Revival

While I will agree with all the fellow Unilocalpers out there with their views of the size of this place: it never seems so crowded, it’s a nice place.
My review is more on advising you to perhaps take more $$$ cash out from the atm before feeling your wallet bleed money like it just got stabbed.
Coat check $ 3 — + tip — no biggie pretty standard
Cover $ 15 — after 11pm (it’s only 10 before)
Beer $ 10 tall boy old style pils
Beer $ 10 tall boy Grolsch
They also has bottle of Heineken and I believe those were 10 bucks too…
I’m just saying that’s a bit steep for a 2 $ can at the beerstore. I’m ok paying 3x cost at bar but 5x cost ??
I’m not a strip club nor at a major sport venue so don’t charge beer as if I were.
HipHop Karaōke was pretty entertaining the guys on stage do a pretty good job so I give them props.
Will probably return at some point …

I love Revival. It’s one of my favourite event venues, in being that perfect medium size venue which can actually fit more than a few hundred people but also isn’t too big where you lose your friends during an event, since the capacity is around 800 people. It’s perfect for dj events or live performances. There is a second (much smaller) room and bar downstairs, making it especially fun for 2 room events. There is also a small viewing area balcony type thing in the back of the main room which is sometimes accessible. The sound system is not overwhelming or even necessarily impressive, but is consistent and clean.
Between 1 off jams thrown by individual promoters and then other long standing monthly residencies of events like the legendary Hip Hop Karaōke, I come here a couple times a year and I can genuinely say I’ve never had a bad time in this venue. I wish there were more promoters putting this place to use so I could come more often.

I was having dinner at Bar Isabel. Amazing food and drinks! But this review is not on Bar Isabel. A friend and I were sitting at the bar and beside us was this ravishing lady in red. She had a beautiful face and was perfectly done, she had to be somebody. We ended up speaking and she was an actor from New York. She was in town doing a show at Revival. We ended up going next door for the burlesque show. THis was my first burleque show in TOronto. I didnt know what to expect but OMG I was entertained!!!
We walked in and paid $ 25.00. THere were no seats available and the place was packed. Being short the view wasnt the greatest, but being short I made my way closer. The performers and dancers were endless and extremely animated and full of energy. I thoroughlly enjoyed the show. It was a good experience.
As for the bar, the service was slow and the drinks werent as impressive as the show. College street is a great area to do many eventful things. We later ended up at El Convento… but thats another review…

The bar is very intimate. There’s a tiny stage for performers and a very small area for the audience to stand and watch the show. I came here for a venue album release party. Martinis are $ 14 and cash only. The crowd was very hipster for this particular event. I had a hard time deciding whether I liked this bar or not, since it’s a small bar. There are also tables on the right side of the walls. Cute? maybe. Intimate, very. But, in comparison to other bars/​venues I’ve been to I can’t say this one was any more special. Just a very average hangout place in lil Italy.

I was here for K-​Pop Night Out during Canadian Music Week on Fri, May 8, 2015. The venue is a relatively small space so everyone is trying to get as close to the stage as possible. A lucky few stood on the benches along the side and were able to have an unobstructed view of the performers. I’ve been a couple of times prior for concerts and have not had an complaints.

Was here on the weekend for their Circus Art Exhibition (that in itself is another story — a very poorly organized event. I feel sorry for anyone that paid to get in. Demand your money back. Too bad b/​c it had the potential to be a very interesting event).
I’ve been to Revival several times before — mainly for their hip hop karaōke. This is pretty much the only reason I would go back. HHK is off the hooooooook! Always a great. if not crowded time. Other than that… it’s nothing special. No point to get up dressed up to come here because you would be wasting your time. There really isn’t anything fancy or cool about it. It also isn’t sketchy enough to be cool enough to be a dive bar. It’s a bad in between. There are a few tables and seats along the perimeter… but they definitely have seen better days. Half of them have wobbly legs so watch your drinks as they sliiiiiiiiide off the table.
With the exception of HHK nights, find a better place to have a drink or dance or chill with your friends.

We came here for their Halloween Shuffle Party. Signed up for guest list but upon arriving realized that only those on the guest list come before 11pm to get in for $ 10 anyway so signing-​up is pointless.
Once at the bar I realized that the reviews were true, they do only serve Heineken (and Canadian if you ask). All drinks are ~$ 7.50. They do not take credit card. The music was alright. They played a mix of top 40, hip hop, and some TV show theme songs along with some 90’s classics. After midnight though, it was mostly southern hip hop.
The TVs in the place had a clip on repeat all night which must have been from previous Halloween and was interspersed with the
logo??? This place feels like it’s sold it soul.
The racial and gender mix of the club was noticeably tilted.
I will probably not return.

Came here for a Nostalgia party, the DJ was downright awesome, getting me (the typical Asian dude who really doesn’t dance much) to dance the night away.
The venue itself was alright. It has a long bar that makes it relatively easy to line up against for drinks and high ceilings which give it an open airy feel.
Bottles of beer were $ 7 – 8, well drinks $ 8. We came early so it ended up being a pretty expensive night .
I’m not a fan of mandatory coat checks, which they have here, especially when you have parts of your group who just want to drop by for a bit.
The crowd was old (er), which makes sense given the Nostalgia night. I’d definitely come back for Nostalgia nights, ’cause the music was just awesome. Not sure who the DJ was, but kudos to him/​her!

I’ve actually only been here for a wedding, so that’s the only way I can rate Revival. Even though my lady and I didn’t consider it for our wedding (it’s just not really our scene) it’s a perfectly nice venue near Little Italy.
I was in the wedding party, so I hung around beforehand to get ready, take pictures, etc. and was quite impressed by the changing area. Very nice and clean, with plenty of space, not to mention a fridge stocked with beer for some pre-​wedding brews. Nice touch. Another plus was how accommodating the owner, Joe, was. I informed him basically the day of that my date had a gluten /​dairy intolerance and he saw to it that her meal was taken care of. Stuff like that is much appreciated.
As for the venue itself, it’s surprisingly spacious and even on a hot July day, things were nicely climate controlled. I’ve been to a few summer weddings where, despite supposedly having A/​C, the place is stifling inside. I don’t handle the heat well, so again something that I appreciate. The food was fine but nothing special. Pretty much what you’d expect for a wedding. Also, not that they can help it, parking isn’t great. There’s street parking and a Green P a few blocks away, but that’s pretty much it. As someone who isn’t big on taking the bus or streetcar, this is a bit of a issue for me but so long as you’re more hardened to the rigors of public transit, it’s not a huge deal. Service from Joe on down was great. No complaints there.
So again, while it may not be my particular vibe, if you like Revival and have been there for other functions, certainly consider it for your wedding.

Went to the Bootlegger’s Ball here, New Year’s Eve.
The coat check was a disaster — incredibly long line to depart. The alcohol selection wasn’t great (scotch was Red Label and Bourbon was Jack Daniels), and drink prices were steep (but then it was NYE).
Still, I had a great time, the venue looked great, the staff were friendly, it rarely took long to get a drink. I’d go again.

Just went to the Roxy Reunion. It was great to see some old faces and hear some old tracks. As the ex Roxy General Manager and head of Security it was very nostalgic.
I have to say the only thing that bothers me about Revival is the mandatory Coat Check. My friends and I could only stay for awhile so we didn’t want to check our coats.
Respect to Shawn the Door guy at the front for letting us keep our coats.
My friends and I worked in the industry for a long time and there is no reason to have a forced coat check. There are enough people that want to check their coats if its about $. And from a security perspective you don’t need to worry about smuggled alcohol or weapons on a soulful house night.
I know. I ran Roxy Blu for 8 years.

so was back to the stone lounge again and I always fail to mention that in my Unilocal review — the bartender lady who serves at the stone lounge is amazing! she’s almost dancing while serving the drinks! and she’s fast and attentive and smiles and yeah very cool=)

This review is for the Stone Lounge (lower level of Revival). I go for Fabricated, 3^rd Friday of every month. The lower level has an intimate feel and isn’t that large. Sometimes my friends and I are the only ones dancing sometimes everyone is dancing!
The Good:
NO Cover
Good House Music
Amazing bartender — she’s super amazing!
The Bad:
Mandatory coat check which means you can get stuck in a super huge line (for the people going upstairs to Revival)
Douchy bouncers/​security (but that’s standard for clubs. no?)

Revival is a very aesthetically pleasing and hip bar located on College Street. The main floor boasts exposed brick walls with arch shaped inlets. There is a raised mezzanine, high ceilings, a decent sized stage and a long bar. Capacity for shows seems to be pretty large (maybe around 500 or so). There is limited seating, so it forces you to cut a rug on the dance floor. The music is always fantastic and the acoustics are excellent. The bottom level feels like a stone dance cave. It is nice that the two levels may allow for completely different vibes and crowds within the same establishment. I have been privy to attend some awesome shows at this venue and I have always had a great time when I have hit up this joint!

Came here sat for «The Main Ingredient» Party.
It’s all hip hop, reggae and old school rnb. Much like Edwin A. pointed out a very chill and unpretentious crowd.
The décor is quite nice with a long dance floor and a long bar running parallel.
We were mostly in the back which was pretty much all about breaking a groove and the space to get down to ice cube and pump up to Sizzla.
Good for groups and $ 15 cover. Hieni & Miller is pricey here but the girly drinks are pretty alright. Bartenders are shockingly polite and they don’t ignore you.
The girls are fine and casually dressed. The guys are not pervy but will leer.
Overall, really good energy from the DJ to the party ppl.
I will be def be coming fo mo. :p
XOXO
M.

probably one of the better clubs in toronto located on college st — where it’s happenin late anyways.
revival has a big commanding main room with a stage for the dj or performer. accoustics are so so, stay close to the front stage area.
theme nights are cool here. hip hop karaōke and the shuffle parties were hype. crowd seem good and unpretentious — there for the music not to be scene kind of folk.

Stone Lounge (in the basement of Revival) is a very nice venue. The low roof and small room make for clear compact sound and it doesn’t take long to fill up and become a party. I have had a number of good times in Stone Lounge and definitely appreciate having the venue bring in such varied and talented acts.

**REVIVAL SHUFFLE PARTY**
Revival is probably most well-​known for their Shuffle Party which is held the last Friday of every month. There are two levels to Revival. The basement (think dark and dingy), and the main level. The music is a mashup of all genres and is always packed with a diverse crowd of people. In terms of dress, anything goes.
Cover, if I remember correctly is $ 10, but is definitely worth it. The drink prices are mediocre but for a guaranteed good time once a month, I don’t mind. And the only beer they serve is Heineken.

I was recently at Revival for the incredible Lee Fields/​El Michels Affair show and it dawned on me just how frequently I am at this venue. The main reason I am always there is because they simply put on some spectacular shows. I think I am there about twice a month checking out an event — and it helps that I live just up the street.
In the past couple of years I have seen acts such as Mr. Scruff, DJ Spinna & Bobbito’s Stevie Wonder party, Lord Finesse, Maestro Fresh Wes, The Herbaliser and much more. Definitely a venue known for booking soulful acts, from funk to hip-​hop and R&B. They also have a lot of classic house DJs which I am not much into but I know are massive draws. They also have Shuffle every month which is their biggest event, though I’ve never been. As well as the fantastic Hip-​Hop Karaōke every third Friday of the month.
The venue is one large space that holds about 500 people with very high ceilings with one very long bar to the side. A very similar layout to the Mod Club, who are also Revival’s neighbours. There is a smaller bar upstairs that only opens when things get really packed and it’s a great option to get quicker drinks and get a good view of what’s happening on stage. There is also a smaller «venue» downstairs called the Stone Lounge which generally holds separate events than upstairs.
Women get the luxury of a washroom that is located right next to Revival’s stage. So if you can set up shop in that location you basically have everything at your disposal all night long: the bar on one side, washroom on the other and a front row experience.

Revival used to be a jam on the weekends I think.
But it’s never been much every time I’ve gone there.
It’s one huge room, like the MOD club across the street, but with a shit sound system and décor from the mid-​90s. There is a separate room downstairs that is much smaller, with booths. I think it’s meant to be cozy, but it just ends up feeling like a booze can in the basement.
College Street in general is a crap shoot, but Revival is almost always a bad time. They are trying to use the venue for more modern parties as of recently, but it has yet to turn around.