The mingle-friendly Handlebar in Toronto’s Kensington Market is a great spot to catch some local live music or chat up some regulars at the bar. A low-lit interior with antique furniture à la Mad Men in the front, and table seating in the back (plus a sweet dance floor if you’re seeking some hip hop or soul tunes), Handlebar also hosts a front-facing patio with the perfect gaze to bustling Augusta Avenue. Swing by on Mondays when drinks are on special for just $5.
OK Stupid presents a dramatic reading of hilariously awful online dating conversations at Handlebar. Bring your best worst Tinder, Plenty of Fish, Grindr, OKCupid and Bumble conversations and perform them live in front of a sympathetic audience. Handlebar will have a $10 beer-and-shot combo to keep the laughs going all night long.
There’s no telling what kind of night you’ll be walking into at everyone’s favourite Kensington Market bar, named for a love of urban cycling. Bicycles hang from behind the bar and pinball machines line the walls (in May, these dudes hosted Toronto’s first ever beer and pinball festival). Local and international musicians and DJs take to the stage for everything from vinyl-only soul nights to a specialty electro pop Friday night jam.