The original Toronado is an often-standing-room-only, always-cash-only beer bar with divisively surly service that's been in San Francisco's Lower Haight for 27 years. It's a cornerstone of American craft beer, deemed worthy of esteemed anniversary brews from Lost Abbey, Russian River, and Alpine Beer Company. It's a special place, one that beer-lovers rightly freak out about.
Toronado Seattle (1205 NE 65th St, 525-0654) feels like any of a number of beer-centric Seattle bars. Given that Matt Bonney, formerly of Brouwer's, Bottleworks, and the Burgundian, is in charge, this likely isn't a coincidence…
