From dance floors to jazz bars, discover where to find your kind of fun after the sun sets.

Toronto’s nightlife scene kicks into high gear once the sun goes down. But it’s anything but one-type-fits-all. Does your ideal night out centre around MICHELIN-recommended cuisine and artisanal cocktails? Would you prefer karaoke-belting or grooving to live jazz? What about hitting the dancefloor… or the escape room? (Or, all of the above?)

Toronto ticks all of these boxes and more with its unique clubs, bars, hotspots and lounges. Here’s where to go after dark in a nightlife city you’ll never forget.
 

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Toronto nightlife for the dancefloor devotee

Dubbed the electric city due to local DJs and EDM acts such as Kaytranada, Simone Denny, Debby Friday and deadmau5 hitting the global charts, Toronto’s high-energy vibe is nothing short of legendary.

Rebel

With its four rooms doling out four different vibes (usually Hip-Hop, Top 40, EDM and Reggaeton), the Waterfront’s Rebel nightclub packs in crowds ranging from 19 to 60-plus.

Under the Daft Punk-esque mirror balls of the central dancefloor, you’ll get Vegas-worthy pyrotechnics and the kind of complex LED lighting shows that will make you feel like you’re stepping into a piece of AI art.

Isabelle’s

As one of the poshest clubbing options in Toronto, Isabelle’s is a must for those who want sleek décor (think chrome Roman busts and Boho-meets-Moroccan furnishings), a set list of dancey R&B beats and a loft-party environ in the heart of the Entertainment District. Avoid disappointment and get on the guest list ahead of time.

Pro tip: be aware that Isabelle’s dress code is fashion-forward in keeping with the chic surroundings.

Crews & Tangos

Dancing with drag kings and queens is par for the course at Crews & Tangos, the number one drag bar in Toronto’s queer village for more than 30 years. Hundreds of wigs have been shaken, stirred and tossed in this super casual, two-storey, three-dancefloor establishment in a circa-1850s row house.

Expect pumping diva-centric house and disco remixes on the DJ’s setlist here, and get ready to werk your body until the wee hours of the night. Canada’s Drag Race winners like Priyanka had their big break on this venue’s stage.
 

Toronto nightlife for the bon vivant

Settle in for engaging conversation over artisan cocktails and MICHELIN-recognized cuisine. With one MICHELIN 2-Star restaurant, twelve MICHELIN 1-Star restaurants and nearly two dozen MICHELIN Bib Gourmand-earning restaurants, Toronto offers plenty of options for discerning diners.

Goodnight Cocktail

Goodnight Cocktail—hidden above Cherry’s High Dive in the Entertainment District—is like entering a time machine and punching in 1976. Think: amber glass lighting fixtures, circular booths with retro floral prints and burnt orange cushions. 

Nibble on charcuterie, cucumber carpaccio, or ricotta and nduja toast in between show-stealing cocktails like The Farewell Tour (malt whisky and ginger tea) and The Flamingo Room (dragonfruit-infused vodka and yuzu foam). 

The novel cocktail menu will have you guessing what intriguing flavours—banana bergamot bitters?—are in mixed into your glass.

La Banane

A must-visit on the hip Ossington Village strip, La Banane attracts cocktail enthusiasts and lovers of French fusion.

Dig into duck croquettes, Hokkaido scallops, a stellar raw bar and caviar service—plus the best eurobass-en-croûte (a whole fish wrapped in a latticed pastry crust) in the city.

The cocktails match the swanky contemporary French menu and décor, with cheers-worthy cocktails like the Depêche Mode (made with Japanese whisky, peach and fino sherry) and the Serenity Now (a blend of mellow maple wine and mezcal).

Cool fact: La Banane is Canada’s best French restaurant, according to Chef Masaki Saito of Sushi Masaki Saito, Canada’s only MICHELIN 2-Star recognized restaurant.

White Lily Diner

Comfort food lovers who want a hearty meal before a long night out will be glad they indulged in the meatloaf or hot turkey dinner at this small but spectacular Riverside diner (which has earned a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand for its cuisine and a MICHELIN Green Star for its sustainable kitchen practices).

White Lily Diner doesn’t take reservations but the night-of waitlist is worth it. Order the homemade donuts and choose a libation from the tiny but mighty cocktail list (which includes a killer negroni and a honey and gin drink appropriately called The Bee’s Knees).

Writer’s Room Bar

Late-night lobster rolls, iced latte martinis, maple crème brûlée and a curated selection of bitters (all dedicated to Canadian writers) are just a few menu items that keep luring celebrities (Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron) into the Gatsby-esque oak-and-velvet confines of this upscale Yorkville bar. 

The prices are steep, but you get some of the best skyline views of the city (the Writer’s Room Bar is located on the rooftop of the Park Hyatt Toronto). The well-rounded choices of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes are a bonus.

Toronto nightlife for the action seeker

From eateries with ping pong tables to bars that boast bowling alleys, here are some action-packed spaces for sports lovers and thrill seekers to eat, play and groove.

Rec Room

Bowling, mini golf, axe throwing, ping pong, archery and virtual reality simulators are just a few of the experiences to check out in this state-of-the-art restaurant-bar-club hybrid. 

Food-wise, the Rec Room, a 40,000-square-foot venue located in the South Core, serves savoury pub-style fare and a standard bar of classics mixed in with seasonal items like chicken wings and spiked boba teas.

The Ballroom Bowl

Three locations across this city is a testament to how much fun bowling—which has DJs spinning until midnight on the weekend and lanes that can fit eight people per lane—can be.

If bowling isn’t your thing, fear not, The Ballroom Bowl also offers pool and ping pong tables. The resto-bar serves draft beer and has a strong wine list (top Canadian vintages) and plenty of cocktails—Mexpresso Martinis made with espresso and Kahlua may just boost your strike average.

Off World Bar

Sipping cocktails against a backdrop of gigantic immersive screens projecting interplanetary maps and alien life forces can be quite a thrill. Off World Bar, a Queen Street West gathering space literally looks like you’re flying in a spaceship.

The Star Trek-ian, computer-generated décor pairs nicely with a menu list identified as “Experiential Drinks.” Say cheers with quirky cocktails like The Black Hole: espresso ice cream with aged rum—served with sound-cancelling headphones pre-programmed with the sounds of a real Black Hole captured by NASA.

Toronto nightlife for the jazz aficionado

Toronto’s jazz scene has thrived since the late 50s, a time when Oscar Peterson recorded his now-legendary album, On The Town, in the city’s historic Town Tavern. While the Tavern isn’t around anymore, a number of venues tout a new generation of jazz innovators.

The Rex

Thousands of jazz musicians from Toronto and beyond have cut their teeth at Queen West’s The Rex, including the likes of Maceo Parker and Wynton Marsalis. Audiences here are serious jazz fans who flock for long, late-night jam sessions.

Food is mainly pub fare, while the drink of choice here is whatever’s on tap. This historic venue hosts 14 shows per week and is one of the most casual and affordable spots in the city to dig deep into the genre with other fans.

Reservoir Lounge

Nestled beside Toronto’s iconic Flatiron building in Old Town, Reservoir Lounge shines a light on the city’s emerging singer-songwriters who fuse jazz into all kinds of genres of music. Dinner reservations are a must, as tables go fast. 

Night owls rejoice: the place is hopping until 2 a.m. Bespoke martinis (try the Asian pear or the lychee ones) and tapas-style plates are the way to go (solid choices range from the Seared Tuna Tataki to the Quattro Stagioni pizzas).

Jazz Bistro

Steps away from bustling Downtown Yonge Street, this slice of musical heaven drowns out all the hustle and bustle of the city’s shopping hub and transports listeners back into bygone eras.

Soul, R&B and jazz vocalists and musicians from around the city and world have been updating the great songbooks for years at Jazz Bistro. Jazz lovers can expect sultry, serene sounds and terrific menu options in a cozy yet posh environment.

The bistro has an exceptional wine list (the focus is on French and Italian wines) and a mouthwatering menu (mains such as Ontario Angus strip loin in red wine reduction are clear winners).
 

Toronto nightlife for the game seeker

Those who love a retro game night are spoiled for choice in Toronto. From pinball to Pac-Man, racing games to secret doors, Toronto is the place to get your geek on.

Tilt Arcade Bar

Fans of 80s and 90s video games will want to head over to Queen West’s Tilt Arcade Bar to spend hours jumping between 18 pinball machines and 20+ iconic arcade games (the whole Mario Brother and Pac-Man families can be played here).

While the cuisine won’t be earning any accolades—think nachos, burgers, hot dogs, deep-fried Mars bars and Oreo cookies—they’ll hit just right with your fave draft beer and the perfect Player 2 by your side.

Greta Bar YYZ

If you’re into racing games and fusion street food, Greta Bar YYZ is definitely for you, with its The Fast & The Furious arcade machines, Mario Cart racers and food-truck-esque menu.

Perfect for big groups, this King Street West bar—which offers tequila bottle service and serves platters of spicy mac n’ cheese, dill pickle fries and wagyu burgers—is definitely a fun spot to spend some tokens.

Storm Crow Manor

Located in an old Victorian mansion in Church-Wellesley Village, Toronto’s greatest geek bar packs two floors with multiple themed rooms, secret doors and catacombs.

Board game lovers adore Storm Crow Manor because its creepy and creaky confines make it perfect for playing Dungeons and Dragons or Jenga while munching on Tater Tots of Terror and Chickpea Fries.

Toast the night’s festivities with a Marg Simpson (a Triple Sec-based mango cocktail topped with Blue Curacao foam) or Beetle Juice (a melon liqueur-based confection with “gummy sandworms”).
 

Toronto nightlife for the karaoke king or queen

Aspiring Mariahs and wanna-be Whitneys have a variety of spaces in Toronto to showcase their chops. From casual karaoke rooms to solid gold disco-inspired stages, divas and crooners of all kinds can find their vibe.

Bar + Karaoke

If singing your heart out in a macked-out 90s record studio is your thing, head over to Yonge Street’s Bar+ Karaoke and reserve a private room to Y2K the night away.

The drinks are affordable (with a stellar soju selection), and the food is more on the snacky side, but time flies when you start rifling—and belting—through hundreds of this bar’s international song lists; there are five languages to choose from.

Fridays and Saturdays after 8 p.m. are for adults only, and reservations are strongly suggested.

BBoss KTV

With its checkered floors and neon lights, singing in Chinatown’s BBoss KTV is like living your best 80s cartoon life (Gem and the Holograms, anyone?).

Libations on the menu are as quirky and old school as the artists in BBoss’s songbooks: both have B-52s. Their small rooms have space for no more than eight aspiring chanteurs and chanteuses, so book a middle room if you’re texting friends to join until 3 a.m.

Jean Darlene Piano Room

Hidden at the end of an alley behind a Kentucky Fried Chicken lays one of Toronto’s best-kept secrets for songbirds. Little Portugal’s Jean Darlene is the place to test your power to bop or flop.

Broadway-loving crooners must follow @jeandarlenepianoroom on Instagram to see what days they can sign up to sing with live piano accompaniment under a mirror ball on a golden stage.

Whether you hit or miss, the generous charcuterie boards and rotating cocktail menu will make you feel like a star.

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