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The Horseshoe Tavern
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Nightlife Bars Dive Bars Music Venues, Dive Bars [Edit]
368 Queen St WToronto, ON M5V 2A2
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Queen Street West, Downtown Core
(416) 598-4753
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 12 pm - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Fri, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
33 reviews for The Horseshoe Tavern
Review Highlights
"I've seen some amazing shows here including Death Cab For..."
(in 7 reviews)
"...is great to see the numerous bands that come through here."
(in 3 reviews)
"I have seen many a band at the shoe, some good, some not-so..."
(in 5 reviews)
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33 reviews in English
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Review from Faye C.
2/5/2012
We were here the other night - it was pretty fun. Great place for live music. The vibe was cool, super unpretentious, which is the most fantastic thing about Queen West. We had a lot of fun.
No fancy pants beers or drinks, just good times with good friends :) -
Review from jenna m.
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
The legendary Horseshoe Tavern located on Queen Street West is a classic live music venue. They always get awesome live acts and gigs and ticket prices are very reasonable. The front bar section is modest; there a long bar stretching out for dehydrated consumers and there is one lonely pool table. There is a small patio outside for smokers looking to go to the "flavor country." The live music section is simple and the acoustics are good. The stage is roughly 18 feet by 20 feet with a low 8-9 foot ceiling. I have had the privy of seeing some great shows here and I have always had fun and have been impressed with the quality of the sound. There is always something going down at this old local. The Horseshoe is a fantastic live music Tavern.
I highly recommend the Horseshoe! -
Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
10/24/2011
I've been to many a concert here and it is always good times. Doesn't even matter who is playing! The acoustics are great; it's rarely too packed. They pretty much always have something good going on. Since the concerts are in the back, if you just want to go inside for a drink you don't have to pay the cover/ticket price if the band merits such a cost.
The first time I ever went, I played pool! It just feels so classic-dive-bar. My friend and I even started playing with some strangers and totally got hustled five dollars by a pool shark. All part of the experience. Enjoy the fiver, pool shark.
There's a little patio outside. I like the cowboy-ness of the sign. I like how big the place is and yet you never get lost! The bathrooms are downstairs are SUPER grimy. Yet, it can be sort of fun to read the writing on the wall.
A place to bob your head or dance. A place to have a drink or several. Anything goes, and so will I. -
Review from Madelaine D.
Toronto, ON
10/21/2011
This place oozes musical history. So many greats got their start in the back at that stage. Visiting this watering hole is an absolute must for anyone visiting Toronto.
It's dark, it's dank, long, narrow, has a little patio, and long bar and the back opens up to the stage which you typically have to pay cover to get back to.
If you haven't been, go. If you have, you already know that day or night this place is worth stopping in for a quick pint just to immerse yourself in the music history. If you go in the day, it's mostly locals, but read the walls, and soak it in. You'll be glad you did.Listed in: 30-Day-Challenge, Torontoism
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Review from Jay G.
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Six of us stopped in to get a cold one. From the start the short Guy with glasses was very rude! !!. one of the guys that was with us wanted to leave right away. After. 10 minutes his actions and demeanor was to much. All six of us where very disappointed in the staff and cleanliness of this place. The bar tender was so run that other guests where cursing at him. If u go there and see short Guy wearing glasses leave! !!
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Review from Stephanie C.
Toronto, ON
2/16/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I've been coming here for years and it's one of my favourite concert venues in the city. Yep, it's old, the stage is small and short, and some of the wooden seats are in dire need of repair, but despite these flaws, I still love the Horseshoe.
Depending on the night, it can either be very packed or empty. Tuesday nights are good nights to check out up-and-coming bands for free.
As a live music photographer, the stage is decently lit which is to say that I've gotten away without using my flash. Another good thing is that the lighting tech guy doesn't rely on the contrast killing red light.
The only dislike I have is that when it gets too packed, it's a hot box in there. There's been a few times where I had to leave my spot because I felt like I was about to faint. Luckily that has never happened but they need to add more ceiling fans.Listed in: Play It Louder
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Review from Marcus Y.
12/24/2010
Here's what I think about this place. Great atmosphere - it feels like you're stepping back in time when you come in here. The stage at the back is great to see the numerous bands that come through here. Getting drinks is easy, and from what I can tell, the service is great....except for my personal experience one time here. Read below:
I'm giving this place 2 stars solely because of an unfortunate run-in with the bartender early on a Thursday night. I ordered 2 drinks, handed her a $50 bill (I know this for a fact because I had 2 50's in my wallet in the morning, and I only had 1 left after paying. My friend also confirmed that I had a bright red bill in my hand). Anyway, she hands me back $5 and change, and I told her that I gave her a 50. She steadfastly refuses to give me the correct change and that if she did, I'd be putting her in the hole by $30. I think to myself how ludicrous this is, as she starts swearing at me, telling me that if I had handed her a f-ing 50, it'd be on the f-ing top of the pile. I insist that she made a mistake and politely suggested she check the camera or whatever.
In the end she gives me the rest of my change, while wishing me a 'happy f-ing holiday'. It took her a while to get over it as she was still yelling at me from across the bar as we were finishing our beers. I do believe that she honestly thought she was correct (she was not), but the fashion in which she dealt with it is unacceptable. I hope you discovered at the end of the night that you were dead wrong, and that you used my $5 tip to buy yourself a drink and calm the hell down, even though you told me to take my 'f-ing $5 tip' back.
Anyway, I still think this place is awesome and this incident won't dissuade me from coming in the future. Next time, I will avoid the old lady behind the bar, and pay with 20's only. -
Review from Moritz H.
Toronto, ON
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good for live music. reasonable prices and people from all ages. Oldschool...
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Review from Kevin C.
Toronto, ON
9/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
The Horseshoe Tavern is easily the best venue in Toronto to see live music. It's not too big, so you can really feel involved in the show, but it isn't so small that it suffocates you. The stage is elevated so that everyone in the room can see the band, and isn't that why you're really there in the first place?
The sound is great. The speakers are gigantic, which isn't great for the guy standing next to them, but great for everyone else in the room. I'd recommend trying to stay in the middle or bring a set of ear plugs.
There's a big dance floor at the front if that's your thing, and lots of seating around the back, if sitting and drinking is your thing. But get there early because that's unfortunately most people's thing. The merch area is off to the side so you can sneak in and grab a CD or t-shirt before the band finishes and everyone battles for a spot in line. The bar is at the back so you don't have to yell as loud to order a beer. It's pretty much designed perfectly to be the best venue ever.
It's just too bad that the more popular a band gets the less likely they'll play there anymore, so you really need to be proactive about it. You should be there watching and discovering the good bands before they get too big to play there anymore. So get over there already! Check out some live shows! -
Review from Kent P.
5/15/2011
This is such a classic venue. The only problem is the location grew up since it opened so now there's a lot of downtown doucebags/tourists stopping by (at least in the front half). In the back on any night of the week you can find a pretty good band playing - whether local or from afar. Beer is about $5 for a bottle of 50, and the bathrooms are about as grimy as you'd expect. Generally the sound mix is LOUD. And it gets sweaty.
Listed in: ESTABLISHMENTS
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Review from Taylor O.
12/7/2010 1 Check-in Here
Ideally situated at Queen & Spadina so I can skip out of the streetcar to a this right sized venue that draws awesome talent, local and otherwise. Grab me a whiskey and let's get up close to hear some Brooklyn keyboard or local unique and artistic awesomeness.
For a super delayed retort to the Yelper below "Oh, my gad, X band is playing at the Horseshoe. I MUST go." I've said it before and I'll say it again. Horseshoe horserocks. -
Review from Chuck B.
9/13/2011
If you're looking for a classic watering hole, this is it. Good beer selection and good prices for downtown. Live music most nights.
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Review from E G.
7/23/2011
Came across this place trying to beat the heat. it is tucked away in the middle of a block. when we went and they had an open pool table so it made it even better. great prices although they do not accept US currency, we were able to make change at a grocery store. Barkeep was awesome very friendly and also recommended us to go to swatow chinese restaurant on spadina. Enjoy the atmosphere with a good labatt 50
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Review from Sylvain T.
Bolton, ON
8/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
I just came for a couple beers and the washroom. Can't say much but it is a nice place to hang out and see good music. Small & relaxed atmosphere and easy to get to.
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Review from Annie C.
Kingston, ON
1/6/2011
Deceivingly large is one way of describing the Horseshoe. Also, centrally located and great atmosphere. Sort of get a small town bar vibe there when there's no show. The bartenders are super friendly from my experience, chatty without keeping you there awkwardly long and quick with the service. Pretty standard Ontario beers on tap with some of my personal favorites there as well (Tankhouse, Wellington Dark, etc) with pints for $6 I wasn't too grumpy.
They usually have great shows that come through the city and it's a big venue space in the back which is great. Went on indie music open night on Tuesday which was also pretty fun. Nothing that made me want to root out the band's name but also nothing that made me want to cover my ears and move as far away as possible.
The sound quality was also really great. At some of the smaller/indie concert venues everything is perfect about a place but the sound from the speakers and the faces of the musicians indicates that something bad is happening. Not so here. Massive sound board to deal with that. No cover as well (on Tuesday). Good for you Horseshoe. -
Review from Christine K.
Toronto, ON
2/6/2009
The Horseshoe Tavern is a Toronto icon. I have seen many a band at the shoe, some good, some not-so-good but always had a great time.
There is no pretense at the shoe, the crowd is there for the music not to be seen or pose for some imaginary camera.
My most favorite memory of the shoe is seeing The English Beat - what a concert. I felt like I was at a house party and they were playing just for me.
I don't care what anyone says - you can't beat the shoe for a good listen and a cheap drink. -
Review from Kat F.
6/10/2009 1 Check-in Here
A Toronto institution! The Horseshoe Tavern (which you'll never hear me refer to as "The 'Shoe") is a dingy yet reliable little bar that is often where many big bands get their first sold-out Toronto break and it's pretty rare to see an empty audience (capacity: 400 people). I've seen Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, Death Cab For Cutie, Spoon and others here way before they went on to play massive stadium shows. Tickets are typically under $10 or $12.
The Horseshoe has been around for over sixty years and apparently it used to be an actual saloon. I just like saying/writing that word. It's great - a really solid venue with reliable bartenders, a good merch table that's always in the same spot, decent sound and a cooler area at the front if you get too sweaty in the concert pit.
The only thing lacking is decent security - at some shows things spiral out of control within the audience and there isn't enough security around to a) notice it or b) stop it. But lax security also means you can do whatever the eff you want, and that includes acting like an idiot or smoking "stuff".
I love Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite - it's a free weekly music showcase put on by Edge 102 (CFNY for those of us that remember it from back when it used to actually be good - but no matter) every Tuesday and I've seen some really good shows by both newcomers (White Lies, Wild Sweet Orange, Hawaii, Times New Viking) and well-known acts (The Stills, Lovely Feathers) but it's usually rammed so make sure to get there early for those nights.Listed in: Concert Venues
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Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
11/21/2008
I have a lot of history with this place, but I've never heard myself say, "Oh, my gad, X band is playing at the Horseshoe. I MUST go."
Instead, the Horseshoe is one of those back-up destinations, a place I go when I have nothing better planned. Monday and Tuesday nights are definitely attractive, given the no-cover live music nights, but the quality of music has been extremely hit and miss. In fact, the other night I saw someone play his guitar with a bottle of Labatt 50, and knew I had to leave immediately.
Still, it's another one of those reliable places. I don't need it around, but if it ever closed down, there would be hell to pay.Listed in: Get your gig on, Free and cheap hangouts in…
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Review from Eric M.
2/17/2010 7 Check-ins Here
The Horseshoe is the epitome of what a cool "dive bar" should be. Short and thin in the front and long and thick at the back you're naturally drawn to where the music is before a note is played.
I couldn't tell you when I started seeing shows here but it was a long time ago and I've always loved the personal close knit atmosphere. The list of bands that have come through this place is ridiculous. The Police, The Rolling Stones, Brian Eno and Etta James to name a few. You'll find past shows have been decked out in collage along the walls of the front room to remind and astound patrons.
Drinks are reasonably priced and a show will usually run you around $10-$15. The pool table is always occupied so if you plan on playing make sure you have time to wait.
The back room is a good size with plenty of seating and standing room. You will have a good view of the stage almost anywhere in the room but since it's not very tall you might be staring at a lot of heads if you're not near the front. The bar is usually stacked at least one or two people deep so be patient and polite. The staff there are great folks and work hard to keep people happy.Listed in: Get krunk
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Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
9/25/2008
This place is a mainstay in Toronto so you can forgive it if it appears to act its age a bit. A small patio and a pool table are not the reason that you go here. This is a music venue with low ceilings, small capacity, and great feel.
Firstly the place looks old. Lots of old wood, stickers from bands that have long since disbanded all over the place, and a chipped and battered main bar give this place a bit of visible history. The thing is, the true history of the place isn't seen but remembered. Everyone has a great memory of seeing a new band here before they made it big, or an already successful band that wanted to come to Toronto and play in a small bar venue for a series of nights. That would be the Horseshoe, then.
The stage sits at the far rear reaches of the bar in front of a decently-sized dance floor. Because of the size of the place, the acoustics are never an issue here. Their website pretty much tells you who's coming in. If a favourite band of yours makes it there, it's worth being there to see it.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from eune y.
Toronto, ON
6/29/2009
Thank the lord for great bar staff 'cause outside of their history there is little to love about this venue for live music. The sound is just so bad here that it has made me turn on several bands that I once really liked. And the friggin' view obstructing pillars and the stubbornly bizarre seating is badly in need of a re-think.
I gotta say it again though, they do have a great bar staff. Quick and real even though the clout of this place gives them the right to be total assholes. They make me wanna drink more and endure the crappy sound instead of just leaving pissed off.
Why am I so angry? heh heh. -
Review from Renee E.
6/21/2010
What a blast! My husband and I were in town for a vacation from Chicago and decided to check out the Horseshoe. It reminded us of all the things we love about our favorite bars in Chicago! Great service, friendly people, good music, all wrapped up in a neat little "dive bar" package. It was so great, we left to explore a little more and ended up right back where we started!
Props to our awesome bartender, Teddy and manager (owner?), Joe for the round! You guys are great and we'll definitely be back if we find ourselves in Toronto again! -
Review from Christina S.
5/11/2009
I love the Horseshoe! It's one of my favorite music venues in Toronto and it's by far my favorite place to go to shows alone. The dark bar, low ceilings, and pillars make it cave-like with plenty of places to lean and drink your bottle of 50 without looking like a loser, really just the opposite!
I've seen some amazing shows here including Death Cab For Cutie, Bright Eyes, and many many others.
The bar is well-equipped with washrooms, the beer is decently priced, the bartenders have been there for years and are extremely friendly, and the door guy is as great as they come. The Horseshoe is the CBGB's of Toronto, but with a much friendlier disposition! -
Review from Tim G.
8/30/2009
Came here close to
closing time but still had an
enjoyable time. -
Review from larry b.
11/13/2010
I saw the Police play here in the early 80's. How cool is that. as well as numerous times to see Stompin' Tom Connors( a Canadian legend). Great venue and i used to work just down the street.
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Review from jay c.
2/5/2009
This is a great joint on Queen Street, I hit it on a business trip this week for some live music and pool. There's a great crowd of music lovers and people just having fun, good beer selection as well. The stage in the back is pretty cool, plenty of room to move around. I'll be back for sure, probably next week!
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Review from Shawn B.
Oshawa, ON
7/17/2010
The Horseshoe is a Toronto classic music venue - a destination for tourists and locals alike. From Blue Rodeo to Black Mountain, the Rolling Stones to the Tragically Hip, everyone who's anyone has played the 'Shoe. Tuesdays are New Music Night with free admission, and you never know, you just might see the next big thing before they move on to playing stadium shows.
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Review from Annaliese R.
2/24/2010
Despite the divey feel of the place, I found myself actually having fun!! Worth a second trip for sure!! Although the one barmen did mess up a guinness pour (he failed to hold it at the required degree while it poured but he did let it sit and settle long enough!).
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Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
11/4/2008 2 photos
The Horseshoe has been around forever. It's a historical joint to see a live show in. All the people in the music industry who didn't grow up with computers and remember the glory days like this spot. But, let's face it, the sound system is junk, the place needs a makeover and let's be honest, once those dinosaurs holing on to the nostalgia are gone, The Shoe is sure to follow. It's set up like a tavern (hence the name) in the front and kind of a venue in the back. It's not the kind of place I would frequent unless I was catching a show, but there are dedicated people and it is somewhat of a landmark on Queen. This might be a "decide for yourself" review, it really does depend.
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Review from Jason E.
4/3/2010 1 photo
A great bar and live music venue. The staff and clientelle are friendly, the bands are good and the atmosphere is great. Unfortunately, they have no kitchen and until the restaurant next door opens, you can't get food here.
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Review from Anonymous A.
11/9/2008
Cheap show, $8 at the door. No coat-check which is a pain with the chilly weather coming.
Small dance-floor, more of a bar than a dance place. Sound quality was good, though they should turn down the volume...the instruments were competing with the singing and I could barely make out the lyrics. Hard to get excited about a band that sounds like it's just yelling out random words.
Drink prices are normal. Very good for groups that want to hang out in the bar/seating area since it's so large. You aren't forced to be on the dance floor since it's relatively small. Definitely not a good place to go alone! -
Review from hangover n.
Toronto, ON
1/31/2011
a perfect place to do hidden daytime drinking. recommended.
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Review from Jennifer P.
Edmonton, AB
11/5/2008 1 photo
The Horseshoe was one of the bars I used to hit on pub crawls while living in Toronto. The Tavern has quite a legacy. It's been around since the 50s and was an early venue for up-and-comers, before they really emerged: Willie Nelson, Loretta Lyn, Stompin' Tom, Teenage Head, The Hip, The Skydiggers, The Bare Naked Ladies, Rheostatics and scores of others. The Horseshoe was a refreshing break from Top 30 at a time when that's all I thought there was to listen to. This is where I heard about Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Moxy Fruvous, Blue Rodeo, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. Music changed for me. The cool, dark, downtown bar was filled with all sorts of edgy, alternative types, and it challenged my preppy, conservative suburban style, ushering me into anew era of personal change and growth on my own terms. Lots of beer was consumed at the Shoe. There were lots of late summer nights in T.O. on the patio, bar-hopping and ending up back at this comfortable upscale dive of a music bar. If you want to know what's on the leading edge of Canadian music these days, this is where it's happening.
