The Cloak Bar - Toronto, Ontario

5 stars for the staff, vibe, setting. The speak easy scenario where you have to call to have the door opened and “sneak” in is always fun. 4 stars for the drinks. They were cool, completely unique mixes like my drink that changed flavor as it went. And different takes on ... the classics. 2 stars for the prices and food. We paid about $20-$25 per drink and they were really scabby on the booze. We should have fallen been falling out the door after 2 drinks for $50! Also the cheese board is not great quality, needs more bread and less pickled veg and scoops of mustard. I heard this place is closing down which is a shame cause with half an ounce more liquor and more substance on the ploughmans board it would of been perfect. But value shouldn’t be overlooked. Read more

Cloak bar is one of the highly coveted “speakeasy” establishments in Toronto. Naturally I was very excited to be here. You have to call someone to let you in. Its a really nice vibe - sexy, dim lighting, circular booths, intimate. Classic speakeasy. However, the drinks are a little pricey ... and not super boozy. And that’s where my 3 star rating comes in. At a $22 price point I expect a beautiful, complex and boozy cocktail. The beauty and complexity alone isn’t worth the price. I should be able to tell what alcohol has been used immediately on my first sip. That’s a good cocktail in my opinion. Of the three drinks I tried, the honey bourbon Betty was my favourite. It’s a beautiful, sweet cocktail with the nicest, faint touch of hazelnut. Read more

TL;DR: Post-demic, The Cloak is still an oasis of great cocktails and service amongst the chaos of the entertainment district. The Cloak is a favourite spot, which I finally came back to after the global temperance. Happy to see that it’s still meeting a high bar for creative and competent cocktails, ... and great service. King west has plenty of places to eat and drink but few to do so with relative dignity, and the Cloak is on the latter end of that continuum (e.g. drink photos far outnumber bathroom selfies on instagram). It also helps that it’s on Wellington and leans into the speakeasy theme. The photos will take care of the vibe check. And I haven’t had much of the food (though if it’s from the Marben kitchen, assume it’s good). So that leaves drinks and service. First, thanks to the team for accommodating a sometimes challenging walk-in (make reservations!). Inside, the cocktail list has something for presumably everyone, from increasingly creative extrapolations of classic cocktail varieties, to some particularly inventive outliers. I decided to try what (to me) seemed the most questionable of those (which shall remain nameless) for my first round. While I’m convinced it was well made, and I do like going out of my cocktail comfort zone, apparently the not-as-reserved-as-I’d-hoped look on my face after each sip was enough for Carolina to come over and end my prideful suffering (though I think she watched me try it at least a few times first :) And, to arrange a far more well-received replacement after a brief and unreservedly candid exchange about my preferences. While I’m uniquely impressed with Carolina’s observational powers, everyone I’ve met at the Cloak demonstrates the attentiveness and responsiveness of a team that cares about quality of experience. The Cloak has a no-tipping policy, which I hope means they take care of their staff properly, as they should, given the quality of service. Read more

Great speakeasy vibe! Reservation only, very exclusive bar. We were accommodated by a wonderful and kind female staff. She check on us multiple times to make sure we were having a good time! The drinks we got were wonderful and delicious :)

I loved this place! You definitely need to make a reservation but it's worth it. Get the "Hidden in Plain Sight"!! It was incredible!! The service was great, the drinks were flavourful and delicious and well presented. And the overall vibe of the place being a hidden bar in the ... basement was great. Read more