19 Best Dive Bars in Toronto

“Best dive bar in the city“

“It’s the best bar in the city to see live music and have a memorable night. A Queen Street institution that has aged well.“

“The absolute best of Dundas West. 🔥“

“The Horseshoe Tavern is maybe the best local bar in Toronto. Relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff, excellent location. A perfect place for a drink or to catch a show most nights. They bring in international acts and also out a real spotlight on local indie artists (like me!). I love this bar!“

“Zaid the bartender was very nice and friendly. He gave us excellent service and if we were local this would definitely be a place we would go to often. We had a great time. The punk thrash atmosphere with the customers who are not there makes a very interesting and unusual mix. The customers were also all kind to us who came from far away. Very good bar.“

“Great staff. Personable and alert bartenders“

“Great local resto/pub. Cold beer on tap and good pub food. Adam, Andy et al have amazing taste in 70,8” and 90’s music“

“AMAZING STAFF! GREAT SOUND! GREAT VIBE!“

“very Nice place ! and i love pickel back 🥒“

“Chill people, good music, safe venue.“

“Visiting from Denver, CO. Found this place by chance and it is excellent. Chris is friendly and more importantly knowledgeable about the local beers he serves. We're only in town for a few days but we will stop in every night that were in Toronto.“

“Great place for an afterparty, local and easily accessible Service was fantastic, more than enough room for a group of friends“

“In a city where the only constant is change, it's refreshing to visit somewhere that doesn't. I've been going here and on off for years, and the familiar atmosphere, great music, top notch beer selection, and salty-but-friendly staff makes stepping in there feel like a hug from an old friend. The last holdout of dive bar culture in trendy Little Italy. Thank you!“

“Excellent bar. Wide variety of drinks at very affordable price. Linda and Kudo are so good with customers and they serve very well. They are a Good hardworking bunch. I will definitely come again if I ever crave for a beer or shots. There is enough space for party, just call ahead and it has good music. They have a juke box kind of deal where you can select music you like. Just Amazing, and I know you’ll say the same.Just an insider tip: free food just after 8 ? : homemade Chinese food (till its last ).“

“Management: Just one person’s opinion…but what are you thinking? The location of the place is ripe for the eclectic, artistic crowd. You’ve got beautiful stunning art all around the place, the decor is very inspiring and artistic, and then you’ve got these giant speakers in every corner blasting the most terrible, generic, top 40 style pop music. Like, why? It threw me off big time. It’s so loud you can’t even wear headphones to bury it. Like why play this terrible Kelsey’s style music at your place when everything else feels so boutique and well thought out? I gave you 4 stars because my intention is not to hurt your business, but my experience felt like 1 star because of this one awful decision. Invest in a music curator. If you want, I’LL do it for you. This place deserves it and it would change everything. But I honestly will never return and would never recommend this place to anyone for this one simple reason. Service was excellent btw.“

“great spot! excellent service.“

“Oddseoul is one of those hidden gems you almost miss — no sign, tucked just off Queen and Ossington, I’ve been here so many times over the years and finally decided to leave a review.

The vibe is what I love most — laid-back, a bit grungy in the best way, with ‘90s hip hop usually playing and great drinks to match.

Food-wise, there are a few staples I always come back to:
• The Loosey – their take on a Big Mac with a Korean twist. So good.
• Bulgogi Cheesesteak – loaded, super flavourful
• Kimchi Fried Rice – perfectly balanced and satisfying

While they often rotate menu items, these 3 have been on the menu for a while, and for good reason — they never miss.

On a recent visit, I also tried the KFC wings — big portions, though the sauce was a bit salty for me. The Jap Chae was nice too, but didn’t blow me away.

One thing I wasn’t crazy about: we were given wooden utensils on the patio. Not sure if it’s a new thing or just for outside seating, but it wasn’t ideal.

Other than that, Oddseoul is still one of my favourite lowkey spots for good food, good music, and solid drinks. Always excited to see what they come up with next!“

“I was actually at The Garrison for a show but had skipped dinner to make sure I got there on time. I had some time to kill and saw someone with a slice. He directed me to the pizza stall at the back of Get Well. Delicious pizza ! If you’re in the area and have a hankering for pizza, go there! Plus , if you’re in thé have a few minutes to spare you can go and play some old
School arcade games for free!“