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| - The first thing I noticed when walking into this place is the amount of work that was put into the renovations. Compared to the layout of the Social, these guys didn't settle for keeping the bar in the same location and moved it to the other side. A major overhaul that helps me dismiss the Dog & Bear as "the Social is now a pub."
There aren't many good spots to watch sporting events downtown so I welcome any place that puts the effort into investing in HD televisions for watching baseball, hockey, etc. They don't have a massive big screen anywhere, but they do have about six fair-sized screens around the venue. Unfortunately the night I came there was a postponed baseball event so I never got to stick around to feel the vibe of watching some sporting action.
Instead they had an overly British playlist running through the speakers. Stuff like the Beatles, Oasis, Pulp, the Clash, etc. A quick look around and there's portraits of King George and Queen Victoria, as well as random Union Jack flags. I'm half British and I love all things pub-like and England, but this seemed far from authentic. The whole "we're trying to be a British pub" thing doesn't fly with me. It's okay to be a pub in Toronto. Put up some Blue Jays and Maple Leaf memorabilia maybe?
My server was lovely and polite. We got our drink orders in no time, but was a little disappointed in the tap selection for beer. I opted for the fish & chips and they were actually quite tasty. The fish melted in my mouth, and the fries were a good flavourful pairing. Coleslaw was a bit on the KFC tip, but not complaining. I had a couple of my friend's chicken wings, which were also good. Everything seemed reasonably priced.
I didn't feel the hipster levels were particularly high. I think I could get used to watching sports here any day of the week. I wasn't too keen on the bill coming out in a book though -- would definitely scrap that idea and stick with a tray.
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