What a great cocktail bar. I've been to some of the most popular and highly recommended ones around…read morethe downtown area (as an infrequent visitor) and this beats pretty much all of them hands down. The bar staff was super friendly and an absolute blast to chat with (we got there before the nightlife rush). The music was a bit loud which they admitted they weren't allowed to turn down and made it difficult to hear both them and even each other while sitting at the bar with a speaker on the wall every 5 feet behind us, but it was exceptional nonetheless. After a couple rounds of drinks, my favorite was definitely the Three Rum Problem with the bubbled goodness (chemistry is fun!) but really all the drinks were creative, layered, and innovative and exciting. You could tell these guys really knew their stuff. And for being on the more interesting side with the cocktail innovation, their prices were solid to boot. This is definitely my go-to place on this end of town and worth seeking out even if you're not in the neighborhood.

Went here for their giggly Christmas holiday bar on Christmas Eve. It was decked up with lots of…read moredecorations and Christmas wallpaper. Seating times are limited but our food came out relatively quickly. We got pumpkin Mac n cheese, Turkey potato croquettes, and festive porkie skewers. The pumpkin Mac and Turkey croquettes were great but the porkie skewers were more fat than meat and served over cold sweet potato mash so it wasn't the best. For cocktails, you absolutely must get "a flipping Christmas story". It was so good and creamy and tasted like Christmas. The "all is dram all is bright" is also good as a stirred cocktail with a Christmas twist. But the "coco Noel spritz" and "naughty toddy" were just ok. If we'd known a flipping Christmas story was that good we honestly would've got a round of just that cocktail. Overall, it was a nice holiday activity and compared to most of the other Christmas bars in the city, this one is worth going to.

Gord and I had supper Saturday evening at OffWorld Bar which is now Grizzly Bar Canadian Kitchen, a…read moreCanadian-themed bar. When you walk in the door, a giant bear plays "O Canada"! We both had a Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich (Classic Montreal smoked meat on toasted rye, with Canadian mustard and a dill pickle), which was good. Mariel was friendly and took good care of us.

Food? Good. Drinks? Delicious. Space? Space! Genuinely, what more could you ask for? If you're…read moregreedy, I suppose you could ask for an astronaut shaped mug or an experience where you listen to the sound of a black hole while you sip a cocktail. Good news: they have that, too! I came with a large group, and we had a great experience with attentive staff and a fun atmosphere. I recommend it highly.

Great experience form the second we walked in the door. They were very attentive and the energy in…read morethe room was great.

Celebrated a birthday here and it was fantastic. The cocktails are unique and beautifully crafted,…read morethe ambience is intimate and elegant, and the bartender was welcoming and attentive. Perfect place for a fun night out with friends.

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.

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.

Cool place with THE CLEANEST bar bathrooms I have ever seen. There is even an extra chair by the…read moretoilet for... Drinks good, although not cheap, very cool vibe and music. Sadly, NO RED BULL! Recommend.

Cocktail bar is a super sleek bar on a popular street in Toronto. Servers are awesome and make some…read moremean cocktails. The space is also extremely clean and well managed. They've got some theme and take aways with their cocktails that add a little fun and flair. Great space!

Came out with the girlies to celebrate and had my first visit to Bar Roma. Our bartender Daniel was…read moreamazing, chill and knowledgeable he even nailed a blind drink pick for me. Chill vibes, good music and perfect for either a date night or a small hangout. What we tried: Midnight Manhattan - deep, spicy, bold Chocolate Almond Espresso Martini - nutty and smooth Mango Mirage - sweet, refreshing Sakura Whisper - thiccccc silky foam, sweet sake Velvet Bloom - sweet, yogurt-y, dessert vibes Thirtini - hints of orange + chocolate Already planning my next visit.

We were out and about on a recent Friday and on the hunt for a patio. Bar Roma was advertising a…read moreback patio, as well as a happy hour menu, so it wasn't a difficult decision. We were shown to a table on their back patio, and though it was next to a parking lot, it was still pretty nice and comfortable. For food, we wound up trying the Lamb Puri Tacos ("6-hr braised lamb shoulder, fried avocado, pickled shallots, chili crisp, cashew crema") and the Cajun Zucchini Chips ("Served wtih green olive yogurt, cajun seasoning"). Both dishes were much better than I was expecting. The tacos were full of delicious components and that lamb was super tender and flavorful, while the zucchini chips were prepared perfectly and that yogurt dip was a perfect accompaniment. I also tried one of their happy hour cocktails, the Pineapple Caipirinha ("Cachaca, Dark Rum, Angostura, Lime, Pineapple, Mint"), and it was also terrific. Bar Roma seems like a really cool place. I look forward to returning for a full meal soon.

We stopped by after dinner on a Thursday night around 10pm and were able to get a table right away…read more We were able to find free residential parking nearby. The inside is on the dark side with a handful of tables and a small bar. Our server was lovely. Every drink we had here was well balanced and well executed. I was very impressed and would come back!

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)