Dora Keogh Irish Pub

Beautiful selection of whisky and the owner (who also owns and runs Allen’s next door) is awesome. The live music and unique atmosphere really make this place special.

Dora Keogh is a pretty tough name to pronounce, but nonetheless it’s an Irish pub that looked to be set in the early part of the 20^th century. The place itself has a rustic old look and feel that I was actually digging. As soon as you walk in, you get a sense that you transported through time a bit. The ordering can be done at the bar as they dont have servers come by with menus to take your order. After you order though, they will come by to deliver the food to wherever you are seated.
Menu was small and focused on some items like burgers, wings, pastas, etc. The burgers looked real good and that’s what most of my party ordered, but I opted for wings. The wings are lightly battered and tossed in a tangy barbecue sauce that was fairly rich and was probably made with a good bit of alcohol. The wings were large and crisp and for about $ 12, you get a solid pound.
The service is nice and friendly, while the live music they had going was real good. They had a nice mix of blues rock with jazz undertones. The place seems more like a hipster hangout for the Prohibition era, but was still a good place to grab a bite and drink.

There perfect place for a genuine pub night with friends. The atmosphere is fantastic!

I ended up here last Saturday night after a full day of events. This place is your typical Irish pub in the area. It had the live band, full packed bar, and tons of people. We arrive around 11 which at that point was too late. After a few we managed to find a place to sit in the little closed section off to the side. I enjoyed what they were trying to acheive with the space but found it very awekward. The booth was high, the table and stools were so low it was like sitting at a kiddie table with a bunch of adults. That section also had its own little ordering window which I found quite neat. Throughout the night i saw the bartenders jumpping in and out of the window several times which kept me entertained.
This place was out of my way and i’d prob wouldnt make my way down there unless I had a specific reason to go back.

Somewhere between 4 and 5 stars, Dora Keogh is a diamond in the rough. In the sidebar it says this Irish pub is not suitable for kids, but boy is that wrong. Many kids were underfoot and enjoying the live music on Saturday. We stopped in to meet some friends and their newborn. Their toddler (and another two) were enjoying the music, dancing and socializing. The bar even has juice boxes!
We didn’t eat any food but the beer is well poured. The music was fantastic and it was delightful to see the little ones clap after each song even if the adults didn’t.
If you absolutely dislike children at pubs, I’d say try somewhere else. But for an authentic family feel and inclusivity, this place delivers.

I don’t really like pubs as I don’t drink, and this one looked quite expensive. Still, I went there because a friend wanted to go to a Irish pub and it was his birthday. Well, I got instantly happy when I got there and listened to some group playing really good irish folk music! Really, I never saw something like that live, and I love this kind of music, so most of the rating is because of that. Maybe it was luck, though, we went on a sunday.
I ate a cheddar hamburguer, I didn’t like that it was 1 dollar more expensive than in the menu, but it was somewhat good (although expensive) and I think it was healthier than most hamburguers I have eaten on Toronto.
Although I don’t like beers, my friends did really like it. I drank some of their beer and I think it tasted better than most of what I have drunk in my life (not much). There was a beer with coffee, I think, that tasted really good.
Definitely going back if there is more music like that.

Dora Keogh’s is my second favourite Irish bar in Toronto, just behind PJ O’Briens.
We dropped by for a drink last night and to enjoy the live music. The drinks were good and I was excited to see they had Keogh’s Irish chips, although they were almost past their expiration date and were $ 4.50 a bag!
The service here is predictably Irish which makes me feel right at home. During the summer they have a nice patio out front so you can people watch while enjoying your pint.
The live music is always enjoyable and makes for a fun night out when people get up and start dancing.
There is definitely a large Irish contingent here and I could hear a few familiar accents around the bar. An evening at Dora Keogh’s is guaranteed to be a memorable one!

Five stars for an authentic Irish pub with live music and an excellent pint of Guinness! We came here during the Taste of the Danforth and were star-​struck at how amazing this place is. All staff were Irish, the stage was huge, and there was plenty of space inside and out. Pro tip: There’s even Irish crisps (chips) served here, so get them with your pint of beer! Fast service and cold pints. A wonderful addition to the Irish community in Toronto. Cheers!

Really lovely atmosphere. Some nice beers on tap. Bartender was good looking and friendly.
DO NOT COME HERE FOR FOOD. My friend and I ordered the soup and polenta chips. I got less than a tea cups worth of soup and she had like 8 chips. Each of those items cost near $ 10. I am a woman for gods sake, not a child! Where is the rest of my app!

We had a group and booked a table IN THE KITCHEN. This was a great and authentic Irish experience.
This was a couple of years ago, but I have recommended this experience to numerous people who have all enjoyed.
I highly recommend.

Most authentic irish pub in downtown toronto. A cracking pint of Guinness. Hushed, old-​school feel, decked out in mostly wooden furniture. Best part: live music and traditional irish sessions. The best irish musicians in toronto can be found playing together here on Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons. You might not realize what a treat this is, but for those of you who understand the fantabulousness, joyousness and good fortune of this, belly up to the bar at these times and enjoy music and an environment that will take you back to some of the most coveted sessions in the Emerald Isle.

Has the feel of a proper Irish pub. Our Irish Canadian neighbour says it is, so there’s that. Love when they have live traditional music. I’m a sucker for a hurtygurty and fiddle and drum.
Two seating areas that form rooms – they remind me of cars on a train.
The seating that you sit on is not the most comfortable. The bench seats are too narrow and the backs are super puffy; I’m always feeling like I’m being pushed off the seat. The other seating option is a short round stool – not terribly cozy. I do love the shiny copper hammered table tops.
Food is walked over from Allen’s next door. I saw a server take our fries over under the cover an umbrella. I wonder how many times they wish they had a pass through window between the two places? We just get fries. They are A-​OK.
I’m fascinated by the quaint community room they have just beyond the pub proper, next to the fireplace (that sadly doesn’t get lit). It’s set up to look like a traditional Irish kitchen with a big farm table.
The guys I’m with will get pints and whiskeys (carefully measured to the drop). I know it’s the wrong thing to order, but I usually get a Cosmo. The bartenders seem to be tickled to make this for me. I fancifully imagine them muttering with cute Irish accents as they make a twisty lime curl for my pink drink…

Ah Doras…
So the food isn’t consistent and the beers are expensive. .so why am I giving Doras 4 stars? Well quite simply, this bar is as close as you are going to to get to a proper pub in Toronto. There are no flat screen TVs to be seen, the bar tables are encased in copper and all the bartenders are from Éire. There is a two proper snugs (little enclosed room for chatting) as well as a nice little stage.
What makes this bar is the music. Every Thursday Night and Saturday afternoon, Doras has a traditional Irish music session that attracts the best Irish musicians in Toronto and occasionally visiting traditional musicians as well. There is a great atmosphere with kids running around, people of all ages and everyone enjoying the Craic (The other kind: Irish for good time).

We ended up here as Allen’s next door was filled to capacity (they are apparently a sister concern to Allen’s). For starters its hard to even spot the name of this establishment and I had to ask the servers what is it called (for Unilocal Check in of course ;) and once you get in you get this strange vibe as something is of with the setup. There is open space in an area which seems like its setup for a live band. Then there is an odd seating configuration which throws one off. All this could have been acceptable if they had decent beer list. Unlike Allen’s next door they are limited to just generic stuff. I ended up ordering a steam whistle and my friends ordered a Guinness and glass of Canadian Red (just vile vile stuff).
There were quite a few people here as it seems like a neighborhood watering hole. I wouldn’t recommend this spot as I there are quite a few good options nearby.

I really like this place. It’s decorated very much like a traditional Irish pub, and has a similar feel inside to one too. There’s a good selection of Irish beers, although I was disappointed they only had the «original» Guinness, and none of the other varieties.
Personally I prefer Guinness Cold and would have liked the option.
We had some appetizers, which were very tasty, especially the mini-​pizzas and vegetable spring rolls. A wonderful balance of spice and herbs to give a great flavour explosion in your mouth.
The writing on the toilets is in Gaelic, which could be confusing if you don’t know which is male and female. I would suggest having a picture too. But otherwise it’s good here.

Previously I would have said this was my absolute favourite pub in Toronto, no doubt. I have happily travelled from the other side of town just for a pint here.
But… I paid a visit this weekend and am sad to report things have gone downhill. Primarily because they don’t have the wood burning fire anymore. This was the biggest attraction for me, by a country mile. It was so lovely to sit by the fire with a pint, watch the flames flicker, and listen to the Irish trad music. I mean, can you think of anything nicer on a frosty Toronto evening?
Apparently they have now given up on the fire because it’s too expensive. Huge mistake in my opinion – it was what made this place special. With the fire, the space is warm, comfy, homely– perfect for settling in for a few hours. Without it, the space can be dark, cold and dingy. With the fire, I would happily pay over the odds for a pint, but without it, you really start to notice the excessive cost of a beer here. With the fire, I wouldn’t mind so much that for over a year now, their website has given the wrong day for the weekly ceili sessions (they are on Saturday, not Sunday – although actually the website says both, on two different pages), meaning I have now turned up twice expecting see trad music and been met by an empty, cold, dark pub. WIthout the fire, I just have no reason to stay and I am actually pretty peeved that once again I had to make this wasted trip all the way across to the Danforth, just because they care so little about the details that they can’t be bothered to give correct information to save customers a wasted trip – even after a year!!!
It kind of breaks my heart to say it but I probably won’t be back, at least not until the fire is up and running again.

Stopped in to see The Swingin’ Blackjacks, probably the best Rockabilly band in the city!
Had a great time, nice comfortable place to hang out at.
Very Irish. Good beer. Good atmosphere.

Comme Allen’s tout à côté, j’ai fréquenté ce pub pendant plusieurs années, depuis son ouverture. Plus rustique en apparence, c’est un pub irlandais dans le style du pays avec ses petits coins privés, sa belle cuisine et son bar équipé des meilleurs whiskys. De temps à autres, des musiciens viennent y jouer un ceili, comme si vous étiez à Galway: cornemuse irlandaise, fiddle et bodhran créeront une atmosphère complémentaire à un bon Red Breast sans glacé.

Alright little pub. Live music, full bar. Nothing spectacular, nothing to complain about. Solid stop for a pint or cocktail.

It’s got beer, live music, a couple of separated smaller rooms and old wooden floors.
Feels like an Irish pub without it feeling like a carnival ride (i.e. over the top, try really hard, welcome to Ireland with tartan clad lassie’s. hmm wait. I like tartan clad lassies!!)
That’s what they need here. more lassies!
No servers… go get beer at the bar yourself. At least. no one was serving us.
… so go. don’t go. whatevs. I gots to go google me some lassies now.

Dora’s experience fluctuates. There are times the thing rocks like C-​Deck on the Titanic and other times it’s just a boring, empty place with copper tables, three nose-​picking bartenders and a noticeable detergent whiff. I have not found out yet on what days it’s packed as opposed to empty but it could have something to do with bands playing or book-​signing sessions to bring in the crowds. Dora’s also varies on quality of beer. There are times when I feel sick, hot and cold the next morning after having drunken a few pints of cider or draught, other times I’m fit as a fiddle afterwards. Strange. Really really strange. However, great location, huge potential and on busy nights there’s even some eye candy for the sexually inclined. Dora’s is definitely worth the odd visit.
One thing I noticed on a negative note, Dora’s (in February 2011) has received a conditional pass from health Canada. WTF??? That I cannot appreciate, because in my eyes, hygiene is not an extra, it’s a prerequisite to a successful venue.