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| - For those in a rush, the summary of this bar:
- Popular on Fridays for some reason
- Pointless $5 cover with a surly doorman
- Insane wait to get drinks and even worse to move from one room of the club to the next
- The club is ruled by bouncers who will push patrons doing no wrong around and "ban" you for no reason whatsoever
- A complete waste of time and money better spent at any other establishment on Church
Now, on to my full review...
This dump gets the privilege of being my first Yelp review. I am not a big club fan but I will generally head out once or twice a month.
Although I have been to Crews dozens and dozens of times over the years I can assure you that after last night I will never return; but I will get to that a bit later in this review.
Let's start with the basics. For some reason I fail to understand, this dive is the "hot spot" in the village on Fridays; espescially with the under 30 set.
There is a mediocre drag show in the front of the bar...see it once, and you've seen it a million tomes. The second floor is a much more urban vibe and crowd. The back room plays top-40/R&B.
ISSUE #1 - LINES: The first issue I have with this place is that there are lines everywhere (and I'm not just talking about the kind people are surely doing in the bathroom stalls). Even if the club is dead you will find them controlling entry to get in, for paying your $5 cover to the most surly man I have ever seen, to check your coat (mandatory during winter months), to get to the patio, to move from one room to the next, to get a drink , and to get upstairs. A good part of any night at Crews will be spent bored in a line.
ISSUE #2 - RUDE AND ABUSIVE BOUNCERS: Worse still is the incessant power trip and forceful demeanour of the bouncers in this place. Never in any club (let alone in the village) have I seen this level of overkill when it comes to security. Pushing patrons, yelling at people in line, physically blocking doorways. An absolute mess. I understand every bar needs some level of security and to maintain restrictions on capacity, but this place is nothing short of madness and is the same story whether the club is at 10% occupancy or 100%.
***Now, the reason I was prompted to write this review in the first place.***
ISSUE #3 - DISCRIMINATION: The aforementioned bouncers appear to have a habit of discrimination and exclusion, based on no criteria whatsoever.
Last night (Friday, July 24) I was here with 3 of my friends, I had grabbed my first drink for the night, and we headed to the back room. In the midst of conversing with my friend, out of nowhere 2 guards approach me and push me to the exit.
These same bouncers proceeded follow me all the way through until I left the fpremises and told me never to return. No reason whatsoever was given for this. As mentioned, I was sober (save for that first drink I had in my hand upon being approached) and minding my own business with a friend. I have been to this bar literally dozens and dozens of times and have never had anything like this happen or cause any trouble in the past. I was glad to comply with bouncers' orders as I am not one to start a commotion or cause any issue...however I find it incredibly disturbing that they feel the need to discriminate and remove patrons for no reason and with no explanation given.
I have also heard from several friends that similar things have happened to them. The bouncers at this second-rate dive need and ego check. The whole place is really a mess, and a waste of time compared to any of the alternative options readily available on Church street.
SUMMARY: AVOID THIS DISCRIMINATORY, LINE-PLAGUED DUMP OF AN ESTABLISHMENT AT ALL COSTS!
Your leisure time and money are far better spent elsewhere.
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