This is the type of place where the reviews might give you a better sense of the place than the star ratings, as I'd imagine people may have fairly polarizing opinions. I loved Bathurst Local for all the reasons why someone might dislike it: from the outside and upon entrance, it looks like a grungy dead spot that nobody goes to, but once you go to the karaoke rooms at the back, you'll get a sense of how those characteristics make this spot unique and fun! I went here with several colleagues and we had a blast, poorly singing along to an assortment of hits until 1am on a Thursday night. The system allowed you to select what songs you want to sing along to easily, and the service was fast - someone promptly came along with drinks. All in all, we had a great time, but I could also understand how the hole in the wall feel of this place might not be what everyone is looking for. read more

A hidden spot on Bathurst and you truly wouldn't think too much of it from seeing it on the outside. But once you step in - that's when you're transported into a whole other world. Make sure you don't just sit at the front of the bar, make sure to explore the inside and find some room to check out the rooms too! Super unique wines and beers you're not able to find elsewhere, and it's just an overall vibe. Don't want to go too much into the details, you just gotta pop in for yourself! read more

This was a perfect spot to catch a nightcap on a date night. With a brand-new laid-back vibe and soothing colours it made a perfect backdrop for taking glamour pics of that special someone. And with a smooth operator staff member silently gliding around like he was on some kind of a cloud, it meant we could create our own environment and relax into an imaginary smoke-machine-type atmosphere. In fact, we started re-arranging the furniture for that perfect ig snap, well, almost perfect with only a small amount of retouching needed post. Each room had its own interesting look and colour palette which was obviously well thought-out by an interior designer who knows look and feel. If colours could talk, they would be saying, "hey you, sit down and relax here". Along with this pleasing vibe, there was marketing as well. At Bathurst Local it was all about the beer, with a few cocktails thrown in. There is a QR code in each sitting area to scan which leads you to a menu to order from and pay from as well, and also clues in the server as to where to deliver the drinks. It's interesting how businesses are exploring new ways to sling drinks and food. Check out the beer I ordered in my pic. Very interesting selection of beers had me scrolling and scrolling trying to decide. Great place to take a jaded beer fan who has seen it all. The room we were in had labels at each little display of drinks, which was part of the marketing. Great idea, going well with the beauty of the furniture chosen, and functioned as a conversation piece as well. It's like they thought of everything! Decor on the main floor is different and more typical Toronto divey-cute with gorgeous large windows looking out onto Bathurst. It made for another gorgeous photo-op backdrop - obviously. We parked at the McD parking lot on the corner without paying, as I couldn't figure out how to pay, but it looks like you can park right in front of the place on Bathurst for free quite possibly, so what ya waiting for?? read more

Bathurst Local - Artistic interior designs. Thought was put into each sub-space of this bar. - Wine Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Good lord, this place got an absolute glow-up. I barely recognize the place from the last time I went (which was damn near three years ago, admittedly)! Bathurst Local was a tiny little whiskey bar in the Dundas West area, but it's so much more now. It had a dive-y feel and a good selection of spirits, and Glen (the owner) was always friendly and inviting. Post-renovation, this place has shot up my list of "best spots for a date/nightcap". The bar, across two floors, is broken up into different rooms, each with its own vibe. The rooms are all equipped with mood lighting, tasteful interior decor, and a QR code-based menu that allows you to get your order delivered to your room. The menu has an excellent selection of beer, wine, sake, and spirits. It's virtually guaranteed that you'll have something that you either love or, at the very least, piques your interest. The food menu is relatively limited to finger foods, but that's not the reason you would ever come here. If you were wondering, Glen (still the owner) is very friendly and inviting to this day. If you're ever looking for a quiet place to have an intimate conversation or, hell, just get some good Instagram photos, give Bathurst Local a try! read more

Bathurst Local - a room with pink lighting and bottles of wine - Wine Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Talk about a hidden gem!! Discovered the upper floors last week and now I'm a little obsessed... I had only ever been on the main floor, which is cute and has an amazing selection of hard-to-find craft beer, but the rest of the place just pushed it into god-level tier. Do yourself a favour and stop reading about it, go see it for yourself. It was a great spot to hang with friends, but it also seems like a super romantic date night spot. Now I'm daydreaming about going on a date here... hopefully someday! Did I mention the beer? Had a couple stouts from a brewery in Hamilton I had never heard of and they were both absolutely delicious. My friend also got a sour, which I'm not crazy about but she definitely loved. They do karaoke in some of the rooms too, which would be fun to book on a special occasion... all in all I was totally blown away, even the music was great... go see for yourself! read more

Bathurst Local - Fantastic beer selection - Wine Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Hip spot for drinks in the city. Don't let the small store front fool you - there's 2 more rooms in the back (hidden like a speakeasy) and the decor changes to a totally different vibe. The best part of this bar is the convenient mobile ordering + checkout. Scan the QR code to order drinks and pay. Next thing you know there's a drink that magically appears within 60 seconds. read more

Disappointed to discover the karaoke rooms did not have a traditional karaoke machine. Just an ipad on the wall and YouTube. You had to think of songs to play instead of having the typical list of 100s of songs and different genres to choose from. The ipad disconnected a couple times, meaning someone had to leave the room, walk to the bar and wait for a bartender to come and reconnect it. Overall, just kinda lackluster. I suggest a couple posters of song lists, best of whatever year, top in this genre etc read more

Second time reviewer long time patron. This is my number one spot to try new wines. The staff keeps it 100 every day. Don't come here if you don't like trying new things. Don't come here if you just want a simple gin and tonic. Don't come here if you don't want to loose your voice belting your favourite karaoke banger. Do come here to expand your palate and keep your wallet fat. No corkage on the vino. Sake for days, beer for years, whiskey for your tears of joy cause you're in the best establishment Toronto has to offer. Also please only bring someone that you want to make your partner to this place. Because seeing some rando you took on a date here show up to your spot sucks. Speaking from experience. read more

Such a cute place! The first room and main storefront area was very busy and dark. It was like.. candle lit so very dark, but I think it had a lot of vintage decor. All of the tables had already been taken up by other groups, so we ordered our drinks and head to the back where there were more rooms, each looked a little different and had a different feel to them. They were definitely more lit up than the first room. I think this would be a good date spot, especially in the back rooms... It felt much more intimate, and it much quieter than the front room. The one we were in was lit with fairy lights, very pretty! We also passed by a very lively pink room with very unique decor but it was packed with people! I really liked the wines we had, I'm not sure which ones they were exactly but we had both reds wines and white wines, I think they were all from Europe--- and they were all very different and tasty! read more

Truly a hidden gem, as much as I didn't want to disclose this place I just had to. Corner of Bathurst and Dundas Local is a quaint, low key, dim, intimate, quiet place where it's all about sitting down and catching up with company in a non pretentious atmosphere. Drinks are reasonably priced and they don't cheap out on alcohol. Ambiance is lovely with some chilled out indie music in the background, it's truly a haven for relaxation in this bustling city. They've got a small list of STRONG cocktails with each its own distinctive characteristic. Each priced reasonably at $7-8 Jen had the Manhattan, and Aviator cocktail I opted to try their Stay Gold cocktail For food, there's only one thing on the menu, yes. Grilled cheese sandwich on a bed of potato chips and a pickle on the side. Only $3 Overall this place is awesome, great to catch up over drinks read more

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Cannot say enough good things about this place. The selection can range from a lavender cider to a lime coconut from breweries not carried at the LCBO so it is such a treat! I'm excited to come back here. Btw the atmosphere is perfect for dates and maybe even a girls night because of the different themed rooms with mood lighting and interesting things to look at around you. A Parisian set of curtains you can catch up one on one. A group is okay but fills up fast so seating can be limited. read more

Cool and subtle spot for a few drinks and god it's cheap! 20$ for a bottle of wine downtown is outstanding! All in a good no frills bar #NoNameBar (I'm so funny) read more

Great price for some great drinks (and potent to say the least). The bartender is super friendly and chill. read more

Bathurst Local - bottles of alcohol lined up on a bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Hidden gem with a good vibe, reasonable prices and delicious food! The server was very friendly and had a good playlist of tunes going in the background. This place knows how to do business. They keep it simple and it works! Thanks a lot for a fun random Tuesdat night! read more

Best spot to grab a drink or a bottle of natty juice to go. You won't ever find a more hospitable and delicious watering hole in all of Toronto. True local heroes. read more

Super cheap beers ($4.70!!), good music, and friendly service! I dig the self-serve model, antique decor and chill atmosphere. For whatever reason, it's kind of empty heretonight for a Saturday night - people are missing out! Just a tad bit too dark here though - it looks like it's closed from the outside! Would def recommend this place! read more

Bathurst Local - Very dark in here - but chill and cheap (drinks)!! - Wine Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Since my original destination was closed for a private party this past weekend, I figured it would be a good chance to check out this 'hidden gem' of Bathurst Local. The first thing that I (didn't) notice was that there is no marquee name outside, only a small sign in the window, so I almost walked right past it. It was not quite what I expected, not really a bar or pub in the usual sense. It's more like an old-fashioned private club where you can meet for drinks and conversation, but no cigars. Inside was rather dim, and I also noticed that each of the 6 hanging lights was a different style. There is also a curio shelf with books and pictures, and 2 wooden cabinets that display the various beers and other drinks available. Once you know what you want, you place your order and pay at the window at the back. The very pleasant server explained of all this to me when I came in. It's a fairly small place with seating for about 2 dozen people, and quickly filled up after I arrived and remained so until I left. Most of the beer choices were unfamiliar to me; I gather they are all local craft beers. I had a bottle of Vermont Blond, along with the grilled cheese sandwich that is the only food item on the menu. The sandwich was very good, served on a bed of potato chips with a pickle spear on the side. There was also a list of the specific cocktails available, including one that was appropriately called the Bathurst Local. My beer and grilled cheese was $11; beers are priced around $6 while cocktails are around $7. Overall, a different experience from the average night out, but still enjoyable. read more

Chill spot with antique furniture and touches. Yummy cocktails and beer that you can pick out of the credenza. Cheap yum grilled cheese with chips AND pickle. Really nice staff. It's a dream! read more

I feel this place is aiming for a very select group of 20 something hipsters, which is fair enough considering the location. The cocktails are very true to their original form, which is nice, but the wine and beer selections are poor. read more

This place is great. The friendliest service for which you could ask, delicious drinks and food, and a very cozy atmosphere. The French toast grilled cheese and smoothies make for a great breakfast and the Bathurst blackout is the perfect way to put a long day behind you. Did I mention the prices? They're through the floor! I'll be back here as often as I can manage. read more

Bathurst Local is my favorite place in Toronto. What I like about this bar is that it feels like you are having friends over at your home. There are many private rooms inside with comfortable seats. They serve several varieties of drinks, which are all displayed in a gorgeous glass cabinet. Overall, it has an excellent and cozy atmosphere, great drinks, beautiful music, and good service. read more

Decent prices, enjoyable place, good books on the shelf, and the owners/operators are efficient and friendly. Nice and quiet in the earlier part of the day when I've gone. Ding their neat bell! read more

Went here one Saturday evening on the recommendation of a friend, and loved it. Friendly staff, excellent atmosphere. And damn, that was some good grilled cheese. read more

Cute place. Small and dark, and only had grilled cheese on the menu but it was amazing! Good beers too, they take credit not debit

If you're looking for a low key place to enjoy some great whisky or beer and just chill, then you've come to the right place. The owner is friendly and enjoys talking what spirits he has, and it's a place that any adult would enjoy. read more

Great cocktails for great prices - Glenn knows how to take care of you! Best hole in the wall place in Toronto!!

Love this place! It's very chill, but not in a run down hipster way. You could take a date here as well. They have an awesome drink list, I love The Walker. They also have grilled cheese sandwiches as well! Get there early and get their awesome window table. :) read more

a friendly spot to discover new local beers in a welcoming atmosphere. great crew. they do an interesting layout where you can see the drinks available in certain spots in the interior. so you dont have to peer behind the bar. also the owner Glen is very knowledgeable and awesome. read more

Bathurst Local is the best! The drinks are cheap and the atmosphere is very relaxed and fun. The owner, Glenn, is a super kind and chill guy, and he'll make you feel welcome. The breakfast is super cheap and very delicious. I recommend the French toast grilled cheese and the coffee. read more