255 Best Bars in Canada

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 1929 dance hall has been restored to its Art Deco glory, complete with a massive dance floor and state-of-the-art sound system. Indie rock bands and renowned DJs play here most nights.

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 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.

This bar and 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 and it’s open every day and night.

The stats at this massive beer hall in the historic Salt Building are impressive. It offers 100 draft beer taps, one of Canada's biggest selections of draft beers, and space for 450 kegs in the keg room (that's up to 26,000 liters or 6,900 gallons). The kitchen does a good job with generous portions of burgers, sandwiches, and other pub standards, while the patio on Olympic Village Square makes for great summertime people-watching.

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.

A chalkboard scribbled with rotating craft beers and a convivial atmosphere set the scene for this neighborhood-favorite brewpub, freshly renovated and expanded in 2023. Small bites such as flatbreads can be ordered to accompany your IPAs and ales.

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.

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.

When dinner is over—and that's worth going for, too, for meats smoked on the premises—the dance floor heats up on Saturday night, with DJs on two floors playing a mix of music, and they also have regular karaoke and trivia nights.

Sample gin, vodka, cream liqueur, and white rum made with locally sourced ingredients in this new distillery's huge and bright tasting room, or on one of their pretty patios. They often host events and close the tasting room, so check their Facebook page for hours before heading there. 

This sound-system-centric dance club and performance venue keeps the audience guessing with a mix of shows (often with hip-hop leanings). The second-floor space has red oak flooring and manages to incorporate local and eco-friendly elements into the design.

"Foufs," as it's affectionately known, has been going strong since 1983. Attracting a cult following of alternative rock and heavy metal fans, it gets packed on weekends. You can enjoy a cheap beer on one of two summer terraces under the playful eyes of skulls and spiders.

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.

Come for cold beers and yard games at this fun new spot fast becoming the city's hippest place to hang out. There are often DJs, and the vibe is superfriendly. 

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.

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.

This 25-seater wine bar is contemporary and carefully cultivates an interesting list of organic wines and craft cocktails. It's next to the acclaimed, seasonal, farm-to-table eatery, Farmer’s Apprentice, so the bar nibbles are equally inspired. It gets busy, so go early and enjoy a happy hour cocktail of the day and charcuterie board.

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.

The menu at this Gastown favorite features lagers, pale ales, pilsners, stouts, and ciders, and then there's what's on tap, a wine list, and a cocktail menu—in short, the thirsty have many ways to imbibe. The food menu offers lots of sharing options. In addition to rock bands (plus jazz, folk, and blues artists), there are also burlesque and cabaret nights.

You'll find quality cocktails blended with house-made bitters, fresh herbs, and other local ingredients at this Vancouver hot spot, which, although it's leather-paneled and clubby, is surprisingly unstuffy. Also in the Rosewood Hotel Georgia are the narrow, mahogany-paneled 1927 Lobby Lounge (ideal for a discreet rendezvous), and Reflections, an open-air (heated in winter) fourth-floor oasis.

This popular restaurant--bar serves Texas-style barbecue and more than 100 brands of whiskey, as well as a fine selection of microbrews. The chic-rustic decor and private Whiskey Garden patio out back make 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. There's live music Friday and Saturday night in the Second Floor Music Hall.