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| - the Toronto Lover system:
5 stars = Must visit!
4 stars = Really good. I take my friends here.
3 stars = Somewhat worth it... if you have nowhere better to go.
2 stars = Below average. Attend only when necessary.
1 star = Do not visit!
Sweaty Betty's really wants to be a dive bar. It wants it so bad that it doesn't have any waiters or waitresses, and there's not really any light in the interior, so it looks dark and dirty. It wants the patio to have a laid back we-don't-give-a-damn atmosphere, so staff comes back once in a while to grab empty glasses, and move around chairs, ashtrays, and coasters without attracting attention. It wanted to be a dive bar so badly it located itself at Queen and Ossington, before the area decided to become the trendiest part of town.
But, sorry Betty, you're not a dive bar. You can't pull it off. You have a well-designed decor in your interior two rooms, with a tastefully arranged bar and selection of beers on tap. You've concocted a lovely chill room that looks like a friend's living room, or a high school yearbook office, with carefully chosen "dive" furniture and cozy coffee tables. Your patio is well constructed, with seating that can suit large parties or intimate couples, and beautiful designer patio wood (cherry?) that brings to mind a lovely sauna. You're not a dive bar, Betty, you're a great bar. Good effort, though.
The only reason this bar isn't a 5 is because I know a lot of people like to be waited on, and you have to visit the bar to get your drinks. I have to be loyal to the readers (but you're a 5/5 in my life Betty!)
4 stars
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