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Labyrinth Lounge
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
19 reviews for Labyrinth Lounge
18 reviews in English
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Review from Ashley P.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2012
I love coming to this bar for a drink with friends or even a date. It's usually dead before 10:00pm, but gets PACKED after 11:00pm. They have a bunch of tables with candles and offer couches downstairs. On Friday nights they offer $3 Jack Daniels and $3 vodka on Saturday night. There is a DJ that starts around 10:00pm, who plays a variety of good music. It's a nice cozy bar, nothing fancy, but fun for a night out.
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Review from Dave M.
2/25/2012
Ended up in Labyrinth after a locale change for a Yelp event a while back.
I rather liked this place. It's most definitely divey, and a little loud at times, but it has a certain charm to it. Maybe it was the company I was keeping? In any case, it was good times, the drinks were cheap, the place wasn't packed, and their choice in music was right on. I never got the sample the food though. Maybe next time!
If there was anything to complain about, it would be that the place is hard to spot while walking by. Oh well, I found it. -
Review from Karen G.
Toronto, ON
12/20/2011
Would have given this cozy spot a higher rating had I not experienced the surliest bartenders this side of Bloor West.
Checked this spot out as part of a Christmas bar crawl in which there were about 20 - 30 of us. Came in a few minutes to 10pm on a Saturday night and found the place empty, save a couple huddled at a table in the corner. Nice ambiance, candles on every table and brick interior. Headed to the bar with the group to grab our drink and noticed the 2 female bartenders really dragging their heels, no smiles, looked really miserable and unhappy to serve us. After about 10 minutes of waiting (like I mentioned, there were several of us) I overheard one of the bartenders say "There's no quarters left 'cause no one is tipping us". Sorry ladies, in my experience tips are earned by great service, going above and beyond one's expected duties. It's at that point I decided to opt out of my festive drink and move on to the next spot that actually wanted business.
Needless to say, the bar was once again empty when out group left. Won't be coming back to this one. -
Review from Aliana I.
Toronto, ON
4/26/2012
I get the appeal. I do. I just feel that as far as dive bars in the annex go there are much better places to flock to. It's way too cramped and it's filled with far too many "individuals" wearing the exact same plaid shirt. The bars in Mirvish Village are better.
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Review from Ryan F.
You have to take labyrinth lounge like you do cough syrup; it's something you would have gone to as a student and unless you're looking to relive being a student or are a student you may feel like you just had cough syrup, with out the cough.
The location is fairly easy to find as long as you remember that the short form of labyrinth is lab. Then its very easy to find.
The interior actually reminds me of many of the student bars in London, Ontario. The brick walls and dimmed lighting almost makes me disappointed not to see some men, smoking cigars and playing poker in the corner. The bar is perfectly positioned right at the entrance and the patio is large enough that I could envision it being a definite place to check out.
I was here thanks to meeting up with everyone who took on the October 30days of reviews challenge. My second yelp event and I have to say I had a good time meeting some new faces. Definitely a crowd that could make any location or event into a good time.
As the bar was mainly dedicated to the yelp event, the service was great and surprisingly the selection of alcohol was not too bad either. The food was mainly pub style so no big surprise here.
At the end of the day though I realized something. I can give a location 1-5 stars but the experience you have and the bias you develop will be based on the people, both patrons and staff, you interact with. And by those standards the lab was a 5 star tonight :)Listed in: November 2011
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Review from Maheen M.
11/9/2011
I was at Labyrinth last night for CMYE event, I almost walked by it not realizing it was the venue. The Labyrinth reminded me of divey bars back in my university days, there is something comforting about the place that makes you want to stick around. It has that feeling that everyone could know your name like they did in Cheers.
Us Yelpers, had reserved a few tables where we were able to chat and catch up. The music was on in the background but not too loud that you could not hear the person beside you. Drinks were cheap as is the food, cocktails $5! My friend got a burger and fries for only $8!
This is a great place to grab a few drinks and something small to nosh on before you head out for the night. Even better is that it is close proximity to the Brunny and Futures - so you can choose on your adventure depending on how you want your night to go.
I will definitely be back to hang out. Check the Labyrinth out if you are in the Annex!Listed in: Drinking Establishments
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Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
A quick venue change for a Yelp event landed us here. Like for most, it was hard to find, and I needed to have someone tell me that L.A.B. = Labyrinth Lounge. Not sure why this is the case.
If you're in a parking lot, you've gone too far.
With shots of Whiskey and Whiskey drinks specials, I think I had to pass and order something from the bar. Beers and Ciders (they have strong bow and sir perry) were at a steep $6. Wine (which I did not recommend, it tasted sour and yes, I should have given it back) was $5.25
The place is big enough for a cozy private event, but with music blaring, it found it loud. Not sure if it was the alcohol talking but I felt like I had to shout, more so that I could hear myself. It was also quite dark.
Some of my friends ordered food, and it didn't seem any thing to run home about.
If you're looking for the Green Room , or a place to just have a drink, without being at the Brunswick House, and you don't feel like cake at Futures, this would be a good bet.Listed in: NOV 2011 - 30 days Yelp…, In the Annex.Yorkville area
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
11/11/2011 1 photo
Labyrinth Lounge reminded me my days at a student. As student looking for cheap drinks and food and of course loud music...
Not a bad place for a drink or 2... relax and lay back... dark..really dark....zzzzzzzzzzzz
Food was the usual pub selections. Thanks for fellow yelpers for letting me taste some of the food they ordered: cheese, onion rings, fries. The cooking oil they used were fresh so the food was not greasy...
BTW, I do need my cough syrup after my few hours of yelling at people at Labyrinth... it helped me open up my voice! -
Review from Imran N.
5/10/2011
I'm going to give this place 5 because it became home for me and everyone is amazing and there are leprechauns and peace on earth.
This is where "Sunday Night Drinking" became a ritual for me and my friends. But giving you a real review will be hard. We would go here every sunday at 12.30am and shut down the bar. sunday's is open mike night. very quite compared to the rest of the week when they do martini wednesdays at $4 and rail thursday at $3. Full of students but not my scene. But they do play good dnb and the dj's are always good.
Sunday was perfect because we literally took over the bar and no one but the performers would be there. It's gained a little popularity since, but it's still the best chilled out sunday night you will have.
But this is the only bar where you get amazing service. Bouncers are hilarious. Bar staff are all amazing. They remembered our drinks all the time, got our rituals down and would have our individual choices of alcohol specially ordered. They had shots with us, called us, sent us drinks, great great times.
Sadly sunday night drinking came to an end because people moved and got people pregnant.
You know who you guys are. You ruined everything. -
Review from Mauricio A.
Toronto, ON
6/15/2011
First and foremost, it's a student ghetto, just like Future's next door. So remember the demographic if you are going there. Don't expect, cocktail party vibe. More like chill & loudish (bad speaker) music and if you are okay with that, then you will have a blast. I have taken a few large groups and once the music starts blasting, it can get a bit loud to chat indoors. Having said that, they have an awesome basement lounge: dark and gothic-like, if you are up to it.
I am sure they get their food from Future's Bakery next door, as they are connected via a corridor so you can walk from one to the other.
Personally though, I only go for their patio seating as the music level is reasonable there. Which on a warm summer night, with a large group of friends and some cheap, cheap martini's well... that's what I call an evening.
Now the decor is truly basic and the tables have a budget feel to them and are nothing to write home about. Really. So I will stop. There. I did.
They do have some DJ's and concerts...on Sundays I believe but to be honest, the place looks like a hole in the wall and I would not return except for the martinis. Which to double check on the price of the silly martinis I called them... a week later they had not called back. So I called Future's and spoke to a very nice gentleman who apologized for the Labyrinth people not calling me back and that they NO LONGER had Martini nights at all. Seriously??
Nope, they did not, so nevermind about the Martinis! This place gets three stars at best.Listed in: My Reviews
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Review from Dishan W.
10/20/2010
3.5 stars!
Been here only three times, and I've enjoyed myself 2/3 times, I remember it had cheap-ish drinks and had a good selection of cocktails as well. The only reason it gets 4 stars over 3 is because I really enjoy it's basement set up of comfy and cozy seating.
I've not had any food here so I have no clue what that's like. If you do plan on spending the night moving around this area, like Tiffany G says, this place is the clear cut winner to start your night off. And it's so close to the Brunny that it just makes perfect sense to have a drink or two here before heading to the madness that is the Brunny or hop (possibly literally) next door to Futures Bakery where you can sample some yummy cakes or drink more!
But do be warned if you are with a large group, call ahead or get there early as this can get crammed up easily and definitely try to take over the basement!Listed in: A Bloor Street Pub Crawl
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Review from Victoria S.
Toronto, ON
7/4/2011
i've heard the food was good but i've never had the guts to try it. it just doesn't seem like i place that makes me want to put food in my mouth.
the drink specials on the other hand... are the reason to go for myself and for most.
i don't know what else to say really. it's grungy and dark. it's loud. they usually have a dj and the music has been decent in my experience. the bathrooms are pretty gross. but the drinks are cheap and you get what you pay for. it's definitely worth it when you want to go out on a budget. overall i've had good experiences though it's not my first choice.Listed in: best happy hour
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Review from Tiffany G.
Toronto, ON
6/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
This is the type of place that should be written up in Lonely Planet because it is probably the most budget friendly place in the city to get a drink. Every night of the week you can get a $3 alchoholic beverage - my favourite is Saturday night for some Tequila shots! Or if you choose to have a different shot to the one advertised for $3 - it is only $4.75.
This is the perfect place to begin a night of debauchery. I couldn't really see myself staying an entire night. Mostly because they don't have a dance space yet have some pretty good music...but if you're not much of dancer this may be just what you're looking for. It technically is a 'lounge' but a I would say it is more of a local student watering hole and the majority of the crowd looks under 25. However, I still recommend it to any age group because who doesn't like an affordable drink? -
Review from Payam Z.
4/21/2011 19 Check-ins Here
I've been to the Lab quite a few times and the visits I can recall have been a pretty good time!
Most of the food seems to come from Future's next door and I haven't really noticed a kitchen anywhere. There is usually a DJ around on the weekend and the tunes seem to vary but they never get loud enough to drown out your conversation with a friend (an absolute necessity for any bar that decides to hire a DJ!).
As for the staff the bartenders are pretty cool and will have a drink with you from time to time. The doormen/bouncers are the most fun of any place I know and always seem to cheer you up with some sort of a cheeky comment that will also go to show you they have a pretty good memory and will remember you from week to week!!
The reason you really come here though is the ridiculously awesome drink deals that vary from time to time and the basement area which will remind you of many bars in Greenwich Village. I've tried to put a pattern to the drink deals but have found that they vary from time to time. From what I remember I have been there for $3 rail Thurs (including 2-3 varieties of Whiskey/bourbon), $3JD Fri, and $3 Absolute Sat! There are often deals on beers as well, and the other fine spirits on the shelf also go for a very fair price ($6 for Remy Martin).
Great place to pre-game and meet friends
oh, and one note to the Lab...please fix the men's room! I'm tired of being indecently exposed to the femmes waiting in line ! -
Review from Alejandro A.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2008
This place is popular for a number of reasons. Most nights of the week have a different drink special, usually costing $3. Wednesday is Jager night, Thursday is domestic bottles and bar rail, Friday is Jack Daniels, Saturday is Tequila. I can't really remember if there are drink specials the other nights, but the point here is that the reasonable pricing brings in lots of people.
In the summer they have a large patio which is excellent, if you can get a seat. I've spent many a night with friends on this patio. There is seating inside as well, but it's a lot more limited. If you can't find a seat upstairs, downstairs there is a room with a couple of couches. This is fun, in truth I prefer a table. I just get annoyed having to stand around like I'm at a house party. Because of this, I much prefer coming here in the warmer summer months. -
Review from Catherine M.
ON
11/20/2008
In my crowd of friends, when we don't know where to go, we go to the Lab. And how can you not, when Friday features a $3 Jack Daniels special and Saturday boasts a $3 tequila special. Other specials include $3 Jaegermeister shots and other drink specials (I can't say I've ever gone to those nights).
The Labyrinth Lounge is a pretty low-key operation, with a friendly staff who will just let you hang out and do your thing on the patio if you want to. Being connected to Future Bakery means that you can order food off of their menu and it will be brought over to you at the bar. It also means that after a certain time, the patio and tables inside will generally be stuffed to the seams with people. The secret is to go there early and stake down a table.
The servers are quick to pick up on your drink of choice and will do the rounds checking whether you're ok. If you're inside, the general rule of thumb is to go to the bar and serve yourself, although if you're ordering food or pitchers you can seem to get the honor of inside table service. There are different DJs that rotate in, and while the music is certainly nice, I can't say I notice it too much more than background noise most of the time, unless I'm sitting too close to the speakers, in which case I'm straining to hear my friends talk.
If you want a really special night out, the Lab might be a bit too downmarket for your needs. But if you just want to meet some friends, drink some cheap drinks and eat vegetarian poutine on a patio, the Lab is definitely a good choice. Just get there early! -
Review from Isabel R.
Toronto, ON
1/17/2010
This a favorite spot of many of my friends, but I just can't make my mind up about it. Sometimes it's great, sometimes not so much.
PROS:
Cheap drinks! Friday is $3 JD, Saturday $3 Tequila. Other bar rail is still under five bucks though.
Good for big groups. I think the best times I've had there are at parties. Lots of comfy couches down in the basement. Easy to spread out and socialize.
Access to futures next door!
CONS:
Brunny-type UofT students.
Music can be WAY too loud, especially when there's no space for dancing. Not at all conducive to casual chatting. -
Review from Emily V.
Toronto, ON
5/1/2010
so this is a place that serves cheap booze and has okay decor and terrifying bathrooms.
go here with good friends, get wasted and make sure you use the buddy system when venturing downstairs to the washrooms, which are random unmarked doors.
when i was here last, the DJ played some gems for the babies of the 80s like myself. Korn-- freak on a leash & LEN- steal my sunshine among others that i forget because i was hammered. get hammered when you go here.
also i think i ate fries here and they were awesome because i was drunk.
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