Plan a Queen West visit to The Dirty Laundry: cocktails, shareable Tex-Mex-inspired food, the Café Gigi daytime concept, patio details and current menu links.
Neighbourhood: Queen West · Address: 1186 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1J6 · Price Range: $$ · Website: https://www.thedirtttylaundry.com/
Official website · Current menu
Choose it for a cocktail-led night where classic drinks, playful house cocktails and Tex-Mex-inspired comfort food share the menu.
The shared venue combines a daytime café concept, Café Gigi, with The Dirty Laundry’s evening bar and kitchen rather than operating as a single all-day restaurant menu.
The Dirty Laundry is a Queen West cocktail bar and Tex-Mex-inspired kitchen at 1186 Queen Street West. Its address is shared with Café Gigi, a separate daytime café concept at the same venue. Toronto Life describes the combined project as a 140-seat indoor-outdoor space in the former second home of Cold Tea; that capacity refers to the overall space, not a guaranteed number of available seats.
The concepts serve different parts of the day. Café Gigi operates at the front as a daytime café, while The Dirty Laundry is the bar concept. Café Gigi’s coffee and daytime menu are separate from The Dirty Laundry’s evening food and cocktail menus, so check which service is open before making a specific menu item part of the visit.
The project is associated with Toronto hospitality operators Robin Goodfellow and Aldo Pescatore-Tardioli. Toronto Life identifies Goodfellow’s past projects as Czehoski, Bar Raval, PrettyUgly, Vela and Harry’s, and Pescatore’s as La Carnita and Sweet Jesus. Toronto Life also reports that chef Renelle Joubert leads the kitchen; Toronto.com describes her menu as Tex-Mex-leaning comfort food with familiar dishes and bolder combinations.
The official drinks menu presents familiar cocktails—including an Old Fashioned, Margarita, Espresso Martini and Amaretto Sour—alongside more experimental house drinks and larger-format punches. Toronto.com’s May 2026 menu report described single cocktails in the $13–$16 range and punches as shareable drinks. Those are a dated snapshot, not a current price guarantee; use the venue’s live menu for today’s selection and prices. The published menu also includes beer, wine and non-alcoholic choices.
Food is built around shareable and casual bar dishes. The official menu is organized around nachos, enchiladas, sandwiches, sides and sweets; Toronto.com’s 2026 report also mentions wings, churros, sugar pie and flan. Its examples include a classic nacho plate, a tuna-topped nacho variation, a burger and a crispy catfish sandwich. Recipes, availability and prices can change, so check the current menu before visiting for a particular dish.
There are two useful planning details: the venue has an indoor-outdoor layout and a corner patio, and its public-facing concept includes counter service. Toronto.com reported retractable garage doors and weekend DJs/live music, while Toronto Life described the bar as more relaxed earlier in the week and livelier on Fridays and Saturdays. These are reported venue features, not a promise of a particular event; confirm the current entertainment schedule and weather-dependent patio availability directly.
The official menu currently labels food service as 5 p.m.–2 a.m. on weekdays and noon–2 a.m. on weekends. A May 2026 Toronto.com report described bar hours as 5 p.m.–2 a.m. daily. Because those statements describe different service details and may become outdated, confirm current opening and kitchen hours with the venue before travelling.
The menu marks selected dishes or modifications as gluten-free or available with a gluten-free option, including a gluten-free bun. That does not make the kitchen gluten-free or establish that an item is safe for celiac disease or severe allergies; ask staff about ingredients, shared equipment and cross-contact. The public pages reviewed did not confirm step-free access or a reservation policy, so contact the venue directly with access needs or booking questions.
It is a Queen West cocktail bar with Tex-Mex-inspired comfort food, sharing an address and broader venue space with the daytime Café Gigi concept.
The current official menu is organized around classic and inventive cocktails, larger-format punches, nachos, enchiladas, sandwiches, sides and desserts. Items and prices change, so check the live menu before visiting.
The official menu currently labels food service 5 p.m.–2 a.m. on weekdays and noon–2 a.m. on weekends. A May 2026 Toronto.com report listed bar hours as 5 p.m.–2 a.m. daily. Confirm current bar and kitchen hours directly with the venue.
Café Gigi and The Dirty Laundry share 1186 Queen Street West but are distinct daytime café and bar concepts. Check which service is open and which menu applies to your visit.
The menu identifies selected dishes or modifications as gluten-free or available with gluten-free options. The kitchen is not described as entirely gluten-free; guests with celiac disease or serious allergies should ask staff about ingredients and cross-contact.
The public venue pages reviewed did not confirm a reservation policy or detailed accessibility information. Contact the venue directly to ask about bookings, step-free access and other accommodations.
Local coverage describes a corner patio and reports weekend DJs or live music. Patio use depends on weather, and entertainment schedules can change, so confirm current details before going.
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