MAGPIE
831 Dundas West 416-916-6499 Rating: NNNNN
VIBE This brand new lounge and restaurant serves vegetarian food and hosts DJ and band nights. The space is fairly small, but if you moved the tables and chairs out of the way you’d have room for a cute little dance party. The raised DJ booth seems more suited to a big club than a little bar but works in this case to keep the gear unobtrusive.
PEDIGREE Formerly the Portuguese men’s club Benifica Café, whose sign they’ve kept (at least for now). The decor inside, however, has changed considerably, and is much more modern.
SOUND & LIGHTS This is primarily a restaurant, so don’t expect lasers and stacks of bass bins. Tiny little satellite speakers circle the room, but they should really be updated if the club books DJs and bands on a regular basis.
BATHROOMS In pretty good shape during our visit, but this was the first weekend, so we’re not making any promises about what they’ll look like in a few months.
