Maro
135 Liberty St.
416-588-2888
www.maro.ca
Ambience: The re-emergence of the supper club over the past several years has changed the way we drink, dance and mingle. Maro is a perfect example of that resurged reality. Although the venue has solidified its dining reputation, most venture here on weekends to be seen sipping cocktails on one of the many contemporary sofas, dancing in whatever unoccupied space is left on the floor, or posing in the heavily guarded VIP area for those with the right connections or platinum card. While it’s possible to cut through the air of pretension in the room with a knife, Maro’s layout — much like its sister venue Brant House — is conducive to serious mingling and cavorting. That is if you can manage to gain access to this current “it” spot. Arrive early for dinner or prepare to wait if you’re not on the guest list.
Crowd: Not surprisingly for such a trendy venue, the clientèle is fairly young, ranging from their early to mid-20s with the men being slightly older (typical in most nightspots). They’re also a bit full of themselves, yet friendly enough to make for interesting company on a weekend.
Dress code: Jeans are acceptable, but make sure they’re designer. Be sure to dress to impress or prepare to feel horribly out of place.
Should I dance on the bar?: Not unless you’d like to be escorted out the back door by a group of friendly doormen.
Will I get lucky?: It’s virtually a sure thing. Order bottle service and it might even happen inside Maro.
Best accessory: Enough money to afford bottle service — it’s the easiest and only sure way to get through the door.
Cocktail du jour: Buying by the bottle is not only a sign of power and wealth, it’s definitely encouraged by management. In fact, ordering a bottle will not only get you past the bouncers, it even ensures you a seat. The rest of us tend to order shots, cocktails and the odd beer-premiums all around, please.
Hours: Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
