Aft Kitchen & Bar

Just had the Smoked Peach Arnold Palmer cocktail — A+. Caesar salad to start was great, then chicken and back rub special with Maple Bourbon Glaze — actually phenomenal: have had Stack BBQ and Smoke and Bones and this was the best dining experience. Great ambiance and awesome appropriate volume music.

Tried this place for the first time yesterday. I was thoroughly impressed! The BBQ is delicious and the food to price ratio is a hungry persons dream. The $ 37 platter for two (3 meats, 3 sides) was delicious and beyond filling. Highlights were the brisket and cornbread. Weakest link were the ribs.
A lot of people say the music is too loud. It is loud, but I found it to be on par with other bars. I guess I wouldn’t recommend this place as somewhere to go have a meaningful conversation. Maybe it’s restaurant loud, but it’s not bar loud.
The cocktail menu is also impressive and has some really unique (ie smoked) options. Sure, they’re a bit pricy ($ 10-​$ 12), but they’re 2oz and the relatively low price of the food offsets it.

My favorite smokehouse in the east side with great beef brisket.
The smoked drinks are pretty neat, the first sip of the Arnold Palmer hits you pretty hard with smoky flavour but once you adjust it’s delicious.

Pretty awesome staff and great BBQ food. The portobello frites were a bit sour but the brisket was fantastic.

You must try their weekend BBQ. Incredible value for the amount of food you get. All the meat is succulent and moist. Don’t leave without trying the smoked peach Arnold Palmer. Out of this world.

Came here a little while ago for a birthday thing. It is very good BBQ. Had the wings and they were delicious. The fries are also so nice and smokey. The sauces were all homemade and a great balance of spice or sweet. Recommended.

AFT’s Southern style BBQ will leave your stomach full, even if you have an empty heart!
I’ve been coming to AFT since they first opened a few years ago back when Snoop Dogg was Snoop Lion, and I hadn’t yet found love (I would later that same year, only to eventually lose it)
Aft was the first restaurant I enjoyed with friends, after my attempt at marriage disintegrated and I left my new house to move in with my Dad and his gf at the tender young age of almost-​32. Life is a box of chocolates! lolol
Aft’s signature touch is a variety of BBQ sauces made in-​house, ranging from bittersweet (like the sad decline of a relationship like I mentioned) to medium and fiery *habanero
*Don’t go rogue with the habanero like I did, and use disproportionate amounts of it on the pulled pork late at night. TRUST ME. You’ll find yourself waking up with cold sweats and night terrors, followed by crippling loneliness and a hint of inadequacy.
The habanero sauce adds a great kick to all of Aft’s smokey, savoury barbecue dishes, don’t get me wrong. Highly recommend it! It just doesn’t pair well with heavy emotional burden.
The menu at Aft offers up a variety of hearty, down-​home fair paired well with an array of bourbons and local craft brews on tap. It’s low-​key, relaxed and laid back like Leslieville, the neighbourhood that surrounds it. A neighbourhood I still call home, even though I’m mainly living out of a suitcase and quietly crying in my friends’ showers when I’m not at my Dad’s :(
I’d highly recommend Aft, especially if you’re looking to put a little Southern spice in your life as a newly single person. Or just meet up with friends and let them ply you with bourbon while you lay a heavy existential crisis on them. And fill your nervous stomach with heaps of tender beef brisket while you loudly ask the entire table if they find you attractive. Validation comes free at Aft!
Real talk — I’ve never tried the desserts at Aft. That’s not the fault of Aft, I’m sure they’re delicious. Its just that, if you put me anywhere near home-​cooked traditional BBQ when I’m emotionally vulnerable, I’ll basically eat dangerous amounts of it and bloat myself to the point of no return. I’ve done this before shows before, and I almost need someone to wheel me on-​stage.
Plus, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth (I’m bitter, LOL!) And if you’re into self medicating, I suggest the Arnold Palmer — its a fun, sweet cocktail that packs a subtle punch. And if you’re emotionally fragile and vocal about it, most of the patrons at Aft will pass judgement quietly if you decide to take a run at 5 or 6 Arnold Palmers and chalk that up as a sensible dessert choice. You might get the odd side-​glance, but you’re too busy numbing the inner turmoil and making everything temporarily feel OK! So, YOLO. Haters gonna hate.
Also, the baked beans and corn bread are SO good!

Went here on a monday night for dinner. Weren’t many people at 5:30pm ish but quickly became busy while we were there. We started with drinks. I had the smoked peach Arnold Palmer. I thought it was a bit bland and for $ 11 I expected a bit more. Refreshing nevertheless. For entrée I had the pulled pork sandwich with a caesar salad. Everything was absolutely delicious. We were also given three homemade BBQ sauces which were all tasty. I sampled some of the frites as well which were perfectly seasoned. Portions were absolutely huge. I could not finish the entire sandwich or salad even though I wanted to. Service was so-​so. It took awhile to be greeted at first but our waitress was attentive throughout the meal. The décor was really cool. We sat in the back patio which was great. There was even a tree growing through the bar. Overall, fantastic food — but go hungry!

It seems the quality of the food has degraded so much compared to the reviews 1 year ago.
I ordered ribs and brisket which was very dry — similar to eating table crackers. The brisket was 1 inch thick and the ribs were not that great. But the coleslaw was good.
Similar to other comments, a Swiss chalet dinner would have tasted better.

Simply savoury barbeque goodness in the east end.
Some of the other newer BBQ places in town popping up lately screams of hipster attitude and okay-​okay-​so-​so meats in not-​big-​enough portions and hipster-​ass prices (*cough*Electric Mud*cough*). Aft is much more chill, even if it reeks of dim lighting and reclaimed wood aesthetics. But it really reeks of grillin’ goodness when you walk in – they got as they should an in-​house smoker. They also got a rear patio that is a bit more spacious than their indoor space, though their table layout (which generally runs longitudinally to the floor plan) is smart and maximizes space and openness in such a narrow small area that other restaurants with similar situations should take a look at. Maybe it helps that Aft isn’t such a packed place all the time.
Weekends offers a menu of various barbecue staples like pork ribs, pulled pork and brisket. We went for a platter for 2 deal, which gives you a choice of any three meats and sides. We figured it was good value. It looked like it was more a reduced portion of each picks when it arrived on our table, but it turned out to be an awful lot of good succulent barbequed proteins. The tender and flavour-​exploding brisket cuts, the juicy pulled pork… oh my my. Everyone we saw leaving had a takeout box in hand, and despite being very hungry upon arrival, even I had to join the brigade. Aft should hand out specials for those who can wolf it all and leave empty-​handed.
Service was slow at first (walked in to a bar staff briefing of sorts who all seem to not notice our presence for a long minute as they discussed work procedures and supplies and such), but generally was very friendly. They were even enthusiastic with shoving me with a handful of samplers of their barbeque sauces with my leftovers. Aft says they make their three sauces in-​house, and damn you, I find them better-​tasting than many of the sauces I sampled at various ribfests. If there is pride in their grillin’, you can taste every bit of it.
The bar’s various in-​house cocktails are also something to dabble in.
{TTC: the 501−2 – 3-​or-​4 to Broadview or Carroll St.}

Went here for drinks. Didn’t have any food. Drinks were good and on the high end of «moderately priced».
Ambiance was nice.

At first glance, it seemed as if this place would be a treasure in a restaurant scene currently saturated by ribs and wings.
However, one teeth sticking rack of ribs and an overpriced cocktail later, I can safely say — save your money for Prohibition two doors down.
When Swiss Chalet can make a better rack of ribs, you know you’ve got trouble.

Only alright place for food!
Food: BBQ ribs were warm but not hot, with tiny portion of coleslaw and beans. My friend’s chicken salad was dry — yuck! Will give them credit for making some sweet cocktails though.
Venue: small but trendy. Patio outback was full so can’t review on that.
Service: was subpar, didn’t make sure we had cutlery and we had to ask. Wasn’t very friendly either but could sympathize as it was one of the most humid days of the year — the poor staff in that boiling kitchen.
Price: expect to pay $ 60 for 2 people for a main each, a drink each and tax and tip.
Tucked away on Queen East, this place is an OK place for some ribs or chicken. Not really worth the trek from downtown unless you’re nearby.
Tip: some dive bars are nearby, search Hicks.

We had the platter for 2, 3 BBQ items and 3 sides, ribs, brisket, chicken, corn bread, coleslaw salad and fries. Portions were generous and was enough for next day breakfast. Beef brisket sandwich is breakfast for champions. I think it was a slow night, they gave us extra ribs on the side. Corn bread has pepper inside, very nice. Service was great, they were always there.

Came here with our friends for a good ol grubbin’, there was a bit of a long wait for a table. We got the platter for 2 and got ribs/​beef brisket/​pulled pork, our sides were corn bread/​fries/​macaroni salad. First off, the macaroni was not cooked and was still pre al dente. I had trouble with distinguishing which meat was which, but I believe it was the brisket that was reallllly dry-​corn bread was a bit dry also. Was really hard to eat. I found the fries were a bit too over seasoned for me but my BF loved them. The pulled pork was good and the ribs were awesome. You get a lot of food for what you pay and possibly take everything else home in a to go box.
I would definitely come back, but I would avoid the brisket next time and stick to my favourite which are the ribs.

My bf and I checked out aft after it caught our eye while taking the streetcar west to dt from my old hood. it was definitely worth it. The owner whose there most of the time is very kind, and is open to conversation and honest recommendations about the food and neighbourhood. I love the interior décor here its very modern and chique w a mix of authenticity with exposed brick which I am always a fan of. They have their own smoker in the back where they make all the meats which are absolutely mouth watering. Also, they have a great, intimate back patio, wonderful for a date or close friends catching up. I’ll warn vegetarians this may not be the most vegetarian friendly place, but it is truley a meat eaters heaven!

A small casual restaurant. The menu is short and sweet. I got the Philly cheesesteak with the steak done sous vide. Tasty and filing.
The rest of the pages of the menu are a selection of craft beers and inventive cocktails. I got the Okanagan Amber which went perfectly with my sandwich.

4.5*
Aft Kitchen & Bar is a newfound BBQ glory in the East end!
In on a Wednesday night at 6PM, I was pleasantly surprised that it was already filling up! A cozy spot with a great selection of drinks, I will definitely come back.
Everything we had was delicious. The BBQ is where they definitely shine. They aren’t doing any wrong!
**Whhhad’ I get?**
— Portobello Mushroom Frites ($ 8)
The top rec by the server — it was served with an aioli. On it’s own, it was super tangy, the breading was packed with a ton of herbs and held a juicy bite, but with the much-​needed dip, it was all slightly muted, delicious!
— Fried Chicken, Blackboard Special ($ 18)
Incredible. The battered bits of the Chicken Breast was insane! The meat was spectacularly juicy and tender. Bone and all, it was such a nice big piece! The rice was wonderfully spiced and filled with tender pieces of Beef and Pork. I had a whole dang farm on my dish!
–BBQ Side Ribs ($ 20)
These are Pork Side Ribs served with Coleslaw and Baked Beans. Beautifully glazed and tender. Perfection.
**Word is: Weekend brunches! Beautiful. Kitchens also close at 1AM. I’ll be back.
Aft Kitchen & Bar is a new favourite!

Really enjoyed our meal here. We had shared a number of plates including the meatloaf sandwich, (Amazing), and the chicken wings (Also, amazing and cooked exactly as I like them). The dessert was served in these glass jars (which we took to go and I still need to return them some time soon).
The staff were all super cool and friendly… the place was clean… they have an amazing booze selection. If their back patio had heat lamps it would be even better.
The bar doesn’t have a TV. Not sure if this is good or bad but if you want to catch the game and eat some wings or bbq while doing so, you might have to do it on the patio.
I would definitely recommend this place if you are looking for good BBQ. And I will definitely return… even if to just give back the dessert jars.

It was surprisingly not crowded here for Mother’s Day brunch! It was a beautiful day so we sat outside on their lovely, quiet patio. Overall, I’d say my experience was very good but the service left me feeling a bit confused.
We ordered Biscuits and Gravy, Brisket Hash and a coffee. Weirdly, the Brisket Hash was not on my menu. Another table also got a menu with the item missing as well. Why not throw out old menus?
The coffee came out in a French Press, definitely a unique experience in a restaurant. If you’re in a group of 4 and each just want a cup, definitely go for this option. For a table of two, we’d have preferred just a cup each. My Biscuits and Gravy was delicious, so buttery and creamy and sausagey! It would have been perfect if it had come out warmer. I had a piece of my fiancé’s brisket and hash browns and it was so good, the brisket was so flavourful and tender.
Doesn’t affect the rating: As for the servers, I couldn’t tell if they were good or bad. There was something off putting about the way they spoke to patrons, but they did their jobs well. It’s probably just me.
Side note: I would LOVE if Aft had an eggs benny with a biscuit instead of a English muffin!