San Antonio is blessed with having one of the most impressive sports franchises of any game housed near downtown at the AT&T; Center. The Spurs have four NBA titles, and are the current defending world champions. The best place to witness the NBA playoffs in San Antonio is, of course, the AT&T; Center. However, if you aren’t lucky or rich enough to get into that venue there are some great sports bars to catch the game at. You may even be able to watch some of the other games that are going on as well. Here is a list of ten places in San Antonio that are great to catch playoff games:
Fatso’s, 1704 Bandera Rd, (210) 432-0121
Out on the northwest side, this staple is the designated place to watch away games. It often has radio stations holding events there during games, or even the Spurs mascot, the Coyote, on hand at times. It is always a loud and great crowd for Spurs games. Call and find out if there is anything special going on during games.
Stacy’s Sports Bar, 3805 Blanco Rd, (210) 738-1200
This may not be the best place, but the waitresses are all in lingerie. There are televisions everywhere you look, however, and the pool is only 50 cents. If you like smoky dark bars with half naked women, I would say this is the place for you. They have a few of them scattered about town, so it’s very likely there’s one that isn’t far away.
TKO’s, 123 E Travis St, (210) 270-6979
TKO’s is an upscale alternative right in the downtown area. It is a very nice sports bar with a boxing theme (obviously). The drinks are great and you don’t have to fight the traffic at the AT&T; center, but you still get that downtown feel.
Blanco Tavern, 7210 Blanco Rd, (210) 341-0405
This is a great neighborhood bar on the north side. You might want to try and get there early so that you can grab a table because Blanco Tavern is a small bar with a great turnout for Spurs games. Heavy handed drinks and a fun environment make this a great spot to watch the playoffs.
Champps, 11075 W Ih 10, (210) 561-2833
Champps is a north side bar and grill. It has some really good food, so if you’re hungry and want to see the game, come here. The name says it all – come check out the defending champs here.
The Lion and the Rose, 5148 Broadway, (210) 822-7673
This is an authentic English pub and grill. It isn’t very big and can often get pretty crowded, but where else can you go and eat Shepherd’s Pie and actually hear some real Brits talk in funny brogue? Half of these guys will probably be watching a replay of an English Football League game and not care about the silly American basketball playoffs anyway.
Iceman’s Pub, 202 AT&T; Center Parkway, (210) 270-9587
Yep. This is former San Antonio Spurs star George Gervin’s place. Can’t get tickets to the game? This is the next best thing. The bar is located directly across the street from the AT&T; Center. You may even catch the Iceman himself there.
Boozehounds, 8531 Perrin Beitel Rd, (210) 590-3223
This is a cool little joint to go to if you’re on the northeast side. Check out the mural on the wall and watch the game on their big screen. They have good drink prices and fast service.
The Mix, 2423 N Saint Marys St, (210) 735-1313
The Mix is a great bar just north of downtown with a college atmosphere. There is always a crowd for the game, and you can expect a fantastic party afterwards. They have great drinks, great bartenders, and eclectic patrons. Drinks are at happy hour prices during the game.
Hooligan’s, 13920 N Ih 35, (210) 654-4444
Hooligan’s is another great place with friendly staff. There are many televisions so that you will always have a good view, plenty of good people, and good drink specials. The NBA playoffs are a great excuse to visit this sports bar. You’ll have fun too.
