dying breed... yes the dive bar in toronto but..... saturday night; bad karaoke/hip hop act.. a heineken $9.50.......... $9.50!? maybe that is a JACKED UP bartender robbed me price..? whatever the case a heineken can't be $9.50, no wonder bars are closing; they want to scam u for every dollar. if i have 3 bottles of beer; it's $30!? with a $1.50 tip.... going out is painful in 2025; we are GAUGED at these restaurants and bars. read more

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Nice place. Live music Saturdays. Parking right behind the pub. Good to go with friends.

Nice place to hangout with friends and grab some beer. They have live band at night. We came in the afternoon and stayed in the patio with nice flowers, Japanese maple trees and a little garden. Staff very friendly. read more

The Duke Live - Sports Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I come to this place for a drink after a bike ride. But only on nice days so we can sit on the patio. The inside needs a little refresher to put it mildly so we stick to the lovely patio. They fill their planters with lots of colour. It's a fairly large space with quite a few tables so we bring our bikes in to lean against the wall. Drinks are always reasonably priced. A generous glass of Pinot Grigio for about 8 bucks. Where else in this overpriced city will you find that. We also get a pitcher of cold beer as well. I actually love the food here. The veggie burger has a great bun, tasty patty with all the toppings. Fries on the side are awesome. Wings are cooked perfectly. Crispy and hot with tender meat. This is officially my reasonably priced summer hangout. read more

The food here is horrible. Probably the worst nachos I've ever had. A light sprinkling of cheese, tomatoes, peppers, and...parsley? It also comes with olives and jalapeños, but I opted not to have those. The chips were the worst part though. They weren't even crunchy. They were chewy. You know when you have old stale nachos? I swear they gave me yesterday's nachos that someone sent back. My partner had a (frozen) burger and fries. Condiments all come in single use packets. Decent patio but do not eat here. read more

Fun place, good live music. Not at all pretentious. Food is decent for pub fare, and service is great!

The first time I went the food was great. Unfortunately, the second time I got there it wasn't so great. I I had the fish and chips. The first time was great, thick piece of fish and nicely done but the second time the fish was skinny and tough. The waitress tells me the cook said it was old and dry, so why serve it, and then charge me the full price. The coffee was excellent though and so are the fries. They also have an excellent patio. read more

I ordered the calamari and it was not good. It wasn't crispy enough and the dip was not good. Service was really slow. I had to go up to the bar several times to get service. I would tell the waiter to get something but he would forget. The atmosphere felt like it was for an older crowd. I went there on a Tuesday and they had Karaoke -- old school Karaoke. There was also a dance floor and a stage. read more

If you want to feel like you have stepped into another place and time, a place where the world seems smaller, and your troubles do too, this is such a place. My wife and I stumbled by The Duke Live after a day at the beach. So glad we did. We caught a big band there, the Advocats, and were treated very well. $5 Murphy's pints, and a nice welcoming vibe in a now-historic building dating back to 1870 (as it says on the menu). Kitchen closed around 10 (Monday nite) so just commenting on the beer and ambience/music. The music and sound were great, and the lighting was adequate and appropriate for a big band. Seeing the big band perform reminded me of watching jazz at the Pilot on Cumberland St. One of the beers we ordered came at least 20 mins late, but the waiter apologized and made the drinks on the house. Had a pretty decent time and would love to return, despite the relaxed service- which was on the Monday/tail-end of the August long weekend, after all. Recommended if you like to kick back, relax and hear good music. Will update the review if I go back for any food. read more

I grew up in Toronto. Over the years I have come to know many of the establishments that offer music, food and that mix of interesting characters that makes each place unique. There are so many areas in this city where patrons can find exactly what they want. The Duke is one of those places. In the six years that I have lived in Leslieville, the Duke has changed into a place where music lives, no matter what genre. The food has become something to savour. The clientele has really changed to include not just the regulars at the bar and the pool tables but a wonderful influx of big band followers, country supporters, jazz and blues fans and the Karaoke devotees. Sweet Daddy is still there along with a newer addition to karaoke on Wednesday nights. The addition of the outdoor patio has added a summer element that adds to the overall feeling fo the place. The variety of special events like the Christmas Toy Drive and other fundraisers that have taken place there has added to the overall image of The Duke. Yes, it is an old building that has an interesting heritage. That is the past. Today, it is a place with a unique character. The area is changing. I am so glad that the Duke is changing right along with it. George and his staff are always open for new ideas. I am looking forward to what they come up with in 2019. Cheers. read more

I can only speak for the ambiance and brews. This is an old-school dive bar with definite John Wayne vibes. It's unpretentious, and looks to be a local hangout for a nice working class neighborhood. I had the Somersby hard cider, in love with this beer! My husband had the local Steam Whistle, and he couldn't finish it, it was truly hideous beer. Even he, who hates to see beer go to waste, could not fathom finishing the glass. Turns out, Steam Whistle is quite delicious, we've had it two other places in Toronto. We can only guess that the Duke's keg on this one was way off. I might also mention that this is one of the best per-capita karaoke talent haunts we've seen. Each singer kept blowing us away, it was great entertainment. read more

I'm here to review the Karaoke on Saturday's with Sweet Daddy Sikki. The regulars sing country music a lot, or songs from the 50's and 60's. The books of songs are ancient and have very little new songs but having said all that it really is a unique albeit surreal experience and The Duke is growing on me especially since they upgraded the patio and have parking! The bar itself is a bit old and dingy but part of the experience and the old guys sitting at the bar and playing pool look like they are there every day. My friend has her annual karaoke birthday party here and it makes it fun having a big group singing songs from the 80's and 90's mixed with the country twang of the regulars. The food is all deep fried but decent for what it is. (Fries, wings, onion rings, deep fried mushrooms were a hit in our group, and Nachos etc.) If you don't take yourself too seriously it's worth a try just make sure you have a few friends with you to make it fun! read more

We've been to the new Duke patio a couple of Friday nights after work. The first time we were there (opening week of the patio) a freak storm hit at appx 6:30, sending everyone inside for cover. The winds were very strong which made the planters and umbrellas go flying! We were pretty much done anyway, and left. We came back the next Friday night and the waitress remembered us and what we were drinking. She came out with our drinks telling us that they were on the house because of the inconvenience from the week before! What a nice surprise! Especially since bad weather isn't their fault, it just happens! So no bad weather for our second visit, and we had some food too. The food is average, but the prices are great. The wings went very well with the beer! The service was great, and the patio is large and beautiful. The patio is a nice addition to a part of Leslieville that has only one other patio, but that one is full of attitude and I won't go there anymore. The Duke patio is great, and I encourage everyone to check it out. Don't expect fine dining, but do expect good service at great prices on a very nice patio! read more

I like that they cater to all types of versatile people. They have did a lot of upgrading on the looks, they now have a patio, pub/bar style food, the prices are great, most nights no cover change unless there is a special event happening. Thursdays they have karaoke, Fridays they have a D.J spinning the top 40 and request and sometimes bands. Saturday They have bands as well. The staff and the owner are great people I know they do other events as well so check them out on the web site. For more information visit there web site http://thedukelive.com/ read more

A local in the neighbourhood. It makes me think of the Bar "Cheers" from television. It is a place where everybody knows your name. Lots of regulars for the after work drink on just about every day of the week. Pool, karaoke, live bands, and all the sporting events are there for the taking while having a drink with your firends and neighbours. Great Waiters and Bartenders. Half price Wings on Thursdays. A truly great place to make new friends and runs into some old friends. Worth a stop on any day after work to de-stress, have cold beer or a shot of yur favourite alcohol all served with a smile. Come out and try the place. I promise you will be glad you did. read more

Stopped on a Sunday night. Not crowded. Service took a long time. Waitress checked on us minimally. Had to ask for water, never got it. The bottom of my plate was dirty - lost my appetite. The poutine was worse than average. The chicken wrap was nothing to write home about. All in all a disappointing meal. Wish I had read reviews first. read more

This place has everything. Live music, great food and prices, good service, billiards and dancing. The crowd is mostly local and very interesting. Here you can let loose and be yourself and have a great time! There's a patio, too. Every week there is someone different playing and great bands come back regularly. Never a dull moment here. If you live in the neighbourhood, it's the perfect place for a fun time out that's staggering distance home. read more

I had my birthday party (35) here this weekend and I couldn't be happier with how it went! George, Dan and the team were the most amazing hosts (to 40 of my friends) and I am over the moon with the food, the cost, the service and the patio. Poor Sweet Daddy had to work overtime because we wanted the karaoke to continue :). Highly recommended. read more

We were here to see The Advocats big band perform on April 2nd. We were very pleased with the band, though at some point the speakers got crackly for a few minutes. The place was completely packed (100+ people) for the show, and I'm glad we got a reservation. Parking was also a bit iffy, and depending on the crowd you may need to get street parking. Due to the crowd, service was also very slow. Our server performed her duties more or less perfunctorily, and was neither overly friendly nor standoffish, just busy. We ate an absolutely HUGE plate of nachos and a good sized veggie wrap. I have never had better nachos in my whole life. I want to go back specifically for the nachos. So good. The veggie wrap was enjoyable, but not as memorable. I'd go back for the right performance, and you can be damn sure I'd get a plate of nachos again. read more

I went here with some coworkers on a Friday night, and we were all less than impressed. We sat out on the patio. The service was lackluster, and that's putting it generously. The waitress literally threw our orders on the table and never smiled. The food was stale. The atmosphere felt unwelcoming. I won't return. read more

I've been here a couple times. I like it. It's a dive, don't expect it to be too pretty. There are $5 pints available every day. There is frequent karaoke. The sound system is pretty good. The clientele don't have too much attitude. Not a bad place to hang out for a night. read more

As a musician who has played in pubs and clubs all over Ontario, I can say that the renovated pub the Duke Live (dukelive.com) is an awesome venue to play and watch live music. Great views of the spacious stage can be had from just about anywhere in the bar. The Duke provides live bands with a sound and light man. So, in contrast to many bars and clubs in Ontario, all you have to do it plug in your amps and play (except for the drummer of course - but who cares about him eh? LOL). Always a good crowd. I've played there with my bands Diva Fever and Jen and the Men and we've had a blast. Playing there again Nov. 10 with our new band Groove Fever and we're really looking forward to it. The bar is also huge. If pool is your thing, then there's a separate area off the side where you can play 8-ball with comfort. 5 of 5 as far as musicians are concerned!!! read more

They've slowly been trying to upgrade this place over the past few years but it still has that dirty bar feel to me. On my last visit here I was joining some friends that came for karaoke. The server was trying way too hard. He immediately acted like he was my best friend and started some banter and making some comments. Combine that with 20 minutes of the worst singing I've ever heard and I had had enough. I said goodnight to my friends and walked out. read more

The fact that the duke has great food I've known for awhile now. I have in fact ordered for take away on many occasions being that the ambience was not to my liking. Now all that has changed. They opened a beautiful garden patio. I think the best in the whole hood. Staying true to their rock n roll roots the is now a black white and red motif with original art all painted by one very talented local artist. He was actually working on a painting while I had lunch today it was cool. Also they have tropical trees scattered about the entire place. The staff call it George's jungle. Lol :) two thumbs up read more

I have grown up in the area all my life and have been going to The Duke Live sense I was old enough to drink!! I have meet many great people and friends from there!! I have always had tons of fun there and always belonged there!!! Great serves as well as great staff too!!! It has changed over the years and it is now one place I can not do without!!!!!! read more

Love this east end bar so much! A fusion of hipsters with ol school east end vets and bar regulars. It has a down to earth un-pretentious vibe, which makes it a rare gem in urban Toronto. Best karaoke! And awesome patio, kick ass rock stage, and pool tables!! read more

My first time at the Duke! I came here specifically to see Paul James perform. I had a blast. It was good old fashioned fun. The staff serving drinks were very friendly and Paul James was amazing I will remember this for a long time! What I love is that the dance floor is right next to the stage so I was able to enjoy the performance by Paul James while dancing at the same time. Great place to go if you know the band playing and you want to dance while enjoying the performance with your significant other. I will be back! read more

100 % the best patio in Toronto , ice cold beer at a great price , food is excellent. Definitely a place to spend an enjoyable time.

In every city in every country in the world there's a place like the Duke. You can watch a live band, sing some karaoke or watch the game while having a drink with your friends. What a sad world it would be if places like this didn't exist that exist, without pretence, with the purpose of leaving the work day behind and sidling up to the bar with an old-school bartender who knows what it is to be a bartender. Watch the Leafs or the Blue Jays or the Raptors win or lose and be comfortable! Maybe it's just my notion of what a bar should be like, but the Duke is that bar. read more

Stopped in Saturday night. Place was busy and the dance floor was hoppin'. Rothwell was the band playing and they were good. Had a burger and fries that was way filling and reasonably priced. Great place to party. Have to check it out again when we're down that way. read more

Great menu and huge servings my wife can never finish hers so we take it home! Excellent staff and the Saturday Night Tribute bands are top notch! read more

Look forward to performing at the Duke every time. Always a good crowd, good people out for a good time. The food is good and hot when you get it. Typical bar far with Wings, Fries, Chicken Strips, etc... The patio is awesome. Great setup and size. Lots of room. When in that area, I would recommend it as a place to go. read more

The bartender referred to below was Janice. I didn't know this had happened. I guess I only went in there at times when this craziness wasn't happening. It's the closest bar to my place that isn't the overpriced Ceili Cottage. It was never a great place, but she was really nice. The karaoke was fun too, and the food was okay (when they had it) but there are other places to do karaoke in this town, and I don't really feel like giving money to someone who's going to fire their staff so criminals can hang out. Is that really what happened? Gross. read more

THE PATIO IS OPEN!! I love the new patio! The chairs are big, there is a gazebo even and so many plants. Lots of stroller room too for brunch with the family. When we went, it was for lunch. I had a toasted western (awesome) with fries (meh) and hubby had chicken fingers and fries which he thought were good. We got scrambled eggs for our baby: which she liked. It's not gooormit food.. but it is eating out/pub food and it IS insanely cheap! The price on the menu apparently includes tax?!? We also got a beer and a coffee and all of the food mentioned above and it was like $24!!! Going from outside to the washroom inside (on the main floor which is a plus!) was a bit of a shocker.. very dark. Apparently they will be fixing that up next... def. a patio place for now! I'm just so happy about this because it makes the whole neighbourhood seem nicer. I love that it's still local and it hasn't become a chain restaurant or something... Also: service was super friendly. It was really quick too because the place was empty. No music either, which I didn't mind. They do have a ton of music (bands, Karaoke, DJ's etc) at night tho! I hope they keep on going in this direction! I would say the Ambiance is 'quiet and relaxing' almost tropical on the Patio! read more

A great tavern type of bar! Drinks are inexpensive, but tasty, and the food is to die for!! Friendly staff and good service. Live music on weekends, and a gorgeous patio in the summer. The locals can be a bit rough around the edges,but they're harmless, and welcoming once they've met you a few times. read more

The staff are super cool. Please read the review by Lisa K. It is very honest and accurate. I would like to add that I am a connoisseur of deep fried pickles and at The Duke Live they are perfectly crispy and delicious. You can actually hear the crunch that is created by the oil being nice and hot! I would just KILL to do just a few minor renovations to the place [a few grand on the Ladies room] but that is nitpicking. YOU KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING! Dig it for what it is. read more

Shit hole, smells and my first beer was flat, enough said. I was told by a few that this place is a dive and has been for a while.

I occasionally come here for the karaoke on a wed thurs or sat, but dont expect good service. The waitresses or bartenders are often preoccupied with their cellphones or chatting amongst each other. It actually gets pretty annoying as the waitresses arent even responsible for food service (so i dont think there is an excuse for the service). Speaking of, food is amazing large portions great prices and friendly service from the cook. Drinks are a fair price. read more

What can I say... Drank here, lived here, karaoke here (Sweet Daddy Siki Saturday afternoons, Dr Spin Wed Thurs night, and Remo Fri Sat nights) with live and loud tribute bands every now and again. Other times you can have DJ spin masters cranking their dance music all night long. It doesn't matter to me because it's all good times! During the days of the week, you'll have an assortment of regulars who saunter on in, talking about a pile of malarkey of a day they had to switch it around again, I think that's what they said. The comedians who never made it big are usually here too applying their works of art of sorts. But today is Sweet Sunday ... the rabbits are frolicking on this particular Sunday in the early stages of spring. The time is 4:15pm, there's a band on stage. They call themselves Black Stack Jack (they're doing their sound check right now) they sound simular to the Good Brothers and their respective family. (of sorts) You can almost hear Doug on the accordion... And here I sit, at the bar. Listeningto the band. Sweet country melodies running freely through my mind. I have GPS and I'm still getting lost, time traveling throughout the day, and it's still okay because I'm still here, enjoying a Newcastle Brown Ale. One of the barkeepsere from 'cross the pond brought me my favoured brew from afar. I supplied the glass works, once upon tyne. I could go on well into next week, but instead of catching up, I suggest you just show up, make an appearance and see how famous you get within a year gone by. read more

Love the place! Was there Saturday night... Great site lines to see a band... Great sound and awesome feeling room lots of friendly people! I will be definitely be going back again and again! read more