16 Best Sports Bars In New York City
New York City's best sports bars create a winning atmosphere regardless of what happens on the field. Thankfully in the Big Apple, sports fans have a multitude of options across the boroughs. We appreciate the dark woods and brick walls of the typical pubs found across the city. Of course, it takes all kinds, so solid cocktail programs and a decadent menu are also considerations. Living in a city home to the disappearing $1 pizza slice means that the "dive bar" moniker doesn't always mean bottom-basement pricing (or that Brooklyn is any cheaper than Manhattan these days).
Of course, as sports fans, we're used to banding together in the face of adversity. We've shelled out for ballpark beers and turned to the dark web to try to score seats in a sold-out stadium (well, maybe not all of us). After a tough few years for New Yorkers, including those sturdy enough to run our favorite bars and restaurants, we are grateful for the opportunity to flock to our neighborhood sports bar for the camaraderie and flatscreens — even if the beer and a shot deal aren't as sweet as it used to be. Here are our choices for the best sports bars in New York City (just don't @ us for blowing up your favorite spot).
Stan's Sports Bar at Yankee Stadium
Whether you're there for opening day or just trying to make it through a mid-season slump, Stan's Sports Bar feels like a little slice of Yankees baseball culture. The Bronx bar is located adjacent to the elevated 4 train and across from the original Yankees Stadium, also known as "the house that Ruth built." The new field is just down the street in Queens, and fortunately, it's not re-named after a bank (at least not yet).
Stan's and Yankees fans overflow into the street during a big game, but if you can find the space, there are 12 TVs so that you won't miss a moment of the game. We feel that the Bambino would appreciate the revelry, the decent beer list, and the full bar. Plus, the bar menu is simple and likely much cheaper than what you'll pay for a dog at the ballpark.
Blondies Sports on the Upper Westside
Blondies Sports is the type of bar that delivers the right amount of dive atmosphere paired with what are considered some of the best chicken wings in the city. This Upper Westside location is also known for a multitude of well-positioned flatscreens — meaning you aren't likely to get boxed out of a major play during the final moments. Blondies is known for catering to college football fans, such as Michigan State and Penn State. But fans of all major sports are welcome here, whether Jags, Giants, or Eagles (and whichever team you're rooting for during the Super Bowl). You can also watch hockey, baseball, or the World Cup.
We appreciate the comforts of a solid if simple bar menu, even if not everything will be a win. It might be best to leave the Philly cheesesteak to our neighbors, but you'll find a range of menu options such as chili, grilled shrimp, Caesar salad, and more. Expect a full bar and a decent selection of domestic beers as well as cider and White Claw.
The Three Monkey's Bar in the Theatre District
The Theatre District, in Hell's Kitchen adjacent to Times Square, isn't an area of New York known for playing small or subtle. The Three Monkey's Bar is a spacious pub and beer garden proudly catering to the New England Patriots fans — consider that a welcome or a warning. The space features 10 TVs and a giant screen to project all the sports packages. Three Monkey's spans two levels and a private patio that is temperature controlled to enjoy a projector screen year-round.
You'll also be able to choose from 36 beers on tap, a full bar, and a menu with tacos, sliders, and vegan bites. Game run into overtime? You can still grab some bar snacks like fish and chips and sweet potato puffs after midnight.
Kettle of Fish in Greenwich Village
Green Bay Packers fans are notorious for being dedicated and able to withstand dire conditions. Kettle of Fish is one Packers outpost that has been embraced by Cheeseheads during the COVID-19 closures. NBC 4 New York reports that the sports bar even received support thanks to a GoFundMe fundraising page and a pivotal retweet from a Packer's quarterback (who was once called the most despised player in the NFL). The small bar might have struggled during the pandemic closures, but unlike many other establishments, this drinking hole managed to continue in its Greenwich Village location.
Kettle of Fish opened in 1950 and claimed renowned former guests like author Jack Kerouac and musician Bob Dylan during its early years. The current location provides plenty of seating, including a backroom with sofas. You also can stay preoccupied between plays, thanks to dart boards, pinball machines, and board games.
The Long Pour in the East Village
The East Village isn't lacking in solid bars for game night or a night out. The Long Pour on 2nd Avenue is especially appealing for its narrow yet long bar, which is the former location of the Thirsty Scholar. Sure, a narrow bar could mean elbow-to-elbow capacity, but it's also ideal for watching one or multiple of the five flat screens. Plus, the East Village sports bar features a solid list of 12 taps, hard seltzers, and signature cocktails. We're especially impressed by the certification for a Guinness perfect pour, a two-part pour to avoid too much head on the beer.
This watering hole doesn't affiliate itself with any particular sports team. More into the National League as a Mets fan? No problem. Prefer to watch Manchester City? Then, go ahead and do so while partaking in happy hour specials (if you can time it right).
Kelly's Sports Bar in the East Village
Kelly's Sports Bar is an Irish-style pub located at the trifecta of the East Village, Lower East Side, and the Bowery (one might say NoHo if inclined to use such a term). Kelly's conveniently stays open 365 days per year. You'll find decent draft and pitcher prices, at least for Manhattan, and "Shark Tank"-approved pizzas. With so many days out of the year to entertain guests, this sports bar is also a bit of a grab bag when it comes to its allegiances.
You might notice Kelly's is, first and foremost, a hockey bar, including the Buffalo Sabers, at least according to its tagline. New Yorkers might gather to watch a Buffalo Bills game to sing along with the fight song if that's your thing. Syracuse basketball? Sure, that tracks. Chicago Cubs are a bit of a curveball (go Cubbies!), as are the Chicago Bulls. Then again, who didn't love the Bulls during the "Big Men" era? We all know '90s nostalgia is back in a big way. The important part is not exclusivity but quite the opposite. You can also watch Premier League, UFC, and MMA fights all in one place.
Cat Sports Pub in the Financial District
At Cat Sport Pub, happy hour specials run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. during the week, but you can stick around until 1 a.m. on weekdays. Seeing this NYC sports bar is located in the Financial District, it makes sense that the establishment closes early on Saturday and Sunday. We appreciate the ability to kill time on the pool tables and the weekly events, such as karaoke on Thursdays. Watching a co-worker drunkenly croon a Green Day throwback is what builds those really lasting bonds.
We've also noticed that the "Meet the Bartenders" section of Cat's website is more like sliding through Tinder than an introduction to the employees' lauded mixology merits. Perhaps this is the "friendly" atmosphere Cat's is quick to mention. Friendly reminder, we suggest that you tip your bartender versus paying them with compliments.
Union Grounds in Cobble Hill
The Union Grounds sports bar is the type of watering hole that caters to all types of sporting events, but American football is a big draw. It even hosts a fantasy football league. Plus, you can join the trivia night held on Tuesdays, which coincidentally is the ideal night to also grab a taco. The bar and grill have a full menu featuring classics like hot dogs and chicken wings, bratwurst, jalapeño poppers, and onion rings. Union Grounds also serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday, where you can pair an omelet with a mimosa or a Bloody Mary.
Union Grounds is located in Cobble Hill, making it an ideal spot for residents in the surrounding area in search of a multitude of flat screens. You can at least stop by for a pint, even if you're not watching the Giants.
Fulton Ale House in Bed-Stuy
Upstate New Yorkers have a bar to call their own In Brooklyn. Fulton Ale House is a Buffalo Bills and Sabres pub where revelers are able to gather without the fear of persecution from a Colts or a Jets fan. Just kidding, we can't promise that. All the same, it's definitely a fun atmosphere to cheer with fellow fans.
You'll find Fulton Ale House in Bed-Stuy with plenty of popular and craft beers on tap that are made in Brooklyn, like KCBC, from the state of New York, and well beyond. We appreciate the cozy ale house vibes and bet you'll find plenty to cheer about during the Eagles versus Chiefs Super Bowl game. At least you can always hate-watch. You can also return for trivia night if the game day isn't your thing.
Iona Bar in Williamsburg
The Iona Bar has many connotations. The bar is named after a burial place for Scottish Kings. The location opened in 2000 inside an old candy store in Williamsburg, a building located at the corner of Grand Street and Bedford Avenue. Plus, it might be one of the best dive bar "garden" patios we've discovered in a long time. You and your crew will have (relatively) plenty of space if you want to stick around for a while.
We appreciate the pub's mission to create a safe haven from the grind of the city. The cozy interior is welcoming, with plenty of natural lights and natural woods. You can catch a Premier League game, live music from the rotating bands, and an obligatory trivia night. You'll also find kombucha, cider, and plenty of craft beers on tap; this is Williamsburg, after all.
The Keg & Lantern in Greenpoint, Red Hook, and Southside
The Keg & Lantern Brewery is probably better known as one of the better breweries in the borough. You'll find hazy IPAs and sours are the specialties, but there are still some pilsners, lagers, and crafts cans sold to-go. For gluten-free drinkers, there is a full bar with a sizeable option of cocktails. The Keg & Lantern taproom now has three locations in Brooklyn, with Greenpoint starting off the small-batch operation in 2009. The three locations are also decent sports bars. We are partial to the Greenpoint location for a rather spacious brick-and-wood interior with a neighborhood pub atmosphere, along with a covered back patio complete with a big flat screen for watching everything from the NHL and Premier League to the Super Bowl (and plenty of games in between).
The Red Hook location is a sophisticated interior with light woods behind the Pinterest-worthy bar, a mural, and brewing onsite. You'll get similar curated vibes at the South Williamsburg outpost, the latest taproom that also serves lunch, dinner, and brunch. Each location also has daily specials worth checking out.
Bronx Alehouse in Kingsbridge
You've come to the right place if you're looking for a curated selection of craft beers on tap. Bronx Alehouse features a range of styles from breweries in the state of New York as well as notable brands from the U.S. and overseas. Aside from the beer selection, you'll find a full pub menu with enough styles of wings to cause decision paralysis. Fortunately, the popularity of this spot means you're unlikely to go wrong with whatever you select. We recommend a burger and seasoned fries, but the sliders are great for sharing.
The sports bar's location in Van Cortlandt Park is a huge perk for anyone who wants to grab food before or after a stroll in an open space that dwarfs Central Park (yet still remains New York City's third largest park). Granted, brunch specials and an NFL sports package might be plenty of enough activity for one day.
Rocky McBride's in Astoria
Rocky McBride's in Astoria might win the competition for most TVs thanks to its 22 flatscreens arranged throughout the space. The bar gives incredible neighborhood watering hole vibes while managing to provide the people with what they want: good drinks, a casual atmosphere, and four clean bathrooms. That's right, four. Plus, the sports packages are plentiful, including UFC and other Pay-Per-View fights, if watching two shirtless men pummel one another is your idea of a good time (or women, but they usually have to wear shirts). Of course, you can also watch fully-suited players rough each other up on the field in a variety of ways and leagues.
Rocky's doesn't technically serve food (just one of the reasons its liquor license was suspended in 2021), but on NFL gamedays, the sports bar does host one of the best types of buffets we can imagine — a free one. We appreciate the generosity and are never one to turn down a proper bread pudding.
The Hop Shoppe on Staten Island
When attempting to conjure an image of a sports bar on State Island, you might think of Joe Broadway's. We wouldn't blame you. As a complement to the options on the island, The Hop Shoppe leans more toward gastropub and offers a full menu along with cocktails and craft beers. Sure, you might say the Soho-style eatery is a shameless attempt to drive up prices, but any place that calls itself a "shoppe" in the U.S. is looking to differentiate itself. And doesn't General Tso's cauliflower, steak frites, or five-cheese baked mac sounds like the perfect pairing to a game, regardless of where you happen to reside?
The Hop Shoppe is open seven days a week, so it's there whenever your game day happens to fall. It also serves an enviable and extensive list of craft beers, hard kombucha, and many hard seltzers — even one that is CBD-infused. You might even meet that special someone over a game of skeeball. You can thank us later.
Harlem Tavern in Harlem
Harlem Tavern is the best kind of neighborhood bar thanks to its extensive drink list, garden patio, and excellent central location. This tavern delivers beyond just the classics — you will find wings and multiple burger options, in case you're wondering — to include select pasta and items such as mussels and tequila shrimp skewers. Do football specials also include short-rib poutine? Um, yes, please.
Yes, you come here to watch both American football and global futbol — the Super Bowl and World Cup go off at this pub. You can also stop by on the weekend for DJ sets by night and a family-friendly brunch on Saturdays. Bonus point if you can manage to make both.
Emblem Sports Bar in Bushwick
By typical New York City sports bar standards, Emblem is a sprawling bar even without the large back patio and covered outdoor seating in front. You'll soak in the game day vibes thanks to 15 flatscreens. Yes, you might encounter hipsters that are said to roam these parts. And you might even be one of those hipsters looking for a good pint and an even better time. We'll wager that this is just the sports bar that you're looking for (regardless of the status of your beard), thanks to the more than adequate beer list and ample list of sports packages.
The menu is focused on bar snacks, burgers, some pasta, and pizza (we won't judge if you're really in need of the chopped salad). You can also come here for brunch to enjoy a gorgeous day in the equally gorgeous garden seating. We wager that you'll have a good time.