The Capitol Bar in Hamilton
973 King St E, Hamilton, ON L8M 1C3, Canada
About
Cozy. Friendly. Delicious. The Capitol Bar offers a warm inviting atmosphere, serving up expertly crafted cocktails, a great selection of Ontario craft beers, and over 250 whiskies from across the globe. We are open 4pm-2am 7 days a week, serving delicious home cooked meals and daily feature items. Kitchen closes at 11pm, midnight Friday and Saturday. Live music every Friday Saturday, reservations are recommended. We are Your East End Local.
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Absolutely hands down the absolute Gem of wherever you’re coming from. Such a great spot. I love how there’s a lot of farm to table but also just straight comfort food. This place is whatever you need it to be, welcoming, relaxing, live music and great people. Just try it!
The Capitol Bar, located for the past seven years on King Street East, is a fun, welcoming establishment. I was greeted by Derek, our server, and started the evening with the Chips and Dip. Bite-sized kettle chips and a thick garlic dip were a definite hit. The bar itself is well stocked. You'll understand when you look at the menu. I enjoyed a glass of MacCallan. While the space is small, I didn't feel crowded. Bathroom is clean. The cheese burger with bacon was done mid rare, and full of flavor. The side of baked chips was perfect. I was happily full after that. Coming in at $60.00 (my beverage choice was a big ticket item which drove the bill up. Otherwise it was very affordable) I will definitely be visiting again! 5 out of 5.
Great place, wife, and I like to go and have a couple of drinks. It has become our like date night spot during the week. The staff are great, no complaints.. just good vibes while getting away from the daily grind 🍻
They don't have hot drinks or maybe refuse to make any hot drinks even alcoholic ones. That's a bit weird, but whatever. Our issue was more that the dude in charge (manager? Owner?) was not nice to us at all and very blunt about. Didn't offer an explanation or empathy as we came in wet from the cold rain. We were so excited to come here for the first time ever, so it's a bit of a shame because the atmosphere was nice and the rest of the staff were so nice to us. . Regardless, it turned us off from ever coming back.
Great customer service. We went pre TiCat game and post game. Band was playing after the game. Drinks are affordable and bartenders have great drink knowledge
Loved the atmosphere and staff. The owner, Derek, is an amazing singer-songwriter and entertainer and host. I only recently experienced the Capitol when a friend played there. Derek, hosted and bar tended that afternoon matinee show. He was fantastic and very welcoming. I went back a week later with my friend to see Derek play a solo set himself and was blown away. I enjoyed a pint of the recommended craft brew from the bar tender, who was knowledgeable and pleasant. All the staff were great and welcoming. I didn't try the food on that visit, but a friend I was with did, and he was very happy with his burger and fries. I will definitely go back again and can't wait to try the food. Highly recommend this little gem of a place. And the musical talents of the owner Derek.
This place has a VIBE. A little bit speakeasy, a little bit hipster, this bar has charm to SPARE. A great decor, some groovy music and a tasty drink menu are definite pulls. Add an eclectic menu (with half price apps from 4-6) and you have the total package. The “Pickled Things” (made in-house) are NOT to be missed. The owner (Derek) is affable and takes the time to share his stories and get to know your name. Take a friend and get to know this wonderful, quasi-secret spot.
Stopped in for a drink, stayed for 4 hours!! Really friendly staff and a great vibe. It was quite busy for a chilly snowy evening. The live music (acoustic guitar) provided great tunes at just the right volume to still have a conversation. They have a fantastic selection of whiskies and plenty of craft beer options. Lots of wines as well. There is a small menu with a good range of snacks, including nice looking charcuterie and cheese boards. We tried the croquettes, shredded beef and potato served with a nice mustard. The stuffed mushroom caps were served with a small salad. They offer oysters some days and have a daily special. The bar had such a friendly atmosphere, lots of chatter and laughter. The owners have done a fantastic job in providing a quaint neighbourhood bar and offering some top notch whiskies and cocktails. A real hidden gem on King Street East. Bar opens at 5pm daily. Check them out.
Great welcome, the meal very good. (Chicken liver and salmon/rice) a very fair price. Thank you so much
Expected typical bar food but got cuisine-level dishes. Highly recommend!
Excellent, positive vibes, great people with high energy, the staff are fantastic
Had a great time eating good food, drinking good beers, and listening to good music.
Good local.
Went for a drink, left to get food came back and one of our party was not allowed in. The claim was that he was inebriated, yet he had been served one drink. This was personal and rude. Denied water as well which honestly gave away the intentions. A patron was behind the non re entry and was rude to us. Her drinks were purchased after she was offended by being called beautiful, then she tried to add drinks and called our friend cheap. The bartender kept our friend out for her, yet she announced to the bar she was going to the bathroom. She said she wanted to cut off my hair then after my friend paid for another round of her drinks she suddenly says, Are you threatening to kill me? Out of nowhere. She was just trying to get attention and the bartender made a bad call losing us as returning customers.
Great place to chill kut have a few drinks and eat soke good food staff where great fun and very friendly and welcoming
I love the service and food. Bartenders are the best in town! Love this place!
2 am last call. Can t beat that. Great little place for the area.
Beer & burgers for $20. Great beer, great burger, and even better service! Queer friendly too!
Post or pre game place to be
$6 for a bottle of Pellegrino water in a crime riddled side of town? What a joke lol .
My Bartender was amazing! She created a special cocktail that felt I was somewhere tropical...delish. Super service. The food was fantastic. Highly recommended! Food
One of our favourite hang out places downtown.
Awesome find in Stipley. Stopped by after work on a Wednesday at 5:30 and had an excellent burger and beer. Great vibes, thoughtful & delicious menu that branches out from standard pub fare, and interesting local(ish) brews on tap. Service was excellent. As a bonus, I surreptitiously listened to a group of older gentleman debate the complexities of life and relationships. I ll be back!
One of the male workers, not sure if it was the owner or just an employee, was extremely unpleasant to be around. Ruined the whole vibe of the evening.
Hands down the best place in all of Hamilton. Drinks, food, atmosphere and staff are all fantastic.
Staff are incredible, food is divine and the vibes? Immaculate. We love the capitol!!
Kitchen consistently open until 11, good vegetarian options, great cocktails and drink menu.
Amazing drinks and amazing food. The vibe of the bar was really nice and there was live music. Thank you!
Best place to go for food and drinks theyre awesome
Beautiful atmosphere there is so much to look at! Tracy was so good to us we recieved amazing service from her, they have a large selection of food and drinks so there is really something for everyone
Whole in the wall. Not to be confused with hole in the wall. Great place. Great music. Limited food but lots of spirit and heart. We saw champagne james Robertson. Wow, made my day. Great place. Not to be missed. Pick your poison. My Manhattan not to be confused with Manhattan. This is better.
Great little bar. Great place to socialize. Dereks a great owner who cares about his product and his clients. Food
A Gem of the area/street!
The burger was awesome and was surprised they had my fav wine!
Great staff nice little place lots off fun
One of my favourite bars in Hamilton. Quaint little bar, great staff, the hummus is FANTASTIC, and decently priced drinks :) Always a good time Food
This place has been my favourite place to come since I moved to Hamilton, foods killer! Drinks are awesome ! And the service is bare none !
We did not eat, but popped in for a drink. The service was great. The woman at the bar was an absolute delight. The food smelled incredible we will definitely go back to try it out!
Beautifully cozy spot. The bartender was top notch and made me feel welcomed. Amazing ambiance, would love to catch a performance here.
This place has such a vibe to it. Tongue in cheek decor with amazing service and great drink selection.
Great whiskey/burbon selection. Fair prices. Food
Food was great. Service was regular.
Great local spot! Always good for an after work pint or for a long evening with friends or a date. There is often live music on the weekends which makes it a party, but there are lots of other nights where it s a great chill vibe. The burger deal is incredible but don t pass over the rest of the surprisingly full menu with lots of great options for sharing. Great selection of beers on tap, but the real fun is in Derrick s vast selection of curated whiskey and bourbon.
weird experience, server came up to my friends and took all of their orders except mine. when she came back to give us the drinks, she asked me if i wanted one, and i ordered. when she came with the next round, my drink was not there. one of my table mates had to go up to the bar to ask for my drink. and the drinks tasted crazy. would love to return! immaculate service!
Great place. Great people working. It was our first time there and I don t know why it took us so long to go. It was perfect. Quickly became our favorite spot
I loved this place on a night with live music
This bar has an 80s bar with all those decorations and lovely music; somehow nostalgic though. The food is surprisingly good and people are welcoming here. Highly recommended
Food is absolutely delicious, booze selection is huge, service was perfect and the vibe is so chill. My new favorite place to listen to live music with great food
Very cozy and welcoming little bar! The appetizers are all excellent, and the seating is comfy and not too crowded.
I was surprised but they had reasonable vegan options, the food was delicious and waitress was a lovely person!
Amazing. I ll be back on my next visit to Hamilton.
The burger I had was fantastic. The service was attentive and friendly. The atmosphere in the bar is great. The only downside is that the background music was loud and the place was packed so it was hard to carry on a conversation. Unfortunately we left before the live music started, but Ill bet that was good too.
Unsure what all the hype is about. Its normal bar and price is alright.
Food and drinks were great! And the live music too!
Didnt like it as staff wasnt friendly and it was like they just not much happy to serve you. Dont think like i will visit again.
Very friendly, safe place. Many draft beer options
Stay away from the bar . As far as possible. I witnessed, first hand how they racially discriminate against people of colour. It sickens me that they are allowed to treat people like this. Imagine. If I have dark skin I cannot stay because I do not have a chair. Yet if I am not dark skin it is okay. Protest this bar or just tell everybody to stay away
Fantastic bar with great service, amazing food, and live music!! Their food menu is small but always amazing, and their specials help change things up and are always a hit. I also love that they have a disco ball and tea lights at night which give this bar a fun and cozy atmosphere!
Good whisky selection, great bar. Very welcoming and food is great.
Go here after every movie at The Playhouse. Always good food and drinks. Bit busy last couple times. But glad they have weathered the shut downs. Keep up the great drinks. Food
This place is fantastic! Was the best Ragout I ve had in years! The croquettes were superb! Incredible selection of whiskey and scotch! The staff were warm and welcoming. Delicious brownie desert. Not what you think better! All around incredible flavours. All house made. YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE!
Consistently tasty food, great beer selection, and solid mixology! Everything I could ever want from a neighborhood bar.
Great selection of whiskeys
Extremely friendly atmosphere, great selection of draught and Cocktails, and absolutely extensive bottle list. Food is also top notch. By far one of the best burgers, Stop by on sunday for an amazing roast dinner.
Late night delicious dinner
Great place. Great service. Great food. They need more shareable platters. Good beers. Will go again.
Great place. Amazing selection of Drinks!
Awesome place with live music, I just wish the place was a bit bigger since it s the only bar in the neighbourhood so it get crowded and sometimes it s better to do a reservation before going. The owner and staff are very nice
Good drink selection, didnt order food. Friendly staff, quick service.
May return. My wife and I love good food and drinks. This place is a tad confusing for us... The cocktails were just fine. They could be improved but were not bad. However, some of the best selections of alcohol we have seen in hamilton. Theres a whisky (Black Art by Bruichladdich) that we found, which is very rare and amazing. VERY happy to try a dram there. The food was awesome. I was pretty impressed, considering the type of decor the bar/restaurant had. The decor was confusing. At the time (2023 February) was not amazing. For this selection of whisky, food, and location, I believe it can be even more popular/better. It needs someone to take care of the physical decor/style of the place while tweaking the drink menu. It has the potential to be an awesome place
Simply abysmal service, it was very clear that my server did not want me as a customer. I waited 15 minutes to recieve a menu and water despite the venue having few customers at the time. I have never felt so roundly ignored at an establishment. I had to approach the bar and ask for my bill because I waited for 20 minutes after finishing my meal while making eye contact with my server many times. The food was good but that is all that can be said of the experience.
First time here. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was great. Had the duck breast special. A little under done and a little tough but flavour was good. Meal was served on a charcuterie board. I wish restaurants would stop doing this. They are sloppy for traditional fork and knife meals. Charcuterie boards are meant for charcuterie. We will be back.
Great bar in the hammer with friendly staff and a good selection of drinks. Food was very good also.
Yummiest charcuterie board and great vibes
Kid-friendliness: Poor customer service
Fantastic across the board. The staff is friendly and accommodating, the food is fantastic and the selection of drinks is second to none! Always a very warm, welcoming, busy place.
Great first time. Susan is a great Queen of the Bar. Had fun and met new people. I m coming back to try the food. Lol.
Great place to share food and drink. Great atmosphere. Try the Smorgasbord Chacuterie board. Its fantastic. Great music in the background.
the owner is great, nice guy and friendly... the regulars are kinda clique and not so friendly, not very welcoming... good spot but could could be a great place
Tis time for an update! What a lovely place. I now come more often, I always see the staff smiling & laughing. The food is to die for, and the chef (well, it always a lovely surprise to see a handsome man that can cook!). The rest of the staff & owner are great. Sue & Tracy and power house ladies, while Spencer & Derek are lovely and pick out a cocktail! Really love their live music & decor choices Reminds me of a bar back home XOXO
Best bar in the city by far. Amazing food. Great service and live music!!
A cozy comfy cool place to have some drinks and a delicious meal. I will be back!
Great vibe, friendly and knowledgeable staff and ridiculously good food and drinks. Amazing to find this gem in central Hamilton!
We live down the road and it is my go to local spot! The service/staff is always 11/10 and the food is amazing. I always bring family/friends here anytime I get the chance! Food : 5/5
Great place to grab a drink or a meal. Awesome staff. Great vibe. Highly reccomend.
very nice place to be. it is a bit tight for room but beautiful, drinks are reasonably priced. I have nit tried the food menu but they have a great selection. I would recommend a visit!
Great place for cocktails. Huge selection and great atmosphere. Highly recommended!!
Small but mighty. High quality food and a large selection of drinks at reasonable prices. Add in great service and a completely unique atmosphere and youve found yourself a go to place.
Stopped by for a quick beer and burger on our way home from a funeral. Stayed for a couple beers. Food was fantastic, service was excellent. Check out the daily specials on Instagram. I will return.
I actually stumbled across this place on a random walk; so we stopped in for a birthday drink. The atmosphere is incredible. Live music, drinks, and food. I got some pickled things; (I don t remember what it s called specifically) However, the pickled grapes were actually delicious. Yes! I said grapes! So strange to say out loud but surprising, if you re like me and love all things pickle, definitely try it out! Pickled carrots too! Mmm
Its a cozy, attractive neighborhood bar, with a welcoming vibe & terrific service. The food is constantly excellent too! Their terrificly flavorful & juicy burgers, for example, are served with a surprisingly delicious side of tender potatoes that are thinly sliced and baked, not fried.
Hands down the best bar in the city with the best bartender. Sue always gives me a soft place to land.
Great atmosphere! Live music and awesome drinks!
The burger I had, had an excellent sear to it and was seasoned deliciously! It also had a great house sauce instead of regular ketchup and mustard, the spuds were crispy and savoury as well. Not to mention the bar staff takes great care into making a cocktail, overall The Capital Bar stands out as a Hamilton gem and Id recommend it to anyone!
Dinner could have used a bun.....other than that food was great.
Wonderful atmosphere! Excellent service!
We Love this place. Always a good time! Susan gives the best service!
Came here with my partner for a date night and this place did not disappoint. The service was friendly and swift. The drinks with delicious and well priced. I got the spicy marg and my partner sampled many of the delicious local beers. The small but tasty menu was on point, I got the mushroom sandwich and my partner got the club. We both took it home and even the next day it was fresh and delicious. The special was burrata and it was exceptionally fresh. Well priced items and a great gem! will be back again and again!
Great vibes and drinks!
Great vibe loved it and will definitely be back
Thursday evening dinner, was quiet at 7:30 but filled later. Tables are quite close together but it all worked out ok. Burger (w/cheese and added Bacon) was like home!... crunchy patty and still burning hot when it arrived...really enjoyed it. Food
Cool little bar. Great atmosphere. Great staff. Great moved drinks - try the Negroni. We had the charcuterie board and it was awesome!
Great bar. Very friendly servers.
Small menu - uniquely and tastefully done. Cheese and Charcuterie plates were tremendously well thought out. 240 (or so) whiskeys are an attraction on their own.
The best restaurant and drinking establishment in Hamilton East End
Love this place. Boyfriend and I keep coming back from Toronto for the Meze plate especially, so rare that I eat food THAT good!
Love this place. Such an awesome neighborhood bar! I suggest you follow their Instagram page and see what their daily specials are! The food and drinks are amazing!
This year: The bar I fell in love w 3yrs ago has matured and grown and theres a good menu now not just apps! The cocktails are inspired and I simply adore the virgin options as well now that I am choosing to not consume alcohol. I took my love for a date night here and cant wait to be back and hear more live music. 3yrs ago: The intimacy, soft lighting and attentive waiting and bar staff mean this is an ideal date night bar. Add to that the gravlox, unique cocktails which are perfectly prepared? Its simply the best bar available in the city at the moment.
I love the cocktails at this place. Very classy, servers are very attentive and checking in often. Really enjoy this bar! There s also music on the weekends.
Really nice local bar with a fantastic whiskey selection. Also a nice place to grab a beer after work. Their Sunday roast is really welcome for a displaced foreigner like me. Great bar.
Thunderous atmosphere, good music
Awesome bar - cool look and feel in the Hammer! Was a bit loud for conversation, but maybe Im just old
I saw the great beer list on the wall and ordered before I opened a menu to see the best whiskey list Ive ever seen. I didnt regret my beer choice but I did get to try some bourbons that Ive been trying to find for a long time. Also had the soup special and spaghetti carbonara. Absolutely phenomenal. Ill be back for sure.
A hidden Gem
Try the Pickles they are amazing!!! Really amazing what they made with the pickles and how different they are. Also the other foods that I try are delicious Absolutely 5 Stars plus Bar Thanks for the Ashtray in front of the door An example for all the other Bars that I visit here.
Great place for cocktails and weekend night vibes! Uplifting music and crowd, lots of drinks options, great staff. They can be busy on a weekend, but worth the wait! I ll be back :)
Great atmosphere what else can you ask for! Cocktails were great and so was the service!
Great cozy neighborhood bar with a nice little menu. Reliably good service and a great atmosphere. Dont miss Sunday roast with live music!
This place falls into the normal hamilton overpaid hipster bar. Its about the size of a closet and their food is something my 8 year old would cook in an air fryer and then they plate it half decently and charge you $25. If you re into that then this place is perfect for you
Do better.
Great food, amazing drinks, and the best service ever. Good vibes.
I heard about this place through one of my favourite bartenders at the lionshead pub. I wasn t convinced I was going to like it as it isn t my usual scene but I was definitely proved wrong. It was definitely nice to have a friendly face behind the bar but regardless I will be back for the delicious cocktails and great food.
Great neighborhood bar. Live music, good burgers, cozy atmosphere.
Super fun bar. Been coming here since I moved here a year ago. Great atmosphere and good place to see live music. Arguably the best bar in Hamilton. The bar staff are super friendly, great at their jobs and from the outside, the family environment is real with the staff. This is something that every employer tries to advertise, but should look to the Capitol and strive to emulate.
Great atmosphere and fantastic service. Prices are very fair and the whisky and bourbon list is impressive.
Beautiful bar, amazing bartender. Great spot for live music.
Incredible whiskey list, cocktail knowledge and atmosphere. A clear love for the industry, wrapped in a nostalgic feel with modern touches.
Arguably one of my favourite spots in the city. Such friendly people. Amazing service, cocktails, live music but zero pretentiousness. My fav watering hole!
Very disappointed in this place. The food was terrible and the service was not good. I had the butter chicken and it came with drumsticks?? Yuk... my friends had the cheeseburger that had no flavour and the round fries were black in some areas and tasted terrible. So we will not be going back!
Great service and awesome charcuterie! The pickled items are particularly addictive! Thanks so much.
The staff, atmosphere and live music were great. The food and cocktails were amazing. Friday nights truly are a vibe. Will definitely be back.
If you are not Canadian, do not go to this bar.
I really enjoy myself there great entertainment. I also like the atmosphere very kool .found the staff very friendly and will go back for sure . Great choice of daft beer
My new favourite bar. The whisky list is amazing, but the service/atmosphere even topped that. Though it was a busy night, Derek (the owner) was happy to share his copious knowledge (and generous pours), and we were lucky enough to sit next to a brand ambassador at the bar who hooked us up (while also giving us a mini-tutorial on Islay single malts - thanks!). Fantastic place and better people.
If you are someone who likes a little attitude on everything they get at a bar or restaurant, youll be greatly disappointed here. What you will get, however, is an amazing bar list, super friendly non-pretentious service, and the most thoughtful and successful small menu I have ever seen. The pickle dish is great and the sharing boards are all winners. They even have specials so youll never get bored. I envy folks who live in the neighbourhood.
Now one of my favourite bars in Hamilton. Thanks Spencer!
Blown away by the smorgasbord charcuterie. We had an absolute top notch assortment of everything, very very impressed! Made a great night that much greater. 11/10
Vegetarian options: Variety of Mediterranean dishes makes vegan easy to do here... Parking: Depends on time and what days but generally there are plenty of options available for parking...
Was looking for a place to have drinks and stumbled across this place! We stopped in, and the service and atmosphere was amazing. I highly recommend this place for amazing food and drinks. We will be back!
Amazing bar staff, atmosphere, and drinks. Probably the best service Ive ever received at a bar. Everyone was extremely friendly and the cocktails are very unique. Cant ask for much more.
Best burger in Hamilton, and they have a great deal on Wednesdays ($18 for burger, potatoes, and a beer). The interior has neat retro decorations and art, atmosphere is great. Friendly staff too! A great business in the Stipley neighbourhood.
best bar in Hamilton
I ordered the the cheese platter and kept getting moldy cheese. I kept giving it a chance but it kept happening. Meanwhile the bartender/owner definitely sneezed on customer orders. Proceeding to kiss a customer in front of other guests
Great little local bar. Wonderful staff and drinks. If they still do a Sunday roast, enjoy!
I finally found a place that has good Sunday roast! I was looking for it since a while, it even worth the drive from Niagara!
Never had a bad time in this place. Never had a bad meal in this place. Never had a bad drink in this place. What more can you ask from a little local hangout?
Love coming here. Great spot any day of the week. Pair some great wines, cocktails & food with good company and youll be in for a fun night. Burger Wednesdays are a hit
Was visiting family in the area and they recommended this place for dinner and drinks and it did not disappoint. The cocktail are handcrafted and delicious, with a huge selection of whiskeys. The food menu has great options to go with their drinks but you have to try whatever their special is for the evening. This visit featured a cajun shrimp po boy and it hit the spot. Would absolutely visit again next time we re in the area.
Great vibe, amazing food and the biggest bourbon selection Ive seen...and Im from Toronto.
Always a blast here with good beer and great snacks.
Kid-friendliness: Its a bar Food
I went here for the first time since moving and its such a great place!!! I got stood up by a tinder date and they were all very nice about it. I also got way too drunk for my own good and a very nice lady who works there walked me home.
Unreal
All-star place. Great food. Great beer. Great staff. My favourite place for a night out.
Great atmosphere, friendly staff, food is amazing and great drinks! Surprisingly great value as well, 10/10
A great local but dont come here cuz u will enjoy it, you wont leave and I wont be able to get in.
Love this place! Its our go to for a night out.
Favorite place.... one of the bartenders are my favorite the other one not so much. Overall great atmosphere
I wish they had flights because I want to try everything they have on drought, the beer is great
Nice local place to have a meal. Ask for the specials.
