“March Madness is the one time of the year when non-sports fans can get competitive about their brackets and nobody else can say anything about it.” - Cady Heron.
Mean Girls jokes aside, March Madness is a great time to gather around the TV, dress in your favorite team merch, and pay more attention to your fantasy draft than your real-world friends chugging beer around you.
With an overwhelming amount of sports bars in NYC, how do you choose where to watch the big tournament?
Where has the most screens? Do they have extra hot wings? Are the pitchers unlimited refills?
See Also: The Best Bars To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day In NYC
No need to stress, we’ve rounded up the best bars for booze, buffalo sauce, and basketball.
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236 W 54th St, Manhattan/Website
Three Monkeys is a great spot to root for your favorite team and monkey around with your friends. Known for serving the best Craft Beer in NYC, this Hell’s Kitchen favorite is a no-brainer for the NCAA tournament. If you’re in the mood to grub, the Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls and the Southern Fried Chicken Wings are guaranteed to be the MVPs of the night.
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43 E 7th St, Manhattan
The vibes are so high at this spirits East Village bar, you’re definitely going to be standing all night long. Although Standings is particularly tiny, it’s perfect for a fratty, and sweaty, game day experience. Let’s be real, all of us Big Ten Alum are dying to be squished between our enemies and last night’s hookup. Ah, the memories.
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16 1st Ave, Manhattan/Website
The last time we were at the Grayson we were fist-pumping to 2012 Bar Mitzvah songs, but game day is super fun here, too. With a beer list longer than your bracket, and Sweet Chili BBQ Wings that will knock your socks off, the Grayson is a great place to watch some hoops. Rest assured, every girl there will be wearing fake gold Amazon hoops and a slicked-back Olaplex bun, but that’s a different story.
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17 Murray Street, Manhattan/Website
Known for having 24 Draft and 20 Bottled Beers from across the globe, Dark Horse is the sports bar of all sports bars. AKA, this downtown pub is a perfect spot to watch your team lose and drink your sorrows away, with over 40 different types of beer may we add. Some may argue the deliciously crispy french fries are the All-Star Player, and we would have to agree.
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174 Orchard St, Manhattan/Website
Forgo your “Skinny-girl” diet for the day, and indulge in Skinny Lounge’s greasy, but ever so tasty, game day grub. Although there are a ton of options on the menu, a rarity at a sports bar, we’re huge fans of the Chicken Parm Hero, Slow BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, and Brunch Burrito. If you don’t get chorizo, you’re seriously doing something wrong.
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46 Bedford St, Manhattan/Website
Although Village Tavern is located in the heart of West Village, its heart and soul lays on the East Side. And by that, we mean it’s a crowded, hot, and sweaty post-college bar trapped in the body of a sophisticated 28-year-old banker. In the absolute best way possible. Every night spent at Village Tavern is a night to remember, and game day is no exception. If you’re here for a good time and a long time, this is the place to be.
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961 2nd Ave, Manhattan/Website
Cornerstone Tavern is one of the liveliest sports bars in Midtown East. And by Midtown East, we mean Murray Hill. With karaoke, trivia, and bottomless brunch, Cornerstone Tavern is a great place for girlfriends who are dragged along on game day for “moral support.” BRB, we’re singing A Star Is Born while you’re watching a 6’5 guy throw a ball into a hoop.
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55 W 21st St, Manhattan/Website
We’re embarrassed to say it, but game day at Bounce is like no other. It's a lock you're going to run into your camp friends, sisters, best friends, brothers, dog, but you’ll also see Tik Tik famous celebs like Brianna Chicken Fry. Speaking of Chicken Fry, the Buffalo Chicken Sliders and Truffle Cheese Curly Fries are a slam dunk.
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151 Bleecker St, Manhattan/Website
Slightly less basic than Bounce, but still inhabited by Michigan DKE, Red Lion is a super fun place to watch the game and see everybody who was on your West Coast Connection teen tour. If you’re not glued to the TV, you can come here for intimate live rock music, Jewish Geography, and watered-down tequila shots.
Photography by: Ben Hershey
