There’s a new place in Toronto to party just like it’s 1999 all the time.
Taking over the Bloor West address formerly home to China Ocean, Black Briik is a ’90s bar where you’ll find playlists stocked with everything from boy bands to old school rap while TVs silently stream Fresh Prince and Friends.
Co-owners James Chang, Tony Duong, and Francis Asturias have tapped into the nostalgia of their teenage years to introduce an unpretentious hangout decorated with pristine, all-original artifacts from their personal collections childhood bedrooms.
At the bar, uncomplicated cocktails and tall cans of craft beer are popular picks.
Meanwhile, the menu is full of low-brow favourites; fried chicken and waffles, sloppy joes on cornbread, mac ‘n cheese bites, and fries supreme all make appearances. Though this food is all made from scratch, whereas authentic ’90s bar food would have likely come from a box.
Corndogs (aka Briik Dogs) are the surprise winner for me. Sweet longaniza (Filipino sausage) in lieu of the usual tube steak is a delicious upgrade. The jalapeno studded corn batter gives it some welcome kick too.
Will the concept prove popular with aging yuppies reliving their youth? Or, will the time warp appeal to a younger crowded getting sentimental over simpler times they never knew? Time will tell.
Black Briik
Address: 1077 Bloor Street West, Toronto
Instagram: @blackbriik