Nightlife · Toronto · Canada
Toronto nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Toronto, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dillan Payne, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Toronto's nightlife ranges from cocktail bars on Ossington and Dundas West to big clubs in the Entertainment District, live music at long-running west-end venues and LGBTQ+ bars in Church-Wellesley Village. Last call is 2am across Ontario. The main areas are King Street West, Ossington and Dundas West, Church-Wellesley Village and Queen West and Kensington.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- Entertainment District
- Local drink
- Double-double and Timbits
Where to go out
King Street West
Clubs, rooftop lounges and late restaurants in the Entertainment District, busiest on Fridays and Saturdays.
Ossington and Dundas West
Dense strips of cocktail bars, wine bars and small music venues favoured by locals.
Church-Wellesley Village
Canada's best-known LGBTQ+ neighbourhood, with bars and clubs around Church and Wellesley streets.
Queen West and Kensington
Live music at long-running venues such as the Horseshoe Tavern and the Rivoli, plus dive bars in Kensington Market.
Nightlife tips
- Bars serve alcohol until 2am, and many clubs close soon after.
- Overnight buses and streetcars of the Blue Night network cover the main routes after the subway closes.
- Carry photo ID; bouncers check the age limit of 19 strictly.
Evening sights
Landmark · Entertainment District
CN Tower
Go about an hour before sunset to see the city by day and lit up, and skip it on hazy or low-cloud days.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
- Photo spot
Landmark · Downtown
Nathan Phillips Square
Come after dark for photos of the lit sign, and bring or rent skates in winter.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Kids
- Architecture
- Photo spot
What to drink
- Double-double and Timbits — A Tim Hortons coffee with two creams and two sugars, often with Timbits, bite-sized doughnut holes — an everyday Canadian ritual rather than a gourmet experience.
- Icewine — Intensely sweet dessert wine pressed from grapes left to freeze on the vine, a speciality of the Niagara Peninsula wineries about an hour and a half from Toronto.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. July has the warmest evenings, with lows around 18°C (64°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 17:05 | -7°C (19°F) | 12 |
| April | About 20:00 | 4°C (39°F) | 11 |
| July | About 20:57 | 18°C (64°F) | 10 |
| October | About 18:34 | 7°C (45°F) | 11 |
Getting home late
- Metro — Tap a credit or debit card, phone or PRESTO card at the gates; one tap gives two hours of transfers.
- Tram — Board through any door and tap on the readers inside the car.
- Walking — Downtown sights from the CN Tower to St.
- Ferry — City ferries from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the foot of Bay Street reach Centre Island, Ward's Island and Hanlan's Point in about 10–15 minutes.
- Ride-hailing — Uber and Lyft operate across the city alongside metered taxis, useful late at night or with luggage.
Late-night bites
- Peameal bacon sandwich — Carousel Bakery and other counters at St. Lawrence Market.
- Jamaican beef patty — Caribbean bakeries in Little Jamaica on Eglinton Avenue West, in Kensington Market and at corner stores citywide.
Staying safe at night
Toronto is generally calm for visitors; the most common problems are bike and car break-ins and occasional incidents on late-night transit and around a few busy downtown intersections. In winter, icy pavements and severe wind chill are real hazards, so dress for the weather.
- Emergency number
- 911
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and nightlife
Entertainment District
The blocks between Union Station and Queen Street hold the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Ripley's Aquarium, the Royal Alexandra and Princess of Wales theatres and the TIFF Lightbox cinema on King Street West. It has the city's biggest concentration of hotels and restaurants, the underground PATH network for winter, and the UP Express to Pearson from Union.
- Good
- Walk to the main sights and the waterfront; Direct UP Express link to Pearson; Plenty of restaurants and theatres
- Watch out
- High-rise and busy, with little character; Expensive hotels on event nights
- Nearby
- CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Rogers Centre, Union Station
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Toronto?
King Street West, Ossington and Dundas West and Church-Wellesley Village. Clubs, rooftop lounges and late restaurants in the Entertainment District, busiest on Fridays and Saturdays.
+Which area of Toronto is best for nightlife?
Entertainment District: CN Tower, theatres and Union Station in the downtown core.