Getting a TIFF drink: a complete list of establishments open until 4 a.m. during the film festival

Drake of dawn: the Queen Street hotel is one of many spots open until 4 a.m.

Stalking celebs at TIFF takes a lot out of us—and, we imagine, avoiding us takes a lot out of celebs. The best way to soothe those festival blues or celebrate festival triumphs is with a few cocktails around dawn. Luckily, more bars than ever are serving late this year.

Why so many licences this year? David Brown, bar manager at the Drake Hotel, posits a theory: “The economy is a little tight in general, regardless of what the Bank of Canada says. Giving licences earlier is a benefit to the city and businesses.” He notes that the crowd typically thins out a bit around 2 a.m., with a fresh round of TIFFers coming in around 2:30 a.m. Richard Lambert, owner of The Social, echoes Brown’s sentiment: “We will see a good turnover in the crowds, with a second wave coming around 1:30.”

Late licences are free to bars that want them, but to obtain one, venues have to prove to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario that their staying open late is of vital importance to the festival. For example, One-Eleven, the Hazelton Hotel’s bar and Toronto’s newest A-list central, would be a definite yes. Bars that can’t pull in a party or at least some drunken famous people will have to keep their normal hours.

And so, in the interest of the local economy, we’ll be sipping at any of these establishments with extended hours.

Open until 4 a.m.

Urban Restaurant
303 King St. W., 416-598-5656
11:30 a.m.–4 a.m.

Fox and Fiddle
280 Bloor St. W., 416-966-4369
7 a.m.–4 a.m.

The Fifth Social Club
225 Richmond St. W., 416-979-3000
9 p.m.–4 a.m.

Sopra
265 Davenport Rd., 416-929-9006
Th–Sa 6 p.m.–4 a.m.

Bovine Sex Club
542 Queen St. W., 416-504-4239
9 p.m.–4 a.m.

Chez Victor
30 Mercer St., 416-883-3431
4 p.m.–4 a.m.

The Social
1100 Queen St. W., 416-532-4474
10 p.m.–4 a.m.

Marben
484 Wellington St. W., 416-979-1990
5:30 p.m.–4 a.m.

One-Eleven
111 Yorkville Ave., 416-935-0111
11 a.m.–4 a.m.

Lobby
192 Bloor St. W., 416-929-7169
11 a.m.–4 a.m.

Toronto InterContinental Hotel (Yorkville)
220 Bloor St. W., 416-960-5200
4 p.m.–4 a.m.

Century Room
580 King St. W., 416-203-2226
10 p.m.–4 a.m.

Cobra
500 King St. W., 416-361-9004
10 p.m.–4 a.m.

Drake Hotel
1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042
5 p.m.–4 a.m. (Only the Underground and Lounge are open late; the rooftop maintains its normal hours)

Flow Restaurant and Lounge
133 Yorkville Ave., 416-925-2143
Noon–4 a.m.

Empire Restaurant and Lounge
50 Cumberland St., 416-840-8440
5 p.m.–4 a.m.

Other extended hours

Windsor Arms Hotel
18 St. Thomas St., 416-971-9666
11 a.m.–2 a.m.

The Fifth
221 Richmond St. W., 416-979-3005
5:30 p.m.–midnight (restaurant portion of the Fifth Social Club, for private events)

Four Seasons Hotel
21 Avenue Rd., 416-964-0411
12 p.m.–2 a.m. (licensed until 4 a.m., but usually closes around 2 a.m.)

Park Hyatt
4 Avenue Rd., 416-925-1234
Noon–midnight (licensed for private parties later, but open to the public until midnight)

The Spoke Club
600 King St. W., 416-368-8448
M–F 10 a.m.–2 a.m. (Thursday and Friday serve until 4 a.m.; Sa 5 p.m.–4 a.m.; closed Sunday)

Rosewater Supper Club
19 Toronto St., 416-214-5888
4 p.m.–2 a.m. (at 10 p.m., they switch to a bistro menu; no definite closing time established yet)

Phoenix Theatre
410 Sherbourne St., 416-323-1251
Private event on Sept. 11; 4 a.m. close; normal hours every other night

Boiler House
55 Mill St., 416-203-2121
5 p.m.–2 a.m. (open later if necessary)

Maro
135 Liberty St., 416-588-2888
5 p.m.–2 a.m. (“Or whenever last call is”)

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