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Ronnie's Local 069
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
30 reviews for Ronnie's Local 069
Review Highlights
"Ronnie's has an awesome patio."
(in 23 reviews)
"Get drunk and served delicious grilled cheese."
(in 5 reviews)
"1) Delirium on tap, Stiegl in the can."
(in 5 reviews)
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Bobby W.
Toronto, ON
9/29/2011
This is one of my crew's favourite hangouts. Great in the summer for the patio, the communal tables means you'll always meet some new and interesting people. Winter time is great for playing dice in the back. Always a good hang here, good beer selection and the prices are right. No douche bags either, just locals and round the way people.
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Review from Behrouz M.
Toronto, ON
1/25/2012
Food: None served, but you can bring your own food!
Service: Nonexistent besides the bartenders which seem to be on top of their game!
Atmosphere: A
I don't know what it is about this place but this a good place for socializing. I especially like the little isolated room at the back with the dim lighting and loud music.
Prices: A-
They have a good variety of beers on tap and for reasonable prices.
Recommended?: Yes!
3.5 stars (Yelp needs to have 3.5 stars option) -
Review from Reynold P.
Toronto, ON
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Stumbling in on a cold Sunday night, I found myself in a crowd of friendly strangers and fellow socialites. It's dim and dingy like what a dive should be, but clean, not questionable or health hazardous.
It was packed in front, so I shimmied my way to the back where it was virtually empty.
Ronnie's is a small place and I can imagine it being quite friendly on a Friday or Saturday night. However, I was there on a Sunday winter night... I think I'll have to revisit soon.
Btw, they do not serve PBR here. I thought it was a fail safe beer to order but apparently I was completely and utterly wrong. -
Review from Natalie T.
East York, ON
11/22/2011
VIBE
Dirty Hipster. You have reached the metaphoric holy grail if you are able to snag a seat on the patio. Oh, and service? There is none. You'll have to go to the bar to get that. Menus? What? You think this bar is actually an ESTABLISHMENT? Your typical dive bar, basically.
I DRANK
Heinken? Nope. Corona? Nope. But Fruli? Yes, they have strawberry beer on the scant menu. And Labatt 50. That's all I remember.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
You've reached dive bar status when you can get the grilled cheese sandwich place across the street to deliver to you. Get drunk and served delicious grilled cheese? Legen---wait for it---dary.Listed in: 30 Day Challenge, Libations, Hipster Havens, Dive Bars
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Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
7/30/2011 6 Check-ins Here
1) Delirium on tap, Stiegl in the can
2) Amazing patio
3) Amazing friendly customers that go here. It's impossible to go for a beer on the patio and not make new friends.
4) Grilled cheese delivered to your table on the patio :) Priceless
Go here. -
Review from Kat T.
7/20/2011
If you see a spot on the patio, snag it NOW and Call me!
The sun hits the front just right, but even at night the patio is a hit. One of the few nightlife, but kinda kid-friendly places in the Market.
And yes you can order a grilled cheese for 'delivery'.
The inside isn't really worth a visit, so go to the restroom before you head out.Listed in: Hmmmmm Beer.
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Review from Payam Z.
7/27/2011 3 Check-ins Here
3.5 stars!
Ronnie's patio and in fact Ronnie's itself are usually a good bet to be the most packed/happening spot on Kensington even on a weekday/Sunday night. Maybe it's because they don't serve food and you can bring your own/have food delivered from across the street, maybe it's for the delicious Erdinger and Delirium on tap, or maybe Ronnie's isn't that busy overall and the tininess of the establishment makes it look deceptively busy (I'd like to think it's one of the first two reasons anyways!)
There is a nice dive feel to the atmosphere even though everyone knows about it and the nice bartenders coupled with the creepy doll head taps make for an East Village feel in a Toronto bar...
You will also find that there is practically no service except for at the bar (the path to which is long and treacherous thanks to the many packed inside), and on top of that I'm pretty sure your business can be observed through cracks if you decide to use the restrooms! Nevertheless if you're feeling a drink on the patio in a less busy corner of Kensington, this is a pretty decent spot to throw one back. -
Review from Lauren M.
10/31/2010 5 Check-ins Here
Although I've sat on the patio many a time during the summer, I finally saw the interior of Ronnie's today, when trying to get out of the freezing cold streets of pedistrian Sunday in Kensington.
I kind of like it! Sure, it's divey, but it's not THAT divey. And yes, the clientele have their own style going on but I wouldn't call them hipsters. At least, not nearly as hipster as those eejits who hang out on the Ossington strip. I didn't stop a single raper moustache in the whole place.
In fact, I found it quite warm and cosy inside. Exactly what I wanted to escape the god awful freezing Halloween weather. -
Review from J H.
Toronto, ON
4/4/2011
I ended up here a few days ago, on one of the first "Warm" days of spring this year (of course it's snowing right now...ah toronto). it was a tuesday afternoon, and i Was in kensington market with a female friend and we were hungry but also wanted beer. remembering the grilled cheese delivered, we headed into ronnie's. the patio was packed and there was one lone two-seater table available, right in front of the bar. we sat down. after a few minutes it was clear there was no table service. no problem! my female friend stood up at the bar.
ignored.
a minute passed.
i got up and stood at the nearly empty bar.
ignored.
in this time, two other groups of people who sauntered up were served. it was awkward - we only finally got service when a patron who saw what was happening advised the bartender that we, in fact, had been waiting and were most certainly ahead of her.
normally i am not a conspiracy theorist, but i will say we stood out. my female friend was wearing heels, costume jewelry, has a tan and long, bright blonde hair. among this hipster/hippie, make-up free crowd, this look was a DEFINITE aberration. i did notice that the bartender seemed buddy-buddy with a few customers, and everyone was leaving very generous tips. so you'd think his zack galifiniakis - looking self might be in a more jovial, welcoming mood towards newcomers or odd-ones-out. not so. we knew what we were up against from there, so pushed to order a second round, and then left. the dive'y vibe was cool and we might have even made it a bender, had we felt welcomed. -
Review from Tamer A.
Toronto, ON
4/11/2011
Ronnie's is a great place in the heart of the market and a true neighbourhood local. Their patio is great in the summer but fills up quickly and the real bonus is that you can get a grilled cheese sandwich delivered from across the street while you're sipping on a delicious beer of which they have a reasonable selection.
Buyer beware though. Expect some seriously obnoxious bartenders with a serious sense of entitlement. My experience with them was unpleasant enough that I am not likely to head back there any time soon. What a shame. -
Review from Yerik T.
Toronto, ON
9/15/2011
Good spot, try to grab a seat on the patio with your people before its reamed. Enjoy.
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Review from Eric M.
5/11/2010
I'm surprised at how much love Ronnie's gets from the Yelp crowd.
Call me a snob or worse, a hipster but I don't think it's all it's cracked up to be.
My love affair with dank, tiny, cramped bars sent me to Ronnie's where I was immediately walled in on all sides by summer-toque wearing, fixy riding, paedophile moustache having dudes and their "I wish I lived in Chelsea (London not New York) in the 80s" lady friends. Oh, and Don McKellar which was enough reason for me to drop an extra star off the rating.
The bartenders are rude when you can actually get their attention unless of course you're their friend. Then they ignore everyone but you. Their backroom is the size of a small shoe closet and I find it's usually more packed than the patio.
Ronnie's was an interesting, kinda fun, out of the way, hole in the wall for a brief time. I met interesting people there and had interesting conversations. Now I all I seem to hear is people complaining about how much their parents suck because they won't give them money for vacation on top of rent and tuition.Listed in: Eric SMASH!!
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Review from Angela L.
6/16/2009 ROTD 5/7/2010
If the patio is chockful to the point that you cannot squeeze yourself in (as it often is), don't sweat it! Seriously, it's like a sauna in the main room. Pick up your beers ($5+) at the bar and head on over to the back where the bare wooden benches, wall to wall wildlife mural, and war medal decor will make you feel more like you're at a country bar in the Yukon. At least that's how my friend described it and I've never been to the Yukon, so I'll take his word for it.
Without a doubt, the front patio is the place to be on a gorgeous warm night such as the last. The crowds are houseparty lively and the conversations guaranteed to be random and engaging. But don't think that you're chopped liver just because you're sitting in the back. Whether you end up there by choice or default, it's a lot easier to hold a good and uninterupted conversation and that's always a-okay with me. -
Review from Vivek S.
9/14/2009
Diminutive bar with a patio to match in Kensington Market. If I understand correctly, a requisite amount of coolness is required to imbibe at Ronnie's. (And possibly a union card.) I lack both, but enjoyed myself anyway. Didn't get much service on the patio, so I had to -- horror of horrors -- get up and fetch my own drink.
Other than the pfft-whatever service, it's a reasonable place for a pint.
Obligatory Title Pun: Just picture me standing on a table top with a sign that says: UNION.
Menu Readability: Didn't see a menu. The brews are listed at the bar, inside.
Need to mention: I hear there is a back patio. I should give it a try.
What this place teaches me about myself: I am a sucker for the number soixante-neuf. -
Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
9/22/2008
Ronnie's is the joint in the summer time.
There's a big front patio that is rammed open to close in the summer time.
It's the kind of place that you can't walk by without running into SOMEONE you know.
It's mostly frequented by people who live or work in the market, and it's a great jump off point to start a night off on your way out.
In the winter, it's the opposite. It's tiny, and cozy and tight feeling. The furniture is a mix of booths, a long bar and mix matched furniture int he back.
They have tiny bathrooms, a bank machine and a juke box, which is filled with lots of good and lots of crap music.
If you want to impress the regulars, pick Rob Stewart's "Hot Legs" from the juke box, while looking like you'd pick Pink! -
Review from Yvette L.
Toronto, ON
2/18/2010
Ronnie's is a "real gem", as my Dad would say. It's about the size of a bachelor apartment and is decorated in late hipster (complete with the deer mural in the back room available online for $75. I hear it's discontinued so act fast!). The crowd is from all over and are generally friendly types who will share one of the picnic tables on the big front patio and get into a conversation about anything.
Beware of the Delirium Tremens (literally translated it means dt's) - it'll knock you on your ass. Go for the more civilized Stratford Pilsner - one of the very best in Ontario and not widely available at most bars. The staff have a reputation for being hard to get a hold of, but I've never experienced anything but friendly service and have never found myself drinkless for long.
All in all a classic dive bar. Definitely a place to bring your out-of-town friends to show that you've learned to navigate the big smoke.
Note: Patio only is wheelchair accessible. Like the other reviews say - there is indeed a back patio but it's nothing to write home about. -
Review from Emily T.
Toronto, ON
1/14/2009
Speaking of hidden gems, Ronnie's is truly one of a kind, located in the always vibrant and wonderful Kensington Market. I've heard that restaurants where Ronnie's is now haven't fared too well as far as business success, but it's safe to say that Ronnie's is doing excellently and no matter when you go, it is filled.
The atmosphere is warm and friendly and there's a large, square patio rammed with regulars in the summer. The first time I went to Ronnie's was in the winter and as I explored the bar, I found, to my pleasant happiness, a back room with large comfy couches and books everywhere.. Heaven? I thought. It was perfect. Small, but perfect.
I love the wooden seating and no frills set up at Ronnie's. You go in, you drink, you socialize and then you get out. People are all there for a good time and to enjoy the night. I've never seen anything go down at Ronnie's and I laugh when I hear unaware youngsters say how grungy or scary it is... I'm serious.
I was on the streetcar once and listened in on a few students talking about it... I almost turned around and said 'BOO!' but I thought it would be too much. Plus, I don't look that scary...
I recommend Ronnie's to anyone who likes a local, friendly watering hole that is not pretentious or unassuming. It's cheap fun and a great drop in place in Kensington. -
Review from Bryan G.
Toronto, ON
4/21/2009
GENERAL NOTES
The perfect grunge bar. Patio out front, hot sweaty rooms inside. Let the magic begin.
MENU RECOMMENDATIONS
I don't know, I've only ordered liquids here.
SERVICE NOTES
ATM inside. It's usually packed and takes a predictable amount of time to get a drink.
LOCATION NOTES
In the heart of the market, on Nassau just west of Augusta. Don't try to drive your car through the market. Don't be that guy.
HUMOUROUS STORY
My roommate Cailen has cooked Easy-mac in the microware in a pot...twice. -
Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
12/28/2008
Warning: this isn't your typical pretty bar. The server may be considered gruff, but I like her. She's straight to the point and gets things done without fuss. Plus, I feel like she's looking out for whoever comes into her bar, tossing out riff-raff whenever she sees fit.
I wouldn't suggest coming here in the winter. This is a strictly a fun summer patio joint, located in the most perfect spot in the 'hood -- away from the main strips of Augusta and Kensington Ave, but close enough to still absorb the fringe craziness and community vibe.
Most importantly, this bar sells my favourite beer on tap, a Belgian brew called Delirium Tremmens that I've not seen in any other places in the city. It's an expensive pint, but considering I'm not a huge fan of beer, finding a bar with a tasty beverage that gets me refreshed and buzzed at the same time is important. -
Review from Rachel L.
Toronto, ON
10/7/2009
You might think that everyone at Ronnie's is super cool, has a bike, wears a toque, and is on Twitter. Well, you're wrong. Not everyone is on Twitter because I made this generalization while I was sitting outside on the patio and the two guys next to me sharply noted they they were not on Twitter and I shouldn't make generalizations. They're right. I'm not on Twitter, either.
Ronnie's is pretty much "the ultimate dive bar" because it is Kensington, it is dark, crowded, noisy, and the bartenders don't really care how long you wait in line because they're not going to wait on you.
Get the Delirium beer for $6.50. It's Belgian and only found at a handful of places around town. Their cheaper beers are $4, I think.
I met up with friends the only time I actually patronized the place so I haven't been beyond the bar, but Ronnie's is bigger than it looks. Someone mentioned a backyard patio, so I'll have to investigate.
Dress code: black, gray, and plaid. Bonus points if your bicycle is locked up to their patio fence. -
Review from Kat F.
2/18/2009 1 photo
It's absolutely impossible to go for a drink at Ronnie's and not bump into someone you know (or think you know, ahem, members of Broken Social Scene) either inside Ronnie's or stumbling down Nassau Street if you're on the patio.
A few years ago they had "Cosby Mondays" (show up wearing a Cosby sweater or else one will be provided for you!), where they'd play episodes of House Of Cosbys and The Cosby Show and serve Jell-o shooters but I think those days have passed and it's no longer a regular thing.
In the summer it's especially busy, with hardly a spare seat on the popular patio, but if there is one, feel free to grab a seat because everyone's friendly and socializing/intermingling is encouraged. -
Review from Melissa J.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2008
Like everyone else has said, Ronnie's is key during the summer time. They have a great, huge patio with long picnic tables that are usually packed, not to mention all the people standing.
Beer is cheap, and they offer a lot of interesting selections that you can't get elsewhere. Inside is insanely tiny and very dark (I know, what do you expect at a bar, but it felt darker than most).
It is definitely a great place to go earlier on with a friend, or later with a bigger group. My one complaint is that there are only two washrooms. When the patio is packed with drunks on a summer night, two toilets just don't cut it. -
Review from Denise M.
Toronto, ON
10/19/2008
This is a nice little bar right off the main commercial streets of Kensington. It's perfect a perfect setting for meeting a friend for a pint in the evening, there is a patio, dim light, cute tables that have board games carved in and the music isn't too loud to talk with someone.
They also have an interesting selection of micro-brews on tap that I haven't seen anywhere else in the city. -
Review from Matt K.
East York, ON
2/22/2010
This place is an absolute gem of the bar scene in toronto. Incredibly hip and minimalist, with an almost claustrophobic atmosphere when full. That tight feeling however makes it feel warm and cozy, and with the dim lighting and walls adorned with signs and knick knacks this places charm has fully won me over. It takes some time to get your pint refilled, but the wait is worth it, with a sincerely eclectic lineup of both microbrews and classics. Hit up the atm, squeeze through the crowd, and sip down some tasty suds....this place cannot be missed
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Review from Jimi S.
ON
12/30/2008 2 photos
there was about a good forty five minutes that i spent walking aimlessly around kensington waiting for my wife to meet with me after her work. it was at the end of the shopping day and the streets were pretty tired and barren, im sure partly because of the cold.
i passed by la palette which is on augusta i think, popped in to look at their menu and left. i stopped by aspetta to get a cappucino. they had tables, i had a graphic novel to read but i didnt stay. my first objective was to get the cappucino and with that accomplished there was not much to do but find a bar.
i have passed by ronnies local 69 on numerous occasions with a little bit of wonder. it was open and seemed like the only open bar nearby. besides, i dug it from the outside so why not.
well its pretty dark inside, housing a few square tables up front, a couple of booths for about four to six people each sitting comfortably, a small intimate bar, all the aforementioned made of wood. the walls were painted tin tiling or what looked like it. they were also divided by a picture rail that also marked the division of a camouflage green from a dusty cream atop it.
i wanted to sit at the bar. i had a jacket on, there was nowhere to hang it, not much light and not much room for that matter. next was the idea to snag a booth since there were not that many folks in the bar. those plans too got dashed as someone was saving it with the territorial purse and half drank pint guarding it silently. that left the back room.
the back room is square with no windows or doors save the threshold that is its entrance, lying just beyond the bathrooms. i settle myself at one of many small squarish wooden tables. im the only one back there. i go grab a beer. mill street helles bock is the drink for the night. its quite a tasty beer and i settle down to read my graphic novel. the table wabbles. i try not to care, but care, so i move one over.
i guzzle my beer and periodically look up from my novel to see paintings the subjects of which i cant remember hanging on the walls. in between the paintings are, to my surprise and salvation, rickety, circular dimmer switches that can adjust the lights that are mounted just above them. destroying the ambient romance, i gladly fiddle with the switch to stop the impending blindness my eyes are succumbing to, and read with much gusto.
the space begins slowly to fill up, and i begin to wonder whether i should order another beer, wondering if my wife will want to stay as we are to meet friends later on. to my delight she waltzes in shortly, drops her bag on the table and takes the last gulp my beer and approves it for a round.
over our few rounds of beer, we talk and the place fills up. inside, in these close quarters, you feel perhaps that you are in some tavern in europe, some little bar set up in someones house, in their back room. the music is nice, good to accompany with toe-tapping and head bobs. the beer we drank was 5 fifty a pint. no pretension, no lineup, easygoing. it reminded me of the commies daughter in its decor, but definitely lacked as vibrant and magical a verve, though, its coziness and age has wooed me enough to make this place a frequent place for a lounge.
and ill put my sole vote in for the winter outing.Listed in: Favorite Bars in the City
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Review from Matty K.
Toronto, ON
8/15/2008
A local Kensington Market hangout patio and inside bar for undercover hipsters, secret meetings over beer with shades on in the late night as in the daytime. Known as the videotaping location of the most popular "DIY: how to hotwire a car" youtube video. Usually packed until after 2am on warm summer nights.
Listed in: Kensington Market
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Review from Daniella F.
Vancouver, BC
3/26/2010
Ronnie's has an awesome patio. While the inside is super crowded, hot, and muggy, head outside to the rocking patio to people watch in the market. Hipster cred for locking your bike on the fence. That said, no one cares if you're not a hipster. Try their beer on tap; it's great!
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Review from Ernest C.
Toronto, ON
10/29/2008
The other reviews are on the money, so I don't have anything to add. They pretty much just serve beer, I think there are bottles of gin and stuff on the bar but the bartenders don't know what they are. I've only been once, but when I did go with a group of maybe seven of us, we asked what beer they have that might be unique or whatever and the bartender recommended Stratford Amber Ale, so it was my turn to buy a round so seven of them were ordered. None of us could finish ours, it was that bad. But I'm sure someone likes that kind of beer. I hope based on my review you will go there and order one. Hopefully you will hate it too to vindicate me, yet simultaneously making the bar owners feel they have to keep offering this crazy beer because people keep ordering it.
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Review from Marine G.
Toronto, ON
8/28/2009
Oh Ronnie's. My friend and I have now become addicted to this bar, so many weird and random things happen every time we go there. The patio is great, even though you'll have to fight someone to get a table because it's always packed. Plus, there are always beautiful (and probably really pretentious) hipster boys to look at there.
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Review from matt s.
Toronto, ON
3/30/2010
as a born and raised torontonian i have an obligation to write a review for one of my favourite places. i owe it to yelp and the internet, i think.
this is in my top 3 places to have beer especially in the summer. it aint for everyone but if you enjoy dive bars go here. its small and has a real unobtrusive atmosphere.
