Restaurants
Real Sports Bar
The Real Sports Bar at Maple Leaf Square is a mammoth man cave - an adult's arcade and according to ESPN the best sports bar in North America. Call it what you want - this place is huge.
During my recent visit the Leafs weren't playing so there wasn't the usual line-up. Outside the bar, the formally attired bodyguard (who admitted he didn't watch sports and had no idea who was playing that night) asked me if I had a reservation. I didn't, so I walk in to put a party of four on the wait list. The waiting list is an hour.
45 minutes later my electronic buzzer thingy starts vibrating and it's time to go in. With 199 flat screen televisions (all broadcasting sports, natch), free WiFi, an arcade section including table top hockey and virtual golf and - oh yeah - a two story flatscreen, HDTV with a size that rivals the one just put outside of the ACC, there seems to be very little reason to disregard this as somewhere one could visit religiously to watch the game.
We are brought upstairs and given high seats overlooking the entire downstairs bar and the gigantic TV just above it. I love the fact that no matter where you sit, including in the bathroom, you have a television to watch in clear sight. Everything is sports. Even the bottom of a glass has either a basketball or a football welded into it.
We order an entree each and they arrive in a very quick manner. My friend orders the "Grilled Chicken Sandwich on Focaccia" ($12.99) which comes with a house salad on the side as requested. Of course I dug in for a bite. The bread is wonderfully toasted with tenderly crisped but moist chicken breast coupled with fresh tomatoes and provolone cheese. The garlic aioli infuses a perfect amount of tang.
For the vegetarian sports fan this place has some decent options. My veggie lady friend ordererd the "Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich" ($11.99) with tomato pesto and herbed goat cheese on focaccia. This entree arrives with a side order of sweet potato fries. The kitchen is skimpy on this night with the goat cheese but when I squinted hard enough I could see it. The veggies and mushrooms brushed with tomato pesto taste fresh and savoury. Being a meat eater myself, I can't imagine this being the most filling item on the menu but the great tasting sweet potato fries helped fill the void. Nonetheless, my friend assured me this was on her list of fave veggie sandwiches in the city.
Just like any decent sports bar, wings are on the menu and in a very big way. The thing to get is "Chef Tony's Ultimate Chicken Wings" (1LB $12.99, 2LBS $24.99, 4LBS $47.99) which seem pricey compared to many wing options around town....but there's a reason for this. They're big, crispy and, most importantly, meaty (not fatty). There are 11 sauce options including Chipotle BBQ, Cajun Dry Rub, Lime Salt and Pepper. My girlfriend (who eats out as much as I do) orders wings with medium Buffalo sauce which are a bit too sour and vinegary for both our liking. Oh well....next time maybe we'll go for the Thai Sweet Chili.
Finally, what would a sports bar be without hot dogs? I personally take a liking to the foot long "Bacon Wrapped Dog" ($12.99 - top photo) which comes with cheddar cheese supplied by Burkie's Dog House (a vendor at the ACC) and a side order of house cut fries. Not a great option for those on a diet, so my girlfriend warns me, (who comes to a sports bar when they're on a diet anyway) but the dog comes to life with crispy bacon and perfectly melted cheese.
While taking my first bite into this beast I had to check I wasn't drooling all over myself. This was one juicy dog. I loved it. Sided with warm fries (the regular kind, with skin-on), this is one classic American meal. If I closed by eyes for a moment, I could have been at Wrigley Field.
For dessert I indulge in the "Black and White" milkshake ($6.99) which consists of vanilla ice cream with hot fudge and chocolate chips. It's definitely a serving for two, but I attempt this on my own with everyone else feeling stuffed from their meals. I almost finished it. The hot fudge wasn't hot and seemed to be more like chocolate syrup than fudge. I also would have preferred if the chocolate chips were mixed in rather than just some sprinkled on top. But overall it was a good milkshake. I can't complain too much about something with these ingredients.
One additional note: the prices. While one might expect a restaurant owned by MLSE to have inflated prices, the menu here (both food and drinks) is actually quite reasonable and is good value for the money, especially when you factor in all the "free entertainment" throughout the place. Domestic bottled beer starts at $4.75 and there are over 100 taps.
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Basketball!?? What!! We play basketball in Toronto!? What!! Toronto has a professional basketball team!!?? I have to beg to watch a college or pro basketball game in ANY/EVERY bar in Toronto! That includes HOOPS LOL. HOOPS on Bremner Blvd. is 40 feet away from Air Canada Centre - where the Raptors play - basketball??? Shoeless Joes, Gretskis all in the same duH! boat - 30 TVs on, all with the same hockey game dUh!!
And if by a miracle they actually put on a basketball game (it usually takes at least 30 minutes of begging )- they stretch the picture 50% in width to fill the screen - it likes watering down the beer (half beer half water.)
ESPN has it all wrong - the best sports bar in North America is the Yankee Doodle in Santa Monica Cal.
http://www.yankeedoodles.com/index_main.html
http://visualdullard.com/Site/Blog/Entries/2007/11/5_Entry_1.html
That's some kind of girlfriend. Heyo!
Note: The ESPN poll was "fan voted" and every single MLSE employee with a Twitter account (even players!) spammed "Vote RealSports @ ESPN" for about a month before the place even opened. That said, it's a fine bar, but overhyped and likely to trend downwards which is pretty much in line with how MLSE generally conducts its ventures.
The food here is excellent. I think the worst item on their menu is actually the burger strangely. Only dish I haven't been satisfied with.
I've heard people complain about the prices, but I don't think it's that bad. Many of the portions are massive and I end up taking some home. But downtown in that area, every restaurant costs more than the burbs or some sketchy diner in King West. What I've learned is that you don't need to pig out at this place to enjoy the food. Get the appetizer and a beer and you'll be full, without the cost.
We went to one on game 7 lakers/celts and they didn't change the channel to the game until about 15 seconds into the 1st quarter (no pregame, intros, etc.).
Living down the street in a new-ish condo, this has become my local watering hole and it feels like everybody knows my name. To calm "Harry"'s fears, DJ Ryan Real is on the job for all the big nights. In addition to ensuring every screen is in perfect ratio and clarity, he also mixes tunes during commercial breaks with one eye on the screen for the game's return. It makes for a great "at the game" atmosphere where you get contests and music during breaks instead of commercials.
UFC night was fun too, but get your reservations in early, last time it was a 3 hour wait for a table. This will likely calm down after the novelty wears off, but for the next 6-8 months, expect this place to be packed every night of the week.
Steer away from the nachos -- they were a greasy, unappetizing mess.
i think he is talking about the turkish steam bath houses on bathurst.
The food was good. I had the pulled pork sandwich, very saucy and delicious and the wings were great too. Great service at the main bar.
el punto de vista Competente, es curioso.
Garretot
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I wouldn't go back if you paid me... And i have numerouse season tickets, so your loss you pretentious pricks
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