Looking for date ideas in Toronto
January 21, 2010 5:41 PM   Subscribe

Somebody please give me a great idea for a charming date in Toronto! (Bonus points for something happening this weekend)

Background - 30ish couple, it's early in the whole dating thing, so not really looking for a weekend getaway, price is not really an issue (within reason), and neither is location (we can be mobile). Mostly looking for interesting things to see or do on a Saturday night (and in particular this Saturday night) with dinner and/or drinks wrapped around it in some way. I'm pretty well versed in the food and drink scene around town, but if there's any place in particular that screams perfect 3rd date to you, I'd love to hear it.

I know all the local sites have their "perfect date" pages, but they're mostly restaurant suggestions, not charmingly romantic and inspired ideas. I also know it's a taste thing and You Are Not My Date but I'd love to hear what you come up with. I'm fresh out of new ideas (after movies, plays, and, well, that's about it). There has to be something brilliant I haven't thought of that makes a 4th date a gimme, right?
posted by anonymous to Society & Culture (8 answers total)
 
On my third date with my husband, he took me to Le Select Bistro, except it was at the old location on Queen. Their bread baskets were attached to the ceiling on strings so you had to raise and lower the basket when you needed bread. Then he took me back to his place where we drank Shiraz and he showed me slides from his travels in Nepal and Greece.

And the rest as they say, in history...

But that is not answering your question. Gladstone Hotel is doing 'Come Up To My Room' this weekend, and it's open Saturday until 10 pm. I think doing dinner at the Beaver or maybe further east at Oddfellows or Swan followed by 'Come Up to My Room,' maybe followed by drunken karaoke, would totally make me want to go on a fourth date with someone. But please note: if you go to the Gladstone after for karaoke, you will see me there. I'll be the one tripping and falling as I step onstage to sing a terribly chosen song.
posted by jennyhead at 6:25 PM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]


Come Up to my Room is my suggestion as well. The exhibition runs until 10 PM on Saturday, the opening reception is from 7 til 10 and the Love Design Party is from 10 PM til 2 AM. It's $8 to get in, reception and LD party are free once you're inside. Keep in mind that CUTMR will likely be packed. Really, really packed. But it will be fun (so long as neither you nor your date dislike crowds).
posted by Felicity Rilke at 7:29 PM on January 21, 2010


The Toronto Country Dancers are having a contra dance this Saturday. There is a class for new people at 7pm.
posted by jb at 7:54 PM on January 21, 2010


I really liked the Bymark restaurant and bar.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:24 PM on January 21, 2010


- There are really good improvisers doing a Dr. Who parody at the Bad Dog on Saturday. Dinner at Allen's or somewhere in Greektown would be nice.

- That thing at the Gladstone looks great.
I'd vote for dinner at Swan beforehand, it's a great date spot (much more romantic than those photos suggest!) Try to get a reservation if you can, it gets busy.

- Or how about this? The following would work any night of the week:
First, dinner at Korean Grill House. You grill your own meat- so tasty and fun! Not great for vegetarians, though, so if someone's veg maybe Queen Mother Cafe instead.
Then go to the Paramount movie theatre and play $10 worth of videogames (you don't need to buy a movie ticket to do this and $10 will buy you a few games of air hockey and some Dance Dance Revlolution, SO FUN!).
Then finally maybe wander down to Second City to see the improv set that follows the show. The improv set is free and usually hilarious, it's a well-kept secret. Call ahead to find out what time the improv set is expected to start (I think probably around 11:30 or midnight, and it's usually 15-30 minutes long). You can get a snack and drinks during the improv, too.
If you're still kickin' after that, Wayne Gretzky's will be open right across the street for some cake.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 8:59 PM on January 21, 2010


I've only visited Toronto but Second City came to my mind too. I loved the improv and the show and still remember details of both over three years later. I was there alone, however.
posted by Songdog at 9:05 PM on January 21, 2010


Torontoist doesn't have their weekend "Urban Planner" post up yet, but there is usually something interesting in there. Check there at about 7am tomorrow. They post a good range of different things to choose from. (Yes, they will probably mention CUTMR, but they'll have other stuff too!)

You could enjoy the outdoors this weekend. The weather looks to be fantastic! Outdoor skating would be great! Just like out of one of those romantic winter movies where one star slips, the other catches, and they gaze into each others eyes, etc. If you go to Nathan Phillips for skating, there are some restaraunts just south of there, but look them up before you go because there isn't a lot of other storefronts open on the weekend, and it can get a little creepy if no one knows where they are going.

Unfortunately, you haven't said a) what you are into, and b) what she is into.

My third date was sitting on my couch watching "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", after spending the previous two introducing him to the rest of the trilogy-at-that-point. We've been together for 7 years now, so something must have gone right!
posted by cathoo at 9:19 PM on January 21, 2010


As for the Queen Mother Cafe, the ambiance makes it a good 2nd/3rd date place, but the service is less than fabulous. Just a warning.
posted by thisjax at 10:20 PM on January 21, 2010


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