jazz bistro

terrible. will not return. decided to come to this restaurant for a birthdaydinnerand 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.

we stopped here fordinnerafter 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.

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 fordinnerand 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 anddinnermenus 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 newdinnerand 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 anddinnerto 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 updinneras 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 ordinneron this rooftop. would you?