t’s nearly midnight on a Friday night, and Lobby (the new restaurant/lounge/club, which, by the way, is fabulous) has become the centre of the universe. The congestion is extreme, and extremely good-looking. In passing we hear the doorman say to a waiting couple, “...it’s just that we have staff with a certain look and a like clientele.”

Everyone wants a piece of this hotel-less lounge. But considering our travails as dutiful cocktailers, it seems only appropriate to take another look at a neighbouring lounge, actually in a hotel: The Roof Lounge

It is here we have a bar - alas, not in a lobby - as urbane at 8 p.m. as it is at midnight, serving social lubricants meant to be enjoyed instead of comprehended, where there are no velvet ropes and no I’m-so-fabulous-because-I’m-friends-with-Uma-and-Ethan. A place so flatteringly lit that if you don’t look good there, you should quietly excuse yourself, and go home.

The only cognitive obstacle you have to get past is that the Roof Lounge is fifty-six years old, which means your grandparents may have been here and enjoyed this room while your parents were still learning the alphabet. And bartender Joe Gomes, here for forty-five of those years, surely has lewd stories about them.

In 1930, The Park Hyatt - having taken three years to construct - opened its doors to the eager public. In postwar 1947, the Roof Lounge appeared, establishing itself as the archetype of the laid back hotel lounge to which newer spots so strenuously aspire. Located in the 18th floor, Roof Lounge is done up as a parlour, avoiding both overly ironic self-consciousness and overly theme-parky nostalgia. It feels natural, not forced - and so do the offerings.

Occupying a small, yet whimsical space, the décor mingles a 1940's nightlife theme with a late 70's hotel lounge motif. Roof Lounge’s crisp appeal, accented in deep suede wall coverings and rich leathers, does its best to create the air of the neo-metropolitan bar in the sky that it is. Clusters of distressed leather armchairs, a fireplace and in one corner wall, a collection of Donato sketches of famous Roof Lounge regulars throughout the years.

The patio, clearly the best seat in the house, offers a spectacular view from almost any angle of the small deck. I dare you to step into the Roof Lounge and not want a table overlooking the city. In fact, I double-dare you to refrain from tossing your pimento-stuffed olives down into Lobby’s door staff and like clientele. It can't be done, it defies the laws of physics, physiology, anthropology. For proof, witness my own strenuous efforts.

Like many nightspots of this calibre on the Toronto scene, the clientele is equal parts shi-shi and fashionably fabulous with a splash of out-of-towner thrown in, all aiming to relax and enjoy the ambient surroundings. It’s no wonder that on our way out, we given a warning by a regular: “Just tell your friends, not acquaintances.”

Upshot: Fifty-six years ago, Toronto fell for this roof-top lounge. Today, the relationship is as strong as ever.
- Don Ellis.


Write a Review

Experience the Old Boys Club
Randy Hendricks, Toronto
Sept. 2, 2004
Here's a nice laid back bar and lounge, with the original tin ceiling, tiled floor, and good value for your money. Its been around forever. (time to change the tablecloths?..( Bad joke.. sorry) Great cocktail list, outstanding hamburgers, big salads. Food fare ranges from $8.00 to $14.00. Experience what the Old Boys Club bars were like back in the 'good ol days'.


Great place to be-seen.
Lauren, Toronto
Sept. 1, 2004
While the Roof Lounge isn't the biggest place in Toronto's lounge scene, it holds a great view. Trying to get a table on a friday night can be difficult, but it is worth it. It's a great place to be-seen. The service can be extremely slow, espically on busy nights, but the atmosphere makes up for it. They also have great speciality drinks made by the bartender. The mini-outdoor patio is very nice in the summer, but it fills up fast. The warm atmosphere, think fireplace and comfy couches, makes it great for socializing.


best martini in town
T. Steinberg, Toronto,
August 30, 2004
The best martini in town, the best gratis munchies with the best bartenders who have been around since the dawn of the century. Not to mention a great view and a great location!


not a highbrow
Aug 6, 2003
Danielle Ariel, Toronto, On
My boyfriend and I had a drink on the patio, but the area is so small and overcrowded. Bartender had a little bit of an attitude, but what bartender doesn't. Were told the wait for an inside table would be 30 minutes, but it was actually 10, so that was good. Great food, awesome filet mignon, server was not a highbrow which we like. We'll be back!


The Roof Lounge at the Park Hyatt
Perry de Man, Toronto, ON
Sept 22, 2002
You ask me about the food - I don't know. I go for the late night ambiance. The bartenders who have been there for probably 30 years still make the best champagne cocktail, and on a warm night the outdoor patio boasts a great view of downtown Toronto.