Toronto's festive pop-up bar scene has a fresh addition this holiday season, and it comes from one of the city's buzziest new openings. The Dirty Laundry, the Queen West spot that launched in late spring 2026 and built a name on cheap drinks, good looks and gluten-free Tex-Mex, is transforming into A Dirttty Little Xmas from November 16 through December 30.
If you know Toronto's holiday bar circuit, you'll recognise the playbook — Civil Liberties' Miracle Bar and Papi Chulo's Mistletoes and Margaritas have long been the standards — but The Dirty Laundry is giving the formula its own spin, decking the whole room out in kitsch from floor to its high ceilings and layering seasonal drinks and snacks on top of its existing menu.
Cocktails run $13 to $22, and they're more inventive than the usual peppermint martini territory. The Santa's Sack pairs clarified whiskey with notes of deer musk, amber, leather and smoked pine — the idea being a post-delivery cigar in Santa's study. The standout for savoury drinkers is the Thanksgiving Dinner, a martini riff built from Brussels sprout gin, cranberry syrup, bone broth and sweet potato foam. Yes, all of those in one glass.
Food-wise, the bar is adding shareable fondue platters, pigs in a blanket and an Xmas treat platter, sitting alongside its existing Tex-Mex snack menu. Given the kitchen's gluten-free bent, coeliacs and gluten-avoiders won't be stuck with celery sticks while everyone else feasts.
The practical bit: A Dirttty Little Xmas runs November 16 to December 30 at 1186 Queen St. W, in the heart of Toronto's west-end bar strip. Weeknights will likely be saner than December weekends if you want a seat, and pairing a visit with a Queen West crawl makes for an easy festive evening out. Worth booking ahead if you're a group — these pop-ups fill fast once the season hits full swing.
