Bars Near Me

Toronto, the largest city in Canada also delivers big on entertainment and experiences. Night or day, summer or winter, Toronto offers a diverse palate of food, culture, art, and entertainment – a testament to its equally diverse populace.

But the sun goes down, the city turns into a microcosm of bustling neighborhoods that become a beehive of activity.

So if you’re planning a night out with your friends, or are searching for the best bars near me for a date night, we’ve got you covered.

Here are some of the top neighborhoods and bars in the city to get tipsy tonight:

King West

Once populated with industrial buildings and warehouses, King West is today a dining and drinking hub of Toronto. The neighborhood has transformed to the point that it’s often compared to So-ho in New York City.

The area is primed with bars, upscale clubs, luxury hotels, enticing rooftop restaurants, and high-end lounges. If you’re near King West, head to one of these bars for a good time:

The Black Pearl:

Head here for Cocktails

The Black Pearl is something of a paradox. As you walk through an unassuming lane on Pearl Street, you’ll come across a red entrance. Step foot inside and you’ll be transported to another realm where you can plunder the best cocktails and enjoy late-night music.

Unlike its name, the Black Pearl is an elegant space that inspires intimate conversations, much owing to its living room-style interior concept. This bar is popular among young professionals who like to lounge and have a good time with their colleagues and pals.

There’s also a pool table where you can challenge your buds to a game.

They have cocktail specials from Monday to Saturday where you can buy drinks starting at $5, $6, and $7 at 5 pm, 6 pm, and 7 pm respectively. And their pizzas are a must-try!

Address: 184 Pearl Street, Toronto, ON

Lapinou Bistro:

Perfect for a Date Night

If Paris comes to your mind every time you think about a classy date, Lapinou Bistro is where you’d want to take your bae. With modern interiors, the Lapinou Bistro is reminiscent of a Parisian Brasserie with its red bricks and beams. What immediately catches attention is its marble bar. Living up to its appearance, you can enjoy seasonal cocktail favorites and exotic wines along with hot and cold mixers here.

We recommend trying one of the five-course meal options and its limited edition tasting menu for gastronomic heaven.

Address: 642 King Street W. Toronto ON, M5V 1M7

Petty Cash:

Known for its Casual Vibe and Good Music

Petty Cash is pretty much a standard neighborhood bar, or is it? Don’t be fooled by the laid back vibe here, it truly has much more than that.

To start with, there are three bar areas, a dancefloor, and a patio – all within this medium-sized venue that still appears busy at best. While it’s not a swanky kind of establishment, you can still spend your night partying here.

You can groove to Top 40 and Hip-hop music pretty much anywhere in this club and enjoy a decent menu of food and drinks. The best part – no cover! The downside – you may have to wait for 30-40 minutes to gain entry.

Address: 487 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON

Bar Wellington:

A Place known for its Gastronomic Delights and Tap Beer Specials

Ask any local and they will speak of a prior experience at this historic tavern in Toronto. It has been around for a century, catering to generations of Torontonians with good food and drinks. From the outside, it has retained its rustic nature, while inside is a different story. It has contemporary interiors with a comfortable vibe.

Whether you’re here for a few rounds of drinks, or brunch/lunch/dinner, Bar Wellington won’t disappoint. We recommend tasting the Grilled chicken club Sandwich, Garlic Breads, and Beef Brisket here. Compliment the awesome food with local and regional beers while enjoying your favorite sports games on the TV.

Address: 520 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1E3

Queen West

Queen West was always a happening strip in Toronto. It has been named as the ‘second coolest neighborhood’ in the world by Vogue magazine. The area brims with people from day to night, who come to visit the various watering holes, pubs, art galleries, boutique shops, etc. Queen West is all about the good vibes and the perfect place to spend your weekend nights.

Shameful Tiki Room:

A Hawaiian Joint Known for its Tropical Decor & Liquor

The Shameful Tiki Room is a dimly lit Hawaiin joint that is well-known for its Tropical range of drinks, snacks, and decor. The drinks menu is enormous with a plethora of cocktails and liquors to choose from. The decor is delightful with bamboo and wickers- akin to spending a day at a Hawaiian beach shop with tiki accents all around.

We recommend getting your hands on the Chi-Chi cocktail, which is one huge bowl of alcohol with a tangy flavor.

Address: 1378 Queen St. West

Tennessee Tavern:

A Historic Tavern with a Heavyweight Food & Drinks Menu

Tennessee Tavern has served the locals for decades. This kitchen bar has been the go-to place for a cozy and intimate experience. The place embraces its roots with its menu consisting of two-dollar steals hanging on the entrance.

Yellow mustard pretzels, the smoked fish plate, Sevapi, and the humongous Tennessee platter are a must-try here. For drinks, you have the options for Absinthe, Amaro, Rakija, Whiskey, and a wine list featuring the rarest of bottles.

Address: 1554 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6R 1A6, Canada

416 Snack Bar:

A Cozy Gastropub with Good Music and delectable Food

416 Snack Bar is exactly what it sounds like – a cheeky bar that’s unassuming at first, but slowly grows into you. The whole venue is an ode to Toronto’s culture with bar counters that resemble streetcars, a wall that has chalked drawings of Toronto’s neighborhood, and draught taps made of old telephone poles.

While the menu here is small, but it’s novel dishes with bite-sized portions more than makeup for the dearth of options here. The hot dog with an in-house grilled sausage is, without question, the local favorite here. Other dishes include the Pork Belly Bun, Zesty Chinatown Cold Roll, and the amazing Custard Tarts (which are the only desserts on the menu).

Address: 181 Bathurst St.

Ossington Avenue

Ossington Avenue isn’t far behind when it comes to being one of the most bustling neighborhoods in Toronto. The 21st century has seen several bars and pubs coming up on this strip, making it a trendy spot for night outs. From places where you can grab your favorite drinks to utterly local vibes and live music venues, there are plenty of options where you can chill and have a really good time.

Sweaty Betty’s:

Toronto’s landmark dive bar

Sweaty Betty’s is something of a legend in Toronto. This dive bar has been serving locals for 20 years now and still going strong. We love the interior decor here, which consists of flash art, vintage mirrors, and twinkling red lights.

Being a dive bar, Sweaty Betty’s has a great selection of whiskeys, craft beers, and cocktails. The Pickleback whiskey shot and Greyhound cocktail are our favorites here, though the Run and Ginger beer cocktails aren’t far behind. They also have a wide range of animal-free snacks.

Address: 13 Ossington Ave

The Dakota Tavern:

A dimly lit basement bar known for its live music

The Dakota Tavern has carved out a niche for itself when it comes to live music experience. They regularly invite Canadian music legends to grace their stage, where they create a hyper-melomania kind of experience in their dimly lit basement. It has an old-school vibe with a wooden bar, Tavern stools, and dive bar memorabilia. You can shake a leg at their open dance floor that faces a wall with twinkly lights.

When it comes to alcohol, Dakota Tavern is best known for its draft beers. They also have cocktails and mixology specials that are worth a try here.

Address: 249 Ossington Avenue

Reposado:

A Mexican bar known for its Tequila and lip-smacking drinks

Reposado is an intimate bar that has a more refined setting than Sweaty Betty’s and The Dakota Tavern. As you’d expect, Reposado is best known for its Tequila, but other impressive offerings include its five taps of imported beer, fresh margaritas, and regular live music nights.

The space is a long, narrow room with exposed brick walls and sufficient lighting to get the mood going. The love music stage is right by the front window with a full view of Ossington.

While the live music culture and tequila are must-haves, don’t miss their tapas which have cured salmon, chorizo, chips, and dips.

Address: 136 Ossington Ave.

Dundas Street West

Dundas West forms the triplet of trendy spots in Toronto, lying on the other end of Ossington Avenue opposite Queen West. While it isn’t mentioned in the same breath as King or Queen West, it still outscores most other strips when it comes to unique and specialty bars.

The sheer diversity of options here can be derived from the fact that you can have everything from retro jukeboxes to a Harry Potter-themed establishment. Overall, it’s the street for the complete vibes.

Communist’s Daughter:

An intimate bar that encourages socialization

Lovingly referred to as ‘Commies’ by the locals, Communist’s Daughter is the kind of watering hole where you’d surely bump into your neighbor or friends. It is a tiny place that seems cramped at first. But this is exactly what makes this bar a local hit. Torontonians still head to this bar when they want to catch up with some old friends or make new ones.

Its uncanny decor includes dozens of dollar bills scattered on the wall, but the real attraction here is its jukebox, where you can play any song of your choice. Don’t expect something exotic when it comes to drinks here – there are your typical run-to-the-mill options along with a few beers. The Blackbird shot and Kraken rum shot are what we like to gulp here at the Commies.

Address: 1149 Dundas Street West

Mahjong Bar:

A secretive bar with whacky interiors and delish Chinese cuisine

As you enter the keyhole doorway of the Mahjong bar, you’re greeted with a pink-lit bodega that has wine cans, Doritos, Candies, and Penthouse magazines. But, the surprise continues inside as you walk into a microcosm of attractive red lights with a 36-foot mural, and a stunning pink marble top bar.

Known for its cocktails and Chinese food excellence, our top picks at the Mahjong Bar have been the Chengdu wontons with pork and shrimp stuffings. The pastry wraps and Mahjong half-moons come close to grabbing the second and third spot respectively. But if you have a thing for Chinese food, don’t hesitate to try out their other dishes with Thai spices and chilies.

The Peach Panther and Tropical Thunder are the best cocktails that we’ve tried here – and for good measure. Both contain a medley of flavors and spices that qualify as unique.

Address: 1276 Dundas St W

Cocktail Bar:

A bar known for its, uh, cocktails

Rumor goes that 1 out of four locals in Toronto don’t know about Cocktail Bar. While it’s got something to do with the name, also it’s a seriously under-advertised marketing plan that makes this bar incredibly hard to find on Google. If you’re planning to try this bar for the first time, look out for the tiny sign on the window of a brick facade at Dundas West.

Cocktail Bar has antiquish interiors with a cozy outdoor spot, which is swarming with people during summer. If you like Tequila with a twist, go for the La Chuchilla. For those who have a thing for Sherry, order a Saskatoon Berry Cobbler. The place mostly has snacks to go with the liquor like smoked olives and mixed nuts.

Address: 923 Dundas Street West

College Street

College Street is where college students and young professionals hang out for their nightlife scenes and dating. This street has a diverse range of bars that operate deep into the night to cater to the young and boisterous crowd in the area.

Here are our top picks for bars on College Street:

Birreria Volo:

Known for its barrel-aged brews

Birreria Volo is where you’d want to head when you’re looking for barrel-aged brews and economical snacks. Akin to a beer bar, don’t expect fancy interiors here. It has communal seating with barrels at the back, along with a patio setting. They have a bottle cellar with an extensive selection.

Birreria has a minimal Italian snack menu that uses high-quality ingredients. Try sardines, farro and cece, and a Sicilian-inspired peperonata dish while sipping Saison brews.

Barcode Saturdays:

A luxury nightclub with premium bottle services

If you’re in Toronto and are wondering about the best bars near me to shoot your Saturday night to the roof, look no further than Barcode Saturdays. We’re a Toronto-based nightclub located at the very heart of the City of Queens since 2014, designed by Life Media Group. We’ve made a name for ourselves as the best party destination in downtown Toronto with dapper events and live music that steals the show every night. From a sleek bar to suave interiors, Barcode Saturdays offers the pinnacle of clubbing experience to party animals in Toronto.

Socialize, make new friends, celebrate a special occasion, or simply come celebrate; partying at Barcode Saturdays doesn’t need a reason.

Visit us to be a part of the Toronto party ritual every Saturday night at Barcode Saturdays. Groove to the finest hits and get premium cocktails, champagnes, and drinks with your gang by featuring on our guest list or booking your VIP booth bar.

Our guest list holds super surprises for everyone featured on it. Ladies always have a party for free at Barcode Saturdays; simply visit us before 11:30 PM and party without any charge. Plus, ladies get a complimentary bottle of champagne to begin their epic party.

For a shot of the celebrity feeling, book a VIP Bottle Booth at Barcode Saturdays. Our VIP Booth gives you access to a dedicated party room with two stereo systems to play the genre of your choice. VIP Bottle booth guests also get house champagnes and access to other premium cocktails and drinks. Simply select one of the four options from our bottle booth service and get ready for a sensational night of music mania.

Our guest DJs pump out the greatest and latest Trap, Hip Hop, R&B, Top 40, Latin, and reggae tracks that keep your feet moving and fist-pumping all night long. At Barcode Saturdays, we love the raw and raucous energy that is brought to life every weekend by party animals and freaks in Toronto.

Join our guest list or make a reservation at the most happening nightclub in Toronto.

WHAT MAKES US THE BEST BAR IN TORONTO?

At Barcode Saturdays, we believe in crafting the best possible clubbing experience for all party animals who visit us every Saturday night. From a personal party station to premium drinks and champagne collections, we have a lot to offer. Torontonians love us because of the following reasons:

Sensational Events

Come home to sensational events every weekend at Barcode Saturdays. From the New Year’s Bash to the Caribana carnival and Halloween party, we host enthralling events all around the year. We also love to host Torontonians on their special occasions, like birthdays and bachelorette parties.

Free Ladies Entry

At Barcode Saturdays, we believe that ladies should be able to party without any cover charge, which is why we charge no fee for ladies who sign up as our guestlist before 11:30 PM every Saturday. In addition, they’re set to get a complimentary bottle of champagne on the house.

Personal Bottle Booth

Enjoy celebrity-style clubbing at one of Toronto’s grandest bars and nightclubs. Our VIP bottle booth service ensures a dedicated party station for you and your guests who like to party grand on a Saturday night. Get access to premium drinks, house champagnes, and super surprises exclusively at Barcode Saturdays.

Lavish Bar

Being the top choice nightclub in Toronto, we have a luxurious bar offering premium drinks, cocktails, and champagne to party animals who want to keep it flowing. Select from a wide range of beverages and drinks for a lip-smacking high of energy and entertainment at Barcode Saturdays.

Electrifying Music

Come home to the latest party anthems, including Hip-Hop, Reggae, R&B, and Latin tracks, along with Top 40 hits that keep the energy electrifying on the dancefloor.

PLAN A THRILLING PARTY AT BARCODE SATURDAYS. WE’RE THE BEST BAR NEAR YOU IF YOU’RE IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO. WE SPORT A JOYOUS AMBIANCE WITH UNPARALLELED MUSIC, AMBIANCE, DRINKS, AND SERVICES. CALL (647) 408-1186 FOR INQUIRIES AND RESERVATIONS.

Barcode Saturdays FAQ

Is A Nightclub & A Bar The Same?

The difference between a nightclub & a bar is that nightclubs are typically open in the evening or night hours, while bars are open during the day as well. However, there are also some bars that stay open for 24-hours. Additionally, nightclubs often have more of an emphasis on dancing than bars do.

Is Alcohol Expensive In Toronto Bars?

The cost of alcohol in Toronto bars can vary depending on where you go, but it’s not unusual to spend $12-15 for a domestic beer. If you’re looking for cheap drinks, head over to the LCBO (liquor store) or stay away from the premium downtown bars. Barcode Saturdays, among the top nightclub bar, offer great packages & amazing drinks at a reasonable price.

Is Alcohol Tax-free In Toronto Bars?

The short answer is that alcohol is not tax-free. Beer, wine, cider, and spirits are subject to excise taxes. Some provinces have additional provincial sales taxes on alcoholic beverages. In Toronto Bars, there are many different types of people who enjoy the city’s drinking scene. The thing they all have in common? They have great taste & are thirsty for more!

Can I Bring Bottles Of Liquor Into A Nightclub Bar?

No, you cannot bring bottles of liquor into a nightclub bar. Liquor bottles are not allowed in any nightclubs for safety reasons. In Canada, it is illegal to be intoxicated while driving. So if you’re going out, don’t drink and drive. People under 18 years old are not legally permitted to drink. Anyone who is heavily drunk & out of control on licensed premises will be asked by staff members to leave and not return for 24 hours.

Can You Smoke In Toronto Bars?

No, smoking is not allowed in any bars or restaurants in Toronto. As of November 2nd, 2006, the Smoke-free Ontario Act was implemented. This act prohibits people from smoking inside public places and workplaces, including all bars and restaurants. Smokers are required to be at least 9 meters away from doorways, windows, air intakes & open spaces where others might be present. In other words, smokers can only smoke outside on sidewalks & designated places.

Can You Dance In Toronto Bars?

In Toronto, the top nightclub bar – Barcode Saturdays, has the perfect atmosphere for you, whether you’re looking for somewhere to dance the night away or just want a place where you can have a conversation with friends. We have world-class DJs, top entertainers, and an extensive choice of drinks served every Saturday from 10pm-4am.

When Are Toronto Bars Open To Partygoers?

Most bars in the city of Toronto are open from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekdays, but some open as early as 9 a.m. on Sundays for brunch. Many close at 3 a.m., while others close at 4 or 5 a.m. Barcode Saturdays is open every Saturday from evening till dawn!