Looking for the best Halloween drinks in Toronto? From haunted pop-up bars to eerie themed cocktails, the city’s nightlife scene is turning up the fright factor this October.
If you’re ready to celebrate spooky season with a drink in hand, here are five haunted Toronto bars and cocktail lounges you need to visit this Halloween.
Belly of the Beast at Hotel Victoria
Something has gone very wrong in the lab at Hotel Victoria, where Belly of the Beast transforms the historic hotel into a mad scientist’s playground. The immersive Halloween exhibit features eerie installations by Toronto artists Sally Vusi, Noella Alpha and Queen Kukoyi, with mutated plant life, strange sculptures and DJ sets. Halloween-themed drinks and food are available for purchase, so grab a cocktail and explore this wonderfully weird world of escaped experiments.
Black Lagoon at The Drake Hotel
The Drake Hotel’s Café gets a spooky makeover for Black Lagoon, a Halloween cocktail pop-up that turns the space into a dark witch’s apothecary, complete with coffins, gravestones and plenty of eerie atmosphere. The drinks are just as dark, with a haunting menu created by award-winning bartenders Kelsey Ramage and Erin Hayes. Open Wednesday to Friday throughout October, the pop-up also hosts a special Halloween night on October 31, with costumes encouraged.
The Burton Experience at Novotel Toronto Centre
Gothic fantasy gets the Halloween treatment at Novotel Toronto Centre, where The Burton Experience returns for its third year. Running on select dates through October, the immersive pop-up features themed cocktails, potion-making, live actors, fantasy trivia and an apothecary-inspired setting made for a few spooky snaps. Come dressed as your favourite creature of the night and try a signature cocktail as you wander through this delightfully dark world.
Curse of Storm Crow at Storm Crow Manor
Vampires, masked guests and gothic glamour take over Storm Crow Manor for the Curse of Storm Crow: Crimson Masquerade. The one-night Halloween bash transforms the Church Street haunt into a vampire’s castle, with live DJs, haunted karaoke, passed canapés, tarot readings and interactive encounters throughout the manor. There’s also a Halloween candy table and costume prizes, plus a complimentary drink with admission. Dress to impress in your most dramatic masquerade finery.
Potion Party at Barebones Bartending
Trade the usual bar crawl for a Halloween cocktail class at Barebones Bartending on Dundas West. The annual Potion Party returns October 30 and 31, inviting guests to make three full-sized cocktails with professional bar tools while sipping spooky concoctions through dry ice fog. Keep an eye out for a ghost, too, and brush up on your trivia for a chance to win a prize. Costumes are encouraged, but be warned — showing up without one might be scarier than the drinks.