The Lockhart - Menu

The Lockhart is a good date place where Ilvermoney alums and magical wannabes will find icebreakers to chat about, like a house magician wondering around while... read more The Lockhart is a good date place where Ilvermoney alums and magical wannabes will find icebreakers to chat about, like a house magician wondering around while we were there. I could see this as fun for trivia night, but don’t expect your would-be boyfriend the diehard Leafs fan to be as into it as you until he’s sampled a few potions. A novel visit for drinks and bar snacks, very clearly for grown Harry Potter fans. That’s what this is, a tipsy Harry Potter place.At its core it’s a typical Dundas West cocktail bar with a small bar and a few tables, very welcoming and attentive staff, and a decent themed drink menu, with light, original, yummy snacks.Drinks were lost on me as a non-drinker, but fun to watch (and reportedly highly effective) were the ‘Befuddlement Draft’ and ‘Inferi’ (each with lots of fire). Tequila-based Better Beer got good reviews, too, but no fire, just a roasted marshmallow.Food samplings were excellent, ‘Herbology 101’ & ‘Jerk Roasted Cauliflower’, but we weren’t there to eat, mostly just to check it out and relax our inner HP fan.I’ll go back for brunch, the menu looks good, but I’ll only go with like minded readers of magic. And though my kid is an above-avid Harry Potter fan (has all books, Slytherin uniform, wand, and the movies, so kind of hardcore for a 12 year old), I’m not in a rush to take them, and having seen the menu, they’re not in a rush to visit ‘except maybe for brunch’. Not much of a kid place based on our evening experience. We live close though, so come the fall and robe season, we could be back on a stormy Saturday morning.Not full marks for this, but very good. It may disappoint those expecting a pilgrimage sort of Pottermore experience, as I’m guessing the Lockhart have to be very careful about getting too close to copyrights. As a bar, it doesn’t have the Ossington edge some neighbours to the east will offer, but it is a welcome addition to the ‘hood and definitely worth the visit if the theme draws you in, so give it a go.

We were visiting from USA and I didn't bother to get the international data which I didn't think would be an issue until we wanted to go to The Lockhart. We wan... read more We were visiting from USA and I didn't bother to get the international data which I didn't think would be an issue until we wanted to go to The Lockhart. We wanted to Uber there but weren't sure how we'd get nack to the hotel without data! We went anyway and luckily The Lockhart offers free muggle internet access. Even if they hadn't and we had to walk an hour back to our hotel, it would have been worth it. Not only is this bar inspired by Harry Potter its honestly just a cool intimate place with good drinks (herbology anyone?), good food (order the horntail) , and good service.Things to note: if your there for the first time and going for the HP, find a seat at the bar, it'll give you the best view; no reservations, some come early and be prepared to possibly share a table woth strangers; use the bathroom, even if you don't have to go; the outside isn't what I expected, don't miss it!