NYC's 10 Best Bars and Restaurants To Watch The Super Bowl, 2011 Edition
If, like us, you failed to score tickets to the Super Bowl XLVII, you'll need to know where you can catch the game on Sunday - or where you can order the best game day grub for your own football fiesta. Whether you're rooting for the Ravens or fighting for the 49ers, these NYC bars and restaurants have game day specials and fun parties to enjoy the game no matter who takes home the trophy. By Sarah Shaker.
Plug Uglies
257 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10010
(212) 780-1944
plugugliesnyc.com
For Baltimore fans in the Big Apple, Plug Uglies is your spot for a pure and simple game watch without the bells and whistles. The Gramercy venue is a Ravens bar -- they have a team flag flying outside -- and while the interior is divey, the place is cheap and you can bring your own food (because they don't serve their own).
Meanwhile, Idle Hands in the East Village will be going all out for their Super Bowl celebration. We're talking bourbon, beer, burgers, hot wings and a long list of drink specials, including craft beers to represent both Baltimore and San Francisco - $5 Baltimore's Heavy Seas Brewery Pale Ale for Ravens fans and $5 San Francisco's 21st Amendment Brewery Bitter American for the 49er fans. Burgers and wings will be offered from That Burger, one of our favorite cheap eats in the neighborhood. Make your free table reservations a.s.a.p. by emailing their team at idlehandsbar@gmail.com.
49ers fans in NYC flock to Finnerty's all season long, making it the hot spot for San Fran fans in NYC, but it's also a hot spot for beer lovers. From standard brews to beers from local breweries, Finnerty's rotates their taps to keep it interesting behind the bar. There's also keg service available if you book a week to 10 days in advance to enjoy your favorite beer poured right at your table.
The back room at Murray Hill's Wharf Bar and Grill is a weekly gathering spot for Ravens fans -- but it's not a huge space, so it fills up quickly. Get there early to join them for their unpretentious Super Bowl Sunday party, featuring appetizers, burgers, salad and sandwiches. The venue boasts 11 plasma televisions, 16 beers available on tap. A retractable roof allows their deck to remain open year-round, rain or shine, so you can watch the game with outdoor access.
This Super Bowl Sunday, Fatty Crew is returning to the Upper West Side, offering local foodies the chance to once again satisfy their cravings in the neighborhood, while watching the game on eight big screen televisions. Gerber Group's Whiskey Park will host a pop-up Fatty 'Cue, offering their famous Whole Pig Roast with all of the trimmings to large groups, as well as comfort food favorites. Whiskey Park will serve Super Bowl-inspired cocktails such as the Pigskin – a fat-washed concoction that brings bacon to your glass. No such thing as too much bacon on Super Bowl Sunday.
Looking for a nontraditional spot to watch the game? This Michelin Guide recommended East Village eatery offers some of New York City's best Korean fried chicken wings. Mono + Mono extends an invite for folks wishing to find a make for a delicious spot to enjoy the big game. Pair your wings with beer and soju cocktails for the ultimate foodie game day meal. And while you dig in, you can cheer along on the widescreen televisions around the bar.
Head downtown to Battery Park City for South West NY's Super Bowl party with a tasty Southwestern flair. The venue features a zinc top bar, flat screen TVs and crave-worthy fare like Queso Fundido (a blend of azadero, chihuahua and cheddar cheeses, house made chorizo, salsa verde with soft flour tortillas), Hand-battered Chicken Fingers (with chipotle mayo) and Sliders served with tumbleweed onions on mini brioche buns, plus eclectic tacos like Tecate (battered shrimp with jicama slaw, queso fresco, mango pico de gallo).
Studio Square is one of the largest bars in the city airing the Super Bowl! They'll be hosting a massive party where you can eat and drink like a ravenous linebacker – featuring unlimited beer, wine, sangria, Loaded Lemonade and Red Stag Iced Tea, plus an all-you-can-eat buffet. Feast with friends at The Garden's indoor picnic tables while you watch the game on 60-inch flat screen TVs. Other specials include $3-$5 shots, plus raffles to win a big-screen TV of your own. Advanced tickets for The Garden's Super Bowl Bash are $40 and are also available at the door for $45.
Want homemade food, but don't want to watch the game at home in your PJs? Take a hands-on cooking class at Jimmy's No. 43 on Super Bowl Sunday for $65 per person! The recipes you'll learn (and taste) include Cilantro-Cumin Dusted Sweet Potato Fries, Mango BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Compost Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches. Watch the game at Jimmy's No. 43 and root for your team over craft beers and your class's freshly prepared gourmet snacks. Get this cooking class and game viewing deal at GroupMe Experiences.
If you're staying home in Brooklyn for the big game, order Super Bowl take-out packages from the eclectic Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue, including everything from smoked chicken wings with three different kinds of sauces to racks of St. Louis-cut ribs. If you're hosting a small gathering, opt for The Queso, Wings and Ribs for Four ($115), which also comes with a half-pound of chopped brisket and tortilla chips to mix into the queso, plus a quart of pit-smoked baked beans and a half quart of fridge pickles. Larger parties should order the Queso, Wings and Ribs for Ten ($280) or for huge loft apartments, the Queso, Wings and Ribs for Twenty ($540). Fletcher's is accepting pre-orders now through Thursday, January 31st.
Sarah Shaker is the founder of the blog Bright Lights, My City.
