The Annex Live

This was my first foray into this performance space. A nice intimate spot and it is easily accessible by TTC.
The place consists of two areas. The bar itself and a sunken sitting area with a small stage. I spent my time mostly in the performance space. The acoustics are nice and one gets to enjoy the LIVE music quite well even when the speakers are not cranked up. If you want have a conversation I would suggest just move to the bar area.
Kudos for a setup done well. The bar was clean and functional and had only mainstream stuff. There are TV’s in the bar area if you want to catch up on a sports event etc.
A decent spot for small/​midsize crowd.

I came here last week to watch a jazz performance by a friend of a friend of mine. I was pretty excited because this place is close to where I live, I really enjoy live jazz, and the feeling of knowing someone in the band, even distantly, makes me feel way cooler than it should.
Unfortunately, the experience was not as awesome as anticipated. Firstly, they had $ 5 cover on a weeknight in the annex. Unheard of in an area populated by broke students. No wonder they weren’t any where near as busy as all the neighbouring businesses. Drinks were $ 1 above average for the area ($ 6 for domestic beer, $ 7 for house white wine). The bar is set up to look like they have beer on tap, but they don’t. Bottles only. Bartender was hipster chique and nice enough. Students mostly, not too many hipsters. Everyone seemed nice and like they would be up for a chat. Crowd never got above 15 people.
The performance was pretty good. Although that changes often. Bathrooms weren’t too nasty. Although there is a really narrow and steep staircase that leads to the basement where the restrooms are.

We have been here on many occasions, but, only for breakfast as we are in that neighbourhood on Sunday mornings.
The outside patio at the back is wonderful and allows you to enjoy the summer in a very civilized — New Yorkish/​tenement sort of way. We love it and have brought a lot of people here who also love it.
The breakfasts on Sunday morning are wonderful — with large portions and are beautifully presented.
It’s quieter and out of the way so we can hear each other talk (except when the guitarist is playing and we are indoors). The music is jazz and lovely.
On Sunday mornings this is a wonderful reprieve from the hectic pace of the week.

i think it has potential as a music venue, i have no interest in it as a restaurant. i also think it’s at a disadvantage in that it’s not visible from bloor and it’s close to many places that are cheaper with loyal clientele. my friends’ bands have played there on a few different occasions and i had a good time. i thought the drinks were way overpriced. the décor is sweet and the stage is visible from almost anywhere. small dance floor but it does the trick. the patio was pretty cute too. it was dark so i didn’t get a good feel for it but it seemed like a little garden terrace.

I was so rooting for this place to do well. The week that it opened, I was so excited to get a flyer with its brunch menu that sounded unbelievable — finally, a better option than By The Way Café!
I walked into this place, which was completely empty except for some regulars or friends of the owner sitting at the bar, chatting with the owner. No greeting, no hello, no anything. My friend and I sat ourselves at a table that was clean, but not set up. There were empty tables all around us, but many were not even cleared of dirty plates! It took forever to get our sandwiches and when we got them, they were so blah and bland and overpriced. The menu definitely sounded better on paper than in reality.
I’ve been to this bar/​restaurant (what the heck is it?) many many times since not because I like it there, but because my friends used to play their music there weekly. The service was always terrible (a waiter would reguarly bum smokes off of patrons), the food was always bad… if not for the people playing music and promoting their night, the place would be empty! I went in on an odd night after the bands quit playing there because the Labyrinth was closed for a private party. I walked in and looked around, thinking the place was closed. It was open, but dead quiet and not one person inside besides the bartender.
So sad! This place has so much potential to BE something in the annex. The owner needs to decide what this place is and commit to a vision of some kind. It’s all over the place and never consistent. Terrible.
So sad!