Suffering From March Madness? Go to These Sports Bars to Get Treated ASAP

Spring is in the air and casual gambling is running rampant through your office — it must be time for March Madness! This is looking to be a pretty fun year to catch the basketball bug. Not only is the annual NCAA basketball tournament chock full of potential exciting matchups, but the local boys from St. John’s University in Queens are on fire right now and poised to make a deep run in the bracket. Plus, even if you’re not into sports, the tournament provides a great reason to embrace spring in one key way: dipping out on work to day drink and watch sports all day. Here are some spots in the district to do just that (and note that the tournament starts in earnest on March 20 at noon). 

Beckett’s Sports Bar 

The Stone Street pub is clearing out the last St. Paddy’s revelers to make room for tipoff crowds as the tournament starts this week. The bar opens at 10:30 a.m. every day, so you can get there early and get a good seat before the noon tipoff on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are plenty of viewing options to go around, with four 8-foot screens and 20 65-inch TVs across two floors. Plus, Beckett’s’ hearty pub fare will give you the stamina to follow all 64 teams. (81 Pearl St.)

Clinton Hall 

If the weather cooperates, Clinton Hall makes for an ideal hang for hours of hoops: its sprawling outdoor seating area is filled with TVs and games. The bar opens at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and 11 a.m. on weekends, giving you plenty of time to grab your spot, indoors or out, and get yourself one of the 19 craft beers on draft. If your bracket busts immediately, you can take yourself on a three-block walk to the Hudson waterfront and contemplate your decisions. (90 Washington St.)

Blue Haven South 

Blue Haven is known for being a, uh, haven for fans of the Liberty and a few other teams. But this month, it’ll be full of college hoops fans: The bar opens at 11 a.m. every day, and the walls are lined with TVs to catch all the action. On top of that, it’s hosting a pop-a-shot competition through March 19, and will host a watch party for the women’s NCAA Final Four as well. (121 Fulton St.)

Stout

The Lower Manhattan Stout NYC outpost, along with the local chain’s other spots in the city, will be going all out for St. John’s University. In addition to serving as a gathering place for fans of the Johnnie’s, Stout will be a great place to catch all the sprawling hoops action. The bar opens at 11:30 a.m. and encourages you to “redeem those sick days you have on reserve” to book a VIP party. (90 John St.)

Jeremy’s Ale House 

If you’re looking for a more intimate viewing experience instead of a big sports bar panopticon with 20 TVs, you should try Jeremy’s Ale House, the neighborhood’s beloved and long-standing dive (complete with bras hanging from the ceiling). The few TVs here will provide a much more focused in-game watch experience; but most importantly, the bar opens at noon every day. (228 Front St.)

Brickyard Craft Kitchen

Brickyard claims to have the longest bar table in the whole city — a measurement that would be incredibly difficult to verify, so we’ll take the bar’s word for it! Crucially, Brickyard also has 10 massive video walls, so you can watch all the hoops action from wherever you’re sitting. The bar opens at 11 a.m. every day; happy hour runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every weekday, too. (23 Park Pl.) 

Shoot your own shots 

If all this college basketball talk has got you feeling like you want to hit the court yourself, but you don’t really want to change into gym shorts, you’re in luck. Brookfield Place is hosting a free pop-a-shot games in the Winter Garden. Between 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., anyone can pop in to chuck some balls at the hoop, arcade-game style. The pop-up runs through March 23.

Also in Brookfield, Sixpoint Brewery is hosting its own pop-a-shot contest on March 23 for its Ballin’ Brunch event. The fun starts at 11 a.m. and features specialty basketball cups, brunch menu items and all the games on the TVs, with sound on so you don’t miss a buzzer-beating second of action. (230 Vesey St.)

photo: Beckett’s Sports Bar