I apologize upfront for being "off-topic", but I didn't really know who else to ask, and I know there are quite a few Toronto peeps on here...

EvilRotor and I are driving down to Toronto this weekend with some friends to celebrate our birthdays. Anyway, I've been given the task of coming up with some places to go Saturday night...

For dinner, "Five Doors North" on Younge near Eglington was recommended... Anyone ever get food poisoning there?

The big task is finding a lounge/bar that will suit everyone's taste in music (mine is rock).. So a place that is not only R&B and hip-hop, but plays a good mix - basically will play "Backstreet's Back" or "The Sign" for EvilRotor and will also let me request Metallica. Anyway, a more "classy" place with an older crowd (21+ bar?) would be nice since our gang will all be mid-twenties and up. Any place with top-notch skanks and "dawgs" wearing white wife-beaters and gold chains is definitely out. Would also like to avoid the super expensive. Getting a sense for what I mean? Just give me a normal bar with a normal crowd and normal music

After spending a couple of hours browsing through online bar listings in Toronto, this is what I came up with... Let me know if any of these places are in line with what I'm looking for, or if you have any other ideas.

- "The Drink"

- "La Rouge". I was at a "La Rouge" in Montreal in last October and had an amazing time... DJ plays an excellent range, danced non-stop.

- "NASA Dance Pub" (formerly "Exit 609")

- "Room 471" - the theme on Saturdays is "Bubble"?!

- "Tonic"

- "Velvet Underground" - ummm is this a goth hangout?


Sorry for the long post...

 

Haven't been to any of the places in your list, but I have read that VU is goth/industrial.


Stay away from The Devil's Martini. It is packed like only sardines and VW-driving circus clowns can appreciate. While it is a 'mature' crowd (25 and over) their playlist is all mid to late 80s. We were in there a few weeks ago and they had Bon Jovi blaring out and people were singing along to it and... it was too much. We had to flee.


Hiphop and rock under the same roof? That's a hard one. You could try Whiskey Saigon, if it's still open. They were three floors of bars, with different music on each floor. You guys could migrate back and forth as it suited you...

 

VW-driving and 80s rock music? Sounds perfect

 

I like the Devil's Martini...then again, I am old and I do sing to 80's music

 

I hear ya... My favourite night on the town in Ottawa is still retro 80's night at Barrymore's on Sundays

Devil's Martini is 25+, so that is unfortunately out... I will still be a 24 year old VW clown on Saturday

I also looked up Whiskey Saigon and it is now called "Joe". Sounds like the perfect place for us, so I emailed that suggestion to a friend.

Keep the ideas coming!

 

If you want more retro 80s, there's Friday night at The Kingdom in Burlington (an old haunt of mine.)

http://www.dark-entries.com/magazine...e-clubking.htm

The building is *massive.* It's still the biggest club I've been in in the GTA. The main room is DJ'ed by CFNY (Toronto's version of Xfm) with 80s in the Amazon Room (in the back, and it's huge, too.)

You won't find any hiphop there on Fridays...

 

I don't think La rouge or Tonic suits your tastes.

 

you might want to try pheonix. saturday nights are hosted by a new rock radio station


http://www.edge102.com/station/sp_clubs_guestlists.cfm

 

XFM is dead. At least, they're not at 101.1 anymore, and I can't find them on the dial.

If you want to suit everyone's taste, I suggest hitting up one of Scarborough's multitude of Karaoke bars. That way, everyone can sing what they like.

I'd love to help, but "top notch skanks" is a selling point for me.

 

perhaps chris(s) can lead you to "Wisky a Go Go" (sp?) if you're looking for "top notch skanks"....

oooh, I hope they have "7 minutes in the closet!!!" or love shack!!

 

Phoenix is a good bet... Joe caters to the immature half of the Uni crowd... Devils Martini plays everything not just 80's and is a good age group, no testostertone overload...

 

I think I've actually been to the Phoenix four years ago.... They had some Lenny Kravitz look-alike dude dancing on the stage all night? (hired dancer I guess? There was some girl too).

Are Toronto bars smoke-free?

 

go to Lucid. get there early. You will have a great time.

 

VU is industrial type of bar and I don't think Sat. is fetish night.
What about something like My Aparement of something along John Street. They are more of a sit down bar w/a dance floor and music blaring (mixed) and a mixed crowd 20-30.
But I don't think they'll let you request Metallica though. But if you want to drop by my house, I'll lend you some Metallica CD's.. Maybe some "Garage Days" perhaps..

 

.

 

My Apartment would prob be your best bet for what your looking for. Great atmosphere, and the poeple range from 20-30 more mature..lots of mix in music..

 

Thanks Scott. I've got them all as well.
I will be at Ian's Saturday during the day, you should stop by. We can make fun of Ian, he loves that...

 

Just noticed that, LMAO!
I don't need to hear BackStreet Boys or Ace of Base!!!

Maybe some Rammstein

 

I'll supply the elevator music. I'll let Rich know about it, and he can supply the Japanimation style techno stuff.

 

The Phoenix is pretty tite I would say.

As mentioned, Saturdays are New Rock in the main room and (if I am not mistaken) either alternative or retro in the small room (whatever that room is called).

Its not much of a sitdown place though.
Last time I was there (Dec. 2004) we sat upstairs for about 10 minutes and then went down and danced/moshed for 4 hours.

Depends if you want to dance all night, or if you want to go to a place with pool tables and tables, and that plays music less loudly so as to allow for conversation.

Or we could just go to the go-go's as per Leigh...

 

If your having dinner at Younge and Eglington then your within a two block walking distance of @ 20 pubs/clubs/bars/lounge's and just about anything in between... seriously something for everyone right where you are. I used to live @ a block north and west of young and Eglington.. for years, never did get to all the places down there to many then, way more now.

 

another good thing about pheonix is that its not exactly in club central, and theres tons of little streets to park on...one of my buddies lives a block away, and thats where i end up parking most of the time, free parking and all

 

TRUST ME Dont go to the pehonix..

Dirty bar, grungy people.
Skinny guys with tight shirts all druged out, packed too. It sounds better on the radio..(i dont start on the gilrs that dress like guys)

If you want mature clubbs try "Money", afterlife, joker **** anything adialade st is a riot.

Stay away form "system sound bar" and these type hip hop bars, they're not your type.

 

**** ya i forgot money..thats also very good..i love sundays

 

i dont agree with afterlife at all. That there is hardly a mature crowd, at least on fridays, and i cant see it being much different on a saturday