On the Rocks image

On the Rocks

Restaurant Bar Chinese restaurant Asian restaurant Karaoke bar

Traditional Chinese fare in a sports bar-like atmosphere, with drink specials & late-night karaoke. People often mention karaoke, good, time, drinks, nice, great, Great, order, experience, wings,


Address

169 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5A 3Z4, Canada

Website

myontherocks.com

Contact

+1 416-862-2901

Price rating

$ $$$

Rating on Google Maps

4.10 (387 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Monday: 12 to 11 pm
  • Tuesday: 12 to 11 pm
  • Wednesday: 12 pm to 1 am
  • Thursday: 12 pm to 1 am
  • Friday: 12 pm to 1 am
  • Saturday: 2 pm to 1 am
  • Sunday: Closed

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: karaoke (27) good (17) time (14) drinks (11) nice (8) great (8) Great (8) order (8) experience (6) wings (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Nala S. 5 years ago on Google • 37 reviews
    I have to say that it was a very good experience for us. The place is nice and clean, food is really good and tasty, and they have some good specials. Our server Nina did an amazing job. We loved their cranberry Cocktail and all the seafood dishes … will recommend to everyone try at least once on the rock you guys really rocked!
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Anna S. 7 months ago on Google • 568 reviews
    Haven’t been this happy since stepping into a dive bar like On the Rocks. At first, was worried about the food and how mediocre it might be given how the menu looked but never judge a book by its cover because the food and drinks were pretty damn good. Highly recommend the Yom Yum fried rice with chicken, they put an egg on top and I devoured that dish in no time. Just the right amount of spicy and the chicken was moist! I wasn’t expecting the food to be so good honestly. The best part of On the Rocks is the karaoke, you find a song on their website (karaoke menu) and write the artist and the song on a piece of paper. Give it to the guy at the bar and you’ll be in queue to sing the so song! Songs post-2010 most likely won’t be available as their song database is quite dated. Otherwise, still a good time! Yesterday, the whole crowd was amazing, one of very last songs was Sweet Caroline and we all hugged and danced altogether. I love Torontonians!!!

  • 5/5 Kieran G. 1 year ago on Google • 9 reviews
    What an experience!!! My girlfriend and I were walking back to downtown from the distillery district and stumbled upon On The Rocks. We were only planning to grab one drink before seeing a show at Meridian Hall, but we enjoyed our time here so much that we came back after the show. Jay at OTR went out of his way to make our experience memorable - thank you Jay! If we lived here, this would be our regular - lots of food options, ice cold beer on tap, and a hidden gem. It looked like there was a dope patio out back too- noted for warmer summer nights. There is karaoke on Saturday nights (maybe others too) and it was a fun crowd of all ages that came out. A great time!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 D L. 3 years ago on Google
    Great spot for lunch, wings, and drinks.food here is great and reasonably priced,
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 W C. 5 months ago on Google • 60 reviews
    A typical neighbourhood pub. Not upscale. It was slow when we went. Food is decent. Service good. Friendly. Prices are fair. One surprising thing for this type of place is that the menu is almost all Asian food. Chinese and Thai mostly. There are a few bar food standards, like fries and wings and a burger, but many more Asian choices. I guess that is good or bad, depending on what you want. I'd say it's good because there are lots of places in the area with normal bar food.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Laura K. 1 year ago on Google
    Always a fun time if you like karaoke! Although you gotta know what to order food wise, as it is hit and miss. Their chicken wings are my go to. Plus I love jay he’s always a fun time !
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Vinod S. 10 months ago on Google
    I visit this place yesterday with my friends. We ordered 2-3 rounds of beer pitcher and 4-5 dishes in food. Everything was awesome with reasonable pricing. Will be my go to place whenever I am in downtown.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 jay p. 11 months ago on Google
    Has karaoke everyday, but the only place on earth where bartender tries to insult you, he literally asked me if I won't run away after having a drink lol. Also the only place in Toronto where I didn't get a receipt of my purchases. He asked me to pay on cash and when I said I don't have any, agreed to let me pay with card. Their advertisement of beverages and food price are misleading. With very small fonts they have mentioned that prices are applicable till 7pm. Keep some ethics and write in readable fonts man. When it comes to karaoke, good crowd but really bad configuration of background music and lyrical sound. Even though some people sang well, it dint sound nice.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Alex R. 1 year ago on Google
    When you’re here your family - Jay and his crew are potentially the nicest team in the city. The karaoke is top notch, the food is delicious and the drinks are served with a smile. I can’t think of a better spot for a night out in the city. Thanks guys!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Eric 1 year ago on Google
    Went in during karaoke night and the vibes were awesome. Easy going and casual, lots going on. The bartender was super friendly, coming by our table to check up, and the service was quick. The wings and noodles were delicious. Decent prices too for a Toronto bar.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Johnathan W Her (Tsav T. 1 year ago on Google
    Great little bar with a nice little Karaoke setup. The overall vibe is great and people are just there to have fun. Have to go back
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Sunny J. 1 year ago on Google
    Great taste! Chilled glass! Nice vibe! 🍻
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Samantha G. 1 year ago on Google
    The food here is amazing!! Came with some friends for the first time. We will def be back! Great vibes, karaoke it was dope. This will be our spot when we are back in town. Thanks!!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sal D. 1 year ago on Google
    I've come here twice so far with my dance class, mainly for the karaoke. They've been very accommodating for our groups, and the deposit I put all goes towards food, and I get a bunch of apps for the tables- I like their fries, the sweet chilli shrimp, and the crispy calamari. We have a great time every time, and we'll definitely be back!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Bernadette M. 1 year ago on Google
    The Cantonese Style noodles tasted good but when I was 3/4 finished it…I noticed it was swimming in liquid
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 James B. 2 years ago on Google
    Best karaoke bar in Toronto. Great chinese food too!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Constantine C. 3 years ago on Google
    I use to come to this place back in the day for karaoke and drinks with friends and coworkers - lots of fun!!! Now it has turned in to one of my favourite eating places (take out right now). Excellent Indo-Chinese food, with good portions, friendly staff and reasonable prices! Recommend Singapore noodles and won-ton soup delicious!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Phil 7 months ago on Google • 96 reviews
    A very "fusion" type dive bar with all white washed Asian food that tasted surprisingly solid and was made super fast. The vibes were nice and it was a lot of fun and silliness with karaoke. Never been to a dive bar before but wouldn't mind going back.

  • 5/5 Alexander M. 1 month ago on Google • 56 reviews New
    Super fun place for nightly karaoke. The owner is lovely and there’s always a good crowd.

  • 5/5 Eric B. 2 months ago on Google • 55 reviews New
    For over 30 years the owner of this bar has been keeping this hidden gem a consistent place to 'wet your whistle'. You'll find the food, fantastic without fail, and drinks have always been a nice break on the wallet - not burning thru a week's hard earned cheque like most other places do these days. Kareoke nights are a jam (as they always have been). Big fun here every Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 8pm til close. You can book a group of 10+ any other night of the week by going to their website to secure a spot. I'll be back, even though I used to be a neighbour - I'll still go outta my way to drop in on my way back home in Scarborough whenever I can.

  • 4/5 TheClearwall 2 months ago on Google • 50 reviews New
    I want to go back here on a busier night but this is a fun little dive bar with communal karaoke. I was impressed the girl at the bar was pouring drinks, serving food, AND running the karaoke. Super impressed. Crowd was very light and really only 5 singers so we got A LOT of songs in.

  • 5/5 Amantia D. 6 months ago on Google • 13 reviews
    Amazing food, we tried Schezwan beef which was delicious and the sweet and sour pork was tasty. Great service as well. Will surely visit again

  • 3/5 Wen-Hung L. 5 months ago on Google • 10 reviews
    Only stopped by to give the karaoke a go since it was close to where I lived. Overall it is a fun vibe. The drinks are priced reasonably and the shop has a good sound set up and stage. Patrons should be aware that the bar will get busy at peak hours and the wait list to sing can be quite long if this is something you are interested in. My personal experience was that my song was cut half way by the dj. Given that I waited my turn for close to an hour, it is entirely inappropriate that they did that. Because of this I can't say I was entirely satisfied with the service and I will not be returning. Overall this is a fine place but your experience may vary depending on when you go. I won't rate food because I only ordered drinks.

  • 2/5 Michaela K. 1 year ago on Google
    We had fun doing karaoke, but would not recommend this place. Servers were rude to us repeatedly. While at the bar to order a drink, they yelled at us that we have to leave if we don't order drinks. The lack of karaoke bars (that are not room rentals) is what keeps this place alive. Also- it's really hard to search their songs for karaoke.

  • 3/5 Mia S. 7 months ago on Google
    I used to order from here all the time. We had so much fun when we caught the Friday karaoke crowed - Friday before last. The karaoke vibe was great. I sang my heart out. The drinks with the food order were served at the table and after that, I had to go to the bar to order the rest and add to my tab. At least the drinks were decent priced (for post-Covid). We got the $42 combo for two. My 3 star rating is based on the menu and taste. It says to choose the same sauce for the 2 entre dishes, which is redundant and the reason why I haven't ordered via SKIP. At the restaurant itself, we were able to get an "exception" and get the Chili chicken and second dish, beef in black bean sauce - two different flavors as it should be. If this place does not change this option of being allowed to choose 2 different flavors for the 2 entres, it will lose business since I myself have chosen to order from somewhere else many times, based on this decision the restaurant has made. So my money went somewhere else and will continue to do so for delivery if they don't go back to their original way. The combo already has increased by $12 from $30 to $42 but to cheapen out on flavour by forcing us to choose the same sauce for 2 entres is where I draw the line. The beef in black bean sauce was barely touched due to the overwhelming presence of fish sauce. I had to throw it away once I tried to eat it again. Now imagine being forced to throw your money and food on 2 entres if both were black bean sauce. Total waste of money on that dish and an animal life. I rarely throw away a whole dish. Very disappointed and sad that I had to give a harsh but true review.

  • 1/5 Yulia R. 8 months ago on Google
    We walked after dinner at Piano Piano for couple of songs. As we walked in, we were told that we can’t be served as we are drunk. A complete shock as we only had a glass of wine with our dinner. The place is very strange and the girl at the bar is rude and unpleasant. Do not bother visiting this place.

  • 5/5 Jason C. 11 months ago on Google
    An exceptional experience in downtown Toronto, super friendly staff in both my visits and their noodle soup is definately an awesome offer. When their staff were free, you can join their conversation at the bar which is quite nice as this is part of the Canadian culture for people to connect. Definately is a hidden gem in downtown Toronto.

  • 5/5 Arex N. 1 year ago on Google
    Love the food! Asian is just… ❤️❤️ Great staff! Got to sing as well!

  • 1/5 Mandy A. 1 year ago on Google
    Last night, a group of 7 ladies and myself went for tapas and wanted to go out after for some karaoke and something more substantial to eat. Within seconds of arriving On the Rocks alleged that I had stumbled and told me " your drunk you can't be here" Pardon?? I've had one glass of wine with tapas and was far from drunk... They wouldnt hear it and we left . Completely rude and unjustified allegation. I'm not sure why they would refuse service to a bunch of 40 year old women looking to sing some karaoke. We probably would have spent quite a bit and no one in the group was drunk . This is my first negative Google review. But found the way I was treated unfair and unfounded.

  • 5/5 Johanne B. 1 year ago on Google
    Looking for a place to do karaoke with no shame? Here is the spot. My girls and I found it one night and we stayed till closing. Owner Jay is very helpful and welcoming.

  • 5/5 Mike E. 2 years ago on Google
    I've been coming here for years off and on whether it be with a friend, my wife and now my wife and child. Jay has always been a really attentive and pleasant host. His house made sauces can knock your socks off. Great wings and karaoke if you're game. I come from up town and it's worth it. Haven't had a discouraging time there yet! Hoping pandemic restrictions ease in time so that hard working establishments like this can "Rock" and roll again.

  • 4/5 Rick C. 1 year ago on Google
    Food was great we had YPT soup (a meal in itself), wings which were perfectly cooked with great fries. The service was excellent, thanks J. Not a fan of karaoke so he opened the patio for us. We'd go back for sure.

  • 5/5 Kasia (. 2 years ago on Google
    I just picked up some food to go; the best Asia/Chinese food I've had in a long time, I've eaten at a lot of places nearby. This is by far the best. Not greasy, very fresh, meats are all good cuts (not just fatty chewy as I have had at other places) Had the Singapore noodles, beef Szechuan (my favourites) and a couple other dishes. Had a drink while I waited, amazing and attentive staff! Will definitely return!

  • 5/5 Peter 2 years ago on Google
    Ordered pick-up. Food was good. Recommend the chili chicken. Salt and pepper seafood was okay. Owner is friendly.

  • 5/5 Alejandro M. 2 years ago on Google
    Very nice place!! I had a good time, and the bartender its so cool. 👌

  • 5/5 Cody B. 2 years ago on Google
    I must stop. Do not pass by. The food was extremely flavourful, large portions, and to top it off $5 pints. The staff was extremely nice as well.

  • 5/5 Henry A M. 2 years ago on Google
    Love this place, the bartender knows me everytime I call in to order. He really makes me feel very welcome and the food is great. Love them. Bartender if u see this it's Henry 😁


Call +1 416-862-2901 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Happy-hour food
    • ✓️ Late-night food
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Accessibility
    • ✗ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✗ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✗ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating
    • ✓️ No-contact delivery

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