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Real Sports Bar & Grill
Category: Nightlife Bars Sports Bars Sports Bars [Edit]
15 York StreetToronto, ON M5J 0A3
(416) 815-7325
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Thu-Sat 11 am - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
75 reviews for Real Sports Bar & Grill
Review Highlights
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"The sweet potato fries were killer, and the panini was..." In 6 reviews -
"Real Sports menu is comprehensive and well thought out." In 3 reviews -
"Make reservations or get there early cause this place is..." In 4 reviews
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74 reviews in English
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Review from Christine R.
Scarborough, ON
5/17/2012 7 photos
Came here on Saturday around 6:30pm after watching a game at the Rogers Centre.
FYI make Reservations!
I was told by the hostess they were fully booked however she gave us two options:
1) Go on the waiting list for a table which could be up to 1hr+r wait (The hostess advised that there has never been a night when 100% of the reservations actually showed up so we could get a canceled table if that was to occur)
2) We were offered a table that was for an upcoming reservation that hadn't arrived yet only catch is that we had to be done eating by 7:30pm however we were also put on a waiting list in case a table opened up
We took option 2
I figured we could never finish eating by 7:30pm and they couldn't possibly kick us out right? Anyways the food arrived at 7:00pm and hostess came back at 7:20pm to check on our progress. We told here there was no way could finish eating as our food all came out at 7. She understood and let us keep the table.
Always take option 2! From what I noticed after 7:30pm lots of tables became available so I take it those reservations never showed up or either those tables are for ppl coming at 8pm?
This is what we ordered:
Cheeseburger Spring rolls
Packed full with ground beef and cheddar cheese fittingly served w/ ketchup, mustard & relish so simple yet so delish! An order is 2 spring rolls cut in half (4 halves in an order)
1LB Cajun Dry Rub Wings
If you like salt & pepper wings these are definite must but far more flavorful! Wings are meaty, good batter and crispy!
Sweet Potato Fries & House Cut Fries
Huge portions of fries served in a deep fryer basket. No complaints on the fries they hit the spot
Desserts here are amazzzing and huge! Don't pass it up!
Peanut Butter Pie -Oreo cookie crust & creamy peanut butter filling
I am a PB fanatic so this was a definite must! Loved the peanut butter filling almost had a cheesecake like taste but far more creamier topped with a layer of ganache and the crunch from the oreo crust I was in heaven!
10 Layer Devil's Chocolate Cake -Chocolate sponge layered with rich ganache served with vanilla ice cream
Quite possibly the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted! So moist and chocolatey rich, It will convert anyone into a chocolate cake lover! And it was massive in size and will generously feed 3-4 diners.
Despite how hard it is to actually get a table I can understand the hype. This place is downright amazing all around! The food is delicious, they play great music, tvs are everywhere, great spot to watch a game or hang out at the bar and despite how packed it was our waitress never neglected our table and was attentive refilling drinks and clearing plates.
The only negative....Don't plan on walking in and snagging a table....definitely Make RESERVATIONS or try your luck on that wait list.... -
Review from Jordan M.
Toronto, ON
5/8/2012
This place gets packed for any decent sporting event so show up early or try for a reservation if you have no patience for that kind of stuff (who does?!)
Average beer selection, average food with Bay St. pricing; but this can be justified because of the giant tv and abundance of average sized tv's.
Right next to the ACC so it will often fill up with people attending events there, particularly out-of-towners, but also gets some locals from the waterfront and suits from Bay street from my experiences.
Visitors really seem to enjoy this place, and it's becoming somewhat of a tourist attraction -
Review from Vivian P.
North York, ON
3/24/2012
Came here to watch Raptors vs Knicks. Made a reservation, but was nervous about it (would it be honoured? I was just right on time for it but during these busy times, who knows if someone forgot).
I was seated after 10 minutes of waiting. (YAY). the hosts were organized and fairly efficient (they use a virtual seating system, to my surprise :) ) The table was , as requested, in full view of the gigantic tv screen. My group came at various times (some arrived at least an hour later), but the server was fine with it. She was probably too busy to really be too concerned by it. It was hard to track her down when we wanted to order, though.
The good
- seeing the game in huge hdtv
- pulled pork (on bread and on nachos
- nachos (ORDER THEM when you go :P they're yummy - but remember anything you add on top of it is additional cost)
- MANY types of beer
The average
- Mac and cheese was "ok" to the mac and cheese expert of our group - the portion was small
- the portions in general were a bit smaller
- the drink #winner - jagger, redbull, orange juice, and smirnoff vodka - heavy on the jagger taste. it tasted better when i drank it from the glass, not through a straw
- server was nice; but it was hard to find her (we consciously waited for her for at least 20 minutes (but consciously i mean, peel our eyes away from the tv to look for her) when we wanted to order food.
The ugly
- smoked chicken penne. I ordered this because the server recommended it. It was bad - dry, seemed very home-made (i.e. not the quality i would expect from a restaurant).
Verdict
i'd come here again to see another game and try another dish but it wouldn't be my first choice. -
Review from Faye C.
2/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
*3.5 stars*
It was my first time here tonight...a few things, it's pretty nice for a sports bar - the food was actually pretty ok. I ordered the portobello sandwich - which was pretty tasty. We started with the quesadilla sliders which are tastier than they sound. My friends order burgers (a few variations - all got the thumbs up). Another friend ordered the stir fry, which by all accounts was good for a sports bar, but she ordered tofu, and it had a weird consistency, kind of like a crouton, but not...And for dessert the peanut butter pie. Super sweet - but good. Probably something to share, unless you decide to pass on the main, the way my friend did.
Also - it's better to make reservations, it was pretty busy for a Thursday night with no game on. And they there isn't a way to make online reservations, so I had to call in.
PS *I'm not sure why the menu doesn't have pics of food in it, b/c I really think that would be super helpful -
Review from Mochi M.
2/28/2012
Crooks. Bunch of CROOKS.
1) You order a dish, but they don't even tell you that things like 'sweet potato fries' are an extra, and not part of a no-charge menu item
2) Drinks at the bar are charged at $3.50 for instance, but if you order at the table, it's only $3. WTF?
I hate this place. I understand the appeal of the big screens, but it was not worth my money.
The food was also not that awesome. Sliders looked dry, the tacos were disgusting and they charged extra for everything without telling you that the pork was $3 extra, and so on..
I mean, if you are going to lie about the items, I COULD pay $3 for pork, but not if you sneak it in there without telling me it's an extra charge.
I also took the brisket sandwich and it was DRY AS HELL. Disgusting.
EFFING CROOKS. NEVER going back. This re-affirms my hate for sports bars. -
Review from Morgan S.
Toronto, ON
2/28/2012
The Real Sports Bar is a popular spot for sports fans and business types alike. Thus far I've only been for work related events/meals. Reservations are key, especially for the lunch hour rush. The decor is an interesting mix between that of a typical sports bar (on steroids) and a night club. Televisions great and small all showing sport of one type or another dominate the walls. The lighting is kept quite low all the more enhancing the brightness of the screens. Juxtaposed to this are the mostly female staff all dressed and primped for a night club, not for a sporting event.
While the decor might be a bit odd, the food is quite good. The menu offers a wide variety of fare, suitable for both lunch and dinner. Most impressive is the standard of quality. On one of my first visits I ordered soup only to have the server return to inform me the chef would not be serving it as it didn't meet his standards. She was apologetic, offered something else from the menu and didn't charge me for it. They also offer an extensive alcohol menu sure to include something for everyone. Both menus have the feel of being carefully and creatively designed to ensure quality while providing lots of options.
The after work crowd can be a bit overwhelming. Between the high volume of people and the music being turned up, conversation can at times be challenging. If you're hoping to have a quieter experience I'd suggest requesting one of the smaller booths farthest from the two story television/bar area.
Bottom line: This is a fun place for work functions or to watch a big game. -
Review from August L.
1/15/2012
Why do we always end up at this place? I think it's b/c it's close and has a variety of food that everyone is bound to find something they like. But honestly...I would never choose to come here myself.
SERVICE
I honestly don't want to have a 2 hour lunch during the workweek. Does anyone? The service was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SLOW. To the point that everyone (10 of us) at my table was complaining. The place wasn't even 1/2 full.
BILL
I have never seen this before. Is this legal?
$ food +
$ Tax +
$ Gratuity (18%) +
$ Tax on Gratuity
TOTAL
First of all, I hate the fact that there is presumed Gratuity on the bill. Wit this, there is no incentive for the server to do a decent job.
Secondly, I had no idea we have to pay an additional tax on the gratuity. Really...can someone tell me if this is legal?
FOOD
The food was alright. -
Review from Anne B.
12/30/2011
This poor review is based solely on the abysmal customer service at this establishment. The food isn't really anything to write home about either, but it's better than one star I suppose.
I was meeting up with my Mother and sister for dinner and we thought it would be fun to try Real Sports out. I called the restaurant at 11 that morning to make a reservation. The girl that I spoke to made it seem like it was ludicrous that I was even trying to make a reservation and suggested that in future I should book 3 weeks in advance. Really? Cause that seems pretty darn excessive...it's a bar, not the Ritz. Anyway, she somehow managed to find space for us. While I was on the phone with her, I informed her that my sister was 7 months pregnant and that we COULD NOT be placed at a high top table. I also mentioned that a booth would be most comfortable for her. She told me she would be sure we weren't and I figured all was well (are you getting that sinking feeling that perhaps I was wrong to think that? Read on...).
When we arrived, we were instructed to go upstairs and the hostess on the 2nd level would show us to our table. We were rather perplexed as we saw plenty of empty booths available on the first floor, but went along with it none the less. We were told that the only way upstairs was to walk up this long winding staircase. Now, keep in mind my sister was SUPER pregnant. I turned to the girl and asked if there was an elevator and she told me there wasn't. So, my poor sister had to trudge up the stairs.
When we got to the top of the stairs, the hostess up there led us to our reserved table. Guess what kind of table it was...Did you guess a high top table? Bingo.
It is actually pretty much physically impossible for a 7 month pregnant woman to get into one of those super high chairs. We all just stood there incredulously and the clueless hostess was totally puzzled as to what the issue was. I had to point out the fact that my sister was pregnant (you'd have to be blind not to notice) and made mention of the fact that I had requested ANYTHING but a high top table because of that fact. She then informed me that there are only high top tables on the 2nd floor and that we'd have to go back downstairs to see what they could do for us (she didn't even offer to call down to them first, there was just this feeling of, "well, you're not my problem anymore.").
. . .
Wooooooowwwwwwwwww....
I was livid at this point and asked her if she really was suggesting that my sister was going to have to walk back down all those stairs that she was made to climb for absolutely no reason. At which point the girl pointed to the escalator.
WHERE DID THAT MAGICAL ESCALATOR COME FROM?!? Cause when I asked the hostess downstairs if the stairs were the only way up she said there was no other option. So, I guess it must have been installed in the last 5 minutes. Uncanny!
When we got back downstairs by way of magic escalator I asked the hostess why we had been sent upstairs in the first place. She informed me that there was nothing on my reservation about no high-top table. Which begs the question, why not?! Also, anyone using their brain at all wouldn't have sent a pregnant woman upstairs knowing there was no suitable place up there for her to sit!
We were then seated in one of the many vacant booths which we weren't deemed worthy of initially.
Honestly? If my poor sister hadn't been so hungry by this point, I would have stormed out of there. The stupidity and inconsideration of the staff was simply maddening.Listed in: You won't catch me here…
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Review from Maheen M.
1/22/2012
If you are a huge sports fan, Real Sports Bar & Grill is the place to be! I have been to Real Sports a few times and each visit I have a great time. Be sure to make a reservation for table before game night (Leafs, Raptors or Jays), as the place does get busy.
The wait staff were super accommodating last Friday when I was meeting up with a friend before the Raptors game. We wanted to change our table to a bigger one as we were expecting another friend. They were able to get use a bigger booth despite being a busy game night.
Food is upscale bar food that is within price point for the area. Drinks vary from $7-10 depending on what you want to get.
I would recommend Real Sports for sports and non-sports fan, great food and service - you can not go wrong!Listed in: Drinking Establishments
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Review from Shiona R.
2/21/2012
A truly fantastic sports bar, I could watch SPL highlights! I even got to see the highlights of my beloved home team Dundee United, although on this particular occasion that was not necessary a good thing, Ha!
However they have a good beer selection. Entering such a place I had a sense of foreboding, I have eaten here before and it was fine but since doing a GF and carb free diet I was thinking...yippee salad again! However much to my joy they serve a lettuce burger, all the good staff sans bun! It was excellent! Truly did not feel I was missing out on the sports bar and a burger experience.
Whenever I have passed by this place it is always busy and yesterday was no exception. If there is a game or a gig at the ACC then reservations will be required. Yesterday we had a half hour wait for a table.
The last time I went there was before going to see Kings of Leon, we needed our food in a hurry and they were fast!
Female, single...if you haven't been yet, you have to go! -
Review from Leslie W.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
BOTTOM LINE: What a sports bar looks like in a 3-piece suit.
Although Real Sports has so much going for it (voted best sports bar in North America, 'nuff said), I find myself avoiding this place unless I'm showing visitors around. To be fair, when this place is packed, the atmosphere is quite something; however, it's not enough to draw me back regularly.
First, I find the TV too big / too close. IT'S TRUE! Even with the best seat in the house, it's near impossible to appreciate all the action on the screen and this can be disorienting. With anything less than the best seat, some huge column will either obstruct your view, or you're way too close to make use of it. Thankfully there are tons of other screens to look at it, but it's a shame that the 2-storey TV is so unuseful.
Second, it's clear this place was made with corporate clients in mind. As such, it feels more like a King West lounge than your traditional sports bar. Also, depending on the night, you'll need to actually reserve seating a week to two in advance or be prepared to stand in line forever! This is a place you need to plan on going, instead of just popping in spontaneously.
Finally, despite the hype that a chef who previously worked at some Four Seasons was hired to re-interpret traditional bar food, I've found most of the selection very "meh" and overpriced.
All in all, it's hard to "hate on" Real Sports, but if you're looking for a cozy sports bar, you'll be better served heading somewhere else. -
Review from Tim S.
Etobicoke, ON
ESPN sure isn't wrong calling this the best sports bar in North America!
Reservations are definitely recommended for game days! I was very lucky to get a booth before the Lakers game yesterday (Sunday), very accommodating staff.
I have been here a number of times for TFC, Raptors and Leafs games. It is an awesome sports bar experience. I am a Raptors seasons seat holder, and usually come here for a quick drink before hand.
I've always had great, fast service, and I am absolutely addicted to their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich! They have tons of stuff on tap.
Sports sensory overload!! -
Review from Anabel L.
Toronto, ON
1/19/2012
no love in this club
Don't you love that I can go from eating a $200 meal on a Thursday to munching on footlong hotdogs on the Friday. It's how I roll. You want to roll with this.
So, a few weekends ago I rolled into North America's #1 sports bar. We Torontonians thought it would be superfun to show some out-of-towners Real Sports before the game.
Unfortunately, as soon as I walked in I realized I should have done my due diligence. It seems sometime in the intervening timeframe since I was last there, Real has turned into a club. No, not literally, but you wouldn't know that just by walking in.
My senses were expectedly overstimulated, but my ears, my poor ears - tremendously overwhelmed. It was so loud the hostess couldn't even hear me. When I finally made it to the table, my ears were ringing.
I'm not pulling a Debbie Downer, the music was legitamately too loud for a bar; screaming across the table doesn't really work at 6 pm on a weekday.
Now, other than that, the service was average and the food was tasty. I especially enjoyed my hot dog: Footlong goodness of weiner, pulled pork, coleslaw and a bun (with fries...always with fries) -
Review from Faezah W.
12/21/2011
The biggest sports bar I have ever been too. Large screen tvs, tons of seating and yet their is still a line up because everyone goes here. I love it here. Its more fun going with a larger group. I came here with a friend and we just wanted a quick drink before heading home from Sultans Tent. So we sat by the bar, gorgeous servers from the woman and men haha. I got few long island iced teas and towards the end I got a mint chocolate chip milkshake. It was truly the best I have ever had. Im normally not a fan of desserts or milkshakes..but this one, won me over haha.
Everyone needs to check this place out. Come super early especially during game nights if you want a seat! without waiting around forever.
Its right beside union station and the ACC. expect it to be loud, busy and filled with hot drunks haha -
Review from Maddy K.
Toronto, ON
10/11/2011
Its such a fun place! with GIANT TV screens all around and so much activity every night of the week and even at lunch hour this is such a fun place to check out. Beware however, its really tough to get a seat on game night.
the food is pretty good - way above regular bar food. The sliders are terrific and the wings are voted one of the best in the city and they are pretty great!!
I hear you're able to connect your iPod in to one of the booths and listen to your own music - need to try next. If you're a sports fan - you'll be coming back here again and again! -
Review from Darren L.
Scarborough, ON
12/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
If you are looking for a good sports bar, this is the place. Especially for hockey or baseball. You are literally next door to the stadium with a insanely huge TV right in front of you with 60 smaller yet still large TVs surrounding it.
Went there during a leafs game that was playing there and the crowd was packed. The staff was friendly and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.
Don't bother taking a date, unless you and your date are hardcore sports fans, then this place is one big wet dream for both of you. -
Review from Eric L.
8/18/2011 1 photo
This place is cool from afar, but far from cool. Just an ok rating from me.
Sure there is a huge big screen, but the problem is you need to book 3 months ahead of time and everything is overpriced. If you aren't that lucky, you can get a cool booth, but there are not enough TV's to get a good view from everywhere.
Put in more TV's and I might give this a 4 star sports bar rating. -
Review from Charlotte W.
North York, ON
7/4/2011 1 photo
As a disclaimer, my review for sure would have been better if there was a game on. The big screen TV is insane and add into the mix of beers, wings, and friends, and you have all the important ingredients to a GREAT game night experience. However, on a Sunday, off-game night, this place leaves something to be desired.
The place was quite empty, although Sunday at 8pm, I am sure many places are not as packed. The service was extremely disorganized which seemed counter-intuitive for an empty night. There appeared to be many servers so the reason could not have been because the place was busy. Orders were left out and the receipt, although mentioned time and time again to be split 3 ways, was given as a whole.
The place has a great selection of on-tap and bottle beers, great for games. We ordered wings for appetizers, and I have to say the worst ones I have had (compared to Wild Wings of Duffs). Then again, you would not come here for just the food. I made the mistake of ordering the Lettuce Burger (see pic), which in my mind, was the best of both worlds. I get to eat a hamburger, but without the carbs and big buns which often fills me up fast.
Literally, the lettuce burger is a big cabbage sliced in half and a dried over-cooked patty wedged in between. The burger was the size of a basketball because each half of the lettuce contained millions of lettuce leaves. How does one fit that thing into a mouth? And to top it all off, you can order a side of salad with your lettuce burger, so all in all, you will probably eat more leaves in one sitting than you have your entire existence.
But I get it. This is a sports bar. You don't come here for the food. You come here for the games, for the beer, for that big screen TV. From other reviews, it appears to be hit or miss with tables (reservations or none), but if you do get a table on a game night, I can imagine this place to be frickin cool! Having said that, don't bother coming here for off nights. Mediocre everything else. -
Review from Hideki K.
2/14/2012
"The Best Sports Bar in North America" as rated by yours truly and ESPN.
http://m.espn.go.com/w...
The place is a sports fan's wet dream. 27 screens (as long as I can count correctly) on their main wall with flat panels in each booth (with a channel selector), is right across from the Air Canada Centre, and has nice looking waitresses with tasty food.
The only drawback is that during home games, you're not going to find a seat. But it's a great place to catch away games in the presence of avid Leafs and Raps fans!
When in the T-dot, visit Real Sports Bar. The sports lover in you (or your significant other) will not regret it one bit. -
Review from Belinda I.
North York, ON
As per my cousin, this is the best sport bar in North Amercia.
Normally I'm not a fan of sport bar but decided to go just to see "the best sport bar in North Amercia" myself. I was presently astonish by how good the food quality was. Yum...
As a bonus, it's a great spot to spot cute boys too!! ;) -
Review from sunnee s.
Toronto, ON
9/15/2011
i LOVE the atmosphere of real sports. My first time here was during the Toronto UFC fight night (!!!!!). It was sooooooooo crowded, people were EVERYWHERE, literally shoulder to shoulder. But it didnt matter to me, my love for GSP is MUCH x100000 stronger than my hatred for crowdedness. To be honest, it got me so excited that not only i didnt mind the crowds, i actually liked it since it got the atmosphere that much more exciting.
What I especially love about this place: being only 5'2"ish in height, going out to watch the fight (esp first ever toronto UFC!!!) among THAT crowd, its pretty much impossible for me to see the screen at any other places. NOT AT REAL SPORTS! nowhere where i stood, no matter how tall the person in front of me was, i can see the screen !! :D HUGE giant screen !
if it wasnt sooo busy all the time and food & drinks werent sooo overpriced, i'd give this place a perfect 5 star. -
Review from Robin D.
10/24/2011
Screen of TV's amazing. I wish this was my room!
Came here over lunch. Not too busy.. I ordered the fish and chips, which was nice with fries. Fish and chips was huge - but mostly batter. I could not finish.
Next time Ill start with the little fishie inside~ -
Review from Lilliane G.
Toronto, ON
8/5/2011
Went here for drinks and nibblies with a bunch of colleague after work earlier this week.
We decided to sit out on the patio, which although comfortable, was dissapointing. Not sure what it is about that patio, but it just felt sorry and depressing, sorta like putting lipstick on a pig...a bunch of tables on a sidewalk, surrounded by concrete, metal and glass, with a view of traffic and the rear entrance to Union Station...aesthetically meh with ZERO energy.
We ordered various drinks and 4 lbs of wings. The drinks were ok, the only standout being their ceasar, topped with a pepperette and a couple of olives, served in Montreal steak spice rimmed glass, intead of the standard celery salt.
They have a pretty varied menu, but we had heard that we should try the wings and so we did, a decision that we regretted as soon as they were set on the table before us. We ordered the Lime Salt and Pepper, Chipotle BBQ, Ankle Skater (Mild), and Drop The Gloves (suicide).
Lime Salt and Pepper - they were dry and didn't really have a lot of flavour, bland.
Chipotle BBQ - too sweet and not enough smoke...WAY TOO MUCH sauce.
Ankle Skater - again, too sweet, with zero heat (yeah, I know it said 'mild', but this was ridiculous).
Drop The Gloves - pffft! The batter was 'peppered' with chopped chilies, but not much heat - seriously no where near suicide - and extremely bland.
At $49.99 for 4 lbs of wings, I expected to be wowed, but these wings just put me to sleep.
Oh, and I shouldn't forget to mention the moist facecloths they bring to your table so that you can wash-up after "enjoying" the wings. Scalding hot, soaking wet...made us think they rolled 'em up, and then poured a kettle of boiling water over the lot of them. What a mess. Thank heaven we were on their outdoor patio or we would have had to wring them out into our drink glasses.
Our server was nice, but it took her forever to bring us side plates for the wings and even longer to bring us our bills.
Washrooms are ok, but honestly felt like I was in a small candlelit closet, the lights were THAT dim.
Inside, they had plenty of large flatscreens broadcasting various sporting events, with tons of seating to go with.
They get 2 stars for being close to my office and for our server being so nice...I would recommend this place if paying too much for crap food is not offensive to you, as long as you have a cold beer in hand and your favourite team is being broadcast on one of their gi-normeous screens. -
Review from Curt L.
7/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have a grandson who loves baseball............he would love to watch baseball (or any other sport) on the big screen here.
Great picture.
Great way to truly experience a sporting event...short of being there.
Seeing Fenway Park (aerial view!!) on that screen was awesome.
Watched a repeat of the "63 point" Michael Jordan playoff game against the Boston.
Celtics won!......not Michael's time yet.
The beer choices (draught & bottle) were fantastic. Canadian centric but that is okay with me.
Went with Okanagan Spring Pale Ale.
Very nice as it matched up well with my Filet Mignon sandwich with portabella mushroom, tomato pesto & goat cheese on ciabatta (CN$16.99)
Excellent choice that I recommend.
Got the poutine as the side.............I am not much of a poutine guy.
Our waitress was a lovely young lady....I recommend "Angela the Aussie from Adelaide". -
Review from Bahi K.
Scarborough, ON
6/11/2011
Food-wise, this place is just okay. I've tried a few of the appetizers and the grilled salmon entree -- and they're alright, but nothing to really write home about. Service is also so-so... it took us over 30 minutes to get seated despite our entire party being there at the reservation time.
But I still give this place four stars because the venue and atmosphere are so over the top that I will definitely find myself going back there. It's the biggest, baddest sports bar that I've ever set foot into and the wow-factor is huge for out-of-town guests. So, yeah, I'm a fan. -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
6/18/2011
Wish this place didn`t take reservations. The place is a sports bar - people are going to come. Or just accept reservations for a limited amount of people / space, and let the rest open up to walk-ins.
Basically came here at 5pm to catch the 8pm Stanley Cup Finals with the Canucks vs. Bruins..... I knew it was already full reserved so we were so lucky to get the bar seats up front (well actually S and T got there while I was still at work).
We got some beers - love their selection... definitely a little price it but I think it's worth it for the atmosphere. We ordered yam fries and it literally came out in 2 minutes.. NO JOKE. What I'm guessing is that everything under heat lamps, but luckily - they were really tasty.
Unfortunately - we closer to game time, the hostesses were extremely rude and pulled stools directly under my friend's butts because they were for the "reserved" high top tables. This is where I see a problem:
1. How would they know which bar stool belonged to which booth?
2. What gives someone the right to pull your chair without even asking?
3. How would they know who took which bar stool and how long each person has been sitting for.
Good thing us little ladies could share stools but I was definitely not impressed. The food we ordered came out in a timely manner when it came to dinner time, and I have nothing bad to say about that. It was definitely tough having people behind your standing in the bar ... guess they hadn't reached capacity.
Overall - the experience was pretty good... only downfall - Vancouver loses at home to the Boston Bruins and I watch the riots happen from Toronto.
I will definitely be here for future games........ more friends, more drinks, more good food *crosses fingers* -
Review from Gail G.
Toronto, ON
2/4/2012
Incredible vibe for any sporting event!! Huge menu, lots of delicious options and Chef Tony Glitz is happy to accommodate any dietary restrictions. A+++
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Review from Grainne M.
Toronto, ON
3/5/2011
I got a little bored of Real Housewives of the OC* at one point during my dental treatment today (at http://www.yelp.ca/biz... ...TV in the ceiling) so started wondering which places I'd visited recently that hadn't made it to a Yelp review yet. This was number one!
We strolled in after our first ever attempts at skating. All the trying not to fall over while toddlers whizzed past worked up quite an appetite and we were pondering where to get lunch. Since we were passing Real Sports we thought we'd just go in to have a look around. The group was me, my friend Karen, Niall and one year old Emily in a stroller. Not exactly the typical clientele, I'm guessing.
At 3pm on a Saturday it was pretty busy and many of the tables were reserved. I think there may have been a hockey game that night, but being female and from Ireland my knowledge ends with the fact that they play hockey on ice wearing skates. They still managed to find us a table when we decided to eat there, with the proviso that we were finished by 5pm.
The place is huge. An enormous screen almost fills one wall and there are countless smaller TVs below showing a range of games. You can sit at the bar, at high bar tables, in booths or at tables on the main floor, or in a quieter area with booths where we ended up. Each one has a TV with many sporting channels to flick through.
Food was surprisingly decent. I had a tasty bean soup and a glass of white wine. I didn't get to sample much of Niall's burger and fries-they were devoured, so I'm assuming they were good. I "helped" Karen with her mound of moreish nachos. What can I say? I'm a giver.
Staff were very friendly. Emily was particularly entranced by the servers at our table. I'm not sure whether it was their big smiles or their prominent cleavage that made her follow them around. I think she was a bit thirsty.
All in all, enjoyable! It would be good for a group outing-if you reserved ahead of time. Prices weren't as bad as I thought they'd be considering the size of the place and proximity to the Air Canada Centre. If only they started screening rugby matches they'd have the entire Irish population of Toronto sitting there!
Footnote:
*I can't really follow that show. I get confused between them all-they all look the same with blonde hair/implants/inflated egos. I can also never figure out which ones are fighting at any given moment. I recommend Maury over it for fillings, definitely. -
Review from Mudar A.
Toronto, ON
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
5 stars alll the wayyy babbyy!!!!
Ok, so this was my day before I went to real sports bar. My friend hits me up, says we gotta go downtown and check out the UFC expo. I was like ok why not? So we go there, mingle with people meet Dana White, he gives us some free tickets to the UFC event in Toronto, and he signs my hat. After a great day we want to go celebrate, so since I've never been, i recommend Real Sports Bar.
K, When I walk around town, everything is a been there, seen that type feel. As soon as I got into Real Sports Bar, I was a Deer caught in headlights. I'm not a small guy by any means. I was standing in the middle of the pathway waiters were delivering food shocked from the atmosphere alone. I think they were showing the semi finals game for Vancouver this stanley cup.
Anyways, The atmosphere is crazzzzzyyyyy, the waitresses are crazzzzzzyyyyyy (not of the insane type... u know what i mean) and the food, well what I ordered was reallllyyy good. I ended up ordering a beef wellington topped with mash potatoes and gravvy. It was amazing, probably one of the best sports bar foods I have ever eaten. The french fries were pretty good, nothing out of this world. The prices were pretty good. They were a bit pricey if you were just going to eat there, but with everything considered, going for a game, atmosphere, and kicking it with the homies, its definatly worth the price point.
My fav sports bar of all time! Highly recommended
Follow me on Twitter: @slidewaysclutch -
Review from Isabel R.
Toronto, ON
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Even though this place has been reviewed a million times, I felt like I had to write my two sense to counteract some of the ridiculous reviews on here! I dont think it's fair to give a sports bar 2 stars simply because you don't like sports bars! I mean really....it has "sports bar" in the name. That's like going to a Japanese restaurant and giving it one star because you don't like sushi....ridiculous.
.end rant.
All that being said, this place is a ridiculous experience as far as sports bars goes, and a good one at that. There are a million tvs everywhere, with one major sports game on at any given time. The atmosphere is great if you're watching a game you're into (or even if you're not) because you're surrounded by other people equally into it.
The food is pretty good for bar food, not the best ever, but certainly really good for bar food. A highlight was definitely the nachos which are some of the best I've had...no skimping on the cheese or toppings here. Some have commented that it's a bit expensive....but for Toronto I really don't find it that bad. It's certainly not cheap, but sandwiches and burgers run in the 12 dollar range, and beer between 6 and 8 which is kind of what you would expect from any upscale bar downtown. And you're paying for the experience....it's not a normal bar. The prices are worth the experience, in my opinion.
All in all, an awesome experience definitely worth checking out IF YOU LIKE SPORTS BARS. Make reservations or get there early cause this place is packed. -
Review from Madelaine D.
Toronto, ON
1/24/2011
*****Make reservations*****
...more than a week in advance if you want to sit down.
This place was rated "Best Sports Bar in North America" and for a sports bar, I really don't know what more you could ask for. Massive screen, great service, and good food and beer.
We decided to come here as a group (8 of us) about a week in advance to watch the Leafs game on a Saturday night. I phoned to make reservations, and before I even said the size of the group I was (politely) laughed at for phoning just one week in advance. You really need to do some planning if you want a table at this place any night the Leafs are playing (understandably).
The good news is, the bar is massive and we decided to come anyways. We arrived around 6 for a 7:30 game, we couldn't get a table but we found a nice spot to stand near the bar.
I have never seen so many waitresses/waitors in my entire life. This place is crawling with them, and it pays off, the service was incredible. Our server was quick, friendly and attentive.
The atmosphere was amazing, and made the game a lot more fun to watch.
The manager brought us over free shots, which always makes me remember a place a little more fondly.
Overall a great experience. I would recommend everyone check this place out at some point. It certainly lived up to it's hype.Listed in: 5 Star Reviews - The Best of…
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Review from Maggie T.
Toronto, ON
3/16/2011
Went last night. It was busy as usual. But I was lucky I got seats. I specifically asked my friend if there were any Leafs game on knowing if there was a game there was NO WAY to get seats at that time frame, might well go somewhere else. I went as there was no game.
Love the open space, and I like how people can dress up or down whatever u like. Unlike u have to think of bar clothes or lounge dress pants other places. Huge screen for watching sport. I m not a HABs fan so I wasnt watching it lst nite, but I can see the thrill from watching game on such screen of awesomeness.
I ordered Fish n Chips. It was BIGGEST piece of fish I had seen my life. lol. Its a lot of food!! Do not order appetizer if u are going to order fish. And try to swich fris to yam fries. My friend had meat loaf, it came with two giant pieces of meat stacked onto two layers mashed potato. They layered it like a cake slice =D It looked delicious.
Its a good place to go after work or evening just want to chill at a bar. It will not disappoint you -
Review from Krystle J.
Montréal, QC
6/2/2011 3 photos
YUM!! All I have to say is that I am lucky I don't live in Toronto or else id be here all the time! I have only been here once, but what an awesome place! This place is equip with 199 HD screens & 112 taps! Not to mention their TWO-STORY high television!!
They've got a drink menu of there own kind.. Beers, Martini's & Cocktails
of all sorts.. Very original cocktails to try out! I had a drink with a peice of bacon in it for crying out loud! lol
And the food.. OMG. I had a chicken panini with sweet potato fries, I didn't want it to be over, the food was all delicious. The sweet potato fries were killer, and the panini was perfectly made.
Speaking of this place is tempting me to catch the next bus down to Toronto!.. -
Review from Melinda M.
Toronto, ON
4/1/2011
Ugh. I did not like this place AT ALL.
Granted, while I am a sports fan, I am not a fan of sports bars, especially monolithic sports bars owned by sports team owners who don't even believe in having winning teams. I would much prefer to watch a sporting event of my liking in one of 3 ways: 1. at home on my comfortable couch, 2. LIVE at the stadium/arena or 3. In a comfy neighborhood bar/pub. Real Sports Bar and Grill is none of these. It is an overcrowded, overly big, overly priced nightmare.
You guessed it. I did not choose to go to Real Sports Bar and Grill. I was coerced to go by co-workers and didn't have a good excuse. So there. I did however go with a semi-positive attitude, figuring I could at least hang out with my colleagues, drink for free (since work was paying), and get some fodder for a Yelp review. Turns out, those were the only positives.
You really can't blame the servers for bad service. The place is just too big, too crowded, and the group I was with was large. In fact, when my food was brought to me, inedible after a much too long wait, the server knew enough to take it back and try again. She's not the cook. She did fine.
The food was not very good. The salad with grilled salmon had the most overcooked, dry salmon, even the second time they tried to make it. Everything else was fried or cheesed. It is a sports bar after all.
We were on the top floor. They are supposed to be the biggest sports bar in North America and they don't even serve cider on that floor. They told me I can go to the main floor for cider. There were like 76 stairs to get where I was. I wanted to tell the bartender to go to hell, but just sucked it up and ordered a Creemore. At least they're not one of those bars that only serves Molson and Canadian. Yuck.
So, one of my colleagues and I were talking about the bad food, and I commented "It's mediocre. But that's what Maple Leaf Sports is all about. They make $ hand over fist with a mediocre hockey team. It's their business model to be mediocre. Now they've just extended it to a bar." It's true. Do not recommend. -
Review from Lindsey S.
Toronto, ON
2/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
OMG this is like the mother-land of sports bars! The wall of a TV makes it worth it the trip, wait and crowd.
I agree strongly with Madelaine D - MAKE RESERVATIONS! Make them like 3 weeks before you want to go. I tired to get them and they were booked solid. When my date and I got there - we put out name on the waiting list, but they were not doing any seating until after the Leafs game. It didn't matter, there are about 3 bars in the place that you can either stand at or order from and the upper level with it's open concept "rail" standing is AMAZING! If you don't have a table, the bar is cash and carry - I would have like to have started a tab and flipped it over to the table at the end, but oh well.
I think that I counted about 25 TVs, and they were not all playing the hockey - so if you were in the the NBA, or UFC you were in luck.
When we finally got our table, the staff was friendly and we even had our own little mini screen (so bump the TV count to about 100) to watch the late game of HNIC. The food was yummy - but there wasn't much of it....at least I didn't think so. Then again we just ordered apps. They did run out of Coors Light - never thought that would happen at a bar this size, but the place was packed. I didn't see the bill - like a good date, he paid and wouldn't even let me give him cash.
The washrooms were very clean and very modern. The hand dryer was kind of cool too - FYI, it dries your hands in about 3 seconds. The whole place was kept clean, and that's something hard to do in the winter with all of the TO salt.
I'll be heading back in the summer for sure! -
Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
12/24/2010
When I read the website saying they were the best sports bar in North America (as decided by ESPN), I was kinda skeptical. I mean, how awesome can a sports bar be? Well this bar is pretty awesome. They've got a massive large screen above the bar that can be seen from pretty much anywhere in the two-storey bar, and a ton of other screens around the place so you never miss out on any sports channel action. The seating is comfortable, it's spacious and clean, and they've got a neat blue ticker-tape that runs along the bar showing sports news.
I showed up to meet some friends around 4pm on a Raptors game night, and the place was crazy packed. Except, it wasn't crazy packed. There were tons of people standing around waiting for a table, but there were also tons of empty tables inside. I suspect they didn't have enough servers per customers, but it seemed really strange when we were standing around waiting for over 40 minutes when there were quite a few free tables around.
By the time we finally got seated, we were put in a remote area where no one was, and our waitress would only pop by every now and then to take orders, and never to see how we're doing. We asked for some drinks and she'd disappear for 15 minutes and then come back without some of them, so we had to remind her again. The food was decent - I had a burger and my friend had the cajun shrimp. Their beers were reasonably priced, and they did well to handle our large party.
Overall, it was an alright experience. The place itself is worth the visit just to see the screens. I can imagine it would get a bit crazy on game nights (we left before the Raps game started). But I'd try again on a non-game night and hopefully I'll have better service.Listed in: Toronto Love, Work Party Eats
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Review from Eleni D.
Toronto, ON
2/23/2011
I've been to Real Sports Bar several times, and though the girls working the door could use some lessons in customer service, it's my favourite place in Toronto to grab a beer and burger to watch a game - any game, thanks to the seemingly infinite number of television screens in the place.
When I've made reservations, I've been seated in the 'dining area' where the booths have private TV screens and iPod docking stations. Nice, but not as lively as the main bar area, where I've sat when arriving without prior reservations (one rare time I got a table for two almost immediately; other times had to stake out a few spots and snag some bar seating 30-60 minutes after arriving).
The food is standard pub fare - burgers and fries are usually done well. Poutine could be better if they used cheese curds rather than pieces of melted mozzarella. Nacho platters are massive. -
Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
5/20/2011 4 photos
Good luck getting a table here when a game is on! Consdering how difficult it is, I probably should have booked a table for the stanley cup finals weeks ago (go canucks go!).
I dropped by on a Saturday afternoon with some friends who were heading out to a TFC game. We had no problem getting a table since it was around 4 in the afternoon and there weren't really any games on at the time. The hostess told us we'd have to leave by 6:45 before a hockey game started, which was fine with us.
Although it was pretty empty on this visit, I bet the atmosphere here must be great during a game. Loved the huge 2 story tv and loved the fact that on the second floor there are smaller tv's everywhere (as we were seated
on the second floor).
Since I wanted something on the lighter side I went with the grilled chicken sandwich - Sweet garlic aioli, tomato & provolone cheese ($12.99). Their sandwiches come with regular fries, but I wanted to substitute mine for sweet potato fries, which, by the way, cost me $3! Although there wasn't anything spectacular about this sandwich, it was really tasty, so I really enjoyed it. I think garlic aioli/mayo just makes everything taste so much better!
My boyfriend went with the baby back ribs (which comes in 2 sizes - hungry for $24.99 or "not so hungry" for $16.99). He went with the hungry. I tried some of it and didn't particularly enjoy it. Although it did fall right off the bone, I found the meat a little dry. The coleslaw that came with it tasted pretty good though - not your typical coleslaw.
One of our friends ordered the classic fish and chips. It came with one really large piece of fish (I've posted a picture)! I didn't try this, but my friend said it was pretty good.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience, but I guess I'll have to report back after I come back to catch a game! -
Review from Tony F.
10/28/2010
This really isn't a full review... Let me explain. I was planning on having some friends come here to see the UFC (Brocktober) event, and since none of us had ever been here, we were quite excited to do so. With ESPN Mobile recently giving this place the Best Bar in North America award, we knew it'd be busy. In fact most of my friends were willing to come in from the neither regions outside of Toronto (aka 905) just to attend.
I called a week in advance to try and make a reservation, and they told me no reservations, but it'll be first come first serve.
Fair enough. The event starts at 10 pm, but there was a leaf game, so I figure getting there for 6:30 pm would have been plenty of time. I get there and this is the only sports bar I've ever been to that has a line up outside (albeit indoors in the complex really). We get to the front and the person asks us if we had a reservation. Perplexed, I told him that I thought they weren't taking reservations as was told to me. The bouncer/greeter dude responds by saying, that they probably meant that it was full but we could go in to see if we can grab a bar seat. The place was already completely packed and it was standing room only.
No reservation (first come first serve) vs FULL are completely different things. I had my friends come all the way from Oakville and Pickering, only to be standing around.
We ditched the place and headed to my old favourite stomping grounds, the Harbour Grill.
What can I say. I was a bit peeved. The TV however.. is big. Will I give it another shot? Maybe.Listed in: Date night, Meh!
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Review from Anni L.
11/2/2010
For guys looking for big screen size, this is the IT place right now. Boasting the largest screen in Canada, this is definitely the place to go if you want the next best thing to the real thing. If you can't score tickets to the live games, might as well go to a place where you are surrounded by hard core fans that are in the same predicament.
I've been there three times. The first time we got ushered into a section away from the large screen and 6 or 7 of us squeezed into this large booth. We couldn't see any screens other than the small screen right in our booth. The second time I was there with work people and they could only fit us into the area right by th entrance bar where we had no view of the big screen. The third time, yet another booth and I incidentally heard that there is a virtual golf machine on the premise somewhere.
As for the food, its adequate for a sports bar. The buffalo chicken fingers and wings are respectable. Their sweet potatoe fries and nachos are good. However if you are going there, it def isn't for the food. I think jack astors has better food.
As for the waitresses, they are young, cute, and some are inexperienced. They are very friendly and personable however.
Overall, its a nice new alternative to the usual places like keg, jacks, or irish pub. Location wise, its fairly close to the downtown core.
Its a good casual hangout and definitely worth going to see games on the big screen.
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