Hard Luck Bar — Restaurant in Toronto

Rude staff, power tripping security guards, and place isn't clean.

There's a security outside as if he owns the place, telling people to line up in a straight line, and to enter in groups of two. Then begun to shout to a customer, simply because he didn't go in a group of two. You don't want to block the sidewalk so people can get by, great. But no need to be so aggressive. Does someone need to be called and singled out because of this..

Upon entering the bar I was told I MUST pay for coat service because I'm a minor. Even after telling the security guard I had no cash as I wasn't aware of this policy, he demanded that I take money using the ATM (which by the way, takes a $3 fee). So $7 to hang up my jacket which I was REQUIRED to do.

Before entering the bar, they drew an X on both of my hands. After wasting $7, I had to use the restroom. When I came out, I was confronted by a security guard who again thought he owned the place. Was talking down to me asking why the Xs they drew on my hands faded... Maybe because I actually wash my hands after using the restroom. They faded, it happens.. Someone who is paying to be at your venue should not be treated with disrespect like this. I've done nothing wrong. Kindly ask me to come down to have them drawn back on or come back up with a better solution to prevent minors from driving instead of making markings on them. Totally unprofessional.

On a more positive note, the bands were good. Even though the sound could have been a lot better.

The only time I would ever go back here is if a band or artist I liked rarely plays in Toronto. Other than that, I would not suggest going to this place. The other reviews speak for themselves.. The place is run by a bunch of unprofessional, rude employees and security guards who think...

Honestly the worst experience I have ever had here. My boyfriend and I went to the Hard Luck Bar for the first time to see our friends show and were treated awful. When we arrived we stood outside of the building beside the bar and were eating our fries from McDonalds before going in. The bouncer came up to us and asked if we were here for the show, we said yes and he asked us to move further away from the venue. We were really confused as we were not in front of the bar but we moved further anyway. He then came over and said you two your done go home your not coming in here to which we asked why and he said because we didn't move far enough. We finished our fries and went to the door to get our wristbands and the bouncer said did you not hear what I said you are not coming in. We asked again why and said we didn't understand what we did wrong to which he mimicked us and said we were pretending not to understand. My boyfriend then took out his phone to take a picture of the front so we can show our friend we were outside. The bouncer grabbed my boyfriend's phone out of his hands, took it and went upstairs with it. We tried to get it back from him when another security guard came. We explained the situation to him and as we went back downstairs the first bouncer decided to let us in. As we were walking up the stairs he threatened us saying if we took out our phones again he would take it and not give it back to us. We decided this was borderline harrassment at this point and decided to leave. We didn't even get to see our friends show. We are totally disgusted with how we were treated and are never going back...

Corrupt security. Even though my band was booked as a headliner, I was denied entry on the grounds that I didn't have an Ontario drivers licence. I am 32 years of age. The rest of my band were not carded or hassled and were granted entry. After a while, I was able to load-in, but when I returned with my guitar in hand I was denied entry. They were rude and demanded an apology to gain entry to the venue, which I refused because no insults were made whatsoever. They let me in after I agreed to let them draw X's on my hands and not be seen with booze in my hands inside the venue. After I was allowed inside, they were limiting the amount of times I was allowed outside. They said I was allowed to leave only once for 10 minutes within eyeshot of the doorman, for the rest of the night (last call 4am). Once outside, the doorman refused to let me back in. Gestapo doorman accepted a bribe from a by-stander to let me in. He took the money. I called him out on it, exposing the blatant corrution. He then banned me from entering for the rest of the night. I had two sets booked that night. I played both sets at the beginning of the night in order for the paying guests to get what they paid for. To anyone looking to perform in Toronto...try Coalition t.o. instead !! The doorman was bearded, wore a baseball cap, and a "dragged in" t-shirt. He didn't tell...