Al Mac’s Bar & Grill

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Dystopian Dinner Theatre

Al Mac’s Bar & Grill

2481 Kingston Road

Cliffside Plaza has everything for the modern shopper.   A Rexall; Scotiabank; Dollarama; dentist; Subway Subs; that big canary No Frills; and, most importantly, a dive bar, Al Mac’s Bar & Grill.

Al Mac’s façade sits deceptively docile among those respectable retail chains.  Think of a mountain lion staring at you from the bushes before it drags you in.  But once you’re inside, it reminds me a bit of a modern Gin Lane by William Hogarth: fiesta, food, fun, and fighting. 

If all the world’s a stage then this is dystopian dinner theatre.  Best show starts Friday and Saturday nights.

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: No

Price: Reasonable. $4.50 domestic bottles. $3.75 12 oz draught

Service: Friendly and fast. Bartender was quick with a drink and a story of the carnage called her love life. Which seemed to involve all four regulars sitting at the bar.

Décor:

Scarborough Southwestern

Scarborough is big and full of many distinct areas with their own style and culture.  Keeping up with its dive neighbour, Chick-N-Burger, it dresses in a beer rep ensemble accented by ironic signage.  I think the true irony lies in the fact that their real function is to hide the fist craters in the dry wall. 

Washroom facilities:

Like a tandem bicycle, it can handle two men at once but it’s really awkward.

Cleanliness:

Spotless.  Except for the spots on the butt of the guy that mooned me.

Games/Amusements:

Billiards, karaoke, jukebox, TVs galore, catfights, fistfights, and the invitation to partake. (I chose to settle my differences with a dance off.)

Value-adds:

Earth Day Celebration

I visited on Earth Day and a woman celebrated The Three R’s by reusing her beer bottle as a weapon and striking a young lady in the head with it.

Ladies, there are men in uniform.

Police that is.  They show up to Earth Day celebrations.

Man, this lady should be in uniform.

A bartender who weighed little more than helium broke up a knife fight and administered first aid to one combatant’s stab wound. Everyone survived.

Haute couture

When the stylish enjoy a Campari in Milan’s osterias, they wear Gucci or Versace. When they sip fine wine in Paris cafes, it’s Dior or Hermes. For a cold Blue in the dives of Scarborough, it’s a Rock Eagle t-shirt. Available a few doors down at Kingston Fashion.

Great Dinner Theatre Fare

While wearing your Rock Eagle T-Shirt and watching all the action, be sure to try a burger—big and tasty.  Pizza is pretty good also.

Suggested musical accompaniment:

“Fiesta” By The Pogues

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for anyone banned from the nearby Tara Inn or Victorian Monkey.

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Happy Cup Bar & Restaurant

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Try their Italian-American fusion: the Spaghetti Western

Happy Cup Bar & Restaurant

1274 Bloor St. West

Despite encroaching gentrification, Bloordale Village continues to resist becoming a hipster haven. 

Slowing down the process could be the strip joints, bars on windows, second-hand stores or maybe even the two gents I saw urinating in tandem on the sidewalk. Whatever it is, the area retains some grit.  And smiling at the centre of it all is the Happy Cup Bar & Restaurant.

As usual, I was the “guy over there who looks like a cop,” so a shadowy gentleman approached and asked if I were a cop.  I denied it.  Then he told me I was a cop.  Again, I denied it.  He reiterated, “You are definitely a cop! I hate cops!” 

Getting a little nervous but not wanting to leave without a story, I asked how I’d prove it.  He said I’d have to drink six tequila shots in a row—the drink of his country, as he called it.

This was high noon Mexican style. Pulling out a girthy wad of U.S. cash, he bought the shots and placed them in front of me like he was loading bullets into a revolver.  Looking into his doubtful eyes, I slowly placed my hand on the counter, winked, and in a blinding flash, whacked down all six like I was gun-slingin’ Tuco from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

After the last shot, my face instantly fell under “the Ugly” category and my challenger burst into laughter saying, “Now we can be amigos!”

Salud to that.

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: No

Price: $3.75 domestic bottles.

Service: Friendly and a little frightened of their customers.

Décor:

Burnt Goulash

Former Hungarian restaurant gone bankrupt.  Wall paneling and lighting are reminiscent of a schnitzel house.  The rest of the look is a patchwork of IKEA and curb-castoff furniture.

Washroom facilities:

Ample. Customers use both the indoor and outdoor facilities (aka sidewalk).

Cleanliness:

Clean except for the rap sheets of some regulars.

Games/Amusements:

TVs, cool jukebox, and watching wads of US cash being pulled out of pockets when it’s time to pay for a round.

Value-adds:

The Bachelorette

During my visit, I was witness to a besotted swain proposing marriage to an eligible lady. He proposed and she immediately backhanded him across the head, then stormed out screaming expletives.  In case there was any doubt, his friend at the next table told him he should take that as a no.

It’s like Tim Hortons for cops.

As I said, they’ll tell you you’re a cop.  And no matter what you say, you’ll be considered a cop.  Take the badge because cops drink for free.

Paternal Denim

What’s more awesome than dad jeans?  Dad jeans dancing!

Six Degrees of City Pulse

A lady at the bar once worked at City Pulse with meteorologist Harold Hosein.  And I used to know a guy who worked with Gord Martineau who worked with Harold Hosein at City Pulse.   Maybe I witnessed the genesis of a Kevin Bacon-type thing.

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for cheap beer lovers, pre-drinkers heading to House of Lancaster, and Kevin Bacon fans.

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Tasty Restaurant

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Heeeeeeeeere’s Jenny!

Tasty Restaurant

1222 King St. West

“Tasty” is a lively community hub located on a block of ramshackle buildings at King and Dufferin. And what really makes this bar bounce can be summed up in one word: Jenny.

Jenny is a regular and one-woman Broadway show. And when she shows up, it truly is ‘The Jenny Show.”

She is a cross between Wendy O. Williams and Mary Tyler Moore. I reckon about 70:30 Wendy to Mary.

When Jenny’s in the room, it goes from café to cabaret.   She is 50,000 watts of power and gets everyone singing and dancing.

Beyond Jenny, a chatty group of regulars will regale you with stories from their flavourful lives—usually riches to rags fables.

Standing on her tippy toes to serve you is “Mama.” She’s the miniature matriarch who owns the place and tends bar with her cordial son. And she often darts back to the kitchen to cook.  But what and for whom she’s cooking, no one’s telling.  And when asked, they’ll just say you won’t like the food.

But you’ll like the bar, especially if the curtain rises on the vivacious Jenny. And it’s a good place to drink cheaply before Argos, TFC, and Marlies games at BMO Field and the Coliseum.

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: No

Price: $4.25 domestic bottles. Cheap compared to nearby Liberty Village options.

Service: Ranges from friendly to nuclear extroversion. Depends if Jenny’s in the house or not.

Décor:

Walls decorated in the creations of celebrated designers Sherwin-Williams. And sometimes assorted sports memorabilia. Until someone walks out with it.

Washroom facilities:

On the bright side, you can wiz and wash your hands in the same place.  The sink works.

Cleanliness:

Spotless compared to the McDonald’s that was across the street.

Games/Amusements:

TVs, jukebox, and Jenny.

Value-adds:

Jenny

Opening Act:

Do the Monkey

Act II

Can-Can/Puttin’ on the Ritz Dance Fusion.

Act III

The Spotlight Dance

Act IV

Shindig

Stand-Up Comedy

“Did you hear the one about the priest, the rabbi, and the imam?”

Super Dave

This guy can drink five beer in about 90 seconds.  You have to buy him the beer to witness it, but he can do it.   Only Mama can do it faster.

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for drinkers sick of Liberty Village prices, those who like show tunes with their dives, shy people looking to break out of their shells, and BMO Field pre-drinkers.

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Chick-N-Burger

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The Decline of Eastern Civilization

Chick-N-Burger

2256 Kingston Rd.

Opened in 1964, Chick-N-Burger was originally an east-end drive-in known for great food and fun.  Old-time Scarberians tell me the place was especially joyous during the 1960’s muscle car era. 

That was when exuberant teens and young men would sip Cokes, eat burgers, and pose with their chariots to the sounds of The British Invasion.  It was kind of like how I picture the Happy Days show if it were set in mid-century Scarborough.   

But, like Fonzie and the gang, the joint jumped the shark.

By the time the current owner took over in 2010, Scarborough and Chick-N-Burger had seen 40 years of a manufacturing exodus, growing welfare dependence, widespread familial breakdown, ever-increasing drug use, and, worst of all, their chicken rotisserie broke and was never fixed.  

Despite the carnage, management keeps the place circling the bowl. Plus, some of those exuberant teens from the ‘60s salad days still visit.  They ride in on meth instead of a Mustang, but they’re alive and twitching and always ready with a chemically-treated cautionary tale.    

In the summer months, you can grab a drink on the patio. It gets unobstructed sunshine. And the regulars must really like to tan because they drink on that patio without moving from dawn ‘til dusk.

So, go ahead and visit this rusty hood ornament on any day that ends in ‘y.’

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: No

Price: Reasonable. $4.25 domestic bottles. If you like a festive atmosphere, tip the owner. It’s like plugging in a Christmas tree.

Service: Until he’s tipped, the owner has the Thousand Yard Stare. When he looked at me, I got the impression he was watching Netflix through someone’s condo window beside Rogers Centre.

Décor:

Scarborough Southwestern. 

Scarborough bars have a look. In southwest Scarborough, the watering holes tend to grab whatever is affordable, handy or handed to them by a beer rep. This place attempted to create a 1950s vibe by slapping up everything and anything remotely associated with that decade: license plates, old ads, and celebrity photos.  To me, it looks more like a Cliff Huxtable sweater from The Cosby Show

Washroom facilities:

Watch your wallet because this is a good place for a Stick Up.

Cleanliness:

Clean.

All dropped drugs are immediately picked up off the floor.

Games/Amusements:

TVs, jukebox, and cautionary tales.

Value-adds:

Free-Range Costco

Ever since their rotisserie broke, they only serve Costco roast chicken.  

The word is out about the burgers.

So is the “L”

No Beard Balm

Hipsters hoping to out-hop each other with craft brews will be left scrambling for their colouring books and safe spaces. 

Love it when I meet an Ex at a bar.

Free Romantic Sunset

Take your special someone for a cocktail on the patio. Hold each other close as you watch the blazing reds and the shimmering oranges of ambulance lights and paramedic uniforms as they tend to the guy who just passed out beside your table.  

Suggested juke-box musical accompaniment:

Anything by Queen released pre-1980.  Play anything after, and another one bites the dust.

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for dystopia fans, those who need to rest their feet trying to find a path to The Bluffs, and anyone who wants the taste of Costco roasters without the annual membership.

Notice:
Bar took its regulars and moved a couple of blocks over to 2256 Kingston Rd. New photos coming soon.

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James’ Black Bear Pub

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Dress down. Way down.

James’ Black Bear Pub

3276 Danforth Ave.

What can I about James’ Black Bear Pub that hasn’t already been said?  A lot.

Some confuse it with the Black Bear Pub on O’Connor Drive. Different animal altogether.  This is the easternmost dive on The Danforth and it’s virtually unknown to anyone beyond the dingy block it occupies. 

As per most Danforth dives, the regulars were pleasant and chatty once they were convinced I wasn’t a cop; I proved this by speed-chugging three beer, slamming two shots of rye, and loudly burping.

According to former hash dealer and “Bear” patron, Lloyd,* undercover police never drink and burp like that.  They fart, but they don’t burp.  Good to know.

Décor-wise, there’s not an obvious reason why it’s called the Black Bear aside from the front sign’s illustration and a small wooden bear sculpture.   Although, there is a reason why it’s called “James’.” Because the original owner was Jane and the sign maker misheard her name over the phone.  

Rest assured the Bear’s crack team of barkeeps will never mishear your order, so give the joint a try while you’re exploring historic Scarborough. 

*Not his real name. It was Steve.

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: Yes.

Price: Reasonable. $4.25 domestic bottles. $4 pint of amber lager

Service: Friendly. If you’re wearing a collared shirt, you’ll get the royal treatment. Actually, just wearing a shirt will get you the royal treatment.

Décor:

Scarborough Pastoral

When pioneers first explored Scarborough by taking the subway to Victoria Park, they described eating and drinking at “lodges with warm wood, bright lanterns, hearty stews, and loud sound systems.” James’ Black Bear Pub is clearly one of the best surviving examples of this historic genre.    

Washroom facilities:

Graffiti galore.  More marks than Bernie Sanders’ political ideology.

Cleanliness:

Completely dirt free. And people free until about 9pm the evening I visited. 

Games/Amusements:

TVs, cool jukebox, artwork, billiard table, and modern dating.

Value-adds:

Indoor Parking

Valet Parking Available

Intrepid Life Stories

“Before I parked scooters, I was a jet-setting mule working between Vancouver and Singapore. It all came crashing down when the narcs at Changi Airport heard rattling and intercepted my shipment of Chiclets.”

New Age Dating

This woman asked me if I wanted to go home with her. I declined due to my being in a relationship. It turned out she was in one too. With her husband, who was sitting beside her.

Gum mules beware

$1,000 fine for chewing gum.

Interpretive Art

My interpretation: The artist saw Victor Victoria, went home and watched the Dukes of Hazzard, played Frogger, dropped acid and grabbed his paintbrushes.

Digital Art

Also known as finger painting.

Suggested musical accompaniment:

Chew-Chew-Chew (Your Bubble-Gum) by Ella Fitzgerald

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for art aficionados, Julie Andrews fans, history buffs, mobility scooter users, those waiting to pick up Regino’s pizza or to see their parole officer across the street.

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Sunshine Restaurant

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Feed your addiction

The Sunshine Restaurant

2879 Danforth Ave.

Soon after arriving, I started chatting with a friendly regular. A shady-looking dude immediately approached and asked if we wanted to buy some cheese. I declined knowing that cheese is slang for a Black-Tar heroin/cold medication combo. But the guy beside me wanted a taste and followed the dealer outside. It was sad watching a nice fellow succumb to drugs. 

This nice fellow soon returned with his purchase, three bars of cheddar cheese. The dealer was actually selling real cheese—half-price stolen cheese. 

When I told the down-market cheesemonger I thought he was peddling heroin, he firmly responded that selling drugs is against the law. 

So sets the stage for the Sunshine Restaurant. 

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: No

Price: $3.75 domestic bottles

Service: Slightly drunk.

Décor:

Beer Rep Chic 

Everything on their walls hails from a beer company. Especially the splash marks. 

Washroom facilities:

If you like exposed brick, you can’t do any better than their restroom. And like all urinals, someone leaves a message on the wall above.

Cleanliness:

Clean enough but dirty pool is played.

Games/Amusements:

TV (cable and closed-circuit), jukebox, billiard table, and meeting real ex-cons. 

Value-adds:

The four basic food groups

Reality TV

From the comfort of your barstool watch CCTV featuring real dealing in sex, drugs, and Double-Crème Brie.

Flat Rate Drinking

High Performance Automotive

Zero to 60 in 5.2 seconds. 60 degrees Fahrenheit, that is.

In 1930, when Walter P. Chrysler needed A/C for his new Chrysler Building in NYC, he asked for help from his team at Chrysler Corporation. They delivered and thus was born the first fully air-conditioned skyscraper and as a result, Airtemp Corporation. Witness this chilling 1960s example.

Suspense

People look at you threateningly until they believe you’re not a cop.

Devout Drinking

Bar dominates the room like a church altar. Makes sense because for many, drinking is a religious experience. All I know is a hangover leaves me on my knees.

World-class Entertainment

Forget the living statues at high-profile downtown tourist hubs, by my watch this guy didn’t move a muscle for over an hour.

Suggested ear-bud musical accompaniment:

“Piss on the Wall” by J. Geils Band

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for cheap beer and cheese lovers, and Hells Angels prospects.

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Jem

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A cubic zirconia in the rough.

The Jem

2662 Danforth Ave.

I felt a lot of love at The Jem. Once the regulars and dealers established that I wasn’t a cop, that is.

You’ll notice the “We the North” flag.  Just to be clear, there are no bandwagoners here. They had that flag up way before they knew what it meant.

This bar is truly worth a visit. It’s on a hardscrabble stretch of The Danforth, but it’s clean, pleasant, and the prices are good. Plus, it has some unique value adds that make The Jem a real cubic zirconia in the rough that is Danforth east of Main St.

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: No

Price: Cheap. $3.50 domestic bottles.

Service: Chatty and quick. Especially as they chase down someone who tries to rip off a bottle from behind the bar.

But even the best of them can miss a master criminal, as was the case with this east-end version of Bonnie and Clyde referred to here as “Spanish and his partner.”

Décor:

Toronto Reformation

Classic Toronto Tavern Tudor. The legendary Toronto Tavern Tudor Salesperson needs to be on your sales team. See Linsmore, Happy Day’s, and The Flamingo.

Washroom facilities:

Mostly clean. But they should be on the cover of Canadian Geographic for the rare moss that grows behind the toilet tank.

Cleanliness:

Very clean.  Except for some regulars’ rap sheets. 

Games/Amusements:

TVs, jukebox, beer guessing contests, and driving billiard balls through the front window.

Value-adds:

As it is with investment advisors, responsible dives always practice KYC—Know Your Client. 

Celebrity staff

ROWE Ami: The musical droid from The Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars.

Tall Club of Toronto Meeting Place

Despite the “We the North” flag in the window, no Raptors names were on the ceiling tiles. I guess the NBA is tall club enough for them.

Waving cat means good luck

I think it really means wave goodbye to your money.

Suggested musical accompaniment:

“Mos Eisley Cantina” by John Williams

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for cheap beer lovers; bitter old-time Raptors fans; tall women tired of wearing high heels on dates; and, Comic-Con enthusiasts.

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Rusty Nail Pub

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Exile on Main St. and Danforth

The Rusty Nail Pub

2202 Danforth Ave.

The first thing I noticed upon entering The Rusty Nail was the giant photo of Maggie Trudeau on the back wall. 

Looks almost as good as my favourite photo of her…

As if that wasn’t enough, the bar has a regular everyone calls “Music Man.”  He didn’t want his photo taken because apparently the police had another name for him, “Wanted.”   But the cool thing was, he used his cash to fill the jukebox with boss tunes that kept everyone around the bar doing The Hustle.

During my visit, the cherry on top was the free mint I got with every beer I purchased.  Then I started to notice I was the only one getting a mint and came to the realization that my garlicky souvlaki dinner might have been coming back to haunt me. 

“Hint”

 

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: No

Price: Cheap. $3.50 domestic bottles.

Service:
Subtle. If you’re experiencing halitosis, the bartender will simply leave a mint with every beer.

Décor:

Exile on Main St. and Danforth

Rolling Stones photos and signage. 

Washroom facilities:

So clean Maggie and Mick would be proud to re-live their Studio 54 antics in a stall.

Cleanliness:

Very clean.  If they worried about my breath, they worry about dust and grime. 

Games/Amusements:

TVs, jukebox, cheap pool, live bands, and laughing at the guy who gets the mints.

Value-adds:

Musical Benefactor

He hogs the jukebox but picks cool tunes so it’s a win.  Until he accidentally played “Stairway to Heaven” four times in a row.  “Bustle in your hedgerow” is now tattooed to the inside of my forehead.

Free Air Quality Monitor

As I mentioned, the bartender left a mint for me to deal with my tzatziki addiction. And a guy told me he once saw her leave a stick of Right Guard for a guy who smelled like a rotten milk shake.  

A fix for Mommy Syndrome sufferers

With her attention to customers’ corporal being, it’s the only dive where the barkeep is a de facto mother.    And like a mother, she wants you to be good and reminds you to obey the rules, including Ontario liquor laws. 

Suggested musical accompaniment:

“Rocks Off” by The Rolling Stones

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for cheap beer lovers, 70s-era Stones fans, and those who believe music should be free or at least someone else should be paying for it.

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Flamingo Restaurant

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What happens in The Flamingo, stays in The Flamingo.

The Flamingo Restaurant

2104 Danforth Ave.

The Flamingo seemed like a pretty friendly bar.   Except that a guy they called “House” kept staring at me.   Clearly his mother didn’t teach him that staring is rude. But, as I found out from a whispering regular, his mother also didn’t teach him that assault and battery were in bad taste. 

Apparently, he was recently released after doing time for using some poor bastard’s head as a speed bag.  I decided to let him stare.

So, like Las Vegas’ legendary Flamingo Hotel, this place had a few folks who considered the law optional: a little drug deal here, a little hustle there.  But despite these activities, it had an upbeat vibe, friendly service, and interesting characters.

Shockingly, no one asked if I were a cop.

Some East York Eminem types who’d come “downtown” were
bragging about their “bitches, bling, and blunts.”  I found them
educational.  Hip-hop culture has come a long way since the
sixth grade, when I first heard “Rapper’s Delight” by The
Sugarhill Gang.

Another touch of Las Vegas was the gambling around the pool table.  I noticed that House, the speed bag specialist, kept winning the money even when he lost the match. Again, just like Vegas, house always wins.

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: No

Price: Cheap. $3.75 domestic bottles.

Service: Friendly. Frightened.

Décor:

Toronto Reformation.

Classic Toronto Tavern Tudor. The legendary Toronto Tavern Tudor Salesman never ceases to amaze me. See the Linsmore Tavern and Happy Day’s.

Washroom facilities:

Leaders in developing low-cost, environmentally woke waterless urinals.

Cleanliness:

Ultra clean.   Except for House’s gambling.

Games/Amusements:

TVs, jukebox, free pool, gambling on pool, and watching East York Eminem types enjoy a night on the town before their sentencing.

Value-adds:

Emotional Comfort

Hug $3

Strong Bullpen

A pitch is $13 for 60 ft 6 inches or $6.50 for 30 ft 3 inches.

Suggested musical accompaniment:

“Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin at The Flamingo Hotel

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for those who want a little taste of Las Vegas without the airfare but also without the hotels, glamour, buffets, shows, slot machines, and sun.

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Happy Day’s Restaurant & Bar

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TMI served with every beer.

Happy Day’s Restaurant & Bar

1806 Danforth Ave.

Toronto being Maple Leafs crazy, I initially thought the possessive apostrophe on “Day’s” meant that this bar might have been a tribute to 1920s and 30s Leaf great Clarence “Happy” Day. 

It was just a typo.   But the place does have a hockey theme in that some of the regulars seem to have taken a few slap shots to the skull.

Anyhow, on entering, I ponied up to the bar and in front of my perch sat a blissful cherub.  This cheery image seemed well in-keeping the joint’s name.

But its beaming visage was a contrast to my first barstool interaction whereby a woman called across the bar and introduced herself like this:

“Hi, stranger. How are you? I OD’d yesterday. Close call!”
Then to the whole bar: “Have you ever OD’d?”
The owner, standing up for his bar’s branding, immediately asked her to talk about happy things. She complied and cheerily asked me if I wanted to see “her nice set of Hogans.”

So sets the stage for Happy Day’s Restaurant & Bar

The Nitty-Gritty:

Jacksoul Poster: No

Price: Affordable. $4.50 domestic bottles.

Service: Friendly owner. Missed his calling as a social worker or psychotherapist.

Décor:

Toronto Reformation.

Classic Toronto tavern Tudor.  Toronto Tavern Tudor obviously had an amazing salesman working The Danforth. See Linsmore Tavern and The Flamingo.

Washroom:

Multifaceted.  Complex.  Layered like an onion skin.  Okay, it’s just plywood.

Washroom facilities:

Clean. But to be inclusive and avoid offending any snowflakes with dandruff, they should consider also offering shampoo for those with dry or oily hair. 

Cleanliness:

Exceptionally clean. But what else would you expect from a bar where you can wash your hair in the washroom.

Games/Amusements:

TVs, jukebox, and free pool.  Free unless you agree to play a pool shark and lose $100. Not that I know anything about that.  Really, I don’t…

Value-adds:

Burn Baby Burn

Play a few disco songs on the jukebox and stare intently at the glitter ball over the bar.  Something happens.  My optometrist had a name for it, which I can’t recall.  But the glasses he prescribed suit me, though.

Eye Care

An optometrist is across the street from the bar. See above.

The Police are close by

Kops records has Sting’s best work on vinyl. Cross the street and check it out.

Suggested musical accompaniment:

“Lady in Red” by Chris DeBurgh

The Last Call:

Dive Bar Mike recommends this bar for indoor sunglass wearers, competitive pool players, social workers, and those who like tell-all conversations with complete strangers.

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