Sponsored by:

Belvedere Vodka

Bars & Clubs GuideBars

Empire Restaurant and Lounge

  • 50 Cumberland St. (at Bay) View on map »
  • 416-840-8440
Unveiled to great fanfare before the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, this Yorkville supper club certainly has the glam factor. The slick design betrays no hint of the building’s former life as a greasy sports bar. Intimate booths are decked out with white ostrich leather banquettes, which contrast beautifully with the dark zebrawood tables. The drinks are chi-chi too, from the prettily presented cocktails (the popular Passion Pomtini is made of Absolut Vodka, pomegranate juice, Alizé Sunset Passion and a splash of lime, $12) to the magnums of Cristal; bottle service is also available. In the end, though, Empire feels more like an upmarket after-work bar than a Saturday night it spot. On blustery winter weekday evenings, last call comes as early as 10 p.m. On busier nights, join the action on the dance floor.
  • Outdoor dining
Location
  • map marker #1
    50 Cumberland St. (at Bay)
  • 416-840-8440

Large map

Related Listings

Back in the heyday of bars with one-word names, this ...

A neighbourhood watering hole for almost a century, the Cameron ...

On a misty night, there’s a dreamy feeling to this ...

Actually in a lobby, as opposed to the other similarly ...

Good tunes (a mix of traditional Irish and energetic club ...

Related Features

Danny Grossman Danny Grossman

How the modern dance guru, whose company performs at Harbourfront this month, would spend a single perfect day. Toronto on ... By Amy Verner

Raising the Bar Raising the Bar

Bespoke bartending and exotic ingredients (kumquats, anyone?) define the latest cocktail trend By Steven Dam

Hung Up Hung Up

Some tips on beating the hangover blues By Sarah Grynpas

Newsletters

Stay on top of the best the city has to offer, right in your inbox.