255 Best Bars in Canada

You'll know you're close to Sawdust City when you see the giant-sized bright yellow Muskoka chair on the horizon. Sample from the 18 taps at your service, but there's also a full bar if you want something that's not beer. Standout suds include the hoppy Lone Pine IPA and the crisp Little Norway pilsner. Live local blues and rock bands play several nights a week, and there's an open-mic night on alternating Mondays. There's also a full kitchen on-site serving pub fare like wings, cheeseburger spring rolls, and beer-battered fish-and-chips.

Now in a great new location, with the Marquee Ballroom upstairs, the Seahorse continues to draw an eclectic indie crowd for late-night music. The two spaces showcase the very best in local, national, and international music. 

When you enter Shiddy’s Rumpus Room, the wood decor, neon signs, and a big picture of Elvis will make it feel like you’re in a ‘70s bar. While they have local craft beer on tap, the real treat is a variety of home-brewed cocktails, some shaken, some stirred, and some slushy. They serve sumptuous smash burgers stacked as high as three patties. Don’t forget the Flat Boy sauce for your fries.

In operation since 1994, this massive complex houses a bar, restaurant, and dance club popular with both gay men and women. Weekly themed events include hip-hop, cabaret, and a Western saloon. The best time to come is during the summer, as the pièce de résistance is the beachlike roof deck with city views and a pool (possibly the hottest destination in the Village).

The baby grand piano and expansive harbor view make this cocktail bar a destination in downtown St. John's for its drinks and small-plate menu. Intimate live music performances can range from folk to classical to jazz and blues.

Halifax's oldest watering hole (its earliest incarnation opened in 1749) has an old-time ambience and a full menu heavy on finger foods and deep-fried seafood. Nevertheless, it's the beer/band combination—nightly and on Saturday afternoon—that accounts for the bar's enduring popularity.

Booking managers hosted the likes of Nirvana and Green Day before they were household names. This is one of the best places in Canada to catch both established acts and rising stars in a variety of genres.

The Steam Whistle Brewery, located on historic railway premises, makes an authentically crafted pilsner. There's a tasting room with a full food menu, a Munich-styled biergärten, and special events like Oktoberfest and the biannual (winter and summer) Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival. It's a great place to stop before or after a Blue Jays game.

This multilevel brewpub welcomes urban professionals with a selection of traditional ales and lagers brewed in-house, in small batches, using the neighborhood's steam heat—the same stuff that powers Gastown's Steam Clock. When the weather permits, there's patio seating with harbor views.

Some of the most beautiful cross-dressers sashay on the huge dance floor of this converted theater. It's popular with both men and women, straight and gay, and often attracts hip-hop hordes near dawn on Friday and Saturday. Don't even bother arriving before 2 am.

Just steps from the historic St. Lawrence Market, the restaurant and bar has been a neighborhood fixture for more than 30 years. The restaurant serves French-Moroccan fare, including tapas, eggplant Zaalouk, and tagines in traditional earthenware dishes. Inside, guests enter a Casablanca-inspired space, furnished with plush divans, rich fabrics, and lanterns. Sip a specialty cocktail like the Arabian caesar or Moroccan old-fashioned. It's also also known for its nightly belly dancing performances.

This self-described "hip-hop eatery" and neighborhood bar invites you to relax and pull up a chair or cozy couch in its leafy interior. Simple but intense dishes like truffle-oil popcorn and a grilled cheese mac-and-cheese sandwich (yes, you read that right) are paired with potent cocktails (try the signature Wu-Tang) to help make this one of the hottest destinations on the Main—without any of the usual pretension. Open nightly from 5 to 3.

This iconic bright yellow landmark near the Public Market is now the flagship location of local group Tap & Barrel and location of the test kitchen for its culinary program. Interiors boast local artwork and reclaimed industrial materials that celebrate Granville Island's history, while outside is the city's biggest marina-side deck. In warm weather the outdoor seating has breathtaking views of the harbor, mountains, and city. The bar menu features 32 British Columbian craft beers and 16 BC wines on tap, an extensive wine list, and handcrafted seasonal cocktails.

The taproom of this popular organic craft brewery is a great place to sample brews while seated on the patio overlooking Main Street (or inside). Besides having a great selection of beers on tap to suit all tastes, there's live music on the weekends and on some summer weeknights. No food is served, but you're welcome to order in from other local businesses such as the butcher shop next door that makes excellent sandwiches. 

Formerly an agricultural machinery dealer, the owners of Taverne Atlantic have transformed this vast space in Mile-Ex into a superb Art Deco tavern. White walls; a curved 1930s back bar with built-in ridged lighting; chrome stools topped with goldenrod yellow seats; white schoolhouse pendants lamps; a cozy nook with comfortable armchairs conducive to more intimate conversation; a spacious outdoor patio on the second floor, the owners have thought of everything. On the menu, snacks and small plates, decadent pizzas, red wine sauce poutine, and gourmet hot dogs, from the retro snack bar, Chez Eddy, located at the front of the venue. To wash it all down: sommelier-selected natural and private import wines, an impressive selection of C$2 lagers, and inventive cocktails and mocktails.

A Montréal institution for almost a century (it opened in 1927), Taverne Midway has lived through a lot over the years. In its latest incarnation, Midway is one of the trendiest bars to be found at the eastern end of Downtown, with exposed brick walls, wood flooring, and warm Edison bulbs attached to industrial-style wall sconces. It also features an extensive list of beers, wines, and cocktails, as well as a small but appealing selection of finger foods.

For an unbeatable view of the Old Port and numerous Montréal landmarks, head to this unpretentious patio on the roof of the Auberge du Vieux-Port hotel. Open from May through mid-October, it's a great place to soak up the last of the sun's rays and watch the International Fireworks Festival—if you're early enough to snag a table—while enjoying cocktails and a light tapas menu. Try the clear sangria (made with peach Ciroc, Cointreau, white wine, and Sprite).

At this charming wine bar in the Petit Champlain district overlooking the St. Lawrence River, you'll feel like you've crossed the pond to Europe for the evening. You'll find an exceptional selection of unique wines from handpicked producers, whether you prefer white, red, rosé, bubbly, or skin-contact. The board of charcuterie and cheeses from Québec is a must.

A Montréal mainstay that's been going strong since 1997, Tokyo Bar caters to a young professional crowd. The DJs primarily spin hip-hop and house, but the best thing here, for sure, is the heated rooftop terrace and bar, which has a fantastic view of The Main (boulevard St-Laurent).

This LGTBQ-owned brewery serves up its own truly delicious beers and craft brews from other local brewers and hosts drag shows, board game nights, live music, and dance parties. Welcoming to all, this is the place to be in Truro. 

This tasting bar in the Saint John City Market only serves New Brunswick-crafted libations, including wine, beer, cider, spirits, and non-alcoholic choices. Uncorked also offers tasting tours in Saint John and the surrounding area, check the website for details. 

At street level in the century-old Moda Hotel, Uva puts a modern spin on the Italian wine bar concept, with bold decor and sleek furnishings. The well-dressed crowd comes for the not-too-wild atmosphere, often for a drink before heading to one of nearby Granville Street's performance venues, particularly The Orpheum (across the road).

"The Poodle" has been described "as gay as it gets." The limited menu of mainly burgers and salads is more than made up for with entertainment including gay bingo, leather nights, and sizzling drag shows. Instead of a cover, you're expected to spend a minimum of C$20. The Kings and Queens "vicious" cocktails are well priced at C$14.

The Vin Room has one of the best wine lists in Calgary, and its two patios (one out front that allows dogs, the other on the roof) make it the perfect spot for a glass or two of wine or a cocktail in the evening. It’s also a great place for a date or an outing with a small group of your human and/or canine best friends.