Review: Real Sports Bar - voted best Sports Bar in North America in 2011 by ESPN!

[iridium001]

So if you never have heard of this place, it's essentially the most upscale sports bar you will see this side of the border boasting the largest TV screen at 39 feet across in glorious HD (re: rear projection) in all of Canada, if not North America or this side of the globe. They also have 200 HD TVs located across the entire place, including in booths and the washrooms. It's located directly across from Air Canada Centre at Maple Leafs Square, in the same building on Bremner Blvd. (Address says York street but it's more accessible via Bremner. It's the same building where that guy jumped out of his high rise awhile back and died next to his BMW...shady if I ever heard of one, but, this is heart of downtown afterall.)

Parking directly underground is $25 on game and event nights (used to be $20), there's no parking validation like say at Marche Movenpick where it's 50% off. Word about parking underneath the ACC/Maple Leafs Square, it takes about 30-40 minutes to get out after an event/game because the streets above are rammed after. So plan accordingly, maybe leave much after everything is done.

Onto the review...

This place features two floors, with the main floor having communal tables, as well as large booths and a main VIP room where you can still completely see the 39 feet HD screen with your own wait staff to cater to your needs. You can even request a security guard to stand at the entrance to the VIP room. You naturally have to book this in advance with a large deposit and minimum of 50 people. It is said the younger Maple Leafs like to hang out here after games on weekends.

Honestly, I've never seen a sports bar larger than RS. It is really a sight to behold the first time you walk through it. It's just HUGEEEEE! The staff are your atypical model-esque ladies in short black skirts and tight low cut tops. Although, one observation I have to make is the staff on the main floor are more attractive than the ones on the second floor... don't know if this was intentional or not, lol!!

The food selection is pretty decent, it's mostly bar food with some not so standard bar foods like hot dogs named after Brian Burke. You'd think for a sports bar they'd have more selection for wings, but nope, ther's about less than 14 flavors in all. One thing I have to say though the wings are more expensive than most bars, it's $14.49 for 1 pound. But, the wings are really big and juicy both in size and flavor! Arguably, they have the most meat on wings of any place in the GTA. My first time here on New Year's Day 2011 our group went through like 12 pounds of wings between 6 guys while watching hockey and UFC.

There's also a steak called the Hail Mary, 67oz of glorious AAA Canadian beef that if you finish within an hour, it's FREE. It's $74.99 for the Wimp Out price (straight up), or $99.99 Get Your Girlfriend to Help You price (sharing), or $149.99 if you're a Senators or Habs fan (you dirty, dirty douche what are you doing in Maple Leafs land?? lol!!) Don't know if they really enforce the $149.99 for Sens/Habs fan price though, hahaha

There's quite a selection of beer, not as comprehensive as say Bier Market but it's pretty decent with speciality, lagers, ales. There's also a wine list too that's more than what a sports bar should carry, but it being the restaurant of the MLSE group, I guess stock brokers and accountants have to be catered to too.

The second floor is not as spacious and has more of a loungy feel without the couches/sofas that most lounges have. It was here that I had my birthday for a group of 20. The biggest table up there can only seat 8 people though, no exceptions meaning they won't squish in extra chairs to accomodate. Has to do with fire code, which I totally respect. We had one waitress assigned to us the entire night from 7 until midnight when we left. For the most part, food and drinks came pretty quickly given it was a full house on a Saturday night. I had to get reservations 3 weeks in advance. It was quite easy to get as well, and they do fill up reservations on weekends really quickly so if you're having a party, book 3 weeks in advance. I don't know what it's like for walk-ins but I did see a line up when I went outside for some air in the middle of the night. Service isn't spectacular nor was it bad, I guess on a weekend everyone's busy with more than one table so they rather put getting food/drinks out over personalize service. Overall, I was happy though with what we received that night. Our waitress was friendly and had a smile everytime we needed everything.

I do not know if there was mandatory tip as I did not have to pay that night, I don't remember seeing the bill as I was sufficiently drunk by the end thanks to a gratuitous number of Jose Cuervo and Grey Goose I downed. LoL!

I would love to visit this place more often as a regular watering hole if it weren't for the cost of parking, the distance (I live in Markham), and how hard it is to get a seat on weekends (don't know about weeknights). It also doesn't have that grungy sports bar feeling like some prefer but I can live with that. The crowd that frequents this place seems to be your early 20s, early 30s group so it's quite the place for eye candy. You are here to be seen that's for sure. Singles, take notice!

If anyone wants to add what I may have missed about this place, please do.

I give RS a 9/10 overall! Definitely worth visiting at least once. Come on, 39 feet HD screen! Larger than life sports players for your viewing pleasure!!

www.realsports.ca/bar

[Tharnax]

Good review, I agree on all your points. Game night, regardless of weekend or weekday it is always packed by 4:30.

Definitely don't park in the underground on a Leafs or Raptors game night getting out of there is painful. I park in the Green P at the bottom of University by Front. It's $6 after 5.... shhhhhh don't tell anyone.

I always make a reservation once I know what Raptors and Leafs home games I'll be attending. This allows me to book weeks or months in advance, depending on the game dates and since I book a number of reservations at the same time, the staff are more friendly while booking. But don't call to make the reservations during a busy time, it gets loud in there where they take your call so some information could be missed although it hasn't happened to me.

If I get tickets to a game last minute I don't even bother trying to get into RS as even the "open" tables around the bar are hard to come by so I go up the street a bit to Earl's, just as good IMO but different atmosphere.

Definitely a worth while place to hit if you're an out of town visitor.

[wszeto28]

Definitely one of the better sports bars I've been to.

Wegz in Vaughan is a decent one as well.

[iridium001]

Definitely one of the better sports bars I've been to.

Wegz in Vaughan is a decent one as well.

I've never been to Wegz, is it any good?

[coriolis]

Took my boss here when he was on a biz trip to Toronto(he's from the US), and he loved it. He was staying near Yorkdale so he went to Moxie's almost every night, he said that RS is like an extra classy Moxie's, with an extra dose of eye candy. What a creeper hahaha.

[gilboman]

It's pretty good for a sportsbar in terms of food/service. But in the end, it's still a sportsbar. If you're in the area, it's a good option.

[rageking]

That $70ish is a giant ribeye. Can you take it home with you in a doggy bag if you cant finish it? If you could, then it might be a very nice.

[krash322]

I have a big complaint about this place. To me, it's not a true sports bar, it's just a big bar with some big ***** TVs. Why do I say this? Have you noticed the lack of people who are real hardcore sports fans? It's mostly Bay St types who go there after work. I went there one time on a Friday night. I was the only guy in there wearing a jersey and the place was full.

[aplayaz2000]

lol wegz sucks balls, garbage food

real sports actually has real legit chefs
simple menu but the quality is good

just dont sit next to those booth crappy tv's

[wszeto28]

I've never been to Wegz, is it any good?

I like it there. It doesn't look as nice at Real Sports but the atmosphere is nice. The last time I went, I didn't mind the food. They also have things to do there like a pool table and foosball. They used to have a golf simulation thing but I'm not sure if it's still there.

[iridium001]

I have a big complaint about this place. To me, it's not a true sports bar, it's just a big bar with some big ***** TVs. Why do I say this? Have you noticed the lack of people who are real hardcore sports fans? It's mostly Bay St types who go there after work. I went there one time on a Friday night. I was the only guy in there wearing a jersey and the place was full.

The couple of times I went I had no trouble seeing Leafs and Raptors jerseys - and a few other team jerseys. On my birthday night, despite Leafs not being in playoff contention at that point - plenty of guys were wearing Leafs jerseys from all different eras of the team.

You must have gone in the offseason or a bad night.

[matdwyer]

I have a big complaint about this place. To me, it's not a true sports bar, it's just a big bar with some big ***** TVs. Why do I say this? Have you noticed the lack of people who are real hardcore sports fans? It's mostly Bay St types who go there after work. I went there one time on a Friday night. I was the only guy in there wearing a jersey and the place was full.

I've been there 4 or 5 times and can certainly collaborate this statement.

It's a mix between (75%) afterwork crowd, (15%) hardcore sports and (10%) young bar goers - which makes sense considering it is easily double the price of a regular sports bar.

Just like the ACC, the casual fan can't go and eat / drink there every game - just can't afford it. I haven't been out of there with under $150 for a four top, whereas it's hard to top $80 at a regular sports bar without heavy drinking.

I'll hammer that steak one day, it looks good, the only thing is you have to eat 1lb of coleslaw which I hate.

All in all it's a cool experience to hear that many fans cheering together outside of the arena, but you can tell that someone "designed" it. A cool thing is a ton of the players go there after the games, so your chance of running into them is high (I don't know what their after game etiquette is, but they probably just want to drink, eat and gtfo)

[krash322]

The couple of times I went I had no trouble seeing Leafs and Raptors jerseys - and a few other team jerseys. On my birthday night, despite Leafs not being in playoff contention at that point - plenty of guys were wearing Leafs jerseys from all different eras of the team.

You must have gone in the offseason or a bad night.

I've been there 4 or 5 times. Once on that Friday night like I said, which was in January. I went another time for a buddy's birthday, another time for an after-dinner with friends drink, and no jerseys. I was there at another time during the Stanley Cup playoffs, which did have people wearing jerseys. But again, this is suppose to be a sports bar, I think it should be way more common to have people wearing jerseys than just the SCFs.

Like I said, it's mainly Bay St types so... I guess you don't rock a vintage CCM Leafs jersey trying to pick up hot Bay St girls.

[CSAgent]

Going here for my birthday this weekend, hopefully it's still good!

Going to try the 67oz steak! Doubt that I can finish in an hour, but there's more than 10 of us going so I'll split it with people!

[matdwyer]

Going here for my birthday this weekend, hopefully it's still good!

Going to try the 67oz steak! Doubt that I can finish in an hour, but there's more than 10 of us going so I'll split it with people!

I'd honestly rather die trying then pay the $75