The idea of a Shoeless Joe's franchise on King Street should have been gold, pure gold. A sports bar downtown should kill with the afterwork crowd. Unfortunately, Joe had to put his shoes back on and go. Opened in its place is Stix 'n' Stones Bar & Grill, a similar restaurant that combines bar food, cold beer, and a stupid moniker.

Upon stopping in for a drink, I found it to be pretty well what you'd expect a King West sports bar to be: somewhat upscale (for a sports bar), but not exceptionally exciting. There's a pool table, a full menu, a long bar, and a dining area. There are a ton of TVs showing sports, but due to the unreliability (to say the least) of Toronto's sports teams, they're reluctant to call it a sports bar. Luckily, the place broadcasts sports from around the world, not just Toronto.

If you do stop in, don't tell the staff that you're a writer for Martiniboys.com unless you want to be met with icy glares and a cold reception.