Met some friends here for a catch-up and drinks. I was a bit worried about the reviews about boisterous burlesque and was concerned about the noise level. But it was a Wednesday evening and Heidi was playing piano. We all arrived at the same time and were greeted immediately by the bartender and Heidi! We shared an enormous plate of delicious nachos. They weren't just slapped together but almost every single chip had a topping. Delicious and addictive. It was a great evening and the decor prompted more conversation. Interesting pictures and a laid back decor with exposed brick walls. read more

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Their happy hour time changes on daily basis depending on the scheduled show on that day. They gave an event every night and some of them have free admission and the other ones require buying tickets. They have live band or DJ nights (check their website). They gave great vibes. Usually the bar is packed and the staff and bartenders are very quick with providing service. read more

Gord and I stopped in at the The Painted Lady last evening. Dylan Hennessy was playing cover songs and original tunes. read more

The Painted Lady - people sitting at a bar - Pubs Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Went here for "the break-up diet" and it was an interesting show - not what I expected or seen. I was a bit skeptical at first but then I ended up really enjoying it! It's a casual atmosphere with a hint of romance because of the dimly lit space with a whole bunch of wall decors. We got a few drinks and a grilled cheese - the drinks were alright but the sandwich was mind-blowing! Lots of cheese so a cheese pull is guaranteed, a massive portion, and grilled to perfection! I enjoyed a hint of sweetness/basil to the sandwich read more

Nice local bar and pub. There is always lovely live music and a crowd that is a bit older late 20s to 40s who are there to enjoy a good time. The servers and bartenders are all lovely people who can help make you any drink of your choice, give recommendations, and really are a delight to be around. It is a cheery place. Feels very european pub, with fun crowd of people who are all chatty. Nice small space to host small to medium sized events of less than 50 people. read more

Along with bars like Cherry Colas, The Painted Lady immediately strikes me as different than an average bar, and what sets it apart is that it's obvious that women are involved in running the place. It looks and feels that way and as soon as you make your way along the bar, an overwhelming warm and friendly feeling takes over. Instead of being intimidating, the bar is inviting and fun. At a few $10 live music shows there, I've come away feeling like I got my moneys worth. True to the burlesque theme, the bartenders are entertaining as well. Turns out that the long and wide bar doubles as a runway for the burlesque shows and you never know what impromptu use it may encounter. Highly recommended! read more

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Bring small changes to pay - they take cash only, and self deduct large portions for tips before giving back your change. Be alert!

First off I have to say SWEET PAINTED LADY is my favorite Elton John song ever, no doubt! The Painted Lady PUB was not my fave place I went to last night but it was still fantastic.. I dug DAD Punk Rock band that was ripping on the stage! I dug how good it sounded in there! I dug how nice the bartenders were. And I dug the selection of beers to choose from.. Things that keep it from a 5.. Cash only... BOOO... But they do have an ATM in the basement with only a small service fee! All and all I'm tired while writing this review.. So much fun last night and this place was a piece of that puzzle! read more

The Painted Lady - Pubs Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The Painted Lady was recommended to me by a local who knows I love a dive bars and it hit the nail on the head. It was a great start to a fun pub crawl along Ossington. Loud, live bands, cash only and decent gin and tonic. My friends and I really enjoyed the band playing the night we went, they were a great talking point. As was the decor in there, some interesting art work to look at while you enjoy a beer and some local tunes. read more

extremely rude staff. i went once. stood at the bar and was stared down and roundly ignored by the bartender. i was there for the open mic. no way i would go there again. i left without signing up. who needs to be treated like an asshole and pay for he privelege? not this guy. read more

The band rocked. It was comprised of middle-aged guys, likely dads. But it wasn't dad rock. Was was punky bar rock. Awesome. The drinks were cheap and they only took cash. It was dark and divey and no cover. Not a bad spot to stumble into when you're out barhopping with some friends. Would I go back. 100% yes. read more

I've been going to this dive bar and enjoying the beautiful and most talented women and drag shows. Booze is cheap and they have live acts. Dancing in the back. Oh ya, it's like a bowling alley, long and narrow so get there early. The are a few very comical characters that pop in and out... but that's Ossington. Be sure to look for Honey B Hind!!! https://goo.gl/images/bCNgQG read more

The Painted Lady - Pubs Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Just love the deco and the vibes of The Painted Lady! It has a feel of a saloon, love the rich velvet colours and the comfy loungers with nice soft cushions that I can just sink into............ Even on a Tuesday night, the place was hopping with action and beautiful people which were all classy and friendly. Services was great and polite and the music was good! I definitely would be back for a night cap next time when I am in the area! Just make sure I don't roll down the stairs when I go to washroom! :) read more

Went on New years eve 2018. Was litt had a great time with DJ Adverb and DJ Cess rocked the place. Atmosphere calls you for entertainment and be you. Have to be must go on your bucket list. read more

I ended up here after meeting the yelp drinking buddy (YDB). We were here after 11 and that too on a weekday but the place was busy. We just missed the LIVE act (maybe next time) but the place was still buzzing. Reasonable mix of beers on draft and good selection of drinks. I went with a king fisher pilsner and YDB went for a pint of hard cider. Service was prompt and courteous. Very laid back and has what you might call a west coast vibe. prices are reasonable and in line with this area i.e. most drinks are $. Downside cash and interac only. Washrooms are downstairs and are tight. I think I will like to visit again and catch the LIVE act. 3.5 Stars. read more

Ossington's coolest club for diversity is: The Painted Lady This place has EVERYTHING: Lights, vintage pin-up prints, pimped-out DJs, a small dancing man ensconced in leopard print, a bar-top burlesque dancer, nipple tassels, a dusty mirrored disco ball, and hot damn good mojitos. There's no password: At the door, just do the Cosby face. Okay, that last bit was pure SNL Stefon. Out of any bar in Toronto, it's this place that lives up to the spirit of Stefon. I had fun; TPL isn't excessively terrible in any way. It's actually a little bit amazing. Highly recommended if you want to have fun without trying too hard. read more

VIBE With the proliferation of new restos and bars opening across the street, The Painted Lady is an older standby that doesn't have to try. I think that's what works so well with them: they don't have to be dirty hipster to satisfy the Ossington of yesteryear; but they don't have to renovate or be shiny and new to beckon the youth of today. So when you walk in, it's really nothing fancy. You've got the nice lounge chair in the front; a tiny patio outside and a bunch of tables and chairs along the side. There's a bunch of paintings and pictures of ahem, ladies so they have the tie-in to the theme. There's one couch in the back as well, a DJ area and a stage with red, velvet curtains that hide a mural of a peep-show girl. Maybe if you're special and ask, you can see it. There's a mini dance floor if you get into the groove. The best part of this place are the lacquered tables. They had a photo/painting of the Beatles on ours. Tres hip! I was here on a Friday and the DJ played reggae (Hello, "I'm in love with a man nearly twice as my age:). Not sure how this worked in with the almost-naked burlesque dancer performing on the bar but you just...go with it? If you come here early enough (around 7) on a Friday, you can have a conversation. But the music gets louder around 9:30. WE DRANK/ATE This is the deal: cash only; no pitchers. I drank my usual Heineken. But they do have Beau's on tap. Beau's! The menu was small but had some great options. I went with the honey and basil-laden grilled cheese. It's by far artisinal, but it hit the spot and was served with honey nuts. Mmmm! OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK Maybe they can have a body painting theme night? Otherwise, it's a fun, unpretentious bar that is reasonably priced. Great first date place. read more

What a great surprise the Painted Lady turned out to be when a couple of friends and I came in here to cap off a mini Ossington crawl on a Friday night. The cool looking crowds, loud music and what we saw peering in drew us in here. Little did we expect it to be a full on party here, drinks were cheaper than expected, there was good music being spun (perfect for dancing away) and a burlesque dancer doing her thing standing up on the bar. Initially it was a "wtf" moment as it was very unexpected but she was amazing and gave this place a nice added touch. The end of the lounge was occupied by a good number of people dancing away in front of the DJ so if you want to get your dance on they can accommodate you. This does seem like a place that needs to be visited when its less crowded to really appreciate the deco because the bits I saw I really found interesting, and I can just see this place being a very cool spot to lounge around in. I can't say much about the staff except that they were very efficient as far as I remember in serving drinks to the relatively large crowds. After reading about the adventure it takes to go down to the washrooms perhaps that's something else to add on to my "Painted Lady to-do List" ! read more

I've been going to the Painted lady since it opened it's doors - what I can say? I like it! It's our neighbourhood go-to place. It's dark, they play decent music, the bartenders are nice and they make some tasty snacks despite not having a kitchen! I really really like the pulled pork sandwich. I will say that I don't go near the place on a Friday or Saturday night as that's when Ossington fills up with douchebags and not even the PL is spared... but hey the rest of the time? Great! They make an excellent Bloody Caesar with sriracha sauce and montreal steak spice and they do a decent Dark N' Stormy as well (and don't charge an arm and a leg for it like SOME PLACES I can think of...and should probably write a cranky review of....) In conclusion, The Painted Lady is a great little bar for a few cocktails or a pint with friends. If you don't like 905 clubby types, stay away on weekend nights but other than that, enjoy! read more

After reading on Ctv news that bartender sprayed pepper spray and indirectly injured a patron who has missed time off work and had to go to hospital immediately for treatment and to get her vision back. The restaurant has yet to reach out to the patron to apologize or to even check to see how she was doing. The restaurant had no comment for ctv news. Shame on owner of restaurant for not caring. read more

This place was totally a cool stop. Burlesque and DJ and bar? check. Super busy on a Friday but we were still served reasonably fast. I loved the eclectic feel. fun place! read more

One of the worst bars I've been to. Ambience is nice. When we went there were like 4 tables of people (about 2 people at each) and seemingly around 6 employees inside the bar. Service is non existent. They sit you down and then disappear. Then you have to ask another waiter who is randomly passing by if you can finally place your order after 15 minutes. Different people sat you down but it seemed only one person was really doing all the waiting. (Which makes me feel bad knowing she was doing ALL of the work while there were a ton of people inside literally just talking and hanging out) We asked for our drinks and some water which took quite a long time. Drinks came first and the wait for those wasnt too bad, but for some reason water came out like 10 minutes later? And the drinks were awful. For $12 you got either a cup of water or sangria with some of the worst tasting wine. This is coming from someone who only drinks cheap wine too. The dark and stormy wasnt too bad actually but not nearly worth the price Everytime the waiter would drop something off it seemed like they tried to run away from the table. So i asked for the bill as soon as we got water. That took like another 15-20 minutes. And i just so fed up and walked inside to ask for the bill. When I walked in, there was literally a crowd of employees just hanging out with eachother. So theres my review. I don't mean to be mean but it really was a shitty experience. read more

The venue is very narrow. If she's a Painted Lady, then she's rail thin and can fit into runway sizes. As with women, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I've been to The Painted lady for dancing, and for a rock show. The rock show was small, so it was perfect for this venue. It was a more energetic and intimate vibe, whereas most venues would have felt a bit empty. Sound quality was above average. The dance night was less appealing. The dance floor was crammed, and broken glass was everywhere. It was still fun, but more of a tradeoff read more

Sunday night Karaoke and the bartender is a fucking hero who not only tolerates 4 people very high on mushrooms but brings out snacks. Great beer and whiskey and all that stuff read more

About 10 or so of my friends and I ended up here last weekend. Sort of a quasi pubcrawl. It was busy when we got there but manageable. Drinks were reasonably priced but the quantity was small. The music was amazing. The dance floor space is small but we had fun anyway. By the time we went to get some fresh air there was a line up outside to get in. So on our way back in is when we realized how packed the place was and loud! ha! The artwork on the walls were of naked ladies, so someone asked are we at the naked lady or the painted lady?! ha! I believe the artwork is from local artists. The washrooms are downstairs and the walls are painted black.. a little intimidating for me! Now I know why women go to the bathroom in pairs! LOL ;0) We left when the DJ started to play that rap crap! We continued our pubcrawl down Ossington!! read more

I always liked The Painted Lady and after spending a few hours eating and drinking there last night, I am a big fan. The owners and staff are so nice and fun and they really believe in making this a place for all kinds of people to have a good time. What changed for me last night is I tried the food. HOLY F!! Try the pulled pork sandwich, it is the best I have had since trying authentic barbecue in North Carolina. And what a steal for $6!! Go now and eat one. AMAZING! read more

This place is true to Toronto expectation in being a long and relatively narrow bar, small dancefloor and stage up in the front (errr, back?), and bathrooms in the basement. One thing this place does that impressed me was have a decent variety of draught beer, including some good locals like Duggans 9 IPA. Bartenders were friendly as well. I will give them credit for doing something a bit different on Ossington, in the sense that they seem to have different types of music and different events taking place each night of the week... But I'm not 100% sold on this place, athough I think that's mostly just based on the night I came on, which was admittedly a little more musically into the R&B, trap, and top 40 sounds than I'm personally about. I'll still keep them in the A-OK pile, and perhaps with a future event they'll earn that 4th star. read more

Went here for a fringe festival show. Very laidback vibe, energetic patrons. Drinks reasonable priced. Not sure if they normally take cashless payments but when I went it was cash only. It's a long narrow space that fills up quickly. Has frequent quirky performances. Likely to see all kinds of people here. Fun vibe! read more

Love this place. Good vibe. Friendly staff. Great music. $5.50 pints. Will definitely come back! read more

Came in here for drinks before heading to a nearby restaurant for dinner. The place, its decor, and the bartenders all give off this cool-without-trying-to-be vibe. The bartenders knew their drinks, shared information about the bar and the area, and made excellent cocktails. I am not sure about the food, the late night scene, or the entertainment options after 10. However, if you want a quirky-fun place to meet friends after work in Little Portugal, this is worth a try. read more

A great place to see live entertainment. The acoustics are great, and the sound dude on the mixer always gets it right. Intimate, and almost every time I've dropped in there's been great music. The selection on tap at the bar is good, and reasonably priced. The food looks and smells good, but I haven't actually tried it. read more

Such a cool bar! Great spot to grab a beer while waiting for Libretto. Staff is super friendly (the girl with the glasses is cute) and it was a just really cool. Call me a hipster but I call myself one open minded SOB! read more

Went on a Sunday night and experienced amazing entertainment with live vocal and dance performances. Four women doing Burlesque in the most amusing and sensual way. A must see. read more

Jesus christ, the legends were true, there was an actual lady dancing, teasing, and stripping on top of the bar! Very pretty, sexy outfit, immediately caught my eye with her skillful moves. Her name was Honey B Hind. Don't get that excited though, it stopped at topless. But very nicely done. There was a live DJ on a Friday night playing a fun mix of hip hop. The crowd was enjoying themselves. There was even a guy walking around with a bongo drum encouraging people to give it a few whacks. The place looks nice but it's small so it gets crowded. A few seats near the bar and then everyone just piles into the back (front?) where the DJ spins. It does get a little loud so long conversations might be difficult. Still a fun night. read more

I have lived (and partied) in Toronto for many a year now and this place is my Friday night go-to. Sure it's crowded and the bathrooms are a complete joke but what it lacks in creature comforts it makes up for in personality. This place is just teeming with "personality". The door man is just lovely and has absolutely no attitude about 'capacity' or anything like that. Feel free to chat him up if you're ever stranded outside. The bartenders are the best! I have left my wallet/credit card/entire identity at this bar more than once (I know, I'm so that girl) and have always had it returned with no questions asked. The drink pours are generous and if you are into reggae, this is a great place to dance it up. The tiny dance floor sure is intimate but the DJ and his posse (always hanging around him on-stage) are friendly and like to get people in the crowd going. You can always find a few people who've had that one drink too many and serve as excellent entertainment and not to mention that they have a burlesque dancer on the bar! And not some vegas surreal looking gal, she's a real girl with real hips who knows how to shake 'em! Beware that you can not use debit or credit to pay as it's a cash only type of place. Other than that, go ahead and give it a gander. read more

Saturday Night, no plans in the works and the sound of TLC out the door drew us into The Painted Lady. Teeny, tiny bar, teenier dance floor but was an awesome night! The DJ was great, the music was dancey and loud, but the standouts were the bartenders and the drinks. The guy remembered my order (shocking in such a busy bar) and then made us the best Burt Reynolds shots of our life, I'd like to call them the Ryan Reynolds of Burt Reynolds. Definitely a return visit is in order! read more

Service: The bar area is pretty small, and is usually crowded. At peak times like Friday nights it's pretty hard getting a drink here. Ambiance: It's a small narrow bar with a mini stage at the back for the DJ on Friday nights. The bar tends to get really packed during the weekends, and turns to almost like a club. Sometimes a lady would dance on the bar to enhance crowd participation, hence the name of the bar. Food: There's a limited selection of beers here, and it's more on the expensive side. There's also cover from $5-10 on prime nights. read more

I was in and out of The Painted Lady yesterday (a Friday night with the burlesque dancer) within ten minutes. Colleague had recommended this spot. It was packed by 11:00 PM when we arrived after dinner and barely a place to squeeze in at the bar to grab your drink - certainly no place to sit. Not much of a vibe yet; the live music was okay. The dancer on the other hand who was on the bar countertop had an extremely bored expression on her face. While she is very pretty, it was more a stripper feel and attire than "burlesque", and her bored expression didn't help. Ordered an absinthe and left pretty quickly. I wouldn't come back. read more

I have only been to the painted lady a few times but I do enjoy each visit. They have some unique tasting drinks, their food while limited is quite delicious and the atmosphere is quite eclectic. My only issue with this place is the service. While the staff if friendly, I feel like they are understaffed. There is an event that I attend once a month at this venue and although they are aware of it, they continue to make one guy handle us all! My suggestion would be for them to bring on one or two more people in cases where they know they will have a big crowd. Definitely check it out though. Its another unique business on an already growing street in Toronto. read more

Good place to watch a bit of dancing and listen to 80s music. Gets packed and hot in there fast. Quite a small place. read more