Best Live Music Venues In Toronto

“What a cool little place. Truly amazing and unique murals on the walls, ceiling art, cool bar. We saw a comedian in the back room. Very unique and memorable time!”

Sean O’Leary

“It’s like a place stuck in time. Beautiful people, beautiful music, live music. It’s cash only, but there’s an ABM inside. Pretty good choice of taps and cans as well. 5 on 5 for just being good ol fashioned though :)”

Dhruv Kumar

“Awesome venue, we saw Strange Advance & Images In Vogue. The sound is amazing, beautiful job on the renovations. The staff are fantastic. We couldn’t have more fun. It was an absolute blast. Keep in mind it’s cashless, debit & credit for payment ONLY.”

Campbell CC

“Amazing place to see a concert! I just saw the band USS (Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker) & the entire experience was outstanding! The state of the art sound system produced sound that is bar none the best I’ve heard in any other concert venue in Toronto & it all added to a literal ground shaking musical experience.
The renovations to the ElMo were much needed & because of the significant upgrades done to the site, this will stand as one of Toronto’s best venues to see a live concert for decades to come”

Danny

“As a concert-goer, the legendary Horseshoe Tavern has been a significant part of Canadian musical lore. You have to go to one of the famous venues with the checkerboard floors!

Opened in 1947, it has gone through various changes and had tons of influential acts played here. Lots of bands started here first and became pretty big like The Tragically Hip, Our Lady Peace and Blue Rodeo. This venue has been captured in a few songs (like Bobcaygeon – The Tragically Hip) and books as well.

It is a very intimate venue with the front bar open 7 days a week and live music and events in the back bar. You do have to walk through the front of the Tavern and pay the entrance fee/concert price to get to the back and watch the band. There is a little bit of seating and standing room in the front that houses a capacity of 400 people. Do expect blocked views if you’re seated. However, you can still hear the band up at the front of the bar. Lots of great concert vibes!”

Carol F

“Went here for a concert for the first time last night. It is a cool place with an interesting and historic atmosphere.
But as a concert venue I didn’t like it at all. There is limited seating towards the back with narrow tables for drinks etc and then a dance floor type area between that and the stage. Lazy people like me want to sit and enjoy some good music. But the ambitious people want to stand in front of the stage which almost totally blocks the view of those seated.”

Keith S

“It was a great experience at the local bar. We came to see and listen Canadian bands, one of them was Bitter and Broke band. The place was clean with a good ventilation system. Bartenders were attentive and prices for the drinks were provided. I think it’s important to support the musicians, community and people who run local business.”

Laura Kassym

“I was surprised to be able to hear Old Sea Brigade in this small comfortable, intimate setting. Was a new and great experience. It was an unexpected venue because it’s located in the middle of a residential area. The beers were priced well compared to other venues, the washrooms very well kept (extra star), and the whole atmosphere quite friendly and relaxed. I enjoyed it a lot despite the boxed in acoustics. Hopefully other well-known (underground-indie) bands come here, I will be on the lookout.”

M. A. Gallardo

“Recently came to Danforth Music Hall to see Cannibal Corpse and three other heavy metal bands live. Powerful line up!

Getting in was straight forward. The bouncers outside were patting people down. They spoke clearly enough for everyone to be able to follow directions. Inside another attendant was scanning the tickets. Easy.

Once inside there was a merch table set up as well as a bar. Bathrooms were accessible on the left and right. Very manageable to get around.

Once in the general admission area the music hall was large with enough room to start piling up to the front. There really wasn’t much distance in between the barricade and the state which means you can get pretty close.

Bars on the left and right of the general admission floor makes grabbing a drink pretty accessible.

Great show. Great venue for heavy metal shows. I would come back again for sure.”

Patrick Colarossi

“I was able to spend an evening watching Joe Satriani in this venue. I don’t think that there is really a bad seat in the house, and the acoustics were good enough, as well.

Yes, it old. Yes, it needs some major restoration work, and light upgrades. But, it was clean, and the process to enter the building was fast and smooth.

If you can catch a show there, I’d recommend doing it.

By the way; check out all of my Google reviews. Almost 11,000,000 views!”

Dean Zimmer

“Love History! Saw Jerry Cantrell in March and The Flaming Lips in October, both shows were completely packed, but you could still easily move about, go get drinks, etc. This is a top notch venue, plenty of security and bar staff, minimal wait for service, very clean and welcoming. The staff are courteous and professional. I look forward to going to many more shows here. Oddly, both times I’ve been there was a situation requiring medical attention. Each time the security staff handled the situation brilliantly, helping the person immediately and coordinating with the venue medical team. Clearly they have trained for this and it was comforting to see the rapid response and how well the person was taken care of. I hope both individuals were okay.”

Dave

“Came here to see Paramore and I loved the venue!

The security was quick but rather thorough. The venue had a good flow and had coat check, merch tables, and even pizza! That is pretty unusual for most “smaller” venues now.

I note it’s also great to finally have a venue in the east end now. It’s a huge upgrade from the race track there previously. Even the outside of the building is very nice.

I particularly liked that the security did not let people camp overnight. Instead, the first 300 people who came got numbered wristbands to hold their place in line. They were asked to leave and come back closer to the time doors opened. They were arranged by wristband number, and everyone else who came after that first 300 were placed in a different line.”

Breanne Marie Peacock

“Don’t forget to use ʜᴏᴛᴇʟʙoʟʟʏ.ᴄᴏm when booking a room. This website will compare hundreds of hotel sites and typically will have rooms much cheaper compared to others! Thank me later! This resort is the best rated in this area. I’ve been coming here for a long time. If you stay for a few nights you definitely will love it I’m sure!

Great place for live music, and amazing seats to view the band as well. Food servings were surprisingly filling and staff were amazing. Can’t go wrong coming here for a good time.”

Joseph Skillern

“I stayed one night recently. The Rex was awesome in every way. Extremely clean, friendly and willing to please. Room was small but it cost one third of next cheapest hotel in area. Parking next door was only $25 for 24 hours so we parked it and enjoyed the great neighborhood. Food and jazz band was great part of trip! Mike was helpful on desk..all aspects were great beyond expectations!!”

Robert Bridgeman

“These photos are taken from Section 406 Row F. A little farther back but still a good view of the stage. This was my second time going to a concert here, the first time I just got general lawn passes. I could see the stage but it was just very far back. I love going to concerts here, the vibe is awesome, being outside especially when the weather is nice. There’s also different food options and vendors to choose from but they’re pretty pricey. I would definitely recommend seeing a concert here!!!”

shylo malcolm (simplyblessedshy.com)

“Lovely venue with plenty of greenspace for lounging on picnic blankets along the hill, great view for a show. Signage for the zones is pretty clear and there are many bars and food stalls all around the venue, makes for a great festival type of event following a concert. Plenty of bathrooms. Lots of fun. Only criticism is the sound system was not loud enough.”

Kevin T

“Easily the best hole in the wall venue in Toronto. Sound has improved, drink prices are decent, but really need to work on security stepping in when need be.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen any inside, and it’s almost led to multiple injuries if photographers, DJs, and even other attendees hadn’t stepped in”

Donny Beveridge

“Great venue. The sound or house speakers are very heavy in the high end, so bring some ear plugs.”

Jordan .P

“Finally came to the famous Lee’s Palace for the Anamanguchi concert In April 2022.

Exactly what I expected and had heard. Local venue with a decent bar and super friendly staff. Probably the nicest staff from any venue I’ve ever been too.

The show of course was awesome. The venue had a great setup for shows and a good viewing platform setup.

Worth coming to see a show at.”

Joseph Sanchez

“Great intimate venue to hear some great live music! Loved it! Recently saw Titus Andronicus perform and they were great. Has a nice bar with friendly bartenders. Drinks aren’t crazy overpriced either so that’s a big plus in my books.”

James Kong

“Went for an art event for a friend. Don’t go expecting a place to sit. But it is air conditioned and there are decent hardwoods to stand on, so it’s not murder on your feet in heels. Better than concrete. The bar accepts credit so no need to bring endless cash. Expect cran vodka more than mojitos. Was a great art event and there was plenty of space to see the displays even if wandering through them got a bit packed at times.”

Michelle Alexandra

“Great sound, great sightlines. It’s a perfect size for smaller shows. Free street parking can be found, otherwise there are paid options everywhere. As with all concert venues, drinks are a premium ($11 tall cans) and washrooms are not pretty. The bar takes credit cards if you forget to bring cash and don’t want to pay the $3.75 surcharge on the ATM.”

Trevor Baxter

“I highly recommend checking out this spot.
It’s great for groups.
It’s a classy setting so it would be a good idea to dress up.

The live music and visuals are incredible. I’ll be the first to say this in a review, Black Pearl will become a famous venue one day.”

Jon Daniels

“This place is awesome with its live music and burlesque dancers, the entertainment is not stop. There is plenty of room to sit and the atmosphere is lively. They have a good food and drink menu. The live music and dancers however is only on Sunday nights starting at 9 pm. This is a place for date night, sitting with friends and enjoying live entertainment in the Toronto district.”

Keven Simmonds

“The prix fixe menu on discount day was worth the money. I would not say so as much on a full price day.

If you are looking specifically for a Latin club with dinner, it is a good choice and the event manager seems really nice.

If you are looking for a Latin club primarily, there are better options.

This would have been a 3.5 star, but I was billed for an Espresso I ordered and never received because their machine was broken, yet it never came off the bill. I did not notice until returning home and reviewing the receipt.

Not a big deal, but still…”

Dan Swayze

“Girls night out was a success at Lula lounge. The atmosphere and staff was welcoming. We went here for dinner and dancing, we made reservations a week earlier. Food was delicious and our waiter Dave was amazing and recommended his favourite dishes. Live Band and DJ were awesome. The place was packed but enough space to move and dance. (Nice Cooling Dance floor if you get super heated from dancing) Shout out to the security crew, they have a great team who operates the front. We will be back thank you for the great service and good music!”

Nira Ackm

“This is a great intimate venue to go to in the city! The changes from the Mod Club make it seem cozier and upgraded. The balcony on the left side of the room is the hidden secret though as it’s the best vantage point to see the show at. Get there a bit early and snag a spot at the balcony railing and you will be just as close as being on the floor without the feeling of being packed in!”

Michael Babiak

“Very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the space, been away from Toronto last 10 years & by luck was able to attended 2 events. White Party & XXX. Great lighting amazing long bar, upstairs VIP & easy access smoking area at front.”

Stephen Macleod