An exhaustive list of Toronto's Christmas bars in 2026
Toronto Christmas bars transform your everyday neighbourhood watering holes into scenes plucked straight from the North Pole, with festive beverages, tastefully tacky decor and goodwill to all.
I don't know about you, but something about the holiday season just makes me crave a drink. Whether it's the more stressful elements of the season (family, the mall, etc.) that have you hankering for something strong at the end of the day, or you're raising a glass in celebration, the city's kitschy Christmas bars are the perfect places to find a tipple served with a side of tinsel.
From turkey dinner-inspired martinis to photos with Santa (for grown-ups and kids alike), these holly jolly haunts are an inextricable element of a true Toronto Christmas, and I personally wouldn't have it any other way. Now, hand over the balsam fir-flavoured gin.
Here are all the Christmas bars in Toronto to check out this holiday season.
The Dirty Laundry
A new addition to the Toronto Christmas bar scene, this Queen West watering hole is transforming into "A Dirttty Little Xmas" this holiday season.
With the space decorated in fine, festive form, you'll be able to sip on cocktails that go one step beyond the classic spiked eggnog. Think turkey dinner-inspired martinis with Brussels sprout gin and cranberry syrup or a clarified Old Fashioned with hints of deer musk, amber, leather and smoked pine.
Epoch Bar & Kitchen Terrace
Not only can you down seasonal cocktails and nibble on bites that warm the belly and spirit (including a festive afternoon tea) at this Ritz-Carlton bar and restaurant, but the space has been transformed into a veritable winter wonderland for the season.
Joining special menus and programming, the hotel is also hosting a European-inspired Christmas market that features a curated lineup of artisan gifts, festive photo-ops and even occasional appearances from Santa.
Civil Liberties
Perhaps the best-known of Toronto's pop-up Christmas bars, the team behind this Bloor West staple brings Miracle Bar to the city every November through December.
Here, you'll discover a space bedecked in twinkly lights, candy cane stripes, and seasonal tunes while you sip on themed cocktails served in equally kitschy drinkware.
Don't be fooled — Civil Liberties is still in regular operation during the holiday season. Instead, set your sights just down the street at 875 Bloor St. W. to find its Christmas cousin. Alternatively, you can visit Miracle's second location at 235 Queens Quay W. for even more festive fun.
Papi Chulo's
Though margaritas don't typically come to mind when thinking about the holiday season, this Ossington Mexican joint seeks to change that, year after year.
Becoming the much-loved Mistletoe's and Margarita's each November, this bar can best be described as if Christmas threw up all over your go-to dive bar. If Ossington isn't your scene, you can also opt to check out one of the team's other two holiday pop-ups in Toronto: Frosty's Fiesta at Papi and Rosita and Christmas on Queen at Aleria.
Project Gigglewater
With a name that evokes the sounds that may emanate from a gleeful group of elves, it comes as little surprise that this Dundas West bar bills itself as "Toronto's ultimate Christmas cocktail bar."
It may very well have a claim to that title. Decked out from floors to rafters in wrapping paper wallpaper, tree lights and tinsel to boot, the decor is just a single element of what makes this holly jolly haunt an annual staple.
Compton Ave.
For those in the mood for a more Dickensian holiday season (sans the hauntings and Polio), look no further than this London-inspired Dundas West bar.
Named after Charles Dickens' iconic A Christmas Carol, this bar offers a somewhat more sophisticated interpretation of Christmas, with trees trimmed to the nines, seasonal cocktails, and warm, cozy vibes that'll have you yearning to curl up by the fire.
Don't worry, the moral of the original story wasn't lost on the bar's team: the proceeds from every cocktail sold during the pop-up are donated directly to the Salvation Army.
Teddy Beer
This punnily named Bloorcourt bar disappears for the holiday season to be taken over by the Tipsy Reindeer.
Twinkling under a canopy of evergreen, virtually every open space in the bar is filled with the likes of ornaments, ribbon, wrapping paper and reindeer motifs, while bartenders shake up S'mores espresso martinis and the kitchen serves bites that'll put your Grandma's turkey dinner to shame.
Little Sister on Portland
Back on Nov. 12, Java Jingle sees this King West Dutch-Indonesian restaurant incorporate seasonal cocktails, like the matcha-infused "Grinchmas Please," into its menu, alongside sparkly, spruce-scented interiors.
Bonus points: if your festive beverages have you feeling a little extra jolly, the restaurant is just a jaunt from Toronto's buzzy nightlife strip to keep the party going all night long.
Queens Harbour
If you're in the market for something that whispers "Christmas" more than shouts it at the top of its lungs, The White Garden at this Harbourfront restaurant and nightlife destination may be just the gift you've been looking for.
Making good use of its considerable footprint, this restaurant transforms into a winter wonderland plucked straight from the pages of Narnia, minus the frostbite, with seasonal sips and snacks to keep you satiated.
Jessica Blaine Smith
