47 Best Nightlife in Canada

At -32°C (-26°F), the Ketel One Ice Room is the world’s coldest vodka tasting room—and the only permanent subzero vodka room in Canada. The experience (C$52) includes the use of cozy Arctic Expedition parkas, four shot-glass tasters from a selection of 50 vodka varieties, and one definite "wow" moment to remember.

Traditionally this pub has served as the hangout for the local arts scene and continues to attract a hip crowd of all ages. There's live music from Wednesday through Saturday year-round, with Wednesday's folk-music night a famous staple. Good pub food and eclectic specials are served between noon and 8 pm Wednesday through Friday, and brunch until 4 pm on weekends.

Although Anejo is only open until 11 pm, it's worth making an evening visit for what they call HalfyHour. After 9 pm, tacos (some of the best in the city) and tequila (of which they have more than 100 kinds) are half off, and beer and margaritas are only $6. 

It's not a late-night venue (it closes at 11 pm on Friday and Saturday and 10 pm the rest of the week), but it's the place to come for quality bands playing original material in a cozy setting. There's live music at least six nights a week, plus open mike, comedy and trivia nights.

This dimly lit tavern's name gives music and food equal billing, but the outstanding blues artists the place books makes clear where its loyalty lies. You can catch an act every day except Monday, stand-up comedy (8:30) followed by killer karaoke (at 10) on Wednesday, and a Sunday blues jam at 8:30. The cover charge, when there is one, is usually C$5, but can be up to C$10, depending on the band.

C'est What?. C'est What? has a wide selection of exclusively Canadian craft brews. 67 Front St. E, at Church, Old Town, Toronto, ON, M5E 1B5. 416/867–9499. www.cestwhat.com. King.

Five minutes from downtown Ottawa, sitting on the shores of Lake Leamy, this upscale casino has more than 1,900 slot machines, 60 gaming tables, and an electronic horse-racing track. The Théatre du Casino attracts a diverse mix of crooners and comedians, mostly popular Québécois performers.

Built on the foundation of an old warehouse, this rustic-chic club hosts DJ sets and live music gigs on Friday and Saturday nights. Check the website for special events other days of the week. 

This bar and a dance hall combo plays Top 40 country, dance, and rock tunes, with live entertainment on occasion. It's open Wednesday through Saturday and holds 1,200 people, but during the Calgary Stampede, it's a popular destination as it’s open every day and night.

This Irish-themed pub is a great place to see live rock and blues bands from all over Eastern Canada on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night from about 10:30 pm. St. Patrick's Day here is a wild daylong party.

Not your average pub, Free House provides a warm inviting vibe, delicious food, and a great selection of Calgary microbrews. Happy hour runs from 9 pm to midnight when small plates are half-price and cocktails and draft beer are cheap. Sit under twinkling string lights on the rooftop patio and watch the stars materialize in the night sky.

The city's most famous street may be short and cobblestoned, but it is said to have more bars per capita than any other street in North America, approximately two dozen. Trapper John's is one of the more well known (it's also a great place to undertake the screech-in ceremony). Seasonal open-air festivals, which close off the street, include the George Street Festival in August.

An eclectic roster of live music is hosted in this bar, with a backdrop of the massive vats where the beer is brewed. Local bands, comedians, and touring acts on their way through the Maritimes provide the entertainment, and there are open mike and trivia nights, and other events.

With a welcoming laid-back atmosphere, exposed stone and brick walls, an interesting wine list, and knowledgeable staff, this intimate wine bar is a pleasant place to spend an evening. Two-ounce tasters are available, along with cheese and charcuterie plates. Various tasting events include featured wines from global destinations. It's open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 or 5 pm.

This popular restaurant-bar serves Texas-style BBQ and 100+ brands of whiskey, as well as a fine selection of microbrews. The chic-rustic decor and private Whiskey Garden patio out back makes it easy to while away a few hours here. Their signature smoked meats--brisket, pulled pork, spare ribs--are sold by weight and half-price after 10 pm. Wash it all down with their signature cocktail, a smoked Old Fashioned. 

With more than 700 board and card games in the library, this unique and popular cafe is the perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon or cold winter evening. The menu is average, but it’s fully licensed, and, anyway, you come for the games, which are $3 an hour per person with a purchase of food or beverage.

In three small rooms of a historic building, with bare brick walls and subdued lighting, you'll find a massive selection of the finest whiskeys in the world. The focus is mainly on Scotch, with all the famous (and some lesser-known) Scottish distilleries represented, but there's also an interesting selection from other parts of the world, including Ireland, Japan, France, the United States, and—of course—Canada. Currently, there are two from Atlantic Canada distilleries (Signal Hill from Newfoundland and Gin Thuya from New Brunswick), with plans to bring in more as their whiskeys mature sufficiently. If whiskey isn't your thing, there are other options, including a lengthy selection of cocktails.

The James Joyce Pub is a classic Irish pub where you can have Guinness stout served at three different temperatures at the long antique bar, along with some traditional Irish fare.

Good food, great patio, friendly staff, and 72 draught beers on tap---what more could you ask from a pub? There are food and drink specials every day, including cheap wings on Mondays.

Last Best Brewing and Distilling is widely recognized as one of Calgary's best brewpubs. They have a dozen of their own craft beers on tap---try the Tokyo Drift IPA---and make delicious cocktails with the three kinds of gin they distill in-house. On top of that, they serve the best pub food in the greater Downtown area in an upscale but casual atmosphere anchored by a beautiful rectangular bar in the center of it all.

An old-world-pub atmosphere and a bar with more than 400 whiskey options are the main attractions here, and the patio is lively in summer.

A place to see and be seen, Ming is a hip martini bar with an exotic understated sophistication.