Finally got around to checking this place out after walking by so many times and seeing what fun was 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 : ) read more

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Went recently on a Monday with a group of four. They have a buck of shuck oyster special. Paired with 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 read more

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Stopped by for a quick drink before a movie. They had a private event happening at 8 pm but we had to be out by then anyway. Ordered our drinks, which were decent. They have a bourbon Manhattan on the menu but don't use bourbon in it, so if you're particular about your cocktails, ask before you order or they won't inform you. We were trying to be friendly and asked the bartender what the event was and she was cold and rude. We also asked another question about the bottles they had at the bar and she continued to be rude and tell us she doesn't know anything. Not quite the experience we wanted. And definitely won't be going back again. Also, this bar is always empty when I've walked by or dropped in. read more

Watson's is a chill, somewhat upscale bar that's perfect for a laid-back evening. The interior is dark yet very pretty, creating a nice atmosphere for hanging out. The service was super nice; they were really helpful when it came to picking out drinks, which were all yummy, though I'll admit the service was a bit slow. The grilled cheese was incredible--cheesy with perfectly toasty bread, and the caramelized onions added just the right touch of sweetness . We also had some popcorn that was sprinkled with Parmesan bits, and it was quite good. Overall, Watson's is a great find for a cocktail bar that serves good drinks and yummy snacks. read more

Watson's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Came here for drinks with a small group on a Saturday night. We had advance reservations so we sat along the couches in our own area to the right of the entrance. All of the drinks were delicious and presented in an elevated way. It was probably the best old fashioned I've ever had, according to my preferences. The space gives off a bit of nightclub vibes since the music was blasting and people danced here and there. The only downside was the wait between drinks was incredibly long, around 40 minutes per round. Our server apologized for the hecticness in the end of the night. Overall I enjoyed the drinks here but it's definitely a place to chill if you have a few hours instead of barhopping. read more

Watson's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We were vising our old stomping grounds and stumbled on this gem by chance. We count ourselves lucky we don't live in the area anymore as this would have become our weekly stop at any minor inconvenience in our lives. We came early in the evening where there was still light out, but we imagine this place being very popular once the sun sets. The decor is fun and inviting, the service and staff are lovely and the drinks are both delicious and artistically crafted. We had the Manhattan to Birmingham and the Anthropologist. Both had distinct but lovely flavor profiles. The Anthropologist was light but creamy, with a subtle hint of citrus. The Manhattan to Birmingham was dark, smokey and slightly herbal. Very different but I would recommend both. Definitely stop by for a drink! read more

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Atmosphere: 3.5/5 The bar is quite loud as you would expect from any popular downtown bars. Peaky Blinders was playing on the screens in black and white to add to the vibe. The washroom was decorated with a collage of pop culture references, including Heisenberg (Breaking Bad), Taxi Driver, The Godfather, and others. We had initially wanted to sit on the lounge chairs near the window, but were shown to the bar instead. I had placed a reservation for a high-top table, but upon entry was shown to the bar seating instead without asking for my name. Since there were no coat hangers or backrest on the stools, it made the seating quite uncomfortable as we sat on our bunched up winter jackets. Food: 3.5/5, Drinks: 4.5/5 We came after dinner for cocktails so we only ordered the beef tartare as a snack, which came on 3 small pieces of toast. The flavour was a bit too tart for my liking, but still good. For the cocktails, we had the Anthropologist (gin, sorrel, peach, lemon, egg whites), Soho Garden (vodka, St. Germain, passion fruit, saffron, apple-mango, lemon), Forbidden Lady (tequila, mezcal, pistachio, ginger, lemon, egg whites), and the Manhattan to Birmingham (tobacco-infused bourbon, whisky, sweet vermouth, amaro, green chartreuse, cardamom). They were each unique and boozy, with complex ingredients. My favourite was the Soho Garden, sweet and tangy with popping fruit caviar (fruit-flavoured popping bubbles). The manhattan to birmingham is strong and smokey if you're looking for something darker. read more

Drinks were delicious! Food was great! And ambiance was fun! This might be one of my go to bars moving forward. The music was great the whole time. It's a bit loungy chill vibe which I love. And just a good place to hang out with friends read more

Watson's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Watson's was amazing! The ambiance, food, and service. There was only one bartender and one chef and the bartender was so awesome. Working in customer service myself, I did have the urge to help him, but he didn't break a sweat. He was still pleasant and gave great service. I will be back next time I'm in town! read more

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While waiting for a table at a popular speakeasy bar (After Seven), my friend and I were passing the time bar hopping along Queen St. This was our second stop after The Friar (Firkin) and our favorite bar of the night. The atmosphere was laid back, the music was good (90s & 00s), the service was attentive, the drinks were delicious and the food was also amazing. That Friday night, they had a taco chef making fresh tacos barside. I was a bit skeptical about bar tacos North x 2 of the border, but they were good. The drinks were outstanding as well. It's a shame I didn't take any pictures, but I do remember the Epsom's Finest being quite refreshing. Our waitress was quite attentive and friendly. Overall a great experience, so much so that we didn't want to leave when After Seven texted us about an open table. Looking back, the drinks and atmosphere at After Seven were lackluster compared to Watson's. We definitely had more fun at Watson's and I would return in a heartbeat. read more

Watson's - Tacos - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The ambiance is chill and inviting. Food is great and service is spot on, thank you Ali for the drinks! Check this spot out and they have full service until 2am! read more

Watson's - Pisco sour - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Checked out Watson's with a few friends we ordered some drinks and food. Watson's is kind in a no-mans land part of Richmond and not the easiest to get to. Small place, nice ambiance but kinda loud and it was hard to hear eachother. They had a small food menu with tapas style plates. We ordered the Octopus which was on top an avocado puree. There was a matcha "W" on the plate to dab the octopus in to give it a bitter note. Wasn't bad but the puree was flavourless and didn't add anything to the dish. I did like how they cut The octopus into pieces which made it easier for sharing. We also ordered a dozen oysters that came with 2 sauces a tomatillo and spicy sauce. Oysters were fresh but on the small side. We could of skipped this. Also the Watson ceviche with shrimp and sea bass. There were good size pieces of shrimp but didn't really notice the sea bass. The ceviche could have been more acidic. It didn't really seem like a ceviche. We ordered the sliders, not really a fan of those. It was like a pulled pork and the sweetness balance was off. I ordered the Molotito Brisket, which was like a burrito, and I liked it. It had substance. For what it was it was and when it was all said and done it was on the pricey side for what we got. I wouldn't rush back any time soon. read more

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Amazing cocktails, probably the best we've had in this city. The bartender is an artist with our drinks as you can see from the pictures. Very cozy, intimate spot which you can easily miss on Richmond but so glad we found our way our way here. Our waiter Sina was amazing and super friendly. We even got a picture with him because he was a nice and personable guy. The restroom wallpapers are funny and the entire place has quirky wallpaper. We got patata brava for snacking. It was great but a little under seasoned. Overall, we will return for the great cocktails and our friend Sina. read more

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What a great find! I'm so sad that I didn't discover this bar sooner but grateful they survived so far through the pandemic. Plenty of bar seats, a couple of comfy sofas at the front area and a good amount of seating to make it feel lively and cosy (when I imagine it full pre pandemic times) Sunday/Monday are Nick a shuck nights with 1/2 price bottles of wine. There is also a small food menu and a very interesting drink menu. Unique ingredients, fun combinations, and a tiki glass with a potato star chip decoration...! The decor is stunning..beautiful paintings/murals (I really wish I had taken photos but was busy scarfing down those oysters lol). Service was amazing! We wanted to order the octopus from the menu but unfortunately it wasn't available so they gave us chips/salsa for free. The bartender was so nice and polite and said Watson's is the place where other bartenders come to enjoy a drink. He also mentioned plans to open up another location soon! I will definitely be back here to once again enjoy this gem! read more

Watson's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Easy 5 stars. They follow through with reservations in a timely manner, the drinks were awesome and great music in the background for a Friday night. Do yourself a favour and order the Soho Garden (if you are a fan of citrus). read more

Watson's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

LITERALLY SOME OF THE BEST TACOS I'VE EVER HAD! Had to put that in caps to get my point across lol. Every taco I tried was just a piece of heaven. I tried the shrimp, birria, and chorizo and all were just chef's kiss. The chips and guac and salsa were absolutely delicious. The drinks were also amazing. Our waiter whose name I wish I remembered was the best - so attentive and friendly. I would one thousand percent come back here for a date night or with the gals again. It is a cocktail bar so the menu is limited but the items they do have on their menu are so delicious. Try it out! read more

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A great night spent at Watson's! A couple of the dishes were really good- one of the tacos and the guac. And some of drinks were really well balanced. More like a 4/5 but bumping to a 5/5 cuz we had a great server and awesome spot at the cocktail bar. Would definitely be a great spot to be a regular at and have a night cap if you live in the neighbourhood - good vibes only read more

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Watson's is a local hidden gem in the Downtown Toronto core for their unique cocktails and vibes. Whether it's a post-party drink or a spot to hangout with friends, Watson's is a reliable spot for their Buck a Shuck Oyster Deal on Sundays/Mondays and live music on Wednesdays! Lots of handmade cocktails to suit any palate, they also have a decent dood offering with a cook making fresh tacos barside on Fridays. The service of the bar was quite good as the servers were attentive to ensure me and my friends had a good time at the bar. I can't wait for my next visit! read more

Super cute bar. We walked in for just a drink. There's four of us and we actually end up staying for a couple rounds. My friend ended up ordering the octopus, which was delicious. It was all over cooked but it was still really really good good read more

Watson's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Amazing cocktail! One of the best I e ever had. Food was excellent as well but took a very long time to arrive considering no one else was eating that I could see. I almost left before eating. Considering the beautiful vibe of this setting which is candlelit, I feel the music should reflect the atmosphere as well. I know it's popular these days to have fairly loud house music everywhere but a quieter jazzy possibly playlist would lend itself to date night conversations. read more

My buddy and I came randomly on a quiet Sunday night to discover they have buck a shuck oysters. To our surprise, this is some of the freshest oysters I've ever had! Wide selection of hard liquor and the cocktails are beautiful and delicious. Excellent date spot as well! read more

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We went here late evening and were pleasantly surprised. The place has nice decor and we were promptly seated on arrival. We tried few cocktails and all were amazing. The staff was courteous and overall ambiance was nice. Would definitely like to try again. read more

Watson's is a neighbourhood favourite of mine - they have a beautiful bar with lots of cool art, and it's an easy place to stop by for a quick drink. Their spirit menu is vast, with many types of bourbon that I'd be hard pressed to find at other bars. They've also got a brand new food menu which looks great and I'm looking forward to trying on my next visit. read more

Kiera is exceptional as a bartender. She was amazing and made sure all of our needs were met. We came to see Dave Mathews Band play and ended up stopping by this gem on our way back to the air BnB. Great time has by all! read more

Every Sunday and Monday, Watson's offers buck-a-shuck oysters and half-price bottles of wine. They were open on the Family Day stat holiday, and my Dad loves oysters, so my family took him for his birthday. We had top-notch service from start to finish. The oysters were fresh, sizeable and delicious. Although the have a small food menu, each food item was exceptionally tasty. The ambiance was lovely and candle-lit, with good music. It was very cool, with a youthful crowd, but also inclusive and serviceable enough for my senior citizen parents. We will definitely be back. read more

I love Watson's and I will definitely be back here again. Watson's has a very unique "BYOF" (Bring Your Own Food) Policy, meaning that they literally don't have any food to serve you. Instead, you bring in any outside food you want and munch on it during your stay. The options are (literally) endless. For example, you can: - Order a pizza right to the restaurant. - Go to McDonald's and pick up some McDoubles and McNuggets before heading over. - Order Banh Mi Boys through UberEats and have some Kimchi Fries while you drink. - Call your roommate and have him/her bring last night's leftovers to the venue. To compensate for their lack of edibles, Watson's has an enormous selection of drinks. The bartender that served my party was very knowledgeable and would make you pretty much anything your heart desired. We even brought a few board games into the bar and played drinking games to our hearts' content. I plan on coming back many times. read more

Me, my friends, and my girlfriend had a great time at Watson's this past Friday! It was our second time going and our second time having Sina as a server. We ordered drinks , oysters , and sardines! The sardines were delicious and the oysters were super fresh. The hot sauce paired with the oysters and the lemon sorbet hit different! Sina was our server and when I tell you he gave us the best service I've ever received I'm not joking. He even made us a custom drink for our last round. Watson's will always be our go to place when we come to Toronto and Sina will be our go to server! read more

I enjoyed the drinks on the menu, all very appealing looking, also the location is small and comforting. Note that the drinks on the menu are all sweet. My friend and I decided to go off menu after our first drink as the drinks were too sweet. read more

An interesting place because they have no table service but fancy drinks. I really like how you can choose your base liquor and then pay an extra $4, for example, to turn that base liquor into a cocktail. Very straightforward pricing when it comes to upgrading the liquor in your cocktail. I tend to like fancier whiskeys in my manhattans, for example, so being able to choose the base with a straightforward menu and pricing method seems really great. The service was quick but impersonal. They have a lot of people to serve fancy cocktails to so I could see why they wouldn't invest any time in getting attached. One thing with the bar service is you should pay attention when they're making your drink. For example, if you order a fancy cocktail with 6 ingredients, they might omit 1-2 of them for some unknown reason. I would clarify the ingredients of the cocktail with them and then they would add the remaining ingredients they had omitted. Problem solved, but that seems a bit odd for a bartender at a fancy bar. They should know the cocktails on their menu better than their patrons. Still though, if you're on them re: the accuracy of the cocktail, and don't mind that they aren't that friendly, this is a really great place for drinks. Well-designed menu and concept. Totally worth going to! I look forward to trying it out again. read more

Watson's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A fun place to get a reasonably priced drink downtown! The place is usually buzzing with all manner of people here to do a whole bunch of different things. Maybe you are here to watch some sports, sample their extensive liquor collection, pre-drink before the night begins, play some board games, or even just people watch. They have a BYOF (bring your own food) policy so don't expect a food menu here. I was meeting up with a friend before dinner and this was a great spot I had never discovered before. I ordered a negroni and it was made just right. I enjoyed my time here and would definitely keep this place in mind next time for a meetup. read more

We passed the time at Watson's while on the wait list for Aloette around the corner. It was a very quiet Wednesday night in January so it wasn't super busy. We grabbed a spot at the bar and ordered a gin cocktail and a pint. Was going to order a second drink when we got a text from the restaurant that our table was ready. Wished we could have lingered a bit longer for another drink but dinner was waiting. read more

I've been here for drinks a few times and I've had good service. I get the Sir Perry pear cider. This bar does not sell food apart from Miss Vicky's chips, so you can BYOF. They also have a small collection of board games in the back, including Cards Against Humanity, classic! read more

Trendy bar, amazing selection of liquor. I went on a Saturday night, it was live and let me tell you the prices are phenomenal. And I can't forgot the shot of Don Julio was A1! read more

Watson's - Henny and GradMainer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Such a unique place to begin with. Be aware they serve only drinks there but the atmosphere is very low key and great place for catching up with friends. You're able to bring your own food or play board game. Drinks is great and cost effective. read more

This bar is super fun and I'd definitely recommend it for parties of all sizes! Came here on a Friday night to have some drinks with a few friends and I was pretty impressed. What stood out most was the fact that you get to bring your own food inside to have with your alcohol. I saw some people bringing in pizza, McDonald's, birthday cakes, you name it! It's a great way to save some money when you want to have cheap comfort food with some liquor involved or to celebrate a birthday. Not only that, but there's a shelf full of board games for you to play and TVs to watch sporting games if you're into that stuff. The atmosphere is very chill and everyone is friendly (staff AND customer crowd). read more

The best bar I have ever been to. I recommend this to all my friends and family. The staff is amazing. Food and cocktails are delicious. Luis, Jeff, Chris, and Fitz make the bar so welcoming. A+++ read more

The worst customer service at the bar on the night of the Raptors game. Asked to close my tab and they helped 20 other people that came after me. When I expressed my displeasure calmly they told me to get out before they kicked me out. Absolute worst service. Don't go here read more

Passed by Watson's a few times when it was still under construction and very happy it finally opened! Why you should visit: *BYOF - whaaaaaaaaa this is awesome. Since Watson's doesn't have a kitchen, you bring any food you want here. Order takeout, bring leftovers, whatever. *Cocktail mix - you pick your base liquor and add anywhere from $1 to 4 to make it a fancy cocktail like a Paloma and Blackbird Not too packed on a weekend night likely because it's still new so I'll definitely be enjoying this place for many outings to come. Plenty of seating, big TVs for sports, board games for you and your friends... Watson's is whatever you want it to be. read more

This was my first bar ever and it was amazing!!! Seneca was so nice and recommended some bomb ass drinks. I.T was lit 10/10

Leafs Red Wings game tied in the third. They refuse to change any of the TVs because of figure skating and karaoke. Embarassed for this place. read more