The top 10 student bars in Toronto

The top student bars in Toronto have two winning factors: cheap eats and even cheaper drinks. Between our four resident universities and a handful of colleges, there are also plenty to go around (though they're overwhelmingly centred downtown - sorry, York students, but you'll have to be happy with Absinthe Pub). First-years and frat boys have The Madison Avenue Pub and The Brunswick House (aptly referred to as "The Maddy" and "The Brunny," respectively). For the rest of us, there are the late-night haunts and second homes that medicate our school woes and help to bridge the gap between teenagedom and adulthood.

Here are my picks for the top student bars in Toronto.

Einstein

A short jaunt from the U of T bookstore on College Street, Einstein is a hub for nightly specials and cheap, no-name brews - just how students like it. The atmosphere is mostly made up of science or engineering students, given that it's closest to those parts of campus. Pitchers start as low as $10 for in-house beer, there's a pretty popular jukebox, along with pool and foosball tables for maximum enjoyment.

Red Room

The Red Room is part of a clan of near identical student-friendly restaurants scattered throughout the Annex and Toronto's west side. Others include the Green Room (obviously), Nirvana, Pour Boy, and Java House, all of which have similar menus to Red Room. They're most famous for their sizeable entrées priced under $10 - including their bestseller, the pad thai (don't expect it to be authentic) - and breezy bohemian atmosphere.

Labyrinth Lounge

Most often referred to as "The Lab" by locals, this hole-in-the-wall bar is best known for offering daily drink specials at staggeringly low prices. If you're looking for $3 shots and a lively place to shoot them, The Lab is the watering hole for you. This small bar is also connected to Future Bakery next door, in case you get hungry mid-shot. A word to the wise: mind your manners with the bouncers; they're sometimes strict.

The Madison Avenue Pub

Home to the frat elite, The Madison's three-storey Victorian mansion is a Toronto pub institution. A student's life would simply not be complete without the near-ceremonial experience of a night of drinking at The Maddy--complete with monthly theme parties, live music from Wednesday to Saturday nights, and half-price specials running throughout the week. Weekend nights guarantee also all the dudes, bros, babes, and girls who aren't minors (but could pass for them) you could ask for. You stoked yet, homie?

Victory Café

According to regulars, Victory Café is where the grad students go. It's located in an old, repurposed house on Markham Street south of Bloor, not too far around the corner from Honest Ed's. It's a great spot for craft brews and comfort food and has decent seating on the second floor (the first floor can get crowded, although the atmosphere is still welcoming). People head back here for the varied menu choices and again, the beer. The staff are nice, too.

The Brunswick House

An average weekend night at The Brunny hosts any combination of the following: line-ups of students down the block, mini-pitchers, bumping and/or grinding, midriff-baring, and couples in dark corners making out. The Toronto mainstay has been winning over young crowds year after year with tantalizing drink specials and weekly events like free cover with a student card on Saturdays and line bypass for ladies on Fridays.

Imperial Pub

Imperial Pub's heart lies in The Library, a cozy upstairs lounge with big comfy chairs and a warm, homey feel. There's a quaint patio outside that overlooks the east side of Yonge and Dundas Square and a menu stocked with delicious pub fare (although prices can be a tad steep for the average student budget). It's a place you can go to after class and almost always find a friend to hang with. The Back of Ye Pub acts as a space for live music and somewhere to watch the game with a couple of brews.

Bistro 422

Also known as "The Beast," this hole-in-the-wall bar has is a great laid-back joint for cheap personal pitchers of both beer and mixed drinks, a large selection of shooters, and greasy eats. It's not necessarily the most appealing bar in the city, but its modest and somewhat shabby appearance is what gives Bistro 422 its charm. You'll likely enter sober enough to make it down the stairs to the entrance, but beware of the climb out on your way out.

Sneaky Dee's

Spending an evening with a pile of nachos and several beers at Sneaky Dee's is like a rite of passage for Toronto's student population. The graffiti-ridden furniture, Tex-Mex menu, and ever-flowing beer taps make Sneaky Dee's the ultimate dive bar. They feature daily specials - like half-priced fajita Tuesdays and "The Broke-Ass Student Menu" from Monday to Friday - and regularly host live acts and dance nights at their upstairs venue. Tip: Don't forget your ID when you go! Bouncers are tough on this one, no matter how old you are.

El Furniture Warehouse

The Annex's El Furniture Warehouse is a student budget's dream. Menu items start and end at just $4.95 each, a price-list otherwise unheard of in Toronto's restaurant community. Housed in a cozy, tavern-style pub, the Bloor Street newcomer serves brews and cocktails for prices that are equally as student-friendly (ranging from $5.75 to $8.25), but let's be serious here: the nightly line-ups outside the door are for the food.

Did I miss your favourite? Leave your picks for best student bars in the comments.

Photo by Scott Snider via the blogTO Flickr pool.

by Alex Brown via blogTO