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The interior of Thomas Magee’s has dim lighting and flat-screen TVs hanging above the L-shaped bar full of customers.
Thomas Magee’s.
Gerard + Belevender

Catch the Game at These Sports Bars

Shuttle service and flat-screen TVs to root, root, root for the home team

by Eater Staff Updated
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Thomas Magee’s.
| Gerard + Belevender
by Eater Staff Updated

It's the fall sports season, time to hunker down with a few beers, a pub burger, and watch the game. Detroit has plenty of teams to cheer for the home teams (even if they’re having a lackluster season). From decades-old mainstays to promising newcomers, Detroit's bars cater to this town’s enthusiastic sports culture. Here are 15 spots for local sports fans to tune in and perhaps even hitch a free shuttle to the ballpark or stadium.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose a low-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.
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Tommy's Detroit Bar & Grill

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Housed in a building with a Prohibition past, this downtown favorite calls itself the city’s oldest bar. It’s a sports fan’s hotspot with complimentary shuttle service to all Red Wings, Lions, and Tigers games. The kitchen serves up bar food staples like wings, quesadillas, hot dogs, and burgers.

624 3rd St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-2269
(313) 965-2269

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Anchor Bar

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This longtime hockey bar on the west side of downtown Detroit recently changed hands and underwent a renovation. The updated menu features options like cheeseburgers, cheesesteaks, and chicken tenders. Anchor Bar serves specials on game days and offers a free shuttle to the ballpark and stadiums across town with a $10 purchase.

450 W Fort St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 964-9127
(313) 964-9127
A cheeseburger in a red basket with parchment paper, and potato chips surrounded by cocktails. Anchor Bar [Official photo]

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McShane's Irish Pub & Whiskey Bar

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This sprawling Corktown bar is popular with sports fans thanks to its lengthy beer list, extensive pub food menu, and flat-screen TVs. Choose from options like corned beef egg rolls or the McShane burger with caramelized onions, cheddar, mushrooms, and bacon. Then hop on the bar shuttle to Ford Field for the Lions’ games. On weekends, there’s brunch.

1460 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 961-1960
(313) 961-1960

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Nemo's Bar

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Talk with any longtime sports fan in the city and chances are they’ll have a heyday story from Nemo’s during the Roar of ’84. This half-century-old Michigan Avenue institution has been through it all. Browse the championship newspapers plastered on the walls while enjoying burgers and beer.

1384 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-3180
(313) 965-3180
The inside of the bar shows championship newspapers hung on the brick wall. There are two dining tables with chair in front of the wall. Gerard + Belevender

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Tap Sports Bar

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Located inside the MGM Grand, TAP sports bar offers a relaxed dining atmosphere in a pub dedicated to sports. From top to bottom, TAP is decorated in memorabilia and offers 60 flat-screen TVs, so you’ll be hard-pressed to miss a touchdown. The restaurant tends to fill up quickly on big game days, so get there early.

1777 3rd St, Detroit, MI 48226

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Detroiter Bar

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True to its name, the Detroiter has served locals for decades. Stop in for a few beers or one of its famous burgers before the game and grab a free shuttle to Comerica Park, Little Caesars Arena, or Ford Field.

649 Beaubien St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 963-3355
(313) 963-3355

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Firebird Tavern

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Doors open at Firebird at 9 a.m on game days for a tailgate that features mini cornhole, Xbox Madden, beer, food, and of course, football. Try the chicken and grits, the firebird sandwich, or a salad with a bloody Mary, but it’s best not to miss the poutine.

419 Monroe St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 782-4189
(313) 782-4189

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Lions VIP Tailgate

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A few blocks from Ford Field, the Lions VIP Tailgate is a spacious hangout that opened in September 2021 in the former space of Punch Bowl Social bar, restaurant, and bowling alley. For a flat fee, fans can get access to an open bar, a buffet, pre-game TV broadcasts, gaming stations, and a DJ.

1331 Broadway St, Detroit, MI 48226
(317) 800-5820
(317) 800-5820

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Cornerstone Barrel House

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Grab a seat at the long bar. The narrow restaurant and whiskey bar features plenty of TVs and a casual atmosphere for sampling beverages with plates of fish and chips and four-cheese macaroni.

1456 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 338-3238
(313) 338-3238
A TV hanging on a brick wall behind the bar at Cornerstone Barrel House is tuned in to a basketball game. Gerard + Belevender

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Basement Burger Bar

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The Greektown-area outpost of Farmington favorite Basement Burger Bar is popular with sports fans grabbing a bite before a game or tuning in on TV. Whether customers are in the mood for a straight-forward cheeseburger or a bison patty piled high with barbecue sauce and onion straws, this place has a burger to suit the occasion.

1326 Brush St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 818-3708
(313) 818-3708

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Elwood Bar & Grill

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If shoulder-to-shoulder crowds aren’t your thing, Elwood maybe isn’t the place. A stone's throw away from Comerica and Ford Field means this historic Art Moderne diner is a hot commodity on game days, which is the only time they’re open now as they plan a remodel for 2022. Check the open times before stopping in for good beer and a quick bite.

300 E Adams Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 962-2337
(313) 962-2337

Harry's Detroit

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Cass Corridor holdout Harry's Bar is a favorite meeting point for sports fans headed downtown. The spot boasts a full bar and a menu with choices ranging from jalapeño popper egg rolls to Reuben sandwiches. The TVs are always tuned to the current match and Harry’s shuttle service ferries fans to the major Detroit arenas during home games. There’s also a weekend brunch.

2482 Clifford St, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 964-1575
(313) 964-1575

Thomas Magee's Sporting House

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An old-school destination for whiskey and sports, Thomas Magee's is Eastern Market's answer to the sports bar genre. Follow all the local professional teams on the bar's ample TV screens plus Liverpool soccer, Spartans football, and more. Want to know what’s on the TV here? Follow the lineup is on the bar’s website.

1408 E Fisher Fwy, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 263-4342
(313) 263-4342
The interior of Thomas Magee’s has dim lighting and flat-screen TVs hanging above the L-shaped bar full of customers. Gerard + Belevender

Also featured in:

Cutters Bar & Grill

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This sports bar and grill offers four sizes of old-school burgers, including a towering 32-ounce sandwich that can be easily split between three or four hungry friends. Other favorites at this bar, which serves a diverse clientele, include the steak bites served with fries and thick slices of Texas toast.

2638 Orleans St, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 393-0960
(313) 393-0960
A burger with two thick patties and three buns, is held together with a steak knife and surrounded by french fries on a plate.
Cutter’s
Gerard + Belevender

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HopCat

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While not strictly a neighborhood sports bar, HopCat's many, many beer taps as well as pub food and TVs make it a go-to spot in Midtown on game days. The gastropub’s location close to QLine stations also makes it easy to hop on public transport and head to the stadiums.

4265 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 769-8828
(313) 769-8828
Michelle and Chris Gerard

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Art & Jake's Sports Bar Sterling Heights

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Art and Jake’s is a sports bar with upscale eats typically not found in a sports bar. Sure, there’s burgers, nachos, and wings, but ribeye steak, baby back ribs, and Mediterranean salmon are served. Flat-screen TVs are everywhere you look — on the walls, bar, and are even on some tabletops. The bar and grill also has locations in Washington and Shelby Township.

44899 Mound Rd, Sterling Heights, MI 48314
(586) 739-7000
(586) 739-7000

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Tommy's Detroit Bar & Grill

624 3rd St, Detroit, MI 48226

Housed in a building with a Prohibition past, this downtown favorite calls itself the city’s oldest bar. It’s a sports fan’s hotspot with complimentary shuttle service to all Red Wings, Lions, and Tigers games. The kitchen serves up bar food staples like wings, quesadillas, hot dogs, and burgers.

624 3rd St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-2269
(313) 965-2269

Anchor Bar

450 W Fort St, Detroit, MI 48226
A cheeseburger in a red basket with parchment paper, and potato chips surrounded by cocktails. Anchor Bar [Official photo]

This longtime hockey bar on the west side of downtown Detroit recently changed hands and underwent a renovation. The updated menu features options like cheeseburgers, cheesesteaks, and chicken tenders. Anchor Bar serves specials on game days and offers a free shuttle to the ballpark and stadiums across town with a $10 purchase.

450 W Fort St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 964-9127
(313) 964-9127
A cheeseburger in a red basket with parchment paper, and potato chips surrounded by cocktails. Anchor Bar [Official photo]

McShane's Irish Pub & Whiskey Bar

1460 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

This sprawling Corktown bar is popular with sports fans thanks to its lengthy beer list, extensive pub food menu, and flat-screen TVs. Choose from options like corned beef egg rolls or the McShane burger with caramelized onions, cheddar, mushrooms, and bacon. Then hop on the bar shuttle to Ford Field for the Lions’ games. On weekends, there’s brunch.

1460 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 961-1960
(313) 961-1960

Nemo's Bar

1384 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
The inside of the bar shows championship newspapers hung on the brick wall. There are two dining tables with chair in front of the wall. Gerard + Belevender

Talk with any longtime sports fan in the city and chances are they’ll have a heyday story from Nemo’s during the Roar of ’84. This half-century-old Michigan Avenue institution has been through it all. Browse the championship newspapers plastered on the walls while enjoying burgers and beer.

1384 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-3180
(313) 965-3180
The inside of the bar shows championship newspapers hung on the brick wall. There are two dining tables with chair in front of the wall. Gerard + Belevender

Tap Sports Bar

1777 3rd St, Detroit, MI 48226

Located inside the MGM Grand, TAP sports bar offers a relaxed dining atmosphere in a pub dedicated to sports. From top to bottom, TAP is decorated in memorabilia and offers 60 flat-screen TVs, so you’ll be hard-pressed to miss a touchdown. The restaurant tends to fill up quickly on big game days, so get there early.

1777 3rd St, Detroit, MI 48226

Detroiter Bar

649 Beaubien St, Detroit, MI 48226

True to its name, the Detroiter has served locals for decades. Stop in for a few beers or one of its famous burgers before the game and grab a free shuttle to Comerica Park, Little Caesars Arena, or Ford Field.

649 Beaubien St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 963-3355
(313) 963-3355

Firebird Tavern

419 Monroe St, Detroit, MI 48226

Doors open at Firebird at 9 a.m on game days for a tailgate that features mini cornhole, Xbox Madden, beer, food, and of course, football. Try the chicken and grits, the firebird sandwich, or a salad with a bloody Mary, but it’s best not to miss the poutine.

419 Monroe St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 782-4189
(313) 782-4189

Lions VIP Tailgate

1331 Broadway St, Detroit, MI 48226

A few blocks from Ford Field, the Lions VIP Tailgate is a spacious hangout that opened in September 2021 in the former space of Punch Bowl Social bar, restaurant, and bowling alley. For a flat fee, fans can get access to an open bar, a buffet, pre-game TV broadcasts, gaming stations, and a DJ.

1331 Broadway St, Detroit, MI 48226
(317) 800-5820
(317) 800-5820

Cornerstone Barrel House

1456 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
A TV hanging on a brick wall behind the bar at Cornerstone Barrel House is tuned in to a basketball game. Gerard + Belevender

Grab a seat at the long bar. The narrow restaurant and whiskey bar features plenty of TVs and a casual atmosphere for sampling beverages with plates of fish and chips and four-cheese macaroni.

1456 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 338-3238
(313) 338-3238
A TV hanging on a brick wall behind the bar at Cornerstone Barrel House is tuned in to a basketball game. Gerard + Belevender

Basement Burger Bar

1326 Brush St, Detroit, MI 48226

The Greektown-area outpost of Farmington favorite Basement Burger Bar is popular with sports fans grabbing a bite before a game or tuning in on TV. Whether customers are in the mood for a straight-forward cheeseburger or a bison patty piled high with barbecue sauce and onion straws, this place has a burger to suit the occasion.

1326 Brush St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 818-3708
(313) 818-3708

Elwood Bar & Grill

300 E Adams Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

If shoulder-to-shoulder crowds aren’t your thing, Elwood maybe isn’t the place. A stone's throw away from Comerica and Ford Field means this historic Art Moderne diner is a hot commodity on game days, which is the only time they’re open now as they plan a remodel for 2022. Check the open times before stopping in for good beer and a quick bite.

300 E Adams Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 962-2337
(313) 962-2337

Harry's Detroit

2482 Clifford St, Detroit, MI 48201

Cass Corridor holdout Harry's Bar is a favorite meeting point for sports fans headed downtown. The spot boasts a full bar and a menu with choices ranging from jalapeño popper egg rolls to Reuben sandwiches. The TVs are always tuned to the current match and Harry’s shuttle service ferries fans to the major Detroit arenas during home games. There’s also a weekend brunch.

2482 Clifford St, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 964-1575
(313) 964-1575

Thomas Magee's Sporting House

1408 E Fisher Fwy, Detroit, MI 48207
The interior of Thomas Magee’s has dim lighting and flat-screen TVs hanging above the L-shaped bar full of customers. Gerard + Belevender

An old-school destination for whiskey and sports, Thomas Magee's is Eastern Market's answer to the sports bar genre. Follow all the local professional teams on the bar's ample TV screens plus Liverpool soccer, Spartans football, and more. Want to know what’s on the TV here? Follow the lineup is on the bar’s website.

1408 E Fisher Fwy, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 263-4342
(313) 263-4342
The interior of Thomas Magee’s has dim lighting and flat-screen TVs hanging above the L-shaped bar full of customers. Gerard + Belevender

Cutters Bar & Grill

2638 Orleans St, Detroit, MI 48207
A burger with two thick patties and three buns, is held together with a steak knife and surrounded by french fries on a plate.
Cutter’s
Gerard + Belevender

This sports bar and grill offers four sizes of old-school burgers, including a towering 32-ounce sandwich that can be easily split between three or four hungry friends. Other favorites at this bar, which serves a diverse clientele, include the steak bites served with fries and thick slices of Texas toast.

2638 Orleans St, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 393-0960
(313) 393-0960
A burger with two thick patties and three buns, is held together with a steak knife and surrounded by french fries on a plate.
Cutter’s
Gerard + Belevender

HopCat

4265 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
Michelle and Chris Gerard

While not strictly a neighborhood sports bar, HopCat's many, many beer taps as well as pub food and TVs make it a go-to spot in Midtown on game days. The gastropub’s location close to QLine stations also makes it easy to hop on public transport and head to the stadiums.

4265 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 769-8828
(313) 769-8828
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Related Maps

Art & Jake's Sports Bar Sterling Heights

44899 Mound Rd, Sterling Heights, MI 48314

Art and Jake’s is a sports bar with upscale eats typically not found in a sports bar. Sure, there’s burgers, nachos, and wings, but ribeye steak, baby back ribs, and Mediterranean salmon are served. Flat-screen TVs are everywhere you look — on the walls, bar, and are even on some tabletops. The bar and grill also has locations in Washington and Shelby Township.

44899 Mound Rd, Sterling Heights, MI 48314
(586) 739-7000
(586) 739-7000

Related Maps