Libations for Locals: Game On!
Sept. 13 marks the first regular game of the 2015-2016 Saints football season! Fans all over the Greater New Orleans area will be catching the game at some of the most stellar sports bars in town.
Cooter Brown’s Tavern & Oyster Bar
Located in the Riverbend, Cooter Brown’s has long been a great hangout where everyone from college students to retirees can kick back with a frothy brew and enjoy the game. Featuring more than 400 brands of beer, 20 flat-screen TVs and a menu filled with burgers, po-boys, fried seafood platters, freshly shucked oysters and more, Cooter Brown’s is a choice spot for any sports aficionado. Plus, if you’re hankering for craft beers, the Snooty Cooter (located at the back bar) touts a rotating selection of up to 46 different brews on tap. 509 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 866-9104, cooterbrowns.com
Manning’s Eat–Drink–Cheer
Opened only three years ago, Manning’s is a restaurant/sports bar owned by Harrah’s Casino and Archie Manning (a well-known and appreciated former quarterback for the New Orleans Saints). Football enthusiasts can visit Manning’s, located downtown on Fulton Street, and enjoy a huge exhibition of Archie Manning’s personal memorabilia, which includes items from his sons Peyton and Eli. But that’s certainly not the only reason this is a go-to spot for sports fans. Manning’s also features 30 flat-screen TVs (plus one 13-by-7.5-foot mega screen found in the End Zone), a sports anchor desk, and even cushy armchairs to kick back in and watch the game in style. This undeniably sports-centered joint also offers a decent selection of brews with more than 20 beers on tap and a menu that features dishes like wings, nachos, Kobe beef sliders, ribs, burgers and more. 519 Fulton St., (504) 593-8072, facebook.com/ManningsNOLA
Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar
Walk-On’s was founded in Baton Rouge by LSU basketball teammates Jack Warner and Brandon Landry, and it was voted the No. 1 sports bar in America by ESPN in 2012. The duo’s strong sense of teamwork and winning attitudes has led to four additional Walk-On’s locations in Louisiana, plus four more opening soon (including one in Lubbock, Texas). In New Orleans, Walk-On’s is located on Poydras Street downtown, right across from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. A multitude of TVs offer every patron a grand view of the game, while they fill their pints from taps on the table and munch on bar food fare (like the World Famous Cheese Fries with bacon, banana peppers, and Jack and cheddar cheeses smothering crisp waffle fries; spinach and artichoke dip; juicy burgers; wraps; sandwiches; and local favorites, like the thin-fried catfish platter). 1009 Poydras St., (504) 309-6530, walk-ons.com
Bruno’s Tavern
If you’re in the Riverbend and looking for a place to catch the game, look no further than Bruno’s Tavern on Maple Street. In the business of serving New Orleanians for more than 80 years, this happening spot offers a large selection of beers by the bottle or on tap; a full menu of great bar grub, like burgers and fries; plus 10 plasma TVs for your Saints-watching pleasure. This iconic neighborhood bar also offers diversions — like shuffleboard, darts and pool, with scheduled trivia nights and drink specials — to keep you busy at half-time. 7538 Maple St., (504) 861-7615, brunostavern.com