Best cocktails of the trip for this #22 on the best of North America's '26 bars. 4.5 stars 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 read more

I'm a big fan of Manhattans, so when I heard that Mother was serving up a supposedly top-notch version, 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. read more

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Always enjoyed my experience at Mother Cocktail Bar :) It is probably my 3rd or 4th time visiting. Food and drinks are creative and delicious! Service is friendly and courteous. Bartenders are good-looking (as per my friends lol). We really enjoyed our welcome drink, thank you ^^ The atmosphere is warm and moody; great for dates or GNOs. They do dim the lights as the night goes on ;) Washrooms are down in the basement, individual stalls, clean and well-maintained. read more

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Like a regular neighborhood bar bit with creative cocktails! Nice not intrusive music playing, cozy and friendly. Attentive and helpful service. I had their version of a dirty gin martini with a tomato in it, which made it interestingly savory! read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Dirty tomato... - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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While many know Mother for it's cocktails (Mother was ranked 44 on the world's 50 best bars list in 2025), I had been hearing great things about their food program and decided to give it a try. That was a great decision, as their food was some of the best I had in a while! Their jerk chicken karage was unique, flavourful, and elegantly put together. A must try! The steak dish was excellent as well, cooked perfectly, slathered with a flavorful sauce, and served with a bone marrow corn side that was unlike anything I've ever tasted. The udon noodles were good too, but the other dishes definitely shined above this one. read more

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Went here after dinner one night and it's a nice cocktail bar! The inside of the bar is dim and intimate, with lots of bar seating and table seats. They have a wide variety of fun and interesting cocktails as well as some bites of food to enjoy. Service was very helpful in explaining the menu, popular items, and providing recommendations. I got the toasted chai pina colada, which is a popular item, and it was delicious. I would love to come back to this cocktail bar and try more of their drinks. Highly recommend! read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Toasted Chai Piña Colada - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A small group of seven of us gathered here for drinks and light bites. Everything was delicious. Service was wonderful. The drinks were unique. They do stick very close to their booking window so be prepared to have somewhere else to go after two hours. read more

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Amazing experience at one of the best bars in Toronto. The attention to detail for every drink really impressed me. We also got some small dishes to share along with our drinks. We got the fries and the beef tartare. The beef was so fresh and the egg yolk really complimented the taste. It was well seasoned and the fried rice cracker really went well with the beef. Definitely make a reservation here as there is very limited seating. The bartenders are very skilled and friendly. The overall vibes are just sophisticated yet not over the top. Highly recommend. read more

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A cosmic experience most definitely worthy of a spot on the 50 best bars in North America list. We made reservations well in advance to ensure a spot. This bar/restaurant is small with limited bar and table seats so a reservation is a must. The menu was so unique and nothing was standard or classic. Each drink had a spectacular twist that was so interesting and delicious. I started with the Visions of Oaxaca which was a smoky version of a tequila old fashioned. It was incredible and came served on a platter with a piece of dark chocolate to enjoy with it. It really added a lot of flavor to it. After that, I allowed our server to choose something for me. With just the information that I don't like things too sweet or too sour, he came back with a delicious gin based drink. It looked clear like water but was filled with such a unique flavor profile that had a creaminess yet subtlety to it paired with black sesame. On top of the amazing drinks, the food was great too! They recently added new menu items and we had the quesadilla and sausage roll. The quesadilla was filled with mushrooms and paired with a delicious salsa. The sausage roll was placed over a tasty curry. Both were really good! What a spectacular place. They even had live music on a Sunday night with a guitar and sax player. read more

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Great experience! There is limited seating, so they sat us at the bar. The bar ended up being very entertaining, as we got to watch the bar tenders craft each drink. Their attention to detail was apparent. Although Mother is a bit pricey, the cocktails are worth it - they were delicious. The bar also has a cool/moody vibe. Would definitely recommend, just be sure to make reservations beforehand. read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Mother cocktail bar truly lived up to its hype! Came here on a Thursday evening for cocktails. We couldn't get a table but I'm now glad we were seated at the bar. The bartenders are extremely knowledgeable, helping us with recommendations - at one point they even gave us some samples to taste. The cocktails were amazing, some of the best I've ever had. It was also quite entertaining watching how the bartenders were making drinks. Very cool date night and worth the extra penny! read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

If you get the chance, go here. Amazing ambiance, super talented bartenders, delicious food and very unique drinks. We also discovered through Googling that this spot is rated one of the top 50 restaurants in the world! Visited with my hubby on a toddler free night out and we really enjoyed ourselves. We tried a few different drinks (I forget the proper names lol) but my fave was the one served in a bed of eucalyptus and smelled like the rain, so good. We also tried their olives and fries to nibble on, both were delicious. It gets super busy here so make sure to get yourself on the wait list (believe it's OpenTable). Would like to return again someday to try more drinks and food. read more

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We had a good experience here! We came with no reservation in a Friday night around 9:15 and they were able to squeeze us in an outdoor table for two. Once 9:30 came, it was packed and people were waiting an hour to get in! The drinks were delicious, but to be honest not the best we had in Toronto. It was great, but definitely hyped up. We had the skyline, affogato express and Bobby burns in manhattan. Overall, we'd be back to try more! read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Bobby burn in manhattan and Skyline - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A story in every drink prepared. Came here for weeknight drinks and the place was packed/ had a long wait. No problem, I just headed next door for some oysters. After getting seated and looking through the menu, all I could say was wow - the menu is overwhelming. Not a problem though because our server was great and was willing to listen to what kind of drinks and flavours we like. From that, she brought out two deliciously made cocktails. Mine had a black sesame paste on the outside of my cup which you are suppose to lick before drinking the drink. It was such an experience and had so many complex yet delicious flavours to it. What an experience it was coming here! I loved the vibe here, it was dark and intimate but the bar area was such a show with the bartenders. You can tell the servers are super passionate about their job and really believe in the drinks/ menu here. Love that about them! Can't wait to come back for more drinks here! read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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A cocktail bar just around the corner from Trinity Bellwoods, Mother exudes a relaxed but sophisticated ambiance with it's dim mood lighting and chic decor. Overall, I had an enjoyable experience. As others have mentioned, making a reservation is highly recommended as they are quite popular and always seem to be fully seated. The establishment is not that big so be aware that they enforce a 2 hour seating limit. Their fame in bartendering is not without reason and you can tell they put a lot of thought and care into their menus. Their drinks are unique and skillfully prepared and their servers are friendly and knowledgeable. It feels as if they're telling you a story when they bring you your drink. While I personally only tried Porcelain from their Classics menu, I was definitely enticed by the "Symbiosis" option where they customize a cocktail to your flavour preference. While I wished that I could've stayed longer to chat away and sip on other drinks from their menu, two hours flew by so quickly and they had to turnover the table. Maybe not the best place for an in-depth catch-up. read more

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I've heard about Mother for a while now after breaking into a new tax bracket. I've heard about their fermentation room, sustainable mantras and delicious cocktails. The crowd is interesting - Beards, sleeves and rings make up the demographic slanging $20 cocktails flush with pickled garlic and 20+ ingredients. First sip of my affogato (coffee) martini left me to wonder why I traveled all the way to ossington. Tasting like a shot of espresso with milk foam and some vodka, I wondered if the Starbucks could do it better spiked? Pina colada / my pickled garlic fruit (heritage) left normal expressions on my end. And to be fair I literally ordered what the bartender told me to - their most popular drinks. I stopped at three drinks but was honestly ready to go rounds if they had even moderately tasted good. I tried the food to give it one last shot and was left with a burger that was stuffed with (once again) pickled stuff from their fermentation room which is beside their bathroom but the bread and meat was fine. Their fries had a sodium content of 1000% of the daily recommended amount. read more

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I came here based off of a recommendation from a friend who said to definitely try the Toronto bar that made it to the top 50 of best bars in the world. I came with high expectations, and to be honest nothing really seemed all that amazing. The drinks we had were good, and the ambiance was nice but there wasn't much of a "WOW" factor. Our server was friendly, and that was certainly a plus however he went almost way too into detail with the drinks when he just kept going on and on and on. It was so loud in here that it was a hit difficult to hear the person talking in front of you without almost yelling lol. I don't really see how this place lives up to the hype, but maybe that was just my experience. I think it's a solid 4/5 rating. read more

Some people say over-seasoned is better than under-seasoned. But I say under-seasoned is better than over seasoned. Mother cocktail bar is an upscale cocktail bar found on Queen st. where everyone is wearing those hipster black aprons. The service here is exceptional, there is no doubt about that and atmosphere and decor is astounding. The cocktails are a twist on classic drinks such as Negronis and Old fashions. According to their waiter, the menu is in order of a story. From childhood nostalgia etc. However the food here I have to say is horrendous. I'm not sure if the chefs taste their food because everything is so salty. The pumpkin gnocchi is anything but a fluffy pillow. It was overly salty, not crispy on the outside and dense. The burrata is flooded with an overly salted reduction, with half softened cherry tomatoes, and break your teeth crostini. The burger is a concoction made from a nightmare where the bottom bun is soaked from its own sweat and soggy as if it was dipped in water. And the tartare is a pretentious creation where the sous vide the egg and squirt it on top of an overly salted beef mixture. Every mouthful tasted like mounds of salt. Food was definitely a 1/5 for me. I expected a lot more from a place where every dish was $15 +. Cocktails here are great, but the food is something I will never ever take a second glance at. edit: threw up when I got home. Note: Cocktails, good. Food, bad. and this is my second time here. First time I got tartare and foie gras. Tartare tasted exactly the same even though giving it a second chance. I can't lie, the quality of ingredients are amazing but unless the food changes, I don't think I'll be trying the food again. read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

What an experience! The service is exceptional and you can clearly tell from all the 5 star reviews. I love that they customize the cocktails catered to your liking. The food is also surprisingly good. Usually good food = mediocre cocktails and vice versa. Not only does everything taste amazing but it's also a full show! Thank you Julian and Sara for the amazing time! read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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This place takes drinks to the next level, hat's off to all the mixologists that helped create this menu. We enjoyed the Negroni Ristretto and Clair de Lune for our first round. These drinks were so good, I was tempted to simply reload for a second round but decided to try some other drinks: Honey +, and toasted Chai Pina Colada, both were delicious. read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Menu of classic cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Food: 5/5 We ordered the Jerk Chicken Karaage and Koji Aged Beef Tartare. The karaage was extremely juicy and flavourful, paired with a fermented pineapple habanero aioli, and was deemed the 'best karaage (he's) ever had' by my partner. My favourite was the beef tartare which was served with a drizzled sous vide egg yolk on top that added to the creaminess and richness of the dish. The rice chicharrón in place of the typical baguette was a nice touch. Drinks: 5/5 For the main attraction and draw of the bar - the cocktails! We started off with the Toasted Chai Pina Colada (lemongrass rum, toasted chai coconut milk, pina juice, caramelized yogurt, coconut sorbet, fermented pineapple and ginger) and the Three Dynasties (balsam fir infused gin, roasted rum, absinthe, caster sugar, whole milk, spice blend, cinnamon & date tea). The presentation for both were beautiful and the ingredients lists were complex. Next, we shared the Martinez Journey Flight which consisted of a Dried Apricot Martinez, The Golden Statement, and King of Queens. I had anticipated the first two to be my favourites, as they contained gin rather than vodka, but the King of Queens took us by surprise with the flavours. Each ingredient is balanced so well, I could not taste what I usually dislike about vodka. Finally, we ended off with the Porcelain (sake, violet liqueur, toasted wild rice, fermented pear, jasmine bijou, spiced coconut and lime juice) and Affogato Express (dutch vodka, amaro nonino, hazelnut liqueur, caramelized yogurt, salted vanilla foam & nutmeg). The Porcelain was light and refreshing, while the Affogato was rich and the perfect dessert drink. Atmosphere: 4.5/5 The interior of the bar was decorated tastefully, with beautiful chairs covered in velvet and a sofa along one wall. As the night settled in, the lights were dimmed and the candles brought on a cozy atmosphere. I only wish that the AC was not blasting as high as it was, since we were quite cold during the time we were there. Service: 5/5 Service was fast and attentive, without being too pushy. Our server gave great recommendations and explanations about the different drinks. When we inquired about a cocktail ordered by a different table, he answered easily without even having to look, explaining that it (the Electric Fizz) was an award-winning cocktail from the bartender. All-in-all, we will definitely come back to try more of their creations! read more

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Good food. Good drinks and service. Good ambience too!! Came for a special pop up event from Monkey Thief Bar from New York. It's fun event!! read more

AMAZING!!! Top 50 bar tier for sure. Shoutout to Steven the bartender for incredible vibes and sick drinks. I loved meeting people here and it was crowded on a Wednesday night! read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Perhaps the best cocktail I've ever had was the Crimson Skies. We had olives and sour dough for a snack and both were delicious. Waiter was knowledgeable and helpful and the atmosphere was splendid. read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Crimson Skies cocktail. What an amazing creation. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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A really nice bar to go to! The people there were very welcoming and friendly. We were told that usually there is a two-hour sitting limit but since there was no reservation after us we're welcomed to stay longer. The beverages of the night were Porcelain, Three Dynasties, Honey + , and Affogato Express. Out of these, Porcelain was the best overall. It was on the seeeter side but not too much. Honey + came second, I really love its tartness but to some it might be too much. The last two were just too sweet for me. Not in pictures were their amazing food! For a bar, my party was very impressed with their portion size and amazing taste. It wasn't your typical super small bar muchies size. We got Koji shortrib tartare, jerk karage, salted thyme fries, and katsu sando. The tartare is highly recommended and the aioli that came with the fries was superb! read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Came here on a Sunday night for their drinks but the food is what blew me away. The service was exceptional and the vibe of the restaurant is very cozy with dimmed lighting. Super small tables, perfect for date night! What we got: Jerk chicken karaage: very well seasoned. The chicken was super juicy and crispy, decent portion for the price. One of the best karaage I've had in a very long time! 5/5 Udon: very interesting flavour combination. Made with red miso egg yolk and shitake mushrooms. It's a very creamy and decadent dish, the thickness of the sauce coats each udon perfectly. this one took me by surprise. A must try! 5/5 Katsu sandwich: very tasty and decent portion as well. Katsu was crispy and the milk bread was super soft. 4/5 read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Back: TOASTED CHAI PIÑA COLADA Front: AFFOGATO EXPRESS - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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seriously one of the BEST cocktail bars in town they're always busy and popular and they truly worth the hype! the drinks are creative and YUMMY! the hospitality is amazing and the service they provide is top notch! they change menu periodically so I recommend asking your waiter for recommendations based off your preferences our server was very tentative and gave me great suggestions that me and my friend both loved our drinks so much. Their famous Jamaican karaage was worth ordering as well! Great companion to your drinks make sure to book your reservation ahead of time! read more

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Slowly venturing out to eat out more again... and I'm so glad we opted for this place. The patio is one of those little areas that have been carved out on the street, so it is a little noisy. However, there's just something lovely about eating outside on a balmy summer evening. Disclaimer: I don't drink alcohol (so this review is more about the food, but per my friends' feedback, they definitely know how to create great drinks). The waitress was so kind as to offer me a mocktail (for $5!). I forget the ingredients but it certainly looked aesthetic. We were all pretty hungry, so we ordered all but one of the food items. The pork belly is DIVINE. It melted almost immediately in my mouth, and had amazing flavours. I also really enjoyed the matchstick fries with aioli. Other items included sourdough bread with rosemary butter, and pico de gallo with avocado mousse salad. Fantastic food for its value. Service was great - everyone was really attentive, and each drink / dish came with a nice introduction. I hear the ambiance inside is just as nice, so I hope to be back soon to dine again. read more

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World best 50 bar and winner in North American best bar, do I need to say more? Massimo is the world class champion for 2022 and he is definitely one of the best bartender in Toronto. Also if you love creative drinks, you need to try the cocktails made by James Park! Highly recommended :) read more

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Yes a 5 star! Mother Cocktail Bar is one of the best cocktail bars in Town. The decor has this speakeasy vibe. Dark and Mysterious behind the heavy velvet drapes. Stepping inside it feels like I had been transferred to somewhere that is so classy and stylish. Drinks here is interesting. The friendly bartender/mixologist explained to me about their menu. A lot of ingredients is house made or from local businesses. For today, I opt for something long, tart and fruity. Sitting at the bar is so much fun watching my bartender prepared all the drinks with skills. I was indulging in all the different smells and sensations : oh they even have warm dark chocolate to drizzle in some of the drinks. I would be back to enjoy a cocktail or 2 next time when I am wandering around Queen West. And of course trying out some of their food too! read more

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Customer Service: From the host to our server, and everyone in between- staff was very welcoming, friendly, attentive and informative. They answered all of our questions and explained the whole fermentation vibe. I've never tried anything like this place before, but it was so much fun! It's a small and busy bar but I felt very accommodated to. I also loved the ambience Food: i got the Honey + cocktail (Agave Reposado Tequila, Espadin Mezcal, Ontario Bee Pollen, Salted Lavender Honey & Fresh Citrus) tacos and fries It was definitely different but very delicious They had quality natural ingredients, enhanced through fermentation, which tasted great. The cocktails were amazing, it was clear that the bartenders knew what they were doing when mixing. read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Wow! Awesome vibe and great drinks. Came on a Thursday night, and it was pretty busy, but didn't have any trouble with getting a seat. I walked in thinking I would only get one drink, and the next thing I knew, I was 4 cocktails deep. I got their porcelain, Clair de lune, affogato, and a gin drink with pandan. Everything was so good. I thought the jasmine really stood out in the porcelain, and it's so delicious. The sesame paste in the Clair de lune was such a nice touch. When I should have gone home, I looked at the menu once more and I had to order the affogato because I was intrigued by the caramelized yogurt. It didn't disappoint and the drink tasted so good that I couldn't tell there's alcohol in it. Wildddddd. Anyways, definitely should come check this place out if you haven't yet! read more

Number 1 tip is make a reservation!! This place will get full. Food & drinks are AMAZING !! The host are AMAZING& Kindn You really can't go wrong with any of the parts (drinks- read the menu it's like a story)- just about your preference. read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Fries & Karage - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Loved the elevated cocktail experience. I liked how there was limited but very good food. Amazing! Will definitely come back.

Situated at Queen West, you can potentially miss this place if you're not actively looking for the sign. Once you step inside, it'll be like your transported away from the city with the blackout curtains at the front. What's really unique about Mother is the journey through the menu. The attention to detail is . Our server, Julia, took us through and explained the menu and how the drinks take you through childhood memories, to their takes on classics (such as vodka or tequila sodas). The main attraction here is definitely the cocktails and drinks as the menu is more extensive than the food menu. For food we ordered the Beef Tartare and Udon Carbonara, which we were told were great choices. The beef tartare was very fresh flavourful with the egg yolk and shrimp chips. The udon carbonara was simple but you could really taste the miso flavouring. We ordered Mothers take on gin&soda and tequila&soda and neither was watered down. I'd love to come back again and try some of their other drinks. They also have an option where you can get a drink customized for you after giving them your preferred spirits and flavours- definitely very unique! read more

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Friendly atmosphere, perfect cocktails, and definitely try the Parmesan fries--chef's kiss!

The coolest cocktail experience I've experienced. The passion in the bartenders is evident and they truly take their craft seriously. read more

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I went here on a date night with my partner. I suggested this place because she's a bartender and appreciates a good cocktail. The service was good. Friendly and attentive staff. However with the loud music, and the servers wearing masks, it was difficult to hear our server explain the concept behind their cocktail menu. This wasn't enjoyable as it is a cocktail bar and it would've been nice to hear our server without the loud music cancelling her voice out. I got the Chai Pina Colada and my partner got a daiquiri which was a special drink for the event being hosted that evening. The menu described the Pina Colada as having an abundance of fresh and different flavours, coconut, pineapple, and chai. Although the drink was aesthetically pleasing to the eye, the flavour was solely of Chai and nothing else. I didn't have any notes of coconut or pineapple. My partner who doesn't like coconut ended up tasting it and switching her drink with mine because she had enjoyed it and I preferred hers. The food was tasty. We ordered the shoestring fries which had flavour and the sauce was delicious yet the fries were a bit too greasy. The beet salad was just that, a beet salad, the sourdough bread came with a teaspoon of butter for four slices and the crust tasted like burnt coriander/curry which wasn't pleasing to the palette. The olives were delicious and my partner suggested they could've been warmed. I didn't mind. We then ordered the mushroom tacos which was the dish I enjoyed the most. It was delicious, and packed with flavour! I probably wouldn't visit again however. The loud music, pricey drinks that lacked wow factor and the mediocre food made this place (in my opinion) another business in Toronto trying to be fancy and different but not really delivering anything worth visiting again for. We ended up going to a place next door for food and ironically saw a group of people who had been at another cocktail bar there as well. read more

Mother Cocktail Bar - Chai Pina Colada that had no other flavour notes except chai despite the menu stating that there was coconut and pineapple. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Mother is an intimate bar with upscaled cocktails and small tapas-style dishes. I really enjoyed the Mother Udon which came full of Shiitake Mushrooms & strong Miso flavours. The Jerk Chicken Karaage was addictive! The waitstaff is caring & attentive. They know the menu well and can always recommend great cocktails! read more

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Hands down the best cocktail bar I've ever been to. Flawless execution of cocktails, light bites, and a killer team of mixologists and servers make this bar an ideal spot for virtually any kind of night (esp a date night!). Pro tip: make a reservation- they get busy! read more