Ground Control

What is Ground Control? Located at 1279 Queen Street West near Brock Avenue in South Parkdale, Ground Control is an homage to David Bowie that fuses seventies glam with space-age aesthetics. The venue is divided into an intimate cocktail lounge up front and an expansive main room outfitted with a performance stage and video projectors streaming vintage music footage. Seating is casual and unassigned, revolving around the bar and lounge tables before the space transitions into a dance hall.

Ground Control Menu & What to Order Built to fuel karaoke sessions, live shows, and alternative dance nights, the drink menu keeps things direct and affordable. Pints of the house Ground Control Lager and easy-drinking house wines anchor early happy hour orders. The bar rotates fun novelty shooters tailored to specific DJ spotlight nights, including the Bananarama Shot and the Morphine Shot. Non-drinkers can choose from a steady lineup of alcohol-free options and custom mocktails.

Know Before You Go Ground Control operates as a walk-in lounge and ticketed event venue rather than a traditional sit-down establishment, with advance admission often sold online for dance parties and trivia nights. Peak volume arrives after 10:00 p.m. when the main room dance floor opens. The easiest way to get here is via the 501 Queen streetcar to Brock Avenue, though a Green P parking lot is situated one block west on Queen.