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Victory Café
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Nightlife Bars Pubs Canadian (New), Pubs [Edit]
581 Markham StToronto, ON M6G 2L7
Neighbourhood: Palmerston
(416) 516-5787
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 4 pm - 2 am
Sat-Sun 12 pm - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
49 reviews for Victory Café
Review Highlights
"...I would recommend the grilled cheese (with or without bacon."
(in 11 reviews)
"...for a solid draught beer selection and no-nonsense food."
(in 8 reviews)
"...to mention the leafy corner patio in the summer, the cozy..."
(in 26 reviews)
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49 reviews in English
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Review from Anthony L.
1/30/2012
my wife brings me here nearly every time i visit toronto, as mirvish village is home to alot of shops we frequent, & i never leave unsatisfied. we've never had any food until our last jaunt, where we planned on just stopping in for a few drinks after hitting up sonic boom before heading elsewhere for dinner, but the scents flowing from the kitchen were making us salivate so much that we decided to just eat there. no regrets. service is always great -- last time the bartender even indulged me in a chat session about port wine. really cool guy. the place is missing a certain wow factor that i can't place my finger on, but i'd still highly recommended it.
i have to mention that they deserve a full star in itself just because the last time i was here they were playing the entirety of the magnetic fields' 69 Love Songs. -
Review from carolyn g.
1/5/2012
I come here every single time I'm in Toronto and it's always a five-star visit. The food is amazing and the beers are awesome too. The atmosphere has a great pub feel and no matter which room I sit in, I always feel relaxed.
I love the chicken club sandwich with sweet potato fries. The specials also rock. Last winter I had amazing mushroom gnocchi. My sister is addicted to the mac & cheese. She says it's the best she's ever had. Not my cup of tea, but the bites I had of it were good!
The service is good, although, sometimes it's a bit slow. Only real con I can say is that they charge for soda refills. But I love this place so much that it's still five stars!! -
Review from Nadja B.
Toronto, ON
12/14/2011
All of their servers here are very pleasant and really, really knowledgeable about beer. seriously, every time I come here I learn something new and that is totally great. But when you go to an old place expecting to have a small-talk type conversation with familiar face about everything and anything going on in beer-land and see a bunch different faces instead, kinda irks me a bit. Consistency is not only awesome, but it makes a customer feel more welcome and at home. Not to mention the bartender I had the other night who couldn't tell me more about what was on cask besides the name of the batch and brewer, really? You're a bartender and you cant tell me how whatever you have on cask compares to, oh, say.. anything you have on tap? Isn't that your job? Or do you just not care? Also, what's up with the creepy/sketchy men hanging out at the bar almost every time I am in there, presumably making various kinds of deals with each other and ogling anything with breasts? Way to set an atmosphere.... And, I would way rather NOT watch crappy cp24 when I'm trying to unwind after work, just sayin'.
Other then that, their taps are decent. Their service is most-excellent, and their food isn't too bad either, albeit a bit pricey for general pub fare. It's probably better to hang out here on a quiet weeknight as it gets pretty packed on weekends.
2 stars for the servers beer and food, no stars for the old men, stuck-up bartender and all around shitty atmosphere that those two things create. -
Review from Wendel P.
Toronto, ON
1/21/2012
It's an okay spot away from Bloor street and the patio is nice but always crowded in the summer. Servers range from granola grumpy to hipster scruffy. Kind of seems like the service never comes together the way it should. Either the food isn't available, or you can't order just yet or the waitress ignores you. The mac and cheese is really good but even though I can see this place literally from my house I can't ever be bothered to go in anymore.
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Review from Jason A.
Etobicoke, ON
7/16/2011
Stopped by here for drinks and dinner on a Friday night.
It's a very nice patio right in Mervish Village which is great... the beer selection is good, the food is very average.
DO NOT order the Nachos... they're beyond terrible.
Apparently the grilled cheese is good, but overall I don't suspect there's much above and beyond regular pub grub here. -
Review from Payam Z.
10/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Victory Cafe has been an alright spot for me so far, but I'm sure with tweaking a few things it could work its way up to 4*!
The bar space is cute, though nothing special. If you're one who enjoys tucked away patios, Victory offers a pretty nice alternative to the Bloor St. buzz.
I've only tried the appetizers from the food menu, from which I'm a fan of the meaty wings. They offer pretty decent beers on tap including quite a few local and hoppy options.
One of the factors that has left me with a bit of sour taste is the fact that if you come with a big group (say 25 people), and there is a big order for the group (say someone is buying all the pitchers), you are not able to order separate food. This factor basically led to my starvation during my last visit.
Additionally, the front rooms catch a very cold breeze every time the door is opened or shut! This is a mechanism that should be taken care of in any bar in Canada! brrrrr -
Review from Imran N.
5/15/2011
Haven't eaten here, but have heard great things.
Cozy, warm, converted old house, and lots of floors to drink on. I liked that they had a private dining room too!
The best seller for me is the beers. Great beers on tap - my favourite was the wickedly hoppy "Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion"...and they're cheap. -
Review from Laura T.
Toronto, ON
2/16/2011
I'll add to the slew of reviews - this is a great place to grab good comfort food and cheap beer. They have a not-too-extensive draught list, but the 8 or so they do have are delicious and different. They also allow you to sample one before ordering! No ciders on tap
The service is great, really attentive even on a busy Friday night. Speaking of which, make sure you go early and stake out a spot, this place is bumpin' in the evenings. It has a great vibe, good music, lots of people, and close to Bloor & Bathurst. It's not huge, but there is an upstairs and downstairs, both with a bar and tables and such.
They have burgers, mac & cheese, poutine, etc. All my unhealthy but oh-so-delicious faves. The prices are really reasonable as well. All in all, a great place for a much needed Friday drink! -
Review from Leeanne M.
5/16/2011
Simply put, my kind of place.
...open and serving food and drink until 2am
...cozy environment ( in a converted house) and good bar seating which is where I like to sit and eat and drink generally speaking
...attentive service
... small but focused bar menu, inexpensive
Side note 1: The soup special - a rustic borscht gave me a foodgasm
Side note 2: The grilled cheese wasn't bad, I just don't happen to like the super thick bread they served it on - it was a misorder for me, but depends on what ya like.
Side note 3: The bartender's name ( who was adorable and awesome) was Norm. And I just like that name - it's friendly! -
Review from El W.
Toronto, ON
I go to the Victory Café fairly often. I'd say once every two weeks or so. I generally go after work as it is close to work and it's central enough for everyone.
When I go, I generally sit downstairs in the booths, but I have sat upstairs as well. Last week, I sat out on the patio which was very nice.
They've got a nice selection of local beers which changes from time to time. I like to try to try all of them but I never remember which ones I like!
As for food, I've had the grilled cheese sandwich and the chicken club sandwich both of which were delicious. Although, I love sandwiches, and by the time I get there after work, I'm usually starving so everything seems delicious to me. In any case, the sandwiches run about $9-11 if I remember correctly.
The service is generally pretty good. I had one experience where the lady serving us got a bit snippy (when we ordered a second bottle of wine, she rolled her eyes and said "you get charged for that"... ummmmm of course we do?) but overall everyone is really nice and informative. Sometimes, I find it's hard to get anyone's attention for another round or to get the bill, but it's usually pretty busy and I'm not really ever in a rush so it's not a big deal.
Overall, I must really like it there because I always end up back there! -
Review from Doug S.
5/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friend and I found this establishment on Yelp and decided to try it out. We sat at the bar (as we're accustomed to doing) and ordered up some drinks and menus.
It was a Sunday evening and the cafe was slammed. Nonetheless we were given attentive service from our bartender.
The drinks were good (I had a local Ontario-brewed IPA, my friend had a Bloody Mary that was hand made (meaning made with Worcestershire, bitters, etc., and not with a pre-made mix). Both were delicious.
We ordered: my friend had the borscht soup & grilled cheese sandwich, I had the chicken curry. As a rule, I despise beets -- but I gotta tell you, this soup was delicious. I ate nearly as much of my girlfriend's soup as she did, it was so good.
The chicken curry was also really good and spicy. Humongous portion of deliciousness.
Also, the bar had the hockey game on, so it was an all-in-all pretty awesome experience. -
Review from Jim L.
Ottawa, ON
6/13/2011
Great place for a beer but give the food a pass. We went for an afternoon beer and a couple of munchies. An ok selection of cans and bottles and a very good list of local draft beers. We decided to have nachos and sweet potato fries. The plate of nachos was too small for the mound of chips on the plate, so that the upper layer was fused with too thick a layer of cheese and those poor chips on the bottom were just naked. The sweet potato fries were at the same time over cooked and limp. I noticed that many things coming out of the kitchen that afternoon seemed to be blackened. The guy at the next table waited forever to get the burger he had ordered. His partner had already finished her meal before he was served.
I'll still go back for a beer as they have a very nice outdoor space and it is located just around the corner from our daughter's apartment. But I'm not sure that I'll try the food again. -
Review from Spiro P.
Toronto, ON
1/2/2011
I use to enjoy the catfish that they had, but they took it off of the menu.
Recently, I ordered the veggie burger and it was okay; nothing really special about it.
The service is great and, suprisingly, prompt.
This place is better for ordering a beer and meeting up with friends. -
Review from Michelle A.
Toronto, ON
9/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place has been reviewed to death, but I agree with most comments - it's a cool spot for beers and okay pub food.
Quick summary:
1. FOOD - Lots of vegetarian options - especially for a pub. If you're sick of veggie burgers and food covered in cheese, try the curry. It's very flavourful, full of vegetables/chickpeas (not lentils - despite what the menu says). I know it goes against that 'When in Rome' logic, but whatever, I've had it twice, and it comes with mango chutney, so you can't go wrong.
2. BEER - Excellent variety of beers on tap.I had the Denison's Weissbier - tasted just like Germany.
3. SERVICE - Slow, but relaxing patio on quiet street makes it feel okay. -
Review from Alida S.
Toronto, ON
10/26/2010
I decided to visit The Victory Café because I heard it had one of the best beer selections in Toronto.
When I got there the place was packed. My friends and I were seated in a corner, right next to the kitchen area. I fell in love with the atmosphere inside the café: the dim-lighting, the rustic bar, people laughing and having fun! It really doesn't get any better than that.
The waitress came and took our orders. When the waitress returned, she was carrying our beers, and she was looking very confused. She didn't know which beer was which, so she had to go back and ask the bartender. After that fiasco was settled, we tried our beers, and they were delicious.
We decided we wanted to have some food, so we settled on the Nachos. Our waitress was nowhere to be seen. We waited a good 20 minutes for the waitress to come back and take our orders, but she never came. By the time she appeared, we had finished our beers, so we decided to eat somewhere else. We asked for the bill, and she brought it right away.
The whole night was pretty much ruined by our waitress' inattentiveness and unfriendliness. She didn't smile once, and she seemed preoccupied and uninterested. This seems to be a problem at Victory, and I hope they correct it soon.
Victory Café: Great atmosphere, crappy service. -
Review from Emily C.
Montréal, QC
9/10/2011
This review is solely based on the creme brulee that I had. Who puts (possible canned) whipped cream on top of creme brulee?! Disappointing.
Best to stick to just the drinks at this place. -
Review from Isabel R.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 9/27/2010
I hate to downgrade the Victory, but every time I go there the food gets worse and the portions get smaller. I don't know if it's because I went there on busy nights, but the quality definitely went way down. The salad just became totally slathered with dressing.
I'm not gonna write this place off, but hopefully it gets on an upswing again.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/22/2010
I heard about this place for ages before I finally made it down. And I have to say, it held up to… Read more »
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Review from sarah l.
5/2/2010 7 Check-ins Here
I had a great time here. Maybe it was the company, maybe it was the patio or maybe it was the cask beer but I enjoyed myself at Victory.
The good:
- good beer selection and great prices
- good looking menu
- laid back staff (maybe too laid back) - but they let us bring over 4 chairs to a table for 2 with no problems or dirty looks
- GREAT fries with dill dipping sauce
The bad:
- our waiter was kind of a fail. He took forever to bring us anything so much so that we went inside to pay at the bar because it was taking him so long.
- The chicken wings were just okay. They were crispy and saucy and came with veggies and dip but they were the wrong kind of sauce.
The EXTREMELY weird:
- every single one of our wings was a wing. There was not a single drumstick to be had. It was eerie... but we didn't care.
Overall, I would definitely come here again. I would order something else and not be in a rush and it would have been great.Listed in: Chicken Wings... for better or…
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Review from Michael N.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2010
I really like this place - it's definitely a great student hangout. The prices are great, and it can really get hopping on the weekends; great vibe. The grilled cheese sandwich is probably one of the best I've ever had, and their fries are gorgeous. The beer selection is awesome, and the seating arrangements are really neat - this place is made for small groups (2-4 people). I had a birthday party here and reserved the side room, which worked really well for 15 people.
Only bad sides - it can get really hot and stifling (esp. in the summer) and the service can get really bad. For the party I mentioned it was decent because we had a server assigned to us, but they refused to let people pay individually, which was a hassle. Normally, it can take ages to get a server to give you drinks, and the bar(s) can get totally packed. Further, if you're sitting at a table and you try to speed things up by going to the bar, they might even refuse to serve you, to 'preserve the server's tab'.
Also - they have a fantastic beer menu, but that's it. Ordering wine or spirits (except for wells drinks) is a waste. Prices for wells are great, though.
To sum up- if you're relaxed and easygoing, this is a fantastic place. If you need good service to have a good time, I would suggest somewhere else. But this place is so good, you may want to make yourself easygoing ... -
Review from Melissa F.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 4/3/2010
Did you know they serve curry chicken? And did you know it's fantastic???
I'm 100% against eating curry in public. And I am 100% against eating curry in a pub. I find curry unattractive in every sense. But on an irregular strange day I devoured a plate of the most delicious on-the-bone curry chicken right HERE
And THEN I followed it up with their creme brulee which I was very impressed with considering it was a pub.
The bar is HUGE with two floors and two "wings" on each floor. I've never tried sitting upstairs- I thoroughly enjoy sitting at the downstairs bar. the staff are friendly- the beer is plentiful- and they have a killer stout on tap.Listed in: I'd destroy my liver for you:…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/4/2009
I thoroughly enjoy this place with a smallish group of friends (3-4 max). Dont' attempt to go here… Read more »
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Review from Kat F.
Updated - 5/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
Grilled Cheese with gruyere, cheddar and sundried tomato pesto on Calabrese bread. Sounds great right?
Wrong.
I did not enjoy this. The pesto was sweet to the point of cloying and had I had a butter knife at my disposal I would have wiped it off the bread entirely. Everything else about the sandwich was magical, but next time I'll hold the pesto. Fries are fucking fantastic as always. Order them and try to ration your garlicky-dill dipping sauce.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/11/2009
The first thing you need to know about the Victory Cafe is that whoever's choosing the music has… Read more »
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Review from Sophia K.
Toronto, ON
5/4/2009 ROTD 10/2/2009
Whenever a hot summer evening rolls around, there's only one place I want to be: one of the cool kids with a spot on the Victory Patio. It's nearly impossible to get a table, especially if you're with a group, so come early...and camp out. Otherwise there's ample seating inside upstairs and down.
Never been disappointed with the food, although I was upset that they removed their chicken fingers from the menu. But their grilled cheese and sweet potato fries are still available and delicious. Also heard great things about the homemade mac n' cheese but have yet to try it. And with your meal be sure to try one of the microbreweries they offer. Get a Stonehammer and you'll never look back, I swear. -
Review from Chris P.
After having some tacos at Al Asador Mike S. and i came for a couple of beers. The place is quaint and was all full on a Saturady night. We sat at the bar as not a booth was to be had. They were having some issues with their sound system but that didn't matter since the hockey game was on. The waitress was great and knows her beer. After asking her to suprise me for my second pint she picked an excellent amber with a nutty flavour.
This is a great place to hang out on a random evening and enjoy a pint with some friends. -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
5/27/2010 3 photos
Meh. A little overrated. I expected a lot more from this little pub
Although I really liked the beer selection from local microbreweries but would be nice if there was description about each one.
We waited almost half an hour for a table on the patio. And when it got dark, there were no candles or outdoor lighting. It was dark.
The place seems nice for a drink, rather than dinner. Yes it probably has one of the better selection of bar food but it's still bar food.
I don't know what's do great about the mac and cheese and why everyone was raving about it. It's good but not that good and there was really a pool of grease on the bottom. I felt like there was no taste and I added ketchup. I never like adding ketchup to my mac and cheese.
It came with the salad but barely any dressing on it. I was eating dry leaves.
The salmon crab cakes were Delish
The servers were okay and always seemed to try to carry more than they can handle as if to spare an extra trip.
Our server didn't seem to be all there and was soft spoken at first.
+2 for beers. +1 for food.
I'd come here again mainly for drinksListed in: Thanks Yelp!
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Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
9/1/2008 1 photo
I'd always assumed because of Victory's location, right on Markham Street behind glittering Honest Ed's, it would smack of bland tourist fare. However, it's satisfied me not once, twice, but three times: a random and cozy drink meet-up and a reasonable candlelit dinner on the patio impressed me, but I was more than toppled over with glee when it came to brunch. Waffles and pancakes overflowing with fruit? HELLO, Nurse!
I'm just upset it's taken seven years in Toronto to discover the darn place. Let's make up for lost time, shall we?Listed in: Morning eats
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Review from Ashley S.
Toronto, ON
7/15/2009
One of my fave patios and pubs in Toronto. Good micro brews and yummy home cooked style food. Best veggie chili I've had in the city. And great prices for the amount of food you get. Beer is average price.
And I love that it's in my neighbourhood (the annex), but off Bloor so it's a little more cozy and has better atmosphere than a lot of places in the area. Markham is a really cute tree lined street and sitting on the Victory patio is relaxing.
Only issue is the service can be hit or miss - they're never rude but depending on how packed the patio is you might not see your server for awhile but I go to the Victory to hang out, not to rush in and out so I don't mind.
If you're trying to hit the patio on a really nice evening be prepared to wait. But you can drink while you wait at least :) -
Review from Erin B.
4/9/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Victory is great. A comfortable, down-to-earth pub that makes the city feel a bit less like a big shiny metropolis to me (that's good). Lots of yummy local beers, good food, and a big patio that is one of my very favourite places to relax as a summer afternoon melts into evening. It's often so busy that it's hard to find a seat, but I suppose I can't really expect to be the only one who think this place is great. Thumbs up.
Listed in: Great patios!, Watering Holes
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Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
5/18/2009 6 Check-ins Here
One of my favourite beer spots in the city. Nestled away on Markham Street in the Annex with a fairly sizable quiet (well, except from the patrons) patio.
Come here for a solid draught beer selection and no-nonsense food. Some typical pub food items but they're all quite tasty.
Also been on several occasions for a hearty brunch. -
Review from Soukia S.
Toronto, ON
1/27/2010
I end up at Victory Cafe because it's on my way home from work, their music is good, and they have a great selection of beer. Oh, and it feels like a pub -- probably because it kind of is.
Normally quite packed with a good selection of non-pretentious folks, they have a downstairs area with two rooms and a larger upstairs area. Their cask beer is only served downstairs but you can trek down and trek back up with it if your party is upstairs. In the summer though, they've got a wonderful patio that faces the street so you can hang out, people watch, and drink beer on the most beautiful of summer days and evenings on Markham street. I can't wait for summer!
Their food is only fair to middling: not the best, not the worst. I normally don't go for the food but if I must eat it I will. They have the usual burgers, salads, fries, vegetable curry, and so on. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Toronto, ON
3/11/2010
This place definitely warms my heart. It's been warming it since 1998. All the food, service, atmosphere yadda yadda. All fantastic. I've attended many events here, such as MY BIRTHDAY, which is the number one event in the world. That and the occasional actor reading bonanza, Amnesty dance-a-thon, out-of-control boozefest or even just a mild-mannered chow-down on a plate of fries with a good old friend from yesteryear.
Plenty of room upstairs and downstairs, the Victory gets packed, especially on the patio in the summer because it's a great patio! And people are friendly and want to be your friend and cheers your beer and stuff. And all the cute guys seem to go to the good ole Vic. Is that a rule of thumb for this place? Girls: go to the Victory if you wanna scope out the bearded babes! -
Review from J H.
Toronto, ON
5/6/2011
in the summer, expect winding lineups for the patio. in the winter, expect a packed house because of the chalet-cottage feel. victory is victorious (HA- HA) all year 'round.
comfort food and beer (or liquor, your call) is what this place is good for - solo (i'm not sure about wifi) or with friends. sometimes they are short staffed leading to long waits but you can't complain about that after choosing the place with the 30minute lineup! you knew you were signing up for a packed house. bills usually come up pleasantly cheap. -
Review from Kim B.
ON
1/30/2009 5 photos
Good nachos are a hard thing to find in this city, because some people don't realize how important the ratio of cheese to chips is. (For the record, it should be 2:1).
The nachos at this place where the cheesiest nachos I've ever eaten. There was an actual sheen of grease on the fromage coating. It was glorious.
I also like this cafe (bar, really), because of its upstairs/downstairs separation which sort of reminds me of The Albion in Guelph (Hollah Guelph!). The place is decked out with basic tables and chairs as well as some more intimate booths that seat mostly two people at max.
A REALLY fun place.
Note: They only thing is I wish they had a better (or some kind) of wine selection. When I asked our cute Kurt Cobain (pre-heroin) waiter what wine they had he said, "red or white" and I sighed. And then told him he looked like Kurt Cobain but without the heroin. -
Review from omar k.
Toronto, ON
12/3/2010
wonderful cozy atmosphere, good beer, tasty fries. service was a tad slow, but not really an issue.
in my book, that would get you 3 stars. three other things put this place over the top:
- the cask beer. it was good last night (an oatmeal stout). and even if it was bad, i'm happy they have it. i love this stuff, and it can be a tiny new frontier every time you visit
- kid friendly. now, that doesn't sound like much, but let me tell you, i've been in places with similar vibes where they let you bring your kid but every hipster eye and cool kid glare is directed at you. my nephew,2 years old, came, and what i liked most was they treated all of us like any other customers. my nephew was fine, he didn't need any special treatment, but if we did need something, i got the sense we'd get it
- the other patrons. on thursday night, my sense was everyone is here to have a nice evening. they aren't raucous, they're friendly. there was no annoying group you wanted to slug, and we spent time both downstairs and upstairs -
Review from Anne M.
2/14/2011
Great spot for students on a budget, or adults who like good food and cheap pints! Nachos, amazing. Beer, yup. Grilled cheese and french fries, poutine, veggie burgers, Mmmmmm. Not to mention the leafy corner patio in the summer, the cozy atmosphere and relaxed vibe. Downside is that it gets busy, especially downstairs.
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Review from Leeor J.
5/9/2010
I went to this place on a saturday night with a friend. Having read that it had a good beer selection and some unusually good pub food I decided to check it out.
This place is like a bad cross between madison and scallywags. Its like a less happening version of Madison with all the different sections with a bizarre smellier-dumpier scallywags semi-pretentious kind of vibe. And I was not at all impressed by the beer selection. In fact, We didn't even stay for a beer. We just looked at the menu and left. oh yeah.. my friends chair had a whole in it. -
Review from Catherine M.
ON
11/23/2008
The Victory is one of those places that suffers from its own popularity. On summer evenings, even small groups can wait an interminable length of time for a patio spot, and the rest of the year the same is true for the inside of the bar. I still like it quite a bit and wonder if I'm due for a return visit soon.
For eats, I would recommend the grilled cheese (with or without bacon!), the club sandwich and the nachos. I have yet to try the mac and cheese, as my friends who have gone here for years lament the fact that it used to be delicious and it hasn't been the same for some time. In the face of such ambivalence I am usually forced to just order a club instead.
Oddly enough, for such a fan of poutine, I have yet to try the poutine at the Vic. I'm sure I will get to it eventually but I am told by some that it is some of the best poutine in town. It's also a great place to take vegetarian friends as a large chunk of their menu is devoted to tasty veggie eats.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
4/21/2010
I wanted to love it. I looked at the cute patio and said to myself, "Love this. Want to come back a lot".
Sure, I found things to like about it. There's nice seating outside, nice seating inside, great drink selection (Kwartha Lakes Raspberry Wheat!), an inventive menu for a pub, not feeling rushed, good pricing, packed but not crowded tables.
But I can't go the full mile and say I loved it wholly. For starters, food. I like greasy food. But when a pool of oil grows and grows at the bottom of my plate of mac and cheese I get a bit turned off. Also, whatever that salty sprinkle garnish was- no go. The samosas were good, but came with a mango "chutney"/puree that was too sweet for what the samosas were packing.
Onto the waiter. Sitting at a table in the back, my friend and I didn't have menus yet. He came over and asked what we wanted. We were a little puzzled, no menus and all, so he said "did no one explain to you how this works?" Sorry, I didn't realize most places had a designated person to explain such complex things like -gasp- ordering. Where is this mystical person? Or maybe the waiter could've just given me the menu without the 'tude?
This experience could be a one-off with this guy who seemed a bit neurotic. A neurotic guy who forgets drinks and doesn't give you water with your meal unless you ask. But I would come back. I want to give this place another shot. My gut wants to like it. -
Review from Ruth W.
Toronto, ON
10/20/2010
This is a proper student hang-out. But, even though my student days are sadly far behind me, I still love this place. It's great in the winter as it's all cosy and I like sitting by the bar people-watching, drinking a pint and eating their apple pie with ice-cream. Yumm. In the summer, the patio gets really busy - so it does take a while to bag a table. And it can take a while to get served. But hey, I'm in no rush. I haven't tried anything else on the food menu, so can't comment on this.
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Review from Emily T.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2008 2 photos
Victory Cafe had been a staple to my weekend afternoon routine for years....
During the summer, I'd sit outside and watch families and dog walkers and take in the din. During the winter, I'd get a cozy seat in a booth and admire the art on display. I got to know the servers, got to explore the different rooms (there is seating to the right and left of the entrance) and fell in love with the stuffed French-toast for brunch.
Nearly every weekend for the longest time, I'd go and order it and it was phenomenal each time. I'd bring friends and guests from out of town and wow them with Victory's delicious food and cozy, at-home atmosphere.
And then....one fateful day....I discovered that this wonderful place that had become much more than a bite to eat to me, had stopped, to my dismay, serving brunch. To update everyone: Victory Cafe is still a great place to go and eat lunch and dinner and to listen to some good local bands in the evening...but, the brunch that once was; is no more, and it saddens me that I will never again get to eat it.
It will forever remain a wonderful memory, but I tell everyone who may not know, as I didn't, (and was shocked when I found out) Victory Cafe no longer serves their delicious brunch menu. Let's all take a moment of silence.... -
Review from Dave O.
Toronto, ON
11/2/2009
Victory is a fantastic go-to place for beer on the west side. They usually have a couple of local casks on hand-pumps and a plethora of good draught on tap. I've always found a beer to match my tastes.
Space is tight so don't expect to seat a large group. I like to go early to pre-drink and eat, but the place fills up quickly after dinner. If you can get on the patio, it's a great place to hang out with friends.
The Victory has a bar atmosphere, but don't let that fool you, the menu is superb and it's well worth going for a dinner with a couple of people. The grilled cheese is really good, the yam frites are crisp and delicious and the nachos are prodigious.
You can't lose by going to the Victory!
