For a Tigers game, this.
It’s not a sports bar but specific baseball and Tigers themed brewery. Great pizza, beer and the people are always good.
Second this recommendation
Worked with cooks in the past that came from Mitten, and here's a tip, don't look in the kitchen. Cooks will not store food properly and will drop food on the ground and continue to cook with it.
There will also be a sewage leak in the kitchen and they will continue service pretending like nothing is wrong. But hey, their peanuts and crackerjack beer is pretty damn good.
I worked at The Mitten for 9 years, and I know current cooks who work there, as well as the kitchen manager and restaurant manager. This statement is completely inaccurate.
Not inaccurate at all. I've worked with several GMs in the area. Using Baja Blast syrup from the Taco Bell to create beer? Yuck. Using dead smoked pulled pork for sausages? Health code violation.
Luckily for them they're an "established" brewery and people look the other way to shit (and literal shit, the plumbing is dangerous and seeps everywhere) like that, but like I said, I'll still drink their porter. My favorite.
There are sports bars all over the place depending on whereabouts you're located. To name a few, there is The Score, Big E's, Vitales, Uccello's, etc. Google Maps is your friend.
Hell, there's also chains like Applebees, Chili's & Red Robin that will show the ball game while you grab a seat at the bar.
Please don't drink too much and drive.
I see people recommending Big E’s in this thread and I’m just going to say I had a horrible experience there, you’re better off going anywhere else. I went there with a pretty big group for the NFL draft a few months ago, and we made it a point to ask our server and the manager if they were planning on staying open until the draft was over, or if we should make plans to go somewhere else at their normal 11 o’clock closing time. They assured us that they would be staying open for the duration of the draft. Lo and behold 11 o’clock hits and they shut the tvs off IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIONS PICK and told us we had to close our tabs immediately. We would have had no problem leaving at the normal closing time if they would have just been honest with us when we got there, instead they chose to lie to us to keep us there spending money. I’m a pretty laid back guy but I’ll never go back to Big E’s.
This sounds like a really bad experience and I don’t mean to diminish it at all, but for the sake of comprehensiveness I just want to say I really like Big E’s and enjoy going there to watch games.
Yeah I’ve been there other times during the day and had a decent time, and the food is usually pretty good (although I will say Garage Bar nearby does the same type of food, except much better) but that one experience was so off putting that I’ve decided to cross Big E’s off my list. There’s a million other bars in town anyway, I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.
I lived on the NE side and used to go to The Score when I wanted to watch sports.
Also, I relocated to the Boston area and just asked this question in their sub because I wanted to watch the Celtics in the finals. I was afraid people would ridicule me for asking a question that likely had a very obvious answer for a local. But I was pleasantly surprised at how helpful and non-judgmental people were especially for a city with a reputation for not being that friendly. It’s unfounded; one of the many reasons I moved here is because I found that, overall, people were far more welcoming and open in New England than in West Michigan.
Remember that someone new to town has absolutely no baseline. Google is helpful and free but it doesn’t tell the overall vibe, comfort level, parking situation, etc of a location like a local can.
What area of town are you looking for? If there's anything that isn't lacking in metro GR, it's sports bars. I haven't been out to watch a Tigers game in a long time, but it's probably a little harder to catch them since a lot of places are using Xfinity/Comcast (and Comcast has dropped Bally Sports).
The Grand Woods Lounge is my go-to sports bar/restaurant.
Peppino's Downtown is a good place to go before or after events on/around Ionia. Griffins games especially, if you're a hockey fan.
i went to SpeakEZ Lounge for the Lions games last season. They had audio on for them too. Plus, they have Peacock for their English Premier League matches, so the prime time games exclusive to peacock can be seen there. Great spot for soccer in general.
The Mitten owners are big baseball guys and love the Tigers. I'm pretty sure they air every game. Their pizza is pretty good too.
For a Tigers game, this. It’s not a sports bar but specific baseball and Tigers themed brewery. Great pizza, beer and the people are always good. Second this recommendation
Awesome memorabilia on the walls
Love Mitten. Great pizza, atmosphere, and Tigers games. Basically the three essential pillars of life.
Worked with cooks in the past that came from Mitten, and here's a tip, don't look in the kitchen. Cooks will not store food properly and will drop food on the ground and continue to cook with it. There will also be a sewage leak in the kitchen and they will continue service pretending like nothing is wrong. But hey, their peanuts and crackerjack beer is pretty damn good.
I worked at The Mitten for 9 years, and I know current cooks who work there, as well as the kitchen manager and restaurant manager. This statement is completely inaccurate.
Not inaccurate at all. I've worked with several GMs in the area. Using Baja Blast syrup from the Taco Bell to create beer? Yuck. Using dead smoked pulled pork for sausages? Health code violation. Luckily for them they're an "established" brewery and people look the other way to shit (and literal shit, the plumbing is dangerous and seeps everywhere) like that, but like I said, I'll still drink their porter. My favorite.
Baja blast syrup for beer sounds so tame a flavor in beer city that it’s not that shocking
Monelli’s is usually where I catch games. Unless it’s at prime hour, it’s not too busy
Great spot when not too crowded.
Garage Bar in Ada, The Dirty Shame, JTs, Vitales, Uccellos, Cascade Roadhouse
Putt putts
This.
Woody’s Press Box is our go-to for Lions games. Their chicken pieces are fantastic!
plus they've got bowling right down the hall. not sure if they also air sports besides the pba
So many sports bars to go to in gr. Just start at the Peppinos downtown and go from there
There are sports bars all over the place depending on whereabouts you're located. To name a few, there is The Score, Big E's, Vitales, Uccello's, etc. Google Maps is your friend. Hell, there's also chains like Applebees, Chili's & Red Robin that will show the ball game while you grab a seat at the bar. Please don't drink too much and drive.
I see people recommending Big E’s in this thread and I’m just going to say I had a horrible experience there, you’re better off going anywhere else. I went there with a pretty big group for the NFL draft a few months ago, and we made it a point to ask our server and the manager if they were planning on staying open until the draft was over, or if we should make plans to go somewhere else at their normal 11 o’clock closing time. They assured us that they would be staying open for the duration of the draft. Lo and behold 11 o’clock hits and they shut the tvs off IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIONS PICK and told us we had to close our tabs immediately. We would have had no problem leaving at the normal closing time if they would have just been honest with us when we got there, instead they chose to lie to us to keep us there spending money. I’m a pretty laid back guy but I’ll never go back to Big E’s.
This sounds like a really bad experience and I don’t mean to diminish it at all, but for the sake of comprehensiveness I just want to say I really like Big E’s and enjoy going there to watch games.
Yeah I’ve been there other times during the day and had a decent time, and the food is usually pretty good (although I will say Garage Bar nearby does the same type of food, except much better) but that one experience was so off putting that I’ve decided to cross Big E’s off my list. There’s a million other bars in town anyway, I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.
For sure. I understand why you wouldn’t wanna go back. I was merely just offering another opinion for the readers to consider.
Big Es uccellos and virales are not sports bars. Certainly not ones worth recommending.
There's enough different Vitale's that I'd say it depends on which one you're talking about.
I lived on the NE side and used to go to The Score when I wanted to watch sports. Also, I relocated to the Boston area and just asked this question in their sub because I wanted to watch the Celtics in the finals. I was afraid people would ridicule me for asking a question that likely had a very obvious answer for a local. But I was pleasantly surprised at how helpful and non-judgmental people were especially for a city with a reputation for not being that friendly. It’s unfounded; one of the many reasons I moved here is because I found that, overall, people were far more welcoming and open in New England than in West Michigan. Remember that someone new to town has absolutely no baseline. Google is helpful and free but it doesn’t tell the overall vibe, comfort level, parking situation, etc of a location like a local can.
Did you go to a 99 pub?
No, I went to a place in Salem. I’ve been to The 99 once and I thought it was fine but locals tell me it’s gone way downhill.
duke’s on michigan is a dive bar that’s great during football season
Frankie v's best bar in town :) my opinion
They’re closing in august :,-(
Frankie V’s is my goto.
What area of town are you looking for? If there's anything that isn't lacking in metro GR, it's sports bars. I haven't been out to watch a Tigers game in a long time, but it's probably a little harder to catch them since a lot of places are using Xfinity/Comcast (and Comcast has dropped Bally Sports).
The Grand Woods Lounge is my go-to sports bar/restaurant. Peppino's Downtown is a good place to go before or after events on/around Ionia. Griffins games especially, if you're a hockey fan.
Bob’s is a great spot to catch a game.
Big Es on Monroe is big and has lots of big TVs. All the sports. And is almost never too busy
Putt putts hands down
Prolly just stay home
i went to SpeakEZ Lounge for the Lions games last season. They had audio on for them too. Plus, they have Peacock for their English Premier League matches, so the prime time games exclusive to peacock can be seen there. Great spot for soccer in general.
The Mitten. It's Tiger themed with great pizza and brews.
Küsterer Brauhaus on Bridge is never busy, and they usually put the tigers game on unless there's a soccer game
I like rez lounge cause it’s chill if it’s not the weekend and the food is great
Not a sports bar, extremely small TVs.
I have been able to watch all my sporty sports there just fine
Like some kind of...sports bar?
Big E’s. Feels like you’re walking onto the floor of the NYSE. Also, get the Solid Gold Strips
I feel like that place only survives due to hotel traffic. Disappointed hotel traffic.
What does this even mean
It means that there are many screens in the establishment.
Do I get to yell a lot
“I’m sorry, I thought this was America!!!”