Toronto Nightlife

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Nightlife

The city’s large number of after-hours options proves that Torontonians know how to party. While bars tend to fill up around 10pm, most clubs don’t heat up until after midnight. The Entertainment District is the go-to spot for slick nightlife factories like Circa and O Ultra; hipsters are in their element in the gritty mecca of cool that surrounds Ossington Street and Queen West. Last call occurs at 2am.

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The sprawling Guvernment complex is so big that it feels like a small city – you will get lost in its warren of eight rooms, each of which thumps with a different rhythm (DJs usually serve up a mix of R&B, hip hop, house, and progressive), but that’s part of the fun. Techno junkies gravitate to the main floor.

132 Queens Quay East; Toronto, ON; 416-869-0045; www.theguvernment.com

Boys come to Fly (the inspiration for Babylon from the TV-series Queer as Folk) for the house and tribal beats, the beautiful bodies, and the fun-loving vibe. Even the ladies like to play at Toronto’s hottest gay club.

6-8 Gloucester St.; Toronto, ON; 416-410-5426; www.flynightclub.com

Art and revelry intertwine at this unabashedly ambitious, four-story pleasure palace designed by Peter Gatien (best known for his long-running New York City club Limelight). Here, everything from the pumping dance floor to the light-up bar is a spectacle – even non-scenesters get a kick out the hospital-themed washroom.

126 John St.; Toronto, ON; 416-979-0044; www.circatoronto.com

An attractive, sophisticated crowd descends on Ultra for its grown-up sex appeal. The club’s gentle curves, floating staircase, and vibrant hues easily transition from the lounge to the dance floor, making the space ideal for both cocktail conversation and libation-infused grooving.

612 Upper James St.; Toronto, ON; 905-383-1494; www.oultralounge.ca

Sure, the retro, chrome-and-leather ‘50s vibe is charming and the beer is ice-cold, but here it’s all about the jazz. A mainstay since the ’80s, Rex keeps ’em coming with nightly riffs and star-studded lineups (think Kurt Elling, Randy Brecker, and Joshua Redman).

194 Queen St. West; Toronto, ON; 416-598-2475; www.therex.ca

C’est What may seem laid-back, but they’re serious about beer – you won’t find anything but un-pasteurized, hand-crafted, Canadian droughts here (musts: Hemp Ale and Coffee Porter). Knock one back while you play pool, watch TV, or chat with the locals.

67 Front St. East; Toronto, ON; 416-867-9499; www.cestwhat.com

Converting a 19th-century Victorian building, formerly a family-owned meatpacking business, into a bar was a stroke of genius on the part of owners Adam Baguley and Amber Honor Elson. Now this historic-cum-hipster space, with its raw brick walls, oak bar, and neon-lit dance floor, is a cornerstone of the artsy Ossington nightlife scene.

88 Ossington Ave.; Toronto, ON; 416-916-0571; www.levackblock.com

Duck into this kitschy dive bar off Ossington for a refreshing break from the Toronto glamour scene. The cozy, Christmas-light-bedecked hole-in-the-wall welcomes everyone, from the tight-pantsed to the black-leather-clad to the jeans-and-tee-shirt set. The talented owner has been known to entertain patrons with live jazz.

1149 Dundas West; Toronto, ON; 647-435-0103

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