Function Bar + Kitchen — Restaurant in Toronto

Hidden Gem with Great Vibes and Craft Beer

I found Function Bar through Instagram and, after seeing all the glowing reviews, decided to give it a shot — and I’m so glad I did!

Parking was surprisingly easy with plenty of nearby paid lots and street parking. I checked the location on the map beforehand, so finding it wasn’t an issue, but I can see how someone might miss the entrance — it’s tucked between other businesses. It really feels like a hidden gem in the neighborhood.

The atmosphere was fantastic! It wasn’t overly crowded on a Friday night, which surprised me given the great weather. The place really came alive from around 10 pm until we left at 1 am. The live music was exactly what I was hoping for. We got to enjoy Chic’n Waffles — a band that played a fun mix of old-school R&B and reggae covers. The vibe was upbeat, mature, and super enjoyable — perfect for a laid-back night out.

The craft beer selection was impressive, with a strong focus on local breweries. It was refreshing to see no generic imports on the menu. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and helped us pick out a couple of great IPAs to try.

The only downside? The $10 cover felt a bit steep, especially considering the menu prices were on the higher side too. While the food options looked interesting, the cost made us think twice about ordering more.

That said, everything else made up for it. The bathrooms were spotless (seriously, they were surprisingly spacious and fresh for a basement spot), and the staff was welcoming and attentive.

All in all, I had a great time and would love to come back — especially to catch another band and explore more of the beer list. If you’re looking for a fun night out with good vibes, live music, and an impressive craft beer selection, Function Bar is worth...

I never leave reviews, I prefer to give places my continued business. That being said I'm gonna make an exception here. Pre-covid, Function was my after work hangout. No matter what the time or how busy they were, the staff there were amazing and always seemed happy when myself and others came down the stairs. Most of us often greeted by name. When Toronto went to stage 3, how happy was I when I found out they had survived and were able to reopen. That didn't last long as everything had changed.

Strike 1 The staff are no longer there and when I messaged some of them I was told they were all let go for dubious reasons. I couldn't believe it , these guys were what made Function Bar what it was. And now they're replaced by someone who when asked about the beers was no more helpful than the chalkboard sign behind him.

Strike 2 The beer selection has been destroyed with roughly a third of the selection from before. This bar was known as the premium craft beer bar in Midtown , it's what made it stand apart from its competition. Don't get me started on the food. I was hoping they still had the pulled pork sandwich, nope replaced by overpriced dishes that dont make any sense. I'm sorry but $21 for sliders, when before I could get either burger & fries for around $16.

Strike 3 This incident actually is what led me to write this review and I've been in two minds to actually post it. A couple of weeks ago, someone who is now associated with Function Bar made a posting about "putting the fun back into Function". I disagreed based on my above opinions. I was instantly DM'ed and attacked. If I was on the edge about returning to this bar, this interaction pushed me over. Never going...

Based on the reviews I thought this place was gonna be great. Came here the other night and was extremely disappointed. Service was good but the food was awful. We had the calamari, which was cooked ok but zero seasoning and the breading was crusty and just fell off. Tried the rotating eggroll filling, which was made with poutine, again no flavour. Soggy fries with cheese curds and a questionable sauce - it was watery and no flavour. I had the chicken and waffles which also lacked flavour. They used chicken thighs which made the breading soggy. The waffles tasted as if they came from a box and it was served with yet again another questionable sauce - you would think they would have served it with syrup but it was watery and had no flavour! My bf had the mac chicken with fries which was also made with dark meat and left the breading soggy. The fries were soggy and had zero seasoning not even salt. They were nice enough to comp us with 2 different ice creams and a creme brulee. The captain crunch ice cream was good but the other one was was overchurned and the brulee was pretty much pudding - too thick. We noticed people around us were only having drinks. I can see why. Would...