Bars & Clubs

The Club & Music Scene

A few hints before you head out for the evening. The drinking age in Ontario is 19 (that's at press time -- some groups are working to raise it to 21), and most establishments enforce the law. Expect long queues on Friday and Saturday after 10pm at clubs in the downtown core. Bars and pubs that serve drinks only are open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 2am. Establishments that also serve food are open Sunday, too. If you're out at closing time, you'll find the subway shut down, but late-night buses run along Yonge and Bloor streets. Major routes on streets such as College, Queen, and King operate all night.

The Bar Scene

The current night scene encompasses a flock of attractive bistros with billiard tables. You can enjoy cocktails, a reasonably priced meal, and a game of billiards in comfortable, aesthetically pleasing surroundings. The cigar bar is still in vogue, and most clubs have a humidor for the stogie set. Unlike dance clubs, the bars and lounges in Toronto are a pretty stable bunch.

Special Moment: The Legendary Laurentian -- Back in 1935, the Laurentian Room was the watering hole of choice in Toronto. It was the ladies-and-escorts bar at the Winchester Hotel in Cabbagetown, a neighborhood that has had a history of topsy-turvy fortunes. But this Art Deco-styled lounge fell upon hard times and was eventually abandoned. The space stood empty (if you don't count squatters) for 39 years. And then, in 2004, a visionary group of friends brought it back to life. The newly revived Laurentian Room (51A Winchester St.; tel. 416/925-8680) makes me feel like I'm on the set of a cool HBO show: There's a sleek 10m (35-ft.) black bar, swank red banquettes, and backlit bronzed mirrors. Sure, you can eat dinner here, but to me this is simply the perfect spot for cocktails. My current love is the Tickle Me Pink, an effervescent combination of champagne and raspberry liqueur with real berries bobbing about. The Laurentian Room is all about glamour, so dress up a little and soak up the retro ambience. In the golden glow of the lamplight, this is a place we can all pretend to be Bogey or Bacall.

Special Moment: A Traditional Irish Pub -- Toronto used to be known as the Belfast of the North for its quiet, abstemious ways. The city has changed dramatically since then, though it's still got the Irish spirit . . . just a different kind of Irish spirit. Drop by Dora Keogh (141 Danforth Ave.; tel. 416/778-1804) to see -- and hear -- what I mean. Comfortable and friendly, this is a good spot for a hearty meal and a pint. But the real reason to come is the music. I love traditional Celtic melodies, and on Thursdays at 9pm and Sundays at 5pm, local musicians gather to play them. The sessions are becoming legendary, especially since famous fiddler Natalie McMaster and members of the Chieftains have come by and joined in. As my Irish relatives would say, it's good craic!

Dance Clubs

Dance clubs come and go at an alarming pace in Toronto. My suggestions below are perennials, so they're almost certainly going to be around when you visit. That means that they're not on the cutting edge, so if you're looking for a hot, hip scene, be sure to check out the club listings in the free weekly Now or at www.martiniboys.com or www.torontolife.com for the latest and greatest. Some things stay constant, though. Most clubs don't have much of a dress code, though "no jeans" rules are not uncommon. And remember, it's always easier to get in earlier rather than later in the evening, when lines start to form.

Several primarily gay and lesbian clubs attract a sizable hetero contingent; one notable destination is El Convento Rico.

The Gay & Lesbian Scene

Toronto's gay and lesbian community is one of the largest of any city in North America, so the nightlife scene is diverse (yet largely concentrated in the Gay Village around Church and Wellesley streets). The free weekly newspaper Xtra! (www.xtra.ca) lists events, seminars, and performances, targeted at the gay and lesbian community; also check out Gay Toronto (www.gaytoronto.com), and the Gay Toronto Tourism Guild (www.gaytorontotourism.com) for listings. Some mostly straight nightspots, such as the Melody Bar, have one night a week that's gay night (in The Melody Bar's case, Wednesdays).