Best Sports Bars to Watch the Olympics

Summary

Podcast Summary – All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)

Episode: Best Sports Bars to Watch the Olympics
Air Date: July 24, 2024
Guest: Melissa McCart, Editor for Eater New York

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Overview

This episode of All Of It celebrates the upcoming Paris Olympics by highlighting the best sports bars and viewing experiences across New York City. Host Alison Stewart and guest Melissa McCart help listeners find the perfect spot, whether you crave a raucous crowd, chill neighborhood vibes, or inventive Olympic-themed eats and drinks. The episode also features recommendations from NYC listeners, showcasing the city’s vibrant bar culture and diverse communities.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

What Makes a Great Sports Bar Experience?

• Personalization: Different moods and personalities call for different venues—some want big crowds, others seek low-key spaces.
  • “For me, I’d want to go to a place in my neighborhood that has really good bar food, where I can actually hear what’s going on, and that feels like an extension of my living room.” — Melissa McCart [03:04]
• For Major Events: The Olympics (once every four years) is an excuse to step up your viewing game, even if it means braving a bigger, buzzier spot.

The Rockefeller Center Rink Experience

• NBC & Michelob Ultra Transform the Rink:
  • Parisian-themed patio for Olympics viewing, with lively photo ops and drinks.
  • Adjacent restaurants offer special Olympic menus:
    • Naro — Korean-French mash-up plates ($18–21)
    • Jupiter — Fun Italian spot with fresh pastas and “APER TV” menu
  • “You can get food from say Jupiter on their terrace and watch on a huge screen TV where there's like a fake Eiffel Tower in the rink and the whole nine yards.” — Melissa McCart [03:04]
• Is it a commercial for NBC? Not just that, says McCart; it’s a next-level communal sports experience akin to an “international Super Bowl” [05:09].

Hudson Yards “Backyard”

• 30-foot screens, ample open space, and a festival vibe.
• Street-food vendors, canned cocktails, and a casual, drink-focused setup (food less emphasized) [06:47].
• Best to arrive early, especially for the opening/closing ceremonies [06:19].
• “It’s first come, first serve…definitely an emphasis on drinks over food.” — Melissa McCart [06:56]

Classic Neighborhood Choices

George Keeley’s (485 Amsterdam Ave @ 83rd)

• For regulars; great for those who value tasty food and an unfussy vibe [07:58].
• Noted for excellent wings (“I’m a classic wings person…spicy buffalo with blue cheese over ranch.” — Melissa McCart [08:39]).
• “If you are looking for an even keel watch situation where there’s no karaoke in the background or cornhole—this is your place.” — Melissa McCart [07:58]

Cornerstone Tavern (961 Second Ave @ 51st)

• A massive bar—great for office outings or large friend groups [09:16].
• Offers different zones: super-fan areas with sound on, quieter nooks for conversation and games.
• Adds trivia and karaoke for extra entertainment, creating a lively, sometimes “sensory overload” [10:29].
• Distinction between “tavern” (old-fashioned, plated comfort foods) and “sports bar” (classic bar snacks) [10:50].

Listener & Community Picks

• Luz Athletic Club (384 Knickerbocker Ave, Bushwick): Big booths, affordable drinks [11:17].
• Union Ground (Smith Street): “Great little place, decent food, and they have the sound on for important events.” — listener Mario from Brooklyn [12:52].
  • Discussion: The pros and cons of sound on/off during games.
• German beer gardens: McCart recommends seeking out venues with international crowds for marquee events and authentic fan enthusiasm [13:08].
• Roebling Sports Club & Banter (Williamsburg): Both great soccer bars with stellar food—Roebling for wings, Banter for European fare like kielbasa [14:04].
  • “You get people from all over the country, from immigrants, for like World Cup, Euro Cup, everything.” — Phil (Caller from Brooklyn) [14:51]
• Keg & Lantern (Red Hook): “Great food, great beer, tons of screens, but low key.” [15:22]
• The Fox (Harlem, 8th Ave/Frederick Douglass Blvd): Hosts its first Olympic party, with lots of screens, diverse crowds, “awesome sliders,” and inexpensive drinks.
  • “We become a little bit gentrified, so it is very diverse and it is fun.” — Gregory (Caller from Harlem) [15:35]

Beer Gardens & Novelty Experiences

Lorelei Beer Garden (7 Rivington, Lower East Side)

• Going “all out” with whimsical, collectible cocktails: tri-level frozen drinks topped with red, white, or blue rubber ducks [16:36].
• “If you’re into novelty collecting, that’s your place.” — Melissa McCart [16:36]
• Detailed description of a “red froze, classic margarita, blue margarita, and a duck garnish” [17:08].

The Standard Hotel Beer Garden

• Offers a “passport” program: drink all five national-themed cocktails, collect stamps, and get 25% off future visits [17:58].
• Hosts a “beer Olympics” with games and dressing up encouraged [17:58].
• “Anybody who’s going to these bars is going to be fabulous.” — Melissa McCart [17:47]

The Turnmill Bar (East 27th, off Park Ave South)

• Branding itself as “Olympic Headquarters” (not officially affiliated).
• Notable for all-day happy hours aligned with Olympic schedules—“If you’re looking to save a few dollars and have a fun time, I think this is your spot.” — Melissa McCart [12:01]
• After-work crowd, “Cheers-like” atmosphere [12:35].

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Choosing the Vibe:
  • “Some people like the hustle and bustle of large crowds, while others prefer low key. Some like to watch with the sound on, others in silence.” — Alison Stewart [01:48]
• On Viewing Olympics in Public:
  • “This is like a next level kind of event in terms of sports…an international version of the Super Bowl.” — Melissa McCart [05:09]
• Wings Loyalist:
  • “I’m a classic wings person…spicy buffalo with blue cheese over ranch.” — Melissa McCart [08:39]
• On Beer Gardens and Olympic Novelty:
  • “It’s like a drink in a jar with a red froze on one level, a classic margarita in the middle and a blue one on top. And the duck is like the garnish.” — Melissa McCart [17:08]
• On The Inclusivity of Fabulousness:
  • “Anybody who’s going to these bars is going to be fabulous. So there should be nothing that’s keeping you away.” — Melissa McCart [17:47]

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• [01:48] Alison Stewart introduces the episode and Melissa McCart.
• [03:04] What makes a good sports bar experience?
• [04:11] Rockefeller Center’s Olympic patio and special menus.
• [06:04] Hudson Yards “Backyard” viewing.
• [07:58] George Keeley’s on the Upper West Side.
• [09:03] Cornerstone Tavern’s massive venue and varied experiences.
• [12:01] The Turnmill Bar as “Olympic Headquarters.”
• [12:52] Union Ground and a discussion of “sound on vs. sound off.”
• [13:08] The case for country-themed beer gardens.
• [14:04] Caller Phil: Roebling Sports Club & Banter.
• [15:35] Caller Gregory: The Fox in Harlem.
• [16:36] Lorelei Beer Garden’s duck-topped cocktails.
• [17:58] Passport drinks and games at The Standard Hotel Beer Garden.

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Tone and Atmosphere

Warm, knowledgeable, and as effervescent as a pint poured in an NYC bar. The conversation mixes practical tips and affectionate local flavor, creating FOMO (and encouragement!) for anyone considering venturing out for the Olympic spirit.

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Final Recommendations

Whether you want mega-screens and theme nights or a low-key night with classic wings, New York’s vast sports bar landscape has something for every kind of Olympic viewer. Prioritize what matters most—food, crowd, sound, or spectacle—and prepare for some memorable communal moments.

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Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Melissa McCart (Eater New York)
Episode: Best Sports Bars to Watch the Olympics (July 24, 2024)

Transcript

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Listener support at WNYC studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. All week long, we've been having an Olympic pre game party on the air here, knowing that a lot of you will probably be glued to your televisions for the next couple of weeks. I know that's the plan for many of us here at team. And sometimes, rather than watch at home on the couch, you may want to mix things up a bit and head to a bar. But finding a good sports bar can be tough. Some people like the hustle and bustle of large crowds, while others prefer low key. Some like to watch with the sound on, others in silence. Melissa McCart is an editor for Eater New York, and she'll be sharing some of her favorite sports bars in the city. Hi, Melissa.

[Melissa McCart]

Hi. Thanks so much for having me.

[Alison Stewart]

Listeners, do you have a favorite sports bar in the city? Where is it? What do you like about it? Give us a call or send us a text. That number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Tell us, do you like the sound on or off? Crowds are quieter. Does the food even matter? Give us a call, text us or hit us up on socials. We're at all of it. NYC 2124-3396-9221-2433-9NYC. What do you think make the key components to a good sports bar?

[Melissa McCart]

Well, I think it depends on what you're looking for. As you were saying? I mean, for me, I'd want to go to a place in my neighborhood that has really good bar food where I can actually hear what's going on. And that feels like an extension of my living room because I want to focus on whatever the events are. But for some people, they're going to want to party and so maybe they're going to want to go someplace like Rockefeller center where the whole rink has been turned into a watch area and you can get food from say Jupiter on their terrace and watch on a huge screen TV where there's like a fake Eiffel Tower in the rink and the whole nine yards. So I think, you know, since it's a one in every four years scenario for the summer, it's maybe spend another few minutes to figure out like what kind of environment do I want to be in.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, let's talk about the Rockefeller Rink. Of course, that's where NBC is located. They're broadcasting the Olympics at from Rock Center. So when you're talking about the bar geared towards the coverage, what does it look like?

[Melissa McCart]

Okay, so NBC has joined up with Michelob Ultra to turn the rink into a Paris themed Olympic patio so you can get drinks there and there are photo ops and all kinds of things. But if you'd like to have something that's like a little bit more substantive, then there are two restaurants that have patios that are adjacent and one is narrow, which is a Korean restaurant and it has a special Olympics menu that is sort of a mashup between classic French dishes and Korean dishes and they're around 18 to 21 dollars. And then you have Jupiter, which is an Italian restaurant. It's really fun, super colorful and they'll have their like APER TV menu and fresh pastas and grilled dishes.

[Alison Stewart]

So let me ask you a question. Is this more than just a nice commercial for NBC?

[Melissa McCart]

I think so. I mean there, there are big venues around the city that are doing big things in terms of watching. And so if you want that big screen view that's like Jumbotron, then You're going to go to a place like Rock Center. Or another option is you can go to the backyard at Hudson Yards, which is a first come first serve scenario in the Hudson Yards development that also has a Jumbotron and drinks and you could sort of watch and celebrate with other people. I mean this is like a next level kind of event in terms of sports. Right. Or you know, certainly an international version of say the Super Bowl. You might want to to have like a Rock center slash Hudson Yards level experience for one of the days. Anyway.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, let's talk about the backyard at Hudson yards. They have 30 foot tall screens and free viewing. Would you expect that this is going to be a big hotspot? Do I need to get there early? Do I have to grab a chair?

[Melissa McCart]

I do. Especially for the opening and closing ceremonies. I feel like those are going to be the most crowded. I would go a little bit early. But you know, the opening ceremonies is on a Friday and the city does empty out on Friday. So while it might be pretty lively, you know, the city might not be as lively as it normally is, say on a Thursday or a Wednesday, for example, for some of the other events.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's the backyard itself doesn't offer food or drink. There's just these big screens. But there's a lot of adjacent food or drink options. What can I expect?

[Melissa McCart]

Yeah, I would expect mostly street food. There are some vendors that are going to have like canned cocktails or you know, non alcoholic drinks, but super casual. Definitely an emphasis on drinks over food.

[Alison Stewart]

Melissa McCart is a reporter for Eat Air. She's talking about best sports bars for the Olympic listeners. We want to know, do you have a favorite sports bar in the city? Where is it? What do you like about it? Give us a call or send us a text at 2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyc. Do you like the sound on or off? Do you like a crowded place? Do you like a quieter spot? Does the quality of the food matter? Give us a call or text to us. 212-433-WNYC. Or you can hit us up on socials. We're at all of it. WNYC. Let's talk about George Keely's at 485Amsterdam Avenue around 83rd Street. It's on west side. Who would you recommend this bar for? George Keelys.

[Melissa McCart]

This is for the regular, like the person who might be going to watch football or soccer on a weekday night. Super low key. The food is really good. It Was just put on my radar by one of my friends, actually. And I love people who own it, and I really like the spot. So if you are looking for an even keel, you know, an even keel watch situation where there's no, like karaoke in the background or cornhole, like, this is your place.

[Alison Stewart]

I understand they have good wings.

[Melissa McCart]

They do what they do.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you recommend?

[Melissa McCart]

I mean, I'm a classic wings person, so. So I would just go for a spicy buffalo wings with blue cheese over ranch. But I might be segueing into some Texas dose variations too, because it's something that's new. And of course, I cannot resist something that's new to me on a menu.

[Alison Stewart]

Next up is Cornerstone Tavern on 961 Second Avenue. It's around 51st Street. It's in midtown. I have a note here that says it's huge. How huge?

[Melissa McCart]

If you want to go with your entire office, you can go there.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay, team. All of it. Let's go.

[Melissa McCart]

So there's no shortage of space, which is, you know, that's. That's definitely something that, especially as we move into August when it's sort of, you know, the summer feels like we're getting into the dog days, that. That would be something that I want to do with my eater staff to go someplace big and. Or you can do some people watching and there might be some other things going on at the bar.

[Alison Stewart]

How does the bar size affect the experience?

[Melissa McCart]

I think that with bar size, there are a bunch of different options in terms of watching. Like, there might be an area where the die hard fans are, where sound is loud and people might be shushing each other and cheering really loudly at victories. And then there might be corners where people are playing like some kind of a game and the sound is off and they're more focused on drinking and talking.

[Alison Stewart]

I understand at Cornerstone Tavern they do trivia and karaoke. How do you do karaoke at a sports bar? Exactly?

[Melissa McCart]

You know, I guess I'm gonna find out. I feel like we have sections of the bar where you can participate, but that essentially it's gonna be a lot of sensory overload.

[Alison Stewart]

The place is a tavern as well. When you think about sports bars. Is there a difference between a bar and a tavern?

[Melissa McCart]

Oftentimes I think of taverns as a little bit old fashioned that might have like, sort of comfort food plated dishes where when I think of a sports bar, like, you can almost recite the menu. You know, it's like, where are my wings, my fries, you know, my burgers and Maybe quesadillas. So taverns I think of as having some holdover dishes that are a little bit more button down.

[Alison Stewart]

We got a text that says lose athletic club at 384 Knickerbocker Ave. In Bushwick. Great big booths, excellent drink prices. Thanks to the listener who texted into us. You can give us a call. Your favorite sports bar in the city. 2124-339692-22433 wnyc. We're talking about best sports bars where you might want to watch the olympics with. Melissa McCarthy, reporter for Eater. Okay, so next we have on the list the Turnmill bar on East 27th street off Park Avenue South. It's billing themselves as Olympic headquarters. They're not affiliated with the Olympics we should say, but they are calling themselves Olympic Headquarters. What makes the name fitting?

[Melissa McCart]

Well, you know, I, when I actually talked to some staff as I was updating our maps, um, one of the features of this particular spot is that everything is really affordable and they're doing all day happy hours in collaboration with the Olympic schedule instead of like the 3 to 6pm Happy hours. So if you're looking to save a few dollars and have a fun time, I think this is your spot.

[Alison Stewart]

What's the atmosphere atmosphere like in the bar?

[Melissa McCart]

I mean this is a classic. I mean if you think about your after work bar and the sort of Nomad Flatiron area, you know, one that feels. Cheers. Like this is, this is your kind of bar.

[Alison Stewart]

We got a text from Mario from Brooklyn. He's recommending Union Ground on Smith Street. It's a great little place with decent food and they have the sound on for important events. Oh, that's a hard one. Sound on, sound off. What do you think?

[Melissa McCart]

I think it depends on how plugged in the people who are there are to the Games. I mean one of the things that I would like to do during, during the Olympics is to go to let's say a German beer garden where there are going to be a lot of people from one particular country besides the US People who are going to be like really into whatever event it's going to be probably one of the, you know, maybe not like, I don't know, I'm a rower and it's like the least, least interesting and important Olympic event to an, to a bystander. So maybe something that's like a more of a marquee event. But I'd go to, I go to some places that are going to have a bunch of die hard fans from other countries. So that you could sort of enjoy that enthusiasm too.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Phil, who's calling in from Brooklyn. Hi, Phil. How you doing?

[Phil (Caller from Brooklyn)]

I'm doing great. Thank you for taking my call. Yeah. I'm a longtime Brooklyn resident and I have actually two recommendations for great sports bars. The first one is Robling sports club. It's on a roebling and North 8th in Williamsburg. And then banter, It's a really great soccer bar. Both of them are great soccer bars. Lots of tv, is great food. Roebling has great wings and banter has great, like kielbasa, locally sourced from Greenpoint from old school Polish immigrants. Both are amazing and great people that run them.

[Alison Stewart]

Do they have a different vibe each one?

[Phil (Caller from Brooklyn)]

Yeah, Rubling is more of like your traditional, like, sports bar, but they show everything. But like they. Their wings are like the big thing that they do. And then banter is a traditional European soccer like, football bar. You get people from all over the country, like, from immigrants from all over go there for like world cup, Euro cup, everything. And they have like killboss, bratwurst everything. It's great. It's a fun time.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks, Phil. We appreciate you calling in. Got a text keg and lantern in Red Hook. Great food, great beer, tons of screens, but low key. We like that. Let's talk to Gregory from Harlem. Hi, Gregory.

[Gregory (Caller from Harlem)]

Hi, Alison. Welcome back. I want to recommend a place that's going to have its first Olympic party and it's going to go on the entire time. It's called the fox and it's in. In Harlem on 8th Avenue or Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Tons of screens, Lots of fun, lots of neighborhoods. We become a little bit gentrified. So it is very diverse and it is fun. The sliders are awesome. Just saying. And. And the drinks are plentiful and it's inexpensive.

[Alison Stewart]

Love.

[Melissa McCart]

Is it called? It's called the box.

[Gregory (Caller from Harlem)]

Box as in fox.

[Melissa McCart]

Oh, okay. Thank you. Box.

[Alison Stewart]

There you go. Thank you for the recommendation, Gregory. So we have a couple more minutes. You have the Lorelei beer garden at 7 Rivington and a little south of Bowery. What are they offering?

[Melissa McCart]

So, you know, it seems like a lot of beer gardens are like good spots for watching the Olympics and they have sort of gone all out with a campy cocktail. It's like a tri level frozen cocktail with a red, white, or blue rubber duck on it that you can keep. So if you're into novelty collecting, that's your place.

[Alison Stewart]

Explain a duck?

[Melissa McCart]

Yeah, it's like a drink in a jar that's like the drink is red With a froze on one level, a classic frozen margarita in the middle and a blue frozen margarita on top. And then the duck is like the garnish. And there's like a white duck with stars or a red duck or a blue duck. And then there's like a paper blue and white straw that it's served with. So it's definitely campy.

[Alison Stewart]

And finally, the beer garden at the Standard Hotel. Do you have to be fabulous to go into it?

[Melissa McCart]

You know, anybody who's going to these bars is going to be fabulous. So there should be nothing that's keeping you away.

[Alison Stewart]

I understand they have a passport, though.

[Melissa McCart]

Pardon me. So, yes. So they have five different, five different drinks that represent five different countries. And essentially you can, you can collect stamps for all the cocktails and a beer garden passport. And you'll get 25% off to redeem before the end of the year. So that's a good place. Also has a beer Olympics, so you should go with your friends and dress up in the same shirt or whatever for Olympic beer pong, flip stein holding and cornhole.

[Alison Stewart]

That Sounds good.

Melissa McCart, reporter for Eater. Best sports bars for the Olympics. Thanks for your reporting.

[Melissa McCart]

Thanks so much for having me again. Good to talk to you. That's it for all of it.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm Alison Stewart. I'll meet you back here when I.

Meet you back here.

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