This friendly pub caters to students and is a stellar choice for watching any sporting event. Great moments in local sports history, from Tulane's perfect season to the Saint's first division title, are immortalized on the walls. Watch one or 10 flat screens or play a game of shuffleboard, darts, or pool. There are 15 draft taps and plenty more bottled and canned beers to choose from, along with some of the best bartenders in town. The menu includes the likes of cochon de lait nachos, fried mac & cheese and a three-napkin debris po-boy. There is not one but two happy hours daily.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: Bruno's has been around since before Prohibition and remains a great neighborhood bar.
Beth's expert tip: Happy hour happens from Monday to Friday 4-7 and late night Friday and Saturday from midnight til?
Walk-Ons Bistreaux & Bar is located on Poydras Street just four blocks from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, making it a preeminent spot for pre- and post-game food and drinks. Walk-On's has televisions nearly everywhere, including outside on their second floor terraced balcony. The eats go beyond what you might expect for a sports bar, with a nice array of regional specialties, including gumbo, seafood po' boys, fried catfish and red beans and rice. The bar area is a great place to be to watch your favorite team in action. Grab a pitcher of ice-cold beer and start the party at this engaging locals' haunt.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: Can't get much closer to the Dome than Walk-Ons!
Beth's expert tip: When the weather cooperates, grab a spot on the second-floor balcony with a television.
Gordon Biersch is a large restaurant/sports bar on Poydras in the heart of the New Orleans CBD. Sit indoors or out, with TVs tuned to the game offering a hubbub of activity and a sporty soundtrack. Enjoy up-close views of the brewery where the beer-making goes down. The place can accommodate a crowd of up to 375, so it's also a top spot for convention groups, with private dining available. The food is a cut above the usual pub, with dishes like garlic fries, wagyu meatballs, ahi tuna salad and Cajun fish tacos. Pizza and sandwiches from burgers to fried chicken to Philly cheesesteaks are also big sellers.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: This multi-location chain brews beer on-site and offers some New Orleans-centric dishes on its menu.
Beth's expert tip: Gordon Biersch is within walking distance to the Superdome, making it a premier destination for pre-game shenanigans.
Although it looks like a ramshackle cottage on the outside, walk-in and an oasis of food, brews and sports await. Inside you'll find a nice bar, a window to order food and then a door that leads to a multi-level patio that is one of the best places to watch the game, hang with friends and nibble on some excellent grub. There are fans and heaters - in use depending on the weather, and live music is often featured outside. Besides the usual burgers and wraps, there is something called disco fries, freshly fried potatoes covered in gravy and roast beef debris, which must be experienced. Sister restaurant Bayou Wine Garden is next door - both are pet friendly.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: A great beer list and patio seating make this Mid-City pub a win-win.
Beth's expert tip: The beer list is available online so check in out in advance if you are looking for something special.
Finn McCool's is a Mid-City sports bar that embodies fan culture. There are six screens for viewing, including a 50" HD plasma and an 8' projector screen showing primarily soccer and rugby matches. At the forefront of the sports bar scene since 2002, Finn's is a familiar winner of accolades like "Best Neighborhood Bar" and "Best Bartender." Competition isn't just on the screen at this popular neighborhood spot. At Finn's, you can play against fellow patrons in trivia, billiards, darts or even Scrabble depending on the night of the week. Open from 10 am on weekends and noon the rest of the week.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: Finn McCool's is a popular sports bar with a terrific beer list in Mid-City.
Beth's expert tip: There aren't too many bars in town that broadcast international soccer games - this is one spot that does.
You can't miss The Bulldog, what with their giant beer tap fountain facing Magazine Street passersby. The Garden District watering hole is a favorite among beer enthusiasts, with 48beers on tap and 60-plus different bottled selections. The Bulldog also does bar food extremely well, with their burgers receiving high praise. Have your dog with you? The Bulldog is pet-friendly, so bring Sparky along and grab your favorite pint of beer that you've likely never heard of. If you know you're going to be in town on your birthday, register online to become a Bulldog member online and receive a free beer on your special day. There's also a Mid-City location.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: The Bulldog is situated on busy Magazine street in the heart of the retail action.
Beth's expert tip: Yes, there's a myriad of craft beers, but Bud Light and PBR drinkers are welcome too.
Tracey's was the original bar in the Irish Channel, opened in 1949 with new fangled comforts like air conditioning - a rarity back in the day. Also the first in the 'hood with color TV, Tracey's drew local crowds from the start. Its current location is on Magazine Street, and although it had been shuttered for some time, Jeffery Carreras reopened in 2010, bringing his famous recipe for roast beef po' boys to the bar along with a great beer list. Potent drink specials and 20 TVs tuned to the game makes Tracey's a top stop for visitors wanting to catch their home team while on the road for business or pleasure.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: Tracey's is an Irish Channel original, the quintessential neighborhood pub.
Beth's expert tip: This is the perfect place to seek refuge while your significant other is shopping on Magazine Street.
Cooter Brown's is fanatically adored by sports fans in Uptown New Orleans and it has been for more than 45 years. Expect fans on the vocal and rowdy side, all in good fun. Stop number 43 on the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar, Cooter Brown's is loaded with flat screens, offering views of the game from all vantage points. There are front and back bars offering craft beers and more than 70 unique drafts in all. In the middle of the bar is picnic-style seating for eating freshly shucked oysters, fried seafood and dressed half-pound burgers.There are a few lighter options, but the gravy and cheese fries are tough to resist.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: Cooter Brown's is hugely popular with locals for sports and suds.
Beth's expert tip: Enjoy a ride on the streetcar up St. Charles Avenue to get to Cooter's, get off at stop number 43.
It's no accident that Manning's is followed by the subtitle Eat Drink Cheer. This is one of the best sports bars/restaurants in New Orleans, a Harrah's New Orleans restaurant partner owned by former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning, who spent a dozen years playing at the Superdome. The restaurant is heaven for any fan of the Manning family, with all kinds of memorabilia from Archie Manning's playing career, and that of his sons, Peyton and Eli. The sports theme at the 210 seat restaurant is driven home by 30 flat screens always tuned to one game or another. There's even a giant screen in a section called the End Zone where cushy leather recliners await. The menu includes an array of burgers and specialties like red fish tacos. Oh, and 24 beers on tap.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: This Saints-themed pub is a football fan's dream come true.
Beth's expert tip: When the weather is fine, seats along the outdoor promenade on Fulton Street are primo.
Regulars were in shock when the old Chuck's Bar closed a while back. Thankfully the Little Bar on Gravier stepped up to the plate. A fab dive bar located on a quiet street less than a mile from the Superdome, Little Bar pours cheap, strong drinks for a mostly local clientele, including plenty of bartenders late nigh. There's a pool table and a slammin' jukebox, but don't come hungry. No chow is served but you can bring something in if you like. You won't confuse this place for the Polo Lounge at the five-star Windsor Court Hotel two blocks away, but Little Bar is a keeper.
Recommended for Sports Bars because: A great location and an authentic dive bar ambiance make this CBD spot a win-win.
Beth's expert tip: You won't find a heftier pour on the way to the Superdome.