20 sports bars in the Detroit area to catch a big game

By Metro Times editorial staff on Fri, Mar 25, 2022 at 12:01 pm

If you ask someone to name a holiday in the spring, the average person might say Easter.

If you ask a Detroiter to name a holiday in the spring, they'll likely say Opening Day.

It doesn't matter if you like baseball or not, any opportunity to gather with fellow Detroiters and day drink while cheering for anything is a seasonal rite of passage (stares in Detroit Lions tailgate).

Whether it's the Pistons, Lions, Tigers, or Red Wings, Detroiters are down for a good game day to support the home team.

These local sports bars are guaranteed to be great place to celebrate, because as the saying goes, "win or lose, we still booze."

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Google Maps

Tommy's Detroit Bar & Grill

624 3rd Ave., Detroit; 313-965-2269

Not only is Tommy's a great spot to grab a drink and watch a fight, the pub offers a free shuttle service to big sporting and concert events.

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Thomas Magee's / Facebook

Thomas Magee's Sporting House

1408 E. Fisher Service Dr., Detroit; 313-263-4342; thomasmagees.com

If there are two things Thomas Magee's knows well, it's sports and whiskey. This old school sports bar is right in Eastern Market and great for any game.

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Google Maps

Harry's Detroit

2482 Clifford St., Detroit; 313-964-1575; harrysdetroit.com

Harry's Detroit is steps away from Little Caesars Arena, but if you're there for a Tigers or Lions game, their shuttle can get you there.

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Google Maps

Detroiter Bar

655 Beaubien Blvd., Detroit; 313-963-3355

It's in the name, the Detroiter Bar is definitely a spot for Detroiters to go and enjoy the game. Just steps away from Greektown, this full-service bar has a lot to offer.

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Google Maps

J's Penalty Box

22726 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-398-4070; jspenaltyboxferndale.com

Sure, a penalty box is where a hockey player doesn't want to end up during a high stakes game, but quite the opposite is true for Detroit sports fans at J's Penalty Box. This Ferndale sports bar offers drink specials for every Tigers Home Run and ever Red Wings goal. Everyone's a winner here.

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Google Maps

HopCat

4265 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-769-8828; hopcat.com/detroit

Go for the game and stay for HopCat's Cosmik fries — it's that simple.

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Google Maps

Cutter's Bar & Grill

2638 Orleans St., Detroit; 313-393-0960; cuttersdetroit.com

Cutter's is known for their burgers, but the Eastern Market location means it's only minutes away from Detroit's major stadiums.

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Google Maps

The Rock on 3rd

112 E. 3rd St., Royal Oak; 248-542-7625; rockon3rd.com

When it comes to sports bars in downtown Royal Oak, The Rock on 3rd is the place to be. The bar serves over 130 craft beers, and while the burgers might have everyone talking, their reuben isn't bad either.

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Google Maps

Basement Burger Bar

1326 Brush St., Detroit; 313-818-3708; basementburgerbar.com

Basement Burger Bar is located within walking distance of Ford Field and Comerica Park. It's hard to be displeased here, because you can build your own burger, or choose one of their ready made recipes.

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Google Maps

McShane's

1460 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-961-1960; mcshanepub.com

Chances are if it's a big game, you can watch it at McShane's. The bar often shares a schedule of the games it plans to air on their Facebook page.

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Google Maps

Ciccarelli's Premier Sports Club & Eatery

46793 Hayes Rd, Shelby Twp.; 586-247-2223; ciccarellis-22-sportsbar.com A sports bar founded by an NHL Hall of Famer? That's Ciccarelli's. It's owned by former Detroit Red Wings player Dino Ciccarelli.

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Google Maps

Starter's Bar & Grill

4501 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-831-3100; startersdetroit.com

Burgers are a great game day food, but at Starters Bar & Grill, the food options extend to lamb chops, catfish, and steak bites. There isn't much better than a great game and great food.

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Google Maps

Nancy Whiskey

2644 Harrison St., Detroit; 313-962-4247

Nancy Whiskey is like an all purpose bar, yes, we love it on St. Patrick's Day, but we love it just the same for Opening Day.

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Google Maps

Tony's Sports Bar

23500 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-545-2920; tbsferndale.com

Tony's Sports Bar has been a local favorite for decades, and you can find great specials at this pub/

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Google Maps

Andrews on the Corner

201 Joseph Campau Ave., Detroit; 313-259-8325; andrewsonthecorner.com

Andrews on the Corner has a rep for great food and great service, which is key for hanging out on any game day.

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Google Maps

Mr. Joe's Sports Bar & Grill

26077 W. 12 Mile Rd., Southfield; 248-356-7133; mrjoesbar.com

Mr. Joe's Sports Bar has everything you could desire on a game day menu. They also offer a selection of vegetarian and vegan food options.

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Google Maps

TAP at MGM Grand Detroit

1777 3rd Ave., Detroit; 313-465-1234; mgmgranddetroit.com

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Google Maps

Nemo's

1384 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-965-3180; nemosdetroit.com

For years, our readers voted Nemo's as the best bar to go to before a Lions game. Honestly, it doesn't matter who's playing, Nemo's is the ultimate Detroit game day hotspot.

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