Bar Raval is a vibrant restaurant bar on College Street designed by the architectural firm Partisans. The design is a modern interpretation of Spanish Art Nouveau, while paying homage to the pintxo, the traditional tapas bars from northern Spain. Carefully cut from sculpted mahogany wood, the space was inspired by Gaudi’s biomimicry. The sinuous forms within Raval encourage mingling, keeping in the same spirit as Spain’s jovial pintxos. The nearly all day Raval is open from 11am until 1am, but my favorite time to visit is before sunset to witness the transition from a naturally lit art piece to a more dramatic look after dark.Bar Raval’s tapas game is strong, with delectable sharing plates like manchego, Catalan sobrassada, and marinated octopus. For drinks, bartender Elise Hanson has got you covered. The talented Elise, who recently won Bombay’s Most Imaginative Bartender, made me Raval’s iconic Bishop’s Garibaldi with Campari, fluffy orange juice, cinnamon, guajillo and pasilla pepper and nutmeg as well as her favorite (and mine too): White port and house tonic, perhaps the perfect low ABV concoction.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Smoked Mackerel 200g, Stracciatella and Boquerones, Jamon Croquettas 2pc, House Sobrassada, Eggplant and Honey, Croquettes, Fried Eggplant & Honey, Mackerel, Boquerones 75g
Marky Marc
The Sioux City Disco and Maria Teresa were decent cocktails. The Smoke Show was nice and smokey.Had the shrimp which were good but I dislike having to deshell them. The patatas bravas were crisp but could have used more sauce.Gorgeous decor, good music, low key vibe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Genevieve Cote
The wait to get in is worth it !!! The food is excellent, definitely get the fried eggplant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mushroom Tower, Jamon Croquettas 2pc, Eggplant and Honey
Sandra Yoon
Most racist experience I have seen in Toronto during my entire life living there. Recommend to avoid if you don’t want the waitresses to ruin your day and single you out for being a minority. Unacceptable behaviour.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Buba
It's so upsetting to have to give only 1 star.Food was good.Wine service was good.Unfortunately though a friend of our party was unjustly cut for no reason.She had drank less than everyone else at the table and was essentially racial profiled.Such a disappointing ending after a great start.
Katelyn Powell
Great cocktails and really cool decor!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Doga
Amazing atmosphere and food selection. Drinks were ok.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christopher Rapaport
I rarely write reviews so tourists don’t find out about my favorite spots but this time I am the tourist so absolutely have to recommend this place. Such good food, chill atmosphere and excellent cocktails. Bit of a gem this bar !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Galician Octopus
Solomon Mendonca
Mindblowing small plates. Stuff you would probably crave and come back for. Everything was a home run. The burrata-ish cheese on toast might be the best thing ever, as simple as it is.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bob Barker
I've lived in Spain for many years and can tell you that Bar Raval is more of a concept restaurant than an actual Tapas bar. Spanish Tapas bars serve great food/drink and relatively low prices. Also there are alot of kids and families in most Tapas because we go there in the evening to social with friends and family.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Stracciatella and Boquerones, Galician Octopus
Amazing cocktails and tapas. Would go again for the vibes. Not a lot of room, even at 6 pm on a Saturday. However it was St Pattys. Be ready to stand!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Shay B.
Went here for my partner’s bday on a really nice spring day, they had the patio open and the nice breeze coming in. This place is gorg, drinks were awesome, and the food was great! The servers were also really nice and friendly. Made our night spectacular ? will be coming back for sure ?Dietary restrictions: They are accommodating of dietary restrictions ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aj Hoskin
If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would. The food is great. Easy to share and tastes right up there with the more expensive restaurant in the city but without the pomp or hassle.I'd say the service was exceptional only because there I can't think of a better word. Some of our food was taking a bit long and the server brought us some champagne to apologize. The food was out less than 5 mins later. The staff are very knowledgeable and super easy to talk to. You walk away feeling like you made a friend who knows the best things to order.It's a very beautiful space and as standing room only is great for socializing with a friend group or meeting some new people. I've never been to Spain but if the atmosphere and hospitality is anything like it is here, I'll be moving it up on my travel list.100% a must visit. I had The Vivian and can highly recommend the party platter. Add in some of the shareable tapas like grilled octo, potatoes bravas and steak and you have yourself a tasty, entertaining evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrea Gonzalez
I went with a friend to celebrate Women's Day and the attention is spectacular, a pleasant atmosphere, excellent food and service. Would go again .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zenith Taskin
Drinks, food, service 10/10. I have a soft spot for this place and lovee that there's a waitlist which allows you to easily book yourself a spot at this standing only bar and tapas place. Definitely see the Barcelona vibes in the interior. Always a great spot for quick bites and drinks. The ambience is also awesome.Food wise I would recommend getting the steak. It's a small tapas size but it's one of the best steaks I've ever had. Perfection.Drinks wise, go with the server's recs based on your palette and preference. Cocktails are amazing.
Bar Raval is a vibrant restaurant bar on College Street designed by the architectural firm Partisans. The design is a modern interpretation of Spanish Art Nouveau, while paying homage to the pintxo, the traditional tapas bars from northern Spain. Carefully cut from sculpted mahogany wood, the space was inspired by Gaudi’s biomimicry. The sinuous forms within Raval encourage mingling, keeping in the same spirit as Spain’s jovial pintxos. The nearly all day Raval is open from 11am until 1am, but my favorite time to visit is before sunset to witness the transition from a naturally lit art piece to a more dramatic look after dark.Bar Raval’s tapas game is strong, with delectable sharing plates like manchego, Catalan sobrassada, and marinated octopus. For drinks, bartender Elise Hanson has got you covered. The talented Elise, who recently won Bombay’s Most Imaginative Bartender, made me Raval’s iconic Bishop’s Garibaldi with Campari, fluffy orange juice, cinnamon, guajillo and pasilla pepper and nutmeg as well as her favorite (and mine too): White port and house tonic, perhaps the perfect low ABV concoction.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Smoked Mackerel 200g, Stracciatella and Boquerones, Jamon Croquettas 2pc, House Sobrassada, Eggplant and Honey, Croquettes, Fried Eggplant & Honey, Mackerel, Boquerones 75g
The Sioux City Disco and Maria Teresa were decent cocktails. The Smoke Show was nice and smokey.Had the shrimp which were good but I dislike having to deshell them. The patatas bravas were crisp but could have used more sauce.Gorgeous decor, good music, low key vibe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The wait to get in is worth it !!! The food is excellent, definitely get the fried eggplant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mushroom Tower, Jamon Croquettas 2pc, Eggplant and Honey
Most racist experience I have seen in Toronto during my entire life living there. Recommend to avoid if you don’t want the waitresses to ruin your day and single you out for being a minority. Unacceptable behaviour.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
It's so upsetting to have to give only 1 star.Food was good.Wine service was good.Unfortunately though a friend of our party was unjustly cut for no reason.She had drank less than everyone else at the table and was essentially racial profiled.Such a disappointing ending after a great start.
Great cocktails and really cool decor!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Amazing atmosphere and food selection. Drinks were ok.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I rarely write reviews so tourists don’t find out about my favorite spots but this time I am the tourist so absolutely have to recommend this place. Such good food, chill atmosphere and excellent cocktails. Bit of a gem this bar !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Galician Octopus
Mindblowing small plates. Stuff you would probably crave and come back for. Everything was a home run. The burrata-ish cheese on toast might be the best thing ever, as simple as it is.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've lived in Spain for many years and can tell you that Bar Raval is more of a concept restaurant than an actual Tapas bar. Spanish Tapas bars serve great food/drink and relatively low prices. Also there are alot of kids and families in most Tapas because we go there in the evening to social with friends and family.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Stracciatella and Boquerones, Galician Octopus
Restaurantji Recommends
Amazing cocktails and tapas. Would go again for the vibes. Not a lot of room, even at 6 pm on a Saturday. However it was St Pattys. Be ready to stand!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went here for my partner’s bday on a really nice spring day, they had the patio open and the nice breeze coming in. This place is gorg, drinks were awesome, and the food was great! The servers were also really nice and friendly. Made our night spectacular ? will be coming back for sure ?Dietary restrictions: They are accommodating of dietary restrictions ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would. The food is great. Easy to share and tastes right up there with the more expensive restaurant in the city but without the pomp or hassle.I'd say the service was exceptional only because there I can't think of a better word. Some of our food was taking a bit long and the server brought us some champagne to apologize. The food was out less than 5 mins later. The staff are very knowledgeable and super easy to talk to. You walk away feeling like you made a friend who knows the best things to order.It's a very beautiful space and as standing room only is great for socializing with a friend group or meeting some new people. I've never been to Spain but if the atmosphere and hospitality is anything like it is here, I'll be moving it up on my travel list.100% a must visit. I had The Vivian and can highly recommend the party platter. Add in some of the shareable tapas like grilled octo, potatoes bravas and steak and you have yourself a tasty, entertaining evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I went with a friend to celebrate Women's Day and the attention is spectacular, a pleasant atmosphere, excellent food and service. Would go again .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Drinks, food, service 10/10. I have a soft spot for this place and lovee that there's a waitlist which allows you to easily book yourself a spot at this standing only bar and tapas place. Definitely see the Barcelona vibes in the interior. Always a great spot for quick bites and drinks. The ambience is also awesome.Food wise I would recommend getting the steak. It's a small tapas size but it's one of the best steaks I've ever had. Perfection.Drinks wise, go with the server's recs based on your palette and preference. Cocktails are amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5