This Hamilton eatery is fully booked for the Grey Cup — five months out

It's five months away, but Wingporium expects to be packed for the Grey Cup.

Every table inside the Barton Street East sports bar has been reserved ahead of the Nov. 19 game, its manager says. And it has been since long before the CFL season started in June.

Those reservations include about 20 people from Hamilton, Dave Wils estimates, but most of the spots inside - 150 or so - are from outside Ontario," he added.

At Barnsdale Avenue North, the sports bar is one of the closest eateries to Tim Hortons Field, the home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, which is hosting the championship game for the second time in three years.

For the 2021 Grey Cup, Wingporium set up a stage, tables and heaters on an adjacent lot for a pre-game tailgate. Mill Street Brewery provided a portable bar and there were vendors, games and other activities.

Patio capacity during that pandemic Grey Cup was about 300 people, plus 180 inside the sports bar - and Wils said the space was pretty close" to full.

This year, Wils is likewise working on adding a giant parking lot patio for the big event.

Between now and November, meanwhile, there is huge excitement" for the Tiger-Cats season, says Wils, whose eatery also frequently hosts Forge FC fans on game days. I'm getting phone calls almost every week about what we're doing and how we can fit more into our plans."

Jeremy Kemeny is a Hamilton-based web editor at The Spectator. Reach him via email: jkemeny@thespec.com