Sidebar

What is Sidebar? Positioned right beside the Danforth Music Hall at 161 Danforth Avenue, Sidebar is Riverdale's premier stop for pre-gig dining and casual late-night drinks. The space pairs a crisp bistro aesthetic—glossy white tiles, supple banquettes, and low-slung globe lighting—with a roll-up garage window that opens out to a sidewalk patio during warmer months. High-top tables and a welcoming bar counter anchor the room, complete with concert set times conveniently posted at the entrance for ticket holders.

Sidebar Menu & What to Order The kitchen turns out refined comfort classics and gastropub staples executed with care. The crispy southern fried chicken with house-made hot sauce is a perennial favourite, alongside a well-seared steak frites smothered in herb compound butter and shoestring fries. For sharing, grab the rich short rib poutine or a thin-crust pepperoni pizza, and look out for Wednesday buck-a-shuck oysters washed down with draft beer or a classic Old Fashioned.

Know Before You Go Expect massive rushes ahead of major concerts next door; while walk-in seating is occasionally available at the bar, booking a table via their website is strongly advised on show nights. Broadview subway station on Line 2 is only a five-minute walk west, while Green P parking is situated just north on Erindale Avenue. Doors open daily for dinner and drinks, with earlier afternoon starts on Fridays and Saturdays.