Labyrinth Lounge reminded me my days at a student. As student looking for cheap drinks and food and of course loud music... Not a bad place for a drink or 2... relax and lay back... dark..really dark....zzzzzzzzzzzz Food was the usual pub selections. Thanks for fellow yelpers for letting me taste some of the food they ordered: cheese, onion rings, fries. The cooking oil they used were fresh so the food was not greasy... BTW, I do need my cough syrup after my few hours of yelling at people at Labyrinth... it helped me open up my voice! read more

Labyrinth Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Bartender was friendly. Beyond DEAD on a beautiful day... Horrible patio, lazy mgmt to not take advantage of the great location. read more

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Really cool place to check out! The entrance is kind of tucked away behind a larger bar - you gotta turn the corner and walk past the other place to get to the Lab. The Lab looks very small when you walk in - probably because it's very dark, but there are large lounges both downstairs and on the right when you walk in. The place seems to be exclusively staffed by mustachioed male hipsters, but overall they're all very personable and nice. The lack of lighting also does good to hide all the duct tape covering the ripped seating and the peeling paint on the walls - it's got a very grungy feel to it. Despite this, the staff there were all very attentive and friendly - our drink cups were whisked away from our hands the second they were emptied, and our little table tea candles (providing the little light we had) were promptly replaced when they began to even flicker. The special they had the night we went (Saturday) was $3 Absolut vodka anything - mixed drinks, shots, etc. The bartender was very nice, and took orders very fast even when there was a mob of people waiting. Asked him to whip us something as a surprise and he made a very good grapefruit/club soda mix. The little yard thing at the exit definitely seems to be a bit of a breeding ground for rowdy people and we got a little bit heckled as we left - the staff seemed to be buds with whoever they were and didn't do much. This place definitely caters to the college crowd, and has a super grungy, hipster feel to it. Definitely has a lot of character. read more

Not sure why this place is called Labyrinth Lounge on Yelp when all their signage and the menu says The Lab its pointlessly confusing. I ordered the $6 fries, they were decent and reminded me of fries you would get at a hockey arena. The portion size was small considering the price point and I wasn't thrilled to pay $1 for chipotle mayo. The chipotle mayo was flavourful and much needed for the fries though. You know the place is a complete dive when the mediocre fries are their saving grace. I ordered a sex on the beach and they managed to mess it up which before then I didn't even know was possible. My boyfriend watched him make it and said he was using canned ingredients which I found odd. Definitely do not recommend getting any sort of cocktail here. In fact your probably better off just skipping this place all together. Yes it's cheap but you don't even get what you pay for, you manage to get even less. read more

Labyrinth Lounge - a man sitting at a table in front of a bar - Lounges Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

You have to take labyrinth lounge like you do cough syrup; it's something you would have gone to as a student and unless you're looking to relive being a student or are a student you may feel like you just had cough syrup, with out the cough. The location is fairly easy to find as long as you remember that the short form of labyrinth is lab. Then its very easy to find. The interior actually reminds me of many of the student bars in London, Ontario. The brick walls and dimmed lighting almost makes me disappointed not to see some men, smoking cigars and playing poker in the corner. The bar is perfectly positioned right at the entrance and the patio is large enough that I could envision it being a definite place to check out. I was here thanks to meeting up with everyone who took on the October 30days of reviews challenge. My second yelp event and I have to say I had a good time meeting some new faces. Definitely a crowd that could make any location or event into a good time. As the bar was mainly dedicated to the yelp event, the service was great and surprisingly the selection of alcohol was not too bad either. The food was mainly pub style so no big surprise here. At the end of the day though I realized something. I can give a location 1-5 stars but the experience you have and the bias you develop will be based on the people, both patrons and staff, you interact with. And by those standards the lab was a 5 star tonight :) read more

I'm going to give this place 5 because it became home for me and everyone is amazing and there are leprechauns and peace on earth. This is where "Sunday Night Drinking" became a ritual for me and my friends. But giving you a real review will be hard. We would go here every sunday at 12.30am and shut down the bar. sunday's is open mike night. very quite compared to the rest of the week when they do martini wednesdays at $4 and rail thursday at $3. Full of students but not my scene. But they do play good dnb and the dj's are always good. Sunday was perfect because we literally took over the bar and no one but the performers would be there. It's gained a little popularity since, but it's still the best chilled out sunday night you will have. But this is the only bar where you get amazing service. Bouncers are hilarious. Bar staff are all amazing. They remembered our drinks all the time, got our rituals down and would have our individual choices of alcohol specially ordered. They had shots with us, called us, sent us drinks, great great times. Sadly sunday night drinking came to an end because people moved and got people pregnant. You know who you guys are. You ruined everything. read more

Walking into The Labyrinth Lounge is like walking into Narnia after stumbling through the wardrobe....I discovered The Lab while trying to find the washroom inside Futures.... shocked by the contrast in mood I asked myself: Is this real life? The Lab typically isn't my first choice when I go out - mainly because I always find myself on the phone for 2 minutes explaining where this place is only having to go rescue my company outside of the brunswick house... or as I like to call it Mt. Doom ! Every day of the week they have some sort of insane drink deal that my brain can't comprehend.... one day its 3 dollar Jameson... 3 dollar PBR mugs..... 3 dollar Vodka mixed drinks.... it's insane how cheap this place is!!! If i knew about the existence of The Lab while I was in college I would've probably set up some sort of shanty behind the dumpster outback and changed my name legally to Gigglin' Gus. Although the drink specials are unreal, there are a few short comings to this place such as the food menu being overpriced, (for bellow par bar fare).... and at times the music being just WAY too loud for a small space... Downstairs they have sketchy couches, whatever you do...DO NOT SIT ON THEM! I've heard multiple horror stories of passion that have taken place on that thing.... taking the term "love seat" to a WHOLE new level. If you've never been to this place I'd suggest giving her a try ! Don't forget to swing around back to see Ollllld Gus - room for one more ;) (Knock twice, *giggle*) read more

I was at Labyrinth last night for CMYE event, I almost walked by it not realizing it was the venue. The Labyrinth reminded me of divey bars back in my university days, there is something comforting about the place that makes you want to stick around. It has that feeling that everyone could know your name like they did in Cheers. Us Yelpers, had reserved a few tables where we were able to chat and catch up. The music was on in the background but not too loud that you could not hear the person beside you. Drinks were cheap as is the food, cocktails $5! My friend got a burger and fries for only $8! This is a great place to grab a few drinks and something small to nosh on before you head out for the night. Even better is that it is close proximity to the Brunny and Futures - so you can choose on your adventure depending on how you want your night to go. I will definitely be back to hang out. Check the Labyrinth out if you are in the Annex! read more

NEVER GO THERE! EVER! The bouncers all know the people that cause fights and do NOTHING. A good friend had a concussion for a week and she is BANNED because a guy would not go away! NEVER GO THERE. it's Simply DANGEROUS! read more

The bar staff is incredible. The drinks are cheap. The atmosphere is nice. I like it because it's a dive, but it isn't full of fresh 19 year olds. The head bouncer there is a major jerk. I refuse to return because he has treated me incredibly disrespectfully. I was treated unfairly, called rude and insulting names, and was generally demeaned and belittled. Because of this, I refuse to return. I will bring my business somewhere else, where ALL of the staff are respectful to their regular patrons. I am also not the first person to have issues with their head bouncer, Scott. As read in the comments of this article http://www.blogto.com/bars/labyrinth-lounge-toronto Get it together, Lab. Get rid of this complete asshole and hire a competent bouncer who can tell the difference between drunk and sober people, and understand how to effectively communicate with the patrons. read more

3.5 stars! Been here only three times, and I've enjoyed myself 2/3 times, I remember it had cheap-ish drinks and had a good selection of cocktails as well. The only reason it gets 4 stars over 3 is because I really enjoy it's basement set up of comfy and cozy seating. I've not had any food here so I have no clue what that's like. If you do plan on spending the night moving around this area, like Tiffany G says, this place is the clear cut winner to start your night off. And it's so close to the Brunny that it just makes perfect sense to have a drink or two here before heading to the madness that is the Brunny or hop (possibly literally) next door to Futures Bakery where you can sample some yummy cakes or drink more! But do be warned if you are with a large group, call ahead or get there early as this can get crammed up easily and definitely try to take over the basement! read more

A quick venue change for a Yelp event landed us here. Like for most, it was hard to find, and I needed to have someone tell me that L.A.B. = Labyrinth Lounge. Not sure why this is the case. If you're in a parking lot, you've gone too far. With shots of Whiskey and Whiskey drinks specials, I think I had to pass and order something from the bar. Beers and Ciders (they have strong bow and sir perry) were at a steep $6. Wine (which I did not recommend, it tasted sour and yes, I should have given it back) was $5.25 The place is big enough for a cozy private event, but with music blaring, it found it loud. Not sure if it was the alcohol talking but I felt like I had to shout, more so that I could hear myself. It was also quite dark. Some of my friends ordered food, and it didn't seem any thing to run home about. If you're looking for the Green Room , or a place to just have a drink, without being at the Brunswick House, and you don't feel like cake at Futures, this would be a good bet. read more

Ended up in Labyrinth after a locale change for a Yelp event a while back. I rather liked this place. It's most definitely divey, and a little loud at times, but it has a certain charm to it. Maybe it was the company I was keeping? In any case, it was good times, the drinks were cheap, the place wasn't packed, and their choice in music was right on. I never got the sample the food though. Maybe next time! If there was anything to complain about, it would be that the place is hard to spot while walking by. Oh well, I found it. read more

First and foremost, it's a student ghetto, just like Future's next door. So remember the demographic if you are going there. Don't expect, cocktail party vibe. More like chill & loudish (bad speaker) music and if you are okay with that, then you will have a blast. I have taken a few large groups and once the music starts blasting, it can get a bit loud to chat indoors. Having said that, they have an awesome basement lounge: dark and gothic-like, if you are up to it. I am sure they get their food from Future's Bakery next door, as they are connected via a corridor so you can walk from one to the other. Personally though, I only go for their patio seating as the music level is reasonable there. Which on a warm summer night, with a large group of friends and some cheap, cheap martini's well... that's what I call an evening. Now the decor is truly basic and the tables have a budget feel to them and are nothing to write home about. Really. So I will stop. There. I did. They do have some DJ's and concerts...on Sundays I believe but to be honest, the place looks like a hole in the wall and I would not return except for the martinis. Which to double check on the price of the silly martinis I called them... a week later they had not called back. So I called Future's and spoke to a very nice gentleman who apologized for the Labyrinth people not calling me back and that they NO LONGER had Martini nights at all. Seriously?? Nope, they did not, so nevermind about the Martinis! This place gets three stars at best. read more

Would have given this cozy spot a higher rating had I not experienced the surliest bartenders this side of Bloor West. Checked this spot out as part of a Christmas bar crawl in which there were about 20 - 30 of us. Came in a few minutes to 10pm on a Saturday night and found the place empty, save a couple huddled at a table in the corner. Nice ambiance, candles on every table and brick interior. Headed to the bar with the group to grab our drink and noticed the 2 female bartenders really dragging their heels, no smiles, looked really miserable and unhappy to serve us. After about 10 minutes of waiting (like I mentioned, there were several of us) I overheard one of the bartenders say "There's no quarters left 'cause no one is tipping us". Sorry ladies, in my experience tips are earned by great service, going above and beyond one's expected duties. It's at that point I decided to opt out of my festive drink and move on to the next spot that actually wanted business. Needless to say, the bar was once again empty when out group left. Won't be coming back to this one. read more

This is the type of place that should be written up in Lonely Planet because it is probably the most budget friendly place in the city to get a drink. Every night of the week you can get a $3 alchoholic beverage - my favourite is Saturday night for some Tequila shots! Or if you choose to have a different shot to the one advertised for $3 - it is only $4.75. This is the perfect place to begin a night of debauchery. I couldn't really see myself staying an entire night. Mostly because they don't have a dance space yet have some pretty good music...but if you're not much of dancer this may be just what you're looking for. It technically is a 'lounge' but a I would say it is more of a local student watering hole and the majority of the crowd looks under 25. However, I still recommend it to any age group because who doesn't like an affordable drink? read more

Ennhhhh.... I don't know about this joint. Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm so into dives I refuse to go anywhere else. It's so regular, small but for some reason not that cozy. Service is...none. They don't come to you, you have to go to the bar which is totally cool with me. They were pretty nice, nothing special! I had Amsterdam blonde. Like most divey bars, they mostly had craft beer and not that great of a selection. I just think it's really really gloomy in here. The atmosphere is slightly depressing so I don't plan on coming back that's probably the reason I give it 3 stars only. But hey, with a big group anything is fun!! read more

This a favorite spot of many of my friends, but I just can't make my mind up about it. Sometimes it's great, sometimes not so much. PROS: Cheap drinks! Friday is $3 JD, Saturday $3 Tequila. Other bar rail is still under five bucks though. Good for big groups. I think the best times I've had there are at parties. Lots of comfy couches down in the basement. Easy to spread out and socialize. Access to futures next door! CONS: Brunny-type UofT students. Music can be WAY too loud, especially when there's no space for dancing. Not at all conducive to casual chatting. read more

Went here with some friends who I hadn't seen in a few months, one of whom had suggested it as she had been there a long time ago. The one bouncer was a very nice guy, and didn't ID us, but that could be because we were there fairly early (around 9pm). There were two guys behind the bar, both of whom were very nice and chatted while he got our drinks (Amaretto Sour and a bottled beer). I saw that they had Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap, which immediately screamed hipster joint to me, and had we not already been inside and agreed on this place, I definitely would've gone elsewhere. It's a small place, not much to it, and overly loud. There was a DJ for a portion of the evening, but he seemed to just be standing in front of his laptop drinking. In fact, I don't recall the music being remotely mixed, it was a pretty generic soundtrack. The drinks were decently priced, and again, the bartenders were great people, but the place lacked style, lacked any sort of identity, aside from being just another hole in the wall (as is the case with the majority of hipster places, like Victory Cafe). Go for cheap drinks and while killing time while you decide where to go afterwards to actually enjoy the evening. read more

The drinks are ridiculously cheap. On a Saturday night, vodka is $3 and mixed drinks are $3.50. While the atmosphere was a bit strange and the basement was eerily quiet, it's definitely a great place to start the night before going out. Just because drinks are cheap though, don't forget to tip the lovely bartenders! read more

That bartender Carla. She's hands down why you should be going to this bar frequently. Service with a side of sass!

This is my regular haunt. The bar staff are all incredible, nice, and make damn good cocktails. The security staff, especially Scott, are very keen- I'm friends with all of the staff but I've been sent home with a water bottle a few times. They're really on top of making sure people don't go too crazy, so it's usually a chill place. It does get loud and very crowded on the weekends, so if you're looking for a quiet spot to chat with a friend, I'd suggest visiting during the week. The lighting is dim and romantic, the clientele are usually friendly, but you do get the "Brun-off" (meatheads from the Brunswick House) every once in a while. Students- you really can't beat $3 drink specials and $6 Big Fucking Bottles of PBR. They recently renovated the basement, so it's not damp anymore and looks really nice. Go forth and tip well. read more

We came here on a Saturday night for the cheap drinks. They have specials everyday and we got the Absolut shots for $3.50. Nothing really special about the interior but there's a lot of seating space. The guy behind the bar was really friendly. Would definitely come back for more drinks. read more

This place is popular for a number of reasons. Most nights of the week have a different drink special, usually costing $3. Wednesday is Jager night, Thursday is domestic bottles and bar rail, Friday is Jack Daniels, Saturday is Tequila. I can't really remember if there are drink specials the other nights, but the point here is that the reasonable pricing brings in lots of people. In the summer they have a large patio which is excellent, if you can get a seat. I've spent many a night with friends on this patio. There is seating inside as well, but it's a lot more limited. If you can't find a seat upstairs, downstairs there is a room with a couple of couches. This is fun, in truth I prefer a table. I just get annoyed having to stand around like I'm at a house party. Because of this, I much prefer coming here in the warmer summer months. read more

Lab gets 5 stars for being exactly what we were looking for for our Saturday night out with a rather large group of friends (about 12). Even right next to the speakers, the music wasn't too too loud and had a great vibe - no top 40 here! And who doesn't love $3 Absolut on a Saturday?? Apparently my friends, but the ~$4 G&Ts weren't breaking the bank either! Our bill for two was under $50 with snacks. I honestly can't remember the last time that happened! Unfortunately, I have to knock off a star because the bathrooms reeked! Thank goodness the smell didn't travel too far! read more

In my crowd of friends, when we don't know where to go, we go to the Lab. And how can you not, when Friday features a $3 Jack Daniels special and Saturday boasts a $3 tequila special. Other specials include $3 Jaegermeister shots and other drink specials (I can't say I've ever gone to those nights). The Labyrinth Lounge is a pretty low-key operation, with a friendly staff who will just let you hang out and do your thing on the patio if you want to. Being connected to Future Bakery means that you can order food off of their menu and it will be brought over to you at the bar. It also means that after a certain time, the patio and tables inside will generally be stuffed to the seams with people. The secret is to go there early and stake down a table. The servers are quick to pick up on your drink of choice and will do the rounds checking whether you're ok. If you're inside, the general rule of thumb is to go to the bar and serve yourself, although if you're ordering food or pitchers you can seem to get the honor of inside table service. There are different DJs that rotate in, and while the music is certainly nice, I can't say I notice it too much more than background noise most of the time, unless I'm sitting too close to the speakers, in which case I'm straining to hear my friends talk. If you want a really special night out, the Lab might be a bit too downmarket for your needs. But if you just want to meet some friends, drink some cheap drinks and eat vegetarian poutine on a patio, the Lab is definitely a good choice. Just get there early! read more

I used to really love going here but I definitely will NOT be going back. I know a lot of people tend to have problems with Scott (the head bouncer) which I never really understood because he was always really cool with me and my group of friends but I learned the hard way that he's actually pretty shady...I won't get into much detail but I was hugely unimpressed with the way he spoke to some of my friends. He used some very insulting and degrading language... Also, the bartenders are pretty rude and they short change you...but don't even bother calling them on it because it will just lead to asshole Scott kicking you out because you're "too intoxicated" (I was buying my second drink of the night but okay...) There are a lot of great bars in this area and I definitely recommend checking them out as opposed to wasting your time here. read more

What more can you ask for in a bar? Great atmosphere and cheap mixed drinks. Anyplace else it's $6+ so get stupid drunk and save some cash. I have had good nights after this bar. The doorman will remember you (only after going 3x) and shakes your hand to welcome guests. Stay classy read more

Cheap drinks but it's a cheap place. The music is usually too loud for any meaningful conversation and they usually pack the place to holy hell. Tough to get a table or seat later on during the night and the crowd is packed with dudes that look like they just wanna hook up. The doormen are friendly and nice but the bartenders never look like they're having a good time. read more

We came to the door sober and the bouncer turned us away for being too fucked up, claiming he could tell from our motor skills. Considering we were sober and had not used any motor skills outside of standing still, it seems like it was a cover for another reason, maybe my buddy's skin color. read more

Been going to this place for years. Amazing service and a great vibe. Perfect for a chill drink with friends. Oh....and cheap. So....go.

The most overrated place in the city. They target women (and likely men) who they deem as too drunk even when they are not and embarrass them in front of whomever is there. This happened to me when I was completely sober which was not only humiliating but incredibly triggering. DO NOT GO THERE. read more

The service is absolute shit. I came to this bar with my girlfriend and some of her friends on a Friday night around 1 am, there was not a lot of people at the bar. After some time, my girlfriend asked me if I could go and order some mixed shots for us. There were 2 staff working at a bar, one of them was a blonde girl with shoulder length hair and the other was a guy with short black hair and a beard. I asked them what kind of shots do they have, and the guy looked at me and said "look man, if you don't know the names of our drinks then we cannot serve you" with his arms crossed, the blonde girl stood behind him looking at me and nodding. Needless to say, my girlfriend and her friends did not get any shots, and I was extremely disrespected by the bartender's attitude, I left the bar in anger and would not recommend it to anyone. There are much better places to drink in Toronto than this. read more

I've been to the Lab quite a few times and the visits I can recall have been a pretty good time! Most of the food seems to come from Future's next door and I haven't really noticed a kitchen anywhere. There is usually a DJ around on the weekend and the tunes seem to vary but they never get loud enough to drown out your conversation with a friend (an absolute necessity for any bar that decides to hire a DJ!). As for the staff the bartenders are pretty cool and will have a drink with you from time to time. The doormen/bouncers are the most fun of any place I know and always seem to cheer you up with some sort of a cheeky comment that will also go to show you they have a pretty good memory and will remember you from week to week!! The reason you really come here though is the ridiculously awesome drink deals that vary from time to time and the basement area which will remind you of many bars in Greenwich Village. I've tried to put a pattern to the drink deals but have found that they vary from time to time. From what I remember I have been there for $3 rail Thurs (including 2-3 varieties of Whiskey/bourbon), $3JD Fri, and $3 Absolute Sat! There are often deals on beers as well, and the other fine spirits on the shelf also go for a very fair price ($6 for Remy Martin). Great place to pre-game and meet friends oh, and one note to the Lab...please fix the men's room! I'm tired of being indecently exposed to the femmes waiting in line ! read more

Classic dive bar. Don't come for the fast service or clean bathrooms, just cheap drinks. That being said, all the staff I encountered here were super friendly but seriously those bathrooms are gross. $10 minimum for credit card purchases, but that's okay because $10 gets you a bunch of drinks. read more

Great place to pre drink. The only place that offers $3 strong drinks 7 days a week. This was my pre drink hangout for a good year, right near the subway too! Love it here :) read more

This is a great place to hang out with friends or go on a date in a really casual environment. The place is dimmed and tables have tea lights. There aren't servers from what I experienced, you go up to the bar to order. The prices for food and drinks are incredibly cheap. The crowd is around mid twenties. There's seating upstairs and downstairs, the basement is a bit cold and damp though, but I'm sure it'd be fine in the summer. I really like hanging out here, however it's not somewhere I go to eat due to a really narrow menu. If you're into ordering just fries, wings or a burger this is pretty much what you'll find. read more

If you value cleanliness of any sort I would NOT recommend this bar. A friend and I used to go quite regularly for the 3.50$ Jameson on Friday and it was great, until this week. We both ordered a drink and sat down at a table, it was then that I noticed a little bug at the top of my drink. I figured it was just a fruit fly since it was a hot summer day. I then looked into the glass and found 3 more bugs... these were NOT fruit flies. I returned to the bar and the bartender gave me a new drink. I looked into the glass and sure enough, MORE bugs. The bartender apologized and assured me it was the pop (still gross) I then asked for a Jameson on the rocks to avoid the pop (my friend did the same as her drink also had 2 bugs). Before taking a sip I took one more look and sure enough there were bugs, meaning the bugs are IN the liquor. Had it not been 630 and the sun still out, the building would have been too dark and the bugs would have gone unnoticed, meaning, unknowing customers would be consuming whatever insects are living in their liquor bottles. Cheap drinks are great, however, there are plenty of places in this city with cheap drinks and no insects in their liquor. read more

I went to the lab with some friends (weve gone quite a bit and always had a great time) except for the bouncer at the door. Dont get me wrong, hes a very nice guy; but he's extremely quick to kick people out, and greasy about it. Two times this has happened; once i walked in over the cobble stone patio in heels and had a bit of trouble (they were heels keep in mind...) and he looks at me smugly and asks "Had a bit to drink tonite?" the rest of the night was spent with him following me and taunting me about how much id drink.. which wasnt a lot. I left without getting kicked out which is fair since i cause no trouble at all. more recently i was there and two of my male friends were chatting at the bar "leaning" on it, and he warns me and my friend that he is going to kick them out because "He knows the body and its signs of having too much", which was bull.. if you dont want people to get drunk then dont sell 3$ drinks. ridiculous. I feel like they need to revisit the level of intoxication that requires removal from the bar, like loud profanity, agressive tendencies, or literally falling. I love the lab but these rude experiences have definitely made me not want to go there from fear of unjust ridicule from that bouncer. read more

This place isn't anything special, but they have cheap drinks ( $3.50 Jamison drinks). It has become more of a place to stop by to get a couple quick drinks before they move on to somewhere else. There is usually a like after 11:30pm so make sure you get there before. If you are trying to come with a group bigger than 5 people you might have some trouble getting in. Honestly the staff here has always been friendly to me so that is why I keep coming back. read more