Bar
Bar Raval
Grant van Gameren's College Street pintxos and cocktail bar, open since 2015, with a curved mahogany interior, sherries and highballs and a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar
A long-running jazz and blues bar on Queen Street West presenting around 19 shows a week, most of them pay-what-you-can, with pub food and live music every day.
At a glance
- Type
- Jazz and blues bar
- Area
- Queen West, Toronto, Canada
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- therex.ca
Good to know
- Live music every day
- Pay-what-you-can shows
- Pub food
- Weekend matinees
Why we recommend it
The Rex Hotel Jazz and Blues Bar is a jazz and blues bar and boutique hotel on Queen Street West that has, in its own words, been making The Rex feel like home for over 40 years. It presents about 19 shows a week and more than 60 a month, with live music every single day, so there is nearly always something on.
The schedule follows a regular pattern. There are sets at 5pm and 8pm every day, a late set at 11pm on Saturdays and matinees at 2pm at weekends. Listings show early sets running from about 5pm to 7pm and evening sets from 8pm to 10:30pm. The line-up changes daily, so check the online calendar to see who is on.
The pricing is unusual and generous. All shows are pay-what-you-can except the 8pm shows, for which tickets are sold online and at the door. Any time a band is scheduled there is a cover or ticket, even for diners, but buying food or drink is encouraged rather than required. The kitchen serves a pub-fare menu that is enough for a casual dinner during a set.
The Rex does not take reservations, so arrive early for the 8pm show if you want a good seat, especially at weekends. Parties of more than ten should contact the bar in advance. The venue says it is open seven days a week from 9:30am, with later closing on Saturday nights.
This is a room for music lovers rather than a cocktail bar, and it suits solo travellers, couples and small groups who want an informal night out. The pay-what-you-can early sets are a good option for budget travellers or anyone wanting a short taste of live jazz before dinner elsewhere. The Rex has been at the centre of the city's jazz scene since the late 1980s. Bob Ross has owned the hotel for more than 40 years, and his son Avi Ross now runs it as general manager, the third generation of the family involved. Performers who have played here include Wynton Marsalis with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, Kurt Elling, Randy Brecker, Harry Connick Jr., Maceo Parker and Ani DiFranco.
The bar is at 194 Queen Street West. Because the schedule is so dense, you can drop in for one set or stay for several in an evening.
The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar FAQs
How many shows are there?
About 19 a week and more than 60 a month, with live music every day.
What are the set times?
5pm and 8pm daily, 11pm on Saturdays and 2pm matinees at weekends.
Do you have to pay?
Most shows are pay-what-you-can; the 8pm shows need tickets, sold online and at the door.
Can you book a table?
No. The Rex does not take reservations.
Is there food?
Yes. A pub-fare menu is served.
Do you have to buy food or drinks?
It is encouraged but not required.
Can large groups come?
Parties of more than ten should contact the venue first.
Where is it?
At 194 Queen Street West.