29 best bars to watch March Madness games in NYC

Image courtesy of Mustang Harry’s

The abundance of sports bars and pubs scattered across New York City is overwhelming and it can be hard to sort through to find the best ones to watch your favorite team. With the NCAA March Madness tournament approaching, 6sqft put together a list of some of our favorite sports bars in the city to watch the games, prepare a bracket, and enjoy some good food and drinks.

BROOKLYN

99 Rogers
99 Rogers Avenue, Crown Heights
Featuring traditional American food and a drink menu with 24 beers on tap and a full liquor bar, 99 Rogers is a great, laid-back destination to watch March Madness. The Crown Heights bar offers happy hour specials every day from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and trivia events hosted every Thursday at 8 p.m.

Finn’s Corner
660 Washington Avenue, Prospect Heights
Finn’s Corner is a sports bar with a Rock-n-Roll vibe, featuring 11 flat-screen TVs and all of the most popular sports packages. They also have other options for entertainment, including darts, billiards, and a wide variety of board games. They offer happy hour specials Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Other specials include classic beer and shot combos.

Tailgate Outdoor Sports Bar
86 North 11th Street, Williamsburg
Williamsburg’s TailGate Outdoor Spots Bar is kicking off its March Madness antics on March 16. The space offers more than 20 TVs, abundant seating areas, private heated cabanas, and a vast selection of food and drink specials. During the tournament, TailGate will be offering customers 20 percent off all drink buckets, and with every purchase of a drink cooler, customers can get a beer pong set. Tables go fast, so you should make a reservation as soon as you can.

Clara’s
53 Wilson Avenue, Bushwick
Clara’s is Bushwick’s sports hub, offering Brooklynites a welcoming atmosphere to watch their favorite teams compete. Whether it’s basketball, football, or the UFC, you can be sure that Clara’s will have it broadcasted on their TVs or in the back of the bar on a projector.

MANHATTAN

Mustang Harry’s
352 Seventh Avenue, Midtown
Located just a few steps away from Madison Square Garden, Mustang Harry’s is offering their 7,500 square foot space equipped with dozens of big-screen TVs, a surround sound system, and two premium bars for viewing March Madness. There will be daily specials in addition to an extensive menu of cocktails and fine spirits. Guests can also purchase game-day food favorites like chicken wings, nachos, and sliders.

Smithfield Hall
138 West 25th Street, Midtown
Just a few blocks down from MSG, Smithfield Hall offers New Yorkers one of the best spaces to enjoy sports, whether it be baseball, football, soccer, or basketball. Smithfield Hall contains two bars with plenty of seating area, along with 26 TVs so you won’t miss a second of the tournament. It also has a heated outdoor area with nine tables in view of eight more TVs.

The Long Room
120 West 44th Street, Midtown
This Irish gastropub offers a large selection of Irish whiskeys, single malts, top-shelf liquors, cocktails, and fine wines. The Long Room also boasts an extensive beer menu. Perfect for March Madness parties, guests have the option to rent out their own private viewing area to watch the games. You can book reservations here.

Stout NYC
133 West 33rd Street, Midtown
Since 2005, Stout NYC has been a place for all New Yorkers to come and enjoy sports and good drinks. Their main goal is to foster a welcoming space for guests to connect, the true purpose of a pub. They have four separate locations in Manhattan, each of which will be screening March Madness and providing a space for New Yorkers to relax and enjoy the games.

Carragher’s
Basement Bar, 17 John Street, FiDi
While this upscale sports bar may be dedicated to Liverpool, England, it will still be broadcasting the March Madness tournament. Carragher’s offers a large selection of draught beers and whiskeys and has a delicious brunch, lunch, and dinner menu. They also offer private rentable spaces perfect for events and social gatherings, and nightlife entertainment options like live music, karaoke, and DJs. You can book a table here.

Beckett’s
81 Pearl Street, FiDi
Located just a few blocks from Wall Street, Beckett’s Bar & Grill is opening up its two-floor space for New Yorkers to enjoy March Madness. The casual, neighborhood-favorite spot will be displaying the big games on multiple TVs and big screens across both floors. You can reserve a table here.

The Irish American Pub
17 John Street, FiDi
Located in Financial District, The Irish American Pub has an extensive menu of beers, cocktails, wine, and liquor for guests to choose from. They also have a great food menu with classic bar fare like burgers, sandwiches, and chicken wings. You can make a reservation here.

The Red Lion
151 Bleecker Street, Noho
The Red Lion is a lively bar just a couple blocks away from Washington Square Park. The watering hole has great happy hour specials from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., including Red Lion Light or Amber on tap for $4, mixed drinks for $6, Red Lion mules or margaritas for $7, among other deals. Guests can come, relax, and have a couple of drinks while watching sports, or dance to the bar’s live music.

Bounce Sporting Club
55 West 21st Street, Chelsea
Chelsea’s Bounce Sporting Club is a high-end sports bar with a menu offering creative twists on classic drinks and unique interpretations of pub food staples. The venue has 30 HD TVs and a 4,000 square foot lounge area. Book a table here.

The Bowery Beer Garden
93 Bowery, Chinatown
With over 50 TVs and 30 draft beers and bottles from local and national breweries, The Bowery Beer Garden is one of the best spots to watch March Madness. Located in Chinatown, the bar offers a number of happy hour, daily, and weekend food and drink specials.

Cornerstone Tavern
961 Second Avenue, Midtown East
For those looking for a high-end sports bar experience, Cornerstone Tavern is the place for you. Located at 961 2nd Avenue in Midtown East, their two-floor space is equipped with 20 HD TVs and a large food and drink menu. They also host trivia and karaoke nights and have private spaces that can be rented out for parties.

Tap Haus 33
14 East 33rd Street, Midtown
Tap Haus 33 offers guests the unique opportunity to serve their own drinks by using a reloadable card. Guests can choose from over 40 beers on tap and don’t have to partake in the chaos that is getting the bartender’s attention on a crowded night. They are also well equipped to broadcast sports with a number of television screens playing different games throughout the bar.

Downtown Social
149 2nd Avenue, East Village
Open just in time for March Madness, the East Village’s newest spot Downtown Social is welcoming New Yorkers to enjoy the tournament. With 27 flat-screen TVs, you won’t be able to miss the biggest plays. Downtown Social also has live cover bands every weekend, a vast menu of food and drinks, and rentable private event space in the back.

Standings
43 East 7th Street, East Village
If you’re really looking to focus on the games, Standings is the destination for you. The New York Mets bar makes sure not to distract sports fans with blaring music, instead, the only noise you will hear is the roar of the crowd and announcers in the games. Come and enjoy March Madness at Standings and pick from a large selection of draft beers and classic bar bites. They take their beer menu very seriously and are constantly rotating the selection and offering customers the best drinks at the time.

Playwright Irish Pub
27 West 35th Street, Midtown West
Located next to Madison Square Garden, the Playwright Irish Pub offers its guests more than 25 rotating draught beers and even more by the bottle. With dozens of high-definition TVs, fans of every sport and team can expect to find a game to watch.

Midnight Theatre
75 Manhattan West Plaza, Midtown West
Manhattan West’s luxurious Midnight Theatre is hosting March Madness watch parties throughout the entire tournament, except on Sundays. Sit back and relax in the theatre’s luxe velvet booth seating and catch the action on its giant 4K HD screen with enveloping surround sound. The theatre’s restaurant, Hidden Leaf, will be cooking up snacks and beverages to enjoy while watching the games. Admission is free and there is a $25 minimum per person for food and drinks.

District Tap House
246 West 38th Street, Midtown West
Located in the Garment District, District Tap House offers sports lovers an expansive selection of domestic and international craft beers, a unique small plate menu including pizza, wings, quesadillas, and tacos, and 20 TV screens to enjoy March Madness. They also have happy hour specials Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Brazen Tavern
356 West 44th Street, Midtown West
This rustic American-themed tavern is a fantastic location for enjoying March Madness. The space has a comfortable, welcoming ambiance and multiple floors with TVs and projectors to enjoy the tournament. The Brazen Tavern offers happy hour specials Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Mudville 9
126 Chambers Street, Tribeca
This long-standing Tribeca establishment prides itself on its high-quality curated food and drink menus. Mudville offers happy hour specials on weekdays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., including deals on wine, beers, cocktails, and all bites and snacks. They also have heated outdoor seating for those who would rather enjoy their food and drink outside. You can make a reservation here.

Printer’s Alley
215 West 40th Street, Midtown
This Times Square pub may have a Pittsburgh Steelers theme, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t well equipped to host for March Madness. With 30 TVs, you can keep up with March Madness play-by-play. They have happy hour specials every day until 7 p.m., as well as daily specials on tacos, salads, and sandwiches.

The Three Monkeys
236 West 54th Street, Midtown
While The Three Monkeys isn’t offering any March Madness-specific deals, the Theatre District bar is still a great spot to enjoy the games from. With 36 beers on draft and a menu filled with bar food classics, there are options for all visitors. There are also over 10 high-definition televisions and one giant screen, all broadcasting the biggest games for sports lovers to enjoy. Reservations can be made here.

Brookfield Place
230 Vesey Street, Battery Park City
Brookfield Place has a lot going on for March Madness, including deals on food from different vendors in the Hudson Eats food hall and Pop-A-Shot in the Winter Garden, an interactive basketball game. Enjoy food from vendors like Ani Ramen, Dos Toros, Mighty Quinn’s BBQ, and more.

Spanish Diner
10 Hudson Yards, Hudson Yards
Located within Mercado Little Spain in 10 Hudson Yards, Spanish Diner is an all-day bar and restaurant serving Spanish food in a casual, vibrant space. They will be broadcasting the tournament across their five TVs and offering patrons delicious food and drink options. Whenever the games are on, patrons can enjoy happy hour specials, which include deals on sangria and food items like empanadillas and croquetas.

QUEENS

Roam
107-12 70th Road, Forest Hills
Forest Hill’s Roam sports bar is excited to welcome back college basketball fans for another year of March Madness. The bar’s restaurant serves familiar American fare, including burgers, wings, and a wide variety of drinks. They also have nightly specials, live music, and over 10 HD TVs to watch the games.

Rivercrest
33-15 Ditmar Boulevard, Astoria
One of Astoria’s newest craft beer bars is offering a variety of food and drink specials in anticipation of March Madness. Rivercrest serves quality food that is locally sourced and has 18 rotating tap lines designated for unique craft beers. Guests can also reserve a private viewing space to enjoy the games with more intimacy. Reservations can be booked here.

Editor’s note: The original version of this article was published on March 11, 2022, and has since been updated.

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bars, march madness, restaurants