Durham's Best Sports Bars
Basketball, football, baseball, curling – no matter which sport you're passionate about, you can find a great spot to join your fellow fans at Durham’s best sports bars.
Durham sports fans are well known by the shade of blue they bleed, but there’s more to the scene than college basketball rivalries. Sports fans gather around the glow of televisions, toasting beers and sharing plates of nachos and the emotional highs and lows of a good game at Durham sports bars during Saturday morning Premier League matches, Sunday football games, curling bonspiels (we assume) and yes, March Madness. Whether you want to immerse yourself in the game (or games) or you’re looking to catch the highlights in a social setting with great food and drinks, this list of Durham’s best sports bars has you covered.
Tobacco Road Sports Cafe
280 S. Mangum St., #100
Tobacco Road prides itself in paying equal attention to offering fresh, delicious food, exceptional service and “infinite sports.” From baseball to cricket, if it’s on TV, you can watch it at Tobacco Road while you enjoy chicken taquitos, mini crab cakes or Down East Nachos piled high with eastern NC pulled pork, pickled okra, and barbeque aioli. As a bonus, Tobacco Road’s dining room and outdoor terrace overlook the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, so you can watch the Bulls play without missing your team on TV.
Bull McCabe's Irish Pub
427 W. Main St.
As you enter downtown, Bull McCabe’s expansive lawn, covered patio and bar at the center of the five points intersection is hard to miss. The Premier League bar has been known to open early for a Saturday morning game, and with access to all the sports packages and streaming content, you can be sure that it will be possible to watch your game of choice there. It's is also a popular Durham hangout with excellent downtown people-watching and sunset views, so you can bring your crew even if they’re not so into sports. The twenty beers on tap and Irish pub food menu will keep anyone entertained.
The Boot Room & Beer Study
2501 University Dr.
On a beautiful day, with or without a game on, you'll find folks sipping great beer, eating great grub, and soaking up the sun on the outdoor patio here. The Boot Room is best for big soccer matches — with themed menu items like The Rapinoe grilled chicken sandwich, or the Italian Maldini — but buzzes for just about any big sporting event. They call themselves a sandwich shop, but you don't want to sleep on the appetizers and big salads: the bang-bang tots, fried pickles including okra, green tomatoes, and a house-made feta-dill tzatziki and the hearty Carolina cobb salad make everyone a winner.
The Tipsy Bull
800 Taylor St.
Welcome to The Tipsy Bull, "where game day lives." At this Golden Belt spot, you can catch the game while enjoying premium bar food, beers and signature cocktails. Order the lemon pepper wings for a crispy classic or the Fish Hook Philly. Pulling for the winning team? Get a Victory Platter for the table so everyone can celebrate the dub, feasting on wings, pork belly and dip.
The Pickleback 2
711 Rigsbee Ave.
This Central Park District sports bar is serving up good food, good drinks and good times until late night. With multiple TVs across the bar showing different games, a patio out back and a late night kitchen, the Pickleback 2 is a great spot to catch the big game. The menu is full of bar classics and unique dishes like cheesesteak egg rolls, wings, fries, burgers, a pork chop sandwich and seafood platters. If you're team wins, celebrate by partying down on the dance floor until 2:00 in the morning.
Bull Durham Bar
3001 Cameron Blvd.
Whether you're staying at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club or just passing through and soaking in the Duke Blue Devils spirit, the Bull Durham Bar is your spot to watch a game in the heart of Blue Devil country. Its late-night menu makes it a popular spot for fans spilling out post-game or pregaming for an event at Wallace Wade or Cameron Indoor Stadium. Cozy up at the bar or take your pick of tables that overlook the golf course, first come, first served.
E.O.'s Athletic Club
341 W. Main St.
Looking to hit Main Street and catch the game? E.O.'s is your spot. "A sports bar for (E)very (O)ne," E.O.'s Athletic Club is another addition to the family of restaurants from the team behind Kingfisher, Queeny's, Killer Queen and QueenBurger and aims to provide a welcoming space for all types of sports fans to come and enjoy the game with good food and good drinks. Choose from a list of beer and batch cocktails while you peruse the menu for classic sports bar eats. Take your pick from pizza, loaded baked potatoes, wings, sandwiches and more.
Dain's Place
754 9th St.
If you’re looking for your local “Cheers” equivalent, Dain’s Place is a strong contender. The cozy Ninth Street neighborhood bar is typically jam-packed in equal measure with fans of sports on the tvs, the legendary tots and burgers on the menu and the slew of NC-made craft beers on tap and in the cooler. The vibe is friendly and unpretentious, and you can always make a new friend with another patron or with Dain himself
Bralie’s Sports Bar & Grill 1 and 2
1725 Carpenter Fletcher Rd.
With locations on the northern and southern sides of Durham, Bralie’s is a no-nonsense spot with sports on the big screens, Bud Lite on tap, burgers and wings on the menu and cornhole and darts for those who aren’t glued to the game. Don’t be surprised if you leave with a new group of friends and a regular haunt if you stop in for a game and a drink.
JB Duke Hotel Lounge
230 Science Dr.
Set at the heart of the JB Duke Hotel, the Lobby Lounge is an excellent spot to kick back and relax while you watch the game. Take a seat at the peninsula bar for a more communal viewing experience or take your drink to a table for a little more privacy. Equal parts social and intimate, The Lobby Lounge offers multiple TVs for viewing all around the lobby as well as a fire place and cozy seating. Table fare includes both light bites and full meals, so you can order cheese curds for the table or a honey mustard salmon plate for yourself.
Lakewood Social
1920 Chapel Hill Rd.
As the name would suggest, this welcoming spot in the Lakewood neighborhood isn't your typical sports bar, but with plenty of tvs inside, weeknight food and bar specials and arguably the best smashburger in town, it could be your ideal destination to catch the game. Plus, lots of outdoor space and a sizable retail wine selection make this spot an easy choice for the whole family.
LouElla Wine, Beer & Beverage
316 W. Geer St. A
Not all sports bars are beer bars! LouElla is a welcoming Geer St. wine bar and bottle shop with tvs behind the bar that play classic movies when they’re not tuned into a big game. The by-the-glass list goes beyond the typical varietals to offer great value with lesser-known grapes from smaller producers, and the snack menu leans into wine pairings like tinned fish and crackers, charcuterie, and truffle potato chips. Pro tip: you can get a great bottle at retail price with no corkage fee over $30 and enjoy it at the bar or at one of their sidewalk tables. And if someone in your crew isn’t a wine drinker, there’s a great selection of European and American-style beers as well as ciders and fortified wines on the menu.
Durham Beer Garden
812 N. Mangum St.
Craft beer lovers will feel at home watching the game at the Durham Beer Garden. With indoor and outdoor seating with heaters, there's plenty of space to sit back, enjoy a pint, and watch your team dominate. Plan to order dinner from their full-service kitchen to make sure you're seated in time for tip-off.
The Tavern
1900 W. Markham Ave.
If sports bars that double as happening spots for karaoke and darts are your go-to, The Tavern is your best bet. The 6,000-square-foot space allows for bigger groups, especially when it’s time to belly up to "the longest bar in Durham." Enjoy 24 different beer taps, 10 TVs, darts, pool, and more all in one spot. The wings are great, as are all the other bar menu staples.
Town Hall Burger & Beer
7830 NC-751 Ste. 100
A neighborhood favorite, as voted by Nextdoor, Town Hall Burger & Beer offers much more than its name implies. The original Town Hall location is situated in South Durham just off Interstate 40, convenient to The Streets at Southpoint. Build your own burger or choose from the extensive list of shareables — we're personally big fans of the truffle parmesan fries, pretzel bites and BBQ tots. For those that might not need to catch every moment of the game, there's a shuffleboard and great patio.
Parts & Labor
723 Rigsbee Ave.
Known more for indie music shows at its next-door venue, Motorco, and the perfect patio, Parts and Labor isn't one to miss out on big game day action. With a pull-down projector screen on the inside of its restaurant space, you can enjoy the biggest games in a more social atmosphere. With "heavy duty" and "lighter" options on the food menu, those hoping to graze on shareables like Hipster Poutine and cheeseburger and seared tuna sliders as they cheer on teams in blue have found their spot.
Devine's Restaurant & Sports Bar
904 W. Main St.
Since 1978, Devine's has held its own as a fan-favorite sports bar in the heart of the Brightleaf District. Close to Duke's East Campus, you'll find Duke paraphernalia on the wooded walls between the slew of TVs that tune in to every game. It's what you'd expect from a place owned by a Duke graduate and former Blue Devil football player. On an NFL Sunday, you'll find Bears fans and others gathering week to week. College basketball season is much the same as regulars crowd at the coveted bar seats and outdoor patio tables to take in the action.
Clouds Brewcade + Kitchen
905 W. Main St., #22
Located in one of the two refurbished tobacco warehouses that make up Brightleaf Square, Clouds Brewcade + Kitchen is perfect for any sports fan. Fans can gather around the large, oval-shaped bar or even rent a private space for watching. The back area also has several tables, plenty of TVs and pool tables and arcade games to keep you entertained between plays. Self-styled as "German-inspired, American-made,” the Durham location has been open since 2016 with over 50 beer taps (30 of which are their own brews), and a self-pour beer wall.
Durham Breweries
With expansive spaces and great homemade beer and snack menus, Durham’s breweries know they’re an attraction for sports fans. You can bet that if there’s a big game happening, breweries like Hi-Wire, Ponysaurus and Durty Bull will bring out the big screen so local fans can show their team spirit.
Where to Watch Sports in Spanish in Durham
For Durhamites and Bull City visitors looking to watch sports in Spanish, multiple excellent options await. This list was crowd sourced based on where locals were watching soccer matches during the World Cup. If you find yourself in Lakewood, head to Azteca Grill to cheer on your team while you enjoy homestyle Mexican cooking. Looking to catch a game after exploring the 15-501 corridor? Take your pick between El Cuscatleco and Monterrey Mexican Grill. Downtown Durham's Barbaro offers a family friendly sports viewing experience in the day and a high-energy sports bar experience by night.
Mark your calendars and bring your brackets. You’re on your way to making some great friends and memories watching sports in Durham’s sports bars.
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