Dueling Piano’s Musical Cabaret

There was a couple of reasons I was a little disappointed with the show. I mean, it seemed like a great concept — drinks and/​or dinner with a musical show, two pianos and these guys taking live requests from the audience.
But then, they only actually take your requests seriously if it comes with some $$ and, even though there are 3 requests on a card, they usually only play one. Fair enough, but then there is a $ 9 cover charge on top of all of this, and you’ll most likely be buying drinks too. For each request you’ll probably be paying a minimum of $ 5 to hear.
The two guys are funny, but maybe I just don’t get the humour, it was crude and really caters to a certain crowd. They can play almost anything, but at the same time a little picky.
My negative attitude is because they burned me already right at the beginning. I put in my request, without knowing that $ 5 minimum seems obligatory. I requested the most famous Dueling Piano song of all time — Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 by Liszt — made famous in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (when Daffy and Donald ducks duke it out).
They get the request, and they started making of it.
«Do we play this type of stuff?!»
«What is it?»
«Hungarian Rhapsody by Lizst» (I didn’t put the composer down, so they were clearly versed in it
(He starts playing Chopin Polonaise, okay, but few mistakes, and stops and says.“Nope clearly we don’t)
Then about 15 mins later into the show — they started talking about the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit and goes
«Remember that scene when Daffy and Donald were playing… and they played the Hungarian Rhapsody»
(Then one of them starts playing it!)
I was kinda peeved at that point. Holy crap, so they weren’t idiots and knew it all along! Why must they… ??
Who knows.
Anyhow, other than that, they played songs from almost every decade, but not so much 1990 — 2000. They would stop every so often and ask for ‘direction’ meaning more requests and more money. (aside: there was one couple that kept requesting songs with $ 20 — 3 times! course they had some favourtism there)
They aren’t really Dueling, more like playing things together or in unison. It’s more like two pianos, four hands.
I expected like some back and forth between them. Sometimes the other guy didn’t even play.
Food there was okay, a bit over priced. We didn’t have dinner — just used our Groupon which gave us the Show and House Chips and Dip (as long as you order something else — they say «Dinner» but define that really)
So we got 2 glasses of wine, and dessert + tea = $ 35 Kinda pricey if you ask me.
Our server was excellent, and he was friendly and informative. He came by quite a bit to see if we wanted to order more and didn’t pressure us in anyway.
It was fun, but I did expect better. The place wasn’t full at all. I wouldn’t go out of my way to come to this at all. With the coupon it seems much better.
If you live around here and looking for something to do, might be fun.

What a joke!
I was there last Saturday night November 30, 2010. We did not want the dinner package and were told there was a cover charge of $ 8.50/person which is reasonable.
We ordered two drinks and a pita & dip platter ($ 11.95). The drinks took about 15 minutes to arrive. A glass of luke warm Zinfandel and a bottle of Coors light, no glass. Next the pita platter arrived with three dips: Asiago-​garlic, Spinach and Tandoori. The first two were fine, but the tandoori tasted like Pataks tandoori paste and mayo mixed… it was awful! The server came by to enquire if everything was okay and I informed her of the tandoori dip. I asked if we could switch for an Asiago dip and was told there would be an extra charge. Hmmm why bother asking if «everything is all right» if you don’t plan on addressing any issues?
The entertainment was good but not quite «dueling pianos» in the traditional sense.
The bill was $ 57.49 and I gave the server $ 80 (4x$ 20), so that I would have change for a tip. She brought back 2 x $ 10 bills and 2 x loonies. So, I was shortchanged and she was expecting a $ 10+ tip. I asked if she could bring me two fives for the ten and she said «nobody has change in the building». So I said, «well if you don’t want a tip, that’s fine». She took the $ 10 bill and returned ten minutes later and said «it is your lucky day, I was able to find you change». Needless to say, her tip was reduced to $ 2.
I wasn’t about to tip her on the cover charge! I would have left her $ 7 if she was not so sarcastic and cocky.
Overall a poor experience, similar to the food next door (comes from the same kitchen) Wendell Clark’s.
Don’t waste your hard earned money on this place.

Dueling Pianos what a cool concept. Live music and two pianists taking requests from the audience.
I received an invitation to visit this place so I made reservations for my girlfriend and I for the dinner and show.
Dinner:
It’s a set menu for $ 29.99
Consists of a Starter (potato soup or Salad), Main (gnocchi, Cornish hen, prime rib), and Desert of the Day Ordered salad, potato soup, gnocchi and prime rib, dessert (apple blossom that day).
The dining experience however kind of soured by some terrible culinary execution. Food was way over salted! I sent it back and it came out right the second time. The server was apologetic, same with the manager. Our server was very attentive throughout the night in fact so much it got annoying. Every 5 – 10 minutes, all of a sudden, she’d exclaim «hello how is everything…» We’d answer «good, everything is good». We got startled the first few times, especially in the in the dim lighting but the next times we were more prepared. lol
Show:
When you walk inside there’s a stage in the corner facing the audience housing two black electronic baby grands.
How it works. Each table has blank request cards. Write down 3 songs of your choice collect and submit them to the piano player. The two pianists then sing and play their interpretation of the song they know.
There were two amazing talented pianists there. One heavier and one skinner guy. The heavier guy was joker. He wore a couple of costumes during some songs. During the performance he went out to the tables and anyone celebrating a birthday/​anniversary to perform with him. The skinnier pianist was also entertaining. He has a great soulful and dynamic voice (better of the two imho) and played good piano interpretations to the songs requested.
The crowd is age 40+, and the pianists play to the crowd requests. You’ll enjoy it greatly if you’re familiar with music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s.