The Dakota Tavern

I have yet to go to Bluegrass brunch and am hoping to edit my review to a 5 after I do.
I went for a show in the middle of the week and the show itself was fantastic. I like the vibe of the place, and the location and it’s average prices. However, if you have 150 people coming to a space for a show, there should be some sitting space. It was soooo uncomfortable standing around, barely able to see, trying not to hit people. There were tables and chairs, which was lovely for the 50 people sitting, but the rest of us were really struggling. Other than that, I loved it, but that was a serious problem that seemed so easily fixable, and I would like to not feel totally cramped for 2 hours while watching a show, sitting or standing.

Came here for their Saturday morning Bluegrass brunch special and was pleasantly surprised. All you can eat breakfast with a live bluegrass band playing was fun. The food was nothing original, your basic breakfast fare but it made it up in droves with the atmosphere.

I went here for the firs time to see a small show and had a great night out. It was very busy, but it was a friday night, so it’s to be expected. The prices are on par for the area and venue, as was the crowd.
The only downside was that there was a decent wait for drinks. Maybe more staff would help? It could also have been that specific night though.
Overall, i def go again.

My friends and I went on a Monday night and without being too crowded the place managed to still feel like the coolest place in Toronto. Loud bluegrass, nice people, best dive bar atmosphere one could ask for.

I adore this place. I have a feeling I’ll be coming here time and time again.

Hands down the best live music venue in Toronto. This is the favourite spot of Canadian rock stars in the city.
Awesome beer and whiskey selection (it shouldn’t be any other way with a sign that says «BEER MUSIC WHISKEY»)
The bands are righteous. You’re a big deal if you’re playing a Friday or Saturday night and there’s a lineup… no way around it.
Toronto’s best band (The Beauties) used to play every Sunday night, but that hasn’t happened for a while. Who knows if it’ll ever happen again (unfortunately). But Sunday nights at the Dakota are a known thing, so these days it’s still the best night for live music.
The bluegrass brunch, as everyone says, is great. It’s a nice companion to the sweaty, drunken hours of rocking out you delved into the night before. The band is great, and is perfect volume for a hungover, delicious, never-​ending brunch. Some might complain about the price, but when you realize that it’s factoring in the band, it’s a good deal (just imagine $ 5-​$ 10 off the bill total going to your cover).
Oh… your phone won’t always work here, but I like it that way. Put the thing down, and talk to the people around you or focus on the killer band.

The Dakota Tavern is pretty cool. The ambiance is like a cross between an olde time saloon and a Weezer music video– with skulls and strings of white Christmas lights adorning the cozy walls.
I’ve been here several times and the crowd always seems decent in both volume of people and social quality of their personalities.
The drink princes are kinda ‘meh,’ staff are nice but for the size of the bar they seem pretty understaffed– you could wait up to 20 min for a drink on a packed night. Double or triple fist.
The men’s washroom is pretty awkward, it’s so compact that if you are a big guy in a big sweater taking a piss next to another big guy, you WILL be touching each other. Prepare yourself.

The Dakota Tavern knows how to have a good ol’ time! Of all the bars near Ossington and Dundas, this place ranks the top for live music. It’s really a country bar for hipsters, located in a rustic basement. Apparently they also serve Southern-​style pub fare on weekends. For Instagram photos and to check out the vibe of this one of a kind tavern in Toronto, check it out here:
Service was quick, music was loud, and the place was full of people.
Pro tip 1: For live music, Cover is $ 10. For shows, check out their website:
–Be careful walking down — or up — those stairs!-
Pro tip 1: Bluegrass Brunch is 10 a: m — 2 p: m Saturday & Sunday, which is ALL YOU CAN EAT (in Toronto!!!):
$ 18 per adult, $ 7 per child, you get:
Scrambled eggs
Sausages
Pancakes
Potatoes
Fruit salad
Coffee/​tea
Sides $ 5 each
Baked beans
Bacon
Plain yogurt and granola
From the bar:
Orange juice $ 3
Classic caesars $ 7
Mimosa $ 7
Beau’s $ 5
Beau Jay $ 6.50
Pro tip 2: reservations are taken for groups over 6 on Saturdays. Groups over 6 are subject to 18% gratuity.
Pro tip 3: EVENING HOURS: CLOSED MONDAYS. Tuesday through Sunday, 8:00 pm — 2:00 am.

My all time favourite music venue in Toronto.
I love the décor, it’s really fitting and the music is always very good (though I do pick who I go see — so I usually know it’s going be to good.)
The beer is great and the atmosphere is fantastic! I’ve had many great memories. I don’t think I’ve ever come here and not had a good time. One time there was even square dancing! I also like how it’s not full of women wearing practically nothing and men gawking at these women. Everyone is dressed (usually) modestly and not worried about making a fool of themselves out on the dance floor!
If you’re looking for a grand ol’ time, The Dakota is the spot for you.

Came by here for bluegrass brunch. You have to make a reservation or show up early. Great dive bar at night I am sure, but during the day it was too bright and full of kids to appreciate the alter ego.
The brunch is interesting, since they just keep bringing sausage, eggs, fruit salad, and pancakes to the table until you say no. The band was really excellent, and everyone enjoyed it. I would recommend it!

My review is based on the atmosphere, the bartenders and music (bands) and not their much talked about bluegrass brunch (which I haven’t gone to cause I like my brunch one on one and not at a communal table).
These guys chose their bands well so even if you’ve not heard of that given night’s act, you’re sure to enjoy it. It’s not been too difficult to get me off the bar stool and bust a move! Now I’m not so much for hard drinks or fancy ones, more a beer guy, but the the bar is run well.
So bring your favorite company and go! Pay the $ 5 or $ 10 cover (band), cause you’ll dig the vibe. Is there still no phone reception there? Oh yes, The Dakota is lower level, or basement if you will.

We came here for brunch. The décor of the place is rustic with lots of wood elements. My friend made reservations for Sat at 10am and it wasn’t too busy. The 12pm slots were all full.
I enjoyed the bluegrass band here they were cool, and added to the atmosphere of the place. I wouldn’t recommend sitting too close to the band if you really want to talk; as the music can get a bit loud. The band sings well, and it was great to have live music.
Overall the food was good. Not the best breakfast I’ve had, but good. They serve everything family style. The regular unlimited breakfast is $ 18. This comes with fresh fruit, pancakes, sausages, scrambled eggs, home fries, tea/​coffee. I really enjoyed the home fries; they were delicious you can taste the butter, and the scrambled eggs were soft and fluffy. For $ 5 more you can get bacon, beans, yogurt, and granola.
If you are looking for a place to grab brunch and enjoy live music I would recommend this place. If you also eat a lot then it’s worth it. If you aren’t the biggest breakfast eater then this might not be the best place for you.

I had heard a lot about the bluegrass brunch. On Sunday I finally went!
The atmosphere and the live music are great. Our waitress was very nice too. But… I found the brunch plate overpriced. You get a simple plate of scrambled eggs, sausages, potatoes, pancakes, fruit, tea or coffee for around 20 dollars. I would have hoped to get some beans and veggies (not very expensive things) too for that price but they cost extra.
For three people a bill of 60 dollars seems a bit too much in my opinion. I wouldn’t go again, sorry.

Came here today, for their Sat/​Sun brunch.
The music was good, regardless of whether you normally listen to bluegrass or not.
Hearing a live band play was a treat.
Street parking in the area, is also decent.
~~~
However, the reason I’m giving DT only two stars is because:
-$ 18 is steep for the kind of food they’re offering. Poor value. Even though it’s all you can eat, I wouldn’t be partaking in their sausage, and wasn’t keen on having their scrambled eggs. I can sometimes be a picky eater, plus I’m a vegetarian (and mostly? a foodie), so this place did not satisfy. The fruit salad looked pretty good however, and their pancakes looked okay. Just not $ 18 okay. From other Unilocalers, looks like it was $ 14 not too long ago.
–I went with my toddler. Sure the live band masks any noise a toddler can make, but it was really quite loud. I asked my little one if it was time to leave, and my toddler readily agreed.
Also, the server didn’t seem to know how to work with toddlers — didn’t bother offering a booster or high chair. Space seemed tight, and it was kind of busy, but still parents with toddler will always appreciate if the server offers any special accommodations for little ones.
–found out that there is a mandatory $ 7 if anyone is in the party, but who doesn’t eat any of the food. We presumed the money was to help cover the band.
~~
I left with the impression that this place is okay at most. For me.
Not too long ago, I was at «School» in Liberty village.
A la carte Fun and varied brunch options, also very trendy and foodie-​friendly.
I’d rather eat there, than at DT again.

I had one of the BEST brunch experiences of my life here awhile back. We were wandering the Dundas-​Ossington hood slightly hungover, trying to figure out where to plant ourselves for brunch this time. This was a longggg while back, before The Federal and The Guild had opened, when Dundas Street was horribly underserved in the brunch department.
We stumbled into the Dakota and came upon… BLUEGRASS BRUNCH. It. Was. Awesome.
We walked in, and it felt like I was on a farm and my fictional farm mother had just rung the farm brunch bell. We were seated at our picnic table and they promptly brought out large plates with piles of eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes, sausages. You know, all that good brunch stuff. Whenever we ran out, they brought over another piping hot plate of what we’d run out of. Plus, there was a live bluegrass show (hence the name, «Bluegrass Brunch»).
The food wasn’t good, but I had such a GREAT time. It’s not a place to take your foodie friends, but it’s a place to take your fun friends. If those two groups overlap, then hopefully they can forgive the less than stellar food for the super awesome atmosphere.

Crazy about their bluegrass brunch. I love live music but had never consider pairing it with brunch — it works! The band is a lot of fun, the food is simple but very good and the country motif works well.
The food comes out family style and is never ending. I love that you can have endless bowls of fruit. Of course if you prefer never ending eggs and sausage that is an option as well.
Over all the food is like you would have at a friend or family’s house for brunch which is a welcome change. The music however is what makes the experience.

I came here to try their Bluegrass Brunch this past weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. Bluegrass is definitely not typically my cup of tea, but it created a lovely atmosphere and who the heck doesn’t like $ 14 all-​you-​can-​eat brunch?
The food is served family style and it’s surprisingly tasty. You get fruit, scrambled eggs with red peppers, blueberry pancakes (!!!), sausages, potatoes, juice and coffee. Strapping on the feed bag at the Dakota Tavern is the perfect way to cure a nasty hangover!
I would describe the service as leisurely, so I wouldn’t suggest coming here if you’re in a hurry. That being said, the staff was very friendly and welcoming and I’ll definitely return.

Came here for the bluegrass brunch and loved it. The experience was really unique and I will be encouraging friends to check it out.
Other Unilocal reviews made the food sound terrible so I was pleasantly surprised when it was comparable to food you would get at a diner. If you’re looking for more upscale breakfast food, there are plenty of other places nearby for you to check out.
The music was great too! I felt guilty chatting with my table because the band was so talented and probably deserved more of my attention.
For $ 14 you get decent all-​you-​can-​eat food and a concert. Unbeatable!

Le Dakota Tavern est un bar spécialisé dans les concerts live. J’y suis allé pour assister à un concert de musique brésilienne. L’atmosphère y est tout simplement bluffante et en 5 minutes vous vous retrouvez à danser avec vos compagnons de bar.
Pas grand chose à dire sur cet établissement: allez y car c’est l’une des perles cachées du quartier d’Ossington!
Dakota Tavern is a bar specialised in live concerts. I went there to see a brazilian band. The atmosphere is just amazing and in 5 minutes you will be dancing with your buddies that you did not know five minutes ago.
Not much to say about this place, just go there because it is one of those hidden gems of the Ossington neighbourhood.

Whether I’m ending a night with shots at the bar bathed in the glow of strings of light, or showing up for Bluegrass Brunch to recover from a night out (what’s better than kids dancing, music blaring, and family-​style platters of scrambled eggs to make the memories of the night before even fuzzier?)…The Dakota never lets me down.
5 stars, a «yahoo!», and a southern yodel for this joint on Ossington.
If I have out-​of-​towners visiting, they come with me to The Dakota. Which is funny, I suppose, because I often yell to my fellow Torontonians above the music «this place feels like it’s not even in Toronto!». It’s loud, it’s a good mix of people, I don’t feel a pretentious vibe (I’ve shown up dressed up in work clothes, post-​bar crawl and in clothes just slightly more dressy than PJs, and all felt a-​ok), and the music is killer. Special musical note goes out to Bluegrass Brunch regulars The Beauties and the annual winter holiday event, «Jason Collett’s Basement Revue».
Your ears will leave happy. Trust.
Staff great, Caesars stiff, vibe phenomenal, and food, though not top notch, well… you’re not *really* at The Dakota for the food.
Unilocal note: The Dakota is in the basement of a building, which can make connecting with friends hard (phone service, you say?). However, this tech-​luddite can admit (we’re all friends here, right?) that I kindof find that charming. I show up, rally with my friends who are there, and the rest of the world beyond The Dakota is dead to me (telephonically, that is). BOO to the YAHS.

I’ve always had a great time when I’ve come here. The bands they bring in are always great, though it can be quite loud due to the small space that is The Dakota.
The staff are always on the ball and generally remember you once you’ve hit the bar for your second round.
My only complaint is that the building is like a bomb shelter. You don’t get any cell service unless you’re standing by the stairs.