With a small patio at the front, Poor Romeo is a haven for those who love direct sunlight. Maybe it was how the sun was hitting the restaurant on our July visit, but even with all the umbrellas up there wasn't an ounce of shade. Not wanting to roast, we safely seconded ourselves inside. Here I was greeted with a chill bar environment with tables so crammed together that it'd be a Tetris feat to get yourself into a chair if someone was sitting behind you. Luckily, it wasn't busy on a Friday afternoon, so I jimmied myself into a highchair and settled down with a Gin Lizzy ($15). It's a good first drink since it essentially tastes like a sparkling berry lemonade. The rhubarb reduction and lime make it go down so easy that you must remind yourself it's not juice given it contains gin and prosecco. Personally, even with a refreshing cocktail, I like them tasting stiffer. The El Diablo ($15) hit the spot as the tequila was pronounced but mellowed with black berry concentrate and lime. The ginger beer helped to add a twinge of spiciness and bubbles. This was a favourite amongst our table. A couple of nibbles tied us over until dinner. The queso & chips ($12) arrived with plenty of warm crispy tortillas that were seasoned making them nice to munch on solo or with a sprinkling of finely diced pico de gallo. The queso was a great consistency coating the chip without being too thick and was perfectly seasoned so that it was flavourful without being overly salty. The wild zero wings ($16 for a lb) were hot and juicy, tossed in an apricot glaze that gave the wings a sweet and savoury element, sort of like a Thai sauce but not quite as syrupy. And if they weren't saucy enough, a generous portion of creamy dill arrives as well. Poor Romeo is a great place for a quick drink with nibbles or a casual date. And if you're in the area for an after-meal tipple, their version of an espresso martini is the Night Flight ($16). It certainly tasted of coffee, from a coffee reduction and Jägermeister cold brew, but mellowed out with vodka and a bit of creaminess from the Tia Maria. read more

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A great local hotspot. It's the kind of dive bar and isn't so divey because the food is incredible and the service is fantastic too. It's small - better for couples or groups of 4. However, they have a table near the kitchen that fits 6 nicely. Can't wait to come back here. read more

All essential elements of a great neighborhood rock n' roll bar: tasty music-themed cocktails, good simple food, and well curated playlists. Perfect spot. read more

Poor Romeo - Dive Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Lol I don't know how I feel it looks like a dive bar but feels classy at the same time. They give you the bill in a cd album. Awesome interior. Some good cocktails and food. Worth checking out Great place to catch up with old friends or meet new ones. So happy to see my old neighborhood having some nice bars! read more

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This has been one of my favorite bars when i come to Toronto for many years. This place is over price dirty by is a true dive bar with very slow service. I had a terrible experience there 23/0623. The manager (female, with the shaved head) cut me off because I was standing between 2 ladies trying to order a drink from the bar. I had a great inter action with Nevada (the bartender) the night before. I was very polite proceed to ask why is she being rude and what did I do to get cut off. . She said I was trying to order in between 2 ladies that were sitting at the BAR. Itold her if the service was not so bad at my table i would not have to try and order from the bar. She said she would serve the table but not me. I was very polite to her, I never raised my voice. I was the one paying. We left! I will not go back there if she's there. Very poor management skills. read more

Holy this place is awesome!! From the funky decor to the amazing service to the mouthwatering food. And buck a shuck Wednesday just adds to the awesomeness. We went with another couple and did some splitting so we could try a few things. Had the cauliflower and brussel sprouts, wings, fried chicken, avo toast, cheese dip, and a whole bunch of oysters. I can't go on enough about how much I loved everything. All done to perfection. The server was crazy helpful in selecting the food. And the ambience in the place was great. I can't WAIT to go back. read more

A really fun place in the up and coming Gerrard and Jones area. It's a dive bar at heart but it feels very classy and casual at the same time. It's a great place to meet up with a few friends. This time, we had the little bit of everything board which included: 1. cheddar jack "cheese" which was thick, gooey, addictive. 2. two chorizo gorditas sandwiches (two-biters) 3. perfectly fried chicken strips that were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The drink menu here is really fun and has some real surprises. We started with a pair of manhattans that were made very well. The drink that really got our tastebuds talking was the Heaven's on Fire which along with dark rum and muddled pineapple, it had this fiery scot bonnet pineapple syrup that just put some serious heat in there. The heat starts at the back of your throat and just slowly warms your whole mouth with a soothing heat sensation. It was such an interesting feeling and it grew on us as we continued to sip. Overall, I really like the place and look forward to coming back again. read more

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I had been meaning to go here forever! Finally got to go and the cocktails did not disappoint! Yuuummm Such a great list with so many interesting ingredients. We tried Gin Lizzy which was gin, chartreuse, maraschino, ehh white and lime juice. Mmm a little earth and very citrusy. We also got the Heaven's on Fire. It was dark rum, muddled pineapple (yyaasss), scotch bonnet pineapple syrup (wow) and fresh lemon and lime juice. I was worried this would be too sweet or spicy but it was perfect. Just warmed you a little and tasted fun and tropical. I didn't get to try the food so I'll have to report back! Go for the cocktails at least for sure. Doesn't get a 5 because the two ladies that were on were awful. We popped in and said we just want to grab a cocktail and have to run. Sat down...waited (while they chatted behind the bar), got up, found the menu and sat back down, decided...then waiting...then had to get back up and ask them if we could order. Once we had our cocktails there was a lovely gentleman that came out to check on us and he was super friendly. So we'll have to give it another shot and with food next time! read more

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Been trying to get in here for awhile...we've been turned away at least twice in the past due to the bar being full. At last, on Friday night around 11pm, we took a chance and were welcomed in...to the 6-seater communal table at the back. Hey, we'll take it. Ordered a wedge salad, cheeseburger with bacon, and fried chicken sandwich. Everything was a-ok but by no means blew us away. However, we did meet two lovely chaps at that communal table, who ended up buying us a round of tequila shots. Hey, maybe communal tables aren't so bad after all ;) As for Poor Romeo, it was cool and all, but we still prefer the fantastic Asian snacks across the street at their sister bar, Pinkertons. read more

As the bar crawl continued, we hit this place up for some Friday night libations. Luckily we got a table as the place is pretty busy. We didn't order food so can't comment on that, but from reading others reviews, it seems the food is a hit (seems like the chicken wings are what people should get). They have plenty of beers on tap - lots of local flavours - which is always nice, the vibe is good and the staff are friendly. I'll definitely check this place out when in the area - seems like if you want to have a great evening, then come here! read more

This is a pretty cool local bar. It's your typical pub but definitely better decorated and a decent amount of seating. The service was great! Our bartender was super friendly, personable and attentive. They don't have mojitos on their menu but she made me two and they were actually amazing. I loved that they used 2.5 ounces of alcohol instead of 1 ounce which is typical in most bars from my understanding. If you're looking for a spot that's chill but fun, lively and not overly crowded, Poor Romeo is worth a try. read more

This place really hit the spot on a Friday after a long week! Amazing food and great selections of drinks. We had the trio of apps that came with fried chicken, guacamole over toast, and your choice of 3 apps. We had the amazing chicken wings, queso and nachos, fish and it all tasted great! we actually liked the smoked wings so much we ordered another full round. Everything tasted fresh and flavourful! They have at least a dozen beers on tap and lots of local beers in cans as well. The small restaurant plays great oldies and the staff is definitely very friendly. The place fills up so you might want to make a reservation if you can. We shall return, probably ordering the same thing and more of the wings. read more

Pandemic 10k walk with a pit stop for an old fashioned to go in the afternoon. So civilized.

Come on, really? People don't love this place? Friendliest staff ever, really tasty (REALLY TASTY!) menu, "lumbersexual" barkeeps muddling this and that for you while fantastic and eclectic music is being played and tables filled with happy people that are having happy times, I find it hard not to love this place! Oh...the taps are as you'd expect too, awesome and varied. Mostly locals, but a few others too. read more

Really liked this spot. If you're barhopping leslieville, don't skip on poor romeo. We didn't do any eating, though i was eyeing the sandwiches that were flying by. The boozy cocktails were a hit! Actually, the cocktail i tried was the best I've had in a while; it incorporated absinthe which was a new for me. I always thought absinthe would overpower any drink, but this was well balanced. The licorice-ness of the absinthe came out in the aftertaste.. or something. what the hell do i know, i'm no drink connoisseur, but trust me it's a nice strong drink to get your night going! I can't remember the name of the drink for the life of me, but it had some sort of whisky and absinthe. I will be coming back to try the good looking food. read more

Menu is small which makes it easy to choose from. This is more of a bar than restaurant. The place is cozy. The food is good. But I do find the portions sizes are on the smaller end. My friend and I had the combo of three apps and it comes with avo toast and two pieces of chicken. It's more worth it if you order three apps separately, you get a bit more food minus the avo toast and chicken but it'll you cost a bit less. As well, there wasn't anything special about the chicken or toast so you're not losing out on anything. read more

Poor Romeo - Dive Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Just grabbed some takeout this past weekend from here. I always love their smash burger! Also got their chicken 'Sammy' sandwich... awesome! Both had their house made pickles in them; soooo good! And now they're allowed to sell beer with takeout, so I got a few microbrewery cans. Will be back for more! Gotta support local. Thanks again Adam! read more

Good vibe, decent drinks, what you need from at grunge bar. i'm actually surprised about how busy it is here on a weekday night with a constant stream of people coming in and out. There isn't really an exact clientele group but I really like that! read more

Great local spot! The staff are awesome here and have some good food and drink recommendation. Been here a few times. This time we had the appetizer platter and oysters! 10/10 The bartender ever remember my drink from last time. Solid spot! Definitely worth checking out! read more

I stopped here on a Monday night with some friends. The place was hopping by the time we left. The server was friendly and patient. We got some apps to share as we were not very hungry and everything was great except for the gorditas. Chicken wings were delicious and had a different take on the flavour, big fan of the dipping sauce that came with it. I also like the nacho cheese sauce that came with the nachos. I'd say those were the two outstanding dishes of the apps we tried. I'd like to come back here and try the other food. Atmosphere nice and clean. read more

Great restaurant, cool vibe and good food, loves the burger, however the door man slash host needs a course in customer service etiquette. If management does get working on this dudes attitude I don't forsee much of history for this place. People in our neighborhood are very big on good food and good service. I've lived in this hood for 15 years and I've seen restaurants come and go. I really hope this one can make it work. The same owners own Pinkertons across the street. It's a fantastic bar with very tasty food. Our favorite in the hood. read more

Great little spot for libations and great eats. It's a small joint, but will delight those looking for a lively, hipster hangout. Beer / cocktail choices are quite good giving a well intended mix of unique and local offerings. The menu is trim but well curated. We enjoyed the appetizer boards, fried chicken and beef tacos. Compliments to the chef - very satisfying. Service was just right. Price is a tad higher, so not a daily eater, but a perfect setting for date night or fun place to catch up with friends. read more

EDIT: Thanks to a fellow Yelper who reminded me that Poor Romeo doesn't accept reservations. We were told that it would be a 20-30 minute wait but then the front of house person got mixed up and we ended up having to wait another 1.5 hours which was only acknowledged with a "sorry" and a shoulder shrug. I get it - they're new - maybe they'll work out the kinks with front & back of house but until then I'd rather have better service and food elsewhere. ORIGINAL REVIEW: Poor Romeo...emphasis on the 'poor'. This place is really trying to use a winning format. Obligatory industrial lightbulbs - check. List of artisanal beers - check. Menu choc-a-bloc full of upscale tavern items - check. Unfortunately the front of house was a mess and mismanaged our reservation with only a "sorry" and shoulder shrug to comp for the 1.5+ hour wait. The waitress forgot our oysters but it still appeared on our bill. The burger tasted like a sad Big Mac and the gorditas were overly doughy and bland. As we stared longingly across the street at Pinkerton's, which is funnily enough owned by the same people but is actually AWESOME, we discussed how glad we were to get the bill and get out of there. read more

Really fun atmosphere, great playlist, friendly customer service, and fun drinks! I'll definitely be coming back. That said, the food is fine, but not amazing. My friend and I split the appie combo and found the portions to be small and the flavours underwhelming. However, if you're looking for a fun place to hang out and get drinks, this should be a go-to. read more

Poor Romeo is our favourite spot in Leslieville and on Gerrones! And we've tried them all. We go every Wednesday for the buck a shuck and the burgers are amazing (think homemade Big Mac ). It's such a great place to hang out with super friendly and consistent staff, excellent music, and delicious drinks. It's become our local and we love it! read more

Food was wonderful, and staff were great. They forgot to charge us for 2 cocktails, and when we brought it to their attention they said "Sorry, we are new! Let us buy you those drinks!" Good ownership goes further than a a good meal (although, the burger was great!) read more

As a proud local to the Gerrard & Jones scene, I couldn't have been happier when I heard about Poor Romeo...This review is way overdue as I've now had the pleasure of returning several times. The short version of my review is: Homerun, just go there...OK, so I had been waiting from across the street at my local fav Pinkerton Snack Bar for what felt like ages as Poor Romeo was being put together over the summer sneaking peaks through the paper that blocked the windows. Fast forward to late September and there I am with good friends celebrating my birthday at their sexy chefs table which is at the back of the joint in a nice pocket in front of the kitchen with lighting right out of Tony Scott film, dig it. First impressions: what a cool spot ; I loved the long bar with the LPs on the shelves towards the back. It feels like the kind of spot that you'd find in NY if you know where to go. The staff seem genuinely happy to be there and set the tone for a great evening. As for the food, what a surprise....we were presented with a celebration BDay menu that started with a gorgeous platter of oysters and poached shrimp with accompanying homemade sauces , delicious and fresh. Then we had a whole bunch of snacks / apps that included tasty fried green tomatoes, warm homemade queso cheese dip with crunchy corn chips, brined and smoked chicken wings - these little guys where a real stand out as I've had many a wing in my day but never like this - so tasty. Then came mackerel fish fingers with a green goddess type sauce for dipping - so much flavor. Then 'the mains": one platter with a sous vide bavette steak sliced up with chimichurri, roasted potatoes and another platter with a whole grilled branzino with, chilis, , greens and more potatoes and sides of rice and peas and wedge salad and I think that was it. As full as we were it was a birthday celebration so we agreed when we offered the made in house key lime pie, awesomely bright and tasty. All of us were equally blown away by the meal... I've been back and want to mention that their smash burger is highly addictive but I can never leave without having more of those wings, so good; So Poor Romeo is a self described "rock n roll bar" but the food that kitchen is putting out punches way higher than that moniker implies. And while it's hard to not compare it to their neighbour across the street (the always amazing Pinkerton Snack Back) since both spots are in the same extended family. Walking in the first time, I was expecting Pinkertons 2 but Poor Romeo really isn't that, it has its own distinct personality that just works...its a destination worthy of folk who are looking for uniquely tasty comfort food, great drinks and killer vibe, very proud to that we have another winner in the hood #GERRONES read more

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We. Loved. Poor Romeo!!! We are also fans of Pinkerton's across the street....it's brother restaurant. Where Pinkerton's is awesome as a bar and has incredible food in the form of Asian tapas, basically, Poor Romeo is more "American" in food offerings, with sharing plates but also individual meals, and even BIG sharing meals for 3+, like the whole Branzino. The atmosphere is informal, and comfortable, with great music. Service was GREAT, with Grace making our night super fun. We shared the fried green tomatoes, which were great. I then had the burger, which was different than the trend of huge slab of meat on a bun. It is two thin patties, with lots of sauce and lettuce and stuff, between a lovely homemade bun. Loved it, and at $12 with fries, I was full. My husband had one of the other sandwiches, and it was awesome, too. Pork, I think. Drinks are expertly prepared, and there are some nice wine and lots of beer options, too. LOVE this place :) read more