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| - Place is the worst. Amongst my friends its known as the most loathed club in Toronto. People specifically avoid it even if Embrace brings in DJ's they like. It's known as a club people "put up with"
Here's the problems:
1. The layout of the club is long and narrow. With the stage at the far end. There is a bar on the left side and a bar on the right side near the stage. When the place gets busy or even half full this creates a bottle-neck towards the front half the venue. There is little room to dance, the club becomes more like a moshpit of bodies. With the bathroom at the very back of the venue if you are near the front and have to piss then its an epic trek through a ton of people to try and squeeze your way back and through the bottleneck.
2. The sound isn't good. Hoxton advertised they installed a supposedly great PK Sound system a while back. I've been there twice in the last few months and the sound overall has seemed sub-par. I was there on Friday and the back half of the club barely had any sound. The monitors/speakers in the ceiling closer to the doors didnt sound turned on. So you can either be in the middle of the venue, have a bit of space, and not have great sound but maybe a bit of room to dance, and not see much on stage (again...long / narrow venues have this problem - see Sound Academy) OR go a bit closer to the front of the venue and be crammed like its a mosh pit. OR be at the back of the bar and not hear/see anything. If you've been to the Sound Academy, the Hoxton is seriously like a 1/4 size version of that place. But Sound Academy is even easier to navigate with better sound (for a venue of that size), Hoxton is worse.
3. The whole vibe of the club is directed towards bottle service. I was there on Friday. When I was there on Friday, As the club slowly filled up the entire large front right second bar and side-stage area was roped off and totally empty. A spot with two bottle service booths and room for a good 60-70 people to stand was just vacant despite it getting crammed in the main part of the club. Didn't make sense to have it all roped off and have the second bar not running when the main bar was having delays and lineups. I asked the staff when I left what was up with that and they told me the side stage area / bar is roped off in case someone decides to get bottle service. They won't allow anyone in there to stand/dance (or heaven forbid sit) unless they buy bottle service. It was 1am at this point so it seemed kind of pointless to keep it closed on the contingency someone wants to drop $600 and beyond on a couple of bottles - nevermind the fact the venue had over 350 people in it the front half the club (where the sound was ok and not shitty) was getting to be crowded and a bottle-neck towards the stage. So instead of opening up a large area for the crowd to divert to, and the second bar (for people to buy their expensive drinks), they keep it closed for "prospective" bottle service customers.
So effectively the club is willing to sacrifce the potential comfort and enjoyment of the 350 people in attendance to possibly appease 5 people who "might" decide, spontaneously to buy bottle service at 1am. So greedy, so stupid.
4. Drinks are expensive. I don't think I've ever paid $8 for a Molson Canadian in a club ever. Even at the Guvernment Complex where prices are sort of high would they charge that much. But at the Hoxton you will pay that much. And if you give the bartender a $10 bill for that beer they will give you a twoonie change. Not two loonies (so you can tip em a buck), a twoonie so they expect you to tip them $2 on your beer. So, they think $10 for a beer is reasonable. It's a club, not the Rogers Centre. Mixed drinks are also crazy expensive. Want a redbull and vodka? Make sure you have $15 or more ready. Also when they don't open the right front bar, expect big waits for drinks at the bar.
5. Bathrooms are at the back of the venue and small and crammed and they have the annoying bathroom attendants there who expect money to hand you a paper towel
6. Since the club is right at Bathurst and King St, the outdoor smoking area is right on the street and be prepared for all sorts of homeless/weirdos to solicit you for money if you are outside having a smoke or in line to get into the club.
Overall I am SHOCKED that this place has a 3.5 average on Yelp. Amongst my group or friends/aquaintances its commonly known that the Hoxton is a pretty brutal venue and I'm literally bewildered so many people here view it favorably. I will not be going back anytime soon. They'd literally need to book something insane to draw me back. Aphex Twin opening for Chemical Brothers opening for Daft Punk - sure I'll come. Otherwise, AVOID.
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