On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Real People. Real Reviews.®
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 2:30 am
Fri-Sun 3:30 pm - 2:30 am
Loading...
Sweaty Betty's is the kind of place you want to call your own. You don't want to tell anyone else about it, mostly because it gets so freakin' packed, but also because it's got such a cool, untrendy vibe to it.
Located on the corner of Queen and Ossington, Sweaty Betty is difficult to spot from outside, but the inside is remarkable - a super small bar area which opens up onto a more open space that looks like my living room in college. That room then opens up to the patio which, in my mind, is the greatest place to be in the summer.
The clientele is that mix of West Queen West hipsters that revel in that quasi-unclean experience you'll have at Sweaty Betty's (the name just says it all). But the atmosphere and the patrons are what make this place so great - an escape from the primped and pimped out boys and girls that party over on RIchmond Street.
Service is fast and friendly and once you take a seat at Sweaty Betty's you might not leave for hours and hours (especially if you sit on those couches in the 'lounge,' they're kind of hard to get out of).
For a real scene that's particular to the Ossington area, you can't go wrong with Sweaty Betty's.
This is probably my favorite bar. Ok, so I've only been here once, and I probably won't be back for years since I live in LA.... but i swear to you, this bar belongs across the street from my apartment in Silverlake because my friends and I would go there every night.
I love the decor, I love the cheap drinks, I love the clientele, the location, the back patio--- it's all exactly what I like in a bar. I have heard that this place gets ridiculously crowded, but luckily I was there on a Thursday night during G20, so it was perfect. The end.
For a local dive bar, Sweaty Betty's does the job. Went there last night for a last minute pint with a friend, and managed to find a couple of stools at the bar. The bartender seemed friendly enough, and even offered up a bowl of nuts which I don't think is usually the norm. The music was chilled out 60's and 70's rock which totally suited the vibe.
One thing, just be sure to watch your step on the way down to the restrooms after you've had a couple of pints.
On-site pre-drinking.
Stop #11 on the epic birthday bender was a quick one. My entourage and I (kidding!) stopped in for a pint before heading to a play a bit further down Queen W. The place wasn't what I expected for a bar at the bottom of Ossington (having only been to Levack Block previously), but it was early in the night and the place hadn't gotten packed yet.
This is a nice cozy place for a pre-drink if you're going out on Ossington - you're already in the area and don't have to fight for a cab or streetcar as the night progresses and everyone starts to head into the neighbourhood. It's a cozy place, with dark coloar and plush furniture, a nice place to lounge for a while drink-in-hand. We scored some sofa chairs around a little table in the back and four of us had plenty of room to down a pint. Bar service only (if you care).
Listed in: Epic Birthday Bender
Sweaty Betty's is a fun little bar along Ossington avenue. Try not to arrive too drunk before hand or you'll have a hard time finding the place. I arrived around 11 and the place wasn't so busy. By midnight the place was packed, just as everyone reviewed. I was warned it was a crowded hipster bar but I found that the crowd was a mix bag of friendly people, including the bar staff (say hello to Jonny for me!).
The fact that Sweaty Betty's has three separate areas is actually news to me, because every time I've gone it's been SO PACKED I could nary elbow my way towards the bar without getting a dose of k-os' tequila breath or Stefan Brogren's shiny scalp. Yeah, a lot of Toronto "glitterati" hangs out here. What of it?
Anyhoodle, this past Friday I was actually able to get a full view of the place and for one reason only: I came just after 6pm. That's pretty much the only time this place isn't bumpin', and even then, there were a fair number of people lurking about. I observed a sweet living room in the back with couches and other loungey accoutrements, and the crown jewel: a beautiful, secluded back patio that escaped the noise of both Ossington and Queen Street.
Sweet jukebox, beautiful decor and cuuute boys (yep, my exes still qualify as cute).
Listed in: The Dive-iest Dive Bars In…, The Ossington Strip
Based on the size of this place I can see why Betty would be sweaty when this place is packed. There's a front area which looks like a traditional bar, a rear area that's more of a lounging place packed with furniture that looks like it was picked up off the side of the road, and a patio that is partially covered by foliage.
Enjoy the pints at $1 off before 7:00 and don't forget to check out CD #48 on the jukebox, The Cure's Greatest Hits, I'm sure you'll love it.
Listed in: Ossington
There's a whole lot of reasons to love this little Ossington dive bar. It was one of the street firsts - they were here before anyone else figured out how great this neighbourhood is. (or maybe the made this neighbourhood great). They also have a great selection of beers on tap, mostly local served by friendly bartenders who generally only serve from the front - (yep, you have to get it yourself, but the place is small and casual, so that's never a problem)
But really, one of the best things about this place is the patio. Head back there on a summer or fall evening, and it's quaint, secluded, and is set of for being social. It's pretty easy to start talking to another table and next thing you know you've met some new people, and generally the people you'll meet here will be interesting. Highly recommend.
Sweaty Betty's is a good bet if you're wanting to rub elbows (and knees) with other sweaty strangers. The cozy back room furnished with regally beat down couches and assorted stools guarantee that your personal bubble will be reduced to the diameter of shrink wrap as another and then yet another friendly patron tries to squish onto the not-so-big comfy couch.
The atmosphere can go from lazy and chill to overly-excited and boisterously loud in the blink of an eye. As a general rule for the Ossington strip, I would recommend weekday visits.
For summer, the little patio in the back is open again. Like the inside, the patio is dark and lit with little more than the glow of an excited buzz from the drinking crowd, but larger tables and clusters of patio chairs can better accommodate groups.
The outdoor clusters of tables and chairs can seem a little segregated if you're used to the aforementioned packed room of the winter time, but the odd sprinkle of air conditioning drippings from the neighbouring building will make you thankful for the breath of fresh air that you won't get all year round.
Like a few other bars on the Ossington strip, Sweaty Betty's seems to have (as a few other reviewers have noticed) garnered a reputation as a "hipster" bar. Besides the obvious fact that this is a basically meaningless insult generated from whatever zero point of cool you feel you and your friends occupy against a, I guess, less authentic, more affected, tryhard version of the same, there is also the fact that Sweaty Betty's is pretty much different every night of the week, so, if you went on a day full of whatever your version of 'hipsters' is, but liked the bar anyways, go back another night, it'll probably be drastically different.
Even better, go back with 6 friends, show up early, and hog the back room. The couches are sorta shit, but its really cozy and a fun place to be loud or quiet or whatever you are in the mood for. Those of us unlucky enough to show up too late for couches will glower from the bar, chat with the (very nice) staff, and mutter 'hipster douchebags' under our breath, but feel free to ignore it.
Listed in: Favourite TO Bars
Nice intimate spot. Low key- come with one or two friends to have ea casual drink and talk to randoms.
Late 20s and 30sish scene, definitely like somebody's livingroom bar feel.
I really love sweaty betty's, although it's really only worth four stars in the summer. it's got a very new york kind of patio - long, narrow, all concrete, but an amazing place to hang out and drink all night.
the one downside to betty's can be the crowd. it's generally pretty good, but there can be a high pretentious-hipster component which can get a bit annoying.
if the crowd is good, people get involved in each other's conversations, and i've never left without meeting new people and having a fantastic time.
Listed in: places i hang out...
So damn cramped, this bar was literally the size of a small bedroom. Atmosphere was chill which was nice and the drinks were strong. Didn't know there were 3 separate areas until getting home and reading other reviews of the place. Maybe I'll check them out next time I'm there.
An Ossington classic. A great place to go on week nights to have a drink with friends or listen to the guest DJ. The back patio is great and the neighborhood cats also like to hang out there. The bar has 3 areas, patio, back room with couches and chairs, and the front bar with a few tables and the juke box. The bar is lots of fun, you should go!
Listed in: Ossington Favs
I actually like the atmosphere of Sweaty Betty's. Too bad it's usually packed with people and bartenders who are mostly rude and way too cool for the world (I kinda hate the word "hipster).
I've been ignored by female bartenders so many times there that I'm beginning to think it's a sexist thing. What, you think I'm not going to tip you because I'm not going to tip based on how hot you are? Sorry, it's still your job to serve me alcohol. And you'd be surprised to learn I'm actually a good tipper.
Not to mention one of the male bartenders stole my friend's hat from off the bar where she put it down for a moment. She phoned them the next day and asked if they had found it, they said no. Then, the next time she went, she saw the guy WEARING her hat.
The patio in the back is really nice as well, but good luck finding a seat, ever. And if you are waiting for the appearance of Broken Social Scene and Feist, keep on waiting -- you're more likely to find K-OS, who will probably try to hit on every single one of your friends in the span of 2 minutes.
That said, I do like the location, décor and ambiance of Sweaty Betty's -- but I can only put up with the people if I've already been drinking. And drinking a LOT.
I had the impression Sweaty's was an over-hyped haunt full of young 20-something American Apparel types, so on the recent Saturday I summoned the nerve, my friend and I braced ourselves for that "I'm too old feeling" before we even opened the door.
How bad of me to judge. I felt good right when I came in here: most people were in their late-20s, early 30s, in quiet twosomes on the couch and not-too-chaotic groups of 6 at neighbouring tables. Plus, the dark, livingroom-esque atmosphere made me feel at home, and completely okay about not having cool hair or sitting unlady-like in my grungy, ripped jeans.
With limited seating and small space (and no use of the patio in the winter), it does get super crowded here after 10pm, making simple trips to the washroom an epic, panic-ridden affair if you're anywhere that requires getting up.
PS. They don't sell sours! What. The.
A cute little hole in the wall, Sweaty Betty's is extremely popular. Being packed may be a by-product of it's size (RE: not big) but more likely it's the fact that this place is totally awesome.
I was first taken here by a friend who had quickly made this his 'place to go.' With reasonable pricing, good music and a generally friendly crowd (important considering you really do physically bump into everyone at least once in a night) make this a fun place to be.
The bar itself, or rather what you can see (perhaps the owners are choosing to save electricity by keeping most of the lights off?) is a real homey feel. It's lots of wood, with old chairs and tables: an easy place to claim as your neighbourhood spot.
It's one of the bars on Ossington that seem to be taking over the area. This place has done a great job to change the face of Ossington and Queen, not through any sort of community outreach, but simply by providing people with a cool place to hang out, and through that showing locals that they didn't need to travel to other areas of the city for a fun night out.
I have never had a bad time at Sweaty Betty's. looking over the other reviews, i guess i have to admit that i like cranky bartenders, "hipster" patrons, etc. i love the juke box (eminem was playing when i arrived last night). they have a large-ish back patio, small-ish inside back room, crowded bar area. it's a "neighbourhood bar" in what is probably one of the more oddball neighbourhoods in the city. well worth checking out.
To call this place a hole in the wall is a complete understatement. It's tucked away at the base of Ossington where it meets up with Queen Street and I'm wondering how many have walked by and not noticed it. I finally found it but it was a deliberate effort.
Sweaty Betty's is comprised of two rooms; the main bar at the front and the lounge area with decorative bordering-on-antique couches at the rear. The drink menu and list of beers is decent and once the space begins to fill (around 11:00pm I notice) you get to know why the place has "sweaty" in the name. People are pressed cheek-to-jowl as they order drinks and try to find their way to the jukebox with musical selections as diverse as the clientele.
It's a neat place to book-end a night with. If you go on the right night, you may see one of the bartenders doing curls with some dumbbells found behind the bar. Just how heavy are the pint glasses, then?
Listed in: My Neighborhood, The Places I Go Out
Sweaty Betty's was the first on the Ossington strip. So they started the growth of small dive, neighborhood bars with good/quirky DJ nights.
When you walk in the front, it looks like it holds max 10 people. But past the bar, up a couple of stairs and out through the back door and you're on a spacious back patio with 80s lawn furniture and low tables. To say it's low-key, is still saying way too much. All the TO musicians (Metric, Broken Social Scene, Sebastian Grainger and Bloc Party when they're in town) hang out here lik they're still starving artists buying 50 from pocket change.
Been there a few times and thought it was ok. Nothing I would get excited about. Had a weird tasting Amsterdam Blonde the other day. I think they need to clean their pipes more often...
for some reason this place reminds me of this bar in new york city called arthurs tavern. maybe its the narrowness and darkness of the place. i just careen around the bar up the stairs through the funny beads and into the love den in the back.
bowchickabow. the boomboom room. (maybe its bangkok thailand im thinking of and not arthurs tavern. right. ill stop there).
well i feel like ive had absinthe here at least once with the sugar and fire ritual and that was fun. theres a nice little couch and lounge area in the back and really cool pictures of people with body tattoos.
(oooh. look shes got her privates tattooed.)
um, hmm. where to go from there?
its fun. lots of fun.
good clean fun.
Sweaty Betty's is an island of neighborhoody-ness on the West Queen West/Ossington/Dundas strips that seem to get over-run by club kids, 905ers, and others on the weekends. Friendly bartenders, a typically animated crowd, and a good jukebox make it my favorite bar in the area. The beer selection, however, could be a little better.
Neighborhood: Dufferin Grove
Toronto, ON
Neighborhood: Queen Street West
Toronto, ON
Neighborhood: Queen Street West
A review of some of the bars between Queen and…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Where to go if you're heading to the solid strip…
In the Toronto entertainment system, the people…
These are the dive-iest of all dive bars - but…
