A classic Punk / Rock n Roll Bar in Toronto CA. Basically the CBGB's of that scene…read more It's been around since the early 1990's and is exactly what a spot like this should be. Very nondescript outside facade - no sign telling you what it is other than a small "BSC" (for Bovine Sex Club) painted near the door. Hard to miss though as the exterior is made up a punk rock style sculpture of rusted bikes & other assorted ephemera. The interior is similar, visually. Great sound system & chill vibes pervade throughout. Weirdly the stage is right in the entrance of the club, on your left, with a long bar along the right side, heading back. Great, crowd, great location in cool area with lots of restaurants & plenty of parking - both on the street up to 2 hours & extended parking for a flat-rate of CA$20 (~$14 USD) from 6:00pm until the next morning, just 2 blacks away.

The Bovine is a fantastic place that is the same today as it was decades ago. not only that, but it…read moreis also one of the cheapest pints that you can find. Now, are the taps dry? Maybe. Are the beer cans running out? It's possible. But, it's a dive in the way of the old dives. And the acoustics for bands are... not great. But they are a sign of what once was. Without attempting to try to present a front of a time long gone, The Bovine simply exists today as it once did in that time long ago, before Smokes stickers, before iPhones, back when people would just go to a bar to talk with those they didn't know the morning prior. Bring cash though, unless you're looking to make some big orders, because credit card is a minimum fifty-dollar spend.

Met some friends here for a catch-up and drinks. I was a bit worried about the reviews about…read moreboisterous 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.

Their happy hour time changes on daily basis depending on the scheduled show on that day. They gave…read morean 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.

Dakota Tavern has the look and feel of a hundred year old Toronto bar that has rock n roll coursing…read morethru its veins. A quick google makes it look like it's been around since around 2009. And probably that was the last year they cleaned the floor. People joke about sticky floors but this is the real deal. What The Dakota lacks in finesse and class, it makes up for in raw talent and good sound. There is something about basement bars that just feel right when it comes to live music shows. Sure, you can't see anything with people standing in front and no raised stage, but it sounds great in there. The bathrooms are right beside the bar, which makes sense if you think about Jim Morrison drinking beer in the bathroom saving a lot of time wandering back and forth. I met up with friends here for an early show, which was around 7 pm, yeah that's early! But when you see how few people can actually enjoy a show, the double bill just made sense. Beer was easy to buy at the bar, without any problem getting the barkeep's attention as they can seem to read minds there which is fantastic when loud music is playing. Even though I forgot my earplugs that night, which was a Canadian Tribute to Tom Petty, the sound was not an assault. But it was sold out, so I do not recommend going to a bar like this without earplugs on hand. In fact, most bars like this have earplugs at the bar, so do ask!

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!

GOOD FOOD. GREAT MUSIC…read more CHEAP DRINKS. Way better than I was expecting! Group of us went out for a birthday. We started in the front part where the TACOS were amazing! Reasonably priced and filling. We then relocated to the back part to dance. Cover was $10 (which went us from the $5 posted when we arrived). But once on the dance floor, we had a blast. The mostly '90s throwback hits kept us dancing till 2am, and the drinks were so cheap! Just know the bar is CASH ONLY, but there's an ATM in the room.

Possibly the worst-sounding music venue in Toronto…read more If anyone in the audience makes a sound, claps, sings, etc, the artist performing is drowned out by the cacophony of life.

Such a fun bar! Drinks are cheap…read more The music is great. The staff is friendly. I had a blassssst being here and will definitely come back

This place rulessss. Great bartender (Zack) and the ambience is perfect for a Saturday afternoon…read more Highly recommend!

This is probably one of my favorite music venues it's the place to be in Toronto…read moreWalking in the bar area is just really cool and then you go back to where the actual stage is and you just don't expect a whole other room. The stage is super small which really makes the experience better in my opinion. It feels so much more intimate with the band. I've had so many good nights here Like that they have a bunch of sitting areas with tables right behind a standing area in front of the stage. Saw and fell in love with many bands here and many more to see in the future hopefully

If your standard for live music involves walking through a metal detector to enter a sterile,…read moremulti-tiered corporate sports arena - where you sit in a numbered plastic seat, look at a massive digital screen because you are half a mile from the artist, and pay forty dollars for a warm, low-bitrate lager in a branded plastic cup - stay on the Gardiner Expressway. You are a consumer of commercialized culture. You are participating in the systematic flattening of the sonic experience.

Top live music joint in the TO. There is live music in the front and sometimes a cover charge for…read morethe band in the back. Friendly service , affordable dranks and always fun music.

The Cameron House is exactly as advertised. It is not trying to be anything more than a memory of…read morewhat Queen West used to be. If you have any interest in experiencing a call back of old-Toronto then you should stop in for a pint or two. But, be sure to bring cash because they don't accept anything but. A throw back to a before-time that is all part of the experience. Don't go looking for a place to sit down either; but there's enough wall space for everyone to lean against.

The Drake Underground is in the basement of the hotel obviously, but does not have the basement-y…read morefeel that I expected going in. The bar as you enter is cramped and covid-claustrophobic if that's a thing, but since the place was absolutely packed with beautiful women, that made it easier to take! It seemed everyone was happy to be out of their cages and shaking it on the d-floor. That night was an amazing showcase of talent! I had so much fun. It was a celebration of a various artists album called Coverama that my friend John Orpheus was a part of and has the first song spot on the album, and as well was the headliner of the evening's show. There was plenty of room to dance, as well there was lots of room on the stage for the performers. The bathrooms were nice, and should be considering the venue's prominence in Toronto, and were not disgusting as is often the case with these kinds of events. Highly reco'd for your party needs.

Underground is such a vibe! Been for a few concerts there, Maeta (2023), Christian Kuria and Bobby…read moreNsenga most recently. Fun vibe with the lights, intimate smaller venue perfect for up and coming artists. You can buy nice cocktails from the rooftop lounge and bring them downstairs. The bartenders in the underground are always super nice. Such a fun venue!

Amazing back patio. Great outdoor fire pit. Perfect for a cold April night. Staff were kind,…read moreattentive. Great beer. Great food. They made us welcome. They had the right touch / distance. Like we're visiting a wealthy relative who gives us wonderful food and drink, but gives us space.

I mainly come to this spot for the live music and the beer selection. The food I tried was iffy…read moreand not worth it IMO even for snack. The service has been decent on all my visits and same goes for the live music selection. I enjoy the beer selection they have as it's getting way overboard with craft stuff everywhere else :) Not a tequila connoisseur by any means but they seem to have a decent selection. Cover charge usually with the live band over the weekend. 3.5 stars

The best part about The Commie, aside from being one of the city's best dive bars, is Michael Louis…read moreJohnson, the musical barkeep. This man is a treasure--a multitalented musician who plays in many bands including The Lemon Bucket Orkestra. In season, you can catch Michael playing trumpet and singing with a jazz band on the back patio on Saturday evenings (5-8pm). The patio, accessible via an alleyway off Rolyat Street, feels like one of this neighbourhood's best kept secrets. Such a fun, chill vibe back there. Perhaps these Saturday shows will eventually move back inside, where they were held in the beforetimes, when the band sat cheek by jowl with customers in one of the city's most "intimate" performance venues. But whether Michael is performing behind the bar or on the back patio, the man is a marvel of multitasking. He'll perform part of a tune, set the trumpet down as the band plays on, take people's orders, prepare and serve drinks, and then pick up the trumpet and continue the song. So freaking cool. He also hosts a unique music listening event on Monday nights called Decide on the B-Side...don't forget to bring your favourite vinyl. As for the drinks, nothing fancy here, just a decent beer list and hard booze, mostly. But as described above, this bar is so much more. It's chock full of fun and character.

The owner was horribly mean to my friend. Do not go here if you aren't in the mood to be yelled at…read moreand physically intimidated by the crotchety old owner who polices everything that is said in the bar. Especially if you are a woman. Not a safe environment. Thought this place was meant to be open-minded and welcoming but apparently not.