The Best Weekend Watering Holes

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9 places recommended by shedoesthecity

Expert Trendsetters from Queen Street West

Created on May 28 2009

A round-up of the best tried-and-true drinking spots in the city, from sophisticated to skeezy, carefully and meticulously scouted by http://www.shedoesthecity.com

The Boat

158 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T2L5

Rated this place:

posted Apr 22 2009

Everything's More Fun On A (Pretend) Boat: Grandpa winked at me as he poured my heavily iced gin and soda. He is a member of the unpredictable cast of bartenders at The Boat, harshly contrasted with the onslaught of indie scenesters dancing around in their scuffed chucks in the middle of the room. Breaking out from this wooden centralized dance floor, is a thematic Portuguese restaurant reminiscent of a ship's deck. Round windows circulate the dancing arena, which is propelled by the fresh beats of the resident dj or a unique live performance. If you aren't a dance maven, there is plenty of banquet-esque seating and room for off-side mingling. In my opinion- a most pleasing combination of nostalgia and kitsch and off the cuff partying.

Cadillac Lounge

1296 Queen St W, Toronto, ON, M6K1L4

Rated this place:

posted Apr 22 2009

This would be Bette Page's 416 Hangout: The Cadillac is a very special place for me, as it is where I decided to change my life. On my 26th birthday I got real wasters, commanded the attention of not only my direct group of friends but the ENTIRE back patio. I stumbled on to a chair and yelled this at everyone: ”I’m 26 and I’m BOREEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDD”. Yep…that was a birthday to remember.Anyhow – for those who don’t know – this is a Rockabilly kitch dream. The patio is humongous – good for summer, smokers and large facebook RSVP’s.If you feel like getting real rowdy….this is the perfect place to do so.I love the caddy.

The Beaconsfield

1154 Queen St. W., Toronto, ON, M6J 1J5

Rated this place:

posted Apr 22 2009

The Hipster Hangout: Whenever I want to go find out how to dress – I go to the Beaconsfield. There’s always some remarkably cool chick outside having a butt with a slam dunk outfit on. Inside – is loud and vivacious on a Thursday to Saturday night. The music is always just right – and the bartenders look like they should be posing for American Apparel ads. This is the perfect place to go if you have had a bad day at work – and just want to drink, drink, drink and be silly. It’s also a great place to meet people. I don’t know why but some bars are much better for this than others. I have never gone to the Beaconsfield – without rubbing shoulders with a stranger and then chatting. Now – this doesn’t mean you always want to befriend this person, but it does always make for good entertainment.P.S - their burgers are also really good. Yum.

Czehoski

678 Queen W, Toronto, ON, M6J1E5

Rated this place:

posted Apr 22 2009

A Class Act. : This place just oozes sophistication. If you have a friend in from out of town– and you want to take them somewhere nice – go here. The crowd can get slightly obnoxious on a Thursday eve – but if you show up with a few friends, you will no doubt end up being one of those obnoxious parties. This would also be a great place to go on a first date – guys who are reading this, take note. They have a wonderful menu here too – but not cheap.

Dance Cave

529 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON, M5S1Y5

Rated this place:

posted Apr 22 2009

Dance like Nobody's Watching: For Annex locals, too lazy to get on a streetcar and too broke to get a cab, Dance Cave is the reliable, logical choice for sweaty dancing. An unlikely mix of hipsters, underaged kids, grad students, music nerds, and frat boys rock out here to the equivalent of comfort food in tunes: the Strokes, the Stones, OutKast, Pulp and New Order. No pretension, just quality times. There’s always an eccentric or three to keep things appealingly wacky. I particularly enjoy the guy who wears flannel pyjamas and the dude who does ballet moves in skinny jeans. If you lived in the Annex while at university, this is probably the site of many of your life milestones. U of T alumnae are entitled to return for nostalgic, alcohol-infused, dancing bliss.

The Dakota Tavern

249 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON, M6K3A1

Rated this place:

posted Apr 22 2009

Tattoos, Smoke, and Country Hoe-Down: It’s easy to get swallowed up by this dark and devious honky tonk joint. It has the excitement and vibe of a secret speak-easy, where local bands propel the crowd into sweaty hoe-down dancing. The Dakota is the perfect place to get lost, dance like you don’t care who’s watching. Last time I went it seemed to be a cave full of wolf men. I say wolf men because they all had facial hair and devilish eyes. In my opinion, a very sexy downstairs dive, where the lighting is perfect for bad behaviour. Also, all-you-can-eat Bluegrass Brunch on Sundays is a can't-miss.

Communist's Daughter

1149 Dundas West, Toronto, ON, M4M1S3

Rated this place:

posted Apr 22 2009

A Local Hideout: Remember when you were a kid – and building forts with pillows and blankness was a favourite pastime? Well – the Communist Daughter captures this feeling – but for adults. Go here if you want to feel like you are in a small living room, in a small apartment. You will make friends with the guy sitting next to you effortlessly. Like Sweaty Betty’s, this place also has a jukebox. I’m not sure if the crowd is much different – but perhaps those who are more into reading heavy literature frequent this place. Where Sweaty Betty’s draws those 22 & up – this place may see more 32 & up. No patio – but easy to leave your beer on the bar and head outside for a quick smoke. The crowd here looks like they are going to go home and write poetry, or work on their essay before hitting the sack. I’m not sure why…I think they just look smart and unpretentious.

The Ossington

61 Ossington St., Toronto, ON

Rated this place:

posted May 28 2009

The perfect sweaty dance party/pub: The Ossington is a perfect bar for a drunk weekend with your best friends. Featuring cool decor, two rooms usually with different DJs, and great wooden seating (benches and tables, as well as stools lining the steamy window, allowing you to draw pictures and write messages to those waiting in line outside), The Ossington hits the perfect balance between favourite pub and dance club. The vibe is unpretentious cool, and the space plays host to a few of our favourite parties, including Friendship and All Wronged Up. Definitely one of the best bars in the city.

Sweaty Betty's

13 Ossington Ave., Toronto, ON, M6J 2Y8

Rated this place:

posted May 28 2009

First and Favourite: The first bar on Ossington before the madness, Sweaty Betty's features an amazing back patio, cozy decor, an awesome jukebox, and no douchebags. Also, occassionally, a drag queen will climb up the ivy-covered lattice and do a dance.

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