Best cocktails of the trip for this #22 on the best of North America's '26 bars. 4.5 stars…read more Cocktails: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: yes Highlights: - James was a wonderful host with great recommendations. Even when one was a miss for me, he followed up with a winner - Claire De Lune: gin, vanilla, almost clarified punch style was my favorite. 5 stars - Spiced Prophecy: tequila, ginger, and mint drink was so smooth and effervescent and came with a little sparkly fire show with a wreath of steel wool around it. 5 stars - Fun vibe though was a thin hallway with just a few tables - Style: Q-bert black and white cube flooring Midlights - Some heavy on the scotch flavor which isn't my thing Lowlights - Came from dinner so didn't have room to try snacks

I'm a big fan of Manhattans, so when I heard that Mother was serving up a supposedly top-notch…read moreversion, I knew I had to check it out for myself. I arrived at around 6:30 on a recent Wednesday and the place was about half full. I snagged a spot at the end of the bar and began perusing the menu. Obviously I had to get the Bobby Burns in Manhattan ("Bourbon, Canadian Whisky, Blended Scotch, Italian Vermouth Blend, aromatic Bitters, Salted Vanilla and Drambuie. Burnt caramel with bright aromatics") and it was ready a few minutes later. It's incredible. It's right up there with the best Manhattans I've ever had, and it's sure possible it might be the best. The balance of flavors is right on point, and it's also been incorporated with other tastes that work perfectly. (I returned to Mother a few weeks later and it was just as good the second time.) I was feeling a little peckish, so I went ahead and ordered the Jerk Chicken Karaage. It arrived piping hot and was a far bigger portion than I had anticipated. I figured I'd never be able to finish it, but it was so delicious I inhaled the whole thing. For my second drink, I went with the Honey + ("100% Agave Reposado Tequila, Espadin Mezcal, Ontario Bee Pollen, Salted Lavender Honey & Fresh Citrus. Floral, Smoky & Tart"), and it was so satisfying and flavorful. (I'm all about that Manhattan, though.) Mother is a terrific place. The atmosphere is awesome and my bartender was super friendly and helpful. It deserves its place as one of the city's very best cocktail bars.

Finally got around to checking this place out after walking by so many times and seeing what fun…read morewas happening inside. We made a point of checking out the buck-a-shuck special from 6-7PM so rushed down on Boxing Day 2025 to see how it compared to our recent trip to Ngogo in west Queen west. We were in for a treat! The oysters were fantastic! And the Yuzu slushie sauce that was house made went fantastic with its tangy lemony flavour. Very good! They also have some interesting takes on classic cocktails for $15 on Happy House special as well, but that will be another time. I like how roomy the place was with room for a DJ and dancing although I'm not sure that happens there, it's worth finding out. This definitely seems like a real gem in the hood as I can't think of anything quite like it. Go take a look and see what you think, trust me you will smile : )

Went recently on a Monday with a group of four. They have a buck of shuck oyster special. Paired…read morewith a yuzu foam. Super fresh and delicious! we paired these items with the lovely cocktails they have to offer! Incredible night with amazing service . The drinks we chose were a bit on the sweeter side, so easier to drink and doesn't taste too alcohol forward. The alcohol forward cocktails were balanced! I had a Smokey old fashioned

Great concept and vibe, but expect to be nickel and dimed which ruins the experience…read more This cocktail bar gets great reviews, so I thought we'd go for drinks. Went end of the night and sat at the bar. Bartender told us there are no menus. You tell him what you're looking for in terms of flavor and spirit and he'll create something. I think we said savory rum based. The bartender made two daiquiri riffs that were decent. Got the bill to see upcharges for premium rum, upcharged for shaken cocktails too. We never asked for this, but he sure charged us for things we shouldn't have to pay for. Drinks weren't even memorable. Won't be back.

We went to about a dozen bars in the Toronto area and every bartender said we had to stop by Civil…read moreLiberties. This spot doesn't have a menu per se. Instead it's a wall of flavor profiles. The bar tender asks what kind of drink you want and makes a one of one hand crafted cocktail. It's also delicious. The group had a large order and the bar staff remembered everything we asked for. Extremely impressive. A must try

I came to Bar 404 for a girls' night catch-up, and it ended up being the perfect spot for it. The…read morespace is huge and the atmosphere made it easy to settle in and spend a few hours just talking. The staff were also incredibly kind and even let us stay and chat until closing, which I really appreciated. You really can't go wrong with this place. I'd definitely come back.

Really cool little place. You walk up the stairs to what seems like a dead end and then they pop…read moreopen the hidden door into the area. There's the floor tables, which, if I'm being honest, could be set up in a little more organized fashion but I suspect they may do music here or something and the seating needs to be a little more fluid. The bar seating though is really cool. Slightly elevated and then sitting around the cylindrical bottle shelves and display. The bartender was a nice, young guy who wasn't super knowledgeable about the drinks and ingredients necessarily but was cool to talk to. Drinks were definitely fun and interesting and not terribly priced. Probably not my favorite bar in the city but I'd go back if I was in the area.

Best atmosphere and unexpected hit cocktail for this #8 on the best of North America's '26 bars. My…read morefave stop on our Toronto weekend where we hit 4 of these caliber cocktail bars. Food: 5 Cocktails: 5 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 5 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: no reservations taken Return worthiness: yes Highlights: - Best vibes: fun party music like MJ, Prince, and a huge variety of upbeat hits. - Croque Monsieur: delectable. So cheesy and craveable. Cut in 3 convenient strips for snacking. 5 stars - Cornichon martini: wasn't sure about it, but gave it a try and loved it. Briney tangy smooth boozy chilled goodness in a glass. 5 stars - Kitchen is always open: love that - Small place with some tables in front and a short bar up a step in the back Midlights: - Our waitress was super fun but disappeared but someone else came to help us for subsequent rounds eventually Lowlights - No reservations take so you gotta take a chance to see if they have space (we got lucky late on a Saturday for 2)

Overall: 5 stars…read more Casually upscale bar on a bustling Toronto street that is on the list of Top 50 Best Bars on the World. Since Toronto was having heavy rainfall, we were able to walk in around 6:30p without any wait at all (since they don't take reservations). The drinks were creative, high quality, and well executed, so this is a strong recommend from me! Nancy's Treat - Beautifully refreshing cocktail that captures the flavors of the garden from the strawberry to the rhubarb. A pleasant drink that is pleasant on the palette, with a clear sophisticated block ice etching. Food: +1 Presentation: +1 Price: +1 Atmosphere: E Service: E Menu: +1 Insta/Yelp/Beli: @amei_eats Insta/TikTok: @ameizing.race

The Coolest Speakeasy in Toronto!…read more I'm on a dating tour and I'm currently listening to my therapist (my bestie) and dating them ALL! (Best advice ever, highly recommend.) So when this handsome fit fella said I bought you a ticket to come see me, I said I'll see you soon! Because Ladies the last man I dated said he was the best I'd find, and that he was a good catch. Good catch alright, I caught him left and right texting desperate women who wanted to see him. Ladies have HIM! He's good for a meal, that was the advice I got when I first started seeing him and I didn't listen! Shout out to that Yelp angel who I didn't listen to! He's is no prize, you were right! That's for sure! You've seen my pictures, talk about UPGRADE! Now let's talk about Prequel! While on a first date my new honey pot (yes they all get the same name) decided to take me all over Ossington. He lives in walking distance which is way cool! For our pregame we walked into this little upscale shop or so I thought, he said table for two. I was looking around confused and then voilà a distinguished gentleman appeared from the hidden door! Sooo cute! Upon entering this dimly lit enchanting room you see leather chairs and a place where honestly I could come to daily. I wish this was my neighborhood watering hole. Now this was NICE! Our bartender was awesome and made our drinks to perfection! My pictures of the drinks are picture perfect! Love this place and definitely returning when I come back to see this handsome man! (He really is. I know y'all don't trust me. lol I promise no more large men.) Till next time! Perfect date night vibes, highly recommend! Yelp didn't attach my original pics but there are more! They are beautiful too!

First of all, I really admire how committed Prequel & Co. Apothecary is to its concept. So many…read morebars have a theme, but this is one of the few where it actually carries through every part of the experience. From the entrance to the interior and even the drinks themselves, everything is thoughtfully curated around the apothecary concept. The cocktails are all creatively themed, which makes the menu fun to explore. One of my favourite things to order is the warm olives with bread. They're simple, but so good that I usually end up (embarrassingly) asking for extra bread every time I come... If you're looking for a bar that's as much about the experience and atmosphere as it is about the drinks, I'd definitely recommend here.

Classic bar with exposed brick and leatherette booths. Great whiskey selection. Visiting Canada for…read morethe first time as a whiskey drinker and wanted to try the much maligned Canadian whiskeys. This place had a solid old fashioned and a terrific collection. I started with Canadian Club 18 yr. And it was good. A few others I won't bore you with. I had the beef sliders and they were tasty. Nicole was friendly and super helpful and I enjoyed chatting with whiskey aficionados at the bar. Can't wait to come back and try more of their collection!

Came here as part of a bachelor party. We did the tunnel tour and the historian did a great job…read moreexplaining to our group of 10 the different types of whisky and tasting notes. He made reasonable suggestions for us to try that were not too pricey. We didn't stay too long but also got some wings and Parmesan truffle fries before leaving. Food was tasty so overall a really positive experience to start our night. I'm not a whiskey guy myself but would recommend for whiskey lovers.

First class experience. Great bartender and a solid old fashion cocktail…read more Easy walk from our hotel.

I had visited this restaurant in hopes of finding a great place that offers unique food. Me and my…read morefriends stumbled upon this place and were impressed! The atmosphere was very nice, with dim lighting and an elegant feel with the decor, abundance of large windows, and little lamps on the table. We ordered fried calamari, shrimp tacos, beef tacos, and a tuna platter with tortilla chips. The food was super delicious and definitely left me satisfied. Our server was also very kind, complimenting our outfits and asking about our night out. I'd definitely go back and try their cocktails next time. I thought it was really cool how their cocktails are priced based on the stock market, definitely a unique feature!