The Shoe, as it's known, has seen its fair share of big acts from Waylon Jennings, the Band, Bruce Cockburn and Stompin’ Tom Connors to The Ramones, The Police and The Cramps. Around for over fifty years, the Queen West bar still has old school pool tables but now also features a convenient window right into the A&W next door.

This Little Italy club is a venue with a capacity of 200 up top and a punk bar serving nachos and brunch down below. Open since 1990, bands such as Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene got their start here.

With a low stage and walls dripping with memorabilia and borderline trash that includes not only band stickers and posters but panties of past groupies, this Queen West spot is as divey as they come, but where better to a see a show? Plus, there’s a tiki bar on the roof.

Big music acts like Adele and Blue Rodeo as well as some of our city’s best comedy like Kids in the Hall have performed here. The sprawling multi-level Queen West bar also features a full restaurant and a massive pool hall.

Drinks are slung at lightning speed to crowds gathered to see international indie acts like Dean Blunt and locals at this dark Queen West bar.

Toronto newcomers to the rock scene test their mettle at this haven for local musicians. Long and narrow with performances on a stage upstairs and on the floor in the basement, the drinks aren't cheap here but the events schedule is reliably packed with phenomenal local acts.

Dundas West has this unassuming space with a roster of hard rock acts, smaller stage, bare bones look and shelf full of whiskey.