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Silver Dollar Room
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Nightlife Bars Dive Bars Music Venues, Dive Bars [Edit]
486 Spadina AveToronto, ON M5S 2H1
Neighbourhoods: University of Toronto, Downtown Core
(416) 975-0909
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
8 reviews for Silver Dollar Room
8 reviews in English
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Review from Stephanie C.
Toronto, ON
11/23/2010 2 Check-ins Here
The Dollar's has been a long-standing Toronto musical landmark. It's a decent place where the acoustics are good and you have a nice mixture of music lovers, from hipsters to old-timers, who come here because they know a good band is playing.
Okay, it's located in a so-so area where you have the sketchy Hotel Waverly and the even sketchier Comfort Zone are your neighbours. But like Grossman's, El Mocambo, and the Horseshoe, the Silver Dollar is a venue that has lasted the test of time. It's a dive bar but aren't we, Torontonians, into genuine places that don't conform to trends? I think there's something comforting about like the Silver Dollar.
The one complaint I do have is the layout. When it isn't a busy night, you can have a great view of the stage from any seat in the room. But when it's packed, seeing the stage is difficult. If you're sitting at a table, you're outta luck my friend because you'll be twisting your body to see the band's profile, or have to give up your seat in order to have a good view.
I hardly ever visit the pool room which for the longest time I thought was only accessible from the hotel next door. I rarely see anyone in there, except for one or two people playing pool or a couple trying to have an intimate tête-à-tête.
The bar is big and long, and they serve cheap drinks. I paid $5.75 for a domestic beer on tap, and the bar looked well stocked when I last visited.
I'm glad the Silver Dollar is still around. I've seen a lot of cool bands perform, and I hear their High Lonesome Wednesdays are fun times so I'll be sure to check it out soon.Listed in: Play It Louder
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Review from Melissa B.
Toronto, ON
2/1/2009
The Silver Dollar Room has been around forever and is known as one of the city's best and original Blues houses. That being said, it it located at a very diverse intersection downtown and is located below a certified, rundown, whorehouse, oh I mean, low budget hotel.
Nowadays there are sometimes good live acts at this venue (about 50/50) but the stage is small, layout not ideal, sound levels terrible and most importantly, this has become the ultimate late night / after hours / all night drop in spot.
If it's 3 am and you and you're buddies are coming down hard but about to fix that with more, um. . . .whatever it may be, well you'll fit right in with the other equally seedy characters lurking about the Silver Dollar Room. -
Review from Kat F.
11/15/2009
A pretty decent place to check out a band before they "make it big" - you too can be that douche that declares "I totally saw Natalie Portman's Shaved Head before they sold out!" Tickets are cheap (almost always under $10) and the acts are usually pretty cool. I once saw a dude simultaneously smash two beer bottles over Dan Burke's head here, so you know the place is legit.
TIP: Take out money beforehand, and don't wait till you've arrived to do it at the adjacent CIBC. You do not want to get mixed in with the crowds that hang around outside/at The Waverly Hotel.Listed in: Toronto's Best Music Venues
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Review from jay t.
Toronto, ON
4/8/2010
Strictly a review of High Lonesome Wednesdays. Crazy Strings is top notch.
I love the silver dollar. So predictably good music (and a predictable set list if you go for long enough).
Generally everyone is in a great mood. The food is actually not bad. The beer is cheap - and it is easy to make friends. Many who I'm guessing are students that are small townies who are getting their fix of being back home at the legion or hall.
Despite the young crowd - hey if you are old you can still come in here and not feel uncomfortable. Just don't be creepy, get drunk and awkwardly try to mix with the youngsters - the bouncers know who pays the bills. :^) -
Review from Jennifer L.
Toronto, ON
1/17/2010
Despite hosting numerous local and out-of-town musical talent, and a major hot spot for those who are avid music fans, the Silver Dollar has the absolute WORST layout for a music venue. The stage, being about 3 feet away from the bar, is not conducive to a comfortable and accessible standing area. People cannot pass through from one side of the bar to the other without being shoved or elbowed. Or maybe you're the one doing the shoving and elbowing when people don't get the fuck out of the way when you shout "excuse me."
Plenty of seats around the stage and behind the bar in the back room but really, the only true vantage point to view the stage is standing right in front of it and how can you when there is NO ROOM.
I'd like to also comment that the elbowing and shoving also comes in handy when dealing with the seedy and questionable men that come to the Silver Dollar. I hope they all burst into flames. -
Review from Shawn B.
Oshawa, ON
7/18/2010
Step inside the doors of this gritty music scene landmark, and you'll never feel the same way about the bars that try to simulate the concept of a dive bar again. This is the real deal, and if the crowd looks rough, it's because they've all been watching shows here for the past 58 years. Saunter up to the bar, grab a pint of 50, lean back and prepare to have your world rocked.
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Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
11/6/2008 7 photos
The Silver Dollar has some great shows some of the time. It can be hit or miss for sure. The place holds about 300 people in total. They have a back patio for smoking, but you can also bring your drinks out there, pool tables in a semi secluded room off the main room and a great small venue stage. Dan Burke is the legendary booker and generally he gets the cool shows before they're even cool enough to be featured in NOW Magazine or play the "cool" venues like The Horseshoe. Prices are always good on everything and generally, it's a totally underrated spot worth checking out if you like live music.
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Review from Anonymous A.
12/13/2008
Small place which isn't bad, unfortunately it has a bad layout. The crowd is squished between the bar and the stage and when there's people always try to get by to get to their table or to leave or use the washroom or get a drink, it's really really annoying.
The sound quality is actually better in the washroom because they turn up the volume so much. Much easier to pick out the singer's voice while in the washroom.
The bar service was slow, though that could have been because it was a very busy night and packed.
The other room has pool tables and is a good spot to get away from the crowd for sure. Cheap shows, cheap beer.
The bands that were playing were good though. Very good. Maybe on another night the atmosphere will be better.
