A New York City Bar for each Sweet 16 Team
THE Big Apple hot spot to cheer on your favorite college basketball team.
March Madness is into the Sweet 16 and Wisconsin, Florida, South Carolina, and Baylor all hit the court at Madison Square Garden. Odds are you won’t be attending the games. But you probably still have a horse in this race.
So, we’ve compiled a list of the best New York City bars — by team — to watch all the action unfold.
Michigan — Trionas on Third (192 Third Ave.)
Trionas on Third boasts one of the best TV set ups in NYC. The bar features four large TVs behind along with multiple other TVs surrounding those lucky enough to get a table on game day. Trionas is a proud Michigan bar and is also a safe haven for Cubs and Blackhawks fans. Trionas also routinely plays these teams’ fight songs and goal songs. But as far as college basketball goes, it is the place to be for Wolverine fans. Having a Golden Tee adds a few bonus points.
PAC 12 teams — Finnerty’s (221 Second Ave.)
I know this going to sound like typical East Coast bias but I’m lumping several West Coast teams together with his place. Finnerty’s is the home for all Bay Area sports teams and shows the PAC 12 lots of love. Like Trionas, Finnerty’s is home to a terrific TV set up. If you aren’t able to get a bar seat or table up front, Finnerty’s has a huge room with keg tables for your group in the back. While they don’t have a kitchen, patrons are more than welcome to bring in their own food.
PAC 12 teams play at the same time in the Sweet 16, so here’s a list of each school’s local NYC bar if Finnerty’s gets too packed or is playing the “wrong” game.
UCLA- American Whiskey (247 W 30th St)
OREGON- Central Bar (109 East 9th St)
ARIZONA- Lincoln Park Grill (867 Ninth Ave)
South Carolina — Mason Jar (43 East 30th St.)
South Carolina pulled off an upset against Duke and I bet the Mason Jar was rocking! It’s one of the most underrated sports bars on the East Side. On big game days, Mason Jar adds a drop down projection screen for those in the main dining area. The bar has plenty of TVs as well.
If you get stuck right by door?
You guessed it: more TVs.
The Gamecocks flag proudly hangs from the rafters year-round. Make sure you arrive early on game day or you will be fighting through a crowd.
West Virginia — Jake Doyle’s (240 West 35th St.)
This may be your classic Madison Square Garden Irish bar but don’t tell that to the Mountaineers of West Virginia. Jack Doyle’s has been the home for West Virginia Football fans for quite some time now and the same goes for the basketball teams. It will bring fans right back to their times in college. They’ll sing “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Not that fans need a reason to go, but Jack Doyle’s has a long tradition of $5 daily drink specials.
Kansas — Mulholland’s (312 Grand St., Brooklyn)
The only Brooklyn bar on the list. Kansas super fan, Priest Fontaine is responsible for Mulholland’s becoming a KU bar. The Observer wrote a piece about the connection between this bar and the university. It opened in 2007 and quickly became the go-to place to watch the Jayhawks:
“In past years when we’ve had late NCAA tournament games I’ll get here two, three hours in advance.”
Mulholland’s has plenty of TVs for the game but more importantly it will be packed with Rock Chalk Jayhawks.
Florida — sideBAR (118 E 15th St.)
It’s not very shocking to find out that Gators fans have several bar options for watching games in New York City, but sideBAR takes the cake. SideBAR has a strong reputation as a sports bar, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays in the fall. Beware, this does lead to some seriously crowded bar areas. Get there early get a table so you can watch from one of the many flat screens throughout the bar.
Kentucky — Jack Dempsey’s (36 West 33rd St.)
Yes, another popular midtown Irish bar with a welcoming college affiliation. This is not the legendary bar of former boxer Jack Dempsey but this pub has a classic Irish feel to it. Jack Dempsey’s goes all in with Kentucky, even having a UK Alumni link on the bar’s website homepage. Kentucky fans have 12 TVs to choose from to watch their Wildcats in action and never miss a play.
Baylor — Van Diemans (383 3rd Ave.)
Known as big New York Rangers bar, Van Diemans changes the flag outside to Baylor on big game days. Located in the middle of Murray Hill, there are tons of bars to choose from but this is the only place that guarantees you’ll be watching games with fellow Bears. This bar has two floors and more than enough TVs along the walls to make sure every seat has a great line of sight so you won’t miss the action.
North Carolina — Slattery’s (8 E 36th St.)
Shocker, another Irish bar that opens its doors to the college basketball fans. UNC fans have been packing this Midtown bar for years. Fans are often seen with their custom UNC alumni drink cups for each game. The bar includes plenty of TVs that located high enough so that those of all height will clearly see Tar Heels on the court. It may not happen on game days, but many have noted the bartenders will offer you a free shot with your first drink order.
Wisconsin — Kettle of Fish (59 Christopher St.)
This Packers bar will gladly welcome in Badgers fans this weekend. This tiny bar on the West Side will take you out of the busy city life and right into a small town local bar. The one thing that may prevent someone from enjoying the game here are the TVs, as they are very limited and small. But if you want to watch and hang out with local Badgers, this is the place for you.
Xavier — Keg Room (53 W 36th St.)
You won’t miss any games at the Keg Room. This Herald Square bar features multiple drop down projectors and many other TVs placed around the bar. While it is the official fan zone for the Musketeers, you will find many other sports fan there on game day. It lacks a feel of a true Xavier bar, like some of the other bars on this list, but they’re a welcoming spot. Either way, Keg Room is great place to enjoy a game.
Purdue — Dorrian’s (1616 2nd Ave.)
This Upper East Side bar might be best known for being a local hang out of the Yankees fans, but it is also the official bar of the Boilermakers (as well as the Redskins). It is not your typical over-crowded sports bar but still has a few TVs to enjoy the game.
Gonzaga — Standings (43 E 7th St.)
Standing has flags and wall posters of almost every out of state team. Come tournament time, it’s the home of the Zags. As the name suggests, they do have a large chalk board featuring the current standings of whatever professional league is in-season. You better like who you are standing next to, though, as Standing is a small place. That said, it is the place to be for Bulldogs fans who want to see their team win a title.
Butler — Fish Market (111 South St.)
Much like Butler, Fish Market is the Cinderella story when it comes to college basketball bars. We did not see this one coming. The bar serves a mix of Asian and American food but on Friday it will be all about the basketball. Compared to most of the other bars on this list, the TV situation is less then ideal. Fish Market may be tough to find but it will be worth it if Butler keeps winning.
Thoughts? Let me hear them on Twitter @AngelSteve89
