The live music definitely adds something special; and the decor is very cool. We had a 6pm…read morereservation, and the place was pretty empty, but did start to fill up around 7pm. We ordered two of their cocktails - and we found both great; good combination of flavours and excellent presentation. They had some constraints in the kitchen, so the food orders were taken late and some items were not available. I can say that the braai platters had an authentic taste; but with items missing, opportunity was lost for the truly authentic platter. Given the constraints, the service was excellent - friendly, and we were kept well up to date. Would love to come again.

I had Mrs. Robinson on my bookmark list for a long time and was excited to try it as part of my…read morebirthday celebration. Unfortunately, while the vibe was nice with cool live music... the drinks and staff need improvement. Our server seemed a bit off/rude and kept getting our bills wrong. The drinks we ordered (some suggested by server) were not very good. They need to find a better mixologist. We tried a few cocktails and I even ordered an expresso martini thinking that might be fairly standard? Everyone in my group tried drinks from each other and all agreed our drinks were bad. My expresso martini was so bad I couldn't even finish and just returned it. We only ordered fries, since we had dinner earlier so can't comment on food. Ended up leaving for another bar even though we could have ordered a few more cocktails. If you really want to try this place, I would suggest it for just beers. Good with friends for something casual but because of service I wouldn't bring a date, coworker or celebrate any special occasions. Really too bad, could have been a hot spot if they fix these things.

Classic bar with exposed brick and leatherette booths. Great whiskey selection. Visiting Canada for…read morethe first time as a whiskey drinker and wanted to try the much maligned Canadian whiskeys. This place had a solid old fashioned and a terrific collection. I started with Canadian Club 18 yr. And it was good. A few others I won't bore you with. I had the beef sliders and they were tasty. Nicole was friendly and super helpful and I enjoyed chatting with whiskey aficionados at the bar. Can't wait to come back and try more of their collection!

Came here as part of a bachelor party. We did the tunnel tour and the historian did a great job…read moreexplaining to our group of 10 the different types of whisky and tasting notes. He made reasonable suggestions for us to try that were not too pricey. We didn't stay too long but also got some wings and Parmesan truffle fries before leaving. Food was tasty so overall a really positive experience to start our night. I'm not a whiskey guy myself but would recommend for whiskey lovers.

Easy to get to, great little spot for live music. Bluegrass brunches on the weekend were a fond…read morepart of my 20s. Nice to see a venue like this stand the test of time!

Fun place, good service, great music. Definitely recommended. Enjoyable. Easy to get to on the…read morestreetcar.

Loved our stop here. Came for the scotch, of which they had a great selection…read more Our bartender was knowledgeable and happy to chat about what they had, and provide suggestions. We were there late on a Sunday night, so other than a few regulars we had the place to ourselves. They appear to get live music in, but we were too late to enjoy it. The place has patina. Dark and moody. Great music 'on the stereo '. Will return.

I could see this being a chill spot to frequent with a date or someone you want to have a…read moreconversation with. The place is quiet and all you hear is the jazz music playing. On the night I went, it felt like the Jazz version of a "Swingers" bar scene without the crowded bar. If you find the music to be too loud in the room it's actually being played in, just seat yourself closer to the front of the bar. You could just drink and listen to music all night, but the food was an added bonus. The waiter talked me into trying the burger with halloumi (cheese), and it did not disappoint. Good: -The Emmet Burger was tasty -live music -good vibes -expansive whiskey menu -the waiter was informative and friendly Bad: -no fault of their own, but it was very warm inside

This is my first time here, my daughter treated us. The service and ambiance is good …read more We ordered shrimps , sliders , salad and some drinks . Enjoyed our little hangout .

Petty Cash has been on my radar for a while. I finally stopped in had supper there last evening…read more The beer selection wasn't great but bottles at $7 happy prices helped make it okay. I had a pepperoni pizza (san marzani, tomato sauce, mozzarella, fior di latte and pepperoni), which was good. I took half home for tomorrow. There was live music, which was very good, but none of the servers knew who the singer was and I couldn't find any info on their website or social media. The servers were very friendly.

Very fun place in the middle of Queen St. We stopped in for late lunch after learning about the…read moreRivoli in the movie "Nirvanna, the band, the show, the movie". We were greeted very warmly by the wait staff and seated at one of the indoor tables. We each got delicious burgers and split an order of Wookie Balls. Everything was perfectly done right down to the lightly grilled brioche bun. The pool room upstairs is really cool too. Lots of history in the place but still feels clean and cared for. Everyone was so nice that we encountered. Can't wait for our next visit.

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)

We seriously, really truly loved it here. We were a little nervous coming in but I would definitely…read morestay here again. Rooms are what you pay for, but for such a great location in Toronto I can't complain. Everything was clean despite being a little shabby and service was friendly and helpful. We caught a show on the one night we stayed here, split a liter of cheap boxed wine and some fries and had such a great time. What a classic Toronto space.

Stayed at the Rex hotel for a night, and went to the jazz club. The hotel is alright, it's nothing…read morefancy, and you gotta make some concessions. I wish they had a sliding door instead of a curtain for the bathroom, but this is one of the most affordable places to stay in Toronto without leaving the city much, so you take what you can get. Check in process was easy, but I wish they gave some recommendations for parking nearby. At the jazz club, very cool vibe there. Good selection of drinks for affordable prices, and we split some wine. Service was great during the jazz show, and the show itself was one of the highlights of our time in Canada. Everyone should go to one of these shows at least once, because at the very least you will walk away with an appreciation, but more probably a fan.

I could genuinely rave about Reservoir Lounge forever. It's such a unique spot, and I don't think…read moreI've been anywhere else in Toronto quite like it. The underground setting, live swing music, and overall atmosphere make it feel like you've stepped into a different era. We ordered the charcuterie board, grabbed some drinks, and ended up having one of the most memorable nights I've had in a long time. Danny B and his band were incredible. They had so much energy, and by the end of the night the entire bar was singing along with them. It just felt like the kind of place where everyone was there to have a good time, and it made the whole experience even more special. If you're looking for something different from the usual bars in Toronto, I can't recommend Reservoir Lounge enough. It's a place I know I'll keep coming back to, and it's a night I won't forget.

Amazing place! My parents met here in 1998 and my middle name is res named after this place. We are…read morein the states now but every time I come it's the best drinks and service. Great chocolate cake too. Cool atmosphere as well. The chocolate storm martini and the strawberry coconut martini are my favorites.