I've discovered the secret to Ted's: come before 11 if you're meeting friends for conversation! 11pm and onwards are the witching hours, when the volume gets cranked and unpopular music starts playing. Tonight (pre-11pm) we got to listen to The Strokes' "First Impressions Of Earth"! (What a great album. The Strokes need to release another album, like, stat. 4 years!)
Our taller, friendlier George Stroumboulopoulous-lookalike server tonight was great and kept the drinks coming.
As Martin S. stated, this place is "dingy to the point of looking like it is one step from condemnation and dark as fuck" - but if you want no nonsense cheap drinks, Spider-Man pinball and to avoid the recent surge of douchiness on College Street, Ted's your man!
NOTE: Avoid the washrooms - no bladder pressure is that urgent.