10 popular sports bars and resaurants in DC to watch football this season

At long last, it’s football season. You’ve been waiting all summer for this moment, and now you have to decide: Where will you watch the game? DC is chock-full of inviting venues, from sports bars to restaurants, perfect for your football-watching, snack-eating, and beer-drinking needs. If you’re up for a little adventure, why not try a new one each week? To get you started, here are 10 fabulous spots for cheering your team onto victory.

1. Buffalo Billiards

Thanks to big-screen TVs everywhere you rest your gaze, you won’t miss a play at Buffalo Billiards, even if you’re shooting pool, testing your trivia chops, or playing ping pong during the game. Even if the game’s a dud, we bet you’ll have a good time at this spacious, handsome establishment, and you can wash down that good time with incredible game-day specials on food, beer, and games. 

Where: 1330 19th St NW

2. City Tap House

City Tap House feels like a rustic cabin: A comfy, cozy place to settle in on Game Day for some serious eats and drinks while you shout at the TV. Here, you’ll find top quality craft brews in the bottle and on tap, along with domestics and imports, wine, whiskey, and specialty cocktails. The kitchen will be buzzing all day long, serving up burgers and brats, steaks and sandwiches, and tapas and tacos.  

Where: 901 9th St NW

3. First Down Sports Bar & Grill

First Down Sports Bar & Grill is all about football, and game day is a religion here. Join a houseful of fans to watch the game on any of the 28 large HD TVs that ensure every spot in the house is a prime viewing spot. The Washington Post called First Down one of the best sports bars in the area, thanks to the comfy seats, sporty decor, fun games and amusements, and the ever-flowing cocktails and beer. A killer menu features all of your gameday favorites, from chips ‘n’ dips to burgers and fries and everything in between.

Where: 4213 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA

4. Mason Inn

Nine large-screen TVs and one giant projection screen make Mason Inn a great place to catch the game. A local bar with a laid-back, neighborhood atmosphere, Mason Inn offers gameday drink specials, served up by a team of fast, friendly bartenders. Stick around for some victory dancing after the game as live bands take to the raised stage to keep the party going.

Where: 2408 Wisconsin Ave NW

5. Meridian Pint

Meridian Pint features 24 taps and a primo selection of beer in the bottle. A full menu of delicious, specialty appetizers and entrees keep you in the eats during the game. If you’re a football fan dedicated to the environment, you’ll be happy to know that Meridian Pint focuses on sustainability and seasonal offerings. Game day specials keep you coming back for more, and the low-key, inviting atmosphere provides a respite from your run-of-the-mill sports bar. 

Where: 3400 11th St NW

6. Penn Commons

Penn Commons is a trendy haunt for watching the game in the company of craft beer-loving, culinary-minded folks who love warm, exposed wood and burnished copper lighting as much as they love pigskin. Settle in for a day of football, adult beverages, and artisanal food sourced from local farmers and other purveyors of sustainable foodstuffs. 

Where: 700 6th St NW

7. Stoney’s

Gameday specials abound at Stoney’s, featuring sweet deals on beer, wine, and cocktails to wet your whistle and keep things lively. A classic menu features standard gameday fare like Stoney’s mouthwatering burgers, gourmet pizzas, and signature sandwiches. Sidle up to the bar with a pal, or nab a table for you and your closest friends, and football the day away in this clean, cozy neighborhood bar.

Where: 1433 P St NW

8. The Prospect

No less than 40 HDTVs keep you immersed in the game at The Prospect, a 2-story gastro-sports pub featuring clever, sporty decor and a roster of local brews and cocktails that’ll have you cheering on your bartenders as much as the players running the ball. Try a tasty, famous Moscow Mule, and order some seasonal tailgating fare prepared by Chef Josh Valencia. This lively neighborhood bar features cozy, rustic-meets-ultramodern decor that invites you to settle in for a top-notch football-watching experience.

Where: 1214 U St NW

9. Town Tavern

Town Tavern wants to be your football HQ, offering dozens of huge HD plasma flatscreen TVs with Dolby Digital Surround Sound to make you feel like you’re in the stands at the game. Except here, the drinks keep coming, the food is hot ‘n’ tasty, and you don’t have to walk a mile to the bathroom. The all-American decor features mahogany woodwork, booth and bar seating, and classic fixtures from the turn of the century for a cordial, inviting atmosphere. 

Where: 2323 18th St NW

10. Ventnor Sports Cafe

Ventnor Sports Cafe offers a beer selection for the ages, and it’s a sweet spot to watch the game, thanks to its neighborhood pub vibe and big HD TVs everywhere you look. Gameday specials abound, including food deals. The house specialty is fish ‘n’ chips with Sriracha tartar sauce, but if you prefer a classic burger or appetizers, well, they’ve got those, too, and they’re famous around these parts.

Where: 2411 18th St NW

This football season, put the pizza rolls back in the freezer, get up off the couch, and head out into the city to cheer on your teams in the company of friends and like-minded strangers. The snacks are better, the seats are stellar, and the camaraderie is priceless.