5 Killer NYC Sports Bars for Summer
With hockey and basketball in the playoffs and baseball in full swing, here's a look at some standouts on the summer sports bar scene.
If you can stomach Boston sports fans, this place could be for you. It’s two stories with a balcony in one of NYC’s most vibrant neighborhoods. It’s also a favorite of our own Scott Klocksin for a weekend night out at a place that’s usually not quite packed shoulder-to-shoulder in a part of town where that’s the norm. Wicked fun, brah.
219 Second Ave, East Village
This Bed-Stuy bar uses the unofficial motto “no crap on tap,” and with over 40 options to choose from, the beer list doesn’t disappoint. It can be a raucous time when big sporting events are on (Scott caught the World Cup final there last summer) but it’s more low-key the rest of the time.
590 Myrtle Ave, Bed-Stuy
Rudy’s is a Hell’s Kitchen institution. If such a thing can exist. We think it can. Known for its dedicated cadre of regulars, its all-the-time free hot dogs and its cheap pitchers of the house beers, Rudy’s Blond and Rudy’s Red, Rudy’s is a classic NYC dive. It’s also a great place to watch sports on the projector in the back patio. A retractable awning even comes out if there’s rain.
627 Ninth Ave, Hell’s Kitchen
With the Rangers still hanging on in the Eastern Conference Finals, this legendary hockey bar is a go-to spot if you can’t make it to the remaining game(s). There’s a wall of TVs behind the bar and about as much energy during Rangers playoff games as the stands of the Garden, just down the street. But you better show up early. For big games, it’s known to hit capacity as much as two hours before game time.
364 Seventh Ave, Midtown West
If baseball’s your thing, this bar in the Herald Square area, named for longtime baseball writer Red Foley, may hit the spot. Owner Shaun Clancy says on the bar’s website that he opened it to be an “Irish bar with a baseball attitude.” With a classic Irish bar décor and 2,500 autographed baseballs lining the walls, it looks like Shaun delivered on that vision.
18 West 33rd St, Midtown West
