Rating: NNNNN
The Hooch 817 Queen West (upstairs), 416-703-5069
VIBE The small club above Gypsy Co-op shares an entrance and owners with its ground-floor sister. Goes for that classic Queen West bohemian look. The crowd varies with the night, from the underground hiphop scene to the drum ‘n’ bass crowd as well as random weekend warriors. Smaller than downstairs but feels more like a club because the floor space is more open and there’s no restaurant section.
CONCEPT Pretty eclectic music policy, mainly featuring DJs the occasional live band plays on a very small stage. For live shows, the set-up is a little too makeshift, but the layout works surprisingly well, even if some of the band might have to overflow onto the floor. Decent sound, and powerful enough for the space. Since it’s a small dance bar, the booking policy often highlights music you’d never hear in the bigger clubs.
VALUE Cover charge (when there is one) is low, not much more than $5 most of the time. Drinks aren’t dirt cheap but are in line with the rest of the area so you’re not getting gouged.
BATHROOMS Cute, tiny single-person bathrooms. Clean enough, but they should try to find some space to build some more.
