Best bars near Air Canada Centre?

SPORTS BAR/PUBS:

Real Sports Bar (15 York St) is a must-do once. When it was opened, ESPN awarded it the best sports bar in North America! AND it is only 50 yards away from the east side of the Air Canada Centre.

There is a MASSIVE screen as the centrepiece of the bar which is obviously really cool, plus there is over 199 other TV screens throughout the place AND TV’s in the bathrooms. When a big game is on, this place is PUMPING! However, it is expensive, overcrowded and very corporate. Don’t expect to find a table on the night of a game unless you have booked in advance. Because it is so close, unfortunately it makes it hard to go anywhere else, especially on those ridiculously cold Toronto nights in winter.

Jack Astors (73 Front St. E) is a safe bet and it has a fantastic patio. Plenty of TV’s here and it is only about a 10 minute walk to the ACC.

Loose Moose (146 Front St W) for mine is hard to beat. It is less than 10 minute walk from the ACC. It is a local bar, so it has a wide range of beers, cool vibe and layout, plus good food is a good local bar.

Shoeless Joes (276 King St W.) is great for cheap food and bar, plus they let you get away with anything in this place. However it is at least a 15-20 minute walk to the ACC

Along The Esplanade, there is literally a wall of bars and restaurants. Biermarkt (58 The Esplanade) and Fionn McCools (70 The Esplanade) are the picks here. These aren’t too far away from the ACC, but far enough that the crowd isn’t exclusively Leafs or Raptors based.

Hoops (125 Bremner Blvd) is quite small for a sports bar, and not ideal for big groups. But if it is just a small group, it is a good place to go to watch sport with a massive TV for major sporting events, with smaller screens arrayed throughout the room, and even with private screens in the booths it is a great place to watch whatever event is going on. The other benefit is the location of the bar, only a 5 minute walk from the ACC.

Miller Tavern is a fine choice offering brunch, lunch, dinner, desserts, specials, an impressive wine list, year round patio seating, and vegetarian options.  Very casual and comfortable environment with seriously great good.  Casey’s Grill Bar is a popular joint serving starters and share plates, tacos, salads, steak, ribs, brisket, chicken, fish, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, sides, desserts.  Vegetarian and gluten free options available.  Full service bar, great beer selection – craft, domestic, imported, and wine.  Have either the Blueberry Cider Sangria or the Peach & White Cranberry Sangria.