Owned by the same people behind OddSeoul, Hanmoto is a late-night destination for many. The bar seats about 30 people, and the menus are Japanese inspired.
This izakaya defies a lot of what you expect to see on the city’s best-of lists, and yet, it finds itself across many. The food is, simply put, spectacular, with items like Hamachi tartare and moto-style devilled eggs. Cocktails and cheap beer mingle well with the gritty interior – red-hued light, bare cement walls, bamboo wrapped tables and a bustling open kitchen create the low profile vibes of this very high profile spot. If the wait or the fare don’t strike your fancy, try Hanmoto’s Korean half-brother down the block, the equally delicious Oddseoul.
There is something rather seductive about this hole-in-the-wall izakaya serving up city-wide-praised Japanese snacks and pub fare. The space is tiny but chicly designed to achieve an air of upscale meets dingy, with exposed brick walls and red-glowing neon signs. Good luck getting a seat without waiting a hot minute, but once inside, it’s one of those Toronto resto-bars that seem to transport you to somewhere else entirely. Food and drink offerings range from snack-y dino wings (served in quintessential Chinese takeout box) to traditional Japanese eggplant to infused-in-house cocktails (gin, cucumber and green tea Arisaka Sour anyone?).