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The Piston
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Nightlife Bars Lounges Music Venues, Lounges [Edit]
937 Bloor StToronto, ON M6H 1L5
Neighbourhood: Dovercourt
(416) 532-3989
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Music:
- DJ, Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
12 reviews for The Piston
12 reviews in English
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Review from Michael L.
Toronto, ON
1/21/2012
Friday nights have the most incredible DJs playing Funk, Soul, Ska, Reggae and early rhythm & Blues all on 7" 45 RPM records.
The Sound system is incredible and The food is too!
The Piston is my favorite new hang out in Toronto! -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great stop on the way home and for the fact that New Order is playing off the Tecnics at the front of the bar is fantastic.
I understand the food I good. Can't vouch, but if their culinary eye is astute as their tequila list, we're good! -
Review from Daniel O.
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Piston.
Went on a Monday night, after a show at Comedy Bar (down the street). We arrived around 9pm bar was pretty empty, was with a party of six and found a comfy table in the back room.
Booze is reasonably priced, they have a very well stocked bar including not your average bottles including a new favourite of me Victoria Gin.
Music was very good, mix of current indie-rock and 80s brit-pop including the Smiths, New Order and Morrissey.
Would like to check it out again, maybe on a busier night. -
Review from holly h.
12/21/2010
I don't tend to write negative reviews about any establishments, but the Piston made such a bad impression on me (and my friends) that I couldn't NOT.
I was there with a handful of people for a friend's birthday get-together on a Saturday night. We all stayed in the front room, while there was a band playing in the back. The front was packed, I'm sure over capacity, although I don't know how they control the flow from the front to the back. All the small booths were full, and a few people deep at the bar by 1ish. This caused rowdy customers to be extremely pushy, no one having any regard for fellow patrons.
I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to drinks, a cheap bottle of beer will do just fine. So I ordered a Budweiser, which I was told "no" to; when I asked what beers they had in bottles, I was motioned towards the massive bar wall. There was no one else waiting for a drink, yet the bartender was rude and made absolutely no effort to tell me what they had to offer. My friend that I was ordering a beer for had been before, and told me just to order a 50. That was my only option really - the other beers they had were Corona, Stella, Keiths, and Heineken if I remember correctly (from FINALLY finding the bottles on display). Unimpressed. And, visibly, so was the bartender.
For my second drink I ordered a pint of Steamwhistle. This is only after waiting at the bar for a moment, then the previous bartender seeing that I was back for another drink, then actually walking out from behind the bar so he didn't have to serve me. I had tipped him well for my first drink and there was no reason whatsoever not to serve me. Luckily the second bartender was perfectly fine.
Even the clientele had a snotty air of privilege, looked like they were all trying too hard, and just came off ridiculous and rude.
Possibly the worst part: the washrooms. There is one stall. Totally unacceptable, extremely awkward, and a horrible design. -
Review from eric g.
Toronto, ON
5/2/2011
The Piston is an oasis of relaxed cool on an otherwise bleak stretch of Bloor St. On two visits, one solo at the bar and one with my (much) better half and our bundle of joy, I found the staff friendly and the food excellent.
Well-dressed burger comes with excellent spicy home fries - a step up from the crappy frozen fries served by many similar establishments. Pierogies are nicely browned on the outside and tasty (though must they come swimming in butter?).
Wish there was a wider selection of beers on tap, but Amsterdam Big Wheel does the job for me quite nicely.
Staff and patrons were super-accommodating to our sleeping wonder-bundle -- definitely a welcome trait in a neighbourhood bar. We'll be back. -
Review from Daniel B.
10/17/2010 9 Check-ins Here
Strangely nestled smack dab in between a store for musical instruments and a store selling hardcore pornography.... the Piston offers a wonderful space with elements that appeal to BOTH of these crowds while also offering surprisingly good food.
Having one of the best music rooms in the city clearly appeals to the musician type. The sightlines are clean, the sound is great and the vibe is stellar.
The combination of cute-ish hipsters and great selection of free-flowing alcohol most likely would appeal to the raincoat crowd, as the bar seems to be a sure-fire way to cure loneliness. People are friendly and the attitude is quite relaxed..... although perhaps not to the point where you can take off your pants and start making orgasm noises.
All in all, a wonderful spot in the middle of Toronto's best neighborhood. -
Review from Val G.
7/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
I step up to the tiny bar at the back between performers. A burly man with dreadlocks says the bartender will 'be right back' and offers to pour me a glass of water in the meantime. I oblige and thank him. When the bartender returns he nods in my direction signally my move and I casually shoot out a 'What do ya got?' He replies completely deadpan 'Everything. What do YOU got?' A little surprised to see my playfulness so haughtily slammed I growled back, 'Money.' And no tip.
Piston, I know you're new so maybe you haven't learned that you won't attract return patronage by behaving like a sour teenager. You earn tips with smiles and hotties, not sour sausages.
I was at the Piston for an under-attended NXNE show(putting my Yelp hookup wristband to good use). I was a fan of the former Concord cafe(on the rare occasion when it was open) but I haven't found the gumption to enter the Piston when it's stuffed to the gils with local hipsters. I like breathing room.
The blue light over the door is slightly pretentious and more than a little Dundas/Ossington stripy since it renders itself invisible to non-locals. But it's a non-offensive façade so I really can't complain much. It's definitely more appealing than the XXX shop that just opened up next to Freedom Clothing Collective.
The Piston needs a website with a menu listed and an attitude adjustment. Other than that it's a nice place that supports local artists and a welcome improvement in the neighbourhood. -
Review from Lindsay D.
Toronto, ON
This little place just opened recently next to Long & McQuade on Bloor, just west of Ossington. It doesn't look like much from the outside. No big flashy sign, just a big blue light above the door, and a curious chalkboard stand (see picture I added). Reminded me a bit of The Violet Hour in Chicago. Inside however, there is a stunning environment. Exposed original brick walls, a shiny diamond checkerboard floor, high ceilings, and eclectic rescued elements (old wooden doors, stained glass windows, etc) have been craftily brought together into a cozy and intriguing setting for a bar & music venue.
The front room is full of comfy raised booths and tables with candles, with one long main bar running the length. They have Steam Whistle (pilsner) & Amsterdam Big Wheel (amber ale) on tap, and one of the owners told me they'd be expanding their selection shortly, as they had just opened. I had a fabulous single malt Irish whiskey, that was recommended, called Connemara. As a scotch drinker, I was surprised at how peaty and sweet it tasted. Notes of vanilla, perhaps. My companions stuck to the classics - G&Ts and rye & Cokes. The owners offered us some delicious shots, one with tequila and cassis, and were welcoming, friendly and genuinely happy to have us there. Much of the interior work was done DIY, by the owners, and you could see how proud they were of the place. It almost felt steam-punk at times, but very polished.
The back room is the crown jewel of The Piston. Robed in golden velvet curtains, it boasts an incredible sound-system, beautiful stage, lighting rig, and another bar accented by rescued punched-tin ceiling tiles, with remnants of paint still intact. One of the people I was with immediately commented about how great it would be to throw her birthday party there in a few weeks. On Fridays, we were told that one of the owners spins 60's, 70's, & 80's in the back room, and there will soon be some great live music, which is reassuring as many of Toronto's best venues seem to be disappearing in recent times. The sound of this room is really something special, and I'm sure the word will soon get out, especially being so close to one of the top music stores in the city.
As we were headed out, we were told that they would soon be starting to serve brunch (or as they called it, "blunch"). I'll be sure to update my review once I've tried it. In the meantime, check this place out. Dimly lit and discreet, it's great for a romantic rendezvous or just catching up with old friends. -
Review from Rob M.
Etobicoke, ON
Some friends & I chose The Piston as a place to get together and catch up, and we're glad we did. Loved the atmosphere, and the friendly attentive bartender made sure we never ran dry.
We didn't make it into the back room that night, but we will be back to check it out. The Piston is a great addition to the neighbourhood! -
Review from Ceecee P.
Toronto, ON
11/15/2010
Possibly the worst bar in the area. The bartender acts like he's working a club on Richmond Street and the music is a bland mash of bad early 90s house and lounge. I haven't made it to the back room yet, but they do have good bands playing, so I'm hoping that the back room is a bit less cheesy than the front. The front seems to be full of neighbourhood boys predrinking before heading down to the club district, bleh.
Save your money and go to 3Speed instead. -
Review from neil c.
Ottawa, ON
11/19/2011
I was inTO visiting my son in the neighfourhood and we stopped in for early dinner. Although I found the lighting a little too dark for a restaurant - hard to read the menu - everthing else more than made up for this. First, we tried the Bruchetta. This was the best bruchetta I have ever had. Served on slices of fresh bread done just right, warmed but not crunchy and fresh tomatoes and flavourful like I couldn't believe. The quantity was way more than I expected for a $6.00 appetizer too. Then I had the Portobello muchroom burger. I can't say I have had many in my lifetime but again, I was struck by the freshness andflavour. The accompanying greens and potatoes were also tops for taste. They have an open kitchen so you can see the chef preparing it from your booth. He looks like he's having a blast preparing the food for you and when you taste it you realize this is the product of someone who loves what he is doing and is very good at it.
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Review from amarah u.
6/5/2010
Nicest bartender ever! Shooed away homeless man, pitcher of water to drink, didn't get mad when I forgot to close out my tab. Nice selection of beer, drinks were pretty strong. The bar itself is well kept and clean but in a comfortable way, not in that douchey NYC way. I wish this bar was in my city, I would go here every night. The back room for the live music is solid, the sound guy is a riot and was all around wonderful. Great place to see a show.
