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Mon-Sun. 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 a.m.
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I love love love Sneaky Dee's.
The food is good, if not great. The guacamole is great, and I don't care how it is that they always have a never-ending supply of avocados. The king's crown are amazing nachos if you like a billion things on tortilla chips (I do). The fajita special (half price) on Tuesday is basically the cheapest thing ever but it does mean that it's hard to get fajitas on other days. The guacamole equisito somehow makes it appropriate to order a main dish of guacamole. These are the only things I ever eat there, but other people like other things, but I really can't imagine that anything is as good as a huge mound of guac, which is apparently vegan but I can't really believe this.
People go for the cheap beer, and then they are won over by the really really cheap Hemp or Cool beers. Don't get these. Only drink bottles at Sneaky Dee's, sorry. This is coming from someone who loves the place, but the taps will make you seriously sick.
In terms of atmosphere, it's big and they play pretty funny music. You can usually find a place to sit (my entire softball team can usually find a place to sit). This is one of the reasons why it makes a great brunch place, as I hate waiting for brunch (again, guacamole for brunch, yes please!). Also, I played Scrabble at Sneaky Dee's once a week for many years and they never made fun of us, bonus.
They re-did the washrooms a few years ago and it really shook my world. I'm fine with it now.
Also, they will card you. Even if you are an old. Don't be flattered, but don't be embarrassed by not having ID.
i don't get the excitement of this place, really. the food is pretty much awful and i get sick from it every time i'm there. i would never use this place for a date, or even recommend it for a cheap, good meal. head across the street to nirvana. better atmosphere and food. but i digress, this is about the lack of charm sneaky dee's has.
i get it for a late night hang out when you're a hipster kid and want to scope out the goods of the annex area, but in the long run, i'd rather not. this used to be a place on hung over mornings to get a chocolate milkshake and french toast, but now that i'm living in the village, it's a rare occasion i will ever visit this place. unless for a show or a post-party gathering.
not impressed, sneaks.
I'm from Montreal and I finally got around to checking Sneaky Dees last night; NEVER AGAIN!
I was not 10 minutes into the night, when the gals I'm with decided they needed a smoke break. I nonchalantly followed them outside, when a beefhead of a bouncer stopped me at the door because I had a tall can of Strongbow in hand.
"No problem, I'll just stay inside and have my drink." To which the bouncer says NO, and proceeds to take away my cider. I'm rather shocked at this point; I just put down 6$ and hadn't even started tapping into it. I start explaining this to him, and he says tough, and then tells me he's kicking me out!
At which point he forcibly shoves me to the street curb. I couldn't believe it! I've never been kicked out of anywhere, especially so physically, and over nothing... to make matter's worse, it was a "No Pants" party, so there I am, suddenly on the sidewalk, in public, in my boxers because some down syndrome retard decides to powertrip.
So I try to level with him rationally (I should have known better), explaining I just paid cover, and just arrived, and am friends with the organizers of the evening, and a batch of my friends are in tow. But alas, he's adamant I've been kicked out!
I thank him for ruining my evening, and tell him I can't wait to blog about my experience! At this point he starts yelling, "You calling me out?!" (um, what? who talks like that?) and he looms over me all big like he's going to beat me up, and then HE SPITS ON ME!
Wow, thank you Sneaky Dees, for dragging me out into the middle of the street in my underwear and spat upon!
I'm still livid and flabbergasted; I've never been treated so rudely by any sort of establishment in my life, and I've surely never been publicly "humiliated" in such a disgusting manner.
I'm just floored that anyone would employ such thickheaded neanderthals... STAY AWAY FROM SNEAKY DEES OR YOU'LL BE KICKED OUT AND SPAT UPON!
Oh Sneak's, my trusty and reliable old pal!
Every mischief-making night out should conclude with a default visit to Sneaky Dee's, and it usually does. There really isn't anything not to love about this place.
The server turnover is low - you'll always see the same servers over and over again. There's the smokin' hot, bashful tattooed girl that every single customer (male and female) has a monster crush on, the smiley, friendly (white) girl with cheeky Trinny accent, the dude with the epic goatee that could be a Pantera stand-in...there must be something especially awesome about working at Sneak's that keeps these people employed there because the clientele certainly can get out of control and sucky.
The menu is EPIC. You have your choice of Tex Mex fare, wings, breakfast, soup, sandwiches and whatever else. I'm partial to the grilled cheese and veg burrito - just watch out for that "side order" of fries, because what it really is is a bulk shipment of potatoes from P.E.I. thrown on a plate. The portion is MONSTROUS. Easily enough for four people to share.
This isn't the place to go on a date or to have a quiet and serious conversation - your train of thought will most certainly be interrupted by:
a) a pint of beer being spilled into your lap
b) drinking games
c) soccer chants/singing
d) general yelling and hootenanny
TOUCHING ANECDOTE: I once lost my metropass three days into the month (I know) and when I retraced my steps I realized it may have been somewhere in the depths of Sneaky Dee's. Not exactly ideal. At 4am I called them and asked the server to take a look around for it and after putting me on hold for five minutes she came back to announce that she'd found it. She left it in an envelope with my name on it and I picked it up the next day. WHO DOES THAT?! Someone who kicks seven kinds of asses, that's who.
Bring ID, cause you'll be asked for it.
Whenever I'm wracking my brain for a "good Mexican-inspired eatery" in the city, I always come back… Read more »
This review will focus on chicken wings (like many of my pub reviews).
Like Chirs P's burrito, the wings here were 3 stars but everything else was a solid 4 stars. We finished up the Yelp cupcake crawl here and it was amazing good times. The beer here is CHEAP. under 6$ a premium pint. Amazing. They made room at the back for our large crew and the waitress was amazingly patient and nice. It was a great place to wrap the day.
The washrooms are not clean, down some sketchy stairs, and the only way to distinguish the ladies from the gents is the presence of or lack of urinals. It was strange to me that they had updated sinks when everything else about them was so horrific.
On to the wings... They were unbreaded (good), crispy (good), saucy (good effort) and plentiful. I didn't like the sauce. It was ketckupy but still hot... which was not what I wanted. My real issue here was the dip with the veggies. It was avacado sour cream... and just not my thing. It was bland (probably a bonus if you got the hot wings) and not as good as dill or bleu cheese. I am willing to branch out and try new dips, but they have to be good. That's how dill found it's place in my heart.... sour cream avacado, never will.
Another mediocre burrito...sigh...
The burrito itself is 3 stars but everything else about Sneaky Dee's is 4 stars.
The burrito was very bland as it was just meat and refried beans with cheese melted on top (yeah I know that's the traditional Mexican way but I'm going to bitch about it anyways). The plate came with rice and a "salad" which was a great addition to give the meal some flavour.
The vegan pumpkin cupcakes were awesome (for a vegan cupcake). The service was pretty good but not anything worth cheering for. The beer specials were great also ($3.95 for a pint).
A great dive-bar in the city! There's a reason why it's been around for 20+ years. There's always cheap beer and food specials each night of the week.
Over the past several years, the vegetarian menu has been growing to include several vegan items, including vegan cupcakes! One of the newest additions to the vegan menu items is the vegan burro favorito. The non-veg burro favorito is probably the best thing on the menu (It was my favorite when I wasn't veg).
I don't live in the city anymore, but this is the only place I miss in Toronto!
If you're visiting, go and experience what no other place in Toronto can offer!
Love me some delicious Sneaky Dee's chicken wings. The one thing about these wings is that they are huge. No other place has chicken wings the size of these.
The other food is very good too. Potato skins are another great choice. The nachos are awesome with lots of toppings usually.
Definitely recommend to anyone that doesn't mind a more lived in restaurant look. You are not going to find beautiful table cloths and chandaliers here.
I was recently in (what quickly turned into) a heated debate in defense of my beloved Dee's. My friend who once lived briefly in Toronto recalled in horror, referring to it as "disgusting" with "sticky-ass" floors which she was only willing to go to if she "really had to".
To each their own (I begrudgingly suppose), but if you were smart enough to ask me though, Sneaky Dee's, is a good bet for drinks and dinner on almost any night of the week and even some reckless dancing and live shows if you're in luck and the right mood. And if the floor has ever been sticky, I haven't noticed - especially after sharing a few too many $10 jugs of Cool beer that may or may not taste like warm pee. Yes, a few of you know what I'm talking about.
It was not until last night while sitting in front of the beer fridge pointing out all the local and national beers to my friend who's from out of town, did I realize that there were so many in stock. To think that I've been kept such a happy regular with just their draft offerings!
The food is Mexican enough if you're not a Mexican connoisseur. The vegetarian ($11) and crown ($13) nachos are more than satisfying and perfect for sharing. The wings can be a bit too vinegary, but are huge and a great deal when ordered with a pitcher of beer on Mondays. Daily specials like fajita night are a good reason for a casual weekday catch up with friends.
Come with unpretentious friends, share some good eats, drink some cheap beer, and take some advice from the graffiti on the bathroom walls.
Why is there so much hate over this little gem?
I've heard time and time again to avoid it because it's beyond dirty and infested with nastiness. but at a recent party with my friend where I visited this place I had only good times and good memories
5 Reasons why this place is more than a-ok:
1) I came on tuesday, which is half price fajita night (half price!-it's already quite cheap!). I didn't get anything to eat at this place beause I was heeding the warning, but all the people at the table got something and it looked quite tasty indeed.
2) The servers. good loooooord the servers. My man-waiter was so incredibly nice and so incredibly friendly that, even if I didnt' need anything, I wanted to call him over and chat. He was one of the nicest servers I have met in a long time and damnit..it was damn pleasant.
3) The cupcakes. Now again, i didn't EAT here but the others on yelp have said the cupcakes are delish. and when I ordered one they were OUT. Now THAT is a good sign that they have good cupcakes- if they are sold out.
My amazing waiter told me they get them shipped in on thursdays so if I really want to catch it before it is sold out I need to start my cycles on the thursday
4) The washrooms are pleasantly clean. No really. I don't understand how people can say this is a disease-hole when the bathrooms are clean! Like, a clean bathroom gets good points for me. There are some five stars on king west that have disgusting bathrooms that I would never visit again.
and finally,
5) The graffitied walls makes you want to come back with a sharpie in hand so you TOO can mark your spot on the walls. It's like a yearbook gone WONDERFUL. Like even if you go into the bathrooms and read the graffitti-it's like, nice notes asking you how you are, NOT little notes saying, "call carla at 555...because she's a slut".
So will I go to sneaky dees again? yes.
And will I order something to eat this time?
you bet.
I always describe Sneaky Dee's as the "punk rock bar of Toronto". In turn, whenever I am traveling somewhere new, it seems as though I always end up at somewhere in which I describe as "this is the Sneaky Dee's of _______!". Though similarities may occur, there's really no other place that is quite like this.
The skeleton painted booths covered in graffiti, and random shit decorating the walls gives it a dirty kind of grimy look - in the best possible way! In fact, I feel like every time I go there I notice something new "When did they get that velvet painting of Johnny Cash?"
Their Tex-Mex food isn't totally traditional, but who cares? They have amazing nachos - which are basically like devouring a brick of cheese (literally) but what does that matter when you're guzzling cheap beers ($2.75 for Steamwhistle) too? Have some fun! Live a little! They also have killer wings, that are MASSIVE! Definitely the best I've had, maybe anywhere!
Dee's is dirt cheap, cheerful, and like home to me.
The only downside about it is that I sort of hate that there isn't a day that a show or a dj night is happening upstairs. I remember when I had just turned 19, and we'd go to Dee's without fail every weekend. Because the upstairs had high bar tables, it was also used as a hangout space, so you'd need to ask whoever you're meeting "Will you be upstairs or downstairs?" - we would always be upstairs, because there was still the dance floor, and it wasn't as rammed as the tables below. Good old times!
This is by far my favorite place in all of Toronto. I have so many memories here (good and bad), so food, beer, service, and everything else aside, the place alone ranks high in my sentimental, comfortable places to be. I have had and attended countless birthdays, going away parties, and dance parties (upstairs) here, and it shows no sign in dropping in popularity any time soon...in fact, as days go by, there seems to be more of a wait for a table. It's completely worth it though.
OH!!!!!
One last thing to mention...
I would highly recommend ordering beer in bottles only. Their taps are kinds effed, and you sometimes risk getting the "sneaky d" the next day - if you get what I'm saying.
I've been a big fan of Sneaky Dee's for going on more than 10 years now.
It's a great place for drinks and the Mexican is some of the best in the city. I've eaten many a breakfast and MANY a late night snack there. The nachos are legendary, the burritos are huge, and the quesadillas are amazing. If you like Mexican you really can't go wrong with Dee's.
Beyond pure Mexican, they also do a solid poutine and just recently they've added a really tasty tofu wrap. With Utopia upping the anty just a few blocks down the street it seems like Sneak's is playing a little catch up.
Yes it's rough around the edges, but that shouldn't scare you away. I've taken many a nervous newbie to have them leave with a huge smile and full belly. Sneak's really is a great place to hang out and goof off with your friends late into the night.
Thumbs up!
GENERAL NOTES
Angela's right, this is the punk rock bar of Toronto. Shows upstairs, crowded bar/restaurant downstairs, obligatorily graffiti-laden bathrooms downstairs. Cheap pitchers of slightly warm beer and a limited menu. Lots of black and pink but also plaid and denim. However, for such a "punk" bar there's no danger of you not fitting in. Unless you're wearing a sports coat.
MENU RECOMMENDATIONS
Nachos. Years ago I was told by a regular either "don't order anything that could be made bad by having the ingredients just sit out for hours" or "don't order anything you couldn't make drunk". Either way, I haven't yet ventured past the nachos yet (which are usually very good) but have recently heard good things about the food. I know I'm willing to take the chance, but are you?
SERVICE NOTES
This is one of the best things about Sneaky Dee's - I've always been able to get another pitcher very quickly. They seem to know their crowd (young, impatient drunks) and cater to them/us well.
LOCATION NOTES
SE corner of College and Bathurst. Street parking or green P on the SW corner.
HUMOUROUS STORY
I once wore a sports coat to Sneaky Dee's. I felt like a douche.
What took me so long to review you, my Mexican lover???
I am sorry I forgot about you, old friend. You are the most dependable nightspot near my apartment, where I don't feel guilty about spending because you provide food and drink at little cost. You also tempt my friends with these offerings so I often run into a couple other friends each time I am there.
Your music is sometimes too loud and you never have enough tables, but you know what, Dees? You introduced me to Billy Corgan once, sitting in that booth under the TV, and therefore I am forever grateful.
Long live the dirtiest Mexican bar in Toronto!
(Useful tip: NEVER order the draft)
I've never been a bit Dee-ite; I never really lived close enough, so it was with almost fresh eyes that I dropped by last night. The decor is basic - bare wood booths and graffiti - but it's clean-ish and comfortable.
I had the chicken enchiladas, which were a bit bland but hearty, and the texture of the chicken was gorgeous! Very moist and tender. What seasoning I could detect was very tasty, and the 'hot sauce' added some zip. The enchiladas were warm, but the rice was tepid and the beans were barely room-temperature. We were in a rush so I didn't get it reheated, but the service was generally great, so I bet they would have done it without a fuss.
Also: cheap beer. The list isn't long, but at prices like these, why be picky? A pint of domestic is $4.25, and a pitcher is $11.25. A relaxing hangout, and a place I'd definitely go for pitchers and nachos with friends.
It's dark, cheap, and a little bit dirty. You know what I'm talkin' about. Hulking portions and really and truly the biggest chicken wings in Toronto...like sideshow big.....like don't ask questions big(shudder)...
And the servers are always friendly and hardworkin' so tip 'em good people.
A minus, upstairs layout is frustrating and not my favourite place for partaking in the rock n' roll....and sometimes the burley bouncer guys can take their jobs a little too seriously but they seem like generally reasonable people.
A plus, you can eat nachos while watching a band so it sort of makes up for it in my book. Why can't other venues in Toronto get this together?
Great dive bar, fer sure. But as I get older, I'd like to hear the people around me while attempting to engage in conversation over dinner. I want my draft beer to be bouncy and juicy and not flat. I want my food to not give me diarrhea when I'm done eating it. That said, Sneaky Dee's is a great place to go when you are mega trashed and don't care who or what in god's name what have you. Bottled beers and mixed drinks are friggen cheap and the King Crown Nachos get piled high with droopy sour cream and the greenest of guacamoles. And all the coolio bands like totally play here and you can see like all the coolest kidz of the city wander in and out being all cool n shit.
Hands down the best bar in Toronto by my books, as I would happily call this my home away from home, graffiti and all - cheap pitchers, great chicken wings - there's a myriad of reasons of why this is the default bar for meeting up with friends. Sure, it's loud and you'll have to wait for a table on most weekend nights, but you can't beat it for atmosphere and personality.
Food wise, Sneaky's only serves them up in one side - huge. It doesn't really matter what you're getting, if you're just going for a small snack, prepare to take something home - while the prices are routinely cheaper compared to most other bars in the area, the serving sizes are significantly larger. You can't really go wrong with most of the menu (the chili isn't great, and I haven't tried the fish and probably won't) - they're standard fare for the most part except for the nachos and chicken wings which are both exceptional.
There's more than I can say about the bar, but it's best to bring some friends and check it out for yourself - know what you're getting into: it's a grimy, hole in the wall type of place where the music is loud and the people sometimes louder, but if you want to have a good time with friends over cheap pitchers, you'll probably love every inch of it by the time you leave.
Everyones favourite late night place to fill their stomachs with some cheap delicious food to soak up the booze they drank before hand. A huge variety of Mexican dishes that would please the pickiest of friends. The vegan nachos are my go to dish, followed by their yummy vegan cupcakes. The pumpkin cupcake is probably one of the tastiest treats you will ever have. The drinks are really cheap, steer clear of draft beer. I've always had really good service there, but depending on when you get there you might have to wait for a table to open up. Open way late into the night Sneaks is the perfect place to end or start your night.
It's a dive bar. But it has character. Good on Wednesdays: $2.75 bottles
If its Tuesday its fajita time. Can't comment on any of their other food b/c I've yet to get off the fajita train.
Came here for the nachos as I heard they were fantastic and they did not disappoint - they are nothing short of amazing. One of the few places where you actually wish they have you more chips than toppings. Went for the 'Kings Crown' and the heap of guacamole went a long way. A little light on the beef side but with so much toppings, it really didn't matter. You can easily make it a meal for 2 with just one order. I can't wait to go back and suspect I won't be able to order anything beside the nachos. Definitely a Toronto staple.
Try and get a booth.
Oh, Sneaky Dee's. I don't care that you've been infiltrated by U of T fraternities. I don't care that I've heard bad rumours about you. I don't care that I can't have my Wing Night (yes, it should be capitalized) without having it trashed by scantily clad seemingly 16-year-olds stumbling in drunk at all hours. I don't care that I can't step in there without seeing 15 people I know, 10 of whom I probably don't want to see.
I don't care because I will love you unconditionally no matter what. You have amazing cheap food, the best bar/restaurant atmosphere I've come across, and I have a memory at every booth. You have specials every night (my favourites are Monday's cheap wings + beer, and Wednesday's cheap beer), and you have cheap alcohol to drink all night long. And if you drink too much somewhere else, stop in and grab some legendary nachos (and poutine, if it was a really bad night) and they'll make everything awful disappear.
Best part is, you can spend the whole night there, and then come back for brunch. God, their brunch is good. I thought I would be grossed out by beans next to my eggs but I actually kind of loved it. And their eggs benedict is actually amazing. Who woulda thought.
I'm over your dance parties upstairs, but you do still have some awesome shows, which just means I'll get to eat more nachos. And because I love you so much, I'll probably keep coming back until I can't, and maybe I'll even end up being a parent who takes their kids there for dinner. THAT is how much I love you.
this is the worst mexican food ive had in my life! i was appalled.
salsa is straight up canned tomato sauce... the generic brand!
they could put some effort on making a good pico de gallo and not just some chopped veggies.
not sure if this place could qualify as the afterparty place to dine at..
..but i rather to try their bar upstairs.
Sneaky Dee's is good for 3 things: 1) late night nachos after a night out with friends. 2) Monthly rotating dance parties upstairs like FuckFaces and Shit Le Merde 3) Greasy brunch.
In the summer, they have a pathetic but essential sidewalk patio. The bathrooms are decent, all things considered and the door men are rough but well-mannered. This is the kind of spot where you go with friends for pitchers in the high-backed booths. It's got this weird Perry Ferrell like graffiti all over the walls and exterior, but it ads to the charm.
The portions of sides are terrible, and it's not exactly the real-deal when it comes to Mexican food, but the prices are worth it and sometimes you just want some greasy huervos rancheros on a Sunday after dancing your butt off the night before.
This is a Toronto staple, and worth checking out at least once.
Beer specials: 5 stars
Food: 1-2 stars
Concert venue: 3 stars
Quality of booked bands: 4-5 stars
Tonight's updated review, however, will be brought to you by Sneaky Dee's nachos. For a good time, do not call...
I think the only reason people enjoy the food here is because they're freaking intoxicated. Cheap beer specials ($3.69 for a pint of amber buzz? Eeep!)
I can't believe I've been told by three different people that the nachos are amazing here. I had the vegan nachos here previously, and they werent that good, but I really thought it was because they didn't have any cheese.
This time, we ordered the King Crown special, the godfather of all nacho platters. There's lots of cheese, yes, but it tastes like plastic, and none of it is baked enough to have that awesome crispy-burnt texture. Suspect.
Furthermore, the salsa and refried beans are actually cooked right on top of the nachos, so most of your chips look like my fingers after I've been sitting in the bathtub for an hour.
I think I'm going to stick to the drinks and live music next time around.
This is one of those places you take out a group of friends and wake up the next day with ample… Read more »
I am sure my review is, by this time, redundant. But I'll go for it, anyway. Seeing the famous and time-stopped sign while I ride the College streetcar (my second-home) is always an immense comfort, especially if I have been out of the city for awhile.
I won't usually turn down a request to hang out here, but it does not have quite the same allure it did for me a few years ago. To be honest, I never had the kind of cosmic relationship I know a lot of others did/do/will, but it will always be cool and 100% itself. I think the food's great for what it is, maybe just cuz "Mexican"- (yes, I know) is not all that common around here.
The nachos are over-rated and it's too expensive if you actually wanna get them super-loaded (nachos are one thing I would always rather make myself, at home. Infinitely better and cheaper). It also seems to be a given that service will be surly, almost like it's expected/done on purpose/creating an endless cycle. I hate that kind of thing, sfm. It's also kinda too dark for me to see my food, which I sometimes find distressing. The upstairs level has a pretty wide-range of events which have given me a wide-range of feelings over the years. Mostly good, usually interesting.
Sneaky Dee's is one of those really interesting places you just HAVE to check out. They have a really cool music selection as well as really awesome bands that come out on certain nights and I can't really sum this place up as "wierd" (more so unique) but it's something you just have to see and you'll definitely come back to.
It's definitely a great place to hang out with a bunch of friends, kick back a few beers (they actually have Hemp beer!) and have some of their must try Nacho platter (good for about 3-4 people). And if you stay long enough until breakfast, they have a super cheap basic breakfast that's yummy and easy on the wallet.
Nearly always packed at night, Sneaky Dee's is definitely an interesting place with a truly unique character that you must check out at least once.
What can I really say about Sneak's that hasn't already been said? This is one of the few, rare gems of the city that I have been to too many times to remember and have NEVER been disappointed. Every time I have eaten there the food has been delicious and my experience has been warm and pleasant.
First time at Sneaky Dee's was after a long and late night of bar hopping back in my school days. I was parched and I was hungry. A friendly tattooed beauty brought me nourishment and sustinance of the best kind: greasy nachos and apple pie! They were both spectacular!
Another memorable feast is a weekend brunch run. My favourite is the Heuvos Rancheros; eggs, beans, and a yummy salad all in a tortilla shell, which was the best Mexican breakfast I've ever had. To this day I still order it with anticipation and eat it with delight and end with satisfaction.
While the food at Sneaky Dee's is to die for, I think the thing I love best about this place is the atmosphere. They don't care who you are or where you came from, everyone is welcome here. It may appeal more to the punk rawker crowd or to the poor student movement, but once you grow out of that mentality, you can see that this place is truly come as you are. I've seen business people, moms with toddlers (though the music may deafen their baby ears) teenagers and tattooed freaks rubbing elbows at Sneak's and I love that!
Sneaky Dee's is usually very busy, but the turn over of tables is usually pretty fast too, so you never have to wait too long to eat. The booths, unfortunately are usually packed, so the front is a more viable option for seating as long as you don't mind meeting a few strangers. (The tables are very close together). If you're visiting Toronto, or want to take some company visiting you to a great place for some cheap and comforting grub, Sneak's is the place to go, bar none.
I wasn't expecting to find good Mexican food in Canada because I'm an ignorant American - from California, no less. The two times I've been to Toronto, I have made at least 3 trips to Sneaky Dee's each time. Is that sad?
This rocker/college hangout plays great music, is open late, and has some of the best nachos and fajitas I've ever eaten. I seriously crave this place sometimes and don't know if I'll ever be back! (Dated a Canadian, broke up with a Canadian - when am I ever gonna go back to Toronto, you know?)
Ok, here's the deal with College & Spadina's most visible landmark; you don't have to be from LA or any other major US city to see that plainly, the place is not that ggrrr8 ! The main floor feels like a dingy college caf. room / pub turned Mexican themed, gresy food joint. Did I mention the dingy, oh I mean dim, "mood" lighting!
But. . .it Is, downtown, has been having live shows 4ever, lets indie rock kids, rock the f -out, and has, half decent, fake Mexican cuisine.
Live shows happen upstairs on a small stage , which frequently gets packed when favorite buzz bands and are in town.
Sneaky Dee's is completely unique.
There is so much authenticity to the place, from the greasy, spicy, delicious food, to the door staff who look like they've been to Hell and decided it wasn't ready for them yet, to the graffiti-adorned booths. I can walk inside, glance at a few tables, and figure out quite quickly that everyone in the place feels the same way about it that I do. Oh, and the waitstaff. Beautiful. It's almost a shame that they're serving food and waiting on you. I feel like I should be doing it for them.
I've had great, miserable, mediocre, and memorable times at Sneaky Dee's, depending on the day's clientele, the day's show, whatever, but when it comes to their gringo-pleasing Mexican food or simple aura, it's never short of outstanding.
When people who have never been there ask me about Sneaky Dee's, my face forms an instant smile, like I just saw the cutest puppy in the world in the park and I want to take it home with me. Hell, I've even wrote a song about Sneaky Dee's, but I'll never share it with anyone. A mere song couldn't possibly be deserving of sharing its name.
Love the nachos and wings at this place. And that sour cream-like guacamole dip they have. Deeelicious!
The service, however... I guess it depends on who you get, but I've had some pretty awful service there. It's part of the charm of that place, I guess. Just don't go if you're terribly hungry.
Sneaky Dee's is a bar/restaraunt specializing in mexi-cali/bar type fare.
The food is good and reasonably priced. It wouldn't stand out as the best food you've ever had - but it serves it's purpose: cheap, cheerful and tasty. The chicken wings are huge and most of the mexi-cali items I've had have been tasty with generous portions.
The interior of the restaurant is covered with the graffiti of those who have been there prior and I don't think it's seen a renovation since it opened. It's clean - however old, dated, and worn down. This "characteracter" is probably intentional - but none the less a little sprucing up can go a long way to get a 4-star review vs. a 3.
It took me an unfortunate length of time after I moved to town to make a trip to Sneaky Dees - maybe it was the psychedelic punk rock desert-inspired murals along the exterior walls that turned me off. Or the stories I heard from friends of all kinds of shenanigans happening within those very walls. All I know is once I made a trip to this place so lovingly nicknamed "Sneaky Disease", I wondered how it took me so long to go.
Sneaky Dee's offers up a loosely Tex-Mex based menu, with the emphasis resting heavily on carbs, grease and cheese. And rightly so. The busiest time seems to be when its faithful patrons are working up a buzz for a night out and need to coat their bellies, or when they are trying to sober up with a platter of nachos bigger than your head. I've also heard many loving tributes to their hangover-nurturing brunch, but the closest I've ever come to that is showing up close to sunrise one year after Nuit Blanche.
As a venue for shows the place also seems to be jumping every weekend, although generally the shows there aren't my style I'll occasionally check out a show if a band I like is playing there. Everything about this place seems to cultivate a divey status, including the long lineups outside which inevitably seem to involve some sort of public display of drunkenness, affection or machismo, or any combination thereof. Avoid the place like the plague if they tell you the wait is more than 15 minutes, honestly it's not going to be worth the wait when it's that busy. If you do manage to score a table order up nachos, beers or my latest favorite, their really delicious poutine.
If you are in college and drunk the place ain't half bad.
It has been years since I'd been to Sneaky Dee's and it had been a while since I'd been able to take in local talent at a live venue. Sneaky's downstairs has fantastic decently priced food and a decent cheap beer list that will forever endear it to the younger crowd of students that pack in regularly. Not having been a student for over 20 years, yes, I felt like I was the oldest guy in the joint, but thankfully, I wasn't the oldest guy in the joint.
Sneaky's upstairs is a fantastic live venue and I'm glad they've reopened it. A long room that runs parallel to Bathurst Street, the stage where the acts perform is found at the College Street end of the bar, giving great noise bleed to the street below so you're able to hear the act before you enter the bar. The wooden floors and the wooden bar provide great acoustics and the stage and crowd area are well balanced to give the bands a good place to perform and yet enough space for a crowd to pack around the stage. Truly intimate feel here.
The beer by the way is excruciatingly cheap compared to other places. Two bottles and a pint of Cool ran me less than $12.00, and as such provided a degree of jeopardy for the night. The bathrooms are fun if for no other reason, trying to figure out that if someone wanted to add more graffiti to the wall, where exactly would they be able to do so?
At first I was a bit disappointed that there was no coat check. Having a winter sports jacket on can really ruin the dancing and whatever conversations you want to strike up. There's ample room for dumping your jacket though by the stage/dance floor.
The night I went, The Coast and The Bicycles were playing there and they were a good contrast. You could feel the people dancing through the floor heh.
As everyone else is saying, yep it's college kids for the most part. A few hipsters too.
Cheap-ish beer. I usually don't order Alexandar Keith's but it was $4. Not bad, I've paid $5+ at other places for similar beers.
This place has nachos. In fact, I would have to say that their nachos are the number one reason people come here. With a kitchen that's open til 4am, I'd say that the people of Sneaky Dee's know it too. Wednesday night is Kings Crown (nachos with ground beef) and a pitcher of beer for about $19, and Thursday is Veggie Nachos and a pitcher for about $18. Their beer options are limited, and not very good to be honest, but when it comes to these nachos, you're willing to overlook things like that.
Dee's is also a popular breakfast place, with cheap prices and a Mexican twist to many of their plates. If you like combining tortilla shells and eggs, Dee's is worth checking out.
Upstairs is a concert space which sees local bands, and the occasional smaller touring indie band, play for a cheap cover charge (which varies with each show) You can also order food upstairs. Nachos and local bands, together at last.
Not much to add here that hasn't been said. We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday.
Great space with graffiti over the walls. The staff is tattooed, friendly, fast and rocking. Music over the PA was a good mix of indie our afternoon.
The portions are huge. We split the Kings Crown Nachos amongst three. We made the mistake of also each ordering an entree, by the time we polished off the Nachos we were each so full that we all ended up taking our entrees to go.
My friends had the huevos rancheros and a taco, enchilada plate. I had a fried egg sandwich. All were solid.
This place is just cool. Would love to come back here on an evening.
Toronto, ON
Category: Thai
Toronto, ON
Category: Music Venues
Neighborhood: Kensington Market
Category: Food
Toronto, ON
Category: Thai
Toronto, ON
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
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