There's something so special about discovering a Toronto speakeasy: passing through the street-side facade of a fake bodega or clambering around a back alley to find a secret door and wandering into a hidden world that feels like it was made just for you and the other guests in the din on that fateful night. Toronto's speakeaies give main character energy. And lately, it seems like a lot of the new Toronto restaurants and bars opening up also house a Toronto speakeasy.
Toronto speakeasies aren't all gimmicks either — they're among the best bars in the city, serving inventive cocktails and delicious snack plates in moody, curated atmospheres that could rival some of the most romantic restaurants in the city. You can't just wander into a Toronto speakeasy off the street; you have to know it's there and go looking for it. That's why everything feels more intentional and purposeful at a Toronto speakeasy.
Whether you're bringing a date or meeting with friends, this list of Toronto speakeasies is full of places that are still secret enough to surprise them. Just make sure they trust you enough to follow you down a back alleyway.
21 Toronto speakeasies that will surprise you
1. Suite 115
532 College St.
Nicole & Bagol
Though not as hidden as other Toronto speakeasies, Suite 115 still serves up plenty of mystery. When you arrive at the nondescript bar front, you’ll spot a passcode written on a mirror. Punch it into a keypad, and enter co-owner Oliver Leung’s passion project — a forward-thinking cocktail bar on a bustling strip of College Street. We haven’t been disappointed yet by Leung’s delicious concoctions; one of our favourites, the Dadar Gulung, is named after the Indonesian coconut–pandan pancake (or crêpe) roll and actually comes with the dessert on the side. There’s also a secret menu, accessed by solving a riddle, where Leung and his team let loose, experimenting with bold new concepts.
This speakeasy serves riddles, and ridiculously good cocktails
Four years ago, former co-workers vowed to revive a beloved speakeasy. Now, their dream has come true. Welcome to Suite 115 on College Street.
Read more2. A Toi
214 King St. W. Basement Level 1
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Once one of the best kept secret bars in the city, Coffee Oysters Champagne and its Toronto speakeasy, À Toi might be better known, but that doesn’t take away any of the fun. You could spend a whole evening in the cutesy pink COC without ever realizing that behind a one-way mirror, there’s a sultry, roaring 20s party that’s themed after a fictional French boutique hotel.
To get in, ask for a tour of the champagne cellar. Inside, a special bottle opens a proper secret door that leads you into the Toronto speakeasy where you’ll find weekly burlesque shows and secret entertainment. There’s also a whole delicious food menu of oysters, tartare, crudo, frites and late-night bites like poutine, plus an entire book of cocktails.
3. Goodnight Cocktail Club
488 Wellington St. W.
Tucked beside Cherry’s High Dive on Wellington, an unassuming door leads you down into the basement and back in time to a vintage Toronto speakeasy. Plenty of rich, dark wood panelling; floral banquettes; and even a bead curtain invoke feelings of a sultry 70s lounge. There are a few sharable snack plates on the menu like charcuterie, olives and tartare, but the cocktails really shine. Unique flavour combinations are the highlight of the booze-forward creations.
4. Liquid Courage
348 Adelaide St W Lower Level
“Worst case follow the martini baby” isn’t a sentence we’d ever thought we’d read in our lifetimes, but here we are. Those are the directions listed on Liquid Courage’s website that lead you to discover one of our favourite Toronto speakeasies. Inside pan-Asian restaurant Mother Tongue, head downstairs (towards the cocktail-brandishing infant) to find the moody drinking den decked out with black-tiled walls, floral wallpaper and red-leather seats. There’s some serious mixology might on the menu, but we recommend the Dealer’s Choice — describe what kind of flavour profile you’re looking for, and the bartender will whip you up a custom cocktail.
5. XXX
102 Portland St.
You can’t make a reservation at XXX. The only way to grab one of the 20 seats in this nocturnal Toronto speakeasy below Little Sister is to get a few playing cards from the bartender or host. Hand them to the doorperson and prepare for your mind to be blown by Dutch and Indonesian flavours in forward-thinking tipples, plus everything in between (including a cocktail made with real ants). Small bites are available too, if the insects don’t satiate you.
6. After Seven
10 Stephanie St.
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Inside a nondescript former yogurt shop, a fake soft serve machine swings open to reveal After Seven’s green-hued imbibing area. This Japanese-inspired whisky bar is a humble and casual Toronto speakeasy, but its drinks are anything but. Bartenders wield ingredients like sake, shochu, yuzu and plum umeshu to craft 15 finely tuned cocktails that range from a curry piña colada to an oolong number with sea salt cheese foam.
7. Bar Bowie
180R Ossington Ave.
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A staple for any Ossington romp, Bar Bowie opened in 2023. A back alleyway entrance leads downstairs to the polished, chic cocktail bar. From the full-mirror ceiling to the checkerboard floors, it’s a space calling for a cute photo to take up a slot on your IG grid. The drinks aren’t an afterthought at this Toronto speakeasy, either — don’t sleep on their famous espresso martinis.
8. Prequel & Co Apothecary
1036 Queen St. W.
With arguably the best speakeasy entrance in the city, Frankie Solarik’s Prequel and Co. Apothecary resembles an old-timey medicine store at first glance. The shelves are stocked with herbs, spices and mysterious potions — until a secret door opens up, and you’re led into the spacious Toronto speakeasy. Smartly dressed bartenders prepare fancy cocktails to order, hand-grinding spices and other ingredients for each drink. The Kyoto Foret is a standout — Toki whisky, vermouth and an abundance of herbs and spices yield a balanced, delicious sip every time.
This jaw-dropping Toronto bar immerses you in cocktail history
Step back in time at Prequel & Co. Apothecary, Frankie Solarik's new experiential cocktail bar styled like a late 1800s Paris pharmacy.
Read more9. Mahjong Bar
1276 Dundas St. W.
Hidden behind a glowing pink bodega on Dundas West, through a mysterious keyhole-shaped doorway, Mahjong Bar is a not-so-secret Toronto speakeasy hotspot. In the evenings, dine on pan-Asian fare like Taiwanese fried chicken bao, golden fried rice and “crack” wings, and sip cocktails like the soju spritz, coconut mojito or, our favourite, the Tame Impala with tequila, mezcal, ginger and lime. Late night DJs turn the vibe up for a dance-y, standing-room-only crowd.
10. Bitters and Bloom
577 A College St.
Located above J’s Steak Frites on College, and behind an unmarked door guarded by a keypad, this flower-inspired Toronto speakeasy is a welcome addition to Little Italy’s thriving cocktail scene. Industry veteran Jason McNeely is behind the menu that trots the globe, and is packed with fun flavours and garnishes. Try the highly crushable Don’t Dream It’s Over — trust us, you won’t be disappointed.
This secret bar is a fine addition to Little Italy's thriving cocktail scene
Bitters and Bloom is a jazzy speakeasy tucked above J's Steak Frites on College, with a cocktail program helmed by industry veteran Jason McNeely.
Read more11. Bar 404
85 John St. Level 1
Above a convenience store, behind the faux facade of a skincare shop, Bar 404 is a Toronto speakeasy that feels like a hidden world of cocktail magic. A glorious, glowing gold circular bar sits guests with front-row seats to the action — bartenders tossing drinks from seemingly reckless heights, vigorous shaking and precise garnishing.
12. Gift Shop
89 Ossington Ave.
No, that’s not a closed barbershop. Walk past the chairs and hair clippers and towards the buzzing conversation and high energy of Gift Shop, a tiny Toronto speakeasy on Ossington that’s been serving secret tipples for nearly nine years. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable and always down for a chat, and the drinks are knock-out delicious. What’s not to love?
13. Bonne Nuit
453 Wellington St. W.
From Thursday to Saturday, an extra-special treat awaits behind a washroom inside La Plume — and we promise, it’s far chicer than it sounds. Step into Bonne Nuit, a hidden 1920s-Paris–inspired bar with apothecary vibes and an after-dark cocktail happy hour. And if that’s not enough Toronto speakeasy magic for one stop, The Well is also home to several festive pop-ups, from Nordic by BarChef to a Baileys Hot Chocolate Experience, plus a public skating rink for good measure. Quelle surprise!
14. Sous Sol
592 Sherbourne St.
This bar, hidden in the basement of Maison Selby, has exactly the kind of backstory you want in a Toronto speakeasy. From the historic 1883 Gooderham Mansion to the Selby Hotel — which housed Ernest Hemingway, who worked for a spell as the Toronto Star’s foreign correspondent — up to the iconic gay nightclub Boots in the 1980s, the building has gone through many life cycles.
Today, it channels its rich past with Sous Sol, a candlelit speakeasy that preserves original fireplaces and other period details. Choose your post-dinner nightcaps from a menu divided into The Rebels (signature sips), The Timeless (martinis, old fashioneds and other classics), and Mild Mischief (zero-proof creations) served inside this mirrored, underground drinking den.
15. Vatican Gift Shop
1047 Gerrard St. E.
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Over on Gerry East, hidden behind an incognito religious souvenir shop, sits one of the most unexpected dance destinations this side of the Don Valley. Vatican Gift Shop — from the team behind neighbourhood gems like Poor Romeo and Pinkerton’s Snack Bar — reveals a spacious, candlelit Toronto speakeasy lined with high-tops and tongue-in-cheek confessional-style booths behind a secret door. Enjoy Neapolitan-style pizzas, local beer, craft cocktails and secret-society vibes. For the dancefloor, the DJ spins tunes late into the night, and millennials dance towards last call.
16. Secrette
111C Queen St. E.
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Tucked above fine-dining darling George, Secrette — a.k.a. “Toronto’s best kept secret” — rewards those in the know with a Parisian-style Toronto speakeasy filled with velvet chairs, framed artwork and soft lighting. As any good hideaway bar worth its salt should, Secrette offers a top-notch selection of signature and bespoke cocktails on request.
Sip something light and refreshing, like the Moulin Rouge, with strawberry-infused Campari, or lean into moodier libations with Le Surcouf, featuring five-year-old El Dorado Rum and Luxardo Maraschino. A selection of small hot and cold plates, plus pasta dishes and sweet treats, rounds out your secretive soirees.
17. Bar Avelo
51 St. Nicholas St.
Walking down the very residential St. Nicholas Street, you’d never expect to find this cozy Toronto speakeasy on the second floor of a Victorian town home. Above fine-dining, plant-based restaurant Avelo, sister spot Bar Avelo serves an entirely vegan à la carte menu along with Instagram-ready cocktails. The ornate arches and wall design make this cozy nook feel extra home-y.
Bar Avelo
I climb a floral staircase to discover the mysterious plant-based speakeasy above fine-dining restaurant, Avelo, where I snack on unbelievably delicious vegan cheese and imbibe classic cocktails.
Read more18. Cry Baby Gallery
1468 Dundas St. W.
Rob Granicolo’s seminal Toronto speakeasy just turned six, but it’s already earned its place in the Toronto Cocktail Hall of Fame (if such a thing were to exist). It’s always on foodism’s list of the best bars in Toronto.
Behind an art gallery and an inconspicuous black curtain, Cry Baby Gallery is equal parts local haunt and trendy destination. Dim golden light emanating from behind round mirrors warms the space almost as much as the bartender’s smiles and colourful shirts. If you’ve only got time for one drink, we won’t hold it against you, but make sure you order The Zombie — Cry Baby’s iconic take on the classic rum concoction should be on everyone’s Toronto bucket list.
Cry Baby Gallery's tear-jerking cocktail recipes
Part speakeasy, part art space, Cry Baby Gallery's unique handcrafted cocktail recipes will have you shedding tears of joy. Try them at home tonight.
Read more19. Bar Dem
Behind Dzo Viet Eatery, 308 Dundas St. W.
After Dzô Viet Eatery finishes its dinner service, sneak around the alley behind the restaurant and in through the back door to find the space transformed into a Toronto speakeasy-slash-nightclub under the glow of colourful paper lanterns. DJs spin EDM and the cocktails are full of Vietnamese flavours.
20. The Jean Darlene Piano Room
1203 Dundas St. W.
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The first time we tried to follow Google Maps to The Jean Darlene Piano room, we thought we’d been misled. After minutes of circling and scratching our heads, we spotted other guests in cocktail attire disappearing behind a KFC and discovered the entrance to this lively spot for music, friendly energy, audience karaoke and some seriously impressive vocal performances. Though this spot opened in 2022, we find it’s truly hit its stride lately — even with a $20 cover charge, this Toronto speakeasy is crammed every weekend.
21. Uh Bar
1221 Dundas St. W.
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A collab between Nick Hao (Slice of Life), Nigel Wang (915 Dupont) and Stephen Luo (Mother), this under-the-radar Toronto speakeasy is beautiful in its simplicity. Hidden below MSSM, there’s no high-brow concept here. Head down the staircase and enter the minimalist, no-frills space with crushable drinks and creative concepts like the ever-eccentric blue cheese martini.
