Photo Courtesy / Josh Ungar

Toronto may not have a top-notch big-league sports team to boast about.  In reality, we really haven’t had much to brag about since the Jays brought home the World Series Championship back in 1993.  It seems like ancient history to a lot of sports fans in the city now, this winning culture thing.

But look no further Toronto, we finally have a winner. It may not score a lot of goals or hit any impressive home runs, but it sure serves a mean drink, and has a big-ass TV.

It’s been picked as the number one sports bar in North America by ESPN, and it’s right here in our city.  It’s big, it’s flashy, and it’s not scared to live up to the hype.  Located right in the middle of Maple Leaf Square, the Real Sports Bar & Grill is here to stay and doesn’t plan on giving up its title anytime soon.

“We’re planning a couple big events, the fans here are great, we keep our staff motivated and we aim to be voted the number one bar again next year,” said Chelsea Porter, sales and marketing expert for Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment (MLSE).  “When MLSE wants to do something, they do it.”

The bar itself perfectly exemplifies this audacity. The idea wasn’t dreamed up overnight, and the planning definitely shows in the final product.

“This has been five years in the making; the bar cost approximately $11 million to be established,” Porter said.

The time and resources spent help to explain the sheer size and all the impressive features at the Real Sports Bar & Grill, which held its grand opening from June 15 to 17 this past summer.  From the nearly 200 TV’s to the massive HDTV, which spans 39 feet from corner-to-corner, it has been dubbed the largest bar TV in North America. The Real Sports Bar & Grill definitely doesn’t fail to impress.

“I live in the condo right across the street, and let me tell you, this is the best sports bar in the city,” said Jake Jeffries, a patron at the bar.  “It’s a really big place, they have lots of beers, and the service is great.”

With the capacity to hold 1,000 guests in the 25,000 square-foot location, three fully staffed bars and 36 different beers on tap, the credentials are certainly in place for the bar.

“We like to think of it as a kind of gourmet sports bar, we have head chefs who completely created the menu.  It’s really great food, and nothing is crazy expensive,” Porter said.

The experience at the Real Sports Bar & Grill is certainly unique.  Much of the furniture and layout looks more like a fancy restaurant than a sports bar, and the lightning is almost reminiscent of a nightclub.  Furthermore, the private areas for business people, celebrities and the wealthy add a touch of class.  However, the giant HDTV and 80-foot bar tucked beneath it do a fairly good job bringing it back to Earth.

“Our vision was for the bar to be a second home for people who couldn’t make it to the games,” Porter said.  “We get a lot of the business crowd, a lot of bankers after work.  But then for Sunday football and hockey games we get everybody, anyone who loves sports.”

If they can find seats, that is.  The bar holds 60 per cent of their capacity for reservations and fills up fairly quickly, especially during hockey games and big events.  When the bar can’t handle the overflow, fans are forced to wait in long lines or find somewhere else to drink.  It is this overflow crowd that Gabbie, the operations manager at Hoops Sports Bar & Grill located just up the road from Maple Leaf Square, is relying on to keep her business strong.

“We haven’t felt any negative effects from the opening of the Real Sports Bar.  More than 20,000 people go to the event, we only need about 200 to fill up.”

She also attested to the atmosphere at Hoops, which is much more casual then the Real Sports Bar & Grill.

“We didn’t try to create the average downtown bar to hang out after work, there are lots of those.  We are really focused on the sports, we have a brand identity.”

It is this identity that the Real Sports Bar & Grill is still trying to find.  It feels stuck somewhere between a fancy, overpriced private club and an everyman’s dream.  While the media may be busy raving over the bar, not everyone agrees.

“I was there in the summer, and it felt kind of awkward and empty because it’s so big and wasn’t fully occupied,” said Lucas A., a patron at the bar.  “Also to be honest, I was in Calgary and I like Flames Central better, I think it’s a lot better set-up.”

Regardless, if you get the chance, you should definitely check out the Real Sports Bar & Grill.  While it may not be the type of sports bar you are looking to frequent, it certainly is worth visiting once or twice just to say you did it.  Just don’t forget to make a reservation.