When you hear the name of the city of Toronto, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it the nightlife, fun activities, and energetic crowd that excites you? Right! So, if you are new to Toronto or planning to visit this magnificent city and often crave drinks; you will get many options here.
You will spot bars in almost every area you visit in Toronto. And, it’s sometimes confusing to choose the best among so many options available. If you are wondering about the right spot for you to grab a drink and enjoy some chilling moments I’ll help you. So, to make your search work easy, here is the list of the 10 best bars that you can explore with your friends and family:
1. Mother Cocktail Bar
The Mother Cocktail Bar uses simple, fresh ingredients and, through fermentation, preserves nature’s essence and gives life to brand-new flavours to provide you with the best and most amazing drinks.
It is a little bar but very stylish from the inside. The main aim of the bar is to showcase the best hyper-seasonal produce and present innovative flavours. Its cocktail menu is categorized into three sections:
- Yesterday – It mixes three main ingredients with neroli and Lacto-fermented plums.
- Today – It mixes cocoa and dark pecan rum, caramelized yogurt, arabica, and espresso alginate and keeps it changing weekly.
- Tomorrow – Here, you will find some new house-made drinks along with kombuchas.
The cocktails here are presented with a remarkable amount of ingenuity. So if you want to taste some unique cocktails, wines, and beers, then you must try this great cocktail icon.
Location: 874 Queen Street West
2. Gift Shop
My next recommendation is the Gift shop. It is a small bar where only 10-12 people can fit in at once, located behind a barber shop. It has a hidden entrance, beautiful vintage glasses, and a charming and quirky atmosphere that gives competition to many big bars in Toronto and you must try this unique bar at least once if you are nearby!
The atmosphere inside is nice, and its retro vibes give it a unique look with geometric, black, baby-blue, and white tiled flooring. Plus, the bar always surprises its visitors with its incredible combinations of unexpected ingredients in its cocktails. It also serves legendary drinks from bars worldwide and the High Roller Babies – classic cocktails prepared with premium spirits. I am sure, you will love this!
Location: 89-B Ossington Avenue
3. Black Dice Cafe (Japanese Rockabilly Bar)
This bar provides its customers with a big selection of Japanese whisky, which is exceptional for those who haven’t tried it earlier. You can also get sake if you want and this deadly combination of Japanese beer with sake makes it an absolutely amazing pick for you!
The Black Dice Cafe also goes by the name Japanese Rockability Bar. It is a sort of bartender’s bar with a heavy crowd on most nights. People from around the world come here for the expertly curated selection of Japanese whisky and the chilling atmosphere with a mid-century jukebox.
This local bar is inspired by British rock culture and American 50s culture. So enjoy some tasty snacks while sipping your amazing drinks and the loud music.
Location: 1574 Dundas St West
4. The Shameful Tiki Room
The Shameful Tiki Room is a special bar where you can order the most outlandish cocktail you can think about. As the name suggests, drinking at this bar is nothing to be ashamed of. You only need to drink and enjoy the playful drinks. Entering the bar is like escaping into some other world. Well, who doesn’t need that?
The decor is beautiful, with full-on Polynesian kitsch and carved wooden masks and cane furniture. The bar has a tropical vibe that offers Polynesian-inspired foods and exotic cocktails. The atmosphere is cozy and vibrant, and the live music makes your mood.
It offers a rotating selection of bottled beers, half bottles of red or white wine, and some non-alcoholic drinks. You can order a punch-style bowl along with your drinks. The bartenders are very friendly and helpful, and the service is excellent. Truly, Shameful Tiki Room is one of the best bars in Toronto.
Location: 1378 Queen Street West
5. Bar Raval
I’ll something special about this bar. Barcelona has inspired the design of this pintxo bar. The decor is beautifully designed with wooden tones inside and the vibes are cool. It also has a patio that gets busy during the summer and is sometimes filled with patrons standing elbow to elbow while enjoying their fun times.
Apart from serving sophisticated cocktails, Bar Raval is also known for stellar tapas, pintxos, canned seafood, and conserves. Small food plates are filled with cocktails, beer, wine, and fortified. The solid wine and beer program and its unique architecture make this gem one of the best in Toronto
The energy of the Bar Raval is great, which is more for the younger crowd. However, remember that it remains crowded most of the time and plan accordingly. I suggest you book your spot in advance.
Location: 505 College Street
6. Mahjong Bar
Mahjong bar is a small Chinese bar tucked behind a pink neon-lit bodega and you walk to a glowing doorway to get in. Once inside, you will spot retro Hong Kong-style decor with checkered floors, a gleaming bar, and a tropical mural.
Most drinks here are influenced by Chinese flavours, including Bamboo Manhattan, frozen Peacock Daiquiri with rum, dragonfruit, and calamari. Some delicious foods include shrimp dumplings, turnip cakes with Chinese sausage, Sichuan fried chicken, or chilli-dusted popcorn chicken, all with a touch of Chinese taste are also available.
The bar is one of the coolest bars you would love to go to again and again. It is a traditional bar where anyone can come, enjoy, and have a good pastime. Its wonderful atmosphere and vibes, along with good music and top-quality cocktails, make it quite amazing.
Location: 1276 Dundas West
7. Bar Volo
And this one you can’t miss, if passing nearby. Bar Volo is a bar cum brewery and a bottle shop and has been a successfully running bar for more than 30 years in Toronto. One of the biggest attractions of the bar is the 26 rotating taps, often with some unusual beers that are not easily available in other bars.
The bar has a large wine menu with around ten varieties of wine offered by the glass on the table. It has imported reds, pinks, whites, oranges, and new wines on the list. Most of the cocktails served here are Italian-inspired, but some local combos, like the purple seltzer, are also offered here.
The south-Italian food and its ever-changing menu offered here are awesome. I am sure you will love the meatballs, mussels, cheese fries, eggplant parmigiana, and several sandwiches and pizzas. Bar Volo also has a brewery specializing in traditional cask-conditioned ales, happy ales, and highly drinkable lagers.
The excellent ambiance and location, interiors with lots of dark wood, sunny terraces and changing levels, well-behaved staff, and a large collection of beers, wines, and cocktails make it a favourite destination for all beer lovers.
Location: 17 St Nicholas Street
8. Rhum Corner
Rhum Corner, the biggest spot for rum cocktails also serves you cheap and tasty food and drinks like frescos, slushies, and rum buckets. This Haitian bar is owned by Jen Agg and her artist husband, Roland Jean and the company music, friendly staff, and lots of rum make your evening memorable. The decor looks like of any top rum shop. You will spot unfinished ceilings with proper duct work done on it. Overall, it looks beautiful from the inside with some interesting decorations and the lighting inside is quite dark.
The food here is also amazing, so you must order some of the items. The banana frites, macaroni, salt cod patty, and tuna ceviche are some great snacks here to eat. On large plates, you can go for a griot bowl, fried chicken combo, oxtails, legumes with jasmine rice, or cubes of juicy pork with crispy tostones and spicy pikliz.
This bar is a hip and energetic spot that gives an intimate feel. It has an open kitchen nestled behind the bar filled with rum stocks. You will find the most aged and rare rum collection the the Caribbean. Some of the best rum drinks for you to have in this bar are Fresco, Zombie, Red Stripe, Painkiller, and Jungle Bird.
Location: 926 Dundas St W
9. Sweaty Betty’s
Sweaty Betty’s is another popular dive bar with a back patio and is one of the longest-standing bars in Toronto and its deck is open all year round. The terrace is fairly small, with a great wooden bench on one side and cute lights around. The bar offers the most classic cocktails with dim red lighting, neon signs, and mismatched furniture.
The cocktail menu keeps changing seasonally. Its rotating cocktail menu and specials, including the famous pickleback shots and vegan Caesar, will surely satisfy you. The bar also has a well-curated selection of chips and snacks with several vegan options on the menu.
Location: 13 Ossington Avenue
10. Bar Chef
Bar Chef is an award-winning cocktail bar and every event here is an immersive cocktail experience. The cocktail selection is integrated with the theme, season, or style. Some main events are
- Cocktail Catering – It serves you with a customized cocktail, bespoke ornate bar design, and luxury service in events like weddings, product launches, or private functions.
- Virtual Workshops – The virtual mixology workshops bring your groups together in modern, dynamic settings. You can have your guests sign in from anywhere, and the workshop provides them with a complete and customizable cocktail kit delivered to each participant in advance.
- In-House Private Events– The bar chef also provides services for your in-house private events.
This is a great spot with a relaxing and cool atmosphere where you are served the best-crafted cocktails prepared from locally sourced maple syrup, foraged Ontario spruce tips, hand-toasted chamomile flowers, and many more.
Enjoy the wide selection of drinks with lovely music. Plus, the service is impeccable, and the presentation of drinks looks very authentic.
Location: 472 Queen Street West
These selected bars offer the best drinks in the comfiest and loveliest atmosphere, perfect for a first date, a drink after work, or a night out with friends. You must visit these bars at least once. And I can assure you that once you see these bars, you won’t be able to stop yourself from coming here again.
These are the gems in Toronto where you can relax, chill, hang out, rock, party, or enjoy to the fullest. Choose any of these bars to chill or visit all of them one by one if you can. So have a rocking time in these bars!
In an interview with the Canada Hustle team, Aseem Jha, the Founder of Legal Consulting Pro, discussed the key characteristics that make a bar stand out in a vibrant nightlife scene. Here is what he said:
“A bar that truly stands out in a city renowned for its vibrant nightlife possesses a unique blend of ambiance, innovation, and genuine hospitality. It’s not just about the cocktails or the decor, but the immersive experience it offers.
For instance, I remember stumbling upon a hidden speakeasy in the heart of a bustling city known for its nightlife.
What set it apart wasn’t just the craft cocktails, but the way the bartenders engaged with patrons, crafting personalized drinks based on individual tastes and preferences. The dimly lit, intimate setting added to the allure, making it feel like an exclusive escape from the chaos outside.
Such attention to detail, coupled with a genuine passion for mixology, creates an unforgettable atmosphere that keeps people coming back for more, solidifying its status as a standout destination in the city’s nightlife scene.”
Guest Author: Saket Kumar
Last Updated on August 13, 2024 by Saket
