.334	The Chelsea Room		Complete list
undas West is growing up, a concept The Chelsea Room is banking on. The owners of the funky new lounge at Trinity-Bellwoods, a virtual dead zone in nightlife-speak, have set their sights on an upscale party crowd - and just might have the goods to pull it off.   Brock Shepherd of Azul Restaurant has a knack for finding great spaces and turning them into cool playgrounds for the artsy local crowd. When he and Fadi Hakim (Citron), Michael McInroy (Canopy Café) and Josh D'Auria met for drinks one night, they found themselves mutually disappointed with the lack of imagination in cocktails offered throughout the city. There were only a few places in town, they pondered, where cocktail alchemy - not atmosphere - reigns supreme. They decided to take cocktail matters into their own hands; they would produce a liquid lounge that takes cocktails and spirits to a new level. Sheppard and team soon heard that a venerable bar on Dundas West was available; they moved quickly to secure it. The Chelsea Room, it would be called, in the very space that once housed The Shag. They painted the ceiling black, installed leatherette seating along the walls and populated one entire room with a tiled martini bar. Drawing on their close ties to the arts community, they created an inviting atmosphere that's also relaxed, fun and garnering plenty of buzz - that most elusive of qualities. While Sheppard’s Azul features urban comfort foods, The Chelsea Room - or TCR, as so dubbed in the press release - is pure cocktail lounge. Featuring signature cocktails made with ingredients like infused vodkas, flavoured tequilas and Earl Grey Tea. One night, a wildly popular Tequini (Gold Tequila, grapefruit juice and rosewater) kept the chill crowd happy. Many of TCR’s cocktails have complicated ingredients - but often it's just that additional splash, dash or float of a juice or liqueur to propel the drink into that divine rank. In some ways, the TCR is the lounge equivalent to Azul, giving cocktail lovers the option to get their groove on out on the west side. Be warned, the decor is not extravagant here - not a feng shui waterfall in sight. Aside from a polished, back-lit bar, TCR’s interior looks like blackened carne asada. Its primary creature comforts are dozens of vinyl chairs filling out the two- room club. TCR does have food; as a subtle reminder that TCR is high-end cocktail, low-end cuisine, entrées are served in little bento boxes, familiar to most of us as Swanson TV Dinners. Egged on by new neighbouring venues such as The Communist’s Daughter and If Lounge, TCR is strategically located in what could be the next big thing. Nestled beneath a psychic’s office, it’s a sweet entry to an area that used to draw more car thieves than hipsters. TCR’s owners took a chance, and are attracting all kinds of young adventurers to the area with a very friendly place to chill out. Let’s just hope the cocktails don’t get stale in the process. Upshot: TCR has hot turntablists and a lo-fi ambiance for another reason to take the party west. - Don Ellis, martiniboys.com Review this Place Reader Reviews pure 416 bar with 416 style. Chelsea Room, Lawrence, Toronto Surrounded by little Portuguese shops and dank Vietnamese karoke bars, this bar dominates the Dundas West strip. Ideal for anyone that likes College St - but not the 905-cockaroaches in their suped up honda's taking up all the parking. The beats are fat, the drinks are a plenty and the patrons didn't shop at Le Crapeau for their outfits. This is a pure 416 bar with 416 style. The Chelsea Room "Boom Boom" Bautista September, 21, 2004 Held my b-day xtravaganza at Chelsea after G.P. gave me the 411 on the joint and...NICE!...Cool vibes, HOT bartenders and Rockin' DJs...Been going back ever since. Work the weekend vibe though also love Thurs. nights 2...U don't go for the food, u go for the delectable beverages and the ambiance...D.Bautista I LOVE HATE! May 21, 2004 Great Place. Good Booze. Killer Grooves. Shout out to "THE JUKEBOX HEROES"(DJ's on thurs.)!!!!! MR.MOZO: "I LOVE HATE!" Sometimes I just draw a blank LWG, Toronto April 29, 2004 It's a good place to have a drink and the staff is friendly except for shaved redhead dude (he's a little odd) Also, they need new paintings on the walls...sometimes I just draw a blank when I stare at them too long. sweet spot ad, toronto AUGUST 11, 2003 After scouting the city for some inventive yet yummy drinks, I was really happy to finally arrive at TCR. Not only do these guys have a knack for elevating your taste buds to a state of nirvana - they also succeed in creating a totally laid back, comfortable and unpretentious little sweet spot. The staff is equally welcoming and just so damn nice. I'm going back with bells on. watermelon mojito Noix, Toronto August 1, 2003 The Chelsea Room really 'Rocks' in a low key but, hi-energy all at the same time sense of the word. I guess because of the cool and dark ambience mixed with some serious hi-ocatane cocktails (my personal favourite & by special request: watermelon mojito) and killer dj beats from ambient to classic 80's stadium rock make this place truly an awesome evening out. Add some great locals, good-looking but, unpretentious staff and hilarious dj's-you're guaranteed a wonderful time. Now if only a hot dog vendor could park his cart right at TCR's corner for some more culinary options. cool but cozy Melanie, Toronto July 25, 2003 The atmosphere is cool but cozy. The wild drinks are great fun to sample and overindulge in, especially on the sunlite patio! Thursday nights the DJ is amazing, playing tunes ranging across the decades, exactly what you would play at you own house party! inventive... and yummy! T Toronto July 23, 2003 I went there last week for a birthday and it was great. The only problem that I had was that my car got stolen from out front. So if you go there don't volunteer to be the designated driver cause it's more fun to just get hammered then to have your car stolen. Take a cab. inventive... and yummy! July 11, 2003 Tracey, Toronto Had a wonderful time. The atmosphere is hip (but not pretentious). The design is sleek, the drinks are inventive (and yummy!) and the staff is friendly and accommodating. Highly recommended! Caroline, Toronto June 15, 2003 I went there the other night on a whim with some friends and had an absolutely fabulous time. The cocktails are delicious, the music was amazing and the guys that work there are really nice, and cute. hungry for tv dinners! May 8, 2003 JAS, Toronto, ON Went there with three couples...what a great time!! The guys had us drinking these wild and wonderful martinis, which they now fondly refer to as "cocktails". All of us loved the back room. If your a alcohol lover and hungry for tv dinners the chesea room could rock your world. Would have given 4 stars if they had the pork tv dinner.			The Chelsea Room WHERE 923 Dundas Street West Toronto, ON PHONE 416 . 364 . 0553 Website thechelsearoom.com AREA Dundas/Bellwoods VENUE Cocktail Lounge COST $$ (no cover) HOURS Daily 5:00 pm - 2:00 am PAYMENT INFO cash, Amex, Visa, Mastercard SIGNATURE DRINK Aromatic Absole