Where can you watch the Super Bowl? Best restaurants, bars in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice
Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles. And while some of us may have already made plans to watch at home, it's hard to beat the experience of cheering on your team alongside fellow fans — and having someone else serve the food and drinks.
Luckily, we have plenty of standout sports bars and restaurants locally to watch the big game at. While all of these are places worth visiting for any game, several will host Super Bowl parties or offer Kansas City and Philadelphia food favorites such as barbecue and Philly cheesesteaks. Here are our recommendations for restaurants and bars to watch the Super Bowl in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice and Lakewood Ranch. Event details are subject to change.
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Bogey's Sports Pub
652 E. Venice Ave., Venice; 941-488-9156; bogeys.tv
The pub serving Venice area sports fans since 1998 will throw a Super Bowl party featuring an all-you-can-drink deal on select domestic drafts, house wines and well drinks, plus a special menu, raffles, 50/50 and more. Tickets cost $85 per person not including gratuity, with open seating first-come, first-served if available; call to make a reservation.
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Brewster's Tavern
1454 Main St., Sarasota; 941-343-2380; brewstersgastropub.com
The downtown Sarasota gastropub featuring a pub grub menu with everything from wings to burgers to fried chicken sandwiches, as well as a variety of craft beers and cocktails, plans to celebrate the Super Bowl with a giveaway of a 65-inch, big-screen television.
Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub & Grill
6218 Cortez Road W., Bradenton; 941-794-2489; clancysirishsportspub.com
The hybrid sports bar and Irish pub in Bradenton will throw a Super Bowl party with pre-game starting at 2 p.m., live music by the Dr. Dave Band, baby back ribs and Philly cheesesteaks for Chiefs and Eagles fans, raffles and giveaways, domestic buckets for $15, and free Jell-O shots at halftime.
Ed's Tavern
10719 Rodeo Drive, Lakewood Ranch; 941-907-0400; edslakewoodranch.com
The Lakewood Ranch sports bar and restaurant hosts a Super Bowl party featuring an entree and appetizer, unlimited domestic drafts and house wine and liquor, and 50/50 raffle, prizes and giveaways. Tickets cost $70 per person; call and speak to a manager to reserve a seat if still available.
Evie's
multiple locations; eviesonline.com
The locally owned casual restaurant and bar chain with locations on downtown Sarasota's Main Street, on Bee Ridge Road, and in Ellenton (bar only) is one of the area's best-known spots for watching sports. Watching the game at home, but still in the mood for their wings or pizza? Try their recently opened convenience store/drive-thru Evie's on the Run.
Food + Beer
multiple locations; eatfooddrinkbeer.com
Another locally owned sports bar and restaurant with multiple locations — three in Sarasota at Gulf Gate, Fruitville Road and the Rosemary District, plus one in Bradenton and one in Venice — Food + Beer plans to offer barbecue brisket sandwich and Philly cheesesteak specials on Super Bowl Day, plus takeout-only wing and appetizer platters.
Gecko's Grill & Pub
multiple locations; geckosgrill.com
Another locally owned casual restaurant and bar chain, with six Sarasota and Manatee county locations, Gecko's will show the Super Bowl. Seating is limited, so customers reserve a seat with a $25 per person deposit and will receive a $25 gift card to use (must be present 15 minutes before kick-off), with a special football menu, giveaways and more.
MVP — My Village Pub
5200 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key; 941-777-6787; mvpsiestakey.com
The Siesta Key Village sports bar and restaurant operated by the locally owned Above the Bar Hospitality Group offering pub grub, plenty of beers on tap, and dozens of TVs will throw its fourth annual Super Bowl party, with $20 getting customers a guaranteed seat, plus raffles, games and goodies.
The Parrot Patio Bar & Grill
multiple locations, theparrots.com
The casual restaurant and bar with two locations in Sarasota and Bradenton is a popular place for watching sports thanks to its plethora of TVs and open-air patio. For Bills fans mourning not making the Super Bowl, The Parrot has owners hailing from Western New York and offers Buffalo favorites such as beef on weck and Buffalo wings.
Raffurty's Bar and Grill
1888 Main St., Sarasota; 941-260-5285; raffurtys.net
The two-floor downtown Sarasota sports bar and restaurant will feature raffles, giveaways and food and drink specials (with its regular menu already featuring a "Philly Balboa Cheesesteak.") Bar seating is first-come, first-served, but a projector screen will be up, so guests can bring lawn chairs and watch the game from the courtyard.
Slim's Place
9701 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria; 941-567-4056; slimsplaceami.com
Eagles fans should feel right at home at this spot on the northern end of Anna Maria Island, known for showing Philadelphia sports teams' games and its walls covered with Philly memorabilia. Their menu features plenty of the city's cuisine, too, including Philly pretzels or tots served with homemade cheese whiz, a Philly pizza and — of course — Philly cheesesteaks.
Wolves Head Pizza & Wings
1837 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch; 941-251-4028; wolvesheadpizza.com
The Lakewood Ranch restaurant and bar will host a Super Bowl party featuring free T-shirts, giveaways and raffles all night. Reserve a seat if still available, or order their hand-tossed New York-style pizza and wings for takeout for your Super Bowl Sunday, which the restaurant calls their "biggest wing day of the year."
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Best Super Bowl sports bars, restaurants Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice
