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15 Top Sports Bars in San Diego for Football Season

Where to eat and drink on Game Day

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With summer officially winding down, schools and colleges back in session, and September fast approaching it can mean only one thing: football season is upon us. Official viewing launches on September 5, when the Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers for the NFL Kickoff Game. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a more casual observer, catch all the NFL and NCAA action this season at these 15 bars around San Diego, which serve up some pretty decent food and drink specials too.

- Please note map points are listed in North to South order.

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Barrel Republic

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Self-serve craft beer bar Barrel Republic (which also has locations in Oceanside and Pacific Beach) has 52 beer taps, six wine taps, and Cicerones on hand to recommend everything from beer styles to glass ware. Thanks to its solid menu of upscale pub food and sweet happy hour pricing it’s a great place to catch a Monday night game when their barrel burger with fries ring in for just $7.

Home & Away Encinitas

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While its sister sports bar and neighborhood pub in Old Town has been a crowd-pleaser since 2015, Home & Away’s Encinitas outpost promises to be the new game day go-to in North County. There are multiple TVs dotted around the bar and a menu of good eats and drinks, from tacos, sandwiches, and burgers, to cocktails including boozy pitchers: British Pilgrim and Mr. Toast’s Wild Ride.

Draft Republic

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With its 100-inch projection screen (plus foosball and ping pong tables for half-time entertainment) the Cohn Restaurant Group’s popular UTC beer palace is a great spot to kick things off for football season. Load up on the 1/2-pound Draft Republic Burger and a pint of local IPA on draft or go big with the 24-ounce Hail Mary Bloody Mary.

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Bullpen Bar & Grill

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The Bullpen has 60 plus flat-screen TVs, an HD projection screen and dedicated cable box for Pac12 games. The classic pub fare here covers everything from wings and sliders to a prime rib dinner deal every Thursday and Sunday. Snag $1 off all craft beers, plus $5 food specials, including carne asada fries and chili cheese dogs, during the weekday happy hour from 2 to 9 p.m.

Elbowroom

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A haven for Cleveland Browns fans and LSU alumni, the Elbowroom in Kearny Mesa boasts a mega 10-foot TV screen, in addition to 16 HDTVs. There’s a dog-friendly outdoor patio too if you want to bring the pupper, and the all-day weekend happy hour is legendary. Enjoy $3.75 well drinks and $4.75 Jäger shots alongside bar snacks like loaded tater tots, nachos, and tacos. 

Mavericks Beach Club

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There are five bars and 38 TVs dotted across this bi-level indoor/outdoor party space in PB. Baja-inspired bites grace the menu, alongside cocktails, draft beers, and Bloody Mary and Michelada packages. Maverick’s will run Sunday night specials throughout the 2019-2020 season, including a weekly raffle with prize drawings, and Fantasy Drafts are welcome too with a $100 gift card up for grabs.

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McGregor's Grill

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Some say the best sports bar in town, McGregor’s has been a Mission Valley staple since 1996. There’s a hearty menu of bar food staples, craft beers and seasonal cocktails. During the weekday happy hour (4 to 7 p.m.) enjoy $1 off all pints, wells, and house wines, $5 off half gallon pitchers and half off all bar bites, including the chicken strips and Irish nachos.

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High Dive Bar & Grill

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Enjoy $6 margaritas and $2 street tacos between 5 and 10 p.m. during Monday Night Football and a $13 steak dinner special during Thursday Night Football at this long-standing Bay Park favorite. Or head over on Sundays for brunch - when bottles of bubbly are just $10 - and stick around afterwards for the game and a few cold ones. FYI: Pre-season games are showing now.

The Rabbit Hole

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This Normal Heights drinking den is also an excellent spot for sports-watching, thanks to its convivial atmosphere, inventive plates (think an amazing tortilla, wonton, and tater tot creation dubbed Abnormal Tot-Chos), and craft cocktails. There’s a weekday happy hour (5 to 7 p.m.) with $5 drafts, and $6 cocktails, plus Sunday brunch specials, including $5 Bloodys and $10 bottles of bubbles. 

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Mother's Saloon

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New England Patriots, San Diego Aztecs, Oregon Ducks, and Nebraska Huskers fans all congregate at this storied Ocean Beach bar, which boasts 25 HDTVs, excellent craft beer, specialty cocktails and a solid menu of elevated pub food. Enjoy half off all appetizers during the weekday happy hour (3 to 7 p.m.) plus $2 tacos and $8 double madres margaritas every Tuesday.

Bar One

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Bar One is also Little Italy’s only sports bar, and their early morning breakfast on weekends a popular place for football fans to catch the game. Alongside 12 taps of craft beer enjoy classic dishes like the chicken and waffle sliders or country friend steak. And, for football nights on Mondays and Thursdays, there’s happy hour pricing from 3 to 7 p.m. that includes $5 well drinks, and select drafts.

barleymash

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A prime location to catch both NCAA and NFL games throughout the season, barleymash opens early on Saturdays and Sundays serving build-your-own Bloody Marys and alongside breakfast and brunch bites. For weekday game nights there’s half off of all wine, beer, spirits and select appetizers (think duck empanadas and tuna poke) from 3 to 6 p.m. And do not miss the Ron Burgundy-inspired cocktail list of signatures and cups, like Panda Watch and I Love Lamp.

Social Tap San Diego

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Just steps from Petco Park, this East Village sports bar and event space has 27 TVs and a ton of DirecTV sports package so you can catch almost any event from the NFL to UFC. There’s a wide-ranging drinks list from cocktails and cider to craft beer and booch. While Sunday night social hour specials include pulled $6 pork sliders, and $8 crispy chicken tenders from 4 p.m. until close.

Striders San Diego

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Home to over 150 HDTVs, although affiliated with Florida State and Boston College, Striders is a great place to catch a game no matter which team you support. Food options range from sliders and skillets to flatbreads and a chicken avocado club, plus drink specials like $20 bottles of champagne and $20 domestic buckets during brunch, and $15 pitchers every Saturday and Sunday.

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The Deck at Moonshine Flats

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With its open-air concept, smokehouse barbecue menu and casual cocktails The Deck is a great spot to “tailgate” downtown style during football season. Proud LA Rams, SDSU Aztecs, and USC Trojans supporters, don’t miss the Rams vs. 49ers party bus on October 13 - the $150 fee includes a game ticket, round-trip party bus transportation, and pregame beverages. And you can even BYOB.

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Barrel Republic

Self-serve craft beer bar Barrel Republic (which also has locations in Oceanside and Pacific Beach) has 52 beer taps, six wine taps, and Cicerones on hand to recommend everything from beer styles to glass ware. Thanks to its solid menu of upscale pub food and sweet happy hour pricing it’s a great place to catch a Monday night game when their barrel burger with fries ring in for just $7.

Home & Away Encinitas

While its sister sports bar and neighborhood pub in Old Town has been a crowd-pleaser since 2015, Home & Away’s Encinitas outpost promises to be the new game day go-to in North County. There are multiple TVs dotted around the bar and a menu of good eats and drinks, from tacos, sandwiches, and burgers, to cocktails including boozy pitchers: British Pilgrim and Mr. Toast’s Wild Ride.

Draft Republic

With its 100-inch projection screen (plus foosball and ping pong tables for half-time entertainment) the Cohn Restaurant Group’s popular UTC beer palace is a great spot to kick things off for football season. Load up on the 1/2-pound Draft Republic Burger and a pint of local IPA on draft or go big with the 24-ounce Hail Mary Bloody Mary.

Courtesy Photo

Bullpen Bar & Grill

The Bullpen has 60 plus flat-screen TVs, an HD projection screen and dedicated cable box for Pac12 games. The classic pub fare here covers everything from wings and sliders to a prime rib dinner deal every Thursday and Sunday. Snag $1 off all craft beers, plus $5 food specials, including carne asada fries and chili cheese dogs, during the weekday happy hour from 2 to 9 p.m.

Elbowroom

A haven for Cleveland Browns fans and LSU alumni, the Elbowroom in Kearny Mesa boasts a mega 10-foot TV screen, in addition to 16 HDTVs. There’s a dog-friendly outdoor patio too if you want to bring the pupper, and the all-day weekend happy hour is legendary. Enjoy $3.75 well drinks and $4.75 Jäger shots alongside bar snacks like loaded tater tots, nachos, and tacos. 

Mavericks Beach Club

There are five bars and 38 TVs dotted across this bi-level indoor/outdoor party space in PB. Baja-inspired bites grace the menu, alongside cocktails, draft beers, and Bloody Mary and Michelada packages. Maverick’s will run Sunday night specials throughout the 2019-2020 season, including a weekly raffle with prize drawings, and Fantasy Drafts are welcome too with a $100 gift card up for grabs.

Courtesy Photo

McGregor's Grill

Some say the best sports bar in town, McGregor’s has been a Mission Valley staple since 1996. There’s a hearty menu of bar food staples, craft beers and seasonal cocktails. During the weekday happy hour (4 to 7 p.m.) enjoy $1 off all pints, wells, and house wines, $5 off half gallon pitchers and half off all bar bites, including the chicken strips and Irish nachos.

Courtesy Photo

High Dive Bar & Grill

Enjoy $6 margaritas and $2 street tacos between 5 and 10 p.m. during Monday Night Football and a $13 steak dinner special during Thursday Night Football at this long-standing Bay Park favorite. Or head over on Sundays for brunch - when bottles of bubbly are just $10 - and stick around afterwards for the game and a few cold ones. FYI: Pre-season games are showing now.

The Rabbit Hole

This Normal Heights drinking den is also an excellent spot for sports-watching, thanks to its convivial atmosphere, inventive plates (think an amazing tortilla, wonton, and tater tot creation dubbed Abnormal Tot-Chos), and craft cocktails. There’s a weekday happy hour (5 to 7 p.m.) with $5 drafts, and $6 cocktails, plus Sunday brunch specials, including $5 Bloodys and $10 bottles of bubbles. 

Courtesy photo

Mother's Saloon

New England Patriots, San Diego Aztecs, Oregon Ducks, and Nebraska Huskers fans all congregate at this storied Ocean Beach bar, which boasts 25 HDTVs, excellent craft beer, specialty cocktails and a solid menu of elevated pub food. Enjoy half off all appetizers during the weekday happy hour (3 to 7 p.m.) plus $2 tacos and $8 double madres margaritas every Tuesday.

Bar One

Bar One is also Little Italy’s only sports bar, and their early morning breakfast on weekends a popular place for football fans to catch the game. Alongside 12 taps of craft beer enjoy classic dishes like the chicken and waffle sliders or country friend steak. And, for football nights on Mondays and Thursdays, there’s happy hour pricing from 3 to 7 p.m. that includes $5 well drinks, and select drafts.

barleymash

A prime location to catch both NCAA and NFL games throughout the season, barleymash opens early on Saturdays and Sundays serving build-your-own Bloody Marys and alongside breakfast and brunch bites. For weekday game nights there’s half off of all wine, beer, spirits and select appetizers (think duck empanadas and tuna poke) from 3 to 6 p.m. And do not miss the Ron Burgundy-inspired cocktail list of signatures and cups, like Panda Watch and I Love Lamp.

Social Tap San Diego

Just steps from Petco Park, this East Village sports bar and event space has 27 TVs and a ton of DirecTV sports package so you can catch almost any event from the NFL to UFC. There’s a wide-ranging drinks list from cocktails and cider to craft beer and booch. While Sunday night social hour specials include pulled $6 pork sliders, and $8 crispy chicken tenders from 4 p.m. until close.

Striders San Diego

Home to over 150 HDTVs, although affiliated with Florida State and Boston College, Striders is a great place to catch a game no matter which team you support. Food options range from sliders and skillets to flatbreads and a chicken avocado club, plus drink specials like $20 bottles of champagne and $20 domestic buckets during brunch, and $15 pitchers every Saturday and Sunday.

Courtesy photo

The Deck at Moonshine Flats

With its open-air concept, smokehouse barbecue menu and casual cocktails The Deck is a great spot to “tailgate” downtown style during football season. Proud LA Rams, SDSU Aztecs, and USC Trojans supporters, don’t miss the Rams vs. 49ers party bus on October 13 - the $150 fee includes a game ticket, round-trip party bus transportation, and pregame beverages. And you can even BYOB.

Courtesy photo

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