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Where to Drink While Watching March Madness in Detroit

Time to bust some brackets

by Eater Staff and Mike Maurer
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by Eater Staff and Mike Maurer
Brocreative/Shutterstock

It’s March and that spells one thing for sports fans — college hoops. This year, Detroit is hosting a portion of the NCAA tournament on March 16 and March 18 at the Little Caesars Arena, meaning the city is feeling basketball fever more intensely than usual. Below find classic sports taverns tuning into the game on TV and ferrying fans to the stadium alongside a pop-up bar tents, here’s a guide to where to eat, drink, and watch March Madness in the Motor City.

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Z's Villa

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This family friendly restaurant and bar is located inside a century-old house just north of the stadium district in Milwaukee Junction. Z’s is favored by sports fans for its shuttle service and seasonal patio that features a beach volleyball court and horseshoes. On the menu find affordable pub food including Detroit-style square pizzas and Reuben sandwiches alongside lots of burgers. The TVs ensure patrons never miss a moment of the game.

42 Piquette Ave, Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 874-2680
(313) 874-2680
Z’s Villa/Facebook

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HopCat

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This popular Michigan-based beer bar chain offers ample taps and flat screens and it’s Midtown outpost happens to be conveniently close to Detroit’s stadiums. In terms of food, fans favor the restaurant’s so-called Crack Fries but it’s the broad selection of craft beers that keeps them coming back.

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

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Cutter’s Bar & Grill

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Eastern Market bar and grill Cutter’s makes some of the best (and biggest) burgers around alongside options like steak bites and club sandwiches. In addition to the excellent bar food, this spot boasts several flat screen TVs behind the counter for catching the game.

2638 Orleans St, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 393-0960
(313) 393-0960
Cutter's Michelle and Chris Gerard

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Thomas Magee's Sporting House Whiskey Bar

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A destination for whiskey and sports, Thomas Magee’s is Eastern Market’s answer to the sports bar genre. Follow all the local teams on the bar’s plentiful TV screens plus soccer, UFC, and beyond.

1408 E Fisher Service Dr, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 263-4342
(313) 263-4342
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Harry's

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Cass Corridor holdout Harry’s Bar is a favorite meeting point for sports fans headed to games downtown or at the neighboring Little Caesars Arena. The spot boasts a full bar, TVs tuned to the current match, and a shuttle service to the major Detroit arenas during home games.

2482 Clifford St, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 964-1575
(313) 964-1575
Karen N./Yelp

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Andrews on the Corner

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This 100-year-old watering hole in Detroit’s Rivertown Warehouse District is popular among sports fans of all stripes. During the NCAA March Madness tournament, customers can also catch a shuttle from the bar to the Little Caesars Arena. Andrew’s offers a wide range of pub food from Cajun fish and chips to cheeseburgers.

201 Jos Campau, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 259-8325
(313) 259-8325
Keri W./Yelp

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Detroiter Bar

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True to its name, the Detroiter has served locals for decades. Stop into this Greektown area sports bar for a few beers before the game and grab a shuttle to Comerica, Little Caesars Arena, or Ford Field. This spot offers traditional tavern food ranging from patty melts to coney dogs to gyros, plus lots of TVs for folks without a gameday ticket.

655 Beaubien St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 963-3355
(313) 963-3355
Detroiter Bar/Facebook

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Nemo's Bar

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Talk with any sports vet 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 sports bar has been through it all. Sit amongst the championship newspapers plastered on the walls while sipping a beer and make sure to order a burger. Don’t forget to bring cash.

1384 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-3180
(313) 965-3180
Michelle and Chris Gerard

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Briggs Detroit

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This LGBT-friendly sports bar offers lots of TVs and a full menu with everything from turkey burgers to four-cheese grilled cheeses to tater tots and spicy steak fries. Wash it all down with a pint of craft beer or a cocktail.

519 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 656-4820
(313) 656-4820
Briggs/Facebook

Tommy's Detroit Bar & Grill

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Housed in a building with a Prohibition past, this downtown tavern favorite serves up everything from Wigley’s corned beef sandwiches to andouille sausage-topped burgers on pretzel buns. Bonus: take advantage of the shuttle service to all Detroit sporting events.

624 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-2269
(313) 965-2269
Tommy’s/Francis Fotos/Facebook

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Beacon Park Sports Bar Tent

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March Madness revelers can huddle inside Beacon Park’s 10,000-square-foot heated tent throughout the NCAA basketball tournament in Detroit. Inside, sports fans can take advantage of the cash bar, skee-ball, and arcade games, while watching college hoops on a big screen. Food trucks will also be onsite.

1901 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 962-0101
(313) 962-0101
Michelle and Chris Gerard

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McShane's Irish Pub & Whiskey Bar

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Corktown Irish pub McShane’s is running shuttles to the March Madness tournaments at the Little Caesars Arena. Sports fans can also expect drink specials at the bar including cocktails starting at $3.50.

1460 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 961-1960
(313) 961-1960
McShane’s/Facebook

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Z's Villa

42 Piquette Ave, Detroit, MI 48202

This family friendly restaurant and bar is located inside a century-old house just north of the stadium district in Milwaukee Junction. Z’s is favored by sports fans for its shuttle service and seasonal patio that features a beach volleyball court and horseshoes. On the menu find affordable pub food including Detroit-style square pizzas and Reuben sandwiches alongside lots of burgers. The TVs ensure patrons never miss a moment of the game.

42 Piquette Ave, Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 874-2680
(313) 874-2680
Z’s Villa/Facebook

HopCat

4265 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

This popular Michigan-based beer bar chain offers ample taps and flat screens and it’s Midtown outpost happens to be conveniently close to Detroit’s stadiums. In terms of food, fans favor the restaurant’s so-called Crack Fries but it’s the broad selection of craft beers that keeps them coming back.

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

Cutter’s Bar & Grill

2638 Orleans St, Detroit, MI 48207

Eastern Market bar and grill Cutter’s makes some of the best (and biggest) burgers around alongside options like steak bites and club sandwiches. In addition to the excellent bar food, this spot boasts several flat screen TVs behind the counter for catching the game.

2638 Orleans St, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 393-0960
(313) 393-0960
Cutter's Michelle and Chris Gerard

Thomas Magee's Sporting House Whiskey Bar

1408 E Fisher Service Dr, Detroit, MI 48207

A destination for whiskey and sports, Thomas Magee’s is Eastern Market’s answer to the sports bar genre. Follow all the local teams on the bar’s plentiful TV screens plus soccer, UFC, and beyond.

1408 E Fisher Service Dr, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 263-4342
(313) 263-4342
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Harry's

2482 Clifford St, Detroit, MI 48201

Cass Corridor holdout Harry’s Bar is a favorite meeting point for sports fans headed to games downtown or at the neighboring Little Caesars Arena. The spot boasts a full bar, TVs tuned to the current match, and a shuttle service to the major Detroit arenas during home games.

2482 Clifford St, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 964-1575
(313) 964-1575
Karen N./Yelp

Andrews on the Corner

201 Jos Campau, Detroit, MI 48207

This 100-year-old watering hole in Detroit’s Rivertown Warehouse District is popular among sports fans of all stripes. During the NCAA March Madness tournament, customers can also catch a shuttle from the bar to the Little Caesars Arena. Andrew’s offers a wide range of pub food from Cajun fish and chips to cheeseburgers.

201 Jos Campau, Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 259-8325
(313) 259-8325
Keri W./Yelp

Detroiter Bar

655 Beaubien St, Detroit, MI 48226

True to its name, the Detroiter has served locals for decades. Stop into this Greektown area sports bar for a few beers before the game and grab a shuttle to Comerica, Little Caesars Arena, or Ford Field. This spot offers traditional tavern food ranging from patty melts to coney dogs to gyros, plus lots of TVs for folks without a gameday ticket.

655 Beaubien St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 963-3355
(313) 963-3355
Detroiter Bar/Facebook

Nemo's Bar

1384 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

Talk with any sports vet 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 sports bar has been through it all. Sit amongst the championship newspapers plastered on the walls while sipping a beer and make sure to order a burger. Don’t forget to bring cash.

1384 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-3180
(313) 965-3180
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Briggs Detroit

519 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

This LGBT-friendly sports bar offers lots of TVs and a full menu with everything from turkey burgers to four-cheese grilled cheeses to tater tots and spicy steak fries. Wash it all down with a pint of craft beer or a cocktail.

519 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 656-4820
(313) 656-4820
Briggs/Facebook

Tommy's Detroit Bar & Grill

624 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

Housed in a building with a Prohibition past, this downtown tavern favorite serves up everything from Wigley’s corned beef sandwiches to andouille sausage-topped burgers on pretzel buns. Bonus: take advantage of the shuttle service to all Detroit sporting events.

624 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-2269
(313) 965-2269
Tommy’s/Francis Fotos/Facebook

Beacon Park Sports Bar Tent

1901 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

March Madness revelers can huddle inside Beacon Park’s 10,000-square-foot heated tent throughout the NCAA basketball tournament in Detroit. Inside, sports fans can take advantage of the cash bar, skee-ball, and arcade games, while watching college hoops on a big screen. Food trucks will also be onsite.

1901 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 962-0101
(313) 962-0101
Michelle and Chris Gerard

McShane's Irish Pub & Whiskey Bar

1460 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

Corktown Irish pub McShane’s is running shuttles to the March Madness tournaments at the Little Caesars Arena. Sports fans can also expect drink specials at the bar including cocktails starting at $3.50.

1460 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 961-1960
(313) 961-1960
McShane’s/Facebook

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