Top DC Sports Bars For Watching Football

August 23, 2022 | Lifestyle

The best (or perhaps only) excuse to get excited about the sun setting on summer? The return of football. And with pre-season already in full swing, you won’t have to wait much longer to watch your favorite team take the field.

Keep reading for the District’s best spots to post up on game day all year long.

#1 The Admiral: This American-themed pub offers a comfortable place to watch the game for fans from near and far. Multiple bars in the space are outfitted with TVs, and booths offer good sightlines as well. Craft cocktails and local beers flow on tap, including an exclusive label from DC Brau. The kitchen turns out bar food including seafood dishes like a fried oyster po boy and cajun shrimp tacos.

#2 Dirty Water: Some may say that Boston sports fans, raucous as they can be, are best confined to cheer from their own dedicated location. Enter Dirty Water Sports Bar. It’s decked out with memorabilia of the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins as a beacon to all the displaced New Englanders in the District.

Looking for more of DC’s best spots? Check out these posts:

#3 Grand Central: This Adams Morgan bar was the first in DC to operate its own sportsbook, allowing fans to bet on games as they unfold. Whether you choose to wager or not, Grand Central has you covered with classic American bar fare and daily discounts on beers, cocktails, and even Jell-o and Fireball shots. Buffalo teams are heavily represented here, so expect to encounter the Bills Mafia during NFL Sundays.

#4 Ivy and Coney: Cheap food and booze are two of the big selling points at this Detroit-and Chicago-themed haunt. A basic beer at this cash-only dive runs just a few bucks no matter what time you stop in, and shots of Malort are always in style. Ivy and Coney’s food sticks to its regional roots with a menu of Midwestern-inspired dogs and sausages.

#5 Mission: Mission Navy Yard hosts fans with draft margaritas, tall beers, and Mexican fare that ranges from tacos (varieties include vegan mushroom, steak, and Buffalo shrimp) to quesadillas and nachos. Happy hour deals run daily and there’s a separate football menu for Saturday and Sunday games. The multiple bars are long and spacious, even on the most crowded afternoons.

#6 Exiles: Brought to you by first-time owner/operators Donagh Gilhooly, Brian Hillery, and Karl Keane along with Danny Price comes this charming neighborhood tavern that doubles as a sought-after sports bar set in the vibrant U Street Corridor. In recent years, locals have been known to come for the game and stay for the good vibes.