Get your brackets ready. The 2022 men’s NCAA tournament starts Tuesday, March 15, while the women’s version launches Wednesday, March 16.
Bars with Outdoor Televisions
The Brig
1007 Eighth St., SE
This massive beer garden perched between Barracks Row and Navy Yard doesn’t just have outdoor televisions—there’s a 25-foot projector for the biggest of the big games. Also good for fans: early opening hours: 11 AM on weekends and 3 PM on weekdays.
Cleveland Park Bar & Grill
3421 Connecticut Ave., NW
Head to the rooftop of this neighborhood hangout for outdoor viewing—it opens at noon on weekends. Inside, fans will find 40-plus screens, food and drink specials, and GambetDC kiosks for making wagers.
Dirty Water
816 H St., NE
The H Street corridor watering hole boasts 23 televisions and projector screens, including viewing spots outside. Doors open early for games around noon, Thursday through Sunday, plus open bar specials and discounted drinks.
Dudley’s
2766 S. Arlington Mill Dr., Arlington
If you’re looking for happy hour deals, this big Shirlington sports pub is a good option. It offers $10 beer pitchers, burgers, and pizza from 3 to 6 PM. And there’s a rooftop for watching games.
Duffy’s
2153 P St., NW
Ten flatscreens—including one outside—and legal cash sports betting with bar payouts make Duffy’s a popular sports spot. Deal seekers can find good happy hour specials (include $7 Guinness 20-ouncers), and half-price wings on Wednesdays.
Ivy & Coney
1537 Seventh St., NW
Shaw’s lowkey hangout for Chicago and Detroit expats—and anyone who likes cheap drinks, hot dogs, and thick pizza—opens at 11 AM Friday, March 11 for the Big Ten Tournament. Fans can also fill out their men’s and women’s March Madness brackets for a chance to win prizes. An added bonus: the outdoor bar with a projector.
Jack Rose Dining Saloon
2007 18th St., NW
While it’s not a sports bar, the Adams Morgan whiskey mecca draws plenty of fans to its heated, semi-open terrace (it opens at 5 PM during the week, and 4 PM on weekends). You’ll find televisions behind the bar and a projector screen, plus a happy hour menu until 7:30 PM.
Lou’s City Bar
1400 Irving St., NW
The popular sports hub in Columbia Heights boasts 23 HDTVs, 30 taps, and a heated outdoor patio with even more televisions for catching the action. Their loyalties run local—so head over tonight (Thursday, March 10) for a Maryland basketball watch party at 6:30 PM, and whenever the Terps play.
The Midlands
3333 Georgia Ave., NW
Park View’s spacious beer garden will broadcast every game throughout March Madness—and there are 15 TVs and a big-screen projector between the indoor bar and outdoor drink garden. Fans can reserve outdoor fire-pit tables and picnic tables, nosh on nachos and other pub fare, and bring their furry friends.
Penn Quarter Sports Tavern
639 Indiana Ave., NW
A fan favorite since 2004, this Penn Quarter spot features two bars, ample TVs, and a patio. There are only a few tables with viewing access outdoors, so if you need open air, make sure to get there early.
Walter’s Sports Bar
10 N St. SE
The 20+ pour-your-own beer taps aren’t the only draw at Navy Yard’s locally owned sports bar—there’s a heated patio with televisions for catching games. Inside, you’ll find more screens, plus food that goes beyond wings (though they’re delicious) like shrimp n’ grits and steak frites. See which games they’re showing on their helpful online guide.
Fun Sports Bars
The Big Stick
20 M Street, SE
Navy Yard’s “sports bar for sports fans” is all about brats, beer, and games on a dozen televisions.
Church Hall
1070 Wisconsin Ave NW
This fancy-ish Georgetown sports bar is serving all-day specials for March Madness, including $4 ‘Gannset pints (and $8 liters), $5 loaded fries, and $4 green tea shots (which are probably not as virtuous as they sound). Also look for a “reverse happy hour” starting at 9 PM on Thursdays.
Franklin Hall
1348 Florida Ave., NW
Church Hall’s sibling beer hall near the 14th and U Street corridors is open early for all March Madness games on nine big screen TVs. In addition to 24 drafts and fun frozen drinks, look for specials like $4 Miller Lites and $6 Dogfish IPAs. To eat: grilled sausages and lots of crispy stuff like mac n’ cheese bites and wings.
The Game
2411 18th St., NW
Jo-Jo Valenzuela’s Adams Morgan hangout is a great place to watch sports—and an even better destination for Filipino food. Come for the hoops, stay for the lumpia.
Public Bar Live
1214 18th St., NW
In a city rife with $18 cocktails, Public’s $2 Bud Light deal is shockingly good (as shockingly good as Bud can ever be). Also: $2 tater tots! Only on Tuesdays. Every other day, you’ll find all the March Madness action on 40-plus televisions.
Punch Bowl Social Arlington
4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
The Ballston Quarter game bar opens at 11 AM Wednesday through Friday, and 10 AM on Saturday and Sunday, making it a good spot for catching games at all hours. Plus, you can play your own games like ping pong and bowling while still catching the action from multiple TVs and a 360-degree bar.
Stoney’s
1433 P St. NW
It’s all about the wings and super grilled cheese at this popular Logan Circle pub, which can be a low-key place to watch.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
