Cock Bar - Toronto

[keno911]

I don't normally report on my trips to Toronto and Montreal clubs, as each visit can vary greatly depending on who is there on the night. However, with significant changes happening, particularly as we emerge from the aftermath of the plague, I thought I'd give a bit of a description of my recent visit. I visited clubs in Toronto and Montreal from BC in mid October. This is the Toronto report; Montreal is in another post.

So the owners of Flash have made changes, and created two different venues. The old Flash, on the main floor, is now a party venue with different theme nights and drag shows. I didn't go there, so cannot comment. Upstairs is Cock Bar, which is the new incarnation of the male strip club. You go up a steep flight of stairs from the street, which thankfully for people of a certain vintage, has sturdy railings on both sides. pay the usual membership fee of $5, though now they just call it a cover fee. There are two rooms. The first is fairly similar to the old Flash bar, long and narrow. It has stools along the wall, with two tables in front of the stage, and two others nearby. There is a second room around the corner, which has high top tables and stools.

The main stage is as small, if not smaller, than the old Flash stage. Weirdly, there is a pole right in the corner, and if spinning were a possibility, they would hit customers at the table. However, when I was there, the stage was encased in plexiglass, no doubt to ward off the plague. I was told that it would be removed soon. There is a second stage in the "upper" room.

The stage dances, as before, consist of two songs on the main stage, and if there is anyone in the upper room, a third dance on that stage. I was there on a Wednesday and Thursday nights, so it wasn't at its liveliest. Let's just say, you don't necessarily have to be particularly fit to dance at Cock Bar. Some of the dancers I seem to remember from Remingtons, though I could be mistaken on that. (Ah Remingtons... the site is still a big hole in the ground.) Most stage dances were very lacklustre, with little energy displayed. The second song, which presumably is suppose to reveal more, was in most cases little different from the first. Not all were like that, of course. One guy stripped off right from the start, standing at attention, but he was a newbie.

As luck would have it, on the Wednesday, one of the few fit dancers, Nick, approached me and we soon proceeded to the back rooms, where a good time was had by all. In the past, as I recall, you had to pay $5 for the customer and $5 for the dancer. Now you pay the house a flat $20. The rooms are nicely fitted up, spacious, with a large bench and a lounge chair. As previously, the doors have a latch. (Having said that, I have had more adventurous encounters at the open booths in Montreal, but I guess the locked doors offer a greater range of opportunities in Toronto, depending on the dancer.)

I did go briefly on Thursday, but the uninspiring dancers (one with particularly bad breath) and being tired, I didn't stay. However, I'm sure, on the weekend, with a bit more energy, you can have a fun time at Cock Bar.

 

 

 

[CHIberia]

Thanks for the writeup. How would you rate your overall experience compared to the old Remingtons?

[Luv2play]

Where is the Cock Bar? It's been ages since I was at Remington's and you say that is now a big hole. I never visited Flash. I'll be in Toronto this weekend coming up so may have some time on my hands.

[keno911]

By old Remingtons do you mean the club from its heyday, or the years before it closed? Nothing can compare to Remingtons in its legendary days, but I would say Cock Bar is pretty similar to Remingtons in its final years.

Cock Bar is above Flash on Church Street.

[jrbjcr]

On 10/25/2021 at 4:32 PM, keno911 said:

 Nothing can compare to Remingtons in its legendary days, but I would say Cock Bar is pretty similar to Remingtons in its final years.

That sounds sad :(

I also wouldn't be surprised if the dancers from Remingtons' final years were at Cock Bar

[fedssocr1]

Thanks for the update. I spent many a fun long weekend at Remington's back in the day. Sounds like something to check out next time I'm up there.

[zzed]

Remington's was the BEST back in the day (late 90's early 00's). A (not so) straight dancer became my boyfriend of 20 years and a couple  of others were awesome in the little booths upstairs. Memories....hahaha