Ah, the time has come again. A time of excitement, of joy, of friendly and not so friendly competition. A time where bets are made, friends are lost, and an overwhelming amount of beer, wings, and cheese fries are consumed. I am talking about, of course, the SUPER BOWL.
The Super Bowl this year is being held at the University of Phoenix in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday February 1st, and as mostly everyone knows by now, the New England Patriots are playing the Seattle Seahawks. No matter what team you happen to be rooting for or against, or what is resting on this particular game for you, chances are you are going to want to watch it while enjoying some delicious, frosty beverages and savory, messy food items. Don’t deny it. This type of consumption is almost mandatory by now. Lucky for all of us, New York City offers a plethora of different places for one to go to enjoy (or be devastated by) the biggest football game of the year.
If you’re still unsure about where exactly you want to go, this list will give you everything you need in order to find a place perfect to kick back, watch the game, and drink/eat to your heart’s desire.
1. Jimmy (at the James Hotel)
15 Thompson Street
Jimmy is a rooftop bar, located at the James Hotel, so even if you don’t particularly care about the game itself, you’re able to look out across the stunning view of the nighttime Manhattan skyline. It is located 18 stories high, with windows circling the entire place, so not matter where you end up sitting, you’ll be able to see out (don’t worry- there are large projection screen TVs, too!) It’s intimate and warm, so this is definitely somewhere to go if you’d like to enjoy the game with a date or a small group of friends. There are tons of specialty cocktails available, classic favorites, and fusions of both (example- a grilled pineapple mojito). Food includes franks in a blanket, sliders, and guacamole.
2. Bounce Sporting Club
55 West 21st Street
Bounce is a combination of a regular sports bar and an upscale restaurant. It is basically the best of both worlds, for people who want to enjoy the Super Bowl while enjoying gourmet food and cocktails. Bounce also offers a wide range of signature cocktails, including their famous banana Jameson. Since you’ll be sure to work up an appetite, guests can chow down on buffalo wings (naturally), mushroom flatbread, and truffle macaroni and cheese. Also, one of the coolest aspects of this spot is that it is the only place that will be offering Jack Daniels and Ginger Ale straight from the tap! Imagine that!
3. Louro
142 West 10th Street
This restaurant is one of many to be hosting a Super Bowl party—for $75 a person, there is unlimited food, draft beer, and house wine. This unlimited food includes pork belly sliders, deviled eggs, and of course, nachos. In addition to these plates, there will be two “surprise” dishes based on the two teams playing. (Spoiler- since the Patriots are playing, guests should be prepared for some sausage rolls and New England clam chowder.) The party goes from 5:30 pm to whenever the game ends, and can be purchased in advance so waste no time if you want to get on board with what is sure to be an awesome night.
4. Paulaner
265 Bowery Street
Paulaner is a Bavarian restaurant and microbrewery hosting a “Super Bowl Extravaganza” for game day. Everything starts at 3 pm, with beer pong games being held from 4 pm until 6 pm (oh yes, you heard that correctly. BEER PONG.) There is enough space so it doesn’t matter how many people you bring along with you; send out the invites! The a la carte menu includes wings, burgers, and turkey subs. Additionally, all of Paulaner’s signature Bavarian sausages will be available, too.
5. River Styx
21 Greenpoint Avenue
Described as Brooklyn’s “hidden gem,” River Styx is a bar that is actually bringing in two huge TVs solely for their Super Bowl party. And what a party it will be! There will be fog machines, smoke machines, and LED lights, so be ready to really get down! Not only that, but they are cooking up some of the best snack foods around- nachos, sliders, jalapeño poppers, chicken fingers, and pizza bites. As for drinks, they will be offering buckets of beer and cocktails served in trophy cups for the occasion. If you plan on coming in with a large group of people, though, definitely make a reservation.
6. Chapter One American Tavern
33 Greenwich Avenue
Yet another bar offering an awesome Super Bowl viewing party! Since the chef happens to be in favor of the Patriots, most of the food offered will be related to the team. Don’t worry, Seahawks fans, the fun is made for everyone, though. And the specials are out of this world: there will be 25 cent wings, $1 sliders, and $1 oysters along with $1 PBR cocktails, $5 Jack & Ginger cocktails, and $5 draft beers. At every commercial break, the bar will host drinking games! The fun starts at 4 pm and goes until 11 pm.
7. Tender Restaurant (at the Sanctuary Hotel)
130 West 47th Street
This upscale bar and lounge is getting in on all of the game day fun. They are offering $10 truffle fries, $10 cheddar macaroni and cheese, and $8 ginger edamame. They are also extending their Happy Hour prices all day long in honor of the occasion. This means there will be $5 beers and $7 wines for the entire day and night. Want to hear the best part? Tender offers one of the biggest televisions in all of Manhattan- a 110 inch projection screen, along with nine 55 inch TVs. No matter where you happen to find a seat, you won’t miss a thing.
8. Manhattan Cricket Club
226 West 79th Street
Manhattan Cricket Club, a cocktail parlour that draws inspiration from the cricket clubs in Australia, is offering two Super Bowl party deals. One is a fifteen guest party in the library room, all-inclusive for $750 and the other is a twenty guest party in the parlor room, all-inclusive for $1,000. Each party comes with a television, a cocktail server, unlimited beer and wine, and two signature cocktails per guest. The food includes fried oysters, fritters, meat pies, wings, and sliders.
9. Burke & Wills
226 West 79th Street
This Australian bistro is actually located directly underneath the Manhattan Cricket Club, and will be showing the game on two big screen TVs with sound. They will be extending their Happy Hour all night long, with 2-for-1 drinks and $1 oysters, along with a la carte mini sausage rolls and mini meat pies. Why not do something different and watch the Super Bowl as an Australian this year?
10. Marc Murphy’s Ditch Plains
29 Bedford Street
Ditch Plains, located right in the middle of the West Village, is offering pitchers of beer, five gigantic TVs, and three different flavors of wings for Super Bowl Sunday. And really, what more could one possibly want or need? Along with the wings (whose flavors are buffalo, BBQ, or Sambal) food will include jalapeño and cheddar tater tots, warm crab dip, and hot dogs. They also have a variety of draft beers, including Captain Lawrence IPA, Pacifico Pilsner, and Sixpoint Righteous Rye- all beers pretty darn difficult to find on tap.
11. Potatopia
378 Avenue of the Americas
This is a potato-based restaurant and bar that wants to put their unique concept to work for the festivities on February first! They will be offering two different potato dishes based on the two competing teams. One is the “Sweethawks,” crinkle cut sweet potato fries with Jersey slaw, onion, broccoli, cheddar, spiced beef, and garlic aioli. The other one is the “Potatriates,” mashed potatoes, Jersey slaw, onions, bacon, scallions, smoked gouda, and bacon aioli. I don’t know about you, but both of those dishes win in my book! If that isn’t enough, fans who come in wearing a jersey of either team and take a picture tagging @Potatopia on a social media website will receive 20% off their next visit.
12. Brother Jimmy’s
181 Lexington Avenue, 116 East 16th Street, 1485 2nd Avenue
Brother Jimmy’s restaurant is actually offering a little something different. Their deals are catered (no pun intended) to the people who would rather stay in and watch the Super Bowl from the comfort of their own living rooms. They offer a few packages to be delivered or picked up all throughout Manhattan (those who opt to pick it up get 10% off their order). There is the “Patriot’s Picnic” which is $29.95 a person and includes New England clam chowder, hot wings, a turkey and cheddar grinder, chicken fingers, and fried pickles. For an extra $5, you can also get Boston cream pie cupcakes. The “Seahawks Spread” is the same price and contains crab dip, teriyaki chicken fingers, hot wings, pigs in a blanket, and fried pickles. You can get apple coffee cake crumble, too, for an additional $5. Finally there is the “Living Room Tailgate Package” including hot wings, fried pickles, rib tips, hush puppies, spinach and artichoke dip, and chicken fingers, all for the same price of $29.95 per person. You have the option to add on any regular menu items to this package, as well.
This list is only a glimpse of what New York City has to offer in terms of spots to watch the biggest football game of the year. Whether you want to go all out and party the night away, have an intimate night out, or just stay in and have food brought to your place, there is something for you! So drink, eat, be merry, and try not to get into too many arguments over who has the best team! Cheers to Super Bowl 2015!
Twisted Talk: Have you made plans for the Super Bowl yet? Have you been to any of these bars or restaurants before? Discuss below!
