Limelight Karaoke Bar @ The Riverside

This company uses your personal data (from your ID) and sends it to a third party, called Patron Scan, without your consent. Legally, private companies are required to obtain meaningful consent to collect, share, and retain your data. They did not inform me that they would be using my ID for purposes other than identification. They used my ID to flag me as a “serious public safety concern” for being in a closed bathroom stall while I thought I would be sick, alleging I was in a “men’s bathroom and refused to leave.” Beyond the fact that it’s ridiculous to have a young woman bar banned for using any closed bathroom stall in a bar (many bars have unisex bathrooms now), they have violated my privacy rights by sharing my personal information with a third party company, who shares their data with participating companies across provincial borders. Imagine going out for a night out and accidentally annoying the wrong vindictive bartender who decides that you feeling sick or being slightly too loud, annoying, or even get on their bad side in any way at their establishment means that they have the authority to flag you and have you banned from bars across the country without your knowledge. Is this really the world we want to live in? Where a bartender has the ability to use your illegally obtained information to have you banned from bars across the country? My privacy rights have been violated and so have yours. I will be filing a complaint about this restaurant and Patron Scan with the Canadian Privacy Office and warning every single person I know about these new privacy violating practices. To Riverside: either stop using Patron Scan or ensure that every single customer is informed that by scanning their ID, their data will be collected by a third party which may be retained in a database and shared with other third parties through your flag system. That’s what meaningful consent is according to Canadian privacy legislation. Go ask another lawyer if you don’t trust me. Every lawyer I’ve spoken to is in alignment that this is in complete violation of Canadian privacy law.

Edit: apparently they’ve now added PatronScan branded privacy information next to their scanners. This is good, albeit only after unlawfully collecting the data of hundreds of patrons. Hopefully they’ve also trained their staff on how to properly flag people for serious causes as per PatronScan guidelines instead of having them bar banned because they felt mildly irritated.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

WARNING: Do NOT trust these people with your privacy. A few weeks ago I went here with a friend and had our IDs scanned at the entrance, which we’ve had happen at other places before so we thought nothing of it. My friend ended up drinking too much and leaving (completely of her own volition), fairly typical Saturday girls night out, nothing outrageous. Yesterday, my friend was denied entry to a different bar IN A DIFFERENT PROVINCE because The Riverside had flagged her ID with a “criminal record” as a “public safety threat”. This is a huge breach of my friend’s privacy and possibly even illegal, not to mention an INCREDIBLE overreaction to my friend’s, again, minor misbehaviour. Do NOT let this establishment scan your ID - they are somehow sharing your information, without any type of disclosure, with other bars.

Atmosphere: 1

Service: 1

Hosted a 10yr old’s birthday party here on a Saturday daytime and I’ve been recommending it to everyone ever since!
Perfect for wannabe pop stars - my daughter had the best party and I hardly had to do a thing. Cadence had the party agenda down perfectly - she was a fabulous host!

Loved that the package included pizza, veggie tray and a mocktail per kid. I added on some fries too, which was a hit with our crowd

Tip: with the UV lights, do UV reactive face/body paint if you want a fun party activity!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Amazing birthday celebration we had for our child. Everyone enjoyed & had a wonderful time! Cadence was a great host! Will recommend!

Best place for karaoke had a blast singing songs I didn't know the words too 😂

Great location for a party or event. Great food there and drink options. Fun karaoke location.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We hosted our 4 year old’s birthday here and everything was amazing! Morgan was great with communication while planning the event and Cadence was an awesome host, incredibly helpful and great with the kids! Everyone had a blast and we can’t recommend this venue enough!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

A very cool place to chill and enjoy good music, food and nice time with wifey. Great ambience, great service. I am particularly happy with the security measures. The guy was alert and professional.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 4

Tried and I stress tried to go there. Given it was around 11PM on a Friday. Was told by the coat check girl it would be a $6 cover. No prob let me tap it (group of 5). No tap avaliable, ATM machine upstairs. ATM out of service. Can we pay at the bar. No way no how. Dumbest thing I've ever encountered. Security was as dumb as the coat check girl. 0/10.

Trash service if your not from here 😏😏

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 1

Under whelming, our table was given away for our party. The drinks were very disappointing. We waited over 2 hrs to NOT get a song played for Karaoke night.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 2

I thought the staff were excellent. The bathrooms need a upgrade. The chairs and tables need a upgrade. This place needs just a bit of a face-lift, then it would be perfect.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 5

Came on Thursday great time.
Came Friday. Not posted door charge $6 cash only. We stayed at the attached hotel for one week, for Grey Cup festival and game.

Atmosphere: 3

Service: 1

Had a great time. The wife got up and did some vanilla ice lol.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Nice place to hang out. They have a live band upstairs and karaoke in the basement. Nicely decorated. Staff are friendly and drinks are affordable. Limited food options, but they hit the spot.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4