The Wyck
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The Wyck Recommendation: Bandit Brewery
Rating: 4.2/5
Trash Panda Magic. Love. Curds. A Giant Glass Wall.
Intro Scene
I was the third customer through the door when Bandit opened. Just a hopeful guy with a good shirt and a better date, drinking cloudy beers on a stripped down patio. We stayed together a while. Blame it on the cheese curds or the Bandit brews, but either way, something fermented just right.
What Was Ordered
Flight of beers. As always, rotating taps, nothing boring.
The legendary beer battered cheese curds. Mandatory.
A glass or two of hazy, juicy something. Names change, raccoon logo stays.
Those curds? Molten, golden, salty little pillows of crime. Comes with a dipping sauce, but I barely remember touching it. What’s the point when the batter sings?
Service Commentary
This has always been Bandit’s fatal flaw. From the early days to now, they just cannot seem to nail service. Not rude. Not incompetent. Just consistently distracted. Like everyone working here is thinking about a film career or a food truck they would rather be running. You flag someone down, they forget. You order, they vanish. The vibes stay high, but expectations stay low.
Vibe Check
Busy but mellow. Craft beer bros. Couples pretending not to check their ex’s Instagram. One guy wearing a Dolly Parton Fan Club hat. Music low, conversations higher. No pressure, no pretense. Just hops and humans.
The Space Itself
Once a garage. Now a beer garden with stainless tanks, dangling vines, and a tree growing indoors like it is trying to unionize. The patio has been transformed by a massive glass door wall that closes it off like a greenhouse during beer season. It used to be open and raw. Now it looks like a tech bro’s Musk funded beer dream. Still charming.
About the Neighborhood
Located on Dundas West just before it gets too cool to park. There are two entrances. One to the bar. One to the bottle shop. Do not get confused unless you enjoy the feeling of being reborn inside a fridge. A good stroll from vintage shops, indie snacks, and tattooed dads with fixed gear bikes.
Hits and Misses
✓ Beer battered cheese curds. Hall of fame snack
✓ Flight friendly tap list with fun, weird brews
✓ Giant retractable glass patio door is slick and warm weather proof
✓ Brewery tanks make it feel authentic, not too polished
✗ Service has never been their strong suit
✗ Some beers are forgettable filler
✗ Prices creeping into hmm territory
Final Verdict
Bandit started humble. Just suds and sun and one of the best damn patio snacks in Toronto. Now it has serious patio tech, glossy touches, and a bit of polish, but the bones are the same. Come for the curds. Stay if someone beautiful orders a flight and you remember what it felt like to fall for someone at a brewery.
Perfect For
First dates that accidentally last three years
Trying new beers with someone who gets your weird