There’s watching football…and then there’s GOING OUT to watch football.
You get the group text going. Round up the crew. Throw on the jersey that you’re convinced is somehow responsible for whether your team wins or loses, and head to the sports bar.
Now you’ve got an ice-cold beer sweating in front of you, wings by the dozen, a plate of nachos that could feed a small New Hampshire town, and approximately 37 TVs showing every game imaginable.
Then your team scores and suddenly you’re high-fiving a complete stranger named Steve like you two went to college together. THAT is football season.
So I asked New Hampshire where you go when you want to get off the couch, get together with friends and properly lose your mind over football.
Credit: Thirsty Moose Taphouse Dover via FacebookCredit: Thirsty Moose Taphouse Dover via Facebook
1. Dover: Thirsty Moose Taphouse
83 Washington St., Dover
The Thirsty Moose is an easy Dover pick. It’s got that traditional sports-bar formula: lots of TVs from different angles, a massive draft selection and the kind of food you want in front of you for three hours of football. The chain advertises more than 100 tap lines.
Credit: TJ’s of Portsmouth via FacebookCredit: TJ’s of Portsmouth via Facebook
2. Portsmouth: TJ’s Food and Spirits
54 Daniel St., Portsmouth
TJ’s calls itself a sports spot, and this one came directly from the listeners.
Allison Marie** didn’t exactly leave room for interpretation when she nominated:
“Tj’s of Portsmouth!!!!!!!”
Seven exclamation points? Allison appears to feel strongly about this.
“TJ’s got so many exclamation points in the listener recommendation that I’m afraid NOT to include it.”
Credit: Thirsty Mose Taphouse Portsmouth via FacebookCredit: Thirsty Mose Taphouse Portsmouth via Facebook
3. Portsmouth: Thirsty Moose Taphouse
21 Congress St., Portsmouth
The downtown Portsmouth Moose gives you lots of TVs, including some very large screens, plus that enormous beer selection. It’s exactly what you want when your group wants to follow more than one game. ([Thirsty Moose Taphouse][1])
“A good sports bar should have enough TVs that you accidentally start caring about Jaguars-Titans.”
Credit: The Brook via FacebookCredit: The Brook via Facebook
4. Seabrook: The Brook
319 New Zealand Rd., Seabrook
This one came with perhaps the most detailed listener sales pitch.
Cristine Nadeau recommended The Brook for its indoor wall screen, outdoor deck, food options and bartenders.
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And unlike the neighborhood-bar picks, The Brook is a much larger entertainment complex with a sportsbook and multiple food options.
“An entire WALL screen? Great. I wanted to see the quarterback’s pores anyway.”
Credit: Billys Sportsbar via FacebookCredit: Billys Sportsbar via Facebook
5. Manchester: Billy’s Sports Bar & Grill
34 Tarrytown Rd., Manchester
Billy’s has been around since 1991, and it’s about as straightforward as this list gets: sports, lots of screens, wings and American bar food.
More importantly, the listeners backed it up.
Laura Jane answered simply, “Billy’s.”
“Billy’s got multiple votes. Democracy has spoken. Order the wings.”
Credit: Shoppers Pub + Eatery via FacebookCredit: Shoppers Pub + Eatery via Facebook
6. Manchester: Shoppers Pub + Eatery
18 Lake Ave., Manchester
Shoppers is the TV-overload option. It’s a genuine downtown sports bar built around beer, pizza, burgers, wings and watching games.
“I don’t necessarily NEED 18 TVs. But once you’ve told me there are 18 TVs, suddenly 12 feels embarrassing.”
Credit: Sunstone Brewing Compnay via FacebookCredit: Sunstone Brewing Compnay via Facebook
7. Londonderry: Sunstone Brewing Company
298 Rockingham Rd., Londonderry
This may be the best find from the Facebook comments.
Kelley Puksta recommended Sunstone, saying it has great beer, but then casually dropped this information:
“Sunday is all you can eat wings, redzone and pats!”
Excuse me? All-you-can-eat wings, RedZone AND the Patriots? This isn’t a brewery. It’s adult daycare.
Credit: Revolution Taproom & Grill via FacebookCredit: Revolution Taproom & Grill via Facebook
8. Rochester: Revolution Taproom & Grill
61 N. Main St., Rochester
Revolution gives the list something a little different. It’s more gastropub than stereotypical sports bar, with 40-plus rotating beers on tap, wood-fired pizza and a much broader food menu.
But Stacey McBreairty Marchionni specifically shouted out “Revolution Taproom & Grill in Rochester!” when we asked listeners where they like to watch.
“Rochester has entered the chat, and apparently they brought 40 beers.”
Credit: Eastside Tavern via FacebookCredit: Eastside Tavern via Facebook
9. Rochester: Eastside Tavern
43 Highland St., Rochester
Eastside is much closer to the classic sports-bar experience: plenty of TVs, pool, food, drinks and live entertainment.
And here’s what caught my attention: two different listeners mentioned it.
Jodi Landry recommended Eastside Tavern, and later Steven Fleming independently gave it another vote.
“Eastside got mentioned twice. At this point Rochester is aggressively lobbying for representation.”
Credit: Muddy River SmokehouseCredit: Muddy River Smokehouse
10. Newfields: Muddy River Smokehouse
70 NH-108, Newfields
Now we’re speaking my language: football AND barbecue.
Muddy River itself jumped into the chat and said it has seven TVs plus half-price wings, pizza and more.
Then Ashley Harrington independently commented “Muddy River Smokehouse ”… so the restaurant wasn’t alone in nominating itself.
The current Newfields location combines slow-smoked meats, brick-oven pizza, a full bar and TVs for sports. I’d just confirm that the half-price deal is current before stating it as an ongoing Sunday special.
“Half-price wings during football? You had me at ‘half.’ Everything after that was just showing off.”*
And Then There’s Andrew…
When we asked where people watch football, Andrew Scott responded:
“I’m 40 w 2 kids and a wife so my couch”
“Andrew, I asked for New Hampshire’s best sports bar, not the most painfully accurate answer on Facebook.”
So apparently the #1 sports bar in New Hampshire may actually be your living room. No closing time, no tab, and the bartender is wildly underqualified.
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