Rialto Theatre — Attraction in Montreal

Warning to Event Planners: Avoid Rialto Theatre! While initially excited to work with the historic Rialto Theatre, our experience was by far the worst we’ve ever encountered! We are an experienced international team that has successfully hosted conferences and hackathons globally - with our most recognized events series being ZK Summit (12 so far produced) and ZK Hack (4 so far produced). We have hosted events in many different types of venues in Berlin, London, SF, Lisbon, Amsterdam, London, etc. We take pride in our reputation and have consistently maintained excellent working relationships with the venues we partner with. We have never worked with such an uncooperative, unprofessional venue and so we want to make sure that other events planners are aware of the issues we faced and the tactics they will use. Here are the critical issues we faced to help you make an informed decision: Unilateral Contract Changes: The Rialto included a hidden clause allowing them to modify the agreement via email in the initial contract. After the signing and downpayment on the contract, they would send us an email including a new rule or demand, and then try to unilaterally enforce this - even when this had not been agreed to by us. For your sake, ensure this clause is removed in the initial contract if you consider working with them!! Hidden costs & Overpriced: They have service partners that you will need to work with, for example catering and A/V, but they will only send you the info for their prices at a later date after the initial rent for the space has been paid. This removes your ability to negotiate these costs. They will find so many ways to work in extra expenses, so don’t take any quote they give you at face value. Unprofessional Management: The primary contact, Andriya, is the owner’s daughter. She is the decision maker even when you are dealing with another member of the team but is inexperienced in event management. She micromanages and communicates poorly, making collaboration extremely difficult. She has a reputation in local Montreal event production circles for being irrational and unfair in dealings (something we only learned after our experience). Poor Communication: They often took weeks or months to respond to our emails but demanded immediate reactions from us. We always answered promptly, and still they would be pushy and rude in their dealings. Contract Violations: Despite contractual rights to adjust food orders with 3 weeks’ notice, they refused our request. Even when the caterer had been fine with our changes, they still refused. After delays and ghosting us, they only agreed to an unfair "solution" at the last minute: lowering the number of servings while drastically increasing per-person costs. The offer was finally sent to us only 1 week before the event, leaving us with no chance to negotiate further. Unjust Payment Demands: Despite prepaying 90% before the event, they threatened to deny us access to the building unless we paid 100%. This threat was sent two days before the event. Nowhere in the contract did it say 100% needed to be paid. After we complied, they failed to deliver some of the promised services and then refused reimbursements. Uncooperative Staff: On-site staff were obstructive, creating unnecessary friction and resistance to even minor requests, adding stress to the event. Poor Facility Maintenance: A storm during our event revealed significant leaks, leading to flooding on multiple floors, including the mezzanine and basement. Once the event was completed we saw that many of the services we paid for were not delivered, and yet they have refused to reimburse us at all. Our dealings with Rialto Theatre have been so egregious that we are now pursuing legal action —something unprecedented in our 7 years of event planning. Final Recommendation: While the venue may appear beautiful, the management’s tactics, unprofessionalism, and the venue’s poor maintenance make it an unreliable and stressful choice for any event. Proceed with extreme caution—or better, avoid...

I sent a message to many venues for my wedding that I'm trying to plan in 2026. All the venues wrote back to me, even if they're not open for 2026, but sent me their wedding packages anyway and even proposed a visit. It wasn't the case for Théâtre Rialto. I haven't heard back from them after almost a week and kindly asked my fiancé to call them for more information. The man who talked on the phone with my fiancé was cold and almost arrogant, I would say (I sure hope it wasn't the owner). He told my fiancé that all the info was on their website and to just look there. When my fiancé told him we couldn't find the info (we found it later, but not the point), he asked when was the wedding. When my fiancé told him in 2026, the man simply said ''well, there's your answer''. When asked what he meant, he explained that they weren't open for 2026 wedding. Why couldn't I just had an answer to my email saying so? Was it so hard? And why did he have to be so cold? Is that what their customer service is? I really wanted to choose that venue, but now I have to say that this whole thing was a turn off. It's really not that hard answering an email saying ''We are unfortunatly not open for 2026, but I invite you to check the wedding packages on our website and feel free to book a visit.''. Very disapointing. Do better,...

I recently had the pleasure of attending a concert by Leoni Torres and his talented band at the Théâtre TiaTao in Montreal, and it was an unforgettable experience. Nestled in the heart of the city, this historic venue offers a unique blend of elegance and intimacy, making it the perfect setting for a night of Cuban music.

From the moment Torres stepped on stage, the energy in the room was electric. His powerful voice, heartfelt lyrics, and charismatic stage presence created a deep connection with the audience. The live band, featuring an incredible lineup of musicians, brought his songs to life with infectious rhythms and rich melodies that had the entire crowd dancing and singing along.

The acoustics in Théâtre TiaTao were impressive, allowing every instrument and vocal nuance to be heard clearly. The lighting and stage setup added a layer of sophistication that enhanced the overall vibe of the performance.

What made the night even more special was the sense of community and shared joy among the attendees. Whether you're a longtime fan or discovering Leoni Torres for the first time, seeing him live at TiaTao is an experience I highly recommend. It was a magical evening filled with passion,...