A Bloor Street institution and one of Toronto's best small live-music rooms, Lee's Palace has hosted touring indie and rock acts since the 1980s — Nirvana played here early on — behind a façade covered in a riot of cartoon murals. The room is dark, loud and unpretentious, with good sightlines and a stage that has launched plenty of Canadian careers.
Upstairs, the Dance Cave keeps the night going with cheap drinks and indie-and-alternative DJ sets for the student crowd. Together they make Lee's the nightlife anchor of the Annex. Check the listings — it is busiest, and best, when a band is on.