What’s on the menu at Bar Maaya, a moody new lounge serving over-the-top cocktails

Name: Bar Maaya Contact: 244 Adelaide St. W., barmaaya.com, @bar.maaya
Neighbourhood: Entertainment District
Previously: 244 Bar Owners: GMSMS Entertainment, director and CEO Sid L., regional manager Rohit Sharma, and bar manager Priyanshu Choudhary Accessibility: Not fully accessible (flight of stairs at entrance)

Named after the Sanskrit word for magic, Bar Maaya lives up to it, serving over-the-top cocktails complete with flame-spitting sparklers and clouds of smoke. “The moment guests step into the space, we want them to feel like they’re in a temporary realm of existence,” says co-owner Siddhaant Laul. It’s one of the few places in the city that does a traditional absinthe service—the green wormwood-based spirit was once incorrectly blamed for a string of incidents involving hallucinations and violence and was consequently banned in a handful of countries. At Bar Maaya, an order of the once-villainized spirit comes with a history lesson.

Related: What’s on the menu at Slice of Life, a kooky new cocktail bar with a laboratory in the basement

The Drinks

The cocktail menu is divided into three sections: slightly tweaked classics, a full absinthe service and bar manager Priyanshu Choudhary’s signature drinks with South Asian flavours.

Related: Over-the-top cocktails are sweeping the city

The Food

The menu is mostly tapas-style bar food—things like deep-fried pickles, coconut shrimp and a selection of flatbreads. It doesn’t lean in to one distinct cuisine but instead celebrates familiar flavours from around the world.

The Space

The owners redid the space themselves, using darker hues and jewel tones to give the room a moody, luxe look. The entire space seats approximately 180 people and is separated into two areas: the lively bar and a sit-down dining room in the back. There’s live jazz on certain Saturdays, and for those looking to extend their night out, Maaya’s sister club, Mia, is downstairs.