By Molly

It was a strange sight to see. A lineup, outside Jack Astors? A bartender juggling bottles Cocktail-styles outside in a smoking tent? A popular band playing inside? Shocking, yet true.
Jack Astors, you say? Why do we care about the opening of a new family joint where the staff sport an obnoxious amount of flare and you’re meant to scribble on the paper tablecloth with crayons? Torontoist wasn’t sure either.
But, Torontoist doesn’t often turn down an invite for “select media” . . . when the word FREE is involved. So, they asked media to check out the “new” Jack Astors at Front and University Wednesday night. Funny thing is though, it’s not the grand opening, they’ve been open for a couple months. Clearly though, they need SOMEONE to notice that once inside, it’s not the same old Jack Astors you’d expect.
Usually, when an opening like this directed at Toronto media and business types of the downtown core advertises “free booze and food,” you get your two drink tickets and a veggie tray, are handed a press release — and then you move on to where you really planned on going that night.
Not so this time. The booze flowed like water, and the delicious apps circled the huge restaurant endlessly. It was a lot of hype for ol’ Astors, but it was worth it. Surprisingly, the new digs have a new look, as staff sported bowie-esque rock star ‘dos and t-shirts, with flare consisting only of crazy hair and makeup, not bad T-shirts with puff paint as Torontoist recalls from other locations. The decor was way cooler than any Jack Astors Torontoist has seen, with three rooms, checkered floors, leather cloaked booths, creative bottle-chandeliers and a huge bar area.
The Trews played for the packed gathering, too bad they had very few “real” fans in the audience, but they put on a good show. Not so sure Astors will be able to have live bands often, but the sound system is great and if every night at Jack’s could be like Wednesday night, they might actually make it in their massive space of prime real estate.
Good luck Jack. Perhaps if they’re so determined to be a “newer,” “cooler” Jack Astors, they should drop the Jack Astors title and thus the family-restaurant stigma attached to the name.
Jack Astors
144 Front St. W.
416-585-2121