Much-loved Toronto dive bar just got replaced with something new
A bar and music venue that was a neighbourhood stalwart for nearly 20 years before closing permanently last year has officially been replaced by something new.
Though Ossington's iconic Dakota Tavern was, by all accounts, a pillar of the community, its last five years in business weren't exactly smooth sailing. From insurance woes nearly forcing it shut in 2020 to a legal battle with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario the next year, the Dakota spent the 2020s accumulating battle scars.
Hey, every good dive bar has some lore, right?
As the old saying goes, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," but in some cases, it actually does just kill you. That, much to the chagrin of its late-night acolytes, was the case for the Dakota.
After being handed over to new ownership in 2024, the bar closed its doors. It was supposedly meant to be a temporary closure, but as the months toddled along, it became exceedingly clear that the Dakota Tavern wasn't setting up for an encore.
Now, the following act has officially taken the stage: a kitschy, casual new bar called Mickey Limbo's, which officially soft-opened on Thursday, June 11.
With Apt. 200 (and formerly The Contender) owner Kit Birchard and former Bar Isabel and Souvla chef Lucas Richarz both connected to the project, there's no doubt that Limbo's will strike gold with the trend-conscious Ossington crowd, but will it be able to tap the Dakota's uninhibited, earnestly passionate fanbase?
Only time will tell, but in any case, Mickey Limbo's is on to something.
Mickey Limbo's is located at 249 Ossington Ave.
Hector Vasquez
