Everyone is scrambling to get a front-row seat to the Eagles vs. Patriots game. Not everyone can afford a ticket to the actual event, but anyone is welcome to walk through the doors of local bars and grills, grab a drink with fellow fans, and cheer on their favorite team. Here’s a list of some of the best places to watch the Super Bowl on the big screens and get a couple prizes out of the deal too. OCEAN BEACH
– Sunshine Company Saloon: Celebrate each touchdown with pickle backs and gummy bear shots at the largest bar on Newport Avenue. The saloon has an upstairs patio to watch the sunset. There are four pool tables, two full bars and a Mexican restaurant adjacent to the bar for quick taco runs between commercials. – Mother’s Saloon (Patriots bar): There’s not much more a football fan could ask for than 15 big screen TVs, traditional and boneless wings, nacho supremes, Cajun beef bites and parmesan beer-battered fries, not to mention their extensive craft beers on tap. The saloon on Bacon Street offers 50-cent wings and $10 Bud Light pitchers for the big game. – BBQ House Bar & Grill: Whether you’re ordering a sloppy Joe, barbecue chicken or a whole rack of ribs dinner, this bar and grill on Newport Avenue is the place to enjoy the ocean breeze right next to the pier while watching the game. Three large flat-screens at the bar plus various TVs around the eatery ensure everyone gets a front-row seat.
n Wonderland Ocean Pub (Patriots bar): This beachside restaurant on Abbott Street has a surf ’n’ turf-inspired menu that features fresh ceviche, Baja shrimp cocktail and steamed mussels, accompanied by wines, cocktails and craft beers. There’s live music and trivia along with foosball tables and plenty of TVs scattered throughout the pub. POINT LOMA
– Dirty Birds in Liberty Station: This outdoor bar welcomes both guests and their dogs. Dirty Birds has 24 rotating draft beer handles, 34 TVs both inside and outside, and serves award-winning chicken wings and hand-crafted gourmet pizzas. – Buffalo Wild Wings in Midway: TVs and framed sports jerseys line their walls and saucy wings line the stomachs of those looking for a fun family atmosphere to watch the Super Bowl. There’s a bar area and a main dining room with signature wing sauces. The fried pickles are also a favorite. MISSION BEACH
– Wavehouse Mission Beach: This outdoor café at Belmont Park is one of the few places you can watch the Super Bowl on the sand. The Wavehouse gives fans the chance to view the game on their massive 18-foot-wide LED screen. You can even rent a cabana with bottle service and watch the game while lounging. – Sandbar Sports Grill: Ocean views from the upper deck, prize giveaways, drink specials and halftime glutton bowl makes Sandbar on Ventura Place a hot location for football fans. Serving Sandbargaritas with Beach-Style tacos and Sandbar Bacon Cheeseburgers, this sports bar keeps the appetizers coming and the glasses full. PACIFIC BEACH
– Tavern at the Beach: Bison burgers and shrimp tacos accompany whiskey and beers as fans sip and dine in front of 42 TVs and enjoy music from a live DJ at the bar at Garnet and Everts. Plus, the football players won’t be the only winners at Tavern. During the Super Bowl, someone at the bar will win a cashbox filled with $5,000. – Moonshine Beach: For their second annual Super Sunday party, Moonshine’s concert-style venue on Garnet Avenue will have prizes and giveaways at during each quarter of the game along with food and drink specials. Their Super Tailgate Sampler includes nachos, quesadillas and Buffalo wings and goes great with their Coors Light bucket. – Pacific Beach Bar Crawl: For those who can’t decide which bar to go to, try them all with a pre-game bar crawl. The first 100 people to pick up a free “Big (Pre)-Game” punch at Woodstock’s Pizza or Backyard Kitchen & Tap can enjoy special deals at the participating locations, such as Duck Dive and Barrel Republic, on game day. – Firehouse American Eatery and Lounge: The restaurant on Grand Avenue will hold its annual huge Super Bowl party in its parking lot, which includes a full bar, DJs, food trucks, and a 20-foot wide LED TV.
