Toronto restaurant shuts down and transforms into a nightclub

A once-popular restaurant in Toronto has shut down for good to make way for a vivacious new nightclub.

Though somewhat short-lived, the Entertainment District’s Marked managed to make a significant mark (pun not intended) on the city during its four years churning out South American cuisine amid swanky environs on John Street.

The restaurant was a project by the same team behind buzzy King St. spot, Coffee Oysters Champagne, and brought to life the same attention to detail and whimsical air, featuring a series of distinct dining areas with different themes and decor.

Holding court on a prime piece of real estate in a bustling neighbourhood, it came as a surprise to many when the restaurant mysteriously closed down in late summer of 2024, only vaguely alluding to “something exciting” on the horizon in their Instagram posts.

Just a few weeks and an investment of nearly $300,000 later, owner Sanjay Singhal debuted Runwayo6 — Marked’s reincarnation as a lively nightclub.

The club itself harcons back to a bygone era where clubbing was actually fun, stuffed with kitschy novelties like lazers displays, costumed gogo dancers and, for some reason, an electric violinist who regularly performs, giving it the type of visually stimulating atmosphere you might expect from an early Ke$ha music video — minus the glitter puke.

For all those who were a fan of the cuisine at Marked, not to fear — Runway06 still operates as a restaurant in the daytime and evening, with the same brunch and bottomless mimosas the restaurant initially made its name on.

Another similarity, the menu and concept at Runway06 is still inspired by proprietor Maria Morales’ world travels and life history.

So, for lack of better words, if you’re sad about Marked being gone, don’t be. It’s more or less still here, only now it has an airplane logo, lazers and gogo dancers!

The club, which officially opened for business in early September, has already garnered some celebrity attention, with Vanderpump Rules stars Jax Taylor and Tom Schwartz telling blogTO that they had recently visited.

Runway06, formerly Marked, is located at 132 John Street, and is open for brunch on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For dinner, they’re open Tuesday and Wednesday from 5 to 11 p.m. and Thursday to Friday from 4 to 11 p.m.

Runway opens at 10 p.m. each night the restaurant is open.