These sports bars draw crowds with huge TVs, special discounts and free-flowing beer.
Yard House has quickly become one of the most popular gathering places in DC’s Penn Quarter/Chinatown neighborhood. The restaurant and bar are perfect for a night out with friends. Enjoy a half yard of brew, with over 100 choices on tap. Expect numerous TVs to be tuned to the big game with plenty of sports fans on hand.
Tom’s Watch Bar, located just steps away from Nationals Park, offers a supreme viewing experience for sports fans. The nearly 8,000-square-foot restaurant and bar features almost 100 HDTVs, oversized screens, TopGolf Swing Suites for golf simulations and virtual games and an expansive drink menu including specialty cocktails, shots and shooters.
With nearly 15 years in business, over 40 screens, multiple floors and comfortable seating, Public Bar Live in Dupont Circle provides a space for fans to gather and enjoy a packed schedule of sporting events from college football to international fútbol, its specialty. The hotspot also hosts frequent live music, puts on special events like Bachata Brunch and turns into a rooftop nightclub on weekends with DJs spinning genres like reggaeton and hip hop. Happy hour goes until 10 p.m. on weekdays and wings are $1 on Thursdays.
As You Are
The Capitol Hill cafe, neighborhood bar and nightlife hotspot is a longstanding queer safe space, but did you know that As You Are is also the first official bar of the Washington Mystics? The business has committed to broadcasting women’s sports any time they are airing – even at odd hours of the night – meaning it's a fantastic gathering place to cheer on your favorite teams, including a few Gold Medal-winning soccer stars on the Washington Spirit.
Located in the historic Manhattan Laundry building just north of U Street, the expansive Franklin Hall is your go-to spot for large group gatherings for the big game. The beer hall features a 60-foot bar with rotating drafts, as well as board games and a walk-up kitchen with bar food classics.
Over in historic Georgetown is Franklin Hall’s sister bar, Clubhouse, which channels similar game day vibes with nearly 20 TVs. Cozy up to one of the multiple fireplaces in this 7,000-square-foot bar and enjoy weekday happy hour from 4-6 p.m. as you watch the game. For a return visit, make note of trivia Tuesday specials.
Level up your game day with city views, food and drink specials and an exclusive sports betting platform. The Over/Under Sportsbook Rooftop Lounge delivers a unique atmosphere with a neon-lit rooftop lined with TVs, specialty drinks, betting kiosks and live ticket writers.
The dynamic gastropub, which has locations in the heart of Penn Quarter and Dupont Circle, provides plenty of craft beer and hospitality, and a food menu filled with innovative takes on classic bar dishes, such as elote (street corn) dip, Korean beef fried rice and smoked pork belly tacos. Its rustic and open setting is perfect for kicking back and enjoying a game.
DC’s Chinatown transforms into Flavortown as celebrity Chef Guy Fieri's DC Kitchen + Bar offers the ultimate sports bar experience. The space is not only connected to Capital One Arena but is shared with Caesar’s Sportsbook, perfect for pre-game drinks, in-play bets and post-game bites including trash can nachos, big bite burgers and Mumbo wings.
Clyde’s has been a staple of DC since its Georgetown location opened in 1963, and the Gallery Place rendition dazzles upon entering. The two-level spot, adjacent to Capital One Arena, features three bars and a strong sports theme – a portrait of Babe Ruth greets you upon entering. Clyde’s regulars rave about the chili, the Buffalo wings and the burgers, while the full raw bar is both light and refined.
For casual sports viewing with good eats and cheap drinks, TallBoy is the place to be (especially for Leeds United fans). The beer list is extensive, featuring – you guessed it – tallboy cans, but also shot combos and pitchers, while the food is straightforward with wings, tacos and a smash burger with fries. Plus, enjoy happy hour specials all day, every day.
Just across from the Centerfield Gate at Nationals Park lies happy hour and sports haven Mission Navy Yard, a massive two-story restaurant with four bars (including one that’s 150 feet long) with outdoor balconies, and a robust rotation of 16 draft beers. The space is perfect for watching sports with a side of tacos and tequila.
Eat, drink and be lively is the motto at Blackfinn Ameripub, a Downtown DC sports bar focusing on American pub fare and game day specials. Choose from happy hour bites like Nashville hot chicken sliders or watermelon tuna tacos.
Warm up with a pre-game party at Nellie's jam-packed drag queen brunches on Saturdays and Sundays. But after the brunch crowd has dissipated, it’s game time. Multiple TVs on both floors mean you’ll be able to catch all the action on game day.
If you can’t make it to Wrigley Field during baseball season, Ivy and Coney in Shaw might just be the next best thing. This neighborhood bar was built as a home away from home for Chicago and Detroit sports fans, complete with Midwestern brews, cheese curds, Detroit pizza and loaded Chicago dogs.
Named after the Washington Senators' pitcher Walter Perry Johnson, Walter’s Sports Bar has been a go-to spot in Navy Yard for nearly 40 years. Choose your own adventure with 24 self-pour taps before settling in for a marathon of sports across 30 TV’s inside and out.
For more local suds, check out our lists of beer gardens and breweries.
