Great concept and vibe, but expect to be nickel and dimed which ruins the experience. 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. read more

Civil Liberties - Snack menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

We went to about a dozen bars in the Toronto area and every bartender said we had to stop by Civil Liberties. 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 read more

Civil Liberties - Cocktail - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I love cocktails but am still very bad at describing what I specifically like. Civil Liberties does a great job at breaking down flavor profiles and giving a description to customers, so that they can whip up a drink suitable for guests. My drink was passionfruity but not too tart. Drinks are built to your taste. If you're new to drinking, this could be a good place to find out your palette, but it can also be overwhelming if you don't already know what you like. read more

Civil Liberties - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I've been hearing about Civil Liberties for what feels like forever, so when the opportunity finally arose to stop by, I was pretty excited (to put it mildly). I popped in around 8:00 on a Tuesday and managed to snag a primo spot at the end of the bar. And as expected, I was told that the joint doesn't have an actual menu, so I was asked what kind of cocktail I was in the mood for. I can never say no to a margarita, so I mentioned that I love that particular adult beverage. From there, my very helpful bartender asked a series of questions, including if I wanted something more on the tart or sweet side. I opted for the former and after a few minutes of preparation, I was delivered an impressively fancy-looking cocktail. And it was as delicious and memorable as I'd hoped. The flavors were balanced perfectly and honestly, it wound up being one of the best cocktails I can remember quaffing. The price is steep ($20 without tip) but it's completely worth it. I can see why Civil Liberties is considered a next-level bar in the GTA. read more

See all

I've been hearing about Civil Liberties for a while ... it was ranked the 12th best bar in North America in 2023. It's not far from us and we were in the 'hood so we checked it out last night on our way home. When we got there, there it was jammed and there were no seats so we were given a spot to stand at the back. A high top table opened up pretty quickly near the front for us. The place has a fun loud vibe. The first round we ordered the same thing. We told the bartender we wanted something with dark rum and to surprise us. Ta-da! It had dark rum, ginger, prosecco and something else. The next round we went for something different. I asked for something sweet and Gord said he didn't want what I was getting. Again we left it up to the bartender. We have no idea what was in the drinks but they were good ... I could taste pineapple in mine. It was raining when we left around 9ish and it was still a busy spot. read more

First thing to note is that the place takes no reservations. I arrived on Saturday at 7pm looking for a table for 5 people. The wait time was 15 minutes. Food: Comes from a place next door. These people do us on one thing only drinks! Drinks: (5 stars) There are a few beers on tap and some wine the rest of the menu is left blank. You tell them what you like, and they create something along those lines. First drink I ordered: (5 star) - old fashioned - margarita - rum based - got zombie cocktail for 4 cocktails with tax and tip it was just under $80. Ambiance: (4.5 stars) There is a large bar and a handful of 2 seat tables. For larger groups(4-6) there are a few standing tables. There is music playing (loud but not so that you cannot hear people next to you) Service: (5 stars) We got moved to better tables as soon as they became available, the staff is super friendly and try to make cocktails that you will enjoy. read more

Civil Liberties - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Civil Liberties is a bespoke cocktail bar that is awarded as one of the Top 50 Best Bars in North America. In case it gets busy, we got here about 10 minutes before opening, which was not really needed on a weekday as the bar was never really full the first 1.5 hours of service when we went. I personally was craving for something less sweet, more sour, egg white based drink and make it look pretty, so they delivered it as described, but not super well executed. It was great it was not too sweet and hints of tanginess, and they used apple, grapefruit, and passion fruit for the drink. I noted I wanted more passion fruit but I barely tasted it, where they mentioned they used less of it because they didn't want it too sweet. Fair, but in the conversation of drinks where I asked for strawberry and they didn't have, etc, we had some back and forth to get close to the type of drink I wanted, and they omitted a critical detail. While the drink is decent and price is fair (20 CAD each before tip), I found this bespoke cocktail a bit of a miss. My friend had a variation of a painkiller which tastes quite good, but also a bit pricey given that majority of the drink is ice. This reminds me of that NYC bespoke cocktail bar I went to (that used to be in the Top 50 in the World but no longer), where I had a terrible experience, but at least this one is still decent. read more

See all

Love this place! Excellent cocktails and amazing bartenders who know what they're doing. Come in with an idea of what flavour profile you're looking for and they'll whip up an amazing concoction for you. Great vibe here, last time they had sailor moon playing on the screen. read more

Civil Liberties - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Had a great time here. The vibe was chill and the cocktails are custom crafted to your mood. The service was attentive and friendly. We even ordered snacks from their sister restaurant right to our seat. I had the crispy chicken and enjoyed everything. Would happily return. read more

Love this place! Super service, very personable bartenders creating awesome cocktails. Cheers! read more

Civil Liberties - Bartender's creation of something like a Last Word. Tasty! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Although they play up the custom drink, they don't feel quite unique. A couple in the group basically got an old fashioned and pisco sour. Also trying to take 6 flavor profiles from pure memory caused a couple of the drinks to not be right read more

Civil Liberties sure sets the bar high for cocktails. It's a rather small bar and the night we drop by, it was packed like sardines. Snagged the last 2 seats at the bar thankfully and we ordered the pina colada and some other gin-based cocktail. The drinks were out-of-this-world delicious (and pricey too). The music was loud or maybe it was everything chatting away but it's typical for a place like this. Service was very attentive and we were hugely impressed with their drink making skills. Definitely THE top cocktail bar in Toronto. read more

It's the best cocktail bar in the country for a reason. The drinks will not disappoint.

What do I want to drink? What do I feel like? Sometimes I don't even know myself. I think most of the time I don't really know. Civil Liberties is one of those no menu cocktail bars. You can just tell the bartender what you feel like? Something strong? Alcohol upfront? Fruity? Long? Short? You can be as specify or as vague as you want. I do love trying new things and different combinations. I like sour, fruity and with egg white please. My bunny might ask for a pretty looking drink for photograph? Love my cocktails. I wish everyone can read my mind like these bartenders at Civil Liberties. Worth coming back for a well crafted cocktail and a nice chit chat with the bartenders. read more

See all

Loveeeed it here! Great ambiance. Great service. Loved how you can get customized cocktails for $13-15. The bartender is super nice and asks you what you're looking for. He's able to accommodate and they taste great!! Limited seating but not too crowded or noisy. read more

Civil Liberties - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A bustling bar on Bloor street. Beware the name isn't easy to find. Hunt for the number 878 to find. As you walk in, the place screams hipster and loud. It's definitely a spot to hang out and drink. The question is how do you drink here? There is no cocktail menu. You just tell them what you want then 'ta-da' a concoction of your requested preference appears. I had originally requested something with lychee but steer clear from that as they do not carry this flavour. Request number two: something with orange pineapple. Definitely delivered on this. I enjoyed whatever they came up with. Apparently, they have a minor food menu but from all reports - not their strength so eat before you go. Now, I appreciate the no drink menu but I really do think they should have a minor list. Just to give me somewhere to start when I don't know what I want or say, just do not want to think about it. Yes, some nights that's the way I roll. Cheers! read more

This place is great - the concept of no menu is so unique & the bartenders are genuinely incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to putting together creations that are really well suited for your specific tastes. The bar feels cozy & intimiate, with a nice air of liveliness. read more

Best cocktail bar I've EVER been to, and as a former long-time bartender that is saying a lot. Service was more than excellent; it was very, very crowded, but the staff does their very best to make every guest as comfortable as possible. The bartenders are very knowledgeable, service was efficient, and I'd go back in a heartbeat. This isn't a place you would go for a standard rum and coke. They really create a personalized libation based on your preferences, allergies, and open-mindedness. I'm sure they make a fantastic rum and coke, but that would be like going to Le Bernardin and ordering chicken fingers. read more

Service was excellent. Party of 4 seated at that bar and our bartenders took such good care of us. Love the no menu concept and how knowledgeable and attentive the staff is. Perfect ambience if you're looking for a chic, cool cocktail bar. If only I could remember the name of our bartender! She not only was SPOT ON for our pallets but gave us other recommendations on where to go for food/drinks in the area. This place is everything you'll want and more. read more

Truly excellent service and delicious drinks! Would be a perfect date night spot. read more

Civil Liberties - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came with a friend on Friday night ~10:30pm. Sat at the bar and Kaz made us awesome drinks, she was so dope. Would 100% come again

This is undoubtedly one of my favourite cocktail bars in Toronto. It seems very casual but the skills and preparations are far from it. There's no menu so you have to have some basic idea of what you want (ie. the main spirit, boozy, fruity, savoury, etc). As you progress in your own personalized cocktail adventure and find one that works well for you, you'll find a selection of crazy things -- the last time I went there was something with a mushroom liquor that had nice notes of umami, as well as an elevated take on the pina colada with more complex flavours to bring out the coconut and pineapple notes. I was very impressed -- this is the closest a bar has come to my experiences at some of the best bars in the world abroad (ie. Indulge in Taipei, Ben Fiddich in Tokyo) with a distinctly Toronto flair. read more

Civil Liberties - The bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Came here for the first time last night and loved it. Civil Liberties is a small cocktail bar with a sick vibe and dope bartenders who make awesome drinks. My favorite was a cucumber gin drink that they made, which might be one of the best cocktails I've ever had. The bar doesn't have a menu so it's up to you to tell the bartenders what you want. You can obviously go with traditional drinks, or describe a few components and let the bartender surprise you. Between the 5 of us, we had 3-4 cocktails each and they impressed us every time with the drinks. Will definitely be back! read more

Civil Liberties - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

You have to find Casey if you visit this bar! Bf took me here on a Saturday night. The place was lit! We couldn't get a seat at the bar but the bartenders were very attentive and friendly. This place is known for making customized cocktails as there's no defined cocktail menu. We tried a couple of cocktails which include "something with gin and cucumber" and "something fruity". They were all really good and we had an amazing time. Look forward to coming back again! read more

Civil Liberties - Custom cocktail with gin and cucumber - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Civil Liberties is located on the North side of Bloor between Ossington and Carling in Bickford Park/Christie Pits. A small dimly lit speakeasy type place gives off a vibe of intimacy even though there's no space that's necessarily private. The big attraction of Civil Liberties besides the fact that there are a gazillion bars and places to get a drink in the city is that they do something special here and that's tailor made cocktails based on feedback given to your server. I our case, Jess who was looking after us truly did look after us. Although we had to choice to ask for what we wanted on the menu, Jess offered us a little something special in that based on what our personal preferences were at the time, a drink could be mixed just for us. For me I said I'd like bourbon and she then asked if I liked it more old fashioned or more sweeter. After thinking about it I gave Jess my preference and she repeated this process for everybody at the table (4 of us). In turn Jess eventually returned with 4 custom made creations. Each of us tried each drink to get a taste and each was so very different both in taste, texture and finishing. This was something quite different as I'm typically more used to simply asking for what I want without any adventurous direction really. If you're so inclined, pop in and give into letting the mixologist take liberty with your custom creation based on your drink preference and have something different and special. These drinks worked out to be 15 a piece so it's an adventure and experience worth the price of admission. read more

Civil Liberties - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Best bar in town. The team that works here are masters. It's been months since our last trip to Toronto but we are still talking about this bar read more

It's meant to be a social place. Atmosphere was nice. Went there tonight and ordered two rounds, but because it was busy and we had good seats, we were asked to leave to accommodate those who arrived long after us. That's not cool. My understanding of things... if you want to have a seat, get to an establishment early... not expect people to leave to accommodate late-comers (paying anymore or not). Hence my negative review. read more

Probably one of the best bars I've been to out here purely off of the service. The bartenders can make almost any type of drink taste like whatever you want. One drink I had tasted like a Caesar salad. I wanted to keep trying different combinations but had to leave. I will surely be back read more

A no menu establishment. You give the bartenders an idea of what flavors and spirits you're looking for and they craft something excellent for you. Good vibe inside too :) read more

The custom drinks are fun and what they're known for, but I'd personally like to have the option to see a drink list as well. Food is ordered as takeout from a nearby place; quick and reasonably priced. Service is prompt and friendly. Ambience is average, they apparently had a backyard patio before which they've now closed. read more

Fun cocktail bar with creative mixologists. Their no-menu system is appropriate for both novices and more knowledgeable drinkers. They have some sort of connection to Vit Beo (an awesome Vietnamese place just a couple stores east), so you can order their food to the bar (and conversely). read more

In my travels across the globe, I've only had the pleasure of drinking at two bars that take cocktails as an art form and to the next level; Civil Liberties and Quinary in Hong Kong. Come early, have a chat with Nick and be ready for a never ending stream of delightful cocktails that come your way. read more

My friends at civil never disappoint. There really isn't anything more to say. They are the best cocktail artists in the city.... in the world??? Tell them what you like and prepare to be amazed. My favourite is midnight in Paris. Thank you fam. You set the cocktail bar exceptionally high. Love you long time!!!!! read more

Cute bar, nice ambiance, fun place to just hang out. You can let the server know approx what you want in a drink and they'll mix a new cocktail for you! read more

Civil Liberties - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Go to Jess.. she will make you laugh and expand your mind and delight your palate with her deliciously prepared drinks.. we learned what the grandfather to gin was.. (ask her for the history story) and got a great recommendation for the one spot you must eat in Torronto.. also delicious and the food version of what Civil Liberties gives you in taste and experience! She actually has a trophy for her award winning drink on the piano.. Love this place!!!! read more

This place is off the charts hipster. The good: Cool atmosphere and vibe. Very nice and attentive staff. Potentially good cocktails The bad: Very minimal food offerings. This is only a drink place. Do not come here for food. The crazy: No drink menu. You just tell the staff what you like/your mood and they make you a random drink. In theory this is cool. In reality the OCD / engineer component of me hates this. I love details and I like knowing what I'm getting. Its very hard to put blind faith in a bartender to make a drink I'll like. Would love to see at least a featured cocktail list or something. FYI most seating is for just 2. So best for small groups or date nights. read more

New favourite bar! I'm a very choose-your-own-adventure kind of gal. I love to go out and experience many tastes in one place, whether that means sharing small plates, chef's choice dinners or ordering a flight of beers instead of a pint. Enter: Civil Liberties. Take down the address or you might miss it, and this spot is not to be missed. Below the pineapple sign is an entry point to a lovely establishment that's carved its own lane in Toronto. They make all kinds of drinks, but they really shine when you let them take the reins. There is no drink menu, just tell them what you want. Below is an excerpt from my most recent interaction there, remembered to the best of my abilities: Me: I'd like a Paper Plane, or something like a Paper Plane. Them: Great! *returns shortly with a gorgeous cocktail in a vintage glass* Here is your version of a Paper Plane but with grapefruit, (insert excessive list of delicious ingredients here) and on top, the foam is actually made out of chickpea water. Normally, we'd use egg whites but with all the vegan requests we get lately, we set out to make a vegan replacement. We've actually been testing out different beans and proteins all day, and chickpea water was the best! Me (and my friend): *staring blankly with wonderment* Thank you. See? It's that kind of care, non-stop learning and experimentation that makes this place great. They even have a bar school, so you too can attempt to be a pro like Civil Liberties. They also have a select menu of bar snacks, many are by Scout Canning. My favourite was the smoked trout, which was served with little toasts and cream cheese AKA like eating a fancier version of bagels and lox. Heavenly. read more

I've walked by Civil Liberties a million times. I never knew what it was called since they don't have sign that states their name. Instead, there's just a picture of a pineapple. So I call this place "the Pineapple Bar". I went here on a Friday or Saturday with my BFF. The place was super packed but we were able to get seats at the bar. However, the place was so packed that I couldn't make it to the bathroom and opted to wait 'till I got home. So I can't say if the place is accessible, I could barely see where I was standing. I'm not sure if the bathrooms are gendered either. Anyways, Civil Liberties is a mixology bar, meaning every drink is custom made by your bartender. There's no menu. I asked for something not too sweet with vodka. I have no idea what I got but it was awesome. My BFF didn't LOVE the drink, but she also just ordered whatever I was having, which I TOLD HER was a bad idea! The drinks were $14, which is pretty typical for these type of places. If your'e not down with loud and crowded, this place not be for your. This isn't somewhere I would go for rounds of drinks, but I enjoy popping in for the odd "special drink" now and then. It's also a really fun place to take out-of-towners. read more

Love cocktails? Excellent service? Beautiful decor and feel? This place is probably for you. Cole, David, and Nick are incredible, they put thought and effort into everything they do and make you feel special for joining them. I have to be honest, words can't describe the type of service they provide so i'll just quickly recap my night. I arrived at around 10pm for a few quick drinks before heading back home; it's been a rough night. Upon arrival I situated myself at the only available seat I saw and ordered up at the bar. This was my second time here and I was happy to hear that a few more beers were available on tap. I started off with a Beau's Milk Stout, I engaged one of the gents who promptly recognized me as a returning patron. On my last trip here I ordered an Old Fashioned. Upon finishing my drink, I received a sample sized Old Fashioned, if that doesn't make you feel great I don't know what does. Needless to say, I ordered a Gypsy Eyes (sp?), a delicious gin based cocktail, one that I had never tasted before. A spent some time chatting about the unique table, and questionable number of pennies it took to create it with Nick. Engaged with a few nearby guests, and off I went to enjoy the rest of my night. Honestly, places like this should get a lot more praise. Civil Liberties sets a new standard for cocktail bars, no, bars in general! If more bartenders were like Cole, David, and Nick, the industry would be overflowing with success, and not trifled with closure. read more

My first time going to a bar with no menu. My friend told the bartender she wanted a boozy drink and she ended up getting a whiskey cocktail. Boy, they definitely did not slack on the boozy part. I wasn't feeling particularly adventurous that day and ordered my regular long island. My drink was decent, but I was more happy with the fact that it wasn't jam packed on New Year's Eve. However, most people there were in groups of two. The bar table there is laminated with pennies underneath, so if you're ever bored, you can spend the night trying to calculate the dollar worth of pennies at the bar. (We asked the bartender to confirm our answer, and it turns out I can still do math). read more