‘Tis the season for college basketball. Whether you prefer a cozy tavern or the hubbub of a huge noisy bar, Washington DC is home to many best bets to catch the latest college basketball game. Gather your friends and head on out to one of there great bars.
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Hours: Mon to Fri – 11 a.m. to close, Sat and Sun – 10 a.m. to close
With more than 15 high definition televisions, including two 60-inch plasma televisions and a “TV wall,” you won’t miss a single minute of college basketball action at this popular downtown bar. The bar subscribes to numerous sports packages – from hockey to basketball and just about every sport in between. Pour House also features an upscale martini lounge, a game room full of traditional and modern-day favorites like darts, skeeball, shuffleboard and a Wii Plus . It also offers dozens of food and drink specials to munch on while you watch the game. Enjoy bar favorites like nachos, sliders, baked mac and cheese and much more.
Hours: Mon to Thurs – 5 p.m. to close, Sat and Sun – 12 p.m. to close
If you’re looking for a bar where everyone knows your name, head on over to Ventnor Sports Cafe. Regulars love the southern hospitality vibe and many delicious menu items including the breakfast burger, buffalo chicken sandwich and the bottomless mimosas and bloody Mary’s available each weekend. Ventnor Sports Cafe also features plenty of televisions as well as bartenders who are happy to change the channel to the game of your choosing. The best part? Free popcorn.
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Hours: Tues to Thurs, Sun – 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., Fri and Sat – 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Catch the game, and rub elbows with Capitol Hill staffers, at this happening downtown sports bar. Named “one of the best outdoor spaces” by the Washington Post, Union Pub features plenty of comfortable indoor and outdoor seating, daily food and drink specials and access to more than 20 flat screen televisions, a 50-inch high definition plasma television and a 100-inch high definition projection television. Cornhuskers fans are highly welcomed to the pub though the bar emphasizes they feature all major sporting events too. Enjoy traditional American-fare brunch, lunch, dinner and delicious pizza pies.
Hours: Daily – 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Venture over to the other side of the Potomac River and pay a visit to Crystal City Sports Pub, the destination for college basketball action. The pub features more than 100 televisions including numerous LCD televisions,a state-of-the-art sound system and multiple projection televisions. The multi-level pub also features one level for fun bar games like billiards, darts and old school arcade favorites like Ms. Pac-man. The second level features multiple flat screen televisions, more fun games like foosball and a pinball machine plus tons of comfortable seating. After college basketball ends, enjoy trivia nights and food specials.
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Hours: Mon to Wed – 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., Thurs – 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Fri and Sat – 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sun – 1 p.m. to 12 a.m.
When you’re known as the only Irish pub in the U Street Corridor, you know you have to bring on your A game. At Duffy’s Irish Pub, enjoy an ice cold Guinness, tasty buffalo wings and all the college basketball coverage you can handle. Duffy’s features daily food and drink specials, including glasses of wine for $3, trivia nights and even late night happy hour specials Monday through Wednesday until 1:30 a.m. Catch your favorite college basketball team on one of the pub’s 12 flat screen televisions.
Susan Diranian is a freelance writer living in Ashburn, VA. She is covering Travel & Outdoors. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.