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Two people cheers, clinking their drinks together, before a table of hot dogs and fries at a table at FM Kitchen.
Cheers to return of the busy fall sports season.
Becca Wright

18 Houston Sports Bars to Visit For an Ultimate Game Day Experience

Beer buckets, ballpark pretzels, hot dogs, cocktails, and everything in between, here are your best bets for game day

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Cheers to return of the busy fall sports season.
| Becca Wright

The fall season is almost upon us, and so, too, is a season filled with sports (and cooler weather, we hope), which means it’s imperative to find the perfect haunt and hangouts to settle in for some spirited spectating.

Fortunately, for those in search of a destination to cheer on their favorite team, whether it be the Astros, Rockets, Texans, Dynamo, Dash, or their alma mater, there are plenty of places to hang. With trusted neighborhood watering holes, and family-friendly pubs touting extensive beer lists, cocktails, and game-day eats, here are Houston’s 18 essential sports bars that are sure to be a touchdown with friends and fans alike.

This list has been update to remove Spectator’s, Social Beer Garden, and the Patio at Pit Room, and has added the Big Casino, Monkey’s Tail, FM Kitchen, and Home Run Dugout.

Is your sports bar or pub missing from this map? Shout it out in the comments.

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Cottonwood

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This longtime, dog-friendly Garden Oaks hangout is a classic for game day thanks to its spacious indoor and covered outdoor seating areas, all fitted with TVs, and a menu that spans well beyond beer buckets and burgers. Start off with oysters, then spring for tacos or a steak. And be sure to heed its specials, including half-off wings and pitchers on Tuesdays, Whiskey Wednesdays, Steak Night on Thursdays, $5 drafts and wells on Fridays, and prime drink specials on weekend afternoons.

Monkey's Tail

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If food and drinks are just as important as getting to watch the game, head to this Northside watering hole. Along with its two spacious, shaded patios, Monkey Tail boasts a menu filled with perfect game-day snacks and specials, like chips, queso, and guac, 18-inch pizzas, the popular Chango Burger, and wings served wet or dry. Game-day specials, include Dollar Dog Night on Tuesdays during Astros Season with $1 hot dogs and the $4 Perro en Fuego Dog, which istopped with Flaming Hot Cheetos, jalapeño-poblano relish, queso, and Valentina mayo. Thursdays also mark Double Decker Crispy Tacos, which is followed up by Sunday brunch. For afternoon weekday games, don’t forget its happy hour, which runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Drift Bar is a dog-friendly patio hangout in the Heights, known to keep games on its 50 TVs at all times. As a reliable place to parlay with other sports fans in town, it’s easy to take the party from day to night with a menu of wine and bubbly, buckets of beer, and boozier beverages like painkillers and mai tais. Take advantage of happy hour, which is on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and visit the onsite food truck if you’re feeling hungry.

Home Run Dugout

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Gather some friends and head to this interactive baseball game facility for some action on game day. Stake out at the massive patio or biergarten, which is outfitted with multiple TVs, and during half-time or breaks, let some steak out on the mini-field or virtual batting cages. Starting on September 2, Home Run Dugout will feature Tailgate Saturdays, where guests can enjoy beer bucket specials, burgers and hot dogs on the grill, tailgate games, and breakfast tacos from 9 a.m. until noon. Those who wear their college football team’s gear get 10 percent discount off their food and drinks.

A bar lined with bar seats and TVs at Home Run Dugout.
Make it an interactive party at Home Run Dugout.
Alex Montoya

Highline Park

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Tucked inside the M-K-T development, which is directly off the Heights hike and bike trail, Highline offers TVs inside and on its covered patio for sports fan, and offers a home away from home for Oklahoma University alumnus. Bar bites include dishes to share like queso, wings, and fried corn, plus heartier options like the short rib grilled cheese sandwich. Happy hour, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., includes $3 off all pitchers, signature cocktails, and frozen drinks, and includes $6 house wines and sangria.

Patterson Park

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This urban treehouse is a refreshing change from traditional sports bars. Spread across multiple levels, you can take in the game on one of the many TVs scattered indoors and outdoors, play lawn games like corn hole before visiting one of the onsite food trucks, then kick back on the rooftop deck with prime views of the downtown skyline.

Patterson Park’s main entrance.
Patterson Park boasts multiple levels, including a rooftop deck.
Brian Gaither

Christian's Tailgate Bar And Grill

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This local chain is known for its beloved burgers and high energy on game days. Visit any of the locations, in the Heights, West U, the Energy Corridor, or Midtown, and find plenty of TVs, good eats, a dedicated $5 shots menu, and $20 buckets of beer every Astros game day.

Two people clink their beers together at Christian’s Tailgate.
Enjoy a beer or two with good company at Christian’s Tailgate.
Becca Wright

Saint Arnold Beer Garden

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Sports fans and their furry companions are welcome at this time-honored Houston brewery and beer garden with sweeping Downtown views. Sample a seasonal beer or stick with a tried-and-true pick like the H-Town Pils before chowing down on a crawfish roll or sticky green Thai chicken wings.

FM Kitchen & Bar

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Home to Aggies and Astros fans and festive NFL Sundays, this Washington Avenue bar appeals to sports fans, with $5 Crawford Bock draft beers, $8 frozen cocktails, $20 buckets of domestic beer, and burger boxes on Astros game days, Fridays offer 88-ounce beer towers starting at $25, and Sundays, brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Trays of fried pickles, a smash burger, chips, pints of beer, and a cooler filled with bottles of beer sit on a picnic table at FM Kitchen & Bar.
FM Kitchen & Bar offers the perfect game day-watching experience, complete with food and drink specials.
Becca Wright

The Sporting Club

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Few bars make you feel like you’re actually inside the stadium, but the Sporting Club comes pretty close. The buzzy Washington Avenue destination has a stadium-style roof. The breezy indoor space is decorated with chandeliers and lush banquettes and opens up to an open-air patio with more seating. In addition to cocktails, beer, pizza, and burgers, find more sophisticated eats like oysters on the half shell and a seafood tower.

McIntyre's Downtown

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This multi-level sports bar Downtown is a fantastic place to watch the game, but there’s also plenty of fun to be had for those who would rather sit on the sidelines. The various levels boast access to food trucks, table games, arcade games, and an open-air covered patio with swing seating and prime views of the bayou.

The Big Casino

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Though a bit swankier than the typical sports bar, this Downtown restaurant and bar is just steps away from Astros and Rockets action and offers prime views. Settle in for a more low-key spot in front of the TVs inside at the bar, or head out to the patio where to get a good view of the 16 x 10-foot video wall to cheer on your team. Cocktails are also on the menu

A video wall on the outdoor patio of the Big Casino.
Get a perfect view of the game at this Downtown drinking destination.
Danny Nguyen

Biggio's

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The namesake bar of former Astros’ player Craig Biggio gives you a front-row feel of being at the game, as two 30-foot HD screens tower over rows of comfortable leather chairs and cocktail tables. The menu features game day favorites like ball park pretzels, hot dogs, wings, and pizza, plus cocktails, wine, and a large variety of local beers.

Pitch 25

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Former Dynamo player Brian Ching has created a sports haven by way of his soccer-themed bar in EaDo that has nearly 100 beers on tap and awesome pub fare. Despite its soccer theme, which includes an indoor soccer pitch, the destination is a hot spot for watching all sports, and offers 25,000-square-feet of space to do so.

Little Woodrow’s Midtown

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An H-Town institution with multiple locations around the city, Little Woodrows is a one-stop shop for sports watching. The lawn is casual and dog-friendly with lots of TVs, and a list of revolving bucket specials makes it easy to booze on a budget.

The Maple Leaf Pub

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This Canadian-themed bar is Houston’s home for hockey. Catch an NHL game in the heart of Midtown, and fuel up with poutine or one of the many fusion Indian snacks like naan with yogurt dip or a samosadilla — a combination of a samosa and quesadilla.

Social Beer Garden HTX

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This Midtown bar draws in sports and fight night fans with its 20-foot screen in the garden and 65-foot TVs around the rest of the bar. The beverage program is given equal attention, with 44 beers on draft, and a mix of boozy and zero-proof cocktails.

Kirby Ice House

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Kirby Ice House has three locations around the Houston area, including a Woodlands outpost, which boasts the longest bar in Texas. With over 60 taps, a revolving door of food trucks, and a giant backyard-like patio that has some of the best dog-watching the city has to offer, this Space City staple is great for groups catching a game.

Fans and dogs hang out on the covered patio at Kirby Ice House, while fans watch a football game on a screen.
Kirby Ice House offers plenty of space for pooches and fans to unwind while watching the game.
Alex Montoya

Cottonwood

This longtime, dog-friendly Garden Oaks hangout is a classic for game day thanks to its spacious indoor and covered outdoor seating areas, all fitted with TVs, and a menu that spans well beyond beer buckets and burgers. Start off with oysters, then spring for tacos or a steak. And be sure to heed its specials, including half-off wings and pitchers on Tuesdays, Whiskey Wednesdays, Steak Night on Thursdays, $5 drafts and wells on Fridays, and prime drink specials on weekend afternoons.

Monkey's Tail

If food and drinks are just as important as getting to watch the game, head to this Northside watering hole. Along with its two spacious, shaded patios, Monkey Tail boasts a menu filled with perfect game-day snacks and specials, like chips, queso, and guac, 18-inch pizzas, the popular Chango Burger, and wings served wet or dry. Game-day specials, include Dollar Dog Night on Tuesdays during Astros Season with $1 hot dogs and the $4 Perro en Fuego Dog, which istopped with Flaming Hot Cheetos, jalapeño-poblano relish, queso, and Valentina mayo. Thursdays also mark Double Decker Crispy Tacos, which is followed up by Sunday brunch. For afternoon weekday games, don’t forget its happy hour, which runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Drift

Drift Bar is a dog-friendly patio hangout in the Heights, known to keep games on its 50 TVs at all times. As a reliable place to parlay with other sports fans in town, it’s easy to take the party from day to night with a menu of wine and bubbly, buckets of beer, and boozier beverages like painkillers and mai tais. Take advantage of happy hour, which is on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and visit the onsite food truck if you’re feeling hungry.

Home Run Dugout

Gather some friends and head to this interactive baseball game facility for some action on game day. Stake out at the massive patio or biergarten, which is outfitted with multiple TVs, and during half-time or breaks, let some steak out on the mini-field or virtual batting cages. Starting on September 2, Home Run Dugout will feature Tailgate Saturdays, where guests can enjoy beer bucket specials, burgers and hot dogs on the grill, tailgate games, and breakfast tacos from 9 a.m. until noon. Those who wear their college football team’s gear get 10 percent discount off their food and drinks.

A bar lined with bar seats and TVs at Home Run Dugout.
Make it an interactive party at Home Run Dugout.
Alex Montoya

Highline Park

Tucked inside the M-K-T development, which is directly off the Heights hike and bike trail, Highline offers TVs inside and on its covered patio for sports fan, and offers a home away from home for Oklahoma University alumnus. Bar bites include dishes to share like queso, wings, and fried corn, plus heartier options like the short rib grilled cheese sandwich. Happy hour, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., includes $3 off all pitchers, signature cocktails, and frozen drinks, and includes $6 house wines and sangria.

Patterson Park

This urban treehouse is a refreshing change from traditional sports bars. Spread across multiple levels, you can take in the game on one of the many TVs scattered indoors and outdoors, play lawn games like corn hole before visiting one of the onsite food trucks, then kick back on the rooftop deck with prime views of the downtown skyline.

Patterson Park’s main entrance.
Patterson Park boasts multiple levels, including a rooftop deck.
Brian Gaither

Christian's Tailgate Bar And Grill

This local chain is known for its beloved burgers and high energy on game days. Visit any of the locations, in the Heights, West U, the Energy Corridor, or Midtown, and find plenty of TVs, good eats, a dedicated $5 shots menu, and $20 buckets of beer every Astros game day.

Two people clink their beers together at Christian’s Tailgate.
Enjoy a beer or two with good company at Christian’s Tailgate.
Becca Wright

Saint Arnold Beer Garden

Sports fans and their furry companions are welcome at this time-honored Houston brewery and beer garden with sweeping Downtown views. Sample a seasonal beer or stick with a tried-and-true pick like the H-Town Pils before chowing down on a crawfish roll or sticky green Thai chicken wings.

FM Kitchen & Bar

Home to Aggies and Astros fans and festive NFL Sundays, this Washington Avenue bar appeals to sports fans, with $5 Crawford Bock draft beers, $8 frozen cocktails, $20 buckets of domestic beer, and burger boxes on Astros game days, Fridays offer 88-ounce beer towers starting at $25, and Sundays, brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Trays of fried pickles, a smash burger, chips, pints of beer, and a cooler filled with bottles of beer sit on a picnic table at FM Kitchen & Bar.
FM Kitchen & Bar offers the perfect game day-watching experience, complete with food and drink specials.
Becca Wright

The Sporting Club

Few bars make you feel like you’re actually inside the stadium, but the Sporting Club comes pretty close. The buzzy Washington Avenue destination has a stadium-style roof. The breezy indoor space is decorated with chandeliers and lush banquettes and opens up to an open-air patio with more seating. In addition to cocktails, beer, pizza, and burgers, find more sophisticated eats like oysters on the half shell and a seafood tower.

McIntyre's Downtown

This multi-level sports bar Downtown is a fantastic place to watch the game, but there’s also plenty of fun to be had for those who would rather sit on the sidelines. The various levels boast access to food trucks, table games, arcade games, and an open-air covered patio with swing seating and prime views of the bayou.

The Big Casino

Though a bit swankier than the typical sports bar, this Downtown restaurant and bar is just steps away from Astros and Rockets action and offers prime views. Settle in for a more low-key spot in front of the TVs inside at the bar, or head out to the patio where to get a good view of the 16 x 10-foot video wall to cheer on your team. Cocktails are also on the menu

A video wall on the outdoor patio of the Big Casino.
Get a perfect view of the game at this Downtown drinking destination.
Danny Nguyen

Biggio's

The namesake bar of former Astros’ player Craig Biggio gives you a front-row feel of being at the game, as two 30-foot HD screens tower over rows of comfortable leather chairs and cocktail tables. The menu features game day favorites like ball park pretzels, hot dogs, wings, and pizza, plus cocktails, wine, and a large variety of local beers.

Pitch 25

Former Dynamo player Brian Ching has created a sports haven by way of his soccer-themed bar in EaDo that has nearly 100 beers on tap and awesome pub fare. Despite its soccer theme, which includes an indoor soccer pitch, the destination is a hot spot for watching all sports, and offers 25,000-square-feet of space to do so.

Little Woodrow’s Midtown

An H-Town institution with multiple locations around the city, Little Woodrows is a one-stop shop for sports watching. The lawn is casual and dog-friendly with lots of TVs, and a list of revolving bucket specials makes it easy to booze on a budget.

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The Maple Leaf Pub

This Canadian-themed bar is Houston’s home for hockey. Catch an NHL game in the heart of Midtown, and fuel up with poutine or one of the many fusion Indian snacks like naan with yogurt dip or a samosadilla — a combination of a samosa and quesadilla.

Social Beer Garden HTX

This Midtown bar draws in sports and fight night fans with its 20-foot screen in the garden and 65-foot TVs around the rest of the bar. The beverage program is given equal attention, with 44 beers on draft, and a mix of boozy and zero-proof cocktails.

Kirby Ice House

Kirby Ice House has three locations around the Houston area, including a Woodlands outpost, which boasts the longest bar in Texas. With over 60 taps, a revolving door of food trucks, and a giant backyard-like patio that has some of the best dog-watching the city has to offer, this Space City staple is great for groups catching a game.

Fans and dogs hang out on the covered patio at Kirby Ice House, while fans watch a football game on a screen.
Kirby Ice House offers plenty of space for pooches and fans to unwind while watching the game.
Alex Montoya

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