I have been MIA, and I am so sorry! Summer makes for busy times, and it has been quite insane. I’ve been so busy that I could have legitimately started a blog on iced coffees, considering the amount I have already drank this summer.

With that, I’m back and ready to drink (beer, not iced coffees)!!

I haven’t tried out any new beers recently, but that doesn’t mean I’m completely boring. I have checked out a couple bars/restaurants in the city that you might be interested in.

The Local, Leaside
Located on Laird, this trendy restaurant has some delicious pub grub and craft beers on the menu. Their rooftop patio is an awesome atmosphere to enjoy a couple of drinks, considering they play some sweet tunes like the Friends theme song, and hits from the Spice Girls.

The drink menu itself is huge, with at least 10 beers on draft, including rotating taps for seasonal beers. As for the food, the food menu definitely isn’t as big as the drink menu, but everyones meal was reported to be “delicious”. Definitely a cool gastropub to check-out if you’re ever in the Leaside area.

Sneaky Dees
I have wanted to try out this Tex-Mex restaurant/bar for a very long time because a lot of my local friends have said that this place has a cool vibe, and they weren’t wrong! Their playlist was strictly music ranging from the 70s-90s, and it was super relaxed.

The bar menu was not too extensive and only offered the basic beers, but they were pretty cheap at $5 per bottle. My friends and I ordered some “Create your own” nachos, which I was not a major fan of (for a silly reason). I am a dipper at heart, so I like to dip my nachos in sour cream and salsa, but the kitchen puts salsa on top of the nachos before baking them. So, if you are a dipper like me, you might want to try something different off the menu. I will definitely be visiting again, because who can turn down an 80s theme night?

The Lab Bar
This is definitely a hole in the wall bar just off Bloor West, that you would walk right by if you didn’t know it existed. My friends from Hamilton had read good things about it, how U of T students tend to go there for cheap drinks, so we gave it a shot.

The reviews were correct, as a pint of Amsterdam 3 Speed was $3. Yes. Three. Dollars. Although I’m no longer a student, I am currently paying off student loans, so I was VERY happy with a $3 beer. As for the atmosphere, the place consisted of just tables and chairs, but the customers who came in with their friends and their laptops made it feel a bit more like a cafe than a bar. After some research, I’ve discovered they also serve pub food, so it may be worth checking out!

Thanks for reading! Go and enjoy a patio beer while the warm weather lasts! 🙂