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Rivoli Cafe & Club
Categories: Nightlife Pool Halls Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Restaurants Canadian (New) Pool Halls, Music Venues, Canadian (New) [Edit]
334 Queen St WToronto, ON M5V 2A2
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Queen Street West, Downtown Core
(416) 596-1908
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 2 am
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Thu, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
37 reviews for Rivoli Cafe & Club
Review Highlights
"The sweet potato fries were phenomenal, though."
(in 5 reviews)
"...is a review of the occasional Alt Dot Comedy Lounge events."
(in 3 reviews)
"The patio is pretty awesome too."
(in 12 reviews)
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36 reviews in English
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Review from Rob D.
1/30/2012
OK - I've been here so many times, but never written a review. Here's the deal:
A true Queen west spot ...
- summertime it is one of the few/good patios in Toronto ... due to the location - one of the best for people watching
- upstairs is a great pool hall .... about 10 tables all in great shape with good cues. They charge by the hour.
- food is pretty good
- music venue in the back ... this place and ajoining horseshoe / gm have decent acts rolling through regularly.
It is not a 'club' so much ... but a mix of pubby, live music and pool hall vibe. -
Review from Alan W.
Toronto, ON
12/14/2011
I used to frequent this place when I was going to U of T, but that was a long time ago and after more than 12 years I came back for lunch.
I ordered the Pad Thai, which is still a popular dish on the menu. The portion was a bit on the small side, wasn't as spicy as I liked it to be, and the few pieces of shrimp I had was a tad undercooked and didn't taste that fresh. I much prefer the Pad Thai at the Queen Mother, a much more satisfying Pad Thai.
Service was very good though, fast and courteous. -
Review from Mauricio A.
Toronto, ON
11/18/2011
The Rivoli, in its Queen Street hipster glory is one of the strip's institutions. A jack of all trades when in comes to a night out, except for perhaps the lack on an actual dance floor but aside from that, this locale has it all.
The cool, chilled out vibe, a stage on the back on the first floor for comedy shows and bands. Plus a drink's lounge with a few tables and a full restaurant up front.
However, the food is in my opinion so-so and as such, I never eat here. Not that I am against it or think the food to be horrible. I just think the food is average and as the foodie snob that I am I choose to spend my money at a more varied place. Yup, that didn't come out bad at all... :-(
This is a fusion menu and I try to avoid fusion at all costs but of course this is my predilection and very subjective. You might like the food.
On the second floor they have a laid-back lounge with some 60's looking couches against a wall plus a few tables. Also one of the coolest looking pool halls this side of Yonge street.
Also, in fairness I have had a few instances where I have found the servers/female bartenders, one in the particular to be quite rude once or twice. I do not know why, she was just very short and well, bitchy, (yes, I said it) once when they messed up an order one of my members had ordered and another time, when we were booking a pool table. Again, strange since we were 14 people about to blow through some cash on the pool plus drinks. But I would like to think about those as isolated events. I have dealt with her after and she seemed more relaxed. Still...
I would recommend it as a great place for a third date, maybe a game of pool or a few drinks at their lounge or better yet, during the summer for a night drink at their patio. You won't be disappointed. .
Either way, the Rivoli does not disappoint.Listed in: My Reviews, 30 Day Movember '11 Challenge
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Review from jenna m.
The Rivoli located on Queen Street West is a very cool venue for live music. Capacity for the live music section is limited to around 204-210 people. It is a decent space with exposed brick walls, exposed ductwork, with little white hanging lights strung from the ceiling. The simplicity of the Rivoli works beautifully. The acoustics are very good in the live music section and they appear to have a decent selection of beer. There is a pool hall upstairs with vintage tables and a restaurant downstairs serving up comfort food. The Rivoli is an unpretentious joint with a super chill atmosphere.
I highly recommend the Rivoli Café & Club! -
Review from Jason L.
East York, ON
11/7/2011
I love this place! Every time I am there I have to order the Pad Thai, it rocks. There menu is great and the food is always top notch.
The stage in the backroom can make for great intimate live music. You usually find bands showcasing there. -
Review from neesa r.
10/19/2011
I think most of the times I come here to play pool. but it's the place to play pool. conveniently located downtown. the price per hours is just $7 I think and there is always a table available since there are so many of them.
the food downstairs is great too. the mushroom burger and some of the desserts are delicious.
there are also some live music here from time to time with dance floor.
there is also a tiny patio up front for the summer.
the service varies from visit to visit. we had some great waiters who would joke around and smile and some waiters who would barely look at us and wouldn't want to serve us. that really affects the whole experience of the visit. -
Review from Emily M.
Updated - 8/5/2011
Didn't think the service could get ruder or worse..but it CAN and DID!
Met up with friends that were already there having a few drinks. We sit down on the patio with them to order our food/drinks and suddenly there is a guy yelling at my friends who were there first telling them that they can't bring drinks from the inside to the patio (they were on the patio the entire time!!). Weird.....
Next we have a female server that really doesn't seem like she wants to serve us. And when it comes time for some people in the group to leave, she tells them they can't leave or pay for their food/drinks unless we all do. She wouldn't split out items or let people pay separately. Ridiculous!
ONLY GO FOR THE POOL UPSTAIRS.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/31/2011
I've been to the top floor for pool many times and this part can get 4 stars. If you want pool and… Read more »
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Review from Tee Jay R.
Toronto, ON
5/18/2011
(This is a review of the occasional Alt Dot Comedy Lounge events)
Don't tell my colleagues -- with whom I'm sooooper serious -- but I'm a huge fan of alternative comedy. Sadly, all my favourite artists, from Patton Oswalt to Paul F. Tompkins, are based in L.A., and without institutions like Largo and the Upright Citizens Brigade, it's hard for a legit scene to flourish here. That said, there are some great local comics that aren't of the guy-in-a-blazer-standing-in-front-of-a-brick-wall- telling-jokes-about-married-life variety, and the other night I got to see some very good ones perform at the Riv's Alt Dot Comedy Lounge (hope I'm getting the name right).
Sean Cullen's deranged, rambling, and hilarious improvised stream-of-consciousness rant was some of the best live comedy I've ever experienced. Fraser Young is a great new talent. And MC Marc Forward *destroyed* a pair of hecklers, winning the audience over with his animated confidence.
I really hope the city develops an alt comedy scene worthy of this town's just-below-the-surface weirdness, and I pledge to do what I can to support it. We all need more funny in our lives, if only to offset the weather. -
Review from shyni y.
4/8/2011
THIS has become the new payday-afterwork-shinanigans place for me and my work crew.
There is a pool hall = at $6/hour you can't go wrong. The pinball machine allows you to bring a kid and keep him occupied for hours on end while you gobble with your chums.
$6 drinks - not bad.
Good atmosphere , delicious food(although a bit pricy-ish)...Really, you need to go.
Downside? well, the pool hall is upstairs, so if you're plastered off your face, you may have some issues coming out for a smoke...which could also be a good thing -keeps you from being pissed drunk.
Also, there is only 2 stalls in the washroom - really - that's about it I think.Listed in: Best Happy Hour +
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Review from Lauren W.
Toronto, ON
11/18/2010
After much debate as to where we should eat ( UGH picky eaters) we decided on the Rivoli, since it was within walking distance. I have only ever been here to see bands play, so I wasn't too sure what the dining experience would be like. The menu is pretty small, with a selection of some apetizers and mains. The calamari was great, and so were the cheese fries! Everyone was satasfied with their meals, except the "special home made gnocchi" which was lacking.
Aside from that the food was great. Only downfall, and this to me can either make or break a dining experience, was the service. Our waiter was abrupt, and didn't smile once. He also appeared seldomly, and we were often flagging people down when we were low on drinks. May or may not return here. -
Review from Irena C.
9/10/2010
I'm surprised this place doesn't have better reviews. I'm from NYC and a judgemental foodie and everything we ordered here for lunch was phenomenal.
We ended up splitting the Southwest Quinoa Salad and the Warm Mango Salad (it was a special). Both were absolutely amazing with lots of flavors hitting your palate in just the right way. We almost licked our plates. The portions were also very large for the price.
The only downside was that our Cokes were flat. That's about it.
This is definitely a good spot for lunch while shopping on Queen Street. The food is healthy, yummy, and not too heavy. It's just right and hits the spot. -
Review from KL M.
Toronto, ON
10/14/2010
The Pad Thai has been built up so much that I was kind of expecting more, but, although it's good, it's not the best I've ever had either. The Wookie Balls, fried sesame seed-covered rice balls, however, were an interesting surprise.
It's casual, not pricey, and what you'd expect from a Queen West local haunt.
The breakfast isn't bad either - it's just too bad it's not served until 11:30am. -
Review from Jen I.
Mississauga, ON
10/22/2009
I went and ate at the Rivoli for the first time last night. Its very nice on the inside, until last night I'd only been up in the pool part, or in the back for a comedy show.
I had the Mushroom Burger with sweet potato fries. I was pretty happy with my meal. It did take awhile to get to us, BUT I was expecting slow service after reading the reviews here. The mushroom burger was better than expected although a TAD dry...I'd give it a 7.5/10. The sweet potato fries were phenomenal, though...the only suggestion I have would be some kind of dip for them.
Dips make everything better! The prices weren't too steep either, the mushroom burger + fries were $10.95, which is completely reasonable. I would go back again! -
Review from Deanna W.
7/1/2009
This can be a great place to get the night started in downtown Toronto as it's got quite a few things going for it in the plus column.
For starters it's central so it's a key meetup place being located at Queen and Spadina close enough to queen west or the entertainment district. Once there you have a pick of spots to sit at from the front patio, indoor booths and tables and the bars at the back or upstairs. It's entertaining and lively in many ways from the concerts and comedy nights, pool league nights on Wednesdays or just a generally laid back joint to kick back and enjoy a casual dinner and drinks with friends. Finally the menu is killer, plenty of fresh, healthy and diverse items on the menu, a bit of asian, a bit of pub grub and salads all of which are enough to keep the pickiest eaters at bay. -
Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
12/28/2009 2 Check-ins Here
Simple, honest, and wonderfully tasty food. Everything I've tried so far (soups, salads, sandwiches) has been amazing and cheap. If I'm in need for a reliable meal and I'm near by, Rivoli is definitely where I'm headed!
Give it a go! -
Review from Keith B.
9/27/2009
For the first time ever, I was unable to get a pool table at c'est what (it seems like they are renovating and have gotten rid of the two tables at the back - what gives??) so I decided Rivoli would be a good second choice.
I've been to Rivoli many times, to enjoy the patio as well as to see live music. I always knew there were pool tables upstairs but I didn't realize there were so many! There are probably 8 to 10 tables and they are all arranged in one area. This leads to a much more social game which was kind of nice. To be honest, the tables were in pretty poor condition and the cues weren't all that great but it wasn't like it was unplayable.
The thing I enjoyed most was the music. They had a great mix - from mid 90's rap (warren g anyone?) to lykke li to mgmt. Some of the songs were 'mashed up' as well. Even better was the music was at exactly the right volume which made it very enjoyable. I could hear the super loud music/vibrations from below and would much rather be upstairs (you don't have to play pool, there's a bar and seats as well.) -
Review from Sarah T.
Toronto, ON
12/6/2009
The waitress started by saying she was off - she was off, off in timbuktu. The service was lacking. But the pad thai was great as usually. The sweet potatoe fries were so hot, the roof, the roof, the roof of my mouth was on fire.
This is a great place to eat when you can't think of another place to eat. -
Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
10/2/2008
The Riv. Oh the love hate that comes with the joint.
It's been around forever, they have a great patio, the service is mediocre, it's all about the Pad Thai, and they do a great job of resting on their laurels.
The Rivoli is the joint you go to when you work in the music industry, wanna see and be seen on Queen St. or if you wanna relive "the good old days" when it was relevant.
The service is really hit or miss and they are known for the Pad Thai, but I'm all about the edemame and beers in the summer on the patio.
It's a nice middle of the road joint.
You can't go wrong, but it won't blow you away either. -
Review from Jarek B.
Toronto, ON
4/29/2010
For the amount of food you get, I don't think there isn't a single item on the menu that doesn't border on "rip-off" territory.
I ordered a Quesadilla and some sweet-potato fries and ended up inadvertently having a "light" dinner as a result. The quesadilla was TINY and one of the quarters was empty! As in.. no cheese, no chicken... nothing... Just two pieces of pita sandwiched together. How the HELL did something like that make it out of the kitchen!? I couldn't believe it.
My friend and I waited a little longer then usual to be served and to receive the bill. Minus points for that.
The beer was over-priced by a couple of bucks. Minus!
My first experience here was sour enough that I will never return for seconds and has earned my very first 1-star review!
Arrivederci Rivoli! -
Review from Leeor J.
4/30/2010
I must say i've been to this place several times and was never particularly impressed with it, until today. I went there for lunch and had the lunch special. It was a lamb burger with a roasted red pepper and feta cheese sauce. It was great. The lamb patty was extremely flavourful. Quite tasty. It came with a side of sweet potato fries. The fries could have stood to have been crispier but overall it beat my expectations.
I'll probably go back for lunch again sometime. -
Review from Vanessa G.
Toronto, ON
9/5/2008
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the food at the Rivoli. It's not often that a bar and club can manage to serve up really delicious (and well-priced) food, but my meal there was absolutely scrumptious.
I had the tandoori chicken and it was fantastic. It was boneless chicken marinated with Indian spices and yoghurt, oven baked and served with mint, lime and yogurt dipping sauce, rice and salad. The chicken was tender and juicy and oh-so-flavourful. I had tried by sister's Teriyaki Soba Noodles and my other sister's Bah Me Gai (noodles and chicken) both of which were equally delicious. The portions were big and filling and the service was great.
I've also been upstairs for a work function and it's quite nice, but a much classier mood then downstairs. -
Review from Dardana M.
ON
1/30/2009
I promise this will be the last review that
1. mentions the Kids in the Hall
2. mentions the fact that "all I had was a drink, once, here" (at least this time it's not organic).
So, the KITH did a *secret* TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY SHOW here a couple months ago. Due to my Film Festival job commitment, I *did not* go wait in line for tickets, which I knew I would get if I got there oh, just before dawn the day of the show. What I did not know was that I would also have gotten them if I went around a reasonable hour, like 8 or 9, according to the couple we met while drowning our sorrows at the bar. Or if I had sent a friend who loves me *that much* (I have a couple).
So, instead of thinking how cool it would have been to see them here back in the day, now when I walk by, I get a pain in my gut of anger, disbelief, and self-hate at missing them, practically on purpose. I doubt I'll be checking the Pad Thai out anytime soon. -
Review from Sahra G.
6/21/2010
I love the music club in here and have been attending shows since I was underage. When I attended a show for NXNE on my way in I found the bouncer who asked for my ID to be aggresive and rude. Relax buddy... you work at the Rivoli, not the Guverment. I'd expect attitude from a larger club not an indie rock club. The bouncer working on Friday night needed a reality check. He made me show my ID each time I went inside. Considering the club had maybe 100 ppl inside he should maybe have remembered what I looked like as I went out to smoke. When I went out to smoke again I avoided the bouncer by going in and out of the back door.
Great Club, Aggressive bouncer. -
Review from Trevor T.
Toronto, ON
2/21/2010
Just got back from a Sunday lunch at the Rivoli and I'm very satisfied.
There were four of us, and we all had something different and all left happy. The burger and sweet potato fries are amazing if you want something big, but I was in the mood for something lighter and went for the Southwest Quinoa Salad. Truly spectacular! And for a salad, that's high praise in my books! Everything about was fresh and delicious and all of the ingredients were well-balanced.
I had been to the Rivoli once before for dinner and enjoyed it, but am now a majot fan of the lunch menu. Highy recommended!! -
Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
8/25/2008 1 photo
I dare say the Rivoli's back lounge is probably my most frequented entertainment destination in the city.
Back in the '90s, way back when I was indie and gobbled up anything with an "I'm not a well known musician" stamp, I was a regular at this small club in the heart of Toronto. The joint catered to my needs, serving a good rotation of eclectic and creative Toronto-based musicians, including a then-unknown Feist in front of a crowd of 15 people, one of whom was an ex-boyfriend who professed his love for her and followed her like a puppy dog. And no, I'm not bitter, why do you ask?
Now, more importantly, when I gobbled up anything with an "I'm not a well known comedian" stamp, the club became even more appealing. Besides the frequent one-man comedy acts, sketch comedy, and viral video review shows, I've been a regular at the Monday night ALTdot COMedy lounge for nearly a decade, a place where comedians offer material miles above the pubic hair jokes omnipresent in other comedy clubs. Of course, the occasional pubic hair joke may still slip in, but given that cover remains pay-what-you-can (even after all these years), I can definitely force myself to laugh.
As for food, the veggie burger is one of the best I've ever had. Other than that, I've only stolen spring rolls from a friend's dinner plate.
Pay-what-you-can, good comedy, good music, intimate room, mooching food from other plates? Thank gad for the Riv. -
Review from Cait H.
Toronto, ON
8/6/2009
YUM! quite possibly the best veggie burger I have ever, ever had. (and I've been comparing for the better part of a decade).. it may fall second to one I had in Vancouver, but because I can't remember the name of place and consequently can't Yelp it, the Riv wins.
Service was mediocre but I'll compromise for another delicious lunch. Great location too, good to go and people watch. Lack of debit sucks, but what are you gonna do.
I'm defintely going to check this place out again at night. -
Review from Kat F.
2/16/2009 1 Check-in Here
I usually head to the Rivoli for a relatively quick lunch or a loungey dinner. Their daily specials are always creative and tasty and include a soup, vegetarian option, meat option and pasta option (which can usually be vegetarianized as well). I'm particularly fond of their black bean soup and also their spicy tomato and chickpea soup.
Friendly service and wonderful food presentation. This place is owned by the same people who run Queen Mother down the street so the menu items are often similar! -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
You can usually find two sides to any place you go into, like you may find a place that has a fantastic club sandwich and also has a brilliant darts league. The Rivoli actually has three sides to it. Sitting on Queen Street just east of Spadina, the Riv has been known for, among other things, their great dining area and food, their room at the back, and their pool hall upstairs. Each one has a very distinct flavour and brings something very cool with it.
First, there's the main restaurant area with booths, a long main bar, and a great menu. The tap list is tasty but you still get a full bar. The menu is fairly wide offering many different options for dining. There's also the patio option in the summer months that sits out on Queen West with full view of the pretty people and hoboes alike.
The back room hosts concerts throughout the week and weekends with Monday and Tuesdays being dedicated solely to comedy. One of the longest running regular shows in Toronto, the AltDot Comedy Lounge hits the stage Mondays. So successful has it been that they have added a second show that follows immediately after the first showcasing comedy newcomers (read "really new"). Tuesday is the SketchCom Lounge, housing Toronto's sketch and improv troupes. Both nights are pay-what-you-can.
The pool hall is just that; a pool hall that you'd expect to find on Queen West. It's stylish, cozy, and based on the fact that it's usually choked with guys that are assembling their own cues from their cases, there's no way that I would play there. I'm a three-pinter at best. -
Review from Amanda D.
Ottawa, ON
11/17/2008
There seems to be a lot of history and buzz surrounding this restaurant/everything-else establishment. However, being uncool and not from Toronto, I didn't know any of this when I sat down to eat here. I think it's awesome that one place can offer great comedy shows, film festivals (Asian Film Fest was going on when I was there), darts, pool, karaoke, intimate live shows and great food. Plus, I heard this is where Kids in the Hall got their start.
However, without knowing this stuff prior to most of my experience here, I was still a fan of this restaurant. My vegetarian mushroom burger stopped my conversation in its tracks upon my first bite as I had to pause to give it a look of semi-romantic adoration and share a couple glowing remarks with my friend. However, the service wasn't attentive and our waiter meandered about with an air of being too cool for everyone there.
Regardless, I would recommend this place to anyone visiting Toronto and looking for great food, entertainment and a bit of cultural history. The patio is pretty awesome too. -
Review from Brenna K.
Toronto, ON
7/15/2009
Many good things about the Riv, one of them being thier yummy and fair priced food. I always get the siam wooky balls (i think that is what they are called) which are rice balls crisped and rolled in sesame seeds. Delish! I also like thier pad thai. The patio is usually packed on a nice day but if you can get a spot it's a prime people watching location. Otherwise it has a nice vibe inside either in the restaurant part or at the bar.
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Review from Shawn B.
Oshawa, ON
7/29/2010
In the front, it looks like an average upscale bar (with delicious chicken roti!). Upstairs, you'll be surprised to find a vintage-inspired pool hall housed in an old gallery. Think that's pretty cool? Venture into the back room next, and be blown away by the live bands, comedy, DJs and other events that happen almost nightly.
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Review from Cyn C.
6/30/2010
Whoa, Rivoli! Your fried calamari is SLAMMIN'!
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Review from jonathan f.
Brampton, ON
9/14/2009
i had lunch at the rivoli recently. i don't know why but i didn't expect much. the rivoli has been around for years and i've never heard anyone recommend it. i gotta say that i was very impressed by this restaurant.
the decor is contemporary and the service was very friendly. i had the wookie balls and the chicken and mango wrap. both of these are excellent choices. if you're in the queen west area and looking for a good place for lunch the rivoli is a good option. -
Review from larry b.
10/8/2009
I used to go to the RIv back in the 80's when I worked down the street. I was pretentious then and still is, not sure why. Its overpriced and the pseudo Goth/artsy crowd are obnoxious and somewhat ridiculous. Not a fan
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Review from Amy D.
10/14/2009
This is a really nice place to come after work or for lunch. They have a patio that is right on Queen street, so u feel like u are part of the crowd. I had their Rivoli burger and it was alright, a tad on the dry side, but the sweet potato fries that accompanied it were amazing. our waiter was funny, we went there on a sunday and he informed us of how hungover he was. It is a great casual place to eat with friends.
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Review from Megan M.
Toronto, ON
10/15/2008
i've spent quite a few evening here and i'm not really sure why. i don't love the food, they don't have pitchers and the service/drinks aren't anything special.
however, the patio out front is a great location during the summer. that may be the only reason i keep going back...
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