All you really want at a speakeasy is some nice vibes and strong enough gogo juice, thankfully this establishment had both. read more

vatican gift shop - Interior - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Why would any grown adult go to a bar to be treated like a 19 year old trying to go into a bar to drink cheap beer? Terrible service. Awful bouncer at the door. As a retired club manager of a successful business I can honestly recommend to spend your money elsewhere. read more

Highly disappointing. I had heard good things and had wanted to try this place for a while. Music was super loud. Yelling into my companion's ear 2" away it was still a struggle to be heard. Service was mediocre. Cocktail menu was scant. I will say the cocktails I had were fabulous. Boozy, balanced and flavorful. Billed as a speakeasy it isn't. What looks like it was once a pizza take-out it is now not in use and the entrance is a foyer that leads into the bar. Bottom line of you want a speakeasy or a cocktail bar go elsewhere. read more

Had a great experience there! Really love the atmosphere. Our server was great as well. Really helpful with the menu. Loved the cocktails. Very well made and some fun options. Really nice presentation of them too. The menu naming cracked me up. Of course, many religious references. Great dance floor and loved the music. Highly suggest checking it out!! Random side note, tons of ladies so if you're a single man, this place is for you. read more

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It's a speakeasy bar that is "hidden"..but not really. Interesting concept..but I'm like..did that..done that..don't need to do this one again. The bartenders were all extremely friendly and nice - no issues with them whatsoever. And the drinks were strong, but it has a bit of a cheesy vibe to it IMO. The decor (look up at the ceiling) is of course themed, the room bathed in a red glow that is kinda what I would think a red light district would be..lol. But surprisingly, the space it pretty big - bar seating, and tables at the back. If you are in the area, pop by and grab a drink, but then move on to your next destination read more

Last night my mom was here with a couple friends enjoying the live band, when she was leaving the bar, she was assaulted by a complete stranger. She was hit in the eye and now has a concussion and is getting is getting x-ray to see if her scull is fractured. She has no idea who did this to her. After the incident, the bouncer proceeded to kick her out and told her "she was instigating". This is completely unacceptable and untrue, ESPECIALLY considering the fact they didn't kick out the other people involved. There was zero confrontation between my mom and this man before the incident. The man who hit my mom also repeatedly started several other fights during the night without being kicked out... but when my mom, (a regular at this joint ) is hit in the eye, she's immediately kicked out.. there was no efforts to report this to police. Won't be returning because I will not feel safe knowing the staff can be so careless in a situation like this. Please do better. read more

vatican gift shop - My moms eye - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Living in the East end, how on Earth did I not realise such a cool hidden spot existed right at my backyard. Maybe because I thought it was just another gift shop everytime when I walked past...duuuh, Jessica. Until tonight, the secret door reveals an awesome, cool funky bar. The theme is irrelevant ' The Vatican' . What's the first thing that comes to your mind when I mention Vatican. Church, cross, Catholic, Alter boys, nuns, etc... This is completely the reverse. The decor is cool, has a nice dark edge to it. Bonus points to the server, Allana that helped the table tonight. She's friendly, accommodative, attentive knowledgable and know how to crack a joke or two. To the chef, love the sourdough pizza crust and the two amazing pizza ordered, both equally as tasty and made from fresh ingredients. San Deleo- garlic cream, sausage, onion, kale, mozzarella & Capricciosa - olive, artichoke, fior di latte, mortadella. The meatballs were more appetizers, had a slight homecooked feel to it. Beer selection is fascinating, they have can draft, tap and ever evolving choices. Did I mention how I love the fact they support local craft beers! The music was abit too loud when we stepped in, maybe because there wasn't a crowd. But I heard it's packed during weekends. I'd definitely be back to confess my drinking sins in this Vatican. read more

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East side was hopping on a cold, rainy January night! We initially were going to eat dinner here but no reservations left for a big group. Once we arrived, I could see why. There were only 3-4 large booth style tables. Cocktails at the bar priced around $13-$15. Dance floor was on a small elevated stage and it was jammed by 10:30pm, despite no DJ, just a Spotify Hits of of the 80's playlist! Definitely had a small town bar vibe where everyone knows your name (and business). Large ratio of women to men (but I'm pretty sure everyone in here was already married off). Good times but not a life changing religious experience! read more

One of the best bars around. The cocktails are really good. The food is great too. Great place for a night out with friends.

It's on Gerard, so easily accessible by street car, so that part is nice. It's Vatican themed, but not overly done. One might say it's tasteful, if it wasn't so blasphemous (jokes!). I like the fun "hidden" aspect of the bar - you walk into a small gift shop and behind a door there is a fairly large bar. The bar is dimly lit with some cool blues and purples. You'll notice a peppering of Vatican themed decor that adds but does not overwhelm the experience. The space is also deceptively large and they have bar space, high tops and booths to hang around. The bartenders are great and service is prompt. They have an assortment of cleverly named cocktails, and good list of local and foreign draught and canned beers. It's a good place to grab some drinks and chill with friends and maybe meet a few new ones. Amen. read more

Excellent pizza & other food! A must try! Drinks also!! The inside is beautiful & looking forward to again! Thank you staff, etc at The Vatican Gift Shop #varicangiftshop read more

`Went there on a Saturday night to check out the place as I live in the east end and was looking to find something new and exciting instead of heading downtown or to Queen West, Got there around 11:30pm and the place was busy, nice to see the crowd was 30's and up. Music was funny, it was playing from a playlist, no DJ, Robyn, Madonna, Spice Girls to name a few. Bartenders were very nice and chatty. Space was very nice, but with the music, it felt like a bar from Whitby/Oshawa meets Richmound Street with a small dance floor. Bartender tells me it's a work in progress. I think a DJ would help, to prevent the gaps in the music and maybe a mix of modern music. Food smelled good, I'd go back to give a second chance. Good bunch of local beers on tap. read more

I really liked this spot. It was our last Leslieville stop in our a barhop, and a great spot to end the night. Cool music, dancefloor, mixed crowd, quick service. IF you don't want to dance, there's plenty of space to stand or sit. The drink I had was O-kay, but it got the job done. The smell of pizza was really drawing me in. I'll come back some time, it's a really fun place to be. read more

Received burnt pizza and asked for another one and got refused. Really bad service and worst food

I have no idea who the "too cool to hang out here" reviewers are below, but we had a great time. The place has been open for two months, and they already have a strong theme and view of what they want. The whole vibe is funky church. The pizzas were great, with an awesome crust, and they were debuting their cheese and charcuterie boards tonight. Cocktails were few in number, but expertly executed, great beer and wine list. There was recorded music while we waited for the stage act. If you are too cool to come out here fine...more room for the rest of us who appreciate the vibe. read more

Dropped in on a Saturday night around 11pm. I wasn't sure what to expect as the front looked an empty store front with red lighting but behind a door was the bar. The place looks incredible! As someone that grew up in catholic school, I loved the Catholic Church theme. The drinks were amazing. And they make hand-made Stone baked pizza right in front of you. The bar connects to their open kitchen which is on the side. 80's dance music was playing. I loved it!!! Can't wait to go back! read more

What a kooky fun place! Love the random guy on the iPad who is DJing the most random and amazing music. They have amazing cocktails and a super mixed crowd. Definitely a go to spot I want to tell my friends about. Every time I go I think I'll just go in for one and I spend so much time there. read more

The Vatican captures the Zeitgeist of the absolutely-blowing-up scene on the East Side. Food is good - pizza just when you need it. Love the bartenders - you can get an elite cocktail in a fun scene. Big energy. It's the new hot spot to be in a fun neighborhood. read more

Loved the pizza! Good wine too. It was noisy but lots of fun. Great idea. Loved the decor. I might dress up as a nun next time I go.

To the unwitting eye this place appears from the outside as a makeshift place of worship with it's Gaudi interior decor, array of religious statues, and burning candles. Thought that it was a gift shop until I approached the daunting looking doors that looks like as if they had been stolen from the Cistine chapel. The last time I was there, I remember I was abruptly thrown out for wearing shorts and oh I forgot for ...wanting to kiss a nun. read more

The bar is alright but on the way out, we had the worst experience. Bad service and bad food, rude service. Honestly super disappointed with this place read more

Had a great time here last night. Super vibe. Great cocktails. And the pizza was amazing (we had the "del" something pizza). This is our hood so it's nice to have in the area. Was a bit loud but frankly that was just all the people having a great time. Definitely looking forward to going back. read more

Caught us by surprise as it's a speak easy bar. Meh I've been in bars and worked in bars most of my life, good crowd but it's noticeable that there's no DJ as one song stops or plays out then there's a pause and the next song will start. This actually kills the mood or gives it a non professional ambiance. Rookie mistake read more