n a section of Queen West that's well known for used appliance stores and vintage-wear sits a dark armchair of a bar that aspires to do nothing more than provide comfort liquids and funky surroundings - the ultimate commodity in a 'hood threatened by the onslaught of young professionals.

751, occupying the space of The Ancient and the forgettable Munster Hall, brought to us by the same folk who brought us the Queenshead Pub. And like its brethren, this bar is the antithesis of trendy. From the street, there’s very little to indicate there’s a bar beyond those walls. But entering the threshold reveals the owners’ eye for eclectic decor (the clunky furniture comes from various movie sets) in a lantern-lit, two-level living room bathed in red patterned wallpaper, easily passing for a budget brothel - one that serves potent cocktails very, very cheap.

Since the bar's opening, the base clientele has already developed a wandering eye for the more trendy drinkeries down the street, while lots of creatures of the night with pale skin and dark wardrobes have moved in. You won't find too many coolios or swingers here, but the smaller, still-cool goth set gatherings make it easy to find a velvety nook of your own. Nearby gallery owner types and naïfs are also dipping in here for their late night libations.

While 751 is open at 5:00 PM, the place doesn’t really get off the ground until after the witching hour. It's fair to say that the phases of the moon have a decided impact on the evening's festivities, and depending on the time of year, the Queen Street kids don’t usually appear until very late in the evening. Otherwise, they risk being exposed to sunlight.

Although 751 is currently accommodating one of the darkest of musical genres appropriate for the area - championing the work of everyone from Siouxsie Sioux to Marilyn Manson - it has recently succumbed to the cocktail culture, featuring the likes of Michael Pickett playing every a few sets every Thursday. Self-respecting vampires everywhere must be spinning in their casket-shaped beds. – D.E.