jazz bistro

we enjoyed the performance at this place last night. the band was super loud but the hostess kept telling people to be quiet... apparently the place was fully booked, but we were told on the phone that you can't make reservations.
it was amazing that nothing was offered on the side to a total of 12 drinks. not even beer nuts.
expensive for what they are offering.

excellent food! great value and delicate presentation. servers are excellent and love their job. menu has plenty of options. ambiance was enjoyable, was able to see love music. they do free coat and bag check. only complaint is table for 2 is quite small.

right located in front of dundas square, this place remind jazz places of chicago. live bands have a good stage in the middle . almost any table on 1st or 2nd floor is near the band. recommend.

terrible. will not return. decided to come to this restaurant for a birthday dinner and was very disappointed with the staff, service, and food. the hostess was extremely rude to me and my guests. we called to make a reservation and had to wait 30 minutes past our original time slot. she said she has space for only two of us to sit at the bar and the others could wait outside. we finally got a table and it took forever to place an order, get cutlery, and get our drinks. appetizers were mediocre. it then took another 40 minutes to get our entrees after watching all the tables beside ours get theirs far before ours. 2 dishes came out first and the other 2 came out five minutes later. needless to say, our food got cold waiting. the food was missing garnish and ingredients listed on the menu. i asked for the missing sauce and the waiter replied with "what do you want with it?" hello? the sauce that it said it came with on the menu! furthermore, the food was bland and boring. not worth the price. 
before the band started, the hostess took the mic and was like "hello, can everyone stop talking? hello? please pay attention to the musicians and not talk" rude! this is not how you address your guests!
awful experience. will not return to this restaurant again.

this was my first time dining at jazz bistro. my companion and i had theatre tickets for a show at the mirvish theatre.
it seemed convenient to dine at jazz bistro because of the close proximity to the theatre.

little did i know, jazz bistro would steal the show. i started off with a classic martini, it tasted so good, i had another. the food was also i very good. i had the vegetarian tomato soup and the spinach gnocchi. we chose a bottle of the ironstone cabernet and we both enjoyed the wine.

a piano player played live jazz music in the background making this dining experience quite memorable. it cost about 200 bucks for the two of us which is not extreme but not cheap either.

in any case, i will definitely return to jazz bistro in the near future.

we stopped here for dinner after shopping at the eaton center. we both enjoy jazz and thought this would be a cool place to check out. the atmosphere is definitely very cool. unfortunately we were too early to catch the actual live show that night but there was some live piano music going on while we ate, which was nice.

we both agreed that the food was really good but they don't bring it up to that next level. i tried the dinosaur kale salad (really nice with a lemony dressing) and butternut squash risotto (the wild mushrooms were tasty). mr. crayon tried the caesar salad and bistro burger. all the food was good, nothing wrong with anything, we just agreed it's not the kind of place you go to for incredible food. it's more about the atmosphere.

the service was okay. our water and wine glasses were always full during our meal. it did taper off a little at the end while we were waiting for the bill. and unfortunately we were seated directly beside the server station where all the servers were inputting their orders and huddling around chatting to each other. that really took away from the romance of the atmosphere. since there was almost always at least one person hovering around there, we couldn't really talk about anything private or personal.

over all, based on this one experience, i would say this place is cool and i would go back to watch some live jazz and drink wine, but i can't give as high of a rating as i would like because our visit could have been a little better.

poor management. the management failed to deal with obnoxious couple who were seated beside us just before the band started. the fellow abandoned his chair to squeeze in across the table between his girl friend and my wife, crowding my wife and sitting in our space. this guy spoiled our evening which has been wonderful until mr. rude entered the picture. we complained to management. they did nothing to remedy the situation. we left. will not be back. what happened to civility?

the jazz bistro seems like a small and unassuming restaurant, located almost directly behind the large and booming yonge and dundas square. sitting on quieter victoria street, this glamorous space serves up live jazz music, great shareable appetizer plates, and a dj on the weekends.

 jazz bistro bar we had the chance to check out the grand opening of their third floor rooftop patio, the jazz cellar, and boy does it impress!

 only open since march of 2013 and taking over the top o’ the senator jazz club, the jazz bistro is one of the city’s better venues for live entertainment and great food. it’s quickly becoming a new favourite in the downtown core, especially after the recent unveiling of its summer patio.

 jazz bistro patio this outdoor oasis provides the perfect escape from the bustling city, and will feature summer promotions such as $5 drinks everyday between 5-7pm, no cover dj nights starting at 9pm on thursday and friday nights, and blue jays games on the big screen tvs on their patio with the chance to win tickets every month! 

the new summer menu, created by chef brad macdonald, is sure to please even the pickiest eaters: some of the highlights of the new menu include a gigantic nicoise salad with seared fresh yellowfin tuna ($24), spinach and roasted red pepper dip ($12), a pulled pork sandwich ($14), and lobster tacos with a black bean spread ($15).

alongside a great selection of premium beer and wine, summer cocktails will include a rhubarb fizz, pink negroni, and a pimm’s cup, all for $10.

we will definitely be paying another visit to the jazz bistro in the near future, it’s the perfect new patio spot in toronto and sure to become a big hit! will you be checking out the jazz cellar? let us know in the comments!

i've been known to make crazy mistakes like show up to a party on the wrong day.  yesterday, it sort of happened again.two of my girlfriends and i planned on a sunday brunch before seeing a 1:30p show at a theatre in downtown toronto. being the only one of the three who actually lives in the city, i chose a hot spot (according to on-line reviews) just across the street from the theatre. i'd never been but had always heard about it. i was excited to go.i showed up a bit early at the restaurant. it was a very cool place with a baby grand piano and a small stage, where a beautiful pianist was warming up for what i found out was to be a small jazz performance during sunday brunch. i thought to myself that i couldn't have picked a cooler place!   i was satisfied with my choice, sat down at a table for 4 and ordered a coffee and enjoyed the mellow tunes from the performer.it wasn't like my 2 girlfriends to be late. but hey, we all have kids and they were coming from out of town, so i sat back, sipped coffee and also did a little people-watching.then my cell phone rang.yup. turns out i was at the wrong restaurant.my girlfriends had been waiting for me for about 10 minutes at the restaurant next door.i ran to the place next door and waded through dozens of people in a line-up that was out the door. i found my two friends at the front of the line and we all looked at each other and said: "let's get out of here."i brought them over to the place i had ordered my coffee at, which is called the jazz bistro.it was one of my better mistakes.live jazz, fantastic décor, cool and classy ambience (like jazz music itself), and delicious brunch? what more can three hungry, theatre-ready gals ask for?the waiter knew. "mimosa, anyone?"a very smiley and handsome server brought us a bunch appetizer plate of warm, homemade mini-scones and whipped butter. the girls and i sat back, chatted about life and enjoyed what has now become one of my favourite brunch spots in toronto.at this time of day, the bistro offers their brunch menu, so naturally, i ordered my favourite brunch plate - eggs benedict. i always say that it's the hollandaise sauce that makes the benny and well, jazz bistro delivered. the sauce was creamy, a perfect yellow and had just the perfect amount of tang and consistency. the cuts of peameal bacon were thick and juicy. i savoured every delicious bite, along with the potato gallette and salad that came with it. it was a very generous portion that held me over until dinnertime later that evening.one of my friends ordered the baked omelette (with fine herbs, asperagus and goat cheese). it looked like a gorgeous quiche (see the photo). my other friend ordered the house-cured peameal bacon and roasted chicken on a kaiser, sans kaiser. (she saved her daily intake of carbs for the mini-scones) even without the bun, her brunch looked beautiful and tasty on her plate.i'm so glad that i made the mistake of going to the "wrong" place. i would never have known about the jazz bistro otherwise.i want to go back.

need a chef. great staff, beautiful restaurant, all 3 floors. menu is intriguing, but food is tasteless.

we will definitely be paying another visit to the jazz bistro in the near future, it’s the perfect new patio spot in toronto and sure to become a big hit! will you be checking out the jazz cellar? let us know in the comments!

this summer, yonge and dundas’ jazz bistro has opened the jazz cellar, which, contrary to its name, is actually a luxurious rooftop patio. this spacious and tranquil destination is quickly becoming a hot spot for dinner and drinks - transporting visitors out of the busy downtown core and into a relaxing, vacation-like atmosphere. 

while the lower levels of the jazz bistro are dimly lit with chic, luscious furniture and live jazz, the rooftop patio presents itself as an outdoor oasis. 

with seemingly endless options of cozy patio furniture to recline on, this jungle tree-house like space will definitely appeal to a broad array of groups - from couples looking to cozy up with a bottle of wine to business people hoping to impress big clients.

speaking of curling up with a bottle of wine, the wine and cocktail menu at the jazz cellar offers a wide selection of beverages that will titillate your taste buds. the cocktails we got to sample included.

toronto blonde: apparently made for me- this gin and citrus-based drink was incredibly refreshing! 

winter revival: this coconut and citrus cocktail was the crowd favorite of the night and tasted like a wonderful mix of coconut cream and key lime pie. oh yum. 

in addition to the full service bar, diners can enjoy summer specific brunch, lunch and dinner menus designed by executive chef brad macdonald. after glancing at the menu, its safe to say that the atmosphere at jazz cellar is only to be matched by the creative and sophisticated culinary experience that diners can expect. like most toronto chefs these days, macdonald’s menu revolves around fresh, seasonal produce sourced from local farmer’s markets and suppliers - exactly the kind of food that pairs perfectly with an ice cold local beer on a sprawling yet cozy rooftop patio. some of the menu offerings we got to enjoy included: 

pulled pork slider pulled pork with cabbage and pepper slaw on a house baker kaiser bun: juicy and tangy on a pillowy soft bun.

gazpacho with avocado mousse: chilly and fresh with a kick of peppery heat 

while admittedly nibbles were few and far between at this event, enjoying a glass of wine on the gorgeous new patio more than enough. after eyeing the menu greedily, i’ve decided that the lobster tacos with pico de gallo is more than enough reason to pop back over to the jazz cellar to spend a bit more time on this grandiose patio to enjoy the rest of summer. 

disclaimer: the preceding event was complimentary, however, as always, all opinions are genuine.

located at 251 victoria street, jazz bistro is in the building that once housed the legendary top o’ the senator jazz club. jazz bistro opened last march and is one of toronto’s hotspot for live music and dining. kicking off this summer with the introduction of their new rooftop patio the jazz cellar , they have also introduced a new dinner and cocktail menu along with dj nights and cabaret. once entering the jazz cellar you are instantly welcomed into a warm and creative space to chill and enjoy the best of summer. executive chef brad macdonald , has created a new summer menu for lunch, brunch and dinner to compliment the creative talent of the performances and the sophistication of the venue. we had the opportunity to check out a few new items on his menu, including the lobster tacos , with black bean spread, avocado and pico di gallo, along with a savory pulled pork sliders  with cabbage and pepper slaw on a house baked kaiser. they were both absolutely

the jazz bistro patio is a little oasis in a busy part of the city. steps from dundas square, within minutes you could be relaxing here with a drink in your hand after shopping or just hanging out.

the jazz bistro serves up dinner as well as brunch. i sampled bites from their shareable plates menu.

the menu includes lobster tacos with black bean spread, pulled pork sliders and spicy buffalo chicken and cheddar balls.i really like the moroccan vibe that they have going on with the angular tents above. each evening they have live music. they even have live music during brunch on sunday. check out the music schedule.

i would love to return to have brunch or dinner on this rooftop. would you?

a boisterous crowd of area locals and out-of-towners fill the city’s newest, lushiest patio in the