Poetry Jazz Cafe

Was passing by and noticed how lively it looked inside so we decided to check it out and so glad we did!

Cover was $10 and the jazz group playing was so good! Everyone in the crowd was dancing and vibing. They gave us a menu for drinks and once we decided on a cocktail they told us only bar rails so that’s why I’m giving 4/5 stars. Other than that it was such a cool little spot and I definitely plan on being back ️

Harsh subpar cocktails, and the only food is a $5 date square or coconut dessert. Great live music, however!

They don't have any kind of food. But batista is a wonderful guy.
It's a cute, small place

Vibe is amazing - live music, DJs later in the night. All the staff were really friendly and the owner is super welcoming.

Was passing by and noticed how lively it looked inside so we decided to check it out and so glad we did!

Cover was $10 and the jazz group playing was so good! Everyone in the crowd was dancing and vibing. They gave us a menu for drinks and once we decided on a cocktail they told us only bar rails so that’s why I’m giving 4/5 stars. Other than that it was such a cool little spot and I definitely plan on being back

Amazing Jazz Club, Paul our host could not have been more helpful with seating and an overall expectation of the evening, drinks where great and bar staff really helpful, the jazz group where astonishing, I can't believe they don't have a record deal - honestly catch them now before it's too late.

Great vibe.great drinks.great music and great people.

We celebrated my wife's BD there and it was great.

Love this place. Great vibes and drinks. Really want to give a 5 stars but charging $10 cover on a Thursday night with no live music and less than 3 customers inside does rub me the wrong way.

Cool place to have some drinks and listen great jazz bands, you can come alone or with your friends and the experience is very nice.

It was our first time checking out live jazz music, sound was great, the.place is clean, vibe is awesome and so chill! With limited seats you'd feel like a VIP so I highly suggest you call or purchase your tickets in advance:) they do not serve finger food but they're so awesome for letting us bring dry food / fries from the pizza place across. Highly recommend!

Have yet to be disappointed here. Staff is fairly kind and quick to come up with tasty drinks. Cover can be a bit high at times but overall a great experience. Would suggest for first dates. Bands that play are always lively and entertaining.

Today I went to Poetry Jazz Cafe for my birthday with a friend. We were very excited!
The show started at 9 and we arrived at 9pm, and upon walking up to the front entrance, we were approached by a bouncer who was simultaneously on his landline phone, held out his hands towards us, and simply said “20 dollars cash” and continued his conversation on the phone. When we asked if there was seating, he said “no you came way too late for that” as if the superiority of this cafe was truly above anyone who dare arrive at 9.

We reflected at how appalling this was, to be treated by someone in the hospitality industry with such abrasive entitlement that we vowed never to return again.

Awesome Friday night vibes! DJ Kenji set the soul vibe tone. Quincy's band took it to another level and kept rising! Bartenders are friendly and efficient. Great spot to vibe and chill out! Fire!

Live music was great, cramped space though. If you love jazz music this is the place to go. If you want to chill and drink with jazz music in the background, try not visiting on a weekend, it's small and can get crowded.
If you live in Toronto and like live music, do visit once at least.

Downside: Bartender was rude, maybe when I was ordering I looked alone and like a stag, but he was unfriendly to me while having a friendly and different demeanor with others.

It was our first time at the Poetry Jazz Cafe. The host & security were so warm. Live music was colourful, soulful, and intimate. Thanks for a memorable night - would definitely come back!

Extremely, unnecessarily loud. Many people were covering their ears when the band played high notes. It was so packed full you couldn't move, when you went in you had to just stand at the entrance and got pushed in more every time more people arrived. Took 30 minutes to get a drink and 40 minutes to pay for it. Drinks were good but $30 for 2 was outrageous after paying cover. The most frustrating experience we've ever had just trying to get a drink and listen to some music.

Owner is rude for no reason, staff at the door very dishonest, drinks… whatever… nice space but not worth the experience

Beautiful place and really wonderful bartenders but the staff at the door are rude and hostile. When we told others in the area about our experience, they said they "weren't surprised. ": (

I'd passed by this place two years ago and just a peek inside, I wanted to spend the night there =) However, the pandemic hit and it took until now for me to visit this venue. Super kind and friendly staff, beautiful backyard and sexy bar ambience. Live music was fantastic, cocktails were awesome and the whole experience was unworldly. One of those places for new adventures or rekindling old fires if you know what I mean =D

Great vibes! Good spot to hit up as long as you're a fan of music regardless if you're a fan of jazz or not.

This tiny Kensington bar is a gem for jazz lovers in Toronto. The atmosphere is welcoming and intimate, and the cocktails are sophisticated and diverse. Yes, I wish it were larger and had a better sound stage, but then it wouldn't be the PJC! Support this place folks, so that it can continue to offer its much loved performances for a long time to come!

Unique drinks and talented artists. Small place but nice vibe. Get there early if you want to get a seat for the show

Terrible taste of interior design aesthetics. Place is small and crowded, there is nowhere to sit. Patio looks like a messy backyard. One time I was there, music selection was very questionable - instead of jazz, it was some amateurs playing rock or something like that. This place is way below expectations, such a joke.

What a hidden gem in Kensington, I’ve been here multiple times and have seen most of the artists. Amazing vibes and great crowd

Great spot for jazz. The vibe is pretty indescribable and the owner really looks out for his patrons. Only complaint is that it's a bit small so it can get really crowded and cramped in there.

Amazing vibe. Great hospitality as a visitor from London I had a wonderful greeting and welcome at the door on Fri/Sat. Can't go wrong. 1st class venue

Just a great vibe, works for anyone above the age of 18 who has a appreciation for a good vibe and great music. Its cozy generally enough seating plus a lounge area, just a really good place.

I came here around 8 pm on a Saturday to grab an early sit for the 9: 30 pm show. Ordered multiple drinks which by the way are not great unless you upgrade to "premium" alch for 3.75$. Around 9 pm, the doorman came to each table and asked them to pay $15 if we wanted to hear the music. We payed and were at least happy we would enjoy the show soon. At 9: 30 the place was packed way beyond capacity.you could not even walk to the washroom and definitely not see the show. People were falling over each other from pushing. I was an uncomfortable experience, not worth the money.

I loved the ambience! The drinks were more than reasonably priced, especially for the quantity. Performances were amazing! I’d give it more than 5/5!

Amazing experience. The music was fantastic and the combined poetry with it, was something I had never heard before but it was amazing. Excellent atmosphere inside as well.

Loved this place! Randomly came across it, and absolutely fell in love with the vibe here. Small, intimate venue with some delicious (although a bit on the pricey side) drinks.

Staff were friendly, music was top-notch, and the venue itself was real cool. Would definitely recommend coming here for date-night or for a group outing. Only make sure to come early, seating is limited.

Nice music, live band playing, and private outdoor seating on the patio. Staff was friendly and welcoming as well.

Just randomly stumbled upon this hole in the wall in Kensington Market. They said they had a concert on later in the night so I can back and it was incredible! The band playing blew my mind as well as the service and drink menu. If you enjoy either jazz or Poetry, or both. This is a space you should definitely check out!

Beautiful space. Came here early evening on New Year’s eve. We walked in not realizing they were closed and preparing for an event that night. Nonetheless, the folks welcomed us, got us drinks and let us hangout there for awhile.

Love jazz and love this place! I wish the place had more space but I guess the tight cozy venue suits this little nook in the corner. Wonderful music can be heard outside in Kensington market and just draws you in.

Can’t decide if it is a good one or not. I value the most about how I am treated and how much I am welcomed by the host/staff when I visit a place. Sometimes the staff is very friendly but sometimes they are literally hostile. Can’t decide. But I like the atmosphere. Authentic. Drinks are okay. There was a cover every time I visited but the bands performing aren’t that good or extraordinary. I’d say SO SO

Such a nice place for jazz. Definitely you will enjoy this place. If anything, I would recommend to the manager to add more non alcohol drinks to the bar for those designated drivers

One of the best places to listening Live Jazz in Toronto!
Just Love it!
My favorite place for good music.

Great spot for live music but.
If you are a live music fan, please come and check it out!
However, I came on a basketball game night, and there is a large tv in the room showing the game.
Everyone was watching the game, including the artists, and the audience, while the band was playing.
As a live music fan, I was disappointed at the set up. There should be more focus and respect.
Multi tasking will not creat great music or a great experience.

Recommend it when the city doesn’t have a major game night.

An elegant bar in the Kensington Market with superb jazz music. Definitely one of my favourite spots in town

Amazing spot. Its wednesday night & the Live music that is going on here will blow your mind. Come early if you want a seat cause it gets packed. We brought in tacos from across the street.

So I came in at 8: 30 with some friends, we sat down got some drinks.at 9: 15, while seated the doorman came over to our table and asked us to pay $15 cover or leave.we felt pressured to pay as he brought over the machine and pushed it into our face. Usually a doorman should tell you this while you enter a place and before you order drinks - or they shouldn't do this to already seated guests.only new guests would have to pay.this is pretty absurd and a humiliating experience.

Great musicians and DJs in a loud club atmosphere. Some of the best shows I've seen in Toronto at a small venue. Good mixed drinks. $10-15 cover

Aesthetic atmosphere. Limited seating. Serves cocktails. Romantic, classy vibes. Guests are mainly couples.

Really nice & chilled spot to grab & drink & listen the some live music. The atmosphere is very lovely. However it is a very very small space, so keep that in mind.

Great little spot. Had live music on Friday night. Place was jammed. Very tight. Very few seats. The bench along the wall is hard and not well upholstered and thus gets uncomfortable. No room to dance. Good vibe though.

One of my favourite night spots in the city. It's got a fantastic 'new york jazz bar' vibe. Great cocktails.

Super cute dig in Kensington, seating is pretty tight so come early. Pricey cocktails so if you r planning to get drunk make sure you pre drink *winks*

The back patio is lovely but the music could get a bit more jazzy and diverse. Usually same ppl playing very similar tunes.