Many sports bars across Toronto will be streaming the Blue Jays this season, but few are as elevated as the new sports theatre inside Hotel X.
The Playbook Commons has just checked in to the ground floor, bringing steak house classics and American-Italian comfort food to the luxury, lakeside hotel. The new venue comes from Harlo Entertainment, the team behind other high-end eateries in the hotel, Valerie and Roses Social, as well as Yorkville’s Kasa Moto.
“It’s been three years coming, but we’re here and bringing this vision to life,” says Vito Cristiano, the VP of Hospitality at Harlo Entertainment. “The concept here is a bit of a shift because it’s something that hasn’t been really done before.”
Corporate events and private events at The Playbook Commons are sure to impress even the most worldly hotel guests. Seating 180 people, the main dining room is surrounded by several large screens for an immersive viewing experience during sports games and horse races, while floor-to-ceiling windows ensure diners are always surrounded by stunning views even post-game.
The Playbook Commons — a name that nods to both theatre scripts and sports strategies — features semi-private and private hosting areas, including stylish lounge spaces and The Garden Bar, a tribute to iconic arenas like Madison Square Garden and Boston’s TD Garden.
Between games, the screens feature digital artwork from Ryan Koopmans and Alice Wexell’s latest digital artwork series “The Wild Within.” The artwork uses digital techniques to bring life back to abandoned buildings and old ruins.
“It’s bringing life back into these rooms and these settings,” says Cristiano. “What’s super unique, too, is it exudes a little bit of a calming effect when you’re staring up at this beautiful art piece.”
Just as the digital art brings fresh energy to familiar spaces, the menu does the same—turning classic dishes into something original. Culinary director and head chef Jia Zou, who also oversees Harlo Entertainment’s other venues, brings bold tastes and traditional techniques to the kitchen.
“When you tend to think about sports, everyone thinks about elevated pub fare and they go for chicken wings and fries and hamburgers and we said to ourselves, why can’t we do something different and still offer great product, great experience, and elevate the overall guest experience and still be showcasing sports behind it?” says Cristiano.
Paying homage to the classic Italian steak house, the menu features handcrafted pastas like spicy vodka rigatoni, premium seafood such as swordfish meunière, and top-tier steaks including an 8-ounce bone-in filet and AAA porterhouse. Appetizers, salads, a raw bar and decadent desserts round out the versatile menu suitable for intimate dinners, social events, or professional gatherings.
Guests can also sip on expertly crafted cocktails, including a twist on the Negroni served tableside, and three signature spritzes — one topped with a scoop of lemon sorbet. A curated list of 65 wine labels from top regions around the world rounds out the beverage program.
For Cristiano, The Playbook Commons is rooted in the same ethos of servicing great tastes in an approachable atmosphere found at the company’s other venues, while being something entirely new to Toronto.
“We want to create memorable experiences, but The Playbook Commons offers a different story that’s built around the energy of community and shared moments,” he says. “We just can’t wait to share it with everybody and just be able to tell the story and have people in the space. The mission is to start traditions and create long lasting memories.”
