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Madison Ave Pub & Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Nightlife Bars Pubs American (Traditional), Pubs [Edit]
14 Madison AveToronto, ON M5R 2S1
Neighbourhood: The Annex
(416) 927-1722
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
39 reviews for Madison Ave Pub & Restaurant
Review Highlights
39 reviews in English
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Review from Mariko M.
11/26/2011
This review is based on my experience here attending a social.
Our group reserved an area of the Maddie on the top floor.
We had two servers extraordinaire.
They were quick to bring out the platters and came around often to clear the table.
For socials, I would highly recommend this venue. It's right on the subway line, food is okay, and service is great.
A solid 4 star (for the party planners in the house only). -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
11/16/2011
I finally got into this place... still reminiscing about the time I wasn't 21 years old yet and the bouncer didn't let me in on a Saturday night because it was 25+ night.... and I had just started dating my "husband" at the time, who is eligible for entry.... how embarrassing! Well we're married now and I'm old enough to drink like the cool kids.
Our friend picked this place - it's his favourite bar and he's leaving for England so we had to send him off in style. I've heard so many thing about this place - the cool atmosphere, the piano man, the numerous rooms... on and on and on.
We sat in this room with two very long communal tables. I like the fact that there are coat hooks so you don't have to throw them on the benches. Luckily, there were a few small TVs playing game 7 of the world series and a big sigh of relief that the Cardinals took it home!
There is a large drinks selection, although I was disappointed that they didn't carry Blanche de Chambly... Rickards White is definitely a close 2nd, which I ended up getting.. beware - no CAESARS either!.... I knew by the end of the night I would be getting hungry and was saving myself for the yam fries. The one thing about a long communal table is that if your server is not bringing out your food, then there's a chance you're not getting it. I saw my fries come down the communal lane.. but could not wave the guy down as the loud music and chatter made it impossible. Eventually my actual server brought it out to me. For $6, this bowl of fries are huge... and pretty decent in taste too. Due to the consumption of alcohol, I scarfed down the yam fries... and let me tell you - this portion is really for sharing. Their chipotle sauce is prepacked in plastic containers for ease of convenience - how long it's been in the fridge, I cannot be sure.
Lastly, the one thing that was a little disturbing was the fact that the waitresses would occasionally walk on the tables to get to the other side of the room. Yes it may seem cool, but if I was actually eating a full meal, regardless of time of day, I would find it extremely unappetizing.
All in all, I think this is a great place - good music, and seems like it caters to a lot of people. Come with a few or a lot of people and you really can't go wrong... but come late and expect a line up!Listed in: "I'll Substitute for Yam Fries…
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Review from Payam Z.
You can't knock the Madison! It doesn't pretend to be a gourmet bar, it doesn't pretend to be a home to beer aficionados or anything else for that matter!
It's just a really huge bar (Toronto's largest?!), with a mix of students and recent/not so recent alumni! There are many many rooms to check out in this mazy place, and you could have fun just walking around the bar for an hour or so. The piano room and the pop covers using the instrument is probably the most interesting segment of the bar!
The mood of the bar changes frequently and if you try to figure it out you can probably align things with reading weeks, exams, etc!
Thursdays are probably the best bet thanks to beer and $3 mixed drinks specials.
The bouncers are generally nice guys, but kinda moody! Don't piss them off! -
Review from Kent P.
11/23/2011
I will not go to any event/night out that I'm invited to that involves the Madison. It will also result in a Facebook unfriending.
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Review from Raymond W.
Toronto, ON
7/27/2011
We all have somewhere in Toronto where we won't be caught dead in. Whether it's a certain hotel where you got into a fight with the valet, or the restaurant where you sneezed your food onto the table next to you. There are places you just don't want to go.
The Madison, or 'The Maddy' is that place for me.
Why? Well, first because I'm not 19 any more, and secondly I never went to UofT.
The whole thing feels like a big house party, and that's actually quite good. Despite it being rammed with frat boys and Tri Alfa girls celebrating God knows what every week, the environment feels surprisingly friendly.
The Madison is a fair sized Victorian mansion with a huge patio that doubles as an overflow area for dining. But mostly people just smoke there. There are a dozen beers on tap, and the food comes in generous portions. There is a decent sized parking lot at he back for the area, and it is generally a very relaxing environment. Buzzing, but relaxing.
So what's my problem?
I don't understand the establishment. This place caters exclusively for the people of St. George Campus and Ryerson. You can't come here if you're over 25. Unless you got the Van Wilder complex, and even then you'll feel out of place unless you're here with like a dozen dudes wearing t-shirts with tit & fart jokes printed on them. Yet there seems to be an unspoken dress code among the Women. Trying to seduce someone to doing their assignment possibly?
Also, I don't ever remember having to line up to get into a house party (not that I was invited to any in high school). The lines are unbearable, and the glacial pace to enter the establishment is as far as I can tell...unnecessary. The bouncers are polite, which is rare in Toronto. But what's the hold up?
Also the place seconds as a Hotel, which makes zero sense. Do you want to stay at the house next to the house that's having the house party? I rather be passed out on the couch at the party than trying to get some sleep next door.
I don't think I've ever seen a washroom here. I know there are washrooms, but I never found it. I absolutely dreaded the University years where my friends would have their birthdays here. But I'll say this, the girls are hot, and they're drunk. If you're into that kinda thing.
I haven't been in school for a really long time, and I'm just fine with that. It's not a place for mentally 80 year olds like me.
Oh, and I was rejected by this Russian girl who originally approached me first..then her friend cockblocked me...OHHHH IT'S ALL COMING OUT NOW! T__T -
Review from Toronto L.
Toronto, ON
7/25/2011
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!
I think the Madison was designed by someone who tried to recreate whatever vision emerged in my brain from watching American movies about college guys going to bars. It's a big house, and there are taps, and lots of dudes drinking beer.
Do you really need to read a review about the Madison? Even if you haven't been inside, you know what it looks like. It's full of men drinking beer. The women there have either been dragged there by their man, or are there to meet men (if they're into 20 year olds taking Poli Sci and Philosophy), or are there for some groovy U of T birthday party.
I can't merely call it a frat pub, because the decor is a slight step up. That is to say: it's clean, and you can take your study group here to celebrate after finals.
This is the kind of pub that is very popular for people who first move into the area, probably because they're going to U of T.
2 stars -
Review from Michael N.
Toronto, ON
6/5/2011
The Madison is a local institution, and once was a haven for young professionals and those on the up-and-up, who wanted a little class while checking out the physically and intellectually interesting people around them.
Okay, scratch that - that was a LONG time ago. You have to admire how long they've kept this reputation going.
The Madison is a haven for local university students who love the outdoor (smoking) patio and the three floors, each with their own bar. Not that I dislike university students (I mean, my fav bar is Einsteins), but these guys just have no class. Everyone is showing off, looking for a fight, or otherwise has something to prove. Earlier in the evenings it's okay, but really get yourself out of there by 11pm and move somewhere else; otherwise, you're liable to ruin your night.
The beer selection is honestly crap (no Tankhouse or Steam Whistle? Seriously?) and the prices are pretty high (about $7/pint). Oh, and forget about getting service unless you can convince one of the servers that you're gonna be spending some dough. Otherwise, they'll walk right by you. Classy. -
Review from Josefa M.
Toronto, ON
1/20/2011
I was a regular here in my UofT undergrad days a decade ago when everyone still smoked indoors. Now I am living in the neighbourhood again, this time as a full-time working member of society.
Totally agree with the other comments on the amount of underage females who seem to have no self-respect. Their frat boy friends are equally annoying and way too young looking, but what actually disturbs me are the older gentlemen at the bars...
I still go when a group of us are looking for a reliable place that's a short walk away, but I have moved on to become a regular at other places where my older kin-folk show up in greater numbers. -
Review from Sol O.
Toronto, ON
7/4/2011
Meh. The place is big, but the drinks are kinda expensive, and the service is ok.
The place is always packed and rammed with college students. So that could be good or not.Comment from chris h. of Madison Ave Pub & Restaurant 7/4/2011
I am sorry you find the drinks expensive. The Madison is… More » -
Review from August L.
Updated - 3/20/2011
oh my....is this how all university students act?
LINEUPS
so this place is super busy on the weekends and there was a lineup that was at least 1 hr long. I can't believe I waited in line for that long...and to go to the Maddy's!
Not only that, I had some s*#% disturbers behind me that kept chanting my friend's name. Honestly...is that what U of T students find entertaining?
CROWD
I have no idea why but there were all men at the pub. My guy friends were disappointed. I wouldn't have minded so much except for the fact that wherever I walked, random boys would chant "ASIAN GIRL". Umm...we live in Toronto. I'm not an anomaly.
MUSIC
the one thing I did like was the live music. They had a live band on second floor I think. It was great!
anyways, if you go to this pub, just be prepared to deal boys. not men.Listed in: Places where you Can and…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/7/2009
Today (Monday) I had a surprise b-day party for one of my friends and the Madison was completely… Read more »
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Review from Laz C.
Toronto, ON
3/24/2011
Ugh, if you're over the age of 22 just do yourself a favour and walk on by.
If however, you're a young Uni student or wishing to relive your days as a frosh than you'll probably have a good time. It's loud, full of rowdy youth and has a decent brew selection and a few nice patios.
This place is always packed despite its enormity. To my surprise there also always seems to be a big line-up out front, although I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would line up to get into this place.
Although, to be fair, I am writing this as someone that is a decade too old to enjoy a place like the Maddy. I would happily avoid it but occasionally a friend who has gone back to school at a more advanced age is taken in by the reputation of the pub as a college hot spot. They then proceed to organize a birthday party, inviting all of their 30+ year old friends to join them in this cavern of obnoxious drunkenness. We all wonder why they have invited us there and bitch amongst ourselves about spending a night with the frat kids. Of course none of this is conveyed to the oblivious friend who planned the ordeal. In the interest of friendship we begrudgingly attend and try to yell out a conversation over the noisy backdrop, all the while feeling a little bit of pity for the friend that just hasn't caught on to age-appropriate hang-outs.
Don't let this be you. If you're an adult with a social circle above the age range of 18-22, invite your friends to join you somewhere else. -
Review from Thomas H.
4/16/2011
A mansion teeming with loud frat boys.
It's great when it's not busy and you're just hanging out with friends drinking pints on the patio.
But you're going to make this the purpose of your night? Seriously? -
Review from Sheetz S.
Toronto, ON
6/2/2011
Checked out this local historical bar last night. Liked the outdoor patios and atmosphere. The crowd was not rowdy in the section we were in, despite the fact that the finals for hockey were on, and the area was about half packed (on a wed. night).
Food was decent...I tried the 'lumberjack' burger which had chicken breast and bacon and came with a side of fries for 9.99. It was the usual pub fare.
Overall, I'd return here on a weekday but would probably opt to stay away on friday and saturday. -
Review from Lindsey S.
Toronto, ON
12/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
I've only been here once......and I have a feeling that I went a few years to late......seeing as I'm sure the 17 year old that was blatto should never have gotten in and I found myself thinking "does she not have any respect for her self"....
The place is HUGE.....I was thinking it was going to be a small pub similar to a Firkin or an O'Gradys...boy was I wrong....there are 2 levels, a club house kind of area, a hotel and the list goes on.
I was here on a date - that didn't work out, but I did get to hang out at a cool place. It's out of my hood and during the school year I'm sure it's crawling with undergrads - but I would give it one more go, just to make sure I've given it a fair shake. -
Review from Dishan W.
10/22/2010
This is a great place for a large group of people since this place is all sorts of big inside. Apart from the nice big interior nothing else really stands out here but it's not overpriced as far as I can remember and that's a good thing.
I've not frequented it a lot as most of my pubbing was done on College St, but people (undergrads) do enjoy coming in here and that's (mainly) the crowd you should expect in here. Every single time I've been here it's been for an event, I don't know if I would come here with a group of around 5 or less. It does get very loud indeed.Listed in: A Bloor Street Pub Crawl
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Review from Kathleen W.
8/23/2010
If I were drunk when I arrived, I would have loved this place.
If I were 15 years younger and still into frat boys, I would have loved this place.
If I were a light weight and could tolerate watered down alcohol, I would have loved this place.
Since I am none of the above, this place was pretty 'meh' to me.
It's big, it's huge and it's got a lot going for it so I can understand why it's probably loved by many ... but alas, in my decade + years of life after college, drinking well drinks surrounded by woo girls has lost its appeal. -
Review from Jim G.
7/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The Maddy is a classic. Big, with lots of university-aged patrons mixed with grizzled regulars. Multiple patios, pool tables, a piano bar. Decent bar food. One of the best pubs in Toronto. The place is filled with 19-year-olds on weekend nights--you can tell because they pool their money and ask for pitchers (they don't have pitchers)--but you can stlil have a good time out with the boys.
Listed in: Best Happy Hour
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Review from Kat F.
4/4/2009 1 Check-in Here
I've only been to the Madison a few times and it was after much duress and persuasion by some visiting friends. On any given night I was quite a few years older than even the oldest person in the bar as it's mostly composed of first year university students and guys trying to pick up wasted underagers.
Really not my scene but if you're looking for a drunken night of debauchery and people watching, or just to hook up with some random, you'd do well to check it out.Listed in: Bars That My Ex-Boyfriend…
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Review from Jay G.
Toronto, ON
5/2/2009
Oh the Maddy! You've helped/hindered many a University of Toronto finals for me. I've never hated you for it but I sure as hell never loved you for it. Your high population of bros and hos is amicable and despicable and the same time but I find it hard not to have fun here on a nice night. Not because you have a good crowd or great service, oh no, it's exactly the opposite it's because your crowd is so obnoxious and service is so dodgy that there is always something to laugh about.
If you've never been, it is a pretty cool place as there are endless amounts of patios and a maze of rooms. This place is great for summer nights and to see the odd hot college chick but it is mostly filled with dbag frat guys and dbag frat guys. Seriously, the amount of obnoxious, loud, drunken dbag is mind boggling but they always make for a good story as there is always something bound to happen.
Decor is decent. On the patios there are plenty of picnic benches and tiki hut bars. On the inside there are plenty of bars and small seating areas. There is a bar in every room/patio and on every level yet it can still take forever to get a drink because it is so busy.
Service is hit and miss. It's a when/where situation as sometimes the bartenders are really nice and helpful and sometimes they are the biggest asses. I guess it depends what room and bar you go to.
Drinks here are priced decently. I though it would be cheaper as it is a college joint after all. Food here can be god during the day for lunch or horrible during the evening for late night munchies. Again it would depend on when/where situation.
Overall, this place is where to go if you're in college or want to pick up someone in college. Drinks are decent priced and crowd is hopping with frat guys and college girls. Come at night if you're looking to score a one night stand. Come during the day if you want some sun, a few drinks, and cheap food on one of the many patios. -
Review from Bryan G.
Toronto, ON
4/9/2009
I haven't been here in ages but thinking about how well I did here, I'm thinking it's time to go back. The great thing about Uni students is they're a lot like high school students - I get older, they stay the same age.
I picked up so much ass here it's ridiculous. And I'm not really a guy to pick up. Pulling numbers here is like pulling yourself out of bed - you know you can do it, you just have to decide if it's worth it or not.
Other than the girls though, who come out more in quantity than quality, there isn't too much to write home about (assuming you, like me, write home about your sexual conquests). Based out of a mansion in the Annex, the Madison is basically a series of pubs stacked on top of each other. It's kinda cool the first time you go because there seems to be so much going on but the truth is there isn't.
You'd like to think that each area of the Maddy has it's own distinct mood and crowd but it doesn't. It really just a bunch of white people drinking and trying to get laid. For the super whites, there's a Friday night (I think?) sing-a-long with a piano man who plays the same mixture of Elton John and mid-90's hits every week (I'm guessing that's still going). For the super drunk whites there's karaoke on some night. This is actually worth it for heckling purposes. For a few minutes anyway. It gets boring watching people suck at singing.
I'd give the Madison 2 stars were it not for the plethora of muff I've collected here. That being said, I think it's about time to put on a sweater vest and go back. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Toronto, ON
6/14/2009
This place is great if you want to get into a fight, get groped or maybe smell some frat boy sweat.
They have the 'warm taco salad' on their menu though. -
Review from Melissa G.
North York, ON
4/26/2009
The Maddy is another bar I have a love/hate relationship with.
Back in the day when I was 19 years old and throughout my university day, this place was a staple for me on the weekends.
It is an interesting place because it is a HUGE house (or some houses joined together) to create one massive bar with different atmospheres of every floor. For example, one floor has a piano bar with cover music artists entertaining the crowd. On another floor, they have pool tables and an entrance to the patio.
There is no cover, the drinks are cheap and you will always run into friends and other people you know and love to see once in a while.
However, when it gets packed inside, it is very hard to move and to find seating for a group. As well, it gets all hot and sweaty, which may sound sexy, but trust me, it is not!
It is still a fun place to me to go to because it reminds me of university because it has that pub university feel and I never go there and not run into a fellow Queen's University alumni.
Overall, it is a hit or miss! -
Review from Greg L.
Toronto, ON
7/23/2009
This is the biggest and best pub in town. It's a mansion transformed into a pub basically. A great place to go enjoy drinks with friends and even to catch a Leafs game (in the basement sportsbar, Madigans). The dude at the Piano bar on weekends is a good show. It has always been an awesome pre-drink spot due to it's location, draught selection (all I require is Guiness or Keiths) and seat/table availability around dusk.
Caution: The food here is horrid you should definitely eat BEFORE you arrive :o). Expect a mix of drunk U of T students and the minority: Yuppies and old folks.
Plus: Spacious most of the time without elbow fights, drinks priced reasonably and location. Ages 21+ Thurs., Fri., Sat.!!! Kiddies head over the the Brunny down the street. -
Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
9/1/2008
The Maddie or Madison is getting mad props, but I wanna throw in my two cents here.
If you have never been to a bar in your life, you're from a small town, or it's your first time having a drink in your first year of University, the Madison is a good intro. I went to Queens University for one year, and I would have loved to have a big old bar like this there.
BUT, if you are a seasoned bar goer, like service, micro-brewed beer, good conversation, or you're over the age of 22, the Madison is a terrible option. It's like one giant frosh week keg stand of a night. If you have this in mind when you go, you can always make the best of it. The drink prices are decent, the service is bearable, but if you're looking for anything other than a house-party vibe, you will not find it here.
And, I'm not gonna lie, the carpet kinda stinks.
It's not that I hate the joint, I'd just hate to send anyone there without telling them exactly what they're in for. -
Review from Catherine M.
ON
11/19/2008
The main thing that the Mad has going for it is its hugeness. Especially its huge amounts of patio seating. With the labyrinthine rooms and stairways, including one notable stairway to nowhere, I can't help but be reminded of the Winchester Mystery House (google it if you're unfamiliar, it's a crazy interesting story). Its as though this particular pub/bed and breakfast was given the power of self-replication.
The menu is nearly identical to the Madison's sister pub down the street, Paupers (which I've also reviewed). There is, however, some intangible element which makes me prefer Paupers. You might say that the Madison is the slightly eccentric Victorian sister to Paupers younger, brasher self. And while the menu items are uncannily familiar, I would say that in terms of service and quality, the food is definitely second fiddle to the Madison's bar service.
I've mostly gone to the Madison for work-related birthday lunches and as such have never experienced the hopping nightlife of the Madison, which I'm told is a horse of another color altogether. Its proximity to the University frat houses more than likely has a lot to do with this reputation. Still, I can only suggest such a seedy underbelly, as I've only been in the place on quiet afternoons, dazedly wandering through its endless rooms of brass railings and carpeted stairs.
If you like the sound of the Paupers/Madison menus, go to Paupers. If you're looking for a college bar experience, head over at beer o'clock and report back your findings. And whatever you do, don't get lost in the Madison, because you'll be damned to wandering the halls forevermore.... -
Review from Kevin D.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2009
Huge bar, crazy party-people in the house 110%
Take your out-of-towner friends here when they come to Toronto to party-party-party. Otherwise Stay Away Joe! Local Torontonians, I say come here for:
-Summertime patio beers at sunset.
-The piano bar on Thursday (Matt and Mike, either one kills it!)
-If you want to try and pick up 18-year-old drunk chicks.
Otherwise, Stay Away Joe! -
Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
11/21/2008
If you want to hob-knob with the likes of big-necked frat boys in striped polo shirts and not remember a thing you did the night before (probably a good thing), Madison's is the place to go.
I've managed to avoid this place for many, many years, thanks to my friend circle: it's like the Whiskey Saigon of the college pub crowd -- massive, with various rooms, and crazy. It's super chill and nice on a weeknight, but all bets are off on the weekend when the phrase "chug, chug, chug" is not used with any irony.
It's definitely not a bad bar; in fact, the huge set-up is fun to navigate, and it can be quite a conversation piece for out-of-towners. I'm just way too old for this sort of riff-raff, and heart my small, local neighbourhood holes. -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
9/25/2008 2 photos
I am currently writing this review at the Madison using one of their outlets to power up the ol' laptop, using the free WiFi and about to tuck into the daily special which is the softer option. It's a chicken salad wrap which makes me feel a little bit healthier instead of the stuffed burger. I've had that before and it is quite fantastic.
The Madison is a mainstay in Toronto near the U of T campus (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) which affords it a huge influx of students and locals alike. On weekends, the place is mobbed with folks getting drinks in and I'm pretty sure it approaches the maximum capacity of 1474 persons, a number that is more than half the population of the town my parents grew up in. The Madison is in fact several venues, each of which is a reconstruction of old mansions that took up Madison Street. It's easy to get lost and have no idea where your party is if you're supposed to meet up with them. How people found people before SMS is beyond me. There are also back patios available that are heated in the winter to afford the clientele the ability to hit the 1474 pretty regularly.
Every night is a new special for drinks (e.g., Domestic Bucket Thursday, Tallboy Tuesdays) that can easily derail your plans to go in for a quick one and not stay for a session. Add to this that they run $5 appetizers every night from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. Why would you bother going home for dinner?
So, the obvious question is what's an old guy like me doing in a student bar? The Madison is also the host of the Toronto Central Rangers Supporters Club where you're able to watch Glasgow Rangers games from across the pond. Good for travelling Rangers fans as well is the boutique hotel that is also connected to the Maddy. Rangers games in your housecoat? Why not? Bar opens at 11:00am. -
Review from Lynda W.
Toronto, ON
8/25/2008
Having gone to the University of Toronto, i was surprised to find out (three years after I graduated - FINE I was an anti-social geek) that this little jewel of a gem place right off Madison Ave, one street east of Spadina. From the front, the place looks like a quiet little house (the place is surrounded by houses on a seemingly residential area), but head up to the patio on the second floor and it's a whole other atmosphere. On a sunny Friday mid evening, the whole patio was packed! Ended up sitting inside.
The menu was pretty extensive, you can find the full menu online. We ordered the "Manor Combo" which had nachos, quesadillas, bruschetta, and garlic bread. Enough for two hungry people if you ask me! The nachos were not the greatest, a little too dry for my liking, but everything else was ok. The burgers looked pretty delish and the fries were very fresh.
Friendly staff, good food, good friends. A good place to chill out (oh did I mention there are pool tables there too)! -
Review from Alejandro A.
Toronto, ON
12/8/2008
The Madison is a giant pub/bar, spanning 3 floors and multiple buildings. It's often packed on popular college drinking nights (Wed-Sat) but as far as college bars go, it's a better atmosphere than some similar options in the neighbourhood.
Drinks here are expensive. They don't sell pitchers, and you can expect to pay $6-$8 for a pint of beer, depending on what you decide to get.
Also, on the busier nights, there's a good chance you'll run into a line up. Lines move at a slow, but fairly even pace, so you can be happy in the knowledge that if you decide to line up, your slow progress is actually progress. -
Review from N.J. G.
Toronto, ON
2/24/2009
hmmm...yeeeaaah....
Apparently this bar looks much nicer in the daylight because when I went on a Saturday night, it didn't look nearly as nice as it does in these picts.
The floors are quite small but it's nice that they all have a bar to themselves.
There were a few funny people at this bar but all in all just a bunch of youngin's. Not fun to be picked up by people who have no social skills.
Good place to go if it's your first time there and you wanna play a game of hide and seek but I don't recommend becoming a regular. YEEP!
ps- I agree with Alejando A when he mentions drinks being expensive. I'm not from Toronto so everything seems expensive to me but $8 for a pint of Stella???!?! -
Review from Victoria M.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 7/4/2009
After last night's experience at the Madi I can confirm that every meat market has an expiration date... and one thing I'm sure about is that the madi has definitely expired. If you're looking to have fun with your friends, by all means the madi is great. HOWEVER, if you're going to meet people this is not the place to go. It has turned into creeper central. Now I don't know when this little switch-a-roo happened but it has, and so now you can't say I haven't warned you.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/31/2009
I have a love-hate relationship with the Madi.
It's really a great place if you want to bring out of… Read more »
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Review from Ernest L.
Oakville, ON
9/22/2010
This is a decent place to have a quick beer with your fellow U of T med students. I was at this place for exactly 7 minutes a couple weeks ago, which was more than enough time to down a pint of Rickard's White. I can safely say for those 7 minutes, I had no complaints about the Maddy.
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Review from ness y.
Toronto, ON
6/19/2009
go! (if you're a frat boy, cheerleader, or if you always wanted to be one).
patio is nice during lunch hours in the summer when none of the above are present. -
Review from Melissa F.
Toronto, ON
3/4/2009
it's this sort of giant bar that is home to frat boys and sorority girls. it's a weird beast of frat party, college bar, and random pretend-annexers that are slightly on the alcoholic end.
Strange enough, it is pretty good at doing what it is..if you're into that scene.
Fine placec to end up, just not the best place.
Good for big parties because the random bump-ins are not the type that will make you smile or glad you went there -
Review from Joanne W.
4/11/2010
Went with my co-workers the other day for a get-together. We had half-priced appetizers including the following: nachos, wings, calamari, onion rings, sweet potato fries, and breaded pickles. I think my favourite was the breaded pickles (but I have a strong bias). I didn't get chance to check out the rest of the place. However, it's a great place to get together with friends to chat for a really long time. Not to mention, the service was great!
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Review from Joe L.
Toronto, ON
4/7/2010
One Friday night I took a buddy to the Madison for a roll. After the line up thinned out and all the fake id's made it thru, we headed for the basement. Of course we quickly made our way to the top heated patio. I forgot how CASA LOMA huge this place is..... like 4 houses wide and 4 levels high. The Mad's holds approx. 1500 patrons. There are plenty of red coloured booths and always a drink shelf just when you need to put down your drink if you are standing. There was a guitarist in the basement and a band on the 2nd floor. I spent most of my time at the horseshoe shaped bar on the 2nd or 3rd floor that had the best guitarist I have heard/ seen in awhile. At 11:30 pm the place was wall to wall with 20-somethings. Great place to go if you are under aged (5 stars), not so great if you are over aged (1 star). Although it's not my scene, 20 somethings would do well here.
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Review from Joe N.
9/26/2009
if you visit Toronto during the weekdays and you have nothing better to do but see some friendly people, drink something, and maybe eat some oily food, then Madison is the place. if you want to be in a very crowded place during the weekends.... it might be perfect for you...
I am a fan of this place as it always has something going on... -
Review from Gabriel D.
8/19/2008
Now if you're looking to class it up a little beyond the Brunny, the Maddy is the place to go. It really does have an endless patio, and it's not always segregated by what school you went to...And hey, every once in a while, some of the Leafs come out after a loss...What more can you ask for?
