54 Best Bars in Ontario, Canada

The dark apothecarian interior at BarChef features dimly lit chandeliers and tabletop candles, which set the stage for wild and wonderful concoctions that force patrons to reimagine classic cocktails as art installations. The bartender's bag of tricks includes liquid nitrogen, so cocktails foam over like a foggy mist onto the table or turn into ice shards for a sensory experience that looks as good as it tastes. Purists can order a classic French absinthe fountain while fans of whiskey should order the signature Vanilla and Hickory Smoked Manhattan, served in a smoke-filled jar (but be warned, it clocks in at a hefty C$50). While not highlighted, a full page of the menu is devoted to meats, cheeses, and elevated bar snacks.

This restaurant, bar, and on-site brewery has been a smash hit since it opened in 2012. If the sun is shining, expect a line for the spacious patio, a great spot to sample the always evolving craft beer selection. Sour-beer fans should try the seasonal fruit-infused Jelly King, which has beer drinkers queueing up at the bottle shop on release day. The hearty snacks run the gamut from Canadian cheeses and terrine to a crispy Newfoundland cod sandwich.

The family that runs this narrow beer and cocktail bar has a side business importing rare brews from all over the world, so you know whatever's on tap—whether it's brewed in Ontario or Belgium—is going to be stellar. Weathered brick walls and a hidden back courtyard add to the old-world feel. Grab antipasti and pizzas if you're hungry, or hit up Bottega Volo two doors down for snacks and bottles to go.

Hidden in plain sight on the upper level of the Waterworks Food Hall, a former pipe and plumbing factory, this decadent art nouveau cocktail bar captures Toronto's \"Roaring '20s\" with its deliberate tribute to the building it's housed in. The menu features ingeniously crafted libations with cheeky industrial names like a Pounding Sand or the Strickling Bar. No ingredient goes to waste on the palate here, but the real catch is the bar's \"water program\" that features demineralized Toronto tap water that's been remineralized to replicate the profiles of popular springs from around the world. Tasty fusion snacks from the food hall below can also be ordered.

Built as a cinema in 1919, this stately theater is now a live music venue that attracts popular touring acts that run the gamut of punk, rock, rap, folk, electronic music, and even stand-up comedy. Notable performers have included Rihanna, Blue Rodeo, Father John Misty, and Echo and the Bunnymen.

Locals know the Drake as a hub for art, culture, food, and nightlife, with multiple spaces hosting events on any given night. The basement is home to the Drake Underground, a venue that hosts live music and DJ nights, while the rooftop Sky Yard patio serves drinks surrounded by eye-popping art installations.

Part rustic Balkan eatery, part cabaret, Drom Taberna is alive with the spirit of the Romani people. Every night of the week you'll be able to experience a wide range of global sounds from Middle Eastern--influenced flamenco to interactive Balfolk dancing going late into the evening. Menu must-tries include čevapi (a Bosnian grilled meat staple) and goulash, and no meal would be complete without a bowl of Ukrainian-style borscht. Armenian, Croatian, and Georgian wines dominate the drinks list, along with a dozen different herbal digestifs, rakijas, and palinkas (fruit brandies).

This legendary, low-ceilinged rock bar on Queen West has earned a reputation as the place to play for local acts and touring bands alike. Opened in 1947 as a country music venue, the Shoe (as it's often called) hosted greats like Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, and the Carter Family. The venue's scope widened to include the emerging folk, rock, and punk scenes in the 1960s and '70s, giving way to early appearances by the Police, Tom Waits, and Talking Heads. The Rolling Stones even played a now-legendary surprise set here in 1997. Today, the venue books rock, indie, and punk acts from home and abroad.

Latin-music lovers of all ages dress up to get down to live Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and salsa music at this old-school hot spot. Now over two decades old, Lula has become a global music institution, going beyond those genres into samba, cumbia, reggae, Indigenous throat singing, and anything else you can think of. Weekend salsa nights include dance lessons, live band performances, and a prix-fixe menu. Lula is also an arts center, with dance and drumming lessons and a multitude of festivals and cultural events.

Since it was founded in 1973, Toronto's Second City—the younger sibling of the Second City in Chicago—has been showcasing some of the best comedy in Canada. Regular features include sketch comedy, improv battles, and seasonal revues. The recently re-opened complex houses three theaters and a restaurant, The Bentwood, with pricing running from C$15 to C$50 depending on seating and the show. 

Such Canadian literary luminaries as Margaret Atwood and Mordecai Richler have used the 17th-floor Park Hyatt bar as a setting in their writings, and now it's been renamed the Writers Room. A popular date spot, it's also a good place to sip a glass of wine, scotch, or a cocktail and soak in the city. The chic bar has big, open windows and an impressive patio that offers some of the most breathtaking views of the city, including the nearby ROM and University of Toronto. Inventive, spirit-forward cocktails (presented with quotes from books) come with little bowls of nuts and olives. There are also adventurous sharing plates like foie gras doughnuts, beef tartare, and oysters.

Though it's primarily a restaurant, Canoe, on the 54th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Bank tower, is worth a trip just for a drink at the bar and a panoramic view of the lake. It has what might be the city's best Niagara wine selection and an extensive list of international bottles, as well as cocktails and beer. It's popular with finance types from the neighboring towers, who suit the swank surroundings. Go just before sunset to make the most of the view.

This brewpub features two massive bars with more than 10 local brews on tap, an open-concept kitchen with an imported Italian wood-burning pizza oven, and a sprawling patio with stunning views of the Toronto Islands. The building, a former 1930s boathouse, also houses a brewery; tours and beer tastings are available daily. Tours are free, but book in advance.

Slide into a leather banquette or pull up a seat at the string-lit patio at this white-brick cocktail bar. Unusual riffs on classic cocktails—like a cornichon gin martini or a clarified Paloma—are balanced and easy-drinking, with local and foraged ingredients woven throughout. Bar bites include fresh sourdough from nearby Bakery Pompette; down the block, another sister spot, Vinoteca Pompette, serves Italo-French plates.

Tucked down a cobblestone laneway across the street from its original location on Yonge Street, this is one of the city's top destinations for beer lovers. Once specializing in rare and one-off brews from other breweries, Bar Volo now has its own brewery on-site. That means you can get traditional English-style hand-pulled cask beers, highly drinkable German- and Italian-style lagers, and some hoppy ales. It's European style, which means the beers are all well-made, approachable classics and not too wacky (though you can find some of those on the beer list as well). For non-beer drinkers, there's also a full cocktail program and a full list of natural wines they import themselves. After pandemic-era changes to the city's liquor laws, those one-off wines and beers are all available to buy and take home. Or sip them alongside southern Italian tapas inside or on the sizable front patio.

This laid-back dive bar has an excellent selection of draft beers and classic pub fare, from poutine to nachos and chicken wings. It’s a fun spot to watch sports.

Pouring over 150 beers from 30 countries, including 50 on tap, this expansive restaurant and bar is well-regarded on the international beer scene. The highlight of the Bier Markt is its spacious, year-round sidewalk patio on the Esplanade, ideal for enjoying a cold brew on a leisurely afternoon.  The lines are ridiculous on weekends—do as the locals do and go midweek instead.

The newly reopened bar is back in a pastel-hued venue serving colorful cocktails with DJs on the third floor every weekend. If you can, grab a spot on the charming back patio and have a drink with friends under twinkling hanging lights.

Founded in 1988, this cozy underground spot combines the charm of a beer cellar, the comfort of a library, and the fun of a pool hall. With over 40 taps of Canadian beer and a menu of globally inspired pub fare, it’s a perfect place to relax. The main room features several pool tables and a cozy fireplace area with couches, while an adjoining room hosts live folk, rock, and roots performances several times a week.

This pub is dedicated to all things Scottish. If the massive mural of the St. Andrew's Cross decorating the cozy back patio doesn't give it away, the enormous whiskey selection certainly will. There are more than 700 single malts, with selections dating as far back as the 1940s. The pub also hosts frequent tasting events featuring various distillers, and serves hearty Highland eats (haggis—real and vegan—included).

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.

For more than 10 years, this bar and gastropub has been a nightlife staple in downtown Toronto. The front dining room serves Prohibition-style fare and generous portions, while the back transforms into a vibrant nightclub Thursday through Saturday, featuring an array of music genres like pop, dance, hip-hop, and soca. With more than 500 types of whiskey, it’s one of the city’s largest whiskey lounges—private tastings can be booked in advance. The venue caters to a 25-plus crowd, and a business casual dress code is recommended.

Restaurateur Jen Agg is a household name in Toronto, and the drinks are never an afterthought at her restaurants or at Cocktail Bar, where the ceiling is covered in pressed tin tiles and bottles gleam behind glass-paned cabinet doors. Across the street from Agg's other flagship spot, Bar Vendetta, this boozy haunt respects classic cocktail tradition—think Manhattans and absinthe concoctions, but rarely any vodka—but isn't afraid to take a few left turns either.

Located a short jaunt west of the Annex is this basement club, a hotbed of activity for homegrown and touring comics alike. There are sketch and stand-up shows from locals most nights of the week, but the room has also hosted boldface names like Janeane Garofalo, Marc Maron, and Mae Martin.

This dark but friendly little bar opened at the corner of Dundas and Ossington in the early 2000s, long before the neighborhood became trendy. Now, with its snack bar sign from its earlier incarnation and old-fashioned vinyl jukebox filled with punk and indie rock classics, the Commie (as the regulars sometimes call it) is an institution. Not much more than a bar and a few tables, it's the kind of spot you can go to, have a couple of pints, and find yourself in a deep conversation with someone you just met.

Under the pressed-tin ceilings, mounted animal horns, and propaganda posters decorating this long-running hangout, locals gather over a brew or cocktail and soak up the 1970s punk playlist. Feeling peckish? There's Spanish and French-inspired small plates—plus one heck of a burger.

Crews and Tangos is the life of the party in the Village and has been for years. What started as two separate bars (Crews, a gay bar, and Tango, a lesbian bar) back in the 1990s came together in 2004 with one big idea that still defines the place today—all are welcome. Set inside a pair of 1850s rowhouses, this three-story spot is where epic drag shows turn into full-on dance parties. Don't be surprised to find the dance floor covered in sequins and the occasional lash strip by the end of the night.

This high-end lounge in the flagship Four Seasons Hotel Toronto is modern and chic, with top-notch cocktails, including the bourbon, absinthe, sherry, and coffee-infused vermouth–based Bon Vivant. The food is spearheaded by French chef Daniel Boulud, so the menu goes far above and beyond simple bar bites—the charcuterie is house-made, they take the burger very seriously, and there are fresh oysters at the raw bar.

From open mics to folk music and stand-up comedy, there's something happening almost every night of the week on this casual eatery's backroom stage. Stop in on Sundays for a traditional Jewish brunch buffet called "Bella! Did Ya Eat?," complete with live klezmer music.

Once a Portuguese sports bar, after over a decade on Dundas West, this spot has become a key local live music venue. The back room isn't huge, but it's a popular spot for up-and-coming touring musicians as well as locals looking to make a mark, not to mention many hopping DJ nights. It also hosts occasional live music and events like the quirky non-expert lecture series Trampoline Hall. A front room bar/cantina is a neighborhood hangout spot.