We polled our readers for the BEST sports bars across the Metroplex, and they responded with a game time level of enthusiasm. Here are the places they go to cheer, jeer and celebrate their favorite teams.
By Kristin Cicciarelli
Best Craft Beer Selection | First Place (tie):
The Lion & Crown Pub (Watters Creek)
This English-style pub offers 38 beers on tap and numerous large screen TVs to catch all of your favorite sporting events. If the game’s already over (or your team’s losing badly), folks love grabbing a relaxing spot on the patio and enjoying the view, along with some truly delicious pub grub. www.lionandcrownpub.com
Pluckers Wing Bar
Voted “ESPN Top 5 Sports Bar” and “Top 10 Wing Bar” by USA Today, Pluckers offers several craft beers on draft including popular brews like Angry Orchard, refreshing Sam Adams Seasonals and Summer Shandy. Multiple big screens give this place a laid-back vibe, making it ideal for a quick post-work snack or dinner with the family. Online ordering also available.www.pluckers.com
Best Craft Beer Selection | Second Place (tie):
The Nodding Donkey
With 20 giant TVs and an impressive selection of some of Texas’ finest craft beers, the Donkey makes its fans want to sit back and stay awhile. This is the perfect place to book your Fantasy Football Draft Party, too. www.thenoddingdonkey.com
Henry’s Tavern
Henry’s offers an upscale sports bar experience with a diverse menu, making it a terrific spot for both serious sports nuts and families with little ones. Numerous ciders, ales and lagers are on tap, and for the non-beer drinkers—we hear there are some of you out there—a nice selection of cocktails and specialty shots. www.henrystavern.com
Tailgater’s Sports Bar & Grill
A cozy atmosphere and neighborhood vibe make Tailgater’s a local favorite, where friendly and attentive bartenders will keep those craft beers coming to you for as long as you like. Be sure to pair your cold brew with an order of bacon-wrapped, grilled stuffed jalapenos—these get rave reviews.
Best Menu | First Place (tie):
Bar Louie
Truly terrific food with something to please every palate keeps Louie’s fans clamoring for more. Portions tend to be generous and perfect for sharing: don’t miss the Buffalo Chicken Totchos—that’s right, folks—tater tots AND tortilla chips, all smothered with cheesy, bacon-y goodness. Flatbreads are excellent, too—the Thai Chicken version is especially popular. www.barlouie.com
The Nodding Donkey (see also in Best Craft Beer Selection)
The Donkey’s “chef-driven, scratch menu” isn’t just a marketing ploy—these folks are serious about food, and Donkey fans know it. Whether you’re looking for something appetizer-ish to pair with your adult beverage, an over-the-top burger or sandwich—piled high with gourmet ingredients—or a super-fresh salad topped with house-made dressings, our voters swear you’ll leave satisfied.
Best Menu | Second Place (tie):
Pluckers Wing Bar (see also in Best Craft Beer Selection)
Whether you lean toward bone-in or boneless, Pluckers does wings—and does them right. For those who love heat, the Ginger Peach Sriracha gets rave reviews for that just-right sweetness with a kick. Other favorites include Lemon Pepper and its sweeter sister, Dr. Pepper. Special mention goes to the Gut Grenade—aptly named for its double beef patties topped with queso, bacon and jalapenos, served with gooey waffle fries and a 34-ounce domestic beer.
Henry’s Tavern (see also in Best Craft Beer Selection)
It’s easy to understand why our voters love Henry’s because it provides that just-right selection of items both truly decadent and healthy, depending on your mood. Salads are big, hand-pulled barley malt pizzas are delicious and also available gluten-free, and while $10.95 may seem a bit high for hand-seasoned waffle fries—at Henry’s, they’re a meal. The poutine version with cheese curds and onion/pepper gravy is a repeat favorite.
Best Big Screens | First Place:
Pluckers Wing Bar (see also in Best Craft Beer Selection and Best Menu)
If a sports bar offering multiple big screens and some of the best chicken wings in town doesn’t entice you—we don’t know what will! Pluckers can also accommodate larger parties for your next group viewing event.
Best Big Screens | Second Place (tie):
End Zone Bar & Grill
While the End Zone offers plenty of screens for easy game viewing from every angle, the fun doesn’t stop there—a generous happy hour (11 am to 7 pm, most days), AHL poker, live trivia games and karaoke nights make this the kind of place you’ll find excuses to visit several nights a week. www.endzonebars.com
The Nodding Donkey (see also in Best Craft Beer Selection and Best Menu)
You’ll find multiple screens hung hither and thither, ensuring you won’t miss a minute of that football game…or boxing match…or soccer play-off…or golf tourney. You can even book a table ahead of time for some events through the Donkey’s website.
Best Vibe: (Votes too close to call, so we’re calling it a tie!)
Christie’s Sports Bar & Grill
With its prime location in the Uptown Arts District, dark mahogany walls and brass accents, Christie’s feels more like an intimate supper club than sports bar. A large covered patio provides plenty of seating for people-watching on McKinney Avenue. www.christiessportsbar.com
Buffalo Wild Wings
Hang out at the bar or grab a table—either way, the relaxed atmosphere feels almost like a neighborhood pub. There’s an extensive selection of signature sauces and dry seasonings for your chicken “wangs,” and plenty of screens for all your sports viewing needs. www.buffalowildwings.com
Henry’s Tavern (see also in Best Craft Beer Selection and Best Menu)
A comfortable lounge that feels like your living room, a game room with large, garage door-style windows, and a pet-friendly patio keep our readers happy at Henry’s. Larger parties are easily accommodated in one of several rooms, including the urban-vibe Tap Room with rich hardwoods and distressed brick.
End Zone Bar & Grill (see also in Best Big Screens)
Reasonably priced drinks and nightly games with prizes keep regulars coming back for more. End Zone has the familiar, friendly atmosphere of the bar on Cheers (for you youngsters, that was a TV show in the 80’s/90’s).
The Nodding Donkey (see also in Best Craft Beer Selection, Best Menu, and Best Big Screens)
The people have spoken, and they love this place! A laidback vibe along with its large, wraparound patio and plenty of friendly wait staff keep The Nodding Donkey a top option for game time viewing.
The Lion & Crown Pub (Watters Creek) (see also in Best Craft Beer Selection)
Readers love the fact that this large but cozy English-style pub sits right on Watters Creek, providing a nice view and great people watching, plus an adjacent area for the kiddos to play. All of this plus traditional English entrees like Steak & Guinness Pie? We’re in, mate.