Introducing: The Dock Ellis, an unusually hip sports bar on Dundas West from the owner of The Emmet Ray
Name: The Dock Ellis
Neighbourhood: Little Portugal
Contact Info: 1280 Dundas St. W., 416-531-2300, facebook.com
Owners: Alain Pitout, Callum Woods and Andrew Kaiser, the owner of the The Emmet Ray on College Street
Chef: Trish Gill, formerly the sous-chef at Beast on Tecumseth
The Food: Cheap, inventive bar snacks. A basket of nachos subs house-fried wontons and braised beef for typical chips and chili, and jumbo chicken wings are spiced with fruity scotch bonnets (or, for the truly intrepid, suicide-style ghost peppers). For $18 a head, Sunday’s tailgate brunch brings a Southern-style feast of hush puppies, pork ribs and blood sausage rolls.
The Drinks: Eight local beers on draught, including brews from Amsterdam, Beau’s, Stone Hammer and Wellington.
The Place : A no-nonsense sports bar for the skinny jean set. Customers can watch the game on nine flat-screen televisions, or go head-to-head at pool, shuffleboard or foosball. Like most sports bars, décor is memorability-based: pennant flags, framed gloves and news clippings about the bar’s namesake, a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates who threw an epic, LSD-fuelled no-hitter in the summer of 1970.
The Numbers:
• 1600 square feet
• 28 days to renovate the space (formerly a Portuguese sports bar called Red Cherry)
• $18 a head for Sunday Football Brunch
• $10 for the priciest item on the menu
• 9 flat-screen televisions
• 8 beer taps
• 1 mural by local graffiti artist Globe
249015 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-07.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-07/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-07 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249013 The space used to be occupied by Portuguese sports bar Red Cherry (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-05/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-05 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249010 Customers can watch the game on any of nine flat-screen TVs, or prove their own skills at pool, shuffleboard and foosball (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-02.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-02/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-02 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249023 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-15.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-15/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-15 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249011 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-03.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-03/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-03 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249012 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-04.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-04/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-04 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249016 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-08.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-08/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-08 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249020 Chili-spiced trail mix with popcorn, dried fruit, almonds and toasted pepitas ($5) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-12.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-12/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-12 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249024 Chickpea terrine on focaccia with eggplant caponata and herbed crème fraiche ($10) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-16.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-16/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-16 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249022 Nachos with house-fried wontons, braised beef, pico de gallo, green chilis, house-made cheese sauce, mint and cilantro ($10) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-14.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-14/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-14 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249021 Nachos with house-fried wontons, braised beef, pico de gallo, green chilis, house-made cheese sauce, mint and cilantro ($10) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-13.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-13/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-13 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249019 Scotch bonnet glazed jumbo roaster wings with shaved heirloom carrots ($10) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-11.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-11/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-11 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
249018 El Diablo: tequila, ginger beer, cassis and lime juice ($12) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: The Dock Ellis https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-10.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/the-dock-ellis-toronto-restaurants/slide/toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-10/ toronto-restaurant-the-dock-ellis-10 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
He pitched the no-hitter as a Pirate not a Yankee.
Dock Ellis spent the last 30 years of his life sober, counseling addicts in prison and juvenile detention. Not only did he refuse a Miller Lite ad post-baseball because he refused to promote alcohol, he refused to toast at his best friends wedding. To name a bar after him is disastrously tone-deaf and shows a lack of either diligence or integrity. Shame.
Thank you so much my am the now widow of Dock Ellis and this has truly I am at at lost my husband is truly turning in his gave how does one think they can do this and its okay. I have been sick to my stomach since i learned of this but its not going to continue…