Early Mercy – A New Bar with A Laid Back Vibe on King Street West

Toronto’s King Street West is famous for its exciting nightlife and FE attended the media preview of the newest addition to the neighbourhood, Early Mercy.

Housed in the former Grand and Toy store, Early Mercy is a bar with a laid back vibe.

Co-owner James Blackburn (West of Contra) describes it as having “Toronto’s friendliest staff with no attitude.” “There will be wild nights with no regrets. It’s about not taking yourself too seriously.” The other co-owners are known for their involvement in nightclubs like The Stirling Room and Fiction.

The theme of Early Mercy is mixing the old with the new. The decor includes images of historic figures like Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Gandhi, all transformed into modern day hipsters, lots of seating, distressed wood floors, a massive word scramble on the wall and several tvs around the bar.

The music is a mix of old school hip-hop and rock, with new artists being played later in the night.

The Food Dudes handles the menu from their parked food truck at the entrance, with guest food trucks being brought in at various times.

We sampled delicious food items from The Food Dudes including: mac and cheese balls, Captain Crunch fish tacos (made with blackened cod), risotto cakes with red beet and herb goat cheese, 12 hour braised brisket sliders, Vietnamese vegetarian spring rolls, grilled cheese with soft brie, and seed crusted yellow fin tuna on taro root chip.

For cocktails, we enjoyed The Lincoln (Ciroc Blue Stone, lemonade and ginger ale), The Churchill (Tanqueray Rangpur Gin, lime, simple syrup and tonic water), The JFK (Bulleit Bourbon, Ciroc Peach, lemon juice, simple syrup) and Enigma Chardonnay and Enigma Cabernet Sauvignon.

Early Mercy opens its doors this Friday, November 6, 2015, and will no doubt be a great destination when one is looking for some downtown fun.

red beet risotto balls

red beet risotto balls

vietnamese veggie spring rolls

fish tacos

grilled cheese with soft brie

12-hr braised brisket sliders

mac n cheese balls

red beet risotto balls

red beet risotto balls

yellow fin tuna

mac n cheese balls

grilled cheese with soft brie

12-hr braised brisket sliders

grilled cheese with soft brie

fish tacos

(photos by Tanya)

Early Mercy – A New Bar with A Laid Back Vibe on King Street West, Toronto