Two years ago I often wandered by the corner of Ossington and Humbert to admire an old, near dilapidated three story building. The place was vacant but the building had just sold. The sign in the window read Tops in Kitchens and at its apex lay a sign etched in stone with the name LeVack Block.
In the time that's passed, owner Adam Baguely and designer Amber Honor Elson have transformed the proposed heritage property (1889-1891) into a stunning new bar. It's split into two rooms with a bar/restaurtant area in the front called LeVack and a dance/event space in the back named The Block.
Numerous red tape with getting all the necessary permits delayed its opening but finally last month the new LeVack Block was born. Inside, the front room is stunning. There are soaring windows, one hundred year old plus exposed brick, vintage lighting and chairs, and a bar assembled from an old bank teller window.
On tap are eight microbrews ($5.50 - $6.50), Guinness ($6.50) plus eight bottles (including Kingfisher, yum!) and a short wine list with six reds and five whites. The food service has yet to ramp up but I was told it will feature salads, wings and a mean croque monsieur.
Cover charge for the front will be $0 but it will be interesting to see how the back space evolves. I've got high hopes as there aren't enough places in Toronto that successfully marry an intimate bar with a dance venue.
Additional Details
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The bar looks really great, but the dance space looks a little like a basement storage room.
The bar looks really great, but the dance space looks a little like a basement storage room.
+1
Don't most dance spaces look like storage rooms (or at least bland, boring spaces) when more fully lit?
It'd be nice to see a little more creative menu. It does look like a nice 'bistro' type setting in the front, and it'd be nice to have food to refect this.
this place is suffering from major identity issues. I went there last week and it seemed like they can't decide if their a dance club, a bar, a restaurant, a bistro... They should just pick one.
ya, i heard they are finishing-up their kitchen and adjusting their menu to offer a full-menu in a couple of weeks...should be interesting...
A new expanded menu is in development. We are currently expanding the kitchen so that we can offer more items. We have had issues with kitchen equipment and are currently working them out.
In regards to the 'identity issues'. At LeVack the goal was to keep the spectrum open and not define ourselves to one thing. True the dancing and the bar developed faster than the food and restaurant part did. We also acknowledge that we have had some nights where the party crowd showed up sooner and the restaurant crowd stayed later. We are currently working on this and one step we have taken has been to start the music a little later so as to not interfere with people who come to eat.
The dance room also is in development. It may never entirely loose it's 'basement storage' look but we do have future development plans in store that will certainly liven it up.
Thanks to everyone for their comments. We want to make LeVack a fun place for everyone and every comment helps.
Marcus
LeVack Block
Great place - went for the first time last night and was very impressed with the fantastic music and wonderful service. can i just make a small recommendation, though. your busboy is overly zealous in cleaning up tables. he took away our group's drinks twice -- most of us had just bought them and they were three-quarters full. i welcome clearing empty glasses off tables, but brand - new drinks? not so much. thanks for remedying this with the busboys and congrats on such a welcoming, warm and fun place for those of us who like to dance but don't want to hang out with a group of nineteen year olds!
I was there last night and it was a great time. The friends I was with really wanted to leave early for the drake so we did. I wish we had stayed here it was way more fun. Looking forward to coming back
Thank you for the comments. Yes I will speak to the busboy(s) about the taking the drinks.
Thanks,
Marcus
LeVack Block
I loved the vibe. Chic, fresh but not pretentious. A place I definitely could hang with friends for one drink...or several and feel comfortable. It brings some more inspiring attitude to the corner in that hood. The decor is rockin' and the painter deserves a medal for having the patience to be that meticulous with that design and colour palette.
I'll venture back for sure.
Hope the place is a huge success!
where are the famous wings? two months later of checking in a still no deep fryer for such highly self-tauted food?
Unfortunately we were unable to have the fryer installed as planned and therefore there will be no said chicken wings.
On that note we do have a fryer for sale if anyone is interested. Please contact Adam at (647) 588-3300.
We do have a new delicious menu though. Come by and check it out. I recommend the ravioli.
Thanks,
Marcus
LeVack Block
I went there with some friends a few weekends back, and loved it. The vibe was great, and we were lucky enough to stake out the table near the front window which is a lovely place to be. My only complaint was that the music got too loud at one point, ruining the potential for good conversation. That's personal preference though, as I prefer a good conversation over dancing up a storm. Great spot though, I'll definitely be back.
It's been a long time coming...the full kitchen, hmmm. The first product of the "full kitchen" was suppose to be "the best wings in town". No wings on the menu.
Hate to do this but I'm furious. We booked LeVack Block for a post wedding party MONTHS ago. All we wanted to do was have our dj's (the guys from Rec Room at Clinton's) spin and have an open party for friends and anybody else who wanted to join. Amber at LeVack Block decided to re-neg and double book without letting us know, leaving us hanging at the last minute. NOT COOL. I'm pretty sure they would have made a killing off our night. I guess this is par for the course for the Toronto service industry.
I can't believe that LeVack Block double booked and then cancelled a wedding reception with only a months notice. That's really, really poor. A terrible way to treat customers and people in general.
Good food, great service and a nice atmosphere. My husband thought his beef wrap was good but overpriced for what it was. The Mediterrean platter was excellent and so was the sangria.
hi
This club is dingy, the people that come out to this club are low life thugs and the security don't care for the safety of anyone in the club. Avoid this place if you can.
I actually used to come by Levack on Thursday nights not too long ago and there was a ton of people out and partying, the music was bumping and there was a great vibe. To my surprise, I walked by there about a month ago and there was absolutely nothing going on? I know that their Saturdays are already good, but due to my work schedule, Thursday is more of my night to party. It would be great to see them get some fresh DJ's in there on a Thursday on a consistent basis to get these nights back on track again. I also found that the staff was very friendly/personable and made me feel right at home.
Back in January 2008 Marcus said: "At LeVack the goal was to keep the spectrum open and not define ourselves to one thing" - I was here this past Friday night and I don't believe this comment at all.
We were the only ones dancing, and the DJ REFUSED to take a request stating that they only played one type of music. Sorry buddy, but you sucked. We left and had an amazing time elsewhere. Will not return - there are many places in Toronto and this is by far the worst I have ever been to.
This was the first bar I visited in Toronto since moving from Halifax and yes the dancefloor looks like a storage closet but whoever the DJ was played the best early 90's music!!!
Danced all night and loved it!!!
Went there for the first time tonight, as part of the Winterlicious promotion. It was really disappointing - the food was mediocre and the service was terrible. I had ordered the chicken fingers - that's all you get, a couple chicken fingers, no veggies, no fries, nothing. They were boring too, I could have taken them out of the freezer at home. And the Winterlicious menu is not as listed on their website or the TO website. Beer was overpriced too. Anyways, we won't be going back there - too bad, it had potential. Really shouldn't be included in Winterlicious - this place is not a restaurant.
We went to LeVack over the weekend and had the most horrible time. First off, the music was horrible. The DJ downstairs didn't blend any songs together; I felt like I was in my living room with my baby brother at the computer mixing music.
It was crowded beyond reason; we were constantly pushed and shoved and had no space to dance. We spent 20mins trying to get a drink. Finally, when we attempted to leave, it took 30mins as there was only one coatroom girl- in a dark room with no flashlight. There was no line or any sort organization. People cut in and the the "security guards" did nothing.
Really unimpressed with this place.
Set your life easier take the credit loans and all you want.