6 Best Bars in Leslieville, Greektown, Little India, and The Beach, Toronto

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.

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.

Crossing the threshold into this Danforth pub, decked out with cozy wooden booths (or "snugs"), is like teleporting to the Emerald Isle. Musicians playing folk and traditional Irish tunes perform here regularly, and the Guinness is always flowing.

This delightfully divey dive, on a relatively quiet stretch of the Danforth, is known as one of the city's best beer bars, with 25 taps plus dozens of bottles and cans; nearly everything is local. The atmosphere is dim and raucous, with 1990s alt-rock blasting on the stereo. Can't snag a bar stool? Pull up a chair in the adjoining two storefronts, which serve as an all-day café and a cocktail bar.

This late-19th-century vaudeville theater retains some of its original charm, most notably in its proscenium arch over the stage. The 900-capacity venue hosts internationally touring acts of all genres. Locals like to reminisce about seeing such diverse acts as Nirvana, Lucinda Williams, Kings of Leon, LCD Soundsystem, and the Black Keys here.

This hotel's sceney rooftop bar has become a bona fide party destination—especially when DJs spin on weekends. The lounge space is encased in a glass pyramid that allows for stunning views of the surrounding city, with a wraparound open-air deck. While you're feasting your eyes on that panorama, enjoy a simple-yet-flavorful house cocktail, a local beer, or some of the kitchen's globe-spanning small plates.