The Only Cafe in Toronto

Friendly vibe, lots of options. I like that they have boiled eggs for a dollar. Sometimes you just want a healthy cheap snack at a bar!

We recently hosted an event at The Only Café, and we couldn t be more thrilled with how everything turned out. Liz and her team were absolutely fantastic attentive, professional, and so easy to work with. The venue was a perfect fit for our gathering, offering a cozy yet vibrant atmosphere that made everyone feel welcome. The live music added an amazing touch, creating just the right vibe for the evening. If you re looking for a unique, versatile venue with great service, The Only Café is the place to go. A huge thank you to Liz and her staff for helping make our event such a success! PS, Order up the Pretzels. They were delicious!

Cute and spacious coffee shop

I hosted my husband s surprise 50th birthday party at The Only and I could not have imagined a more wonderful experience. From the day I reached out with inquiries, Liz was prompt and extremely helpful, offering solutions for timing, layout, in-house food and catering, and going above and beyond to assist through every step of the process. And she helped keep it a surprise! It was like having a personal event planner, who we now call a friend. Our guests absolutely loved the vibe and warm atmosphere and everyone raved about the party. I m so happy I made the decision to hold the party here, and now we have a new favourite local spot to bring our family. Thank you! Jennifer Nichols

Loved this place! Yummy food. Cool vibe. Recommend!

One of my favourite cafes in the city. Its a fantastic community space where people are doing everything from studying, to playing DnD, to socializing. They have live music too. Staff is very chill. Its also an enormous space with plenty of seating.

Great for students who can have their packed lunch there.

The only is the best bar in Toronto because you have the loud pub side and also the quiet coffee shop side. Plus they have music four nights a week. Its a happening place. Think Paris 1920s. Why go anywhere else.

The bartender (I think her name is Lindsay) made me wait until she went out for a cigarette before getting me my drink and when I tipped $2 on the one beer I had during my stay - She proceeded to make a comment in front of all the customers saying Find a new bar to drink at next time. Find better staff that treat customers with respect and decency.

Large menu of coffees available, and teas. The highlight of the Only for our family though is the great selection of real fruit juices from Black River, and other assorted cold drinks such as yerba mate, sodas, lemonade. For food, the cookies and breads are superb. Theres also a fridge with salads and chia bowls. The cafe is multi-rooms so theres always a place to sit. In warmer weather the back patio is A+.

Best bar in the city, hands down. Amazing service, incredible selection of local craft beers, wonderful laid-back vibe.

Our favorite coffee shop in Toronto

Love it there

The most down to earth, kind cafe to experience. The welcoming atmosphere creates a home away from home experience with very kind staff, being accommodating beyond measure. Thanks a million, I look towards many more experiences here!

Great beer and vibes

Lovely environment and great coffee!

Liz is terrible

Blue is an amazing bar tender. As a Black woman, I really appreciate it. Thank you for your service.

Amazing selection of beers, large selection on tap.

Toronto needs far more cafés like this!! So nice to be able to get a latte in the evening:) Also boasts plentiful seating and an effortlessly cool ambiance.

Loved the location, the low key decor ANF the gluten free cake was not just passable, it was awesome!

Live music but only until 10 sadly. They have some games which is fun but all are missing something I.e. a deck of cards with only 48 haha. Drinks are good and atmosphere is great

Liz refused service to multiple groups because she was in a bad mood.

LEGEND

Best vanilla latte I ve had in a long time! And cheapest! Their prices are so fair and everyone is always friendly. They also don t charge you more for a bigger tea! She said it s just hot water, what business do they have charging for more hot water! Love this place highly recommend!!!

Cool vibes, good coffee.

I am giving this place a 2-star rating because the servers were nice, but the bathroom was dirty and the smell was very bad... That made me want to leave the place. The beer prices start at $7, but the first one I got from the tap was at $8.50 and tasted funny. I can only give my opinion about the bar. The cafe area looks different tho.

One of the best blues venues in Toronto

Great place for craft beer. Many taps, and great back patio (where you can bring in your own food)

Great place to enjoy a cappuccino.

Chill and hidden gem folks but not my age group

Stopped in for 5mins to grab a coffee such good vibes that I had to make a review about it! Super friendly and welcoming staff.

I think this is the best beer bar east of Sherbourne. Great list of taps, events happening all the time, deep bottle list. They sometimes even have Cantillon and pretty much always have Westvleteren 12

Very cute. Great selection on tap and in the fridge. Very no-nonsense spot that doesnt put on airs. Great place to hang out.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, one of the best coffee. This cafe has Kensington market vibe.

Nice vibe, beers aren t crazy expensive

This is my new favourite cafe!! Its so beautiful and cozy - plus they dont charge for alternative milk options hehe

I love this place! You need to know that they have closed their kitchen unfortunately, and now only have the bar drinks and the cafe which has some baked goods (coffee shop style). You need to go buy your drinks or coffee and pay and bring them to your table. There is no service. But still, I love the atmosphere here and the price is reasonable. I THINK, not sure, that you are allowed to bring food from outside, since they dont have their kitchen open anymore.

What a gem! Love this place. I just wished I lived closer

Best place to go for a quiet coffee

Step into The Only Cafe and prepare to be embraced like an old friend in this cozy sanctuary of craft beer goodness. Here, the bartenders go beyond just pouring drinks theyre your friendly companions, eager to share their expertise and suggest the perfect brew for your palate. Once youve made your selection, venture into the inviting patio spaces adorned with charming wooden accents and vibrant greenery. Whether youre seeking a serene spot at the back for a moment of solitude or joining the lively atmosphere up front with friends, theres a perfect nook for everyone to unwind and soak in the ambiance. And as the weekend rolls around, get ready to enjoy some great live music, adding an extra layer of joy to your experience.These are the moments that transform a regular night out into a cherished memory youll fondly look back on.

I usually go during the daytime and work. It is a great atmosphere and a pleasant change from working at home. The coffee, tea and snacks are really good. There is so much seating and a cool funky vibe! I just went for my first time at night. This place is a cafe and has a separate bar, back patio and hostel. I had an awesome bartender on the cafe side. She recommended two amazing beers based on my likes and was so friendly and awesome. Thank you Talon and the whole Only Cafe team for this unique cafe that is warm, welcoming and fun!

I walked past this place last night and decided to drop in for beer. Wow. The jazz band was out of this world. Didnt get their name but will be back. Service was excellent. But the band was world class. Will be back often.

You know what I like about this place? The bartenders have good taste in music. You can try before you buy and they are nice people inside. Be kind! Not many places like it. The Only Cafe is worth a visit. Do yourself a favour a hit up Ananda Shankar on whatever streaming garbage you use. If you can dig it, you ll like The Only Cafe

Great drip coffee!

I really liked the candy crush cider they offer. We had a good time and the live music was nice.

Really cool bar with a great selection of beer. 10+ options

Excellent tea selection and unmatched local atmosphere.

Coffee shop during the day turned into bar at night. Love this little local gem! Their coffees and teas are amazing!

Very special neighborhood place. Locals favorite.

Love their beer selection but the live music is too loud and its very crowded.

Large, cozy space with delicious treats and great-tasting coffee.

First time here, so there are no servers, you have to go and pick up your own drinks, it is a very quirky place, but it was very loud at one point, but I kinda enjoyed the laid back feel.

I like the cafe and the bar concept

Great place. Nice people.

This is the best bar in Toronto. Bring your own food, as they largely don t serve any. They re cool with it. Come for the service and beer. Stay for the service and beer. Worst toilets in the area, most entertaining toilet graffiti. Cleanest beer lines, best craft brews from miles around. Most interested patrons. A Toronto and Danforth gem.

Great selection of drinks and great prices. The staff however absolutely ruined the experience. Tyler gave my girlfriend a dirty rag used to wipe tables when the can he opened sprayed in her face. Lindsay was screaming obscenities at us when we left because we didnt tip enough.

One of the best beer menus in Toronto, friendly regulars and wonderful staff. If I owned a bar, I would want it to be just like The Only!

Friendly & knowledgeable baristas on the café side, great espresso & tea. Really cool atmosphere for hanging out, studying, etc. Awesome bar staff with extensive beer selection. Best punk music bar in town. Day or night, this place has everything you need.

Has a wide variety of beers at a very reasonable price! Had a lot of fun, definitely would recommend

I have been going here for years! Close to my home! They are close to the subway (Donlands) but you can easily find parking too! Their London Fog is my favourite! But they are also licensed. They have a cozy outdoor patio in the back! Their bites & snacks are all great! Vegetarian too! The staff is always friendly!

Definitely one of the top 5 bars on Danforth, love this place and atmosphere. The bartenders are all great, Lindsay is the best what a gem . Highly recommend and will always be back!!

Its like a mini version of the Peterborough location, but not quite as welcoming.

This unpretentious cafe deserves some attention. Listening to blues live music on Saturday.

The most friendly staff. With a dedicated cafe serving exceptional coffee and a curated and diverse beer menu this place and cater to everyone and anyone. I dare you to find a more welcoming place! Say hi to my boy Max behind the bar !

A cool bar with a good selection of craft beers. Lots of board games and neat art too

Lovely coffee and Great space to Work!

Genuinely great coffee (review for the cafe side only, cant speak much to the bar) and a cool space with a ton of room. Ive unfortunately had two occasions now where my drink gets skipped over in the queue - Im not confrontational so saying anything is hard for me. My partner tried in my stead and the person behind the counter rolled their eyes at the request. I really dont want to rock the boat at all, so this was a bit disappointing. Big bonus of this place is that they dont charge extra for plant milk - please keep that up! Its so appreciated!

The best staff hands down.. they go above and beyond .... :)

Most iconic café on the Danforth, maybe even in the city. Great pricing, even better quality.

Stayed at the hostel and visited the café. This place is a gem with an incredibly authentic, homey feeling. It really is special and nothing like anywhere else. I was going to give it a 4 star because I found the staff unpleasant on several occasions both at the cafe and bar staff. But place is great and rather support it. All the best at your business and thank you for the stay.

I love the vibe I can work and/or have a coffee date here

The first time I came here for coffee, I adored it! Since then, it hasnt lived up to my first rosy experience. That initial visit, I got a cappuccino to go and it was beautifully made with great foam and flavour. When I dine in, its less good. Often more bitter, watery, and with latte art type foam that isnt as dense or smooth. Also, it seems the barista has changed, maybe? There is one guy who is friendly and makes a better cup of coffee. There is another one who seems to always be having a bad day, and is abrupt and almost rude. He also does not make as good a cappuccino. I felt as if I was bothering him by placing an order. The biggest problem that has turned me off though is the crowds of single people on laptops taking up so many tables, including tables for 4. Toronto in general seems to have an issue with campers like this and I experience it at so many cafes. I do understand having a nice coffee while working, I do. But spending 2 hours with one coffee that was finished long ago? Come on. Everyone seems to treat all cosy Toronto cafes like Starbucks. Cafes here seem very reluctant to enforce a time limit or no laptop policy (during busy hours). Its a shame. I understand some WFH and nomad people may get irritated by such policies, but surely allowing more turnover of tables would be a positive business decision? It prevents other people who just want to sit and enjoy their coffee fresh from having the opportunity. Nothing equals a fresh, hot coffee in a mug, especially in a warm, interesting space that is so inviting and meant to be enjoyed. There have been times Ive come into The Only to enjoy a brew only to see every table (and its a big place!) taken up by campers. I just leave and dont even get takeaway. The area on this part of Danforth is very limited for good cafes like this, and its too bad it seems to prioritize laptop users over coffee drinkers.

Highly excellent.

Great place to hang out! With lots of beer taps!

we were listening to the musical guest and the Cafe was so loud from the patrons

Friendly, local pub with a good selection of beer and a decent snack menu. Theres a unique feel to the place with three or four different seating areas. Live music a couple times a week.

Best of service and great atmosphere, not to mention you can snag a bed upstairs if you have too

Super homely place with a cheap eats, great place to hang with friends!

Cabaret show every two months is worth the visit!

Nice little cafe below the hostel. Heard the bar tender moaning about guests, and the other was kinda rude.

Came here for open poetry mic night. It was a great experience, and the atmosphere was so sweet and welcoming. Im glad I came. There are two parts to the only cafe, the bar and the cafe. Two vibes, but still chill and cool. You can bring outside food and enjoy the drinks! What a great place for the community!

Great place to met friends

Heard it was a great place as I was visiting from out of town. At 1st was great with my friends on the patio and a few that I met for the first time. Went to grab a drink for my friend because he said he wasnt sure why the female bartender wasnt being nice. He went inside when he showed up and wasnt sitting with us as we were there before him. So I didnt take his word for it and went in myself to get him a drink. He was right about her. I had the $7 in my hand and she grabbed the 5 without checking and realized what she did when she reached the till and came back and grabbed the rest from my hand. Not sure why but the guy bartender was great. The worst part is, just after 2:10 am she was cleaning the tables and just blurted out, Hurry up and drink and go. As a Canadian musical artist that always shows respect, its worst Ive been treated in Canada and other countries. She probably didnt make enough tips. I guess thats her fault. Not my place again

Excellent cafe. Live music certain nights.

I loved the vibe of the place and the beers too. Definetly going there again

Neighborhood gem!! Such a good coffee shop!! They do a chai and matcha latte better then Starbucks and for less. Love their cookies as well! Cool aesthetic! There s also a bar there I should checkout sometime

Rude experience and bad customer service

This is a great pub + coffee shop. The pub looks really cool. Their drinks are priced really well and they change their tabs once a week. I love the staff, they are very friendly! Also, once a week they have live music!

Too cold in the bar area, nearly got sick. Lovely staff. Will be back most likely

Amazing staff, great selection. No wonder this place used to be called the vortex. Everytime Im there its always a good time.

Never gets old. Was on a date and they lit candles and put nice lighting!

Its pricey to me. But love the atmosphere.

Nice place with a lot of character. Just keep in mind that the selection of snacks is very limited, however , they allow you to bring your own.

Good latté. Shaded back patio.

Cute spot

Vegetarian options: All vegetarian bar Service

Amazing neighbourhood bar! Taps rotate regularly, and always an amazing selection of beers.

I stopped in and had a great cup of coffee. The barrista used great customer service.

One of Torontos hidden gems. Lots of amazing beer on tap. Came here for Blood Brother s Summer Jammers Limited Release. Environment is more on the edgy side but hands down best bar on Danforth

large selection of beer both local and other, in cans, bottle and on tap.

I came here while visiting a friend and it was a great place to visit. The atmosphere is so cool and welcoming. The bartender Lindsay was so sweet, she was amazing to my friend and I. The other bartender, Christian, was also fabulous and made great drinks. I will definitely return when I come back to visit!!!

Really great coffee and vibe, and the staff are super friendly. I used to go there to drink ( at The Only) for their vast selection of taps. Theres a very bohemian feel to the place,even the wifi password is I love you ,or something like that...haha

I love everything about this place except the service. The baristas are far too young to be acting so jaded all the time!

Cafe and bar; bring your own food Great beer selection - rotating taps and always a variety of beer, from nitro stouts to citrus ales and ciders. Also lots of cans and bottles on the fridges. Its a very chill spot to hang out, read, or work during the day and to hang at night. The patio hidden on the back is great when its nice out :)

Immaculate vibe rlly. To quote the bathroom wall: We all just eggs fr

Fun pub, with great music on tonight by Jerry Leger. Fantastic selection of beer on tap

Good coffee in the day, good beer at night, great staff all the day long. Vegetarian options: Freedom bowls for around $10 are pretty good. Food : 5/5 |

Always there 4 you, amazing hours, good staff vibes, low key but lively neighbourhood place. Love the music on Tuesday nights and the food and drinks are well priced. Also have a super cute patio with tons of greenery and lights :) I always go alone lol and I bring my laptop

Love this place ... aside from the washroom. Need a serious Reno of both upstairs washroom and downstairs.

Loved the vibes here, great place to hang out with friends and drinks.

Nice laid back atmosphere with very quick service.

I really like the place, its by far the bar in Toronto that I visited the most. Good beer selection and vibe. Highly recommended!

Best hangout in Toronto. Super relaxed vibe. Its easy to meet other friendly people. Fantastic rotation of beers on tap. Often great music. Wonderful patio out back. Half bar / half cafe.

One of my favourite cafes, I worked remotely from here for a few weeks. The staff are wonderful, the vibe is super chill and homely and everyone has a great attitude. If youre lucky youll catch someone on the piano too :) Ps. the loaves are delicious. Food

Great tap selection. Staff are always friendly and fist bump every patron. Its the small things that make visitors feel appreciated. Glad to see some things never change. Hope only cafe keeps going

One of the only places in the city trying to keep prices reasonable, but they don t sacrifice quality! Love the atmosphere and ethos of the place.

Great place to share a few laughs, create a few memories, I thoroughly enjoy visiting there. Also your puppers are welcome in the back patio.

Toronto s Dutch style beer bar. Twenty taps! Did not eat so I dont know about food. Service

Best place ever for beers and drinking environment.

You could live your whole life here. A great espresso bar with baked goods in the morning. A bar with the best selection of beer in the city at night, and a hostel upstairs. Check their website to see whats on tap 24/7

This cafe is a cool place to hangout with friends or do some personal online stuff.

A true hidden gem. Grab your laptop, come sit in this cafe/bar for hours and work/study. Staff are lovely. Atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Selection of beer and coffee/hot drink are great. Kitchen is closed but they let you bring outside food. I will be back here every week to work and meet up with friends. Wheelchair accessibility: There is wheelchair accessible bathroom, no steps required into the space.

Great place to go in and have a bite to eat and a drink. Nothing fancy. The food was good, staff was pleasant. Definitely go back.

Left food unrated since I didnt have any, but the ambiance was wonderful, the staff and patrons extremely kind and friendly, and the beer at a completely reasonable price point while still being high-quality. Ill be back next time Im on the east end.

Great place for a coffee or a Pumpkin Latte and nice atmosphere to meet with friends.

Great atmosphere, great and helpful staff, always has great music!

Nice bar good for dates

The coffee and cappuccino here are very good! One of the best I ve had in Toronto. Great tasting and very comfy atmosphere. I love this place.

Aaaaaamazing coffee & great vibes

glad its still around. it was my local many years ago and played a formative role in life developments. an interesting and complex place, with many ghosts below the surface. there isnt many places like this in our country.

Good beer selection. Needs more metal!

Great range of draft beers and ciders with the most wonderfully eclectic atmosphere! A favourite.

Awesome atmosphere. Plenty of microbrews on tap. Front patio for the summer. You can bring your own food. Recommend.

Stopped in for a mocha and it was so good I had to immediately write this review.