South Tampa has a large sports following… sports bar following that is. The Tampa Bay area is a melting pot of college students and people from all over, so the fan base is extensive. Residents of South Tampa seem to thrive off of getting hammered on “Sunday fundays” while watching their team play one weekend after the next.
Due to the large population of college students interested in the NCAA, and most prominently the NFL, sports bars have profited from this growing interest in viewing the games in a social setting. Four of the best sports bars in the South Tampa area are Yard of Ale, Brick House Tavern & Tap, Press Box and Four Green Fields.
Yard of Ale –
One of the most recent additions to the happening and always hectic South Howard Avenue in Hyde Park is the newly renovated Yard of Ale, (formerly Cork.) This sports bar has become a staple for UT students on Friday nights and particularly Sunday afternoons.
During the weekend, the restaurant/bar opens at noon and is full by 12:30 p.m. No wonder—one of the most enticing factors of a Sunday spent at Yard is its college-friendly, but most of all budget-friendly specials. Comin’ in hot is 50-cent wings all day, baby. Whether you like traditional, regular wings, barbeque or buffalo, you’re in for an absolutely mouth-watering meal.
And they’re not done; Yard also offers $2.50 Miller Lite drafts and $3 Blue Moons all day and night long. Yard of Ale’s entertainment is endless. The outdoor area is filled with two giant games that were once meant for our childhood, yet now have turned into drunken frenzies.
Football fans play round after round of Connect Four during commercials, and make an attempt at Jenga until the last foot-long wooden block hits the ground.
“I think I’ve spent the last ten Sundays in a row at Yard,” said 23-year-old Steve Sera. “It’s the spot to be, I usually go with a group of guys and watch whatever game is on. I have fallen in love with their buffalo wings.”
Yard of Ale is open from 4 p.m.– 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 2:30 p.m. – 3 a.m. on Friday, and noon to 3 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday – located at 406 South Howard Avenue.
Brick House Tavern & Tap –
Brick House is an atypical type of sports bar. Most bars classically feature a large indoor bar and plenty of bar stools, while Brick House has an outdoor seating section accompanied by sizeable, encompassing fire pits. On the inside, there are more than enough plush couches to settle in to for a four-hour game. There are over 50 plasma HD flat screen TVs that accommodate any patron seated in the house.
Nicole Monkarsh, a University of South Florida student has been waiting tables at the Brick House for a little under a year now and has experienced the restaurant throughout it all. “Football season is definitely our busiest time of year,” said Monkarsh. “It’s nuts, we get fans for every team. Sometimes it’s so packed, I can barely get through the customers!”
Monkarsh hinted at the fact that there is no shortage of alcohol. “We have a total of 72 beers, with over 25 on tap and a full wine and liquor bar. People usually end up ordering a Bud Light ‘beer bong’, which serves about 12 beers per table.”
Their menu has an eclectic selection with not your usual snacks, and main dishes that aren’t seen at just any ol’ sports bar. Their top selling appetizers are the salivating deviled eggs, the large soft pretzel bites, fried stuffed olives and their zucchini curls.
Brick House regular Eric Provitola, a 23-year-old UT alum, said, “You gotta try the steak and shrooms or the chicken and waffles. I’ve been to the Brick for over a handful of Sunday games and trust me, I know the menu.”
Another hectic time at the Brick is during their happy hour, which is Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. $1 beers are served along with $3 dollar glasses of house wines.
The Brick House Tavern & Tap is located at 1102 North Dale Mabry Highway. Brick is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and on Sunday they close at midnight.
Press Box –
A great local bar that is a sports emporium and hosts the Tampa Bay Buccaneer players during their off-season time is the Press Box. This South Tampa gem has been a No. 1 sports destination for over 20 years.
With 23 TVs that all have access to the NFL Ticket, ESPN Game Plan, NHL Center Ice, NBA League Pass, ESPN Full Court Press, MLS/ESPN Shootout and WNBA Season Pass, there is approximately a zero percent chance that the game you’re trying to watch won’t be on.
When it comes to specials, the Press Box is an ideal destination for college students. Monday through Friday, long neck bottle beers are only $1.50. With nine flavors of wings and $5.99 burgers, a kid just can’t go wrong.
“The Press Box is probably the ultimate sports bar, it makes you feel like you’re a part of the game almost,” said Shane Bush, a 22-year-old senior at UT. “I love going there, there’s always a big crowd. The way the bar is set up helps a lot too, because no matter where you’re sitting you have a solid view of a TV.”
The interior of the bar is painted football-turf green, and mock score boards surround the dining area. It is easy to see how sports oriented the Press Box truly is. This sports bar is so dedicated to its customers, that on every Tuesday between 6 and 9 p.m., a Bucs player comes in to hang out and chat with fans.
If you’re looking to have an authentic sporting experience, head down to the Press Box located at 222 South Dale Mabry Highway. The Press Box is open 11 a.m. – 3 a.m. Monday through Sunday.
Four Greens
If you’re looking for the authentic Irish experience, look no further than Four Green Fields. The pub has a location in Boston, but its sister pub here in Tampa on 205 West Platt Street is famous for being the only thatched-roof pub in America. Outside the deck invites an outdoor experience, inside you can admire the roof’s handiwork. A massive bar, smattering of tables featuring the Isle herself and a small corner stage with guitars set up and Irish songs blasting from the surrounding speakers all set the mood. The walls are covered with everything from Sinead O’Conner to Dublin’s football teams, and the lights stay dimmed. Order a pint of Guinness (they claim theirs is the best you’ll have on this side of the pond) and the fish and chips, or their famous Rueben sandwich (each are about $10). The portions are generous and the waiting staff set the atmosphere with trademark Irish hospitality. Depending on the night, there is live music to enjoy with authentic musicians crooning anything from war songs of the 1600s to present ballads cursing the drink and loose women. For the good prices and amazing atmosphere, you might just close your eyes and believe you’re thousands of miles away.
Four Green Fields is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 3 a.m.