Sports bars in Toronto used to mean soggy nachos, face-painted guys named Big Mickey and eau de bleach mixed with stale cigarettes. Thankfully, a new era of communal fandom has arrived, with the help of three luxe lounges where discerning diehards can enjoy good food, microbrews and giant HD TVs. Here, the best places to catch the game
I’m Italian, and there are a lot of Italians in the neighbourhood, so there are plenty of hecklers during soccer games. Actually, I’m a heckler. — Michael Manias, Project Manager
I meet up with my old high school buddies at WEGZ (it’s our unofficial hangout). — Jason Pittelli, Student Teacher
I’m a huge sports fan, so I’m here five to seven days a week. At the Super Bowl party this year, there were 100 guys on the dance floor with the Bud girls. I’ve never seen anything like it. — Dean Speranza, Salesman
I used to bowl in my youth, 25 years ago. It was the one sport I could play without hurting myself. — Peter Traynor, Canadian National Stock Exchange business developer
I won the first round of bowling, but then my arm got tired. Those balls are heavy. I’m going to watch golf instead. It’s calming. — Joelle Woodruff, Marketing Manager
I’m not the kind of guy who would paint my face blue or anything, unless, of course, the Leafs made it to the playoffs. — Chris Lucifero, Web Developer
My girlfriends and I come here when we want to go out and have fun but we don’t feel like getting totally dolled up. — Sherrie Rains, Model
Montreal is my team, so I stay home when they’re playing the Leafs—I don’t like to mingle with the enemy—but I come here for soccer. — Mike Ryan, Writer
I was here for the Masters. Mike Weir is my favourite. — Tom Brodi, Chef
I’m wearing a Leafs jersey now, but I’m really a Red Wings girl. If Detroit is playing, I’ll wear my red jersey. I get harassed by the crazy Toronto fans, but I don’t care. — Kandace Hill, Student
NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY
Sign up for Table Talk, our free newsletter with essential food and drink stories.
Courtney Shea is a freelance journalist in Toronto. She started her career as an intern at Toronto Life and continues to contribute frequently to the publication, including her 2022 National Magazine Award–winning feature, “The Death Cheaters,” her regular Q&As and her recent investigation into whether Taylor Swift hung out at a Toronto dive bar (she did not). Courtney was a producer and writer on the 2022 documentary The Talented Mr. Rosenberg, based on her 2014 Toronto Life magazine feature “The Yorkville Swindler.”