Get Your Game On: Where To Watch Sports Downtown
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — No matter which jersey you’re wearing, there are a number of Downtown sports bars to welcome you. Whether you’re looking for drink specials, appetizers, or maybe even wi-fi or bowling, here’s a quick survey of where you can go and root for your team.
While Disney shut down most of its ESPN Zone locations in June, Downtown is one of two spots to keep the sports mecca. The L.A. Live location offers free wi-fi so you can get some work done while keeping an eye on walls of screens showing every game imaginable. Individual TVs at some booths allow you focus on one particular game and control the audio, while recliners are available with primo viewing of the monitors on a first come, first serve basis. Call ahead to find out which games will be showing, and on arrival request to be seated near the screens that will be showing your preferred matchup. 213-765-7070 / 1011 S. Figueroa
Yard House offers a slightly more refined alternative to view the games while at L.A. Live with over 20 screens between the bar and patio seating areas. Happy hour specials with half-off appetizers, pizzas, and specially priced drinks are extended from 3pm to closing on Monday nights during the NFL season, normally 3pm to 6pm and 10pm to closing. 213-745-9273 / 800 W. Olympic
Lucky Strike doesn’t advertise itself as a sports bar, but its lineup of flat screens behind the bar remain a draw to catch games throughout the year. While a rotation of rock music usually drowns out the on screen action, TV volume is often turned up during playoff and championship games. And what better way to spend halftime than by bowling a game or two? 213-542-4880 / 800 W. Olympic
Big Wangs has become synonymous with sports bars Downtown, with dozens of HD TVs inside and outside showing games from DIRECTV’s NFL, NBA, and NHL packages, and even a fire pit for a romantic evening watching basketball and enjoying their trademark chicken wings. Football fans will appreciate Monday’s $1 specials for Pabst Blue Ribbon beginning at 9pm, while Sundays feature $5 margaritas. 213-629-2449 / 801 S. Grand
Casey’s Irish Bar has widescreen TVs scattered throughout the basement level bar, allowing for individual games to be played loudly in its different rooms from a full DIRECTV sports package including soccer and other Eurosports. The Irish pub features a menu with fish and chips and the like, along with a full bar. Open Saturdays year round at 11:30am, and on Sundays as early as 9:30am (3pm normally). 213-629-2353 / 613 S. Grand
Spitz only has a handful of screens, but caters to sports crowds with “All Day Not Unhappy Hours” of $4 beer and sangria and $1 pita strips, running Saturdays for USC and UCLA football, Monday nights from 3pm-10pm, and also on Sundays during the NFL season when they open early at 10am. 213-613-0101 / 371 E. 2nd
Weiland Brewery doesn’t open til 5pm on Sundays, but still attracts a decent crowd for Saturday college football and evening games throughout the week. The three televisions at the bar to watch the action are made up for with happy hour specials between 3pm and 7pm, and again from 10pm til close with half-off appetizers. 213-680-2881 / 501 W. Olympic
Green Bamboo is a Chinese restaurant and a “Lakers fan base” according to management. Their happy hours run 4pm to 7pm with $5 beers. As they cater to the business crowd, this may be a good place to catch a weekend game if you’re looking to seat a number of friends. On Saturdays and Sundays they offer 34oz beer for $7, 16oz beer for $3.50. 213-625-2228 / 136 S. Central
Where's your favorite spot to watch a game Downtown?
aldo on November 11, 2010, at 10:26AM – #1
I watched the first half of the NBA finals last year at Big Wangs. You really gotta get there early to get any sort of decent seat (like 5 for a 7pm game). The food will also give you a heart attack, like the fries topped with gravy and cheese. But they had some good beer prices on certain nights, and some nights it was like 50% off on alot of things on the menu until 7 or so.
I watched the last half of the finals at Spring Street Bar, which I liked alot more. Better beer selection, better vibe, not as crowded. You gotta get there early, but not as early as Big Wangs (like 6ish). It is much smaller though. The cheese plate is delicious, along with their sandwiches.
Guest on November 11, 2010, at 12:40PM – #2
I'm "new" to bars and would like to find one downtown to watch Dodger games during baseball season in which Vin Scully doesn't get drowned out by the music. Does such a thing exist? Howie
Guest on November 11, 2010, at 02:08PM – #3
Senor Fish at 1st/Alameda is great for sports. They have a lot of drink specials (i.e. $3 margaritas) during Laker games.
Dublin's has a ton of TVs and is far better than Casey's...
Guest on November 11, 2010, at 03:18PM – #4
Dublin's was great, but I'm starting to suspect that their persistent permit issue closure has more to do with the bringing a better product into a market where the existing operators have significant pull within critical city departments. After all, if it was seen as competition to 213/Casey's...
Someone please tell me I'm wrong and that they will be opening again soon.
Everywhere else DT fails to pull off the trifecta of thoughtful space, drink specials, and good crowd. The LA Live places feel like OC and the few other places that have made a commitment to having ample and intelligently positioned TVs are populated by guys that aren't exactly types that will entice women into a bar on a Monday night or Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
Perhaps the DT vibe is either too cool or too shady to produce solid sports bar options, except when every place with a single TV poses as one for Laker games.
Guest on November 11, 2010, at 07:27PM – #5
From what I know from some people close to the situation is that dublins will open soon, within the next couple weeks.
Guest on November 12, 2010, at 04:20PM – #6
everybody wants this Dublins to reopen. Nothing says fun like a bunch of drunk sweaty people cramped into a small space. people can say 213 used there pull to shut them down, but open your eyes and see that Dublins ownership thinks they are above the city/health department. At least when i am at Caseys watching a game I can get a beer and food cooked from a kitchen that the health department didn't close. for all you people that like hanging out with 18 year old people drunk and stupid stand outside dublins and wait for them to reopen.
Guest on November 13, 2010, at 10:51AM – #7
Where can I watch the PacMan fight tonight?
Simon Ha on November 14, 2010, at 02:01PM – #8
Shout out to Greg Stephen and Shane Burk - high fiving at Big Wangs.
GOAT on November 30, 2010, at 04:10PM – #9
The Down and Out is my hands down favorite place to watch a Laker game. Sure, they don't have a kitchen, and crowd can be sketch, but D&O is like Staples east. Defense chants; heckling; great screens and real time game sound. Cheap drinks don't hurt either.
Guest on December 17, 2010, at 12:35PM – #10
Green Bamboo!!!! Laker fandom king baby! Orange Chicken, spicy pork and Fat Tire. Combination is amazing! Shouts to Maria and Tony THEE chef, great service and catering. I love to watch the Laker games here!