Alex G.
Yelp
Oh, folks. I hate to break it to you, but this place isn't nearly as amazing or exclusive as you might think. Time to drop some truthbombs on you.
I have been to Soho House Toronto twice over the last few years, most recently two nights ago. Both times, I didn't pay to get in. I didn't go with a member. I overheard someone mentioning how they had access at a film festival party and namedropped it at the door. The first time I did that, I was very nearly booted out because they had a strict +1 and I was with two other people.
Don't get me wrong, there's some value here if you look hard enough. Still, this is a case where people are more in "love with the legend" than actually basing it on its merits as a venue and patio.
It is not worth the $2,000 membership cost to come here. Not by a long shot. The building itself sticks out like a sore thumb amid a sea of steel buildings around it, and the mystique is far more impressive than what you actually get.
Do you know a celebrity personally or are on a first-name basis with a studio executive? No? Then you're not getting anywhere even close to the top floor during TIFF, and the rest of the events at the place barely warrant a mention. They have separate guest lists -- a general invite list and the "other" invite list studios use to screen people trying to get up to the third floor. The Thompson Hotel has far more varied and interesting events, with better views, and most of the time they're free or it's easy to get on the RSVP list.
I get the feeling that a lot of people puffing up this place are either awed by celebrities or they've never been to another ritzy patio in their lives. I could tell you story after story about celebrities I've seen and met at TIFF. Hell, when I was at Soho Toronto two years ago, Jason Reitman was hanging out front talking to people while smoking a cigarette. Nobody cares. You don't care, even if you think you do. We're so starved for honest-to-God personality in the local film industry that we idolize any celebrity from abroad who rolls into town. Hell, it's the same two-dozen Canadian actors and actresses everywhere I go.
What you're left with is a social club that's about 40% more private than your usual rank-and-fare, drinks that aren't much better than any other bar in the city, and most of the time, you're stuck sitting and looking around at people who are just as confused as you, wondering when the real action starts. It's an okay venue for parties and the like, but considering its pedigree and how much some people try to puff this place up, it falls far, far short.
Want my advice? Save your money, go elsewhere for film parties and find a nice dinner club elsewhere to hang out, talk shop and hold meetings at.
