixed drinks are fantastic. The classic margarita is delicious and comes in an eligent long thin glass with rocks in. After about the fourth Marg my mouth got a bit sore from all of the sourness, but they had a great selection of a few awesome microbrewery beers. They have some variations of the classic Margarita using blood orange juice and some other equally delicious and refreshing combinations. You can taste the tequila but it is not over powering on your palate and goes down smooothly.
I've been here a handfull of the times and always seem to find a place on the patio which is filled with a friendly but cool crowd. There is a small amout of tables and chairs and also calf-hight little teak benches. Very nice greenery and little torch lights give it a great ambiance considering its a concrete patio. The Tiki Bar at the back is the perfect place to grab your beverage of choice when it gets a bit to crowded to the inside bar.
The staff have always been very friendly and accomidating. The food that I have had there was also a great little snack. I've had mini Empanada's there that were as good as I've had in South America. My mum and I also ordered the homemade potato chips with dip and they were also a great munching snack.
Reposado is just a bit more refined then a lot of the bars on Ossington without a snooty attitude. A great place to hang out.
As others have said, Reposado serves up tequila far superior to any of the crap you remember puking up in college. Instead of making a pained, sour pickle face as you down it, you feel as dignified as a diplomat while you sip a selection of premium tequilas hand-selected for you by a knowledgeable and personable staff.
Our bartender, Eddie, attended to us with such care and customization I felt like I was meeting with a mortgage consultant or wedding planner. He quizzed us on our favourite types of alcohol and price points to finally suggest the perfect flight for us to sample - Milagro brand tequila.
A flight is a series of one ounce servings of a brand of tequila (they have tons of them) in each of the three stages of tequila's lifespan - blanco (white, or virgin), reposado ("rested") and añejo ("aged"). The lot is served on a tray with Sangrita, a sort of spicy tomato shot that you can sip like a chaser in between swills of tequila. Don't be fooled by the tequila shot glasses though - this isn't the Madison and you're not meant to down these in one swallow. Sit back and enjoy as you work your way from brisk blanco to smooth añejo.
Reposado also has excellent margaritas, including classic (reposado margarita), blood orange (a house favourite) and mango. Try them all. Also be sure to try some of their excellent beers - they have Delerium Tremens and apparently, according to my beer aficionado friends, this is quite the find. Savour it!
Listed in: The Ossington Strip
One of my favourite places to venture to on a Friday night. The music is top notch and the tequila is at its best in this bar. I was there on Friday night and took advantage of the patio out back where you have the chance to star gaze (when it isn't smoggy!) and enjoy a beverage in a very well decorated atmosphere.
They have started recently implementing $5 cover at the door for the band but I promise you they will not disappoint. They are all very talented musicians.
The space is a bit of a tight squeeze but isn't that always a great opportunity to meet new people that way!
Be prepared to pay for quality Tequila and amazing Delirium Beers but when you head to a place like Reposado, you can't expect anything but the best.
This place truly is as good as it gets.
Listed in: Best Date Night Restaurants
GENERAL INFO
Reposado is a great little tequila bar comprised of a narrow room leading into a great little patio. The bar is filled with a plethora of different tequilas, from the economical brands to the well priced higher labels. Blessed with a great staff that cares about tequila, this sophisticated lounge is the perfect place to try to convince someone you're not what you are. Just in case what you're not is a tequila drinker, feel free to look out of place with a non tequila beverage - they do offer them there.
MENU RECOMMENDATIONS
I'd suggest talking to the bartender. A flight is always a great call - this is basically a tequila sampler. See Kat's review for the more detailed description. Whatever you do, don't order a shot of Cuervo.
LOCATION NOTES
On the East side of Ossington, just South of Dundas.
SERVICE NOTES
The staff seem to more accurately be described as tequila ambassadors than servers. At least our server did. A great knowledge of tequila and a wonderful understanding of tequila novices. Let's put it this way, not only did we order a few rounds, I went out the next day and bought a bottle of nice tequila - armed with the knowledge of what makes a good tequila and a new found love for it.
HUMOUROUS STORY
I went to write about Reposado and found out Kat had already written the perfect review.
While this bar has the appearance of one of the more upscale, pricey stops on Ossington, it can be the centre of a totally affordable night out. Focusing on great tequila, the bar is staffed by a very friendly a knowledgeable bunch of bartenders, serves great snacks, and, most importantly, has a great selection of cheaply priced beers on tap and in bottle, including Delirium Tremens, easily the best on-tap beer in the city.
Now, be warned, the tequila is pricey (great entries on the list going for around 13-16$ a shot) but remember, these are sometimes 250-300$ bottles in the store, and you are unlikely to have the opportunity to try great tequila for a better price elsewhere. These tequilas come served in beautiful shotglasses designed to accentuate their unique aromas, and are really worth checking out, especially if you have never had a really great tequila: these are miles and miles from what you remember puking up in undergrad. For a good introduction I really recommend asking your bartender for a recommendation, I felt I knew what I was talking about with Tequila, but decided to ask for recommendations anyways, and so far everything I was pointed towards has been better than what I would have picked myself.
So, please, if you want a fun evening out for a cheap price, go to Reposado, grab one round of expensive tequilas for the experience, and then spend the rest of your evening ordering cheap beers. It'll round out to be an average costing night out, I promise, and more importantly, the bar could do with an influx of the economically challenged, my only real complaint being that sometimes I feel the bar should have been renamed Añejo in honor of the average customer.
Listed in: Favourite TO Bars
Despite my aversion to tequila, I love this spot. The margaritas are delicious, but I love to ask for an extra glass of ice so when the drink gets close to done (and a little too sour) you can dilute it. The patio is awesome, and though the little seats look cool, they're actually awkward to sit at for more than 5 minutes.
Tried the food for the first time last night: ample servings and delicious.
My only hesitation on giving the spot 5 stars, is I find the pricing a little high.
great bar, great jazz,
I appreciate the attention to detail...tasteful design....nice atmosphere.
Wide selection of tequilas... and fine Djangoish (ok, not a word) swing jazz with a voice on the weekends.
Excellent selection of hard to find tequilas for Ontario. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. I live nearby, and Reposado has become the go-to spot for a drink for my husband and me. It's great in the winter with live music, and in the summer with its cozy back patio.
Listed in: Ossington Village (Dundas and…
Great spot for drinks with an emphasis on tequila. Live music every night starting at 10 except for Saturdays (I learned this the hard way) and as you can tell the live bands are definitley a draw.
Great selection of tequilas. I had their blood orange drink which went down very easy. The decor on the patio is nice and includes a tiki bar. I would have liked to spend more time here. I guess I'll have to go back again
Listed in: Ossington
Great little tequila bar in the heart of the new ossington strip. This place was one of the original places on the street. The atmosphere is great, set by both a good staff and owners, as well as the decor. They have a good patio at the back which is nice on a summer day.
Listed in: My Neighborhood
Neighborhood: Dufferin Grove
Toronto, ON
Neighborhood: Queen Street West
Toronto, ON
Toronto, ON
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