Special Report
The Best Bar to Watch Football in Every State
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SEATTLE, WA – FEBRUARY 2: Seattle Seahawks fan Kyle Vermeulen cheers while watching his team play the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl at 95 Slide, a sports bar in Seattle, Washington, on February 2, 2014. Bars were crowded in Seattle as fans rooted for their team to win its first Super Bowl. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)
It’s the early days of football season (and of the hundredth season of the NFL), and in all 32 pro football cities and almost every college town in America, fans are filling stadiums or — in far greater numbers — sports bars and similar establishments.
Watching a game live is an unforgettable experience, but there’s also something special about kicking back with friends or friendly strangers, having a few beers, eating food that’s not on your usual diet (and maybe that you don’t need knives and forks for), and sinking into the action — usually, thanks to modern technology, at a much closer distance than you’d ever obtain in a stadium.
These are the best bars for watching football in every state
What makes a great sports bar? Lots of high-definition TVs, to begin with, with good lines of sight from anywhere in the place and an excellent sound system. Oversized projection screens are a great addition, too, bringing you the players in larger-than-life reality. Subscriptions to the top sports channels — like NFL Sunday Ticket and the networks of regional college conferences — are a given. Comfortable seating is another important factor, since you’re going to be committing hours of your time to watching the game.
Then of course there’s food and drink. Sports bar food should be casual, indulgent, fun. Pizza, nachos, ribs, burgers…. And of course chicken wings, which are practically a legal requirement for a sports bar (it’s no accident that sports-themed chains sometimes put these avian appendages right in their names — Buffalo Wild Wings, Wing Stop, Wild Wing Café, etc.).
And nothing goes better with wings, or with football, than beer. Any top sports bar will have a good selection of brewskies, on tap and in bottles and cans. These should include everything from Bud Light to the local craft IPAs that might well be among America’s most delicious beers.
Collections of sports memorabilia are a nice touch and help set the scene, but they’re not essential to a sports bar’s success. Sometimes just being around a long time and establishing a reputation as a good place to relax and watch a game is enough — which is the case with at least some of the oldest bars in every state.
Football fans are particularly passionate about their teams, so one thing that’s important to consider when choosing a place to watch the game is what kind of fans you’re likely to find there. That’s not to say that an Aggie can’t enjoy a game at a Longhorn watering hole or that you shouldn’t wear a Packers jersey into just any old bar in Chicago, but the best bar for watching football is probably one where you can just gnaw those wings and quaff that brew and watch that game without getting into any trouble.
To determine the best bars for watching football in every state, 24/7 Tempo consulted ratings and reviews of sports bars in general and football bars in particular around the country on Yelp, as well as roundups of such places, ranked and otherwise, on about 20 websites, including those of Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, Eater, Delish, Gayot, The Daily Meal, Business Insider, Thrillist, Men’s Health, and Trip Savvy, as well as numerous regional sites. Most quotes were taken from reviews by Yelp users.
Alabama: The Houndstooth
> Located: Tuscaloosa
If you’re an Auburn or LSU fan, keep it to yourself here. The Houndstooth is Crimson Tide territory. Sports Illustrated ranks it among the top college sports bars in the country. Watch the action on more than 40 high-def flat-screen TVs, including five 65″ screens above the bar and a 150″ projection screen. There are even TVs in the bathrooms.
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Alaska: McGivney’s Sports Bar and Grill
> Located: Juneau
McGivney’s promises “Every Game, Every Day,” shown on 16 TV screens at both its two Juneau locations. The menu offers wings, nachos, burgers, and other appropriate fare. The bar also hosts what it bills as the biggest Super Bowl party in town.
Arizona: K O’Donnell’s Sports Bar & Grill
> Located: Scottsdale
Founded by legendary poker player Kevin O’Donnell and now run by his daughter, this Scottsdale hotspot shows the game day action on 70 TV screens. Post-game there’s a “reverse happy hour” running from 9 p.m. to closing every night. (If you’re a fan not just of football but of the sport of kings, O’Donnell’s also has facilities for off-track betting.)
Arkansas: Brewski’s Pub & Grub
> Located: Little Rock
With more than 30 TVs and two giant projector screens, Brewski’s shows all NFL Sunday Ticket and RedZone games, as well as college football and every other sport you can imagine. Burgers, nachos, beer, and such are served — and if watching football spurs your competitive instincts, you can play shuffleboard, pool, beer pong and other games here, too.
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California: Ricky’s Sports Theater and Grill
> Located: San Leandro
Ricky’s has been known as the ultimate hangout for Oakland Raiders fans (it’s less than 15 minutes from the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum). Whether or not fans will still come after the team relocates to Las Vegas next year remains to be seen. In any event, Ricky’s has also been named one of the best places in the Bay Area to watch the Super Bowl — not least because it boasts more than 90 TV screens.
Colorado: Blake Street Tavern
> Located: Denver
Named Denver’s best sports bar by several publications, Blake Street is divided into four separate areas with state-of-the-art sound environments, 65 4K Ultra-HD TVs, an oversized projection screen, three bars, and an outdoor patio with mountain views. If you want to get in on some of the gridiron action yourself, Blake Street also sponsors teams in the Denver Flag Football League.
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Connecticut: The Blind Rhino
> Located: Norwalk and Black Rock (Bridgeport)
This is “a great place to watch football,” enthuses one Yelp reviewer. “You can sit at the bar, booth, or tables and you’ll still have TVs everywhere to catch every play.” “So many TVs,” adds another. The 20 beers, ciders, and hard seltzers on tap and 28 in cans help set a festive mood, and wings are on the menu in about a dozen varieties.
Delaware: Rocco Italian Grill & Sports Bar
> Located: Wilmington
Yelp reviewers gave this family-owned, sports-oriented Italian restaurant (New York-style pizza and stromboli are among the featured dishes) the highest rating of any sports bar in the state. “Definitely a solid spot to watch Sunday night football,” wrote one. “They have plenty of TVs to cover any sports game,” noted another.
Florida: Station 28
> Located: Miami
Yelp covers some 647 sports bars in Florida, and this one ranks fifth highest of them all. The food here is Peruvian (including “hamburgers and sandwiches made in Peru”), and the international clientele indoors or in the colorful outdoor sports bar may be somewhat oriented to “futbol” (soccer), but American football is on the viewing menu, too, and the place has been hailed as one of the best places in Miami to watch the Super Bowl.
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Georgia: Murph’s
> Located: Atlanta
Murph’s proprietor Dale Murphy says that the place was “inspired by my love of baseball.” On weekends, though, it’s definitely a football bar, with Florida State games on the screens on Saturdays, and NFL action on Sundays. Displaced Rutgers and Notre Dame fans tend to gather here, too.
Hawaii: Murphy’s Bar and Grill
> Located: Honolulu
This popular Irish pub is party central for University of Hawaii Rainbow Warrior fans. It also hosts a charity fundraiser, the Pigskin Pigout, to kick off football season each year. Given that there are more than 50,000 military personnel stationed in Hawaii, the annual Army-Navy game is also a festive occasion here. Fans praise the beer selection and the food, which was featured on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”
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Idaho: Double Tap Pub
> Located: Boise
Ranked as the best sports bar in Idaho by Yelp reviewers, Double Tap describes itself as “downtown Boise’s only true sports pub,” and offers “all sports–all channels.” On Super Bowl Sunday this year, the pub dispensed free Bud Light until the Patriots became the first team to score. “[Double Tap is] good for a game and a beer and a bite to eat,” wrote one Yelper. “If that’s what you’re looking for, you found it!”
Illinois: Cleo’s Bar and Grill
> Located: Chicago
It might be known primarily as a bar for soccer fans, but the 16 HDTVs stream the NFL Network and NFL Sunday Ticket. The food (including pizzas and sandwiches) gets high marks, and the beer selection ranges from Coors Light to Chicago’s own Half Acre Daisy Cutter. “Great bar food with good bartenders [and m]any TVs to watch football games over the weekends,” enthused one Yelp reviewer.
Indiana: Keystone Sports Review
> Located: Indianapolis
You don’t have to be a Notre Dame fan to enjoy Keystone, but it might help since this is a popular haunt for Fighting Irish aficionados. One Yelp reviewer calls this “the absolute best sports bar in Indianapolis, hands-down,” and notes that the “[n]on-extravagant televisions are angled so everyone in the bar can see at least one screen.”
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Iowa: Francie’s Bar & Grill
> Located: Des Moines
The Des Moines Register calls this an “old-school hot spot […] named one of the best sports bars in the country,” and Des Moines Cityview gave it its award last year for Best Local Bar Food. It’s the second best sports bar in the state, according to Yelp reviewers. One Yelper recommends “anyone […] come here to watch an Iowa State game.”
Kansas: Johnny’s Tavern
> Located: Prairie Village
One of 11 Johnny’s locations in Kansas and Missouri, this is “an official watch party spot for the KU Alumni Association & fans alike!” It’s also a top spot for Chiefs fans, and on the weekends its screens show NFL Sunday Ticket, Big 10 Network, ESPN+, the Longhorn Network, and more. “You can’t move your eyes without seeing a TV,” wrote one Yelp reviewer.
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Kentucky: JerZee’s Pub
> Located: Newport
Newport is just across the river from Cincinnati, so it’s hardly surprising that the home team here is the Bengals. JerZee’s screens the games on “too many TVs to count,” and offers game day specials like domestic beer buckets for $10. JerZee’s also subscribes to NFL Sunday Ticket, the Big Ten Network, ESPN+, and the Southeastern Conference’s SEC Network.
Louisiana: Bullet’s Sports Bar
> Located: New Orleans
“It’s all about the Saints here and we’re always wishing and hoping for a good season,” bar owner Rollin Garcia told Biz New Orleans a couple of years back, and the Saints memorabilia all over the walls supports his claim. Basically a neighborhood dive bar once featured on the HBO series “Treme,” Bullet’s offers live jazz and blues but also features what the drinks website Punch described as “television sets tucked in the back of the bar screen[ing] a constant loop of the day’s athleticism du jour, from almighty football to a down-and-dirty boxing match.”
Maine: Mark’s Place
> Located: Portland
For Pats games and college football alike, Mark’s gets high (pardon the expression) marks from Yelp reviewers. One was struck with the “awesome” wings and sandwiches, the “amazing” crowd and atmosphere, and the “[g]reat energy while cheering on the Pats to victory.” Yelp also dubbed it the best college football bar in Maine, and noted its “young crowd, loud music, and a slightly rowdier vibe.”
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Maryland: Benders Sports Bar
> Located: Baltimore
“[T]ons of TVs,” a “super friendly, outgoing” owner/bartender, and a bring-your-own food policy pleased Yelp reviewers at this Baltimore hangout. The lack of a menu aside, Benders sometimes serves free pizza or fried chicken on game days, and there’s $2 draft beer and shooters on Super Bowl Sunday.
Massachusetts: Parlor Sports
> Located: Somerville
According to one Yelper, “When it comes to staples of a good sports bar (TVs, beer, food) Parlor excels. There are plenty of TVs located around the bar and nary a bad seat in the house. A huge plus is that the bartenders actually appear to be sports fans and are incredibly responsive to requests for specific games.” Both NFL and college contests are shown, and the Iowa State Alumni of Boston usually gather here to watch Cyclones games.
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Michigan: Nuthouse Sports Grill
> Located: Lansing
“The food is good and there are plenty of TVs for all your games” here, according to one Yelp reviewer. The Nuthouse website brags “We are the place for NFL and NCAA football!” and offers “NFL Sunday Ticket…WiFi for Fantasy Leagues, a butt-load of sweet TVs, great food and cheap beer specials for Saturday and Sunday.”
Minnesota: 508 Bar and Restaurant
> Located: Minneapolis
The Meet Minneapolis website singles the 508 out as one of the city’s best sports bars, describing it as a “[l]ively 2-story bar & grill [that] serves up cocktails & casual grub in a spacious, industrial-styled venue.” The Vikings are obviously a big deal here, but Yelp reviewers also report that the bar draws large contingents of both Pats and Packers fans. It’s also a noted hangout for University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers fans, where all the TVs play each game “with full sound and lots of Badger cheer!”
Mississippi: The Camp
> Located: Natchez
The Camp is a serious restaurant with an ambitious craft beer program as well as a place to watch sports on TV. It features a bar with “a relaxing, upbeat feel, perfect for a football Sunday hangout,” according to the Natchez blog City Chic Living. It represented Mississippi in Delish’s listing of “The Sports Bar Everyone is Talking About in Your State.”
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Missouri: Chappell’s Restaurant & Sports Museum
> Located: North Kansas City
Voted one of the top 10 sports bars in America by both USA Today and Sports Illustrated, Chappell’s is a treasure trove of sports memorabilia, including dozens of helmets hanging from the ceiling and a sweatshirt signed by Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson from his days with the Dallas Texans — which became the Kansas City Chiefs.
Montana: Red’s Bar
> Located: Missoula
“[T]he only bar in Missoula that had all of the college football games on,” one Yelp reviewer reported approvingly. Another said that if you couldn’t go see a Grizzlies game live on a Saturday afternoon, “this is a great place to catch any game across the nation.” The bar subscribes to NFL Sunday Ticket and the Southeastern Conference’s SEC network, among other channels.
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Nebraska: Oscar’s Pizza & Sports Grille
> Located: Omaha
Yelp reviewers liked this the best of any of the 75 Nebraska sports bars reviewed on the site. “This place was perfect,” wrote one. “[A] ton of TVs, great food, and cold beer.” Wings cooked three different ways with a choice of five sauces (or none at all) are a specialty — and of course, as the name of the place would suggest, there are pizza options galore.
Nevada: Miller’s Ale House
> Located: Las Vegas
“There are SO MANY TVs and good sound quality for games,” reports one Yelp reviewer about the Las Vegas location of this nationwide chain. Styling itself “The House of Football,” Miller’s offers football season specials on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, like a $10.95 combo of cheeseburger, fries, and a pint of Miller Lite. The 60-plus TVs show all pro and college games available in the area.
New Hampshire: O’Brien’s Sports Bar
> Located: Nashua
A dozen HDTVs, 18 draft beers, and a full restaurant menu are among the reasons Pats fans and other football-lovers crowd this place. Yelpers named this their favorite sports bar in New Hampshire, and Best Things New Hampshire identified it as one of the 10 best sports bars in the state.
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New Jersey: Victory Sports Bar & Club
> Located: East Rutherford
This Meadowlands restaurant, bar, and lounge boasts 11 12-by-20-foot flat-screen HDTVs, as well as a series of oversized chandeliers each holding three 60″ flat-screens. There’s also a roof bar with views of New York City, a menu that changes seasonally, and a nightclub. Jets and Giants fans, not surprisingly, are present in considerable numbers here in football season, and since last year, when sports betting was legalized in New Jersey, there have been FanDuel windows open to accept wagers on the games.
New Mexico: Boxcar Bar and Grill
> Located: Santa Fe
“[L]ots of TVs” fill this place, according to a Yelp reviewer, while another wrote “What a great place to catch a Patriots game! Tons of snacks and good craft beer. Get the Frito pie!” Boxcar screens the full slate of NFL Sunday Ticket games, and if a group calls ahead and asks the place to open early for a college game, they’re happy to oblige.
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New York: Blondies Sports
> Located: New York
College football fans from schools as diverse as Michigan State, Ohio State, Northwestern University, Penn State, and University of Oklahoma congregate here, as do Jets loyalists. According to one Yelper, this is a “Great place to watch a football game and by far the best place in the country for buffalo wings!!!”
North Carolina: Ugly Dog Pub
> Located: Highlands and Cashiers
These pubs in neighboring towns in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern North Carolina draw Tigers, Bulldogs, Bulls, and Gators fans for their pub food, draft beers, and half-dozen or so TV screens (plenty considering the size of the pubs). “Stop in during a Georgia football game,” advised the Huffington Post, and enjoy “the modern maelstrom of college football.”
North Dakota: Pub West
> Located: West Fargo
This neighborhood pub — whose long name is apparently Pub West Premier Sports Bar — offers football fans 16 draft beers and 32 HDTVs. There are also pool tables and dartboards, as well as a large patio as long as the weather’s decent. North Dakota State’s Bisons are the home team here, and one Yelp reviewer noted that when the team won its fifth straight NCAA Division 1 Championship in 2015, “the bartenders pulled out about 20 bottles of champagne to toast the victory.”
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Ohio: Varsity Club Restaurant and Bar
> Located: Columbus
Opened in 1959, this establishment, less than half a mile from Ohio Stadium (home of the Ohio State Buckeyes), shows the NFL Sunday Ticket schedule and other games on 15 TVs inside, five on the patio, and a jumbotron in the rear parking lot. “Game day at the Varsity Club is like nothing else!” claims the Varsity website. It’s also home to one of the country’s largest tailgate parties during home games.
Oklahoma: O’Connell’s Irish Pub & Grille
> Located: Norman
“There are tons of TVs, so you can always catch your favorite team playing” at this sports-themed Irish pub, says one Yelp reviewer. Norman, of course, is Sooner territory, and O’Connell’s is virtually across the street from the team’s home stadium. Pro ball is honored here, too, however, with special deals like Monday night football double header showings accompanied by 60-cent wings.
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Oregon: Big Al’s
> Located: Beaverton
Al’s broadcasts NFL Sunday Ticket, Pac-12 Network, Big-10 Network, and SEC Network football on a 55′ HD projection screen, surrounded by stadium seating. A special game day menu for Monday and Thursday NFL games includes three sliders for $8 or two tacos and a margarita for $10. For before or after (or instead of) the game, there’s also a video arcade and a bowling alley on the premises.
Pennsylvania: Chickie’s and Pete’s
> Located: Philadelphia
The original Robbins Avenue location of Chickie’s and Pete’s has spawned a 34-unit chain of sports bar and stadium stands in eight states. The chain partners with the Philadelphia Eagles and is the official caterer for the Touchdown Club at Lincoln Financial Field. Chickie’s and Pete’s is famous for its Crabfries (crinkle-cut french fries sprinkled with crab-boil spices and served with a white cheese dipping sauce.
Rhode Island: Caleb and Broad
> Located: Newport
A 120″ projection screen with surround sound and a snack menu featuring things like house-made beef jerky and fried chicken skins with veggie gravy are among the game day attractions here. One Yelper called it “a great place to watch sports,” adding that “also when sports aren’t on, it is a great place for a romantic dinner.”
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South Carolina: The Break
> Located: Charleston
“More TVs than I can count,” “bench seats/booths [that] all have their own TVs,” and “great vibes all around” appeal to Yelpers, as do the cheap drinks, spacious bar, and good selection of spirits. Eater likes the fried chicken sandwich.
South Dakota: TC’s Referee Sports Bar & Grill
> Located: Sioux Falls
A menu with over a hundred items, 24 beers on tap, and more than 20 TVs throughout the restaurant make this a favorite stop for football fan. “Fall Sundays at TC’s are all about football, friends and HALF PRICE KIDS MEALS, all day long,” TC’s announces on its Facebook page.
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Tennessee: Sam’s Sports Grill
> Located: Nashville
Noting that Nashville “has a great ability to blend food, football and booze,” Bleacher Report gave Sam’s the Nashville nod in its list of Best Local Bar for Every NFL City. Titans and Volunteers fans make up a large portion of the game day clientele at this location in Nashville’s Old Hickory neighborhood — one of five Sam’s in the area.
Texas: Mr. Tramps Sports Pub and Café
> Located: Austin
“TVs everywhere you look…perfect for multiple game watching,” wrote one Yelp reviewer, while another said “My only regret is not taking advantage of this bar earlier in the football season.” A group of hardcore Cowboys fans meets here regularly, and it goes without saying that the Longhorns are a house favorite.
Utah: The Huddle Sports Bar & Grill
> Located: Salt Lake City
With “dozens of HDTVs, all the sports packages, and every NFL and University of Utah football game,” according to the Huddle’s website, “no other bar, tavern or night cluf in Salt Lake can compete with the sports viewing experience [here]….” A Yelper adds “Mug Monday’s make it the place to be for Monday Night Football, with steins for the price of a pint. The whiskey selection is also fantastic!.”
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Vermont: The Lookout Tavern
> Located: Killington
“While we may not be a traditional ‘sports bar’…sports and the BIG game are a huge part of our atmosphere,” according to the proprietors of this ski country spot. Among the attractions are 11 big-screen TVs, a good selection of craft beers, and “hot wings” with a choice of four sauces.
Virginia: Whitlow’s on Wilson
> Located: Arlington
Voted Virginia’s most popular bar by Buzzfeed a few years back, this D.C.-area establishment feeds NFL fans with an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet, featuring Alaskan snow crab legs, all day Sunday. It’s also headquarters for local Penn State football fans.
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Washington: Buckley’s on Queen Anne
> Located: Seattle
The Seahawks are the big deal here, obviously, but Buckley’s also draws Packers fans and other football fanatics. There are 15-plus TVs, in addition to a 10′ projection screen, and all NFL and major college games are shown. Local brews are a specialty, and there are 14 taps.
West Virginia: Kegler’s Sports Bar & Lounge
> Located: 735-A Chestnut Ridge Rd, Morgantown
“They have tons of TVs and will always be packed during a WVU game,” according to one Yelp reviewer. “It’s a sports fan’s fantasy.” “[T]his is a great place to ‘tailgate’ with other Mountaineer fans,” suggested another. Yelp rated it higher than any other sports bar it covered in West Virginia. WVU football coach Dana Holgorsen broadcasts his radio show from here.
Wisconsin: The Stadium View Bar, Grill & Banquet Hall
> Located: Green Bay
This is the go-to bar in Green Bay on Packers game day (Lambeau Field is just up the street). “Great food & service,” according to one Yelp review. “Chicken wings are out of this world as well as everything on the menu […]. When in Green Bay you have to check out the Stadium district and then fill up at the Stadium View.”
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Wyoming: Bomber’s Sports Bar & Grill
> Located: Rock Springs
There are 20 flat-screen TVs (and 50 video slot machines) at this “great and unique place,” reports one Yelp reviewer. “Watch the game with us and we will clean up the mess!.,” says the bar’s website.
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