'm sorry - we're having a private party tonight," the host at the door sneers to a woman in a vintage Chanel knockoff.

"No, you're not," she says. "I'm in the middle of dinner. I stepped out for a cigarette. You even opened the door for me."

The host pretends to study a piece of paper. "Love your hair," the host says. "Have fun."

It’s Thursday night, and we’re at Amber. The subterranean room contains a slightly bourgeois crowd lingering over post-dinner cocktails, while beyond, and up a flight of stairs, a few dozen attractive people are mixing things up on a bleached-wood patio. A small crowd. Only a select few are getting in.

If ever there was a long running on-again-off-again It Spot, it's Amber. While other Toronto nightspots attempt to lure in the city's nouveau cosmo crowd with theme nights and pricey cocktails, Amber’s got a faithful following hooked because the lounge - along with owner Toufik Sarwa - is all heart.

But that heart, for first-timers arriving at Amber at near-capacity times, can turn to stone. The Yorkville über-lounge (running parallel to Old York Lane) has a smaller capacity than most other upscale lounges, and the regulars - your typical scenester types - will have an easier time getting the green light.

Yet, clubgoers just love to be where people much more fabulous than themselves are schmoozing and taking up that high-designed square-footage, preventing their own admittance, leaving them helplessly wishing themselves a way in. Amber maintains its 'see-and-be-seen spot' hip quotient by being fresh and alive, while other gems have fallen by the wayside.

That freshness for the summer is in the newly redesigned patio - a long, secluded Moroccan-themed space with enticing whitewashed walls, a glistening bar and puffy couches in which to lounge. Stylish molded-plastic chairs sit in front of white cocktail tables, the space all wrapped up in bleached sundeck setting.

To pacify the club kids and sun worshipers alike, owner Toufik had latticed panels and bamboo placed overhead to elevate the level of harmonious qi - good energy in the feng-shui lexicon - giving the space the appropriate sense of movement and flow.

A strict door policy finds staff noticing people who perhaps weren’t granted admittance on a busy night - Thursday to Saturday - will return yet again in order to earn their stripes on a down night like Tuesday or Wednesday.

And there you have it; a new regular is born.

Upshot: Amber’s quiet but ever-so-sexy harmony kicks other Yorkville clubs' Prada-clad bootys in the ongoing nightspot battle.
- Don Ellis, martiniboys.com



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Reader's Reviews

It's all about that patio.
kara fox, new york city,
Sept. 1, 2004
it's all about being on the outside/upper back patio: great place to be to mingle with an interesting crowd. i have been known to convince passersby in the laneway to come on in, aswell as patrons in the bar across to abandon their drinks and join me and my friends out on the amber terrace.


Suck back a few chic drinks
Pamela, Toronto,
Sept. 9, 2004
Now this is an exaggerated cul-de-sac in the heart of yorkville. Amber boasts of fabulously dressed individuals however, without much class or intrigue. Probably the only good part about Amber is the people-watching, oh, and its locale. A good place to hang out after work during the week to suck back a few chic drinks and to people watch for about an hour or two. I wouldn't even bother with buying dinner - way too over-priced for what they serve. Other than that, there isn't all that much that this widely-talked about place offers.


Always a scene
tim, Toronto,
Sept, 1, 2004
great place, fantastic service, the stand and model crowd needs to get a life and drink a little more, bottle service is a PLUS. warm summer nights, great place, fun, exciting, always a scene to be seen at.


i suggest another
Amber, Toronto
August 20, 2004
This was definitely the worst restaurnt experience I've had in along time. Our server "Jo" was horrible. The food took forever to get to us and when we got finally got it, it was cold and it wasn't even busy in the restaurant. If you do have a chance to check this restaurant out, because usually its great, then i suggest another server.


pretentious/glamorous/famous
O., Toronto
April 12,2003
Amber is like walking into a really great party thrown by your best friend. Have been to pretty much every supposedly 'trendy' bar from Dubai to Dusseldorf and in my humble opinion Amber is one of TO's best! Was the first place i went out in TO after moving here 3 years ago and its STILL my favourite. I dont know how they do it because there are so many amazing new places but somehow for great strong drinks- almost always a great crowd - and great food (when the kitchen is open), Amber is a winner. A lot of people say you need to be pretentious/glamorous/famous and all that crap to fit in here but if trivial stuff like that makes you too insecure to have a good time then you dont belong here anyway. i dont remember ever 'dressing up' to get into amber and i have enjoyed the warmest reception everytime. And for all the guys who think its too much of a 'gay' bar - i challenge them to find a patio with hotter/more beautiful, more stylish and more fun girls than Amber's.


A place to cool my heels
Jessie, Toronto, ON
August 24, 2002
This tiny lounge has been by far the best place to go in Toronto to grab a Martini (beware their drinks are strong!) and chill while listening to some cool beats. The bartender was great! Very attentive. The decor is upscale and cool whie being extremely cozy. I live in NYC and I hate visting T.O. because I know there are no cute lounges. Well, i've finally found a place to cool my heels in between shopping in Yorkville and as a great starting place to get liquidfied before the late night partying begins.


If ya can't take the heat...
Gregg Horvath, Toronto, ON
April. 10, 2002
Amber is snotty. Yorkville is Snotty. I like snotty. it makes weird strangers too scared to come up and talk to you. The drinks are strong and good and the music is loud and wonderful. If you don't go on a weekend night you won't hate it as much. live a little.


Has totally changed...
O, Toronto
November 1, 2004
I would like to retract what I had previously written because this place has totally changed and I dont want to mislead people with that review.