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    C'est What

    3.6 (373 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    C'est What Photos

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    C'EST WHAT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Live music
    Classy
    Casual

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    We've been coming here for years and love it, the food, the ambience,, the service & the people. Tonight we had a hostess who unfortunately made us feel like we were so unwelcome and as well she was so unhelpful. Luckily it wasn't the first time we were there or we would never have returned. One of the reasons we love it so much and have been coming there as regulars for years is because of the great people who work there. She really put a damper on the evening.

    Blood Brothers Paradise Lost- Spiced Cherry
    Chloe O.

    It's been a while since I visited c'est what. It is one of a few places that you can find true craft beers and you don't see InBev Brands such as Coors Light or Belgian Moon. Yes, their beer selection is great and price is very resonable. You have a three size choices of small, medium and large size to order beers. (Large size means full 20oz) Ordered pulled pork poutine and it was surprisingly good. I will definately try more food next time. Service was super friendly and very attentive. Very spacious and cozy atmosphere as well!

    Craig L.

    Last Sat. (May 14) I met 4 others for a get together at C'est What's recently re-opened Beer Garden. It was my/our second visit, having first gone there late last summer. There were some notable changes from last year: a long bar on the left-hand/west side, and the introduction of a sofa, complete with an open flame setup. We met at 5:30 pm and the Beer Garden remained fairly uncrowded for the duration of our visit, which was until around 9 pm. I ordered 3 beers - they still have a limited drink and food menu for their outdoor establishment - all of which were great. We had fairly attentive and friendly service as well. There is also a much improved 'outhouse' for washroom needs in evidence and I can't recall when I've seen and used an outdoor/portable washroom which was as luxurious and upscale as theirs. After awhile another from my group and myself decided to take advantage of the much more comfortable looking sofa; as it was not being used prior to us sitting there the flame wasn't lit but a Staff Member promptly stopped by and turned on the propane tank, and showed us how to turn on/adjust the flame to our liking. I had a great time there and overall I found my return visit more enjoyable than my first. They are starting to do Events at the Beer Garden, i.e. a Beer Festival on Friday, May 27 so I look forward to another return visit soon.

    Lamb burger with ginger wheat beer
    Bowen Z.

    This place has a great underground bar and a roadside patio option. Both looked great but we opted for the indoor experience. Our server was super friendly, and told us that although the food menu had been reduced (due to the pandemic) all the stuff on the menu were their best items, and they were right! We got the Bison and Lamb Burgers which were delicious and super filling. My friend joked that they should offer half portions as an option. For drinks we both got wheat beers, but the ginger wheat beer in particular was really good. Definitely recommend grabbing their 4 pack to go. Overall it was a great first time for us at C'est What!

    A mouse

    Good food and selection of beer. A mouse turd on our table and the mouse running around kind of spoiled the experience.

    Beef ribs
    Sindy D.

    Cute little place, the service was a little slow at first but completely understandable as they had to open up a section to accommodate the influx of people. I really enjoyed my bison burger and the fries were so good. I only tried the beef ribs out of the other dishes and they were really good! I wish there were more! I did also try the sweet potato chips but was hoping that it would have a little bit more crunch. They also have a variety of beers and all kinds of sizes which is great when you feel like you can't chug an entire pint. Although we didn't get to play there was a pool table there and a cool fish tank. Would come back.

    Hop Addict IPA | Yellow Flowers
    Tom T.

    On this visit, we didn't try the food, so this review is focused on the beer menu and outdoor patio setup. There's a great beer menu here and almost baby beer lover will find something new to try and enjoy. On this visit, we were seated on their outdoor patio. We passed on their beer garden, and really enjoyed the vibe along Front St at dusk. Service was awesome as usual.

    Lisa V.

    With all the burger hype in the city, I thought I should jump on the bandwagon. Been hearing a lot of good things about C'est What, so off I went. Takes a lot of convincing to eat somewhere with good beer. ;) Located in a lower level on Front St, it was about a 10min walk from Union. It's open concept, so it doesn't feel like you're in a basement. The staff are warm and welcoming. We were seated and headed for the beer menu(it is a good one!). It seemed like many patrons had also come here for a beer after a long day! Seemed like the right thing to do. I don't see McAuslan's Apricot Wheat on many menus, so that sealed the deal. My friend is a hoppier beer drinker and tried the Big Butt Smoked Dark Ale and the Chocolate Ale. I tasted both. The smoked ale tasted like beer and bacon.... it was interesting! I'm a chocolate gal, but I don't feel the chocolate flavour came through as strong as it should have. Many other beers on the menu I'd like to try! As for food, we shared a Buffalo Burger and a Lamburger. I mostly just wanted to say 'Lamburger' out loud. So worth it. The Bison burger was tasty! Bison a very lean meat, so there was ample tomato-onion chutney. It was juicy, but dense. The herbed fries were so good, that they're in my top 5! My Lamburger was on fresh naan with fresh veggies and oodles of tzatziki(as there should be!). It came with housemade chips. They were OK, but the herbed fries were too good not to steal. I'm a fan of lamb and this was doing it for me. I'd get this again. At least now I know it's as enjoyable to eat as it to say out loud. :D The service was great. The hosts were welcoming and our server was super cool. A chill atmosphere with chill staff. There was live music going on as well, but it was in a different room, so it wasn't super loud. It was played to the rest of the venue over speakers, so you could still talk and not yell. Looks like I'll be a repeat customer!

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    4 years ago

    Super fun spot, and a Toronto staple. Friendly staff and vibe and solid (good) food. Pool tables and a fireplace to boot

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    George M.

    It's good to know that we ticked off so many boxes. See you soon.

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    George M.

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    6 years ago

    Solid beer selection, good atmosphere, pool and often live music. One of my favourite bars downtown.

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    Page 2 of 10

    C'est What Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - C'est What

    5! My Lamburger was on fresh naan with fresh veggies and oodles of tzatziki(as there should be!

    Mentioned in 10 reviews

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    Rivoli Pool Hall & Club

    Rivoli Pool Hall & Club

    3.4(156 reviews)
    1.7 kmQueen Street West, Downtown Core
    $$
    Live music
    Happy hour specials

    In late October, on a Sunday, I had lunch with a few friends at Rivoli Toronto, an iconic venue…read morenear the downtown core. I had a great time. I parked on Queen Street West. It's Green P parking. I recommend paying for parking through the Green P app if you need to add more time. When you walk in, there's a flight of stairs and a main floor: - The main floor has a restaurant, bars, and Back Room for concerts - The second floor has a full bar, stage, pool tables, and arcade games I entered the main floor. I was greeted by John, the owner. He was super nice and hospitable, leading me to where my friends were. We were a party of six. Main floor We feasted. We got a lot of food. We divided, shared, and conquered. We ended up boxing leftovers home. I ordered a Diet Coke. It was cold and perfect. I ended up getting another one later on. Balls menu The balls menu consists of appetizers that are sharable with friends. I can also see having a few for yourself to enjoy. It's good finger food eats if you want variety or something lighter, especially before a show. We enjoyed the following ballsy items: - Wookie balls - Beefy Danish balls (frikadeller) - Fish ball fusion - D'oh balls - Garlic mashed potato All the balls were scrumptious and filling. The Wookie balls are one of the Rivoli's signature items. They are rice balls with mirin, sesame oil, and herbs, coated in black and white sesame seeds. They were crunchy and yummy. The beefy Danish and garlic mashed potato balls are comfort in ball form. I dream of this combo still. I was fortunate to have been invited into the kitchen, to check out where these talented chefs make all their food creations. Every order is made fresh. I could tell how much these chefs love what they do. They cooked and plated everything so effortlessly and with such precision. It was impressive! I got to see them make these offerings for us: - Blackened burger - Korean chicken lettuce wraps They were delicious and full of flavour. You can get the lettuce wraps made with veggies if you're vegan. Noodles We got the vegetarian pesto linguini. I loved the roasted red pepper and garlic cloves, with pesto that was fresh and bright. You can also get this dish with chicken. Rivoli's classic pad thai has been a staple since Rivoli opened in 1982. Pan-seared chicken and shrimp are your proteins. Egg, scallions, peanuts, and bean sprouts, and the proteins are tossed with rice noodles in Rivoli's signature pad thai sauce. The sauce is ketchup-based, which may offend pad thai purists, but they are missing out on yumminess by knocking it. You can also get this dish made vegetarian with veggies and tofu. Flatbreads Flatbreads are part of the Sound Bites appetizers at Rivoli. We enjoyed the following flatbreads: - Spicy thai - Spicy thai sauce base, with baby shrimp, marinated chicken, green onion, bean sprouts, ribbons of egg, roasted peanuts, cilantro, and fresh lime zest - Korean BBQ - Korean BBQ sauce base, with marinated chicken, red pepper, red onion, carrot, cheese, cilantro, and green onion - Love from parma - drizzled extra virgin olive oil on the flatbread, with thyme, sea salt, cracked black pepper, prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, shaved parmesan, arugula, and flat-leaf parsley - Blanco - drizzled extra virgin olive oil on the baked flatbread, with fresh thyme, cracked sea salt, gouda cheese, and bufala mozzarella All flatbreads were perfectly toasted and made to order. They were both chewy and crispy where they should be. Scrumptious! Back Room The Back Room is the main stage. Adele, Amy Winehouse, Gord Downie, The Kids in the Hall, Mike Myers are some folks who have performed here. It was cool to look at the stage and sit on it, to soak in everything. I'll need to return and check out a show or more. Second floor I took in The Empty Glasses play a live set at 3 pm on the second floor. The stage is by the bar. This band plays every other Sunday. It felt like being in Nashville, visiting a bar, knowing that there is good, live country music playing as you grab a drink and a bite to eat. The difference is that you save a bit by soaking up country vibes in downtown Toronto. It's a tight-knit community of talented country musicians that can play or sing anything on a Sunday afternoon. It was special to witness. I instantly became a fan, as attending live concerts and performances is my thing. There's also a pool hall with games on this floor. It was a throwback to my undergraduate years learning how to play pool with friends over drinks. There are a decent number of pool tables. I counted eleven. The purple one in the middle is the largest one out of the bunch. The oldest one is over a century old. It's like being in a pool hall museum, but you can touch the artifacts. You can also play video games. I saw Pac-Man and other great 80's arcade games. They made me happy. I had a great time. The food and drinks, and live music were excellent. (436)

    October 5/2024: Dinner & a show with my Al, where it all began!…read more Started with the Spring Rolls ($10.99). They were tasty & we're free thanks to YELP!! My main was the totally mediocre burger, fries & an Amsterdam Blond Beer. Beer was delicious ($7.96). It was their "Blackened Burger" with blue cheese ($21.99). It was good but not great. Very small portion as I've noticed at many other restaurants. The service was good. Our Columbian Server was a very nice, polite young man. In the beginning the restaurant was well cared for & in the beginning it was quiet. We went to the in-house show after dinner. The show was a burlesque show consisting of a bunch of overweight women that were a way too old taking off their cloth! All hosted by a transvestite comedian! It was funny as hell, entertaining & super weird all in one! It was also the Neublanch Art festival on Queen W. Let me just say that, that street was weird central last night!! To me, this was a totally enjoyable evening & I'd recommend this restaurant & the subsequent show for sure! It happens once/month.

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    Rivoli Pool Hall & Club
    Rivoli Pool Hall & Club
    Rivoli Pool Hall & Club - Gin Martinis

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    Gin Martinis

    Adelaide Hall

    Adelaide Hall

    3.5(16 reviews)
    1.3 kmEntertainment District, Downtown Core
    $$

    Adelaide Hall is a nice bar type live music venue in the heart of the entertainment district. The…read moredoors are located on the west side of Duncan just north of Adelaide, and easy to spot with plenty of signage proclaiming that it's the cover band spot to be on the weekends with live music just like the good ole days! The first time I went was for the NYE party bringing in 2024 and the cover band played 2000's era music which was very well done and had the crowd singing along. Even the owner got on stage and was lead singer for many of the era's tunes using his phone for the lyrics. Hokey but awesome too! This kind of place reminds me of the days before the popularity of EDM, house music, and bars charging money to hear recorded music. With a live band there is more of a focal point to the evening and more randomness in the music, which makes it more interesting to dance to. Check this place out if you're in the mood on a weekend and tired of the typical pretentiousness of many of the bars in the area, and get back to basics where people are playing real instruments and have plenty of talent to share with the public.

    Went for a show and ended up being assaulted by another patron. Security wouldn't do anything…read more(wouldn't even have the person who assaulted me move away from me) and after venue management said that security couldn't do anything if "they didn't see it", I suggested pulling camera footage (which of course venue management refused to do). At this point I ask the venue manager if in this situation i should call the cops to deal with it, and she said if that's what l'd like to do then do it. So I went outside and called, and they wouldn't let me back inside the venue because of this. So what I've learned is Adelaide Hall security is there for no reason and won't help when someone is assaulted. Police report made. This place has no business being open when they don't value public safety and actually side with aggressors. No reason not to pull footage. Karma has this place on her list, I guarantee it.

    Photos
    Adelaide Hall - Live music NYE.

    Live music NYE.

    Adelaide Hall
    Adelaide Hall - Not actually on Adelaide.

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    Not actually on Adelaide.

    Hugh's Room Live - Doane Music School's top class performing with Melanie Doane

    Hugh's Room Live

    5.0(2 reviews)
    2.4 kmRiverdale

    Last Thursday, I was at Hugh's Room Live to see Melanie Doane perform. It was a benefit concert to…read moresupport the Doane Music School, which provides music education programs to Canadian youth through the ukulele. Where should I begin? Let's go with the original Hugh's Room. It used to be at 2261 Dundas Street West. It was founded in 2001 by Richard Carson, in memory of his brother Hugh, a musician who died of cancer. Hugh's Room Live moved to its current location on Broadview Avenue in July 2023. It is where the Broadview Faith Temple Church used to be. It makes sense that a music venue would take over a defunct church. The acoustics are fabulous! It is kind of weird returning to this venue. I used to stand in front of this church, be it talking to my mom or chatting with friends before we parted ways. I spent a lot of time in this neighbourhood, especially on Saturdays taking Cantonese classes a few blocks away. The concert was at 8 pm. I drove down to the Riverdale area and parked on Broadview. It's free parking after 6 pm on weekdays. Otherwise, it's Green P paid parking. This concert was general admission. Considering that most Melanie Doane fans would be my age or older, I didn't see this show being standing room only. I was right and relieved. There were seats, but you nabbed them when you arrived. The day before, I travelled home through Chicago. I walked for twenty minutes at Chicago O'hare airport to get to my gate. At Pearson, I walked for ten minutes from the plane to customs. My legs did not want to stand for this show! It is an older church, so there are stairs. It wasn't built for accessibility, but there aren't a ton of steps. If you use a cane or walker, you'd be fine here. Otherwise, it's not the venue if you have complex mobility issues. A woman at the front table said hi. I reciprocated and showed my ticket's QR code on my phone. She scanned it and let me know that I could sit anywhere that wasn't reserved. I asked where the washrooms were. They were downstairs. I used the women's before and after the show. There were three stalls. The washroom was quaint and clean. No complaints. I sat on the main floor. I tried a pew initially. It felt like church. There was no back support, so I moved up to a chair with some decent back support. Perfect! The front rows were reserved. There was seating on either side of the walls. You could also go up to the second floor for more seating. I love Melanie Doane and her music. My first experience was taking in my first Jann Arden concert at the National Art Centre in Ottawa in the late 90's. Opening for her was Melanie. I was floored by her singing and her playing multiple instruments, such as the mandolin, ukelele, and violin. I loved seeing her at shows when I lived in Winnipeg and when I moved back to the greater Toronto area. She doesn't perform often these days. She made giving the gift of ukelele playing to youth her commitment. I was pleased that she held a benefit for her music school. My first instrument was the ukelele in grade 3, so I get it. I went on to play until I was in grade 6. Melanie put on a terrific show. I last saw her a decade ago at, yep, the original Hugh's Room. Insane, right? I had a wonderful time here. Good memories came flooding back. She brought some special guests. Her children, Rosie and Theo, joined her on a song. The former is a singer and the latter is a drummer. They are products of the school and they frankly are blessed growing up with two musical parents. Kathryn Rose and Emilie Claire Barlow joined Melanie to sing a couple of songs. I loved that they covered Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus. They offer the best harmonies with edginess. It was nice seeing Gill Deacon there. I used to listen to her on a CBC music podcast years ago. She helped get the word out on donating to the school. Madeleine, a student of Doane Music School, sang and displayed her uke skills. She was sweet and talented. This venue does not have any food for purchase. It does have beverages, including alcoholic ones. Debit and credit cards are accepted. I liked coming to this former church for a fine evening of Melanie Doane music with her friends and family. I'd return again to take in another concert. It's the perfect venue with the best acoustics. (382)

    This is an institution that holds the history of folk, blues, country and soul. I was blown away by…read morethe EPIC Samantha Windover and the indomitable Tandy Joy playing here tonight. It's a simple and comfortable venue--an old church--feels like you're in your friend's living room. It's a chance to meet the singers and song writers and other music aficionados. What a fantastic evening! Thank you.

    Photos
    Hugh's Room Live - Stage with logo

    Stage with logo

    Hugh's Room Live - Entrance. It used to be a church.

    Entrance. It used to be a church.

    Hugh's Room Live

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    C'est What - breweries - Updated May 2026

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