The reliable downtown sports bar chain with excellent screen coverage, a solid cocktail menu, and a consistent food game. The Entertainment District location puts you minutes from every major Toronto sports venue and fills accordingly.
Neighbourhood: Multiple Locations (Entertainment District flagship) · Address: 144 John St, Toronto, ON · Hours: Mon–Thu 11:30AM–10PM | Fri–Sat 11:30AM–11PM | Sun 11AM–9PM · Price Range: $$ · Phone: (416) 585-2121 · Website: https://jackastors.com · Editorial status: Not yet verified
You’re stumbling distance from every major venue, and nowhere downtown is better if you need a spot that works for your Leafs-obsessed uncle, your friend who just wants a salad, and ten coworkers. The TV coverage is unbeatable, and you never have to stress about everyone finding something to eat.
Unlike Toronto’s smaller sports bars, Jack Astor’s at John & Richmond feels genuinely giant, with multiple floors and patios, and they’ve nailed the art of quick large-group service. This isn’t some dive—screens are huge, the sound matches the game of the night, and the upstairs patio stays oddly chill even on rowdy nights. For chain energy, it’s weirdly reliable and almost never too packed to find a seat if you time it right.
Jack Astor's flagship at John and Richmond is as downtown-Toronto sports-bar as it gets: huge TVs everywhere, a surprisingly solid cocktail list, and servers who know how to keep a packed room moving on game day. The menu covers classic bar food but leans into shareables and loaded combos that actually satisfy. The upper-level patio is a sleeper spot on sunny evenings, and the kitchen is quick even when the bar is packed. It's chain energy but the right kind for meeting up with friends or grabbing a pint before the ACC.
Recommended for groups or on game nights, but walk-ins are usually fine—especially for smaller tables.
Order the loaded nachos—they layer every level with toppings, so it’s not just chips with a sad pile on top.
Absolutely—it’s one of downtown’s bigger spaces, tables for 8–16 are common, and service is tuned for groups.
Most mains and shareables are $16–$23; cocktails $10–$14.
WTF Toronto creates guides using independent editorial research, official sources, local knowledge and firsthand experience where available. Commercial relationships are disclosed where applicable.