Great place to grab a beer, really delicious food and a wild atmosphere!
Great staff, great food, and great beer! can't go wrong!
Excellent!!! And Margot is awesome!!
I think this place is awesome!
This place is soooo cool!!
We accidentally wandered into this little pub and we were pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere had a cool vibe, including the menus being inside of vinyl album covers. We felt like something easy and quick so we ordered the chicken fingers and fries. Wow! The chicken fingers are not your standard frozen chunk, but clearly seem to be hand cut and breaded. Delicious!!! We actually went back later in the same day to get another order! Yum!
The servers were super nice and we have no complaints. Might be the best chicken fingers we’ve ever had!
Duke’s On Yonge & Gerrard is that perfect American uninhibited bar where one can let one’s hair down and much more figuratively and literally, with an excellent selection of beers including the pictured stouts, unbridled atmosphere, and decent copious pub grub attended by definitely “ESFP” Myers-Briggs types. Duke’s is part of the three complexes there along with Red’s and Scaddabush.
Duke's Refresher is a little hard to find, but worth the hunt. This 2-story venue, boasts TVs all over, high top, low top and picnic tables for your seating pleasure. Beer and food selection are pretty fabulous. I was pleasantly surprised by the food selection for a spot like this but, looks can be deceiving.
I enjoyed a fantastic chicken sandwich at Duke's last night. The Angry Bird ($14) came with southern fried chicken, buffalo hot & smokey BBQ sauce, and creamy slaw (w/ fries). The chicken was a flattened breast and was incredibly juicy/tasty. The sauces were spicy but packed with flavour which is just the way I like it. I am falling more and more in love with fried chicken sandwiches and this may be one of if not THE best I have had yet. Can't wait to go back!
Came here while I had a conference in Toronto for the weekend. It was recommended by the bartender in my hotel.
This place is a quirky little place! You walk in and seat yourselves. We were right by the bar with a ton of big screen TVs. They probably have 30 beers on tap, with 3oz sampling size for the beers, at $1.45. Their glass is 16 oz and I find that it's way too much and fills me up quickly.
I ordered the PBJ chicken fingers & guacamole dip. Both were pretty good. The PBJ chicken strips were super light and served on skewers.
I'd definitely recommend this as a cool hang out place.
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.
Gord and I had supper this evening at Duke's Refresher + Bar.
We both ordered wings. Ciara, our server, recommend them and said they were kick-ass. Gord got his plain and I got mine with medium sauce and ranch sauce rather than blue cheese. They were good wings! They were big and tasty. I'd get them again.
Because it was Halloween, the staff were having fun celebrating ... I didn't have a problem with this. But at times I felt like I was interrupting their private party at the back by being there as a customer.
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I had visited Duke’s Refresher + Bar (Twitter: @DukesRefresher Instagram: @DukesRefresher) for a Yelp event and really enjoyed the food and vibe. So when I was considering venues for a Pajama-themed event, Duke’s was at the top of my list. I contacted Duke’s and in my e-mail I told them about the theme I was going for, the budget I had in mind per person, and the kind of menu I was looking for. Not even 24 hours later I was contacted by their Event Specialist, Hannah Elizabeth Reynolds. Hannah was absolutely fantastic! She addressed all my questions, worked with me on a menu that worked with my budget and that included the dishes I just had to have for my party (e.g., bacon caramel donuts, chicken tacos, etc.). At the last-minute I considered changing a few menu items and even panicked when I thought there may not be enough food for my guests, but Hannah assured me that my guests would be taken care of and that we would not be short on food. She even contacted the restaurant several times to double-check things for my own peace of mind. I can honestly say that Hannah is probably one of the most hard-working, patient and diligent people I have ever had the pleasure of working with.
PLUS! Duke’s donated a $25 gift card for a give away! At the end of the night guests voted for the person they felt wore the best PJs (check out the last picture!)
Details
Number of guests: 30
Cost per person: $30
Menu
Chicken Tacos
Shrimp Tacos
Nachos
Dip and Vegetables
Chicken Fingers
Chicken Wings
Chicken Club Sandwiches
Avocado & Brie Sandwiches
Bacon and Caramel Donuts
Venue: Upstairs private room
Staff: 2 staff for our group of 30
Drink Specials: Ciders were $5
The Outcome…
Massive success! The space was cozy, private and conducive to socializing. But what people really could not stop talking about was the food! It was delicious, plentiful, and fresh. These were the favorites:
Chicken tacos: We loved the juicy chicken with feta!
Chicken wings: We fought for the last wing! They were crispy, juicy and the sauce had just the right amount of heat. Also loved that they were a good size! No mini wings here!
Chicken club: thick pieces of white chicken meat, lots of crispy bacon, and perfectly toasted bread. What’s not to love?!
Chicken fingers: these were actually the favorite dish of the night. Thick pieces of perfectly breaded chicken with all white juicy meat.
Bacon Caramel Donuts: OMG! They were served steaming hot, and since most people were full by this point (they were served last), I made my guests try one, and then they couldn’t stop eating them. They are THAT addictive!
The medium flavoured buffalo chicken wings are the best in the city. As someone who eats a lot of chicken wings I can say this as a true fact. This place is fun for food and drinks, and they always have super weird music videos on the TVs. Don't forget to play shuffle board upstairs. And drink a lot of beer.
Tasty Surprise. I loved my lunch at this surprising pub. Tasty food and witty service (thanks Peter), not to mention the homemade hot sauce and funky decor. Loved the use of old radiators as a wall around the patio. I will be back- Often.
Yum. Amazing fish tacos! I am stoked this place opened in out neighbourhood
TorontoIsAwesome.Com
+4.5
...this place is all rock n’ roll with incredible dishes to boot. With reclaimed wood, deer antlers and all sorts of kitschy furniture - Duke’s Refresher & Bar has a very relaxed feel. But the food here isn’t your typical diner or grab & go. From their bar, you’ll be able to grab 40 beers (including a great selection of craft) on tap. While the menu is filled with pub classics, I decided to take their brunch menu to task and find out if chef Tim Tutton (formerly of Il Fornello and Canoe) could deliver the goods. We started off with the Boozy Brunch Milkshake, a rotating creation that changes weekly. When we indulged, the Boozy concoction was the Oatmeal Kickstart, featuring F&
So I found out that there’s a bar/restaurant right next to Scaddabush that has pretty decent offering of beers to choose from. The story behind this visit was to meet with some of my peers from university before they officially walk the stage for convocation (WOOT UofT alumni!). So my goal for this dinner was to find a place with good pub food and beer to hang out at before their big day the following week. TL;DR version: Great environment to hang out in with a group of friends and pretty good food. Duke’s Refresher + Bar is hard to spot unless you’re looking for it, so just make sure to be vigilant of the storefront signs. That day I tried their Korean fried chicken. I think there are a few places in Toronto that either have this dish or some variation of it but this was my first time trying it. Basically their method in preparation were pieces of tender breast meat deep fried and then thrown with a sa
From the SIRCorp empire comes one of three new local joints to get your food on in the AURA Condominum complex at Yonge/Gerrard – Duke’s Refresher Bar . This new addition definitely doesn’t make any non-Bay Street worker feel out of place. My first thought is that it reminds me very much of Jack Astor’s (minus the annoying, drunk 19 year-olds). I guess it’s fitting they are in Ryerson University’s backyard. The overall feel is a fun, relaxed ambiance where you can pound a few back with the boys (or girls) over some shared nibbles. The long bar spans almost the entire length of the restaurant on the right; its wall of Mug Club VIPs lining the shelves. The last I checked in, that club is now full and unless you commit to some prank-induced initiation rite in exchange for a spot, you’re likely not to get in. The “Nose Bleed Room” upstairs has a rec room feel to it; not dissimilar to a scene out of That 70′s Show. The signature SIRCorp shuffle board can also be found here. It’s also a
We have a feeling Duke's is going to be a great hangout spot for the Yonge & Gerrard neighbourhood with their playful breakfast stamp program, delicious food menu and great cocktail and beers on tap. Also, note that everyday after 7pm, you get a bubblegum cotton candy on your way out - we thought that was the cherry on top of all their customer loyalty programs.
Gord and I had supper at Duke's. It just opened in December and we've been wanting to check it out. We'd heard they have a good craft beer selection ... and they do. We both ordered the Dirty Bird. The chicken was HUGE!! It was good. The chicken was really moist. The fries were good. The accompanying dipping sauce was a mixture of honey, pepper and cloves. I'd get it again. It was a fun spot and I'd go again if I was in the area. Peter was our server and he took good care of us. He was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.
3.5 Star
Duke's Refresher+Bar is for sure a good addition in the neighbourhood. The beer menu reminds me of Loose Moose and after confirming with the friendly bartender and in fact they are closely related.
40 taps though impressive but almost half of them are from the "Big" beer company: Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Bud Light, Labatt but I am glad that they have SawCity, Kensington, Great Lakes(though not available during my recent visit), Lake of Bays and even Silversmith! That's quite impressive! (at least much better than what I have up in Markham..)
I also love the idea of sample sizes for every single draft on tap at a reasonable price of $1.50 or so! (+0.5)
The vibe here is quite laid back and if you are into friendly waitress in short tight skirts, definitely your place.
I would definitely be back when I am in the area for a sample or 2.
Tip: A little hard to spot as it is really facing Gerrard just West of Yonge instead on Yonge street.
Great environment to hang out in with a group of friends and pretty good food. Duke’s Refresher + Bar is hard to spot unless you’re looking for it, so just make sure to be vigilant of the storefront signs.
That day I tried their Korean fried chicken. I think there are a few places in Toronto that either have this dish or some variation of it but this was my first time trying it. Basically their method in preparation were pieces of tender breast meat deep fried and then thrown with a sauce that contained gochujang in it. I haven’t seen this done at another restaurant before but they provide bibb lettuce for you to wrap your chicken in. Usually I get iceberg lettuce which I don’t like purely for the fact that it not as pliable as I’d like and due to its high water content, tends to be messy to eat with.
I’m definitely coming back here to try some of their full dishes and bring more friends along the way.
Happy Thursday everyone. This week’s thirsty thursday is from a restaurant that’s been on my list for a while. I checked out Dukes Refresher over the holiday weekend because I knew they had an extensive list of craft beers. I was even more excited when I found their list of beer cocktails. They listed a snake bite, which I’ve mentioned before and I’ve mentioned how hard it is for me to find it made properly. They called theirs the Canadian snakebite and the modifications worked great for me.This snakebite was made with Canadian, Somersby and black currant cordial (I know, I was so excited for craft beer but ended up with the opposite, but…. cordial!). It was everything I could have hoped for. I was so happy with it, I may have ordered a second. Dukes Refresher is located attached to the new Aura condos at Yonge and Gerrard, next to Scaddabush and Reds.
Have you been to Dukes? Did you try one of their cocktails?
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Just around the corner from Reds Midtown Tavern we visited few weeks ago, is the newly opened sister bar, Duke's Refresher. As the first location in Toronto (original is camped out in Muskoka), it offers 40 beers on tap with great accompanying dishes, a delicious breakfast menu, and a beer Stein Club.
Upon walking into Duke's, we felt like we stepped into a log cabin or a cottage with quirky highlights such as highway signs, street signs, mismatched stools at the bar, moose horn wall mount and vintage signs just to name a few. The decor definitely sets the right atmosphere to 'let loose' after a busy day.
We also noticed a number of 24oz Steins filling the wall behind the bar. Troy, the manager told us that's for their exclusive Einstein Club, designed for beer 'enthusiasts.' The Einstein Club is a yearly membership costing only $20, where Duke's reserves your very own numbered Stein to drink out of on your visits. This personalized touch is already a hit as it's sold out!
After being seated, I immediately ordered a drink called 'Stormy Weather' to relax since I had a long day at work that day.
The Crispy Chicken Nuggets tossed in buttermilk and crusted in seasoned flour with a Thai chili garlic sauce was well cooked and tender. Although it resembled fried chicken more than the traditional breaded chicken, it wasn't heavy and greasy like fried chicken. We loved the texture of the nugget crust and it paired extremely well with the Thai chili garlic sauce.
The Sweet Potato Thing with sweet potato fries, french fries and onions with a coconut chili dipping sauce was massive and we were warned when we ordered that it was definitely meant for sharing. Three of us only managed to finish half so you can definitely split between 4-5 people without fighting over the dish. We did feel that the dish got a bit too heavy towards the end as all the dishes we ordered were fried. The coconut chili sauce was a great dip to have on the side and it was very flavourful.
The Crispy Haddock Fish Tacos on a warm corn tortilla, gingered red cabbage slaw, smoky salsa roja, crema piquante and cilantro were definitely our favourite of the night. The acidity from the salsa and cilantro combined well with the slaw and the crispy haddock as there were lots of flavours and texture going on. You can also get Seared Tuna or Spiced Shrimp instead of the Crispy Haddock.
The Shameless Waffles taste as amazing as they look in the photo. We all know sharing is caring so split the waffles with a friend or two because it's a large dessert. The waffles were very light and even with the whipped cream, it didn't seem like a heavy dessert at all. The fresh fruit along with nuts and dried fruit were an excellent choice of toppings as well.
Did we mention they have a breakfast club? If you're at the bar the night before, make sure you get stamped somewhere on your body for a discount of upto 50% on your breakfast the next day! The more exposed and embarrassing the stamp is, the higher the discount.
There's a few photos of people with stamps on their heads on their Shameless Breakfast Club Wall, but we're sure it'll multiply fast. What's better than a nice greasy breakfast to cure that nasty hangover?
We have a feeling Duke's is going to be a great hangout spot for the Yonge & Gerrard neighbourhood with their playful breakfast stamp program, delicious food menu and great cocktail and beers on tap. Also, note that everyday after 7pm, you get a bubblegum cotton candy on your way out - we thought that was the cherry on top of all their customer loyalty programs.
Daniel “Thelonious” Mok
+5
Amazing sports bar that will play all the major sports. Friendly staff and great choices of beer! Must try the saucy chicken fingers here, probably the best in the city.
Nice place to chill out. Located on Front Street to the west of St. Lawrence Market.
We came here for a small drink. Their nachos was really good, crispy with a lot of cheese on top. Service was great, a very nice waitress hosted us.
No word of a lie, my friends and I come here almost every weekend. Great food, great vibe, great staff, classic arcade games, reasonably priced drinks and a pretty good selection of local beers. It gets super busy on the weekends so plan to come early and stay for a few hours!!
Very good! The place has a small basket court and fliperama besides food and drinks!
A good place to have a beer and some food, fun atmosphere.
good cider, wish there were more options on tap but at least they have the 1! pretty great atmosphere, unfortunately we didn’t play any games since we didn’t have time but the drinks were good. i called and asked when they closed and was told 12, but they actually closed at 11 which was unfortunate and we went to another bar after.
I had a blast here last night. Great beer selection, food and service. My first time doing to this location. Looking forward to going back.
Great place, great vibes, and great people both guests and hosts.
So many things to do there, from the basketball cage to the ping pong tables to the myriad arcade games scattered throughout the place.
Prices are decent for a bar of this caliber.
Food is delicious, especially the in house chicken recipes.
Would definitely go again, would definitely recommend to friends and family.
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