hey don’t believe in empty wall space at The Stones Place. A quick glance around the space will reveal something dedicated to The Rolling Stones, hence, one would surmise, the classification as The Rolling Stones theme bar. Guitars. Photographs. Records. Newspaper clippings. All bases are covered, right down to the classic tongue emblems; the entire space is a dedicated shrine, with 38 years of Stones memorabilia collected by the owner, Jerry Stone. Even the hallway leading to the washrooms is wallpapered with tabloid covers of stories about the group.

The front resembles a tavern with a 20-foot-long bar and eating area, yet as you move towards the back, you enter the VooDoo lounge which has another bar and a more private sitting area. The Stones Place is classified as a lounge, yet the vintage open-concept of the place inside actually makes it feel like a house party in someone’s very posh basement.

There is a vast selection of couches and retro coffee tables, privately secluded sitting areas, two bars, a couple of pool tables, a fish tank, a stage and a dance floor in the 5,000 square feet of the establishment. It’s interesting (for lack of a better word), almost like a Stones Museum, only inside the wine is flowing, the beers are circulating, and a happening party erupts at the drop of a dime.

Whether you’re a Stones fan or not, the lounge is surprisingly diverse, accommodating myriad of music preferences - from big hair tribute bands, live performances, to pop, rap and hip-hop DJ’s spinning, the lounge’s elevated dance floor gets filled very quickly. The “Big Primpin” rap nights have achieved a huge gay following, and the place has come to be particularly gay friendly. If you’re a straight single, I’ll be straight with you, perhaps this may not be the venue of preference for a hook up, and be careful on the dance floor ‘cause its all game! Some of us learned this a few broken-hearts later.