Legendary downtown Toronto bar Bier Markt on The Esplanade closes permanently after nearly 30 years
Legendary downtown Toronto bar Bier Markt on The Esplanade closes permanently after nearly 30 years
by mildlyImportantRobot
27 Comments
mildlyImportantRobot
I haven’t been in a long time but this place slapped 25 years ago.
HerNameIsVesper
I had no idea it was still open.
UnsolvedParadox
Unfortunately I’m not surprised, they were very quiet on my last visit & the Don Mills location shut down a few years ago as well.
whateverfyou
Oh darn, missed my chance. /s
That’s where Rob Ford was doing coke and got thrown out for intoxication. There should be a plaque.
CompetitivePirate401
Sitting on the patio, especially the back, in the summer was nice. The food was always a letdown compared to other options in the area. We live on the Esplanade nearby and always picked Scotland yard or C’est What the last few years.
GrandBill
Famous for being the location of one of Rob Frod’s first public ‘drunken stupors’ (as mayor, that is, I’m sure he had several prior to that).
WendySteeplechase
I went there a month ago and it was disgusting. A shadow of its heyday in the early aughts.
North-Newt2845
So, the Organ Grinder is coming back?
CDNChaoZ
Heard a rumour that Scotland Yard has acquired the space.
Current_Flatworm2747
Esplanade used to be a hopping bar scene in the early 2000s – street full with people spilling out from the bars, big lineups, cool venues. Now it’s transforming into dollar stores, golf simulator venues, and a no frills, to accommodate the massive # of condos in the area
Fine_Ad_2469
“legendary” is a bit of a stretch
Nick-Anand
Used to love this spot on Fridays after work….
fjrjdjdndndndndn
Good spot back in 2011!
Chops888
It lost its niche advantage when basically other major restaurant chains started carrying craft beers and international beers. They used to be very popular in the 2000s! It was quite the experience to see it packed any time I went.
nobrayn
Damn. No more doin’ lines at the Biermarkt..
mrvtt
Many good memories and Hogarden.
Greekmom99
Ah where the late and not so great Rob Ford use to go and get hammered.
LaserKittenz
the last two times I visited this place, the servers never asked me what I wanted to drink and ignored me trying to flag them down.. Place used to be fun/nice 5-10 years ago.
SufficientAd5694
I went to that location a few years ago having a gift card to use. Took 45 minutes to get someone to take a drink order. The first 3 beers we tried to get they didn’t have available on tap. Left and went to either beertown or craft. Can’t remember now.
This doesn’t shock me one bit.
catchinNkeepinf1sh
I remember barfing there in the early 2000s, cant believe they are still around.
_Leopluradon_
Recipe Unlimited claims another victim.
LankyBuffalo7879
To be honest, it did not have a good selection (Craft has better), its good options were meh, everything was over priced… so
Zealousideal-Bite735
I went after there on a late Saturday a few years back and it must have been after a ball game and the washrooms were a disaster. I never went back. It was like wading through an Armageddon in a bathroom scene.
Tough-Statistician-7
I lived going there for live music and beers in the mid 2000’s. It was the place to be. I also miss playing around the world. We used to each have to drink a beer from every continent and whoever finished first won! Note to self for anyone playing DO NOT drink the raspberry beer last it never turns out well! I wish 23 year old me knew that in like 2007!!
Croissant1967
Food was solo. 3 Brasseurs has a similar menu.
king_lloyd11
15 years back, a bunch of friends of mine and I joined the line on a summer’s night to have a couple beers and some food. Shortly after, the bouncer walked up to us and informed us, sorry, there’s a dress code in affect; no tshirts or shorts. We said “ah ok” and went next door to Scotland Yard instead.
Afterwards, walking back along Esplanade past the bar, we noticed dudes in line with tshirts, shorts, some were even in tank tops and flip flops. A couple were even by the door talking casually to the bouncer waiting for their turn to get in.
I don’t ever play the race card, but the only thing I could notice was that the majority of our group of 5 or 6 guys were visible minority, whereas the guys waiting in line were caucasian. Anecdotally, a buddy of mine who I told this story to had a friend who was a server there and she said that management racially profiled certain minority groups because they assumed that they’d run out on the tab.
I never stepped foot on any Bier Market since that day, and there are so many better options near any one I’ve seen anyway. Good riddance.
lorriezwer
I was there with the rest of you 25 years ago. So much fun on a Sunday afternoon
27 Comments
I haven’t been in a long time but this place slapped 25 years ago.
I had no idea it was still open.
Unfortunately I’m not surprised, they were very quiet on my last visit & the Don Mills location shut down a few years ago as well.
Oh darn, missed my chance. /s
That’s where Rob Ford was doing coke and got thrown out for intoxication. There should be a plaque.
Sitting on the patio, especially the back, in the summer was nice. The food was always a letdown compared to other options in the area. We live on the Esplanade nearby and always picked Scotland yard or C’est What the last few years.
Famous for being the location of one of Rob Frod’s first public ‘drunken stupors’ (as mayor, that is, I’m sure he had several prior to that).
I went there a month ago and it was disgusting. A shadow of its heyday in the early aughts.
So, the Organ Grinder is coming back?
Heard a rumour that Scotland Yard has acquired the space.
Esplanade used to be a hopping bar scene in the early 2000s – street full with people spilling out from the bars, big lineups, cool venues. Now it’s transforming into dollar stores, golf simulator venues, and a no frills, to accommodate the massive # of condos in the area
“legendary” is a bit of a stretch
Used to love this spot on Fridays after work….
Good spot back in 2011!
It lost its niche advantage when basically other major restaurant chains started carrying craft beers and international beers. They used to be very popular in the 2000s! It was quite the experience to see it packed any time I went.
Damn. No more doin’ lines at the Biermarkt..
Many good memories and Hogarden.
Ah where the late and not so great Rob Ford use to go and get hammered.
the last two times I visited this place, the servers never asked me what I wanted to drink and ignored me trying to flag them down.. Place used to be fun/nice 5-10 years ago.
I went to that location a few years ago having a gift card to use. Took 45 minutes to get someone to take a drink order. The first 3 beers we tried to get they didn’t have available on tap. Left and went to either beertown or craft. Can’t remember now.
This doesn’t shock me one bit.
I remember barfing there in the early 2000s, cant believe they are still around.
Recipe Unlimited claims another victim.
To be honest, it did not have a good selection (Craft has better), its good options were meh, everything was over priced… so
I went after there on a late Saturday a few years back and it must have been after a ball game and the washrooms were a disaster. I never went back. It was like wading through an Armageddon in a bathroom scene.
I lived going there for live music and beers in the mid 2000’s. It was the place to be. I also miss playing around the world. We used to each have to drink a beer from every continent and whoever finished first won! Note to self for anyone playing DO NOT drink the raspberry beer last it never turns out well! I wish 23 year old me knew that in like 2007!!
Food was solo. 3 Brasseurs has a similar menu.
15 years back, a bunch of friends of mine and I joined the line on a summer’s night to have a couple beers and some food. Shortly after, the bouncer walked up to us and informed us, sorry, there’s a dress code in affect; no tshirts or shorts. We said “ah ok” and went next door to Scotland Yard instead.
Afterwards, walking back along Esplanade past the bar, we noticed dudes in line with tshirts, shorts, some were even in tank tops and flip flops. A couple were even by the door talking casually to the bouncer waiting for their turn to get in.
I don’t ever play the race card, but the only thing I could notice was that the majority of our group of 5 or 6 guys were visible minority, whereas the guys waiting in line were caucasian. Anecdotally, a buddy of mine who I told this story to had a friend who was a server there and she said that management racially profiled certain minority groups because they assumed that they’d run out on the tab.
I never stepped foot on any Bier Market since that day, and there are so many better options near any one I’ve seen anyway. Good riddance.
I was there with the rest of you 25 years ago. So much fun on a Sunday afternoon