After obsessing over soccer’s World Cup and tennis’ U.S. Open, it’s finally time for New Yorkers to huddle over football.
The NFL’s 2018 season (with a 17-week, 256-game schedule) is underway.
Many bars and restaurants across the city are hosting viewing parties and food and drink specials.
Here’s our recommendations on where to catch your team on TV (with more to come soon).
Raise New York (Kips Bay)
This sports bar has 32 flat screens and a big projection screen so you don’t miss a play. If you book a table ahead of time, you’ll get a free pitcher of beer to share among your friends. Just email info@raisenewyork.com and mention the pitcher offer. On Saturday and Sunday, Raise has a two-hour bottomless brunch for $35 and buckets of Bud Light for $25 and of Corona for $30. Monday nights, the bar has half-priced bottles of wine, three sharing plates for $29 and a burger with a beer or wine for $14. 416 Third Ave. 212-481-17812.
Sir Henri (Flatiron District)
If you’re not into sports bars but want to catch the game in style, head to Sir Henri, a penthouse rooftop bar with low lighting and cozy nooks. Each Sunday’s menu will have custom happy hour cocktails and $13 bites including the following: personal pizzas, Greek sliders, zucchini chips, pikilia and wings. Drinks include $11 cocktails like a Moscow mule and burro; $10 well drinks; $8 glasses of wine; and $7 beers. Reservations can be made at events@sirhenrinyc.com. 37 W. 24th St.
Black Forest Brooklyn (Fort Greene, Boerum Hill)
Head to this popular German eatery to catch the first game (and every Sunday and Monday night football game) and you’ll get 50-cent jerk wings and $1 whiskey shots with any 1-liter of beer. 733 Fulton St. 718-935-0300. 181 Smith St. 718-522-1806.
Virgil’s Real BBQ (Times Square)
Every Sunday and Monday night is Virgil’s Pigskin Football Party with specials like $20 Miller Lite buckets, $15 Coors Light pitches and $6 Fireball and Wild Turkey shots. You can also get $5 pints of Blue Moon and Coors Light and $7 cocktails and glasses of wine. Head there between 3 and 6 p.m. and from 9:30 to close to take advantages of these prices. Some of the eatery’s liquor partners will be giving away free swag through the season as well.
If you have a large party, you can make plans in advance to order the 4-foot barbecue hero that can feed up to 20 people and includes two sides for $149.94. Wow. 152 W. 44th St. 212-921-9494.
Clinton Hall (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn)
This brewpub has multiple big screen TVs lining the bar so you don’t miss a second of action. Fans can get a $25 bucket of wings with a craft beer every game day. Four of its five locations are official fan club watching spots: New England Patriots at 230 E. 51st St. (midtown); Washington Redskins at 247 Metropolitan Ave. (Williamsburg); UCLA at 90 Washington St. (FiDi); and Philadelphia Eagles and Texas A&M at 16 W. 36th St. (Herald Square).
Windy City Ale House (Bay Ridge)
If you’re a Chicago Bears fan, this one’s for you. Showing the Bears games all season, Windy City Ale House offers $5 Bud Lights and $6 cans of many other brews. 7915 Third Ave. 718-630-5700.
Boulton & Watt (East Village)
Watch the game across seven TVs throughout the bar with sound only on during Sunday games. However, those who want the full experience can reserve the VIP booth that has its own private TV and in-table beer taps. A new Sunday NFL menu includes sliders, taquitos, nachos and drink specials. 5 Avenue A. 646-490-6004.
Libation (SoHo)
Across three floors, this watering hole has 16 TVs and projection screens and happy hour specials all day on Sundays. Choose from a menu of $5 draft beers, $6 wineglasses, $6 well drinks, $15 pitchers and $6 “tailgate” snacks. There’s no team allegiance here, so you’re free to root for your own guys. 137 Ludlow St. Reserve a table at reservations@ingoodcompany.com.
The VNYL (East Village)
Head over to this 1970s-inspired bar starting at 1 p.m. on Sundays and 5 p.m. on Thursdays if you want to watch your game on its 36-foot-tall projection screen. There are $3 sliders, $1 wings and $25 Heineken buckets, among other specials. 100 Third Ave., Reserve at bookings@thevnyl.com.
Brother Jimmy’s (MSG and Murray Hill)
Good for some game day barbecue, Brother Jimmy’s has a new menu to choose from as you catch your team in action. Try its chicken and waffle skewers, the “flaming” pig pick or its “inside-out” jalapeño poppers with beer cheese, among other favorites. 416 Eighth Ave. at MSG (212-967-7603) and 181 Lexington Ave. 212-779-7427.
Rocky McBride’s (Astoria)
During football season, this Queens watering hole serves up a free hot buffet with drink specials ($5 mimosas, $7 bloody marys, $10 beer pitchers and $12 buckets of PBR) every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 a.m. 27-01 23rd Ave. 718-777-2723.
HandCraft Kitchen & Cocktails (Kips Bay)
If you’re into college football, HandCraft’s got you covered, too. For $45 per person, you’ll get five hours (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) of unlimited brunch cocktails, beer and food on game days. The package includes: one Bloody Mary, one house coffee shot, unlimited mimosas, Bellinis and select drafts, an entree (veggie omelet, craft skillet, HandCraft breakfast or a breakfast burger). Watch your team on any one of its TVs while you feast like a linebacker. 367 Third Ave. 212-689-3000.
Make sure to check back for more.
