9 Best Places To Pre-Drink In Toronto

Nowadays, pre-drinking is a standard practice before a night out. Being sober when heading to a club or a party can be awkward, especially if the majority is already a few drinks in and relatively 'loosened up'. Most of the time, a pre-drink is held at someone's house, apartment or hotel room and the general rule is to BYOB. However, there are a number of bars in Toronto that are also good pre-drink places for those who would rather dive into the night a little quicker.

A good pre-drink location should meet three basic criteria: 1) cheap drinks, 2) chill vibes and 3) decent vicinity to major locations or transit. Here are 9 Toronto places that meet those criteria:

416 Snack Bar // 181 Bathurst St

• $4 - $6 bottles
• $7 cans
• $7 draughts
• $10 - $15 wines (white, rose and red)

416 Snack Bar has a great selection of low-priced finger foods to add to your pre-drink session. Check out their delicious menu here.

Pour Boy // 583 College St

• $4 - $6 bottled beers
• $4 shots
• $15.75 beer pitchers, $16.50 sangria pitchers
• $7 summer drink specials (long island iced tea, caesar, pina colada, cosmos, and more)

Pour Boy local pub has a decent-sized list of drinks to choose from, and it also doubles as an eatery with a full-fledged menu. Though their drinks are a little more on the pricey side, they do have great summer deals that are worth checking out. Look at their full menu here.

Green Room // 296 Brunswick Ave

• $3.50 martinis
• $3.25 – $4.25 pints
• $7 cocktails
• $15 (or less) Sangria and beer pitchers

The Green Room is a dive bar that offers amazing drink deals that you'll appreciate especially if you're on a budget. Choose from their low-priced list ($3 - $10) of tasty snacks to accompany your pre-drink session.

Photo cred - thebigpa

The Dog’s Bollocks // 817 Queen St W

• $3.50 beers (Coors)
• $4 shots
• $4 tequila shots and $11 margaritas (on Tequila Tuesdays)
• $11 select pitchers

The Dog's Bollocks is known for its relatively affordable pitcher deals. It also has a couple of daily food and drink specials throughout the week that you can check out on their Facebook page.

Wide Open // 139 Spadina Ave

• $4 everything (Mondays)
• $3.50 bottles of blondes and big wheel (Tuesdays)
• $4 mixed drinks and $5 pints (Wednesdays)
• $2.75 select drinks (Thursdays)
• $15 pitchers and $5 mixed drinks (Fridays and Saturdays)
• ...and more

Wide Open is a great option if you're looking for variety and if your pre-drink goals are simply to get in and get out . They have decent drink deals throughout the week; however, it would be a good idea to get there a little early as the venue tends to get packed as the night progresses.

Crocodile Rock // 240 Adelaide St W

• $2.50 drinks (all night on Wednesdays and until 10 PM on Fridays)
• $4 drinks (until 10 PM on Thursdays)

Crocodile Rock may be a valid one-stop destination, for both the pre-drinking session and the main event. The club holds a variety of weekly events (such as Thursday Night Live and Social Saturdays)  and also features a rooftop lounge.

Red Room // 444 Spadina Ave

• under $10 beers
• ~$11 specialty drinks

Red Room is especially great for two things - low priced food and drinks. But don't let the fact that their menu is relatively cheap mislead you; Red Room is notorious for serving some of the best sangrias and pad thai around. It's a great place for a quick pre-drink.

The Rivoli // 334 Queen St W

• famous martinis
• $10 mixed drinks

Pre-drinking doesn't always have to involve downing drink after drink. Take it easy with a few games of pool at the Rivoli before heading out to your event. Drinks are a little pricey but their selection is great. Contact The Rivoli for more details on their bar list.

Photo cred - Get Well

Get Well // 1181 Dundas St W

• $7 draughts
• $5 - $7 lagers and blondes

Get Well is perfect for groups who like being occupied with something during their pre-drink. It has a whole bunch of vintage arcade games that you can try out, as well as an extensive bottle menu that's always growing. Check it out here.

Other places you can try:

• Real Sports Bar
• Grace O'Malleys
• Madisons Pub
• Labyrinth Lounge

Also, check out: The 8 Best Toronto Places For Cheap Drinks

Have any other suggestions for great pre-drink spots? Leave a comment below!

Follow us on Snapchat: narcitytoronto