House of McGrath

What is House of McGrath? Occupying the landmark 1898 Comstock Building at 75 Victoria Street, House of McGrath is an ambitious two-storey family venture from Matthew and Michele McGrath that resurrects one of downtown Toronto's most storied brewing addresses. The interior evokes 1920s Financial District sophistication with rich wood panelling, warm lighting, and a split layout offering plush dining banquettes upstairs alongside an energetic, live-music lower lounge with pool tables and full bar seating. Head brewer Jeff Kurkowski handles heritage decoction brewing in-house, while Red Seal chef Scott Cooney steers a refined, European-leaning kitchen.

House of McGrath Menu & What to Order The kitchen bridges classic European pub traditions and elevated downtown dining, smartly folding Kurkowski’s house-made brews straight into the sauces. Anchor your meal with the signature House Irish Stew—tender beef slow-braised in house stout and ladled over whipped potatoes—or the beer-brined Ontario pork chop served with a sharp lager-mustard cream. Plant-based diners are treated to a thoughtfully composed Mushroom Wellington layered with savory duxelles and vegan jus. Order a fresh pour of the nitro Irish Stout or a maplewood-smoked Old Fashioned to pair.

Know Before You Go Reserve a table upstairs via OpenTable if you want a formal sit-down dinner, particularly during the bustling Financial District post-work rush from Wednesday through Friday. The subterranean lounge welcomes walk-ins for pints, cocktails, and live jazz sets, making it a great casual late-afternoon fallback. Located steps from Queen Station on Line 1, the venue operates Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and stays closed on Sundays.