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Where to Watch Football in Fort Lauderdale

Updated September 29, 2015

Consider this the definitive guide for watching football in or near Fort Lauderdale. As a football enthusiast and blue bleeding New York Giants fan; I take my football seriously. One of the few things I don't like about South Florida is not being able to watch Giants games in my pajamas with a big pot of coffee and a Sunday omelet. I've been to virtually every sports bar in a 20 mile radius. I'm going to lay out what I like and don't like about each venue, where to go if you're stuck without a car in a particular part of town, and also options for Sunday and Monday night games when there's only 1 game and Sunday Ticket isn't an issue. Of course if you're a Dolphins fan you can just stay home and watch the games on TV in your pajamas. So this guide isn't meant for Dolphins fans.

When I first moved down here, the Giants were a lot better, and they were on TV a lot more. So maybe I had to go out to watch 4 or 5 games. Last Year, it seemed like I had to go out every week. I ran out of places to go.

It can actually be a lot more fun watching football in a Sports Bar in Florida because of the diversity of the people here. In New York, everyone is either a Giants or a Jets fan. Down here, there are people from all over the country out watching their team.

I recognize that there are different interests in watching football. There's the betting fan, who wants to watch all the games. There's the out of town or relocated to South Florida fan, who wants to watch his or her team not named the Dolphins, and there's the tourist / visitor fan, who is stuck at a hotel without a car and just wants to watch some football on Sunday. I'll try to address all of those interests.

My assessment is that there is no hands down choice for watching the games.

Fort Lauderdale

Bokampers Sports Bar and Grill

Bokampers Fort Lauderdale Sunday 9/7/14

Bokamper's opened up 2 years ago to much fanfare, and it appeared that it would be the ultimate go-to place for watching sports. But after going there several times, I've soured on it. Bad food and bad service contribute; Bokamper's had turned into a chain (3 Locations). You can't really watch inside if you don't have a seat, and outside they allow smoking, so there's no perfect place to watch. They also have no plan for the games, so you have to find where your game is playing

Score: B

Duffy's Sports Grill Fort Lauderdale

Duffys 0915

When Duffy's took over for the inept previous owners; this place was a breath of fresh air. Finally a definitive go-to place to watch all of the games. It was better when it was "the place to be", but over time, as TVs have gotten bigger and better and other options emerged; Duffy's has become relegated to a reliable fallback. With Bokampers new opening, it should be a lot easier to get a seat here. The Big theatre concept is good as its easy to watch the games. There are also TVs throughout the restaurant and a big wall of TVs if you don't want to hang in the bar/theatre area.

The big negative of Duffy's is the same as the positive; the big projection screens. The quality isn't as good as sitting in front of a 50 inch TV watching your favorite game. If you're an HD snob you may not be happy with the projection TV quality. But they are big. So seeing the game is not a problem.

They're not very good at understanding their customers, however. When the Dolphins game is on, they'l have 5 screens on the Dolphins game, even though there aren't that many Dolphins fans in the place. So you may find yourself watching in some corner with a big group of people, particularly if you're from New York.

The last time I went I couldn't deal with the projector screens. This place needs to invest in some 70" TVs for the walls. I can't see coming here anymore with all of the other choices.

Score: B-

Royal Pig Pub

Royal Pig Pub Bar Scene

The Royal Pig Pub ; it's a cool place with decent bar food and they have lots of big flat screen TVs. The big issue with the Pig is that they have no plan; although they have the package, games are on randomly and you may be stuck in a corner watching your game, if it's on at all. I went once and the Giants game wasn't on any of the sets. They also have no specials, ever, and food is kind of pricey. If you can get your game on a bar set and you get a seat, it's the best place in town.

Score: B+


Fort Lauderdale Ale House

Alehouse inside

Let me start out by saying that personally, I hate the Ale House. But I feel obligated to include it because not everyone is as snobby as I am. There are too many kids and crusty old drunks here; a combination that just doesn't sit well with me. The food is mediocre at best. But many people like it. If you're super casual you might like it more than I do. They do have the Sunday Ticket and lots of TVs, and its kid friendly.

Score B-


Smokey Bones


Smokey Bones Fort Lauderdale Bar

Smokey Bones is one of those places where you can watch games and pig out on high calorie food including BBQ. They have both the NFL ticket and the College Its no coincidence that they've just finished replacing their old tube TVs with new flat screens just in time for football season. They're going all out hoping to establish this location as a sports bar. They have good specials during the games and $2 Bud Light Pints all of the time. If you're looking at having 2000 calories and a few light beers this is your place.

Score B-


Shuck n Dive


Shuck N Dive Sunday Football

Shuck N Dive is one of the better choices for food as sports bars go, but then again, Shuck N Dive isn't really a sports bar. This place is a New Orleans Saints bar, first and foremost. They only have 1 big TV, so If you're looking to watch any other game you may find yourself watching some small TV in a corner, or not being able to watch at all. Of course on Sunday or Monday nights its a good place to watch the game and chow down on some decent Cajun food. Its not great food, but its better than your standard bar food and certainly different. They also have Abita beer, including my favorite, Turbo Dog.

Score C

Other Choices Not in Fort Lauderdale

Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks is the newest "Breastaurant" in town, just up 595 in Davie. Unlike the Tilted Kilt, this place is staffed with lots of good-looking babes. Its a big clean place with lots of TVs. Sounds perfect, right? One problem is that they don't have enough parking; you may find yourself walking quite a ways. Also, they don't have good standing room.

Twin peaks football

I also didn't like that they have no plan for the games. When the 4pm games come on, they turn off the early games; a game in overtime was moved to 1 set in the corner as if nobody was watching. I didn't like watching the game here.

Score C


Bru's Room Pompano

Bru's Pompano 2011

There are a number of Bru's Rooms throughout South Florida, but the only one in range of Fort Lauderdale is the one in Pompano. It's about 2.5 miles north of Commercial. I have mixed feelings about Bru's. When I first moved to Fort Lauderdale it was one of the places I came and its likely I'll come again. They have a big outdoor patio which is great if you're a smoker or don't mind smoke. Inside is the non-smoking crowd, and its sort of an intimate place. They have cute waitresses here, good wings, and a big menu of messy bar food. The TVs are the issue; as is the staff. I can't stand any of the bartenders here, and they're very slow to change the TVs for the 4pm games. TVs are at bad angles. You can never be sure of where your game is on. And the main screen is a bad projection TV that is the worst picture in the whole place. Its just poorly run. But its usually a good group of people and a real sports bar atmosphere.

Score B-

Yardhouse

Yardhouse Boca Taps

The new kid in town up in Boca Raton is the Yardhouse, a great place to eat and watch a game. They have an extensive menu with just about everything you can think of from wings to pastrami sandwiches, 132 taps (or something like that) and lots of TVs and good rock and roll music. It's the only place in Boca worthy of consideration.

Score A-

Upper Deck Ale and Sport Grille

Upperdeck inside

Out in Hallandale the Upper Deck Ale and Grille is a nicely laid out place for watching sports with a substantial menu. In racing season you might opt for the Yard House in the Gulfstream Village so you can watch the games in between the races.

One issue with this place is that the lot fills up, particularly during Dolphins games, and there's nowhere else to park nearby.

Score C

Other Not So good Choices

American Social

American Social March 2015

American Social has emerged as a hangout on Las Olas for the younger crowd; it's more of a bar than a restaurant as it's difficult to eat there when it's crowded it you're not at a VIP table. It plays more like a college bar than a sophisticated scene; expect a lot more yelling than at other places. This is also a more likely place to watch college games, as the crowds here are closer to college age than other places.

For a while they claimed on Facebook to be a "NY Giants Bar" because one of the owners is apparently a Giants fan. But when I came here the Dolphin game was on most of the sets and the Giants game wasn't on at all! They were nice enough to put it on for me, but I never went back to watch a Giants game again.

Score: C.


The Downtowner

Downtowner Fort Lauderdale Inside

Before the Royal Pig Pub opened, there was no place on Las Olas to watch all of the games, so the Downtowner was the closest thing. Its an old, pub style restaurant with lots of TVs. What's different here is that they have a Sunday Brunch Buffet, which isn't all that great but it may be a way to get the wife to let you out to watch the games. They also have a full menu here with decent wings, seafood and an awesome spinach dip.

This place is a hearty but workable walk from the Riverside Hotel; you have to walk over the SE 3rd Ave bridge and then head west along the river until you get to it.

The bad thing about the Downtowner is that its not a real sports bar kind of crowd and they don't have a plan in organizing the TVs. I went in once and the Giants game wasn't on any TV and I had to get them to put it on. They may put you in a corner, particularly if the Dolphins game is on at the same time as the game you want. So get there a bit early and get them to put your game on before the crowd arrives.

Score C

Miscellaneous

If you're stuck in a hotel at Fort Lauderdale beach without transportation and you want to catch an out of market game, your choices are limited to Dirty Blondes and Quarterdeck. This is unfortunate, but a simple truth with no simple remedy. If you're really serious about your football you can hop on a Trolley at Beach Place and head over to Harbor Shops and go to Duffy's. Or you can take a cab for about $10. But if you'd rather stay at the beach you can watch the games at Blondies.


Blondies

Dirtyblondes

Dirty Blondes is a sports bar on Fort Lauderdale beach that I can only describe as crusty. Starting with the gathering of tattooed dudes and chicks who like tattooed dudes out front, it doesn't get much better inside. There's a long bar up front with lines of antiquated TVs along the walls, a game room with a few TVs and a back bar with pool tables with a few more modern TVs. Its a smoker bar; so on a crowded sunday the floor is littered with spilled beer and cigarette butts. If you're looking for an off-market game you may need to stand in some corner to watch it. But they'll have it here. As a last resort, there's Dirty Blondes.

Score D

Quarterdeck Seafood Bar

Quarterdeck Las Olas Interior

If you want to eat while you watch football by the beach you can't go to Dirty Blondes, so you can find your way over to Quarterdeck. I wouldn't call the Quarterdeck a Seafood Bar any more than I'd call just any place that has some shrimp on the menu a Seafood restaurant; the Quarterdeck is a bar that serves food. I don't really like anything about the Quarterdeck, except than on Sundays you can get a full rack of ribs for $9.99 and on Monday you can get a NY Strip for $9.99.

Score D

The crusty neighborhood nook in the corner of A1A and Sunrise has place where you can watch football if you happen to be at the Sonesta or the Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. Cafe Bluefish has closed, so there's only 1 choice left.


The Parrot Lounge

Parrot inside

The Parrot Lounge isn't really a lounge; its a old bar with a large following of regulars. Its a Philadelphia bar; so if you like the Eagles this is your place. On the other hand, if you're not an Eagles fan, you may not like it here. This is probably the only place is town that you'll be able to watch the Phillies and the Eagles at the same time. The place has decent food but a lot of old TVs; its not a place that I would go to watch a game. (Did I mention that the Eagles Suck?).

Score F (Because of all the Eagles Fans)

Comment Policy Add Comment
Administrator
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Giants vs Dolphins at 7pm Woo Hoo. Another season Begins.
Claudia
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I hope you will be doing a series on where to watch a Yankee game next year. A lot of locals watch them, as well as tourists. Great site!
Administrator
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I'd just like to acknowledge the Ukrainian dude I met last night who casually predicted before the game that the Giants would win 30-27. Well done.
Administrator
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The Giants vs Buffalo will be on local TV on Sunday, so all of you up and downstate NYers will be able to watch the game at home. Luckily the Dolphins are playing at 9:30am from London so there's no bump this week.
Alex
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American Social does not play Football sound on Mondays..It's their not that cool "trivia night." Royal pig doesn't either.
Administrator
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Sound isn't a criteria. I don't particularly like sound when I'm at a bar. I certainly don't want to hear the sound of the Dolphin's game when I'm watching something else. That's worse than dead silence. And when places play sound, they usually blast some garbage dance music during commercials, which is also worse than dead silence.
Randy
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Thanks for taking your time to put this list together. It was very helpful as a transplant.
Sean
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Just wondering why Stout Bar and Grill is omitted from this list. Surely is the best place in Oakland Park to watch football and enjoy good food and drinks in friendly atmosphere?
Administrator
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You can read my review and find out why it's not included. I didn't like the "F U if you're not in a big group" attitude, and they have no plan for the games.

Next: Pa D's Grille and Pizzeria