Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
Most bars or restaurants with sports on TV don’t serve fresh branzino crudo. At The Playbook Commons, the newest addition to Hotel X Toronto, that’s kind of the point. It’s a sports bar — or rather, a sports restaurant — dressed up like an Italian steakhouse, with enough serious flavour to justify staying for one more drink after the final whistle blows.
The new bar-restaurant comes from Harlo Entertainment (Kasa Moto, Valerie), a group that clearly knows how to build a crowd-pleaser. The menu hits homey notes — steak tartare, Caesar salad, rigatoni, New York strip — but elevates each with better sourcing and more thoughtful execution. The meatballs? Wagyu and surprisingly well-priced. The ribeye? Bone-in, perfectly cooked, and deeply satisfying. Even the Caesar gets an upgrade with thick-cut bacon and a punchy, savoury dressing.
Other standouts include the swordfish meunière, and New Zealand lamb chops. Head Chef Jia Zou’s approach leans Italian-American, with a classic steakhouse backbone. It’s accessible, but it doesn’t phone it in.
The bar lineup is strong too, with creative twists on classics like a white peach bellini and the Good Company — a mix of white rum, amaro, pineapple, and yuzu juice — alongside a curated selection of beer and fine wines.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
Wagyu, Wine, & the NBA Playoffs: New Restaurant Brings Its A-Game to Hotel X
PHOTO BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
You’re in for a solid view no matter where you’re seated with screens big and small — ideal when the sports calendar is jam-packed, as it is now with NHL and NBA playoffs and baseball in full swing. High ceilings and large windows let in plenty of natural light without washing out the screens. During the day, you can enjoy views of the greenery and the old barracks outside; at night, the real theatre is inside, where dramatic games play out in high defi.
It’s not reinventing the wheel — but for travel-weary hotel guests looking to unwind after a day of meetings, it’s exactly what you want: familiar dishes, a cozy booth, and your team on TV. And if you’re a local who’s ever found yourself torn between a great meal with friends and catching the Raptors, The Playbook Commons says “why not both?”
PHOTOS BY DANIEL NEUHAUS.
