Bryden's on Bloor

Bryden's, the destination for unique beers.  This location at Bloor and Jane in Bloor West Village has become very well known for appreciating the small guys when it comes to craft beer market.  For this location though its not always about the beer selection, even though I would say its the most important start.

I have eaten at Bryden's on three different occasions.  It has a great atmosphere but its not for everyone.  It is a very small location and tight seating which causes for you to be involved in others conversations.  The craft beer side of things actually brings out a vibe in people you don't get at most places.  The craft beer industry is one of comradery, friendship, enjoyment and fun competition.  These traits find their way right into the heart of this restaurant.

Moving forward, the food at this location brings different levels of interest into play.  The menu is fairly impressive and diverse for this location.  Its not your average pub food, but then again this isn't your average pub.  Items like fruit salad and smoked salmon caught me off guard when browsing the menu. 
One thing I was very surprised with is that, their menu isn't focused towards using their amazing selection of different beers to pair with the food.  Which is very disappointing to me.

My experience here has been very positive surrounding the food program.  Though on three different occasions I ordered wings at this location and their pound of wings has managed to get smaller and smaller.  In fact the last time I ordered wings it was for two pounds, and when I got them there was only thirteen wings in the basket.  THIRTEEN!!!  These wings were no bigger then any average wing you would get at any other restaurant.  When I asked if they had missed some they responded by telling me they weigh everything out.  That's a terrible answer to tell any guest.  The standard for a pound of wings in the marketplace is eight to ten wings.  The worst part about only getting thirteen wings was that it cost me TWENTY THREE dollars.  To me this is unacceptable.  I appreciate that a restaurant needs to make money but that is just robbery.  Being such a loyal person to the area I will no longer be ordering wings at Bryden's.

If you do decide to give it a try make sure you get in there for their half price appetizers.  This deal is in the afternoon from 3pm to 6pm.  This special gives you a great opportunity to sample the menu and appreciate the food for an economical cost, regardless of the portion sizes.

I give Bryden's a 7 out of 10.  This location has great service, great atmosphere (even though the old style furniture is getting a little ratty), but has missed out on some portion control.

Give this location a try, support your local breweries, and local restaurants.  Would love to hear about your experience here.

Happy Eating.

- The Hungry Ginger