My quest to find the ultimate Raptors bar in Toronto once again took me to the west end. Roncesvalles.
Bar Name: Round The Horn
Address: 331 Roncesvalles
Criteria: Atmosphere
Grade: A
As I walked up to Round the Horn I noticed a sandwich board out front that said, “Raptors vs Sixers. 7pm”. That’s it. No mention of hockey or anything else, just the basketball game. I pointed to the sky like Steph Curry.
Round The Horn is a great bar. It’s clean and has an awesome vibe. If you’re looking for a bar to watch the game with some buddies and get loud this isn’t the place. However, if you’re searching for a date spot with a fellow Raptors fan this may be the best spot in the west end.
There are flat screens throughout Round the Horn so whether you’re sitting at the bar or a table you can see the game. I looked around and saw all but one of the TVs had the Raptors on. Felt good.
The lighting is dim and there’s good music playing at a decent level in the background. The volume on the TVs was down but the Raptors were definitely featured at the bar. You could overhear some mild cheering during big plays but the place was by no means rowdy.
Round The Horn is a place where you can enjoy the Raptors but still carry on a conversation. It doesn’t have the traditional sports bar vibe but it’s a good place to check out the game with your significant other.
Criteria: Food
Grade: B+
As the names suggests, Round The Horn has a bit of a baseball influence and the food reflects that. Specialty hotdogs are the focus of the menu. There’s The Mac Daddy that comes with pickles, lettuce, onions, cheese sauce and Thousand Island dressing. The Hot Mess features chili, cheese sauce, salsa, sour cream and pickled jalapeños. I went with the Coney Island that comes with chili and cheese sauce. It was delicious. I’m not a big hot dog guy but I could hit this place up any day.
One of the benefits of having a focused menu is that you can become an expert at your craft. The quality of the food at Round The Horn is an A+. The only thing holding back the overall food grade is the lack of selection. Along with hotdogs there’s also snack items like nachos with chili and popcorn available. If you like hotdogs though, this is the place for you.
Criteria: Drinks
Grade: A
Great selection of independent Ontario breweries including Black Oak, Longslice, Sweetgrass, Muskoka, Junction Craft Brewery, Bell City, Nickel Brook, Woodhouse and a bunch more. I don’t know much about wine but they had a wine list so I can definitely confirm they have wine. Different kinds too.
Criteria: Staff
Grade: A
The staff at Round The Horn are great. Efficient, friendly and never forcing conversation. Everyone is laid back but professional. They fit the overall mood of the bar.
Criteria: Clientele
Grade: A
Great mix of people. There were definitely Raptors fans in the bar during the game. You could hear people get excited for a good play and the odd clap during a highlight. The sound throughout the place was comfortable enough that you could have a conversation at a normal level. The guy next to me at the bar was crushing a first date. I tried to mind my own business but he had one story about a near death ski accident that worked so well I may use it one day.
Criteria: Price
Grade: A
Prices are good for a Toronto bar. Tall Boys were $7 and the specialty hotdogs ranged in price from $6 – $9. Nachos and salsa are $4. A big bowl of popcorn is $5. For a bar located in a busy Toronto neighbourhood the prices were fair.
Criteria: Bathrooms
Grade: A
The bathrooms at Round The Horn are small but they’re really clean. When I walked into the washroom it smelt good. Not, recently sprayed air freshener good, actually good. It took me back at first. How often do they clean this place and what designer products are they using?
Cleanliness is the most important thing when it comes to public bathrooms. Round The Horn has washrooms that are so clean they smell nice. Impressive.
Overall Grade B+
Round The Horn is a great bar and they do support the Raptors. Definitely check it out if you’re in the neighbourhood. And again, if you’re looking for a place to watch the game with a date this is an excellent option. But in terms of finding the ultimate Raptors bar, the journey continues. Fortunately there’s still four months of season left.
