The Duke Live

What is The Duke Live? Occupying 1225 Queen Street East since 1870—originally as the Morin House Tavern before operating for decades as the Duke of York—The Duke Live is Leslieville's unpretentious live music tavern. The vintage brick exterior opens into a spacious, no-airs interior equipped with a raised performance stage, a long wooden bar lined with beer taps, casual dining seating, and a licensed outdoor patio. It skips Queen West cocktail polish in favour of neighbourhood warmth, routinely hosting local rock acts, big band jazz ensembles, and regular community events.

The Duke Live Menu & What to Order The kitchen turns out a dependable lineup of classic tavern comfort food alongside seasoned Greek specialties. The standout order is the crispy chicken wings, fried extra crunchy, tossed in your choice of sauce, and plated with blue cheese. Hearty appetite calls for the grilled chicken souvlaki dinner served with tzatziki, fries, and a feta-loaded Greek salad, or the beer-battered North Atlantic haddock fish and chips that goes down easily with a cold local draft. Duke's Own Nachos and deep-fried mozzarella sticks provide reliable fuel between sets.

Know Before You Go Seating is casual and walk-in friendly for regular drinks and food, though prime tables near the stage fill quickly during Sunday big band sets and touring band bills. Friday nights draw lively crowds for karaoke kicking off at 10:00 p.m. Getting here is direct on the 501 Queen streetcar, with metered street parking dotted along Queen Street East.