Tom's Top 10 - Dining and Entertainment Listing - Restaurant / Night Clubs Guide to Newmarket / Aurora

Twenty years ago, as Entertainment Editor in Newmarket at Cover Story Newspaper York Region, I wrote a Tom's Top Ten List of Eateries / Dining Out guide section and listed my fave restaurants, often writing about the places listed through my food review-like diners column "Local Flavour" and about entertainment in "At The Clubs" including the York Region and Newmarket area nightclub listings.

Tom's Top 10
Here is a list of Tom's Top 10 hospitality establishments that combine entertainment and dining out within 10k radius of Newmarket.

Tom's Top 10 considers reputation, menu diversity, value, hospitality, quality and dancing / entertainment. They are in no particular order. 

Ole!

1 - Made In Mexico Restaurant & Cantina Tequila 185

Restaurant and Cantina,Tequila185, 185 Main St South 905-235-7722
#Tom Bits : Yeepa! Features home made food - even the tortilla's - that's the difference. Restaurant is upstairs, downstairs is the Night Club, Tequila 185. Fri, Sat features various from DJ to bands to comedy. 

2- The Sociable Pub   
The Sociable Pub
905-235-7782 17380 Yonge St Newmarket, Authentic Maritime Pub, Stick to your bones ribs...Live Entertainment weekends as well as Open Mic last Tuesday of every month. Friendly. Couple owned.

3- Villa Risi Ristorante - 
16995 Yonge St - 905-836-8062

Casual Italian fine dining with piano bar. Live Rythym &Blues weekends. Valentines & Special Menu Days.

Casual



4- Big Daddy's Rock & Roll Emporium,
446 Davis Dr 905-898-0001 Tom Bits : Former long time steak house location. Built-in stage, fair size. Theme nights, old time rock & roll with dancing venue. Reputable chicken wings.  Live Bands or DJ entertainment weekends.Definitely not upscale.

Tom's Top 10 Dining

5- Fionn MacCool's 17315 Leslie St 
905-898-7899
Restaurant  / Pub
Live Entertainment Thurs, Fri, Sat
Thursday $5 Craft Beer Night.
Home style pub food mm-made in-house!


Best Karaoke

6- Cynthia's Chinese Restaurant 
16715 Yonge St. 905-836-8113
Tom Bits: Newmarket's original karaoke restaurant & Tom's Top 10 list member. Now 3 restaurants and wear traditional imperial Chinese robes but not much else has changed, except their wine list has grown to exceptional! Still good food and service, but have added more entertainment to the slate Now Featuring Can G accompanying keyboards with Classic Rock, Rythm n Blues, Oldies, Latin and Soft Jazz Music.

More Great Karaoke!
7 - Friday nights Wild Wings 340 Eagle St  905-836-5454


Special Events / Halls -   

Stellar Hall 1220 Stellar Dr unit 205 905-830-9441

Special events, dinner theatre, full hall rental and staffing with on site catering availability. Tom Bits :Events hall, Renovated, gorgeous, reputable #Great Food. 20 years experienced hospitality. Dj Dances, Live Entertainment,  Dinner Theatre, Mother's Day Brunch, New Year's Eve Dinner & Party - 2015 / 16 - $75, includes Open Bar.

Edge of Town Live Weekend Entertainment 
8- King Richards Pub - 15570 Yonge St Aurora - 905-727-2337 - Live Entertainment Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Daily Specials.

Sat Nights Only now for Dancing here

9- Aurora - Dancing
The Graystones Restaurant & Lounge
14889 Yonge St 905-727-9561
New sign, but nothing much else has changed. Graystones Aurora is actually only open Saturday nights for 30+ Dancing w DJ, except on the rare occasion, although the restaurant part is open all week long. Odd quirk. Been that way for years. Popular Sat singles haunt.  Small town service. I remember reviewing the wiener schnitzel  for " Local Flavour"."T'was supoib" then. $5 Cover - $10 after midnight.

MorAurora!
10- Aw Shucks Steak Oyster Bar & Bistro
15230 Yonge St Aurora 905-727-5100
Tom Bits : 3rd year in roomy, beautiful  completely renovated, historic location. Hardwood Floors, outdoor upper level, heated patio. Seafood and steaks the house specialty.   

Live Entertainment weekends No Cover. Friday's are A.S.'s best night.
Boonie Pick, King City

Hogan's Inn 12998 Keele St, 905-833-5311
Tom Bits : A regular on Tom's original Top Ten eatery picks for CoverStory York Region 20 years ago. Longtime, infamous cuisine. Upscale dining. Beautiful, historic cobblestone house and setting. Features fine dining upstairs and the Hunt Pub downstairs with Live Entertainment such as Rhythm & Blues sensations Bad Dog

Taxi Service in York Region call 310 - 310 - 3

Toms Top TO Pick
#PartyAdviserGuru Val  of Parties Without Borders and Toot's Capital fame tells me.

You can check out her other TO picks here!
Tom's Top 10 Video!

Watch for TPE's Tom's Top 10 Restaurants, Pizza and  Tom's Top 10 Live Entertainment

Invite TP to visit and sample your hospitality and we'll cover you in an industry blog!

Or we can feature just you! We guarantee to rank highly in Google searches by people looking for restaurants or clubs of YOUR TYPE!

Tom The Temp

TP Entertainment Newmarket Events March 2014

Maybe I should have been a juggler. It's entertaining, and seems I do that with most everything in life anyway so why not? Right now I'm juggling whether to make posters for the road hockey event so I can print them and get them out tomorrow, or to work on special table talker menus and invites for the Mar 26 Grand Opening of Col Mustards' Ladies Night entitled, Girls GoGo Wild Wednesdays? Hey, how else can you dress up a Wed night!? Ha. Anyway on top of that, there are the logistics of the budget or lack there of for the costs of the youth event, and tying up little things like press releases and vendors, and oh yea a little matter of having players for the event that until recently had no location to call home for 2104.

Looking for B4play Lady Hosts & presenters of products, services

It's a long story why the Annual Friendly Youth Road hockey Tourney has had a tough go this year, but come hell or high water there will be game play! Ha. The emphasis for tyhis event in the past has always been participation and not compettition and will continuue to be so for 2104 whith the emphasis on getting the whole family out to play. Game play goes  Sat March 15 10:30 am - 5 pm. Pre register team or on site.

NEW LOCATION: There will be some friendly "tourney" play at the new 395 Mulock Dr ( Town of Newmarket offices) location but there will also be ample opportunities for anyone - including mom and or Dad  to play a bit of road hockey and maybe have some hot chocolate and hot vittles with Newmarket's Piccola Italia providing the food services. Bring a stick if you can or one will be lent.

LOCATION: The Night before, Fri Mar 14 at 8:30 pm, there is also an Opening Face Off Party at Big Daddy's 446 Davis Dr Newmarket, held as a FUND RAISER for the FNY Road Hockey Challenge Youth Award - the Mike Thornhill Friendship Award - given a youth showing leadership in the community. The Opening Face off party is a licensed party, traditionally mostly for the adults, like organizers, volunteers, and members of the public featuring live entertainment, including for 2014, Vocalist Keyboard Whiz - formerly of the band North of 7 - Carl Braund, as well as Psychedelic Country Rockers Clean Fill Wanted, Reggae Country-Rock sensations The Yappers, and Hip Hoppers end the night off hosted by the way cool Krhyme Syndicate.Tickets only $5 at the door.

The next TPE DryDance Production is also upcoming Sat Mar 29 for which I've yet to think of the monthly events theme let alone make a poster!

Meantime, I'm also juggling whether to pursue some blog activities for other business types and services whilst maintaining a pulse on my daughter's schooling / needs - having a tumor in her leg, painful, and unable to be removed. Makes one understand that as long as we have our health we may be okay, but one never knows. So, meantime, juggling it shall be, until the pins begin to drop! Gulp! Then I'll be in trouble.

The doorbell just rang and the slapshot radar equipment is here! Now this will be a fun activity! Ha, maybe I'll bring it out to both events as a funds raiser tool! See you on the streets! Until Next Time!

TP Out!

DryDance Events No Alcohol Dance GTA

WATCH HERE FOR UPCOMING EVENT INFO

I was so looking forward to the first monthly DryDance Production event on Sat Feb 15 at Stellar Hall and Event Centre in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada - unit 205, second floor above the Stellar Bowl. The 19 +, alcohol free events and dances are targeted towards a more mature crowd with rotating themes and coinciding activities planned to reflect that. There is no alcohol consumption allowed in the hall during any TPE Productions DryDance events.

It was a BLAST! For the opening night we decided to theme the dance as an escape from winter and so sun and tropical -like influences  ruled the evening, although aside from the excellent theme inspired Reggae rooted band, The Yappers, we also offered dj style music with everything from classic rock early on to the latest in dance music and Latin Dance, all pumped out through a clean, surround sound system with dance lights creating the desired effect. The goal is to inspire an exciting atmosphere that allows people to dance, have fun, or socialize and welcomes anyone interested in partaking. As the events grow in size, so too will the bells and whistles and we hope to add atmospheric live entertainment to the earlier part of the evening in future or karaoke as well as perhaps with an early bird supper club menu.

Theme Menus

We'll continue to have draws and wacky contests and give out theme related prizes, as well as offer a theme inspired menu offering quick bite munchies like cajun style fish tacos! Also watch for "virgin" style exotic drinks such as Pinacoladas and fresh fruit and yogurt smoothies too! Mmmm. Use it or lose it!

Not sure how the prizes will be given out each time yet, but certainly the person most dressed in theme will win something! You don't have to dress up but do please put your dancing shoes on! Ha! Hey, and maybe break out some Michael Jackson moon dancing for memory lane!

Stellar Hall is made up of two semi adjoining rooms - the main hall, and a smaller room with area for mingling and to order food and beverages from. There is also long corridor hallway for strolling and an elevator should anyone wish instead of stairs for smoking outside.

The event has a $10 cover charge or $5 in advance  includes entrance to the dance and a chance at door prizes as well as light snacks. Theme menu or Pop or water also available at only $1.50. Advanced Tickets info Stellar @  905-830-9441 or TPE @ 289-221-0928

TP Entertainment & Productions will keep these dances going once a month as long as supported and will continue to add fun add-on activities to the mix - so stay tuned to DryDance Productions - No Ads - Simply Google Search DryDance Newmarket for info and dates each month or No Alcohol Dance.

                                                          DryDance Production

                                                    Hope to see you soon! TP Out

Hair Dryer Alert!

Night Clubs and Restaurants Guide Newmarket for Valentines Specials

TOM's TOP 10 is 20 years old!

Welcome to At the Clubs and Local Flavour all rolled into one! Traditionally January & February are the slowest times of the year in the hospitality industry and to that end communicating what restaurants and clubs have is important.

In addition to what I was able to note here on what clubs & restaurants / bars are doing in the new year, there is more info more posted in my Tom's Top 10 Newmarket Dining Entertainment Guide already - accessible to you via this link or simply by Google searching " Entertainment, Dining, Newmarket" or
Toms Top 10 Guides.

At a stopover at Big Chris BBQ at their recent Tues Jam Night I found out about some upcoming acts but one in particular stood out to me which was Taratuma,  a long time, very popular band in the area, and not heard of them playing locally in a while, so a great chance to check them out whilst enjoying some Big Chris BBQ from the smokehouses menu. As well as Feb 14 w Connie Scriver for Valentines Day




Watch for TPE's Tom's Top 10 Dining reviews.

With Valentines Day coming up, a number of places are offering up some pretty nice night out packages. 

Villa Risi for example offers fine dining and also live jazz/blues duo entertainment, featuring the fab rythm, blues and jazz singer sensation Lori Viola for Feb 14 Valentines Day Dinner and a special, with choices menu.and options including glass of champagne and divine chocolates and ala carte style menu choices!.
I'd book fast to impress your lady or guy. Pronto!

Valentines Dinner Theatre

Stellar Hall and Events Centre - 1220 Stellar Dr, Newmarket - has a couple of events going on Valentines Day weekend, including the feature night Feb 14 Dinner Theatre show in a show directed by Karen barjker and featuring prefpormers from Spotlight! Book now for this sure to be sold out event! New Years also always a blast at Stellar Hall. Call 289-221-0928 for more info.

Sparro Ristorante coming soon

I'm sure all of Tom's Top 10 have some kind of entertainment and dining specials set up for valentines - check out the Tom's Top 10 Dining Entertainment Guide to access them all.

TOMBITS: I discovered another place in Newmarket on Main St below Made In Mexico called Tequila 185, Top 10 worthy as well, offering up some dining w dancing and occasional live entertainment .

Watch for a new Italian restaurant by Riverwalk Commons and Main St, Sparro Ristorante, coming soon!,

Stopped by The Cove on Davis Dr in search of Newmarket's best Fish & Chips deal $5 but arggg! The owner was not around to say hi too! Stay tuna-ed! Also a lively sports bar...Arrrr!gos?!

In my travels I'm often in a hurry and doing fast food and expect a value for my dollar when doing so and in response to that Tom's Top 10 categories will continue to pop up on your screens with our latest being Tom's Top 10 Pizza! Enjoy!

TP Out!

Valentines Dinner Show a Stellar Newmarket Affair

Stellar Valentines Dinner Theatre Show coming for 2015!

Limited Tickets. Call 905-830-9141 for ticket and show info!

Stellar Hall & Event Centre will host a Special Valentines Dinner Show February 14 2015.

The menu includes a 4 course meal - choices  of  main courses and vegetarian upon request.

The dinner includes a mystery style live dinner theatre with performers from Spotlight, Directed by Karen Barker.

Tickets for the dinner show go on sale Jan 2015.

Stellar Hall  and Event Centre is much more than a banquets hall facility, featuring two rooms for a convenient separated bar and lounge area.

The banquets and restaurant, events hall, hosts a number of regular dances and live entertainment for all ages, including co-hosting the annual and now 2015 Highway 11 Cruisers Car Club fundraiser for Sick Kids New Years Eve party and dinner.

Stellar Hall & Event Centre is located at 1220 Stellar Dr in Newmarket Ontario 2nd floor unit 205 with a convenient front door entrance elevator.

Call Stellar Hall & Events Centre at 905-830-9441 to Reserve