Like restaurants, different bars check different boxes.
McLeans definitely tops the list for an outing with good friends for the overall atmosphere, especially for sports. Weekend hockey games and UFC events fill up fast and early with regulars. Their food is palatable, but far from great. Chicken wings are scrawny and emaciated (If you give them a thumbs-up, I question your standards). As a regular upstairs, I had the same bartender and doorman for over 12 years. Sadly, the pandemic led to her moving to Europe and a change of careers for the doorman, so I’ll be visiting much less while I find myself a new hangout. If you’re not a regular, your experience will vary significantly.
Quality wings during a sporting event is a huge box. MVP on St Catherine East checks the box for chicken wings as they’re the best full-size wings at a sports bar downtown. Ample screens for sporting events. Service is mediocre at best though. Patrons there are often confrontational, and the street go-ers in that part of town don’t help either. The chicken wings are still worth it.
Hurleys is a great place if you’re in a small group looking to pick up some one night stands. Yelp/TripAdvisor leads a lot of out-of-to and tourists there. Although everyone’s totally hammered by the end of the night, the atmosphere is always jovial and you will have made a new friend that you won’t remember.
Moosebawr and McKibbins (upstairs) tend to attract a much younger crowd between 18 and early 20’s on Fridays and Saturdays, and therefore have to frequently remove belligerents from midnight onward. Their food items are all well-executed. If you’re at McKibbons enjoying yourself downstairs during the later hours, you can also enjoy watching drunkards get bounced out front during every smoke break.
Avoid Sir Winston’s like the plague, unless you’re looking for a fight or enjoy middle aged men on the prowl in a drunken stupor.