Toronado for sale

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by sukhoi584th, Jan 25, 2025.

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  1. hikanteki

    hikanteki Crusader (429) Oct 11, 2013 California
    Trader

    If that was the way the bartenders treated everyone, there wouldn’t be negative reviews.

    I personally never had a bad experience until I did. One of the bartenders told my partner to “calm the f—- down” after ignoring him and taking the orders of many who came after him. (My partner asked when he’d get his turn without being mean or confrontational.)

    And if this even would have been a one time thing, we could have overlooked it. But reading the reviews, it’s not. But I’m glad you and your wife haven’t had a bad experience there and hope you never do.
     
    #21 hikanteki, Feb 10, 2025
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  2. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Sorry to hear about your partner's experience. There's no call for that kind of reaction, but I kind of understand it.

    The times I've been to the Toronado, it's invariably been pretty busy. There's always been an ebb and flow to the crowd, but it's been busy. The bartenders were hustling, working hard to get drinks out as quickly as possible. I thought they were pretty fast and efficient frankly. That being said, every once in a while some pilgrim would belly up to the bar, waiting for a drink. The bartender would ask what they wanted, at which time they would start purusing the extensive taplist. At that point the bartender would usually walk away without saying a word to take a different order. I'm sure the pilgrim thought this was very rude service. My interpretation is/was a bit different.

    Likewise, I've been to a number of bars over the years where the staff were slammed and so service suffered. In such a situation, I understand that waits for a beer may be protracted and orders may be taken out of order. It's annoying, but understandable. I also realize the staff are probably a bit stressed, so I tend to keep my opinion about the length of the wait to myself. Not everyone seems to feel that's an appropriate way to react, and so they share their frustration with the staff. Most of the time I see bartenders bite their tongue and simply take the customers order. Personally, that's what I think the bartender at the Toronado should have done with your partner. Unfortunately, that's not what happened.

    Frankly, if I had been your partner I would have kept my mouth shut and waited for the bartender to finally get to me. Having bartenders take the order of other customers who arrived at the bar after me is one of those things that happens on occasion in a crowded bar.

    Just my two cents. Even so, I still think it was inappropriate for the bartender to treat your partner like that.
     
    #22 John_M, Feb 11, 2025
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  3. hikanteki

    hikanteki Crusader (429) Oct 11, 2013 California
    Trader

    That wasn’t us, we knew what we were ordering.

    If it were just a couple of people, that’s probably what he would have done. It was about a dozen people and went on for 10 minutes. I don’t have an issue with short, curt service, nor do I have an issue with not being served until I’m ready to order. I do have an issue with intentionally being ignored and being told to “calm the f—- down” as a response to a politely asked question.

    Good to know you would have kept your mouth shut, though.
     
    #23 hikanteki, Feb 11, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2025
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  4. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    LOL! Sounds like this is really sticking in your craw still. No worries, I'm sure all your actions and reactions were justified. However, I'm beginning to understand why the Toronado bartender reacted the way he did.

    Cheers!
     
    #24 John_M, Feb 11, 2025
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  5. Resistance88

    Resistance88 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,462) Apr 9, 2015 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I went there once a couple years ago and had the same experience.

    The place is a total "cool kids only" ( or cool geriatrics only) club and anyone who denies it is full of shit .
    It's definitely not for everyone and that's ok!
     
    #25 Resistance88, Feb 11, 2025
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  6. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I've never gotten that impression at all. Ergo, I must be full of shit. LOL!!!
     
    #26 John_M, Feb 11, 2025
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  7. Resistance88

    Resistance88 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,462) Apr 9, 2015 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    It was a first impression and Wasn't just me either.

    I didn't care as that kinda stuff doesn't bother me, but it definitely gives off really strong vibe of "cool kids" only and angry old man serving beer .

    Hope is stays open
     
    #27 Resistance88, Feb 11, 2025
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  8. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    It's been some years, but the first time I went, my impression was that this was a locals bar. One that just happened to have an exceptional taplist. Periodically, guys would stop in and say hi to the bartender, regardless of whether they wanted a beer. The problem I saw was that the place was understaffed. There was just the one bartender, which wasn't really enough to handle the crowd at times. This was on a weekday in the afternoon. So he often seemed harried and a bit stressed. Even so, during periods of lull, he was friendly and I talked to him for a while about the pdx beer scene (he knew something about it, but was interested in learning more). Of course whenever it got busy he would cut me off to go tend bar. It was clear he took his job pretty seriously.

    I was favorably impressed by what I saw and always have been. I agree it's not for everyone, but it's always suited me perfectly. I've always liked the vibe and energy there.
     
    #28 John_M, Feb 11, 2025
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  9. goodbyeohio

    goodbyeohio Pooh-Bah (2,312) Jul 13, 2004 Connecticut
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I distinctly remember my first trip there in 2006ish and the bartender had a particular distaste for anyone he didn't know who was ordering pliny the elder
     
    #29 goodbyeohio, Feb 15, 2025
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  10. pixiesfanyo

    pixiesfanyo Crusader (495) Oct 25, 2010 California

    First time I went to SF Toronado they gave me several whiskey shots at the bar.

    Sucks people had a bad experience there. San Francisco definitley has that vibe tho.
     
    #30 pixiesfanyo, Feb 15, 2025
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  11. annakarina

    annakarina Savant (1,003) Jul 29, 2016 California

    First time I went to Toronado the bartender pulled out a revolver and shot me between the tits. Seemed excessive but the beer was good.
     
    #31 annakarina, Feb 15, 2025
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  12. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I don't know, depends. Did you forget to say please when you ordered the Pliny?
     
    #32 John_M, Feb 15, 2025
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  13. jasonmason

    jasonmason Zealot (742) Oct 6, 2004 California
    Society Trader

    Oddly enough today I was cleaning out an old desk and came across the lineup from the 2006 barleywine festival at Toronado. Talk about one hell of a time capsule, that was an epic lineup. I remember meeting Don Younger that day out on the sidewalk too. Good times.
     
    #33 jasonmason, Feb 17, 2025
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  14. LAFreeway

    LAFreeway Zealot (669) Aug 2, 2023 California

    Did you guys split after that comment? I’m pissed off just reading about it , I don’t think I could stay or ever return if that was said to me.
     
    #34 LAFreeway, Feb 18, 2025
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  15. RaulMondesi

    RaulMondesi Grand Pooh-Bah (5,343) Dec 11, 2006 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I’ve loved all my visits to Toronado. That said, I could totally see them refusing to serve me if I had some Dodgers gear on or something. Every visit there, I could sense a “Our way or the highway” kind of vibe. Oh well.
     
    #35 RaulMondesi, Feb 18, 2025
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  16. hikanteki

    hikanteki Crusader (429) Oct 11, 2013 California
    Trader

    Thanks. Yeah, we left and haven’t been back.
     
    #36 hikanteki, Feb 18, 2025
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  17. ChazMania

    ChazMania Savant (1,028) Jun 13, 2006 California

    I only had one experience there, perhaps around 2014ish. I was with my brother and sister in law and we all agreed we would likely not choose to return after our experience.
     
    #37 ChazMania, Feb 19, 2025
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  18. LAFreeway

    LAFreeway Zealot (669) Aug 2, 2023 California

    I went to Toronado back in the 90s, I remember drinking a shit load off good beer, but not much else. I think it was a big deal because they had an IPA or two on draft.
     
    #38 LAFreeway, Feb 19, 2025
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  19. elNopalero

    elNopalero Grand Pooh-Bah (5,822) Oct 14, 2009 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    BEAT LA!

    (Still owe ya a beer sometime our paths cross again!)
     
    #39 elNopalero, Feb 19, 2025
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  20. tyrsis

    tyrsis Savant (1,074) Mar 13, 2009 California
    Trader

    wow, I love them even more
     
    #40 tyrsis, Feb 20, 2025
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