(Drank 09/10/25 WE @ 2:00pm): A black labrador was the inspiration for this brewery! Black Lab Brewing was the sixth brewery on this Toronto trip. If you knew me, I always researched for any breweries that may be near wherever I was traveling. Founded in 2018 by Billie and Anne Madden, the brewery was inspired by Snoopy, the resident loyal and trusty black labrador at the time. Born on August 11, 2009, Snoopy unexpectedly passed away on June 11, 2023. His legacy has continuously lived on throughout the brewery. The vision of the brewery was to create a space that was inclusive and produced high-quality beers to be shared with family and friends. Recently, ownership changed hands to Connor (the head brewer) and his wife Kaiti. Would the beers at this brewing lab put them in the black or the red!? PURCHASE(S) Black Lab Brewing Cornerstone Black Lager Schwarzbier Beer 5.0% ABV 12floz Draft ($6.75CAD): Dark chocolate color, coffee malty roasty aroma, low body, coffee malty roasty flavor, smooth finish, and coffee malty roasty aftertaste. Black Lab Brewing Snoopy's Legacy 2025 Wild Ale Beer 7.0% ABV 8floz Draft ($7.50CAD): Raspberry color, berries fruity jammy sour aroma, low body, berries jammy raspberry tart flavor, tart finish, and berries raspberry tart aftertaste. Black Lab Brewing Dry Hopped Altbier Beer 5.0% ABV 12floz Draft ($7.00CAD): Copper color, bready malty aroma, low body, bready earthy malty flavor, smooth finish, and bready malty aftertaste. SERVICE Warmly greeted by a lone gentleman behind the bar, it was only he and I for about an hour before the next customer showed up. During this time, he provided history on the brewery, discussed the beers, and generally just chatted. My drinks arrived immediately, and it was a chill afternoon. I eventually departed in search of the next brewery - cheers! PARKING (Varied; N/A this instance): This was considerably outside from the Toronto International Film Festival area, so I simply walked from where I was staying on my brewery crawl. Otherwise, there were spots along the many main and surrounding streets, some nearby structures, numerous public transportation options, and rideshares - 'nuff said! ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE A bright clean open spacious facility that started with a small front patio that led to a lobby where the merchandise was, to the main area with the bar on one side and high and standard tables on the other side, visible beer tanks, and a colorful fun back outdoor beer garden. Games were found both inside and outside. Paintings tastefully hung on the walls. Plenty of natural lighting came through the many large surrounding windows while electric ceiling lights filled in the rest. There were several muted TVs while indie rock music played in the background. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=1296&select=Lgg5x1ZaPw55UoJOyWehiA ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL I had an extremely chill time at Black Lab Brewing and would love to return! They had a decent selection of beers on tap (10 on this visit), but no other types of alcohol were sold. There wasn't any onsite food, but they had normally had weekend food pop-ups and you were allowed to bring your own. Furry family members were welcomed with open arms. I really enjoyed the beers, prices, and service. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $24.00CAD BEFORE any discounts/tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS read more

Good brews, fast service, dog friendly indoors. Very simple and cozy decor with canine adoration everywhere. Great place to take your dog for a walk during those cold days read more

Perfect date for you and your pup! Was so excited to come here because who doesn't love dogs? It's a local brewery where dogs are welcome! Came here for a dog pawty and it did not disappoint! I'm not huge of a beer drinker myself but was glad to find that they had kombucha on tap and it was blue in colour! How exciting. The kombucha was great! Had a few sips of beer which was also pretty good - especially the sour! The dogs here are of course the highlight of this brewery. There were so many dogs here with friendly owners. A lot of them allowed me to pet their dog - a double win! If you're feeling blue or looking for a cool hangout spot, make sure to check out Black Lab Brewing. It'll sure be the highlight of your day. read more

See all

Friendly staff and large open back yard! I got their rose hibiscus sour beer on a hot day and it was delicious. It could get a bit loud indoors when there are tons of dogs barking at eachother. read more

Black Lab Brewing - Rose Hibiscus Sour Beer - Breweries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Beers, buds and barks. Great spot for all. Love the chill folks who run this place and the brews they serve. Came here while waiting for pizza for a quick pint and ended up having good conversation at the bar and a nice chocolate stout. read more

Black Lab Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Beer + dogs = good times. Friendly people with doggos, nice music and nice space. My dog is happy to hang out and meet all the other dogs and I'm happy to drink the beer. Just had the chocolate porter. Very nice and not too bitter. No kitchen but a nice lady just handed out pizza so outside food is fine! Recommended. read more

Black Lab Brewing - Beer and dog - Breweries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

#pandemicreview Walked into this spot to check out what they had to offer and to pick up some treats for home after a long grocery shopping trip. I've been exploring all the local craft breweries in my neighbourhood and this one is on the list. With the pandemic, their sit-in area is closed but the bottle shop is still open. When I went there a while back, they didn't have any Plexiglas barrier but did offer hand sanitizer. There was only one employee working behind the counter and was keeping physical distancing at all times. Their selection is always changing so you need to make a point to come back every so often to try the new offerings. I ended up taking a few bottles home with me to enjoy over the course of the week. It was super yummy! :-) Thank you Black Lab Brewing! read more

Cute little brewery with a nice selection of cold brews. We had a nice time while we were here. Staff was very welcoming and friendly. Price of beers and fair and what you would expect. Cute merchandise with their great logo! Dog-friendly! read more

As a dog owner of a rescue pup with separation anxiety, I'm always on the hunt for spots in the city that are dog-friendly. We checked out Black Lab Brewery because, as the name implies, DOGS! We weren't disappointed. I'm not sure whether they've always had their back yard beer garden open, but they had a really good-sized space open out back with distanced tables, umbrellas, and lots of water bowls for dogs. Their COVID regulations had people sit outside, order inside (masks mandatory) and then you could bring your drinks back out to the beer garden. There was lots going on - dog birthday parties (Happy Birthday, Snoopy!), a pizza pop-up and also a dog gelato cart made of all-natural ingredients for dogs. Our dog enjoyed her sample of dog gelato, while I tried the Yo Quiero Mexican Lager with Lime and the Rosehip Hibiscus Kennel Sour, and my partner had the Life of Riley Double IPA and the Black Is Beautiful Summer Stout. Great beers, great environment, and lots of dogs. We'll definitely be back! read more

Black Lab Brewing - Foreground is the Mexican Lime, background is the Rosehip Hibiscus - Breweries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great little brewery across from the commercial spot at Eastern/Leslie.. Laid back, casual vibe and also dog friendly! Lots of owners were having a pint with their dogs at their feet (love this!).. No food on offer because of the animal friendly policies, but they have no problem with you bringing or ordering your own. Overall a great neighbourhood spot with good beer and a nice solid atmosphere for you and your friends (furry or not..) read more

Great vibe, excellent beers. Bring your dog and chill in the beer garden out back. Or just sit out front for a fast one. read more

Black Lab Brewing - Great little Brewery. - Breweries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great spot, wonderful beer and extra friendly staff. Really enjoyed bringing my dog for once to a bar. I'll be coming back again and again. Highly recommended read more

They allow puppies! I cannot emphasize just how awesome that is. So much fun taking our girl with us. Made the experience so much better. There was a whole group with greyhounds there. It was such a good experience meeting so many people sitting chilling with our 4 legged buddies all around. Pet lovers rejoice!! Oh the brews were pretty sweet too! ) read more

Black Lab Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

What's there not to love? Beer and dogs! Black Lab Brewing brews their own beer in-house and usually features 6 beers on tap ranging from IPAs to dark beer. Beers are reasonably priced with 5oz only $3, and 12oz around $6. The atmosphere is very casual with several long tables perfect for groups of 6 or 7. However, the best part is, the dogs! Owners bring their own dogs into the bar to enjoy a drink with their furry pets. Dogs are leashed but can make friends with one another and definitely enjoy the company of other guests! You can also visit even if you don't have a dog! read more

Black Lab Brewing - 5 x 5oz flight with some friendly company in the background - Breweries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Definitely my favorite Toronto brewery that we visited on our recent trip. Cozy inside with plenty of seating, a huge bar, and a merchandise stand right when you walk in. It's also VERY dog friendly. Hell, they even have a lack lab as their mascot who, sadly, was not there when we visited (Snoopy, where were you??). Snoopy even has his own little apartment carved into one of the walls complete with a comfy bed and the works. So yes, you should come here and you should bring your pooch, too. They offer flights and I have to say as a dark beer lover, their dark beers are phenomenal. Our two favorites were the cocoa nibs porter and the black lager. The latter was one of the best beers I have ever tasted anywhere. A "real" chocolate aftertaste and smooth finish. I honestly believe Black Lab can make anyone enjoy dark beer. I can't wait to visit this brewery again the next time we're in Toronto. read more

BOTTOM LINE: Bring your dog, If you don't have a dog, bring your friends. If you don't have friends, well, have a tasty beer and you'll be making some in no time! Had no idea this place existed until recently...and I'm glad it's here as the East-end vs West-end brewery rivalries continue to heat up. It's a large space with ample seating, space and board games to keep you occupied. The selling point, of course, and as its names implies, is how dog-friendly it is. To be honest, not being a dog owner myself, it has never really occurred to me how many businesses would frown or prohibit you bringing your cuddly canine, but I suppose it makes sense from a business perspective. And from a business perspective, Black Lab has taken advantage of it for being its selling point. Now, onto the beer! I don't remember all the ones I had in my flights, but the 2 highlights were the KENNEL SOUR - RASPBERRY and the UNDERDOG OAT PALE ALE. I tried their THAT JELLY BEAN SOUR, and although I commend their experimentation, it really wasn't for me. Finally, they have a fairly sizeable merch area out front to fulfill all your doggy-beers (or is beery-dogs?) desires. read more

Dogs. Brews. Bring-your-own-food (plus, events and food trucks in the warmer weather). What else could a person want or need? My friend thought out of the box and made her birthday party a joint celebration with her puppy! Toronto - we love our dogs. And so, it was so great to come out to Black Lab Brewing, where dogs are more than allowed. They're the inspo! In summer, there are food trucks out front and during the winter, we could bring in our own food! It was awesome to have our own area reserved, with a table and everything for the food, while folks could order flights up at the bar. We sampled a few different beers from the namesake taps and my favourite was the Sitting Pretty APA. I love a hazy beer and this really hit the spot. For a fun and seasonal hit, the Spice Raspberry Cranberry Kennel Sour was also really nice, and tart. Never had this combo in a beer before. Did I mention the dogs?? read more

This is a service yourself style place you go up to the front and order and pay which is actually a good concept. The beers were vert good. I wish I would have purchased some in my way out. read more

Black Lab Brewing - small beer - Breweries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great spot, it's good to see some stuff popping up on Eastern. I was there on a Friday at 8 PM and the place was packed. They are closing by nine. Losing a ton of potential money. It's weird in a city of this size you are closed at 9 o'clock at night. Other than the less than great hours, the selection was really good. The staff was friendly. And unless you hate animals, the selection of dogs about the place, are a nice touch. Other thing to mention, not great for parking. I sense it's mostly locals. read more

Not sure if it's just me, but the beer seems to have lost some complexity. It's still good quality beer, but the flavour seems to have lost some zip. Not sure if they changed brewmasters but it looks like some staff have left in the last couple of years. The music, which used to be quite charming and interesting, is now just the usual bar music. At present, the tap room is open and the pop ups are back, which is good news for the neighbourhood. The beers are still being sold at quite a high premium in the bottle shop, similar to prices at Halo and Blood Brothers. I have some doubts the quality at present matches the premium, especially with the competition at Left Field. However, it's still a solid choice, one of the better pubs in the east end. read more

My partner and I enjoyed a flight here with their top brews. We enjoyed everything we tasted and loved the busy space filled with dogs! read more

Black Lab Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

An interesting brewing concept. I tried the Black Lab Lager and it was a bit unrefined and left a sugary taste in my mouth. It was a bit too much like basement home brew in my opinion. Will try the other ones next. A simple, clean, crisp Czech-style pilsner would be my request! read more

Really good beers and a great atmosphere. It was pretty cool to meet their mascot Snoopy last time I was there. Will definitely be back whenever I'm in Leslieville. Looking forward to trying the new brews! read more

Amazing atmosphere, have been a couple of times. They have different food pop ups, best to follow them on Facebook to see what is coming up. It's a dog friendly establishment which is amazing! Say hi to Snoopy if he is around and grab some to go treats or other goodies for your pup at the entrance. LOVE this place! read more

This is 100% my favourite craft brewery. Not only are there cute dogs around, but the beer is really good. I've enjoyed the Caesar of Notts Barley wine several times, it's delicious and has a good kick. Their sours are also very good, some more tart than others. They have had different sours on tap at different days I have visited. Overall, love this place and I'll be back many more times. read more

Love this place. We can bring our dog along. He loves this place. The owners are amazing and have done a brilliant job to ensure that this is the perfect neighborhood brewery. The beers are great. The IPA was really flavorful. They also had a wheat beer which had a citrus hint. Way to go guys. Well done! read more

What a great concept to allow dogs into a bar. It's every dog lovers dream. Good tasty beer, open seating that's very self-serving And communal. I didn't get to check out the rotating food spots but I hear a lot of local restaurants do their pop-ups here. I will be back to check it out for sure! read more

I recently held a surprise birthday party for my boyfriend here and it was amazing thanks to the staff and manager at Black Lab Brewery! I usually never go out of my way to post a review but this place and the staff deserve it. Reserving a table for me and my guests was easy, and they went out of there way to put a custom reservation note on the tables for "Kristal and her fur friends" which we all thought was adorable. The beer was awesome and reasonably priced. Most of my guests were all down for the oyster shucking pop-up they had there that night, but they also let me order pizza in for those who weren't seafood lovers. Not to mention, they also let us choose a playlist near the end of the night and that really put the cherry on top for us. For a small group of 12 people and 3 dogs it was the perfect place to go literally any night of the week. Plus you don't have the guilt of leaving your pup at home. I would recommend this place for all types of people with or without dogs, it has a great ambiance, and seems to be getting better each month since its opened. You can expect to see me, my boyfriend and my best fur friend Jackson there again! Thank you for another great night! read more

Great beer and such a friendly atmosphere. Drinking beer while hanging out with a dog is always fun

This is the best place to hang out with your friends AND YOUR DOG!!! My boyfriend and I were so happy to find this place, it was always so sad leaving our little bubs at home while we went out for a fun night out but now he can join us! I also held a private Continuing Education event at this location, we rented the place out and had food catered for the day. Very reasonably priced and my clients were able to bring their dogs!!! read more

I'm not a huge drinker, I'm more of a foodie but I would go out of my way to pop in here and have a drink. It's super dog friendly has a really cool & relaxed vibe. One of the times I went there was a walking beer tour for people on Mat leave so there were tons of babies too! The "food" menu offers Sour Patch Kids gummies lol :) read more

Great new addition to the east side breweries. This brewery focuses on making beer the priority, and they have done that extremely well. The space is beautiful with natural wood tables and a long bar. Plenty of board games as well. We really enjoyed our time here, with a few well behaved dogs around and delicious beers! read more

Loved this spot! Awesome new brewery in the East end. They had a great lineup of five beers when we went and told us about a few new ones coming soon. They have a very cute black lab mascot and a great vibe with live edge wood communal tables and plenty of board games. Looking forward to going back often! read more