Tuesday, February 14, 2012 — Cloudy -1°C
Deadpool

Opal Jazz Lounge Enters the Deadpool

Posted by Tim / July 28, 2008

15 Comments

Opal Jazz LoungeIt looks like Opal Jazz Lounge's brief run on Queen West is now over. I noticed a For Lease sign today inside the front window. The restaurant and jazz bar which featured live music every night Tuesdays through Saturdays only opened in 2006 but received generally good reviews and was named one of the best new restaurants that year by Toronto Life.

I suspect the problem with Opal Jazz Lounge had more to do with location rather than execution. It always seemed strange to me for a place like this to open on the stretch of Queen between Spadina and Bathurst. Perhaps it would have had better luck on College, Roncy, Wellington or some other location frequented by thirty and fourty-something crowds willing to drop some cash on dinner.

It now joins a growing list of Queen West spots that have already close this year including most recently jewellery shop Body Rox and rock 'n roll/goth/fetish clothing store Hells Belles.

Discussion

15 Comments

Sort By Oldest First / Newest First

Subscribe

Jerrold / July 28, 2008 at 03:36 pm
user-pic
Another Jazz joint gone eh?
Reply
Johnlee / July 28, 2008 at 03:41 pm
user-pic
No surprise here. Drink prices where astronomical.
Reply
guy lafleur / July 28, 2008 at 03:47 pm
user-pic
hey, anybody know any other little jazz bars around? preferably non-crowded ones... i'd like to see them before they shutter too.
Reply
Heather / July 28, 2008 at 04:10 pm
user-pic
Helles Belles?

I just sent my friend there last week for the sale they were having. I thought it was a reopening sale...
Reply
Heather / July 28, 2008 at 04:11 pm
user-pic
and by Helles I mean Hells
Reply
chris / July 28, 2008 at 04:28 pm
user-pic
pretty sure it's been closed for a while. at least the last month or so. i love that before it was an overpriced fancy place it was operated as the 'blue jay diner'. famous for insane cheap drinks... and serving millions of 16 year old kids booze. so jokes.
Reply
Tim / July 28, 2008 at 04:34 pm
user-pic
Hells Belles has been clearing out their inventory. They're not closed yet though.....I'll check into seeing if they plan to re-open
Reply
Sheryl / July 29, 2008 at 12:04 pm
user-pic
Hey Tim, do you know by chance when their last day is? I just called and no one picked up...dont want to make the trip to Spadina/Queen (Im @ St.Clair/Yonge) if they've already closed shop.
Reply
Tim / July 29, 2008 at 12:10 pm
user-pic
@sheryl - My best guess is that they've already closed.
@guy - some other jazz bars that come to mind include The Rex, the Reservoir Lounge and Gate 403
Reply
Andrew / July 30, 2008 at 02:08 am
user-pic
Having worked with the owner, it is sad to see the restaurant go. I took my staff there last year for a group dinner. The food was amazing. Opal will be missed.
Reply
Donny Hathaway / August 1, 2008 at 12:15 pm
user-pic
Hopefully after the real estate crash somebody will make another go at opening up a jazz club in Toronto. It still pisses me off to see the former Montreal Bistro space sitting vacant two years after it was gone. I hope the landlord is happy.
Reply
Tim / August 1, 2008 at 01:17 pm
user-pic
Actually. Looks like the former Montreal Bistro space now has a tenant. I think it's some sort of pub.
Reply
charles / September 1, 2008 at 11:34 pm
user-pic
I think this area is on the up and up.
Reply
Fawzi / September 16, 2008 at 12:51 am
user-pic
Having worked at Opal, it would worked and would continue if only the owner kept the money in the business and pay people, it was a great team at opal but what can we do, we try to take over the place but the landlord prefer to may be open a chinese restaurant
Reply
unknown replying to a comment from Fawzi / January 29, 2010 at 11:32 am
user-pic
bad comment. Do you see a Chinese restaurant there?
Reply

Add a Comment
Other Cities: Vancouver – Montreal