I'm honestly shocked at the reviews. I came here for dinner with my bestie since we're staying at the hotel next door. Our server for the night was Tomas and he was so sweet! We sat outside on the patio because there was a live band and the ambiance was very chic. For drinks - we had the Delux Martini and Raspberry Ginger Spritz and had the dusted calamari for an appetizer. For the main course my friend had the Turkey Club Sandwich and I had the Teriyaki Salmon. They were both pretty good. We ended the night with one more round of drinks. I had the Rusty Sidecar and she had the Grapefruit Margarita. Overall, we really enjoyed our evening! I will say that the meal was a bit pricey. Our bill came up to $200. read more

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I've been here purely for convenience sake, seeing as it's directly across from Koerner Hall. I've also been here during the Toronto Jazz Fest, when they hosted late night performances, which were awesome. But on a regular night, this place lacks atmosphere and charm. Sure, it has some comfy places to sit and take a load off -- couches and armchairs and what nots. And the servers are usually very nice. But that's about all this place has going for it. It feels deadsville inside. The martinis are served in stemless glasses (BOO) and aren't anything special. On our last visit, my husband ordered his favourite custom drink, a Manhattan made with mezcal instead of whiskey, and the server brought it over no questions asked. But on the bill, the drink was $90 !! That's outrageous -- we should have been warned by the bartender before it was made. Anyway, that aside, it's just not an impressive or fun bar experience. But randomly, they do have a courtyard area with transparent, heated igloo pods where you and friends can dine in winter (ends in March). Haven't tried them but apparently it's a pris fixe menu or minimum spend. read more

Food was fair. Drinks were ok. The service was quick and friendly. Ambulance was very nice for a pub. The prices of everything in Toronto is very high. But it's in Canadian money. However, American money 25% more the Canadian. The bar is located in the Royal Sonesta Hotel--a very pleasant place to stay. read more

Stopped in for a couple of drinks as we were staying in the hotel and they were supposed to be open until midnight (according to the hotel website and their sign at the door). We were told, as we sat down, that last call was in 15 minutes (it was 10:30). Not a problem. But, the bar was full and new people were coming in and being served. We got our drinks - decent, but over-priced and over-herbed. Finished them. Tried to get the attention of any server bringing drink after drink to tables around us. Went to the bar to order. Waited another 25 minutes while I watched them pour glasses of top shelf brandy and whisky and disappear into the back room, or kiss the ass of some couple by the fireplace while I died a slow death of thirst. Suck it beard man. read more

This place is awesome and beautiful. Its like the hidden gem in the outskirts of Yorkville. First Things First...its free to get in!!! The place is located inside Intercontinental Toronto Yorkville Hotel and the entrance is from the inside. Its a huge resto-lounge-bar with a huge patio as well. The serve wasn't bad it it got busy but then again you got to give it to the bartenders to get it done as soon as possible. The place has lot of table and chairs as well as couches to chill and have a drink. Pricing is a little on the expensive side but than again you would expect that from a place located in Yorkville. The awesome huge parking lot behind the hotel is connected and you can come up inside the hotel without stepping out in the cold and after peak hours the rate is maximum $6 flat! read more

Proof Bar & Patio - Lounges Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Boozing it up with class? Then step right in! Came here for some catch-up time with friends late on a Saturday, and was not disappointed. Those drinks are pricy, but they don't skimp on the alki. It was already late when we showed up at 1230am, but the server brought over some complimentary house-made chips to tide over our hunger pangs. Definitely useful, since I'm a cheap drunk and was pretty hungry at this point. Even more disappointed when I finally settled on one of their many (many) cocktail options, only to find out they were out of hot chocolate, one of the key non-alcoholic ingredients for the drink. :\ The bellini my friend ordered was also kinda gross, the champagne in it tasted off. They offered to remake it with a new bottle, but she picked up a cocktail instead. They also had a good selection of whiskey on the list, so the men gave the place a thumbs up too. The location is really nice - it's just by Yorkville - and the decor is great. They were playing some old school 90s popular hip-hop music, which was really strange for the ambiance but since we grew up with it, everyone in our party was pretty pleased. Despite it being a Saturday, the place was pretty empty, there was one other large party in there other than our group of 6. They've got a beautiful piano in the middle of an open space which I assume is a dance floor, and the bar is connected to a hotel so the bathrooms are out by their lobby. Overall a decent place for a nice late night drink. Will definitely keep this in mind for a future meet up suggestion! read more

Proof Bar & Patio - Lounges Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

An experience staying at the igloo for 1.5 hours on Patio this winter. Staying at the igloo is interesting but there are only 3. The inside of the igloo is cozy with lots of visions and blankets to keep you warm. They also have two Heater inside. However, it's quite dusty. The light is not on coz there is no batteries. The candles are not light up ... afraid of CO2? To finish the tapas menu, it almost took us 1.5 hours to finish with the wait for drinks and good. Wonder if people takes the dinner menu, it will be really rush. With $50 per person for Tapas menu, you have a choice to choose wine, cider or choco. The hot choco does not taste good, not hotel style at all. There are a few choices of tapas and you can add side order on top. It's finished with strawberry dipped in chocolate to finish. read more

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Nice place, not the best wine selection but they have Absolute Fridays where you can get any flavoured shot of vodka for $5 with any mixer. Good vibe and music and lots of space if you want to host a big group. Amazing popcorn!!! read more

Classy spot! Great music. Energetic & friendly staff. Amazing cheese plate & cocktail. Much enjoyed. read more

I came here for a friends birthday and had a really good time. I never would have guessed that this restaurant would have such a great patio. We went in and out to the back. In the back of the restaurant they had tons of white couches set out in a cabana like style. They were C-Shaped with tables in-between. The servers were very attentive and served the needs of our group very effectively. They also weren't overpowering where they keep asking if you want to order another beverage. The style of the patio reminded me of the types of seating you would see in Israel or the immediate seating you would see when you arrive at Cabana Pool Bar. I highly recommend this restaurant for a nice date with a loved one or a private event. read more

I have been here for a few events over the years and a few personal get togethers. However ever since a make over... a few years ago, the place looks pretty sharp. An eloquent decor with dark tones gives it a bit more refined demeanor. It used to be a bit more expensive then, now it feels less expensive, however they do have some good choices of wine, which I am fine with. You still pay what you would pay at a lounge in a downtown hotel but this location is pretty worth it. Also with a very nice patio out back, let's not forget about that. Great place for dates, mingling and low-key business meetings as the music is non-intrusive. I definitely recommend it. When it gets busy, it gets busy but unless you are hosting your own event, from a night to night basis, it will never be a problem. Highly recommend. read more

The existence of Proof Vodka Bar (from what I can imagine) serves only one purpose--waiting area for Sky Lounge. By square footage Proof is about equivalent to Sky Lounge, everything else falls short. But it's existence is not completely unjustifiable. It is after a bar, and all hotels need an indoor bar for it's guests to feel bad about themselves. So that is my interpretation of Proof Vodka Bar, a 'feel bad bar'. It is nearly impossible to be objective when reviewing this place because it's in many ways just an extension to Sky Lounge. There are two drinking venues within the Intercontinental Hotel Yorkville, and there is absolutely no reason why anyone should drink here when they can drink at Sky Lounge instead, which is separated by a few pieces of glass. There's no reason you should pick this place over Sky Lounge, not even on a rainy day, because the patio umbrellas & heaters at Sky Lounge provides complete protection from the elements. Proof is: -less romantic -dimly lit -more depressing -always empty This might as well be a review on Sky Lounge, because really what is there to talk about? Same service staff as Sky, same menu, same bar capability. Sitting here and looking through the window at Sky Lounge is like eating a hot dog on Front Street while gazing at the people coming out of all the restaurants around the corner. The furniture is posh, but so what? I get it, Proof serves it purpose as being a bar with a roof at a hotel. It's there solely for that purpose, and perhaps I am being a bit harsh. But it's kind of like being told the reasons to buy a smaller diamond by the sales persons at Tiffany's, when the bigger rock is staring you straight in the face. How many times did I say 'sky Lounge' in this review for Proof Vodka Bar? read more

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Once upon a time we came here for a birthday party. There were around ten of us, and we'd reserved a space. Music seemed subtle enough, and I liked their selection of drinks and vodkas. Staff was polite and friendly, but it was difficult to actually order as we were left alone for long stretches of time. Most drinks were delicious, some were total flops, at least for my palate - if we come back here again, I'll be sure not to feel too experimental. read more

This place is REALLY hit or miss for me. I've been here a few times for events and its always great. Energetic atmosphere, beautiful space, and delicious drinks. It was busy and the crowd was fun and smart. The snacks were delicious as well. The one time when I was staying at the Intercontinental (which is attached to the hotel) it was really empty and they closed at 11 which was really annoying as I've been here well past midnight every other time. I guess it really depends on how busy it is but I like consistency in the bars I go to. Another time I was here with a party of 15 and the space was perfect to accommodate but again, the energy just wasn't there so we had a few drinks and went on to the next bar. Drinks and food are pretty good here. Cocktails are delicious and a little on the expensive side since you are in Yorkville. If you're looking for an intimate place to chill this might be good for you. On the other hand, if you want to host an event or a small mixer this would also be a nice, casual but classy space. Despite my mixed experiences I admit I do like to drop by from time to time as the service, ambience and drinks are all solid. read more

I went to Proof on a Saturday night as it was the venue selected to host a charity fundraiser. For this reason, I'm not sure if the night I went can be described as an average night for this bar. The place itself has a nice layout and ambience. There is a DJ and a large patio, and plenty of seating. The patio seemed a little lacking in terms of heaters though. The drinks range from $12 to $14 a cocktail. This is double what you would pay at any average bar, but considering you're in Yorkville I would say it's not out of the ordinary. The one annoyance I had with this bar is the bartending service. It was abysmal. The bartenders looked confused and were painfully slow. For a bar that was half full at most, I had to wait 20 minutes just to be noticed. The bartenders would even leave the bar to go to the back room for some reason. It just seemed very disorganized; I felt like I was at an upscale lemonade stand at the CNE. Overall, the nice layout did not make up for the lack of service. If you have the word "Bar" in your name, you should be capable of living up to it. read more

Wish I could write a good review here but with the absolute lack of service, I can't. This place looks amazing from the outside. A friend and I were walking by and wanted to grab a drink and enjoy their patio. It's larger than it looks from the outside with a lounge type vibe inside and another outdoor courtyard in the back. We stranded at the bar for a good 10 minutes. There was no staff in sight. The few patrons who were sitting at the bar had empty glasses and said the bar had been unattended for a while. I went off to find a bathroom at that point while my friend waited at the bar. By the time I got back, still no service. We decided to find another bar. When we walked down the street an hour later, the place was still empty. read more

Went to this lounge with a friend who was interested in checking out this bar in town. so we sat down and ordered a drink, next thing you know the bartender told us it was his first week. who the hell tells a customer it's his first week at bartender? the drink wasn't good either way. The music was bad and randomly cut between songs. There were was also a gold digger booty train. Decidedly unclassy in general. read more

This is a really fancy place with a beautiful ambiance, which tempted me to book my birthday dinner here. As we arrived we were seated in an upscale lounge but than we decided to sit outside since it seemed more fun. I realized we should of just ate dinner inside and than go outside for drinks because the lighting was very dim which made it difficult for us to read the menu's and eat. However the service was amazing and the food was okay. I would definitely go again. read more

Proof Bar & Patio - Complimentary Birthday Cake. - Lounges Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The bar is located in the InterContinental Toronto Yorkville. There's a nice patio out back with lots of seating and can accommodate a fair number of people. I would come back again. read more

I always thought this place was Pravda LOL buts it's not, this place is gorgeous! Pravda is too red for my liking( sorry fellow Russians) Huge resto-lounge-bar and it connects to another hotel lobby. Huge patio in the back, I bet it gets really packed in the summer time. I really like this place because it looks so classy and elegant. It has a mixed modern yet homely feel to it. The bartenders and servers are really nice, the atmosphere that night I went was a bit quiet but I enjoyed it. You can sit down on 1 of the many seating areas and actually hear your friend speak and lean back because of the empty space. The calamari was great, it was grilled and served with lots of lemons, just the way the islanders have it. The creme brûlée was pretty good too, quite a big portion so that was a pleasant surprise. The alcohol list is quite extensive, tons of tequila brands, the house shots were pretty unique, we grabbed a few crouching tigers. It was a very smooth tasty shot with a blueberry inside; so cute! read more

I celebrated my birthday here yesterday with my friends. The good thing was they can accommodate a bunch of people without minimum spending, good place and nice neighbourhood. But one thing that really pissed me off was their closing hours. It's clearly stated that the place close at 2am, which is regular on Saturday. But last night, they told me that "we're probably going to close at 12.30 because it's quite" seriously, my friends started to come at 12 and they only got to spend 1 hour there because they want to "close" soon. It's ridiculous and unprofessional. So we ended up finding another bar nearby. read more

So I'll admit I don't have the best memory of my visit to Proof (blame it on the pre-Proof vodka drinks), but I remember a very yummy cocktail and very comfy couches. read more

Organized a gathering here for a group of friends on a Saturday night and the evening was quite the success. The bartender, Daniel, was friendly and takes his art very seriously. Luckily for us the place was not crowded at all, and our group (that must've numbered in the 30+ range) were basically able to take over the space for the night. Drinks are well made and the service is top notch. I actually had a server call me by my name! I will definitely sing the praises of Proof. read more

I love Proof! I'm at this bar around once a month, it's central and the drinks are good. They are creative with their cocktails and always have something to suggest that you try. The food is ok, nothing amazing - I would avoid the smoked salmon appetizer though as it's not that good. The spring rolls aren't bad though and the potato chips they always have out are really good! They've got a patio that's quite nice as well in the summer but you can hear all the commotion on Bloor. read more

Server we had was really nice, the snacks they offer are good, and their sangria's are good. Unfortunately, it isn't the busiest place, so they can close relatively early on a Saturday night, just be aware of that. Otherwise, cute place attached to the Intercontinental Hotel. read more

Had a fun filled evening for a friend's birthday at Proof. I love the location and the size of the lounge. The menu was inspired and the spicy chicken bites were delicious. Be warned that the "small bites" are more like "single bites", so order accordingly. The music was just loud enough to enjoy without preventing conversation. The patio is really nice but is surrounded by four high walls (the hotel and a condo building I believe). Only complaint was how early it closed. They had kicked us out of the bar around 11:30 as closing was at 12 which left us on in the lobby trying to find somewhere else to go for the remainder of the evening. Overall it was a good experience but plan your evening in advance. read more

Will never go here again. After coming home I just realized that the bartender (Robbie) added automatic 15% gratuity to an order for just 2 drinks in one order (on top of which I added gratuity as I didn't know). This is after waiting 20 min for a drink. Don't care about the extra few bucks but I hate shady practices like this. If you go here, make sure you double check the bill. read more

While staying at the hotel I stopped in the first night for a nightcap & couldn't even finish my drink due to the fruit flies. It wasn't a "few" either it was so many that they were swarming my water glass. I quickly closed my check & ran. The 2nd day I went to the inside lounge adjacent to the bar during the day to get some work done & the company sitting at the next couch were complaining about the same thing. That the fruit flies have made their way over to the lounge area & they were right. They were everywhere. The place needs a cleaning crew & to set a bomb off. It's isn't a good look for the hotel at all. read more

Great space with a really nice backyard patio. Totally slow, inept bartenders which would be fine if they weren't charging $15 for a cocktail and $10 for a draft beer. At this price point, know how to make my cocktail properly, garnish it correctly, and don't make me wait 10 minutes for it. read more

I would love to give this establishment 0 stars overall if I could. I have never encountered such rude and unprofessional staff. We briefly attended the restaurant on Saturday August 12th 2017. We had made a reservation for 8:30 pm to be seated on the patio as part of a bachelorette party. Upon arrival the bartender seemed annoyed to have to serve a group of 4 ladies (there were only 3-4 other people in the restaurant at the time). We were advised that the patio had been closed due to light rain earlier in the day. We told her that it would have been nice to receive a courtesy call to be told that so we could have gone elsewhere. The bartender immediately had tons of attitude and started arguing with me about how she had talked to me on the phone earlier in the day. I was very confused and told her I had not called and had confirmed everything by email. She continued to raise her voice and argue, insisting that she had spoken with me via telephone. I finally ended it by telling her this was a really stupid thing to be arguing about and I wasn't going to continue fighting about a phone call I hadn't made. She then walked away but continued mumbling and complaining about me. At this point we asked to speak with the manager. Although the manager was nice, he didn't seem to have a good handle on the situation or his staff. He figured out that she had us confused with another group and apologized to us but seemed more interested in making excuses for the bartender. He did go to talk to her but was shrugging things off and she was laughing during the entire conversation. Our group was made to feel extremely uncomfortable and unwelcome here. The restaurant was dead and it's easy to understand why. The staff did not seem like they wanted to work whatsoever. It seemed like we were ruining their Saturday night of socializing with each other while they were devoid of any customers. We decided to go elsewhere and are so glad that we did so. read more

Came here with a group of about 10 people following a concert. They were very accommodating and we were able to get a nice table on the patio, which is lovely on a warm summer evening. Service is excellent -- attentive without being intrusive. The drinks menu is vast, with plenty of creative martinis, bellinis, mojitos, and the like (prices range from $11-13). Of course, there are several types of vodka you can order straight up, plus a small wine list. I tried the strawberry mojito which was yummy! The menu definitely is ideal for those who are into "girly" (or as one guy in our party said, "metrosexual") cocktails. Our server also brought us bowls of potato chips, which were warm and delicious. I think they actually make them on the premises, because no chips that came out of a bag ever tasted this good. She refilled our chips a couple times over the evening, which was much appreciated. The space itself is lounge-y and stylish, but also quiet enough to carry on a conversation. This would be a great place to unwind after work or a show, or to bridge the gap between dinner and dancing! read more

Unnecessarily expensive. Even on weekend night place was not crowded. Service pretty ordinary. One beer costs about 15 bucks

I have been here a lot of times, and my experience has varied, but overall I still love the place. The ambience is what makes this place. Inside, the couch seating is very comfortable, and they also have great outdoor seating in the summer. The drinks are fantastic but pricey. The food is where they could use some work. The cheese plates are fantastic (but should really come with more bread), and so are the salads (although they are very small). The mains are expensive and not worth it. Proof opens at 3 - 3:30 pm, and is great for intimate parties at night. The background music is also always great. read more

Meant to have written this review in summer. Perfect date spot. They have a hidden courtyard patio which is night is so beautiful. The food was okay, portions were a bit small. Great service, and enjoyed my drinks. read more

Always excellent and great service! Food was amazing. Probably best risotto I have ever had. Highly recommend. It is consistent in delivering high quality service. read more

This is a handsome bar with comfortable seating. Their bar menu includes Pintxos--tapas--and there is a five for $23 option that is splendid. The chef chooses from what he has on hand, and there's enough for a light meal for two that includes (usually) bread, meat, shrimp in varying styles, all very tasty. With a couple glasses of wine, two can eat well pre-Koerner Hall for $50. read more

classy place, expensive drinks and food for really small portions. they charged me an extra $10 on my credit card for some reason which was later credited back to me a few weeks after. kind of boring i went here during the summer i forget which day of the week but was pretty dead.. the restaurant was empty as well. ok service. read more

Was staying at the Intercontinental Hotel in the Yorkville area and met a friend here for drinks. Good vibe, friendly servers, and comfy couches for talking and relaxing. Was nothing too fancy, but a good place to meet and catch up as it wasn't too loud. Very convenient as well if you're staying in the attached hotel! read more