Great ambience, great service, excellent ppl. As punk bars go, this place is elite.
Stephen McGill
Wonderful bar with great music, great beer selection and great staff. Lovely times on the back patio and at the bar.
The Wyck
The Wyck Recommendation: Wasted Youth (Dundas West) Rating: 4.0/5 Smiles, Shots, and Sinkhole Charm
Intro Scene We walked in somewhere between “let’s just have one” and “we might never leave.” Within minutes we were knocking back Jameson and beer combos, chatting up a bartender who radiated actually wants to be here energy, and being complimented by a random couple on my “I Love Older Women” T-shirt. Maybe I’m the older woman now. Maybe Wasted Youth is a mirror. A filthy, graffitied, $4-shot mirror.
What Was Ordered
Several Jameson & beer combos, obviously—$11–12, repeatable
$4 Jameson shots, which is basically a public utility
Stared at the Fuck Juice on the menu. Didn’t have it. Didn’t need to. Just knowing it exists is enough.
Service Commentary The bartender? MVP. Big grin, no judgment, and managed the entire bar like he’d taken a course in Zen and mixology. Didn’t blink when we kept ordering more, didn’t flinch when we asked about the dollhouse replica. Probably knew our secrets before we even sat down.
Vibe Check Imagine your favorite house party from 2009 if no one had cleaned up since—but like, in a sexy, intentional way. It’s dark, loud, graffitied, and full of people who look like they could lend you a lighter and ruin your weekend in a good way. No pretension. All mess.
The Space Itself The space is unhinged in the best way:
There’s a dollhouse of the actual bar, because why not
The hallway to the bathroom is lined with graffiti, busted theatre seats, and deep emotional risk
The bathroom itself is a literature major on acid—you could spend 45 minutes reading the walls if you’re high, and honestly? 10/10 recommend
Warning: If you have ADHD, this bathroom is an immersive theme park. Enter at your own risk. You may never leave. You may also feel deeply understood.
About the Neighborhood Right near Ossington, Toronto’s unofficial runway of curated cool. You can throw a rock and hit a microbrewery, a concept art gallery, and someone in a $300 beanie. This place? It’s not trying to be cool—it just is. Wasted Youth feels like the dive bar Ossington wishes it had the guts to be. I’m coming back. Obviously.
Hits & Misses ✓ $4 Jameson—Toronto’s last great deal ✓ Bartender deserves a memoir ✓ Bathroom = cryptic treasure map for the very stoned ✓ Unexpected T-shirt compliments from strangers ✓ Vibe for the misfits, the wasted, and the weird ✗ You will question your life choices mid-pee ✗ Patio is more like a metaphor
Final Verdict Wasted Youth isn’t just a bar—it’s a fever dream with good lighting and no judgment. The drinks are cheap, the people are wild, and the bathroom might double as an escape room. If you’re wearing a questionable T-shirt, they’ll probably love you for it. If not, just order the shot and shut up. This is my new go-to in the west end. Tell Ossington I’m cheating.
Perfect For
Getting weird without apology
Wearing clothes that start conversations and possibly fights
hugh daddario
Broad range of wonderful music, lovely staff who are fun and accommodating, cool artwork on the walls and restrooms, and cheap booze. Best bar in the city hands down
Bosko Jokic
The ambiance is relaxing, the music is chill and reasonably priced drinks just keep flowing
Japhet Bower
The best industry bar in the city.
Daniel Kim
Everyone who works here is super friendly, the drinks are very affordable, and the atmosphere is great for either somber solo drinking or intimate conversations. Their back patio is also very nice when it’s open. It’s a little dark inside so be prepared.
Billy M
Exactly what you would want in a local spot. Owner/operator always around. Everyone knows your name and drink preference. The kind of place you can sink into a chair and blend in for a few hours. Mike is a salt-of-the-earth kinda guy who will be your best friend within minutes.
William Crothers
A little biased as I'm friends with the owner Mike, but here it goes. Very happy this place made a successful transition to its new location on Dundas just West of Ossington. I'll miss the subway line access the free Buck Hunter at the previous location, but not a bad trade for a patio space off the back. Quintessential dive bar. Cheapest drink specials I've come across in the city (usuals include a Jameson special, and/or a beer plus shot combo), plus Mike's a very solid mixologist (would recommend an Old Fashioned). Good mix of local crafts and domestics. Doesn't operate with a kitchen but in some ways fills a gap by being friendly to outside food, which can help on the affordability of a night out. Classic Toronto long skinny bar layout with little tables (2-4 person) at the front, and seating for bigger groups towards the back. Spring-Fall rear patio space for some sun. Great vibe, encourages conversation and friend-making. No TV distractions, indie/eclectic taste for tunes. Highly recommend.
Miles
Legitimately—and without exaggeration—the best bar in the city. Welcoming, fun, and unpretentious. As a gay man, finding a dive bar that feels safe isn't always a given, which is why I truly appreciate the work that the staff do to make this a space for everyone. Wasted Youth for president!
Bartender over served one patron then proceeded to take away full drinks from any and everyone associated with her AFTER they kicked out the person who they were no longer serving. Owner was power tripping and very unprofessional while the accompanied bartender was poorly trained in service and smart serve. As someone in the service industry, I try to be understanding of difficult situations but this is the poorest service I’ve ever witnessed. I also saw a mouse in the washroom to top it off, yikes. Extremely disappointing.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Kurtis Vickers
This place took my money for a double and then cleared my drink as soon as I put it down to pee. They didn’t offer anything in return
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Admin NPR
This place is great! Where else in Toronto can you get $10-12 cocktails and $6 specialty shots?!?!! Mike & crew work hard to provide a night out you won’t forget. Don’t miss this gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Murphy Ross (The.Dirty.North.Boss)
Josh is amazing!
Peter Moore
Cozy bar with great staff and good prices. Also has Flor de Caña rum. When it's busy, it becomes super humid inside. More ventilation would be good.
Wheelchair accessibility: Bathrooms are downstairs and inaccessible to people in wheelchairs.
Great ambience, great service, excellent ppl. As punk bars go, this place is elite.
Wonderful bar with great music, great beer selection and great staff. Lovely times on the back patio and at the bar.
The Wyck Recommendation: Wasted Youth (Dundas West)
Rating: 4.0/5
Smiles, Shots, and Sinkhole Charm
Intro Scene
We walked in somewhere between “let’s just have one” and “we might never leave.” Within minutes we were knocking back Jameson and beer combos, chatting up a bartender who radiated actually wants to be here energy, and being complimented by a random couple on my “I Love Older Women” T-shirt. Maybe I’m the older woman now. Maybe Wasted Youth is a mirror. A filthy, graffitied, $4-shot mirror.
What Was Ordered
Several Jameson & beer combos, obviously—$11–12, repeatable
$4 Jameson shots, which is basically a public utility
Wasted Youth Blonde Ale—solid, easy, non-threatening
Stared at the Fuck Juice on the menu. Didn’t have it. Didn’t need to. Just knowing it exists is enough.
Service Commentary
The bartender? MVP. Big grin, no judgment, and managed the entire bar like he’d taken a course in Zen and mixology. Didn’t blink when we kept ordering more, didn’t flinch when we asked about the dollhouse replica. Probably knew our secrets before we even sat down.
Vibe Check
Imagine your favorite house party from 2009 if no one had cleaned up since—but like, in a sexy, intentional way. It’s dark, loud, graffitied, and full of people who look like they could lend you a lighter and ruin your weekend in a good way. No pretension. All mess.
The Space Itself
The space is unhinged in the best way:
There’s a dollhouse of the actual bar, because why not
The hallway to the bathroom is lined with graffiti, busted theatre seats, and deep emotional risk
The bathroom itself is a literature major on acid—you could spend 45 minutes reading the walls if you’re high, and honestly? 10/10 recommend
Warning: If you have ADHD, this bathroom is an immersive theme park. Enter at your own risk. You may never leave. You may also feel deeply understood.
About the Neighborhood
Right near Ossington, Toronto’s unofficial runway of curated cool. You can throw a rock and hit a microbrewery, a concept art gallery, and someone in a $300 beanie. This place? It’s not trying to be cool—it just is. Wasted Youth feels like the dive bar Ossington wishes it had the guts to be. I’m coming back. Obviously.
Hits & Misses
✓ $4 Jameson—Toronto’s last great deal
✓ Bartender deserves a memoir
✓ Bathroom = cryptic treasure map for the very stoned
✓ Unexpected T-shirt compliments from strangers
✓ Vibe for the misfits, the wasted, and the weird
✗ You will question your life choices mid-pee
✗ Patio is more like a metaphor
Final Verdict
Wasted Youth isn’t just a bar—it’s a fever dream with good lighting and no judgment. The drinks are cheap, the people are wild, and the bathroom might double as an escape room. If you’re wearing a questionable T-shirt, they’ll probably love you for it. If not, just order the shot and shut up. This is my new go-to in the west end. Tell Ossington I’m cheating.
Perfect For
Getting weird without apology
Wearing clothes that start conversations and possibly fights
Broad range of wonderful music, lovely staff who are fun and accommodating, cool artwork on the walls and restrooms, and cheap booze. Best bar in the city hands down
The ambiance is relaxing, the music is chill and reasonably priced drinks just keep flowing
The best industry bar in the city.
Everyone who works here is super friendly, the drinks are very affordable, and the atmosphere is great for either somber solo drinking or intimate conversations. Their back patio is also very nice when it’s open. It’s a little dark inside so be prepared.
Exactly what you would want in a local spot. Owner/operator always around. Everyone knows your name and drink preference. The kind of place you can sink into a chair and blend in for a few hours. Mike is a salt-of-the-earth kinda guy who will be your best friend within minutes.
A little biased as I'm friends with the owner Mike, but here it goes. Very happy this place made a successful transition to its new location on Dundas just West of Ossington. I'll miss the subway line access the free Buck Hunter at the previous location, but not a bad trade for a patio space off the back. Quintessential dive bar. Cheapest drink specials I've come across in the city (usuals include a Jameson special, and/or a beer plus shot combo), plus Mike's a very solid mixologist (would recommend an Old Fashioned). Good mix of local crafts and domestics. Doesn't operate with a kitchen but in some ways fills a gap by being friendly to outside food, which can help on the affordability of a night out. Classic Toronto long skinny bar layout with little tables (2-4 person) at the front, and seating for bigger groups towards the back. Spring-Fall rear patio space for some sun. Great vibe, encourages conversation and friend-making. No TV distractions, indie/eclectic taste for tunes. Highly recommend.
Legitimately—and without exaggeration—the best bar in the city. Welcoming, fun, and unpretentious. As a gay man, finding a dive bar that feels safe isn't always a given, which is why I truly appreciate the work that the staff do to make this a space for everyone. Wasted Youth for president!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Bartender over served one patron then proceeded to take away full drinks from any and everyone associated with her AFTER they kicked out the person who they were no longer serving. Owner was power tripping and very unprofessional while the accompanied bartender was poorly trained in service and smart serve. As someone in the service industry, I try to be understanding of difficult situations but this is the poorest service I’ve ever witnessed. I also saw a mouse in the washroom to top it off, yikes. Extremely disappointing.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
This place took my money for a double and then cleared my drink as soon as I put it down to pee. They didn’t offer anything in return
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
This place is great! Where else in Toronto can you get $10-12 cocktails and $6 specialty shots?!?!! Mike & crew work hard to provide a night out you won’t forget. Don’t miss this gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Josh is amazing!
Cozy bar with great staff and good prices. Also has Flor de Caña rum. When it's busy, it becomes super humid inside. More ventilation would be good.
Wheelchair accessibility: Bathrooms are downstairs and inaccessible to people in wheelchairs.
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 5
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