The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar

Hotel

Great bar with some of the best live jazz in the city. This place has been a go-to for years. Staff is kind, courteous, and doesn’t misgender trans women. Thumbs up all around. Had a wonderful afternoon of drinks here with a close friend and felt consistently respected by the staff.

Great place for music and cocktails.

Great time! The manager and staff are realy amazing people! Definetly the place to be in Toronto Down Town! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

This place is wonderful. Friendly people and service and the artists are unreal. Such a gem.

Favorite place 🎺🎷
Great service, amazing bands!

A great venue for live music. We love to spend an afternoon some weekend's enjoying live music at very affordable prices. A great people watching place too and love the atmosphere.

Staff are amazing and the coffee is a great wake up, hamburgers are unforgettable.

Great music & good food. Staff is always friendly.

Great line up of bands and an amazing ambiance! Every time I visit Toronto, The Rex is on my schedule, even if it’s for a quick half an hour. Love you guys and thank you for what you’re doing!

Real easy atmosphere. Never have a bad time when we drop in, usually for Saturday matinees. Always surprised by the musical talent. Beer is cold!

Great atmosphere! Good players and shows all throughout the week!

Great music and friendly service.

Wonderful music, friendly people, enjoyable food.

Great music, really relaxing place to spend an afternoon (and the wings are delicious! )

Love this place ❤️. So much talent here, great staff and atmosphere.

Stopped here for a late lunch on a Saturday, a band had just finished and another one was about to start. Sat down, ordered beers from an assorted list of drinks. The music started, the sound was loud enough to appreciate the musicians but not too loud to wake up a sleeping toddler (a tired one though). Now the food was better than expected. The menu isn’t long, but diverse enough, and very reasonable prices! Will return.

Great sound and lots of character, The Rex has hosted an incredible number of amazing jazz acts. The attached photos are of Go Go Penguin for the 2018 Toronto Jazz Festival. The only issue is obstructed views, make sure to get there early and get a good seat, some views even go beyond obstructed. Massey was/is like that but it certainly wouldn't stop me from seeing a show there. The same is true of The Rex, but despite the occasional problems it's a great venue with awesome staff and great sound!

The Rex is tough to rate. As a pub it's pretty lack lustre. The food is rather disappointing and we're it just a bar, it would likely receive just one or two stars. However it doubles as a really good jazz venue with talented acts regularly playing and shows at all times of the day. For this Id give it 4-5 stars. As a result it levels out to a 3 star review. If you are looking to eat and drink and there's no show on, look elsewhere. If your looking for music, you've found your place.

We had a wonderful stay at the Rex. It's an older building but that adds to the charm and warmth you feel. The staff were very welcoming and went out of their way to accommodate our every need. The food in the restaurant was excellent and the portions are also very generous. The music at this jazz and blues hotel did not disappoint. The place was packed and the music was great. Will definitely make a return visit.

The Rex is a great establishment at least as far as a dinner and live music venue. Its menu isn't complicated but for the relatively small amount of food there's an inpressive variety which caters to many diets and preferences at fairly fair/standard prices. For a music venue it's also great. While there are some instructed views the sound quality resonates well throughout the establishment at a strong volume but never overwhelming. It's a busy place so there isn't as personal a feel as you might expect upon walking in but the staff always seem polite.

'Fine' place for live jazz and blues, if you're good to let your hair down. It's about as basic and old-school as it gets for a downtown Toronto venue. It's the music that has me coming back for years already! Good sweet potato fries, very nice Triple Decker clubhouse sandwiches. The rest of the menu looks good too. The clientele and service staff is 9/10 friendly and they have some awesome patio. If you're ever up for a great time while wasting an occasional weekend afternoon, this is THE place. See Jerome Godboo when he comes… now there's a show that parallels a live concert sound. Simply amazing! Although Terry Wilkins as part of the Sinners Choir seems to be a weekly regular and they can all make for a fun atmosphere too. I — for one, am glad the Rex continues to reign among our live music choices.

If you are on a tight budget, but still wish to stay downtown, then this place is a delight!
Of course, music is the main draw — and totally amazing! I'm a professional pianist, and the band they had was fantastic! Plus they have a beautiful, quality, regularly tuned piano. The wait staff seemed to really enjoy being helpful and watching the delight of the crowds. Totally perfect evening!
The rooms are basic — much like a hostel or dorm. One of the bathroom sinks needs fixed. However, for the price and location, I was totally satisfied. The desk staff were really friendly, volunteered to carry my bags upstairs, and readily got me extra blankets and pillows. They all called me by name and warmly greeted me and welcomed me to Canada — including the owner.

Great entertainment today, Swing Shift jazz band, for a worthy cause. Great atmosphere, general pub fare, tasty and excellent prices! Had a great time meeting up with old high school friends and enjoying myself! Service was awesome and location was right on the street car line, so transportation was not an issue!

Rooms are a little bit small and décor with a few years behind.
The rooms result however well cleaned and the beds comfortable although a little smaller than normal (Queen size, 1 square and half)
Very helpful staff
Great central location to visit the city.
Rating 3½ stars.
The plus that alone earns the 5 stars is the adjoining Jazz venue, the coolest pub in Toronto, live music from the early afternoon with more groups and every day!

We only stayed at The Rex for one night but it left a great impression and we will be back! The rooms are small, but the atmosphere is great! The owners chatted with us a number of times, and even though we arrived after breakfast had ended they made sure we got some complimentary coffee and juice. The beds we're comfortable and the room was very clean. The location is ideal, especially for the price! You are right in the heart of Toronto with a wide variety of food and entertainment options within easy walking distance. Our only wish is that we had more time to see some shows at the bar!

We found this hidden gem for the first time yesterday. The rooms are small but very clean. The staff are amazing! Very social and actually happy. They had Jenna Marie and her band playing last night and they were phenominal. We really enjoyed listening to them. The bar is respectful and shuts down the music by roughly 12:15am and has last call, so the nightlife is done by 1am. It is a beautiful fun little jazz spot. Our rooms were quiet and comfortable. We got one with a private bathroom which was very clean and nicely done. We went down for breakfast before we left and it was delicious and reasonably priced. We will be back for sure. Thanks for a great night :-)

One of the best places in downtown Toronto for getting your jazz dose. I was lucky to go on a day were some old school band was playing, and man it was awesome. They might have an entrance fee which I think they should at least give a drink with it! The service can be a bit faster I guess, but never the less, their prices were reasonable.

I adore this place. Bob and his son Avi keep the place ship shape. I go here once a month at least. The music is wonderful, the food is pretty good and the patrons are diverse and friendly. A home away from home!

Short walk from Grange Park. Bar atmosphere is rustic. Didn't care for the fish n chips but the chicken wings are to die for. Portion is very filling. Had sweet potato fries and 2 lbs wings. Made 2 meals for me. Had honey garlic and hot sauce combined on the wings. Yum. Live music is loud and fun. Service is speedy and polite.

The sounds of Swing Shift lured me in. Friendly bar staff served up a decent selection of beer. Great cocktail list as well. Excellent ambiance and amazing music.

A place to listen to a good jazz and a good shot of Beer. Recommended!

Excellent time spent with good music and good food.

Disgusting service. Beware. They will charge you cover HOURS after you get into the bar. The waitress is extremely rude. She took our order wrong and had the nerve to give us attitude because she misunderstood the order. Bouncer came by telling us we had to pay cover because they were changing musicians. Spoke to manager who actually defended waitress as "just the way she is". Stay away! Much better service at Jazz Bistro.

Perfect location for touring Toronto. Walking distance to almost everything. The room was very simple with a private bathroom. Fell asleep listening to the Jazz from the bar downstairs. Great music! Great food! I would definitely stay here again.

Everybody I was with enjoyed their meals, I had the chicken wings with hot sauce (was actually spicy! ) attentive servers and great entertainment from the rotation of performers. Great experience, i’ll be back with others. BONUS; local talent preforming covers and some original pieces.

This review is specifically for the bar. I haven't stayed at the hotel. The music in this venue is incredible. The seating is great and the atmosphere is casual. It's a great place to share a pint and some food while listening to some very talented people play jazz. Unfortunately I haven't noticed a spot for a dance floor before and the venue is not an intimate spot like some other places in Toronto. Great place either way!

The Rex is an awesome venue if you like live Jazz music! We saw the George Lake Big Band on Saturday and although the place was packed, it didn't feel cramped. If anything it felt cozy and having the band just there in front of us was more than awesome! The beer selection was rather good with several options on tap but I have one issue there: they advertise their pints as 18oz which in Canada is actually illegal (a pint is regulated to be 20oz…). Otherwise, we had a great time at the Rex and with their amazing lineup you're bound to be able to see a type of jazz band you will enjoy!

Always a great way to spend an afternoon or evening. Excellent live music and a cool way to discover a new band, bar staff are super friendly and easy to get to know. Very easy to become a regular.

The Rex is all about the music. An amazing place to take in some live music in Toronto. They have tradition pub fare and some decent local beer on tap. The food and drink is secondary to the jams that go down here. Everyone is welcome here and there is no expectation to stay for a long time but expect to be there for a good time.

What can I say… Live music on a Saturday at noon. A good spot to get exposed to a variety of bands and musical tastes. Laid back, comfortable atmosphere with no pretense. Great service as well.

Hotel para hipsters amantes del jazz.

Very cute place. In price, quality and location excellent.

Simple clean neat room (got one with bathroom). Surprisingly quiet too. Excellent location. Nice relaxed bar at night and good cheap breakfast in morning. For Toronto relatively cheap too.

Great Jazz music with good value for money on drinks. Not a fancy plate though but it goes well with the beers. Be prepared to contribute to the band as a contribution "transparent" jar is passed. So yours are transparent too But its really worth it. Check their schedule to get the music / show of your liking.

It has an excellent location, right in the centre of the city, has many attractions around and places of interest, inside the restaurant, the food is good, prices reasonable and the care is very good in addition to the plus that gives you live music that is almost always.

The REX Hotel is in an excellent location — lots of hip restaurants and shops around, very accessible by public transportation and has all the right amenities close-by (pharmacy, Starbucks etc). The place itself is quirky — lots of music posters around, and cozy (small) but will do fine for the price and if you are there for a short trip and will not be in the room for long. The receptionists are very friendly and accommodating, they will store your bags for the day as well. I did not get a chance to check out the Jazz Bar — but you can hear the music during the day from the rooms. They do not play into the night!

Old Toronto Jazz milestone. Everything about the place is good. If you want fancy, you are on the wrong street. Come for the music. It's amazing. Contantly rotating calendar of acts. My favourite are the jam nights and the first time performing acts. Service is spot on and a very diverse crowd.

Came here for the first time recently and loved it. Come early to get good seats. The music is loud so not the best place to go if you wanna talk to someone, but perfect if you're there for the music like we were. They have typical bar/pub food for order. Everything we got was delicious, which included the nachos, a poutine, the chili and a smoked meat sandwich. Service was awesome. Be prepared to tip the musicians as well as servers, as they are entertaining you.

Great location and service for the price. The hotel is really pretty and well kept however the communal bathroom threw me off a bit. Just don’t have high standards, otherwise a great place to stay at and conveniently located on top of a jazz bar!

Clean and friendly hotel, the bar on the ground floor is warm. The staff at the hotel and the bar are very welcoming.

Excellent place, where jazz lives.

Great and friendly staff… I've spent few days there and all the staff were welcoming… the room was new and clean but small… there is free coffee and tea and toast in the bar which is great… Wi-Fi is also stable and speedy.

Dinner and live jazz music! The food is affordable, plus there are vegan, vegetarian & gluten free options. Alcoholic drinks might be a little more pricey than other places, but the live jazz band makes it worthwhile. I believe there are shows most days at 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm.

Small but very clean room. Wonderfull friendly staff. Fabulous jazz & blues bar. You'll love the Sunday matinee starting at 12 noon with a 7 piece jazz band in the New Orleans style! Awesome pub food & a filling breakfast.

For the restaurant/bar. Super nice vibe. We were sitting in an awkward area where we couldn't see much of the band/musicians, but the music was good. Food was decently priced and good portions. Highly recommend the chili. Enjoyed it overall.

We were looking for a good place for dinner with a good atmosphere. Rax was recommended and I'm so glad! Impeccable service And great food. There was so much on my plate I could not finish my meal. (Chicken club). We were blown away the music. If you are looking for a good time in Toronto this is the place to go.

Came for a dinner date. It was a good time. The venue is a laid back bar with decent prices on food and drink. We had a burger and a sandwich, both were okay, fries were quite good though. Music was great. Would come back again.

Make no mistake, the hotel is literally the floor above the bar and the music doesn't end until midnight or later. In addition, each room doesn't have it's own bathroom, instead there's a shared bathroom for the entire floor. It's nice that they offer free coffee and today in the morning, but it's definitely a light snack not a full meal. The location is great, there's a lot to do on Queen St. The staff was also extremely nice.

Amazing music! So worth going. Drinks were reasonable and service is great. A real treat to see live jazz.

Always worth stopping in. Great bands even at midday. Friendly service. And you can eat vegan if you want! Tasty options. A great place to dtay or just pop in for a drink and some tunes. Long live the Rex!

Back to the old familiar Rex, which for me is a good thing. 12 years ago, I went on my first ever date here and had as good of a time then as I still do now. Music is always live and always great. The place is still a dive, but that is some of the appeal. The only issue with that, is that the prices of drinks are way too high, some of the highest in the city. I will always come here though, regardless of the cost of patronage.

Stayed the night at the hotel and had a fantastic time. Very friendly staff. The room was simple and cozy. The atmosphere downstairs with the live jazz band was excellent. Will definitely come back.

Great losing close to subway. Love the interior design. There are live music in most nights. Cover was 10$ for Thursday but the band we had was so so. We were not hipster enough to enjoy metal jazz freestyle.

Just wrapped up a 2 night stay and LOVED it! Great place for a solo traveller. The room felt homey and was very comfortable. Staff were friendly and great with directions. I'll be staying there on every Toronto trip for the foreseeable future.

The best part of The Rex is the friendly staff and live music. The bar selection is great, and the food is consistently good. Make sure you pay attention to room details to get the amenities you want or need for your stay. Even though there is live music late at night, the rooms are pretty well insulated from the sound. Would definitely stay here again.

Stayed for one short night while in Toronto with my partner. We were a little unsure given that this place is above a Jazz Bar, however, we had a fantastic time. Our room was directly above the stage but we found the jazz music below not at all disruptive and very enjoyable! The room was a little older and not shiny and perfect like you'd expect at a brand name hotel, but it was clean and we were very comfortable. The space was small but perfect for a place to simply sleep and shower. Our bathroom was pretty tiny but clean and seemed to be recently updated. Our window overlooked Queen Street and we had a great time people watching and admiring a beautiful view of the CN Tower. Highly recommend this hotel if you want a fun experience in a great location for a great price! Thanks for a lovely stay!

In the heart of Toronto Live, live music, good food and beer.
Choice not too varied but okay.

This was our first time to the Rex and I'm sure it won't be the last. We came to hear the music of John Macleod Rex hotel orchestra; were really impressed by the caliber of musicians. Location was very convenient — very close to Osgoode subway station so very easy to get there from outside the city. Food choice was acceptable for this type of venue; service staff was friendly.

Great location in the heart of Toronto. Street feature, the rooms are above a pub where they hold jazz concerts.
The rooms are spartan.

Awesome music spot in Toronto. Lots of bands 7 days a week, super hip staff and good beer. Love this place.

If you just need a place to hang your hat while you are out living life, this place is amazing! If you love jazz and pub food that is very reasonably priced, same. I am definitely coming back here and at the beginning of jazzfest and not the end next time.

The quintessential Toronto jazz bar. Grab a calendar and scope out the good shows for the month. Come early if it's a popular band.

My favorite place to listen to Jazz in Toronto. The variety of musical acts per week is amazing.

Stayed at the hotel for a Friday and Saturday night. The room was a toich small but clean and cozy with an air conditioner and tv. There was 3 live jazz shows a day in the bar and the staff was great. A great place for drinks, live music, and a room for the night on Queen West. Would stay again in a heart beat.

A purple haired waitress literally slammed down 2 glasses of water, then disappeared, reappeared after 15 minutes, gave her the order for 2, same mess selection, 15 minutes later she comes back with one meal, I told her I ordered 2 of the same, she leaves and goes back talking to some guys, she yakked 8 minutes then goes in with my order, 15 minutes later I finally get my food, my wife is already finished hers. Never again will I frequent this place to eat.

Clean room, centrally located, good price, friendly people and good food! Perfect for just stopping through, but don't expect a large room with all amenities. It is exactly as advertised on the website. Nice updated rooms.

Service and Management Booked a room last week at The Rex and unfortunately because our group had double booked hotels we were unable to stay at The Rex. The Management was very accommodating with our situation and we were able to work out a same day cancellation. Service and management were very polite, friendly, and helpful.

Good grungy jazz bar with some fine musicians playing here. The sound system is strange though — they have a grand piano on stage but the sound system somehow manages to make it sound like a 1980's casio keyboard for children. I am not exaggerating. Someone who knows about stage sound needs to take a serious look at the mics/eq for the piano and fix it.

Awesome time here… Stayed at the hotel… Simple but good… Hot shower with clean sheets and simple but good breakfast… Everyday good music downstairs… Near everything on the best street of toronto… Helpfull staff… Can't go wrong…

LIVE JAZZ IN TORONTO! Need I say more. Now seriously, I think the acoustics could need some work, then again I haven't been seated in every available spot of the place. The beer prices, to my recollection, were pretty reasonable, but honestly, go there for the music.

Only been there once and never coming back again. I went for a friends birthday a long time back and didn't have much cash on me, so even though I wanted to I couldn't tip, waitress wasn't very happy about that. Actually had the nerve to point out me and my friend didn't tip to the whole table, and didn't like my answer apparently since she muttered something rude that luckily I didn't hear, or I would've ripped her a new one. My friend was actually going to tip big with all the loose change in their bag but after that whole situation decided not to. Also when I left I tried to say thank you to the waitress but she just completely ignored me in reply but said goodbye to another friend directly behind me who did tip. I'd give it a rating of zero stars if I could but unfortunately that wasn't an option. Rude staff, very slow service (at one point I thought she just forgot we were there), the only upside was the music since they're all local bands and not with The Rex so it was really good. For the sake of the business I hope they've gotten new staff who don't act like spoiled children who didn't get there way.

Music was great, service was Ok too. Food and drinks offering should improve significantly.

For the right audience this is the perfect hotel. It has a great price The neighborhood is amazing, shops, bars with good food and lots of people on the streets. Subway station one block away and tram right in front. I had the shared bathroom room and both room and bathroom were very clean. Staff was amazing and deserve a star onto itself.

Terrible "Hotel. " It is actually just a bed in a tiny room, with a communal bathroom in the hall for the whole floor. So, don't expect to shower when you need to. Also, rude staff, and no Wi-Fi signal in the center rooms. But, when you bring problems to the staffs attention, they "try to fix it" but if they cant, they don't offer a partial refund or anything else, so you just pay a lot for nothing. Also, the staff ignored us when we tried to check in. So we stood in the bar with our luggage while the bar tender chatted with his buddy. We finally said again that we needed to check in, and he said 'I'll be with you in a minute. ' Ugh.

By far the best value hotel I've ever stayed in. The Rex may not be a top of the line 5-star resort but it deserves 5 stars for the experience and customer service. The staff even gave us personal recommendations for things to do in the city that became some of the best parts of the trip, not counting the hotel itself. At a price cheaper than most hostels The Rex had everything we needed. Not the best place if you're looking for a luxury vacation but definitely perfect for really getting the local experience of downtown Toronto. The hotel's location is also in a nice area that makes the entire city easily accessible. The hotel staff helped us out with the public transportation as well. Plenty of safe parking available nearby for a small fee. The music downstairs was fantastic and isn't a problem unless you're planning on going to bed early and missing out on a great show or Toronto's other late night attractions within walking distance. My only complaint would be that the non-smoking rooms and bathrooms still smelt like smoke. Feels like the bed & breakfast of the big city and I would definitely stay there again.

Great service, cheap. Good food and great music.

For the first time very bad service by an uninterested bar man who seemed to hate being there and hard as we tried could not muster a smile. Attitude galore! Saturday the 16th May 4pm to 6pm. Could not wait to leave : (.

Brilliant Jazz bar. Amazing music every time, friendly staff, ok food and fantastic atmosphere. A must do in Toronto.

Good location, polite staff, small clean room. Fine breakfast.

The location of the hotel is good. Is walking for many things. The well-attended bar with live music made a good impression on us, even though we were up here hardly. The hotel itself was the accommodation worst by far on our trip. The Chief took the money and it was BB´s. We had to find ourselves towards the room. Already while walking up the ceded and partly from dirt black carpet were in the hallways us. The radiators, the color flaked. The rooms themselves were on the surface clean. A closer look it was not allowed to. In the bathroom, the floor of the shower schimmelten. The faucet and the towel came to meet almost one when using. Only the good will in the wall kept the Sockets. Adventurous fixtures of the power lines. Stains on the wall had been sealed up with pieces of wallpaper. We recommend a urgent renovation. We will Weiteremfehlen this hotel definitely not.

Stayed a night. Clean, convenient, comfortable. Beautifully high ceilings. I was surprised I could not hear any jazz music at night, and glad because it plays until 12:30 am; I was on the second floor. No problems streaming on internet provided. Only complaint is that the room does not have a bedside lamp. The Windows are sealed over air conditioning holes which makes it drafty but the provided portable oil radiator keeps the space quite comfy and you can put it on a timer to turn off when you're asleep. I would stay again.

Stayed for the weekend in July, had a nice time. Great music, good food, friendly staff, decent well-kept rooms, right in the center of downtown, within walking distance of everything. Nothing too fancy though. Would probably stay again.

As a jazz musician The Rex is a fantastic venue! People are there to listen to great music. Those who want to talk loudly are considerate enough sit at the back of the club. I love that "all ages" are welcome so bring your kids and send your teens to see great live music. It's not fancy at all. They serve pub food but good pub food. There are some healthy options on the menu and they always accommodate my menu requests (hold he onions). I play there each month and love The Rex.

A couple friends and I were staying at the Rex for a day and when we first walked in we weren't sure where to go to check in the hotel because all we saw was a crowded bar. But the bartender saw us and knew we looked lost and helped us out and checked us in. The room was very affordable and enough for one or two people. The room was "cozy" with a/c, t. V and a decent size bed that can easily fit two people. The bathroom was very clean and very modern which I appreciated and had everything we needed etc soap, towels. Couldn't hear the music downstairs so it didn't disturb us at all and the staff were all very friendly. Best thing is the hotel is right in the midst of everything downtown and it gives you a cheaper alternative compared to any other hotel downtown. Overall our stay was great and I would definitely go there again.