These 7 sports bars are the best in NJ — Period.

With fall sports kicking off, the excitement in New Jersey is unmatched and a trip to a sports bar is what all sports fans need to turn the doldrums of fall into that energy that watching a great game, drinking your favorite drink surrounded by a bunch of sports fans can provide.

Lucky for New Jerseyans, the sports bar scene is pretty up to par no matter where you are, but if you’re looking for a new spot to watch your next game here are a couple of ideas.

New Jersey can rival even big cities like New York and Philadelphia when it comes to the quality of food and drink and the perfect vibe of our sports bars.

Here, in no particular order are the 7 best, the ones that consistently show up in every sports bar poll. When it comes to access to games, food quality, crowd, drink quality, and variety these are the best.

Black Bear Bar & Grill — Hoboken

For those who may be supporting a couple of teams at once, Black Bear is definitely where you should go. They have the largest number of large screen displays in New Jersey and also have plenty of entertainment including a dart board. They also have great happy hour deals where they serve wings among other bar food. You can even sit outside here on nicer days and enjoy a game.

Mulligan's Pub— Hoboken

Mulligan's is the perfect spot for some family rivalry, especially if you have Eagles and Jets or Giants fans in your house. TVs line almost every inch of the pub and there is a ton of Irish food and drinks to choose from. They also have an ongoing dart league for regulars which is unique.

Asbury Ale House— Asbury Park

If you want a genuine breakfast before you start a day of drinking and screaming at the TV, start it at Asbury Ale House. They serve draft beers and local brews and have a special Sunday brunch every weekend from 11-4 p.m.

Game Time Bar & Grille— Freehold

Have kids who don’t like watching Sunday sports as much as you? Come here. This bar is located inside Iplay America making it easy for you to watch some football games while your kids run around the amusement park. They also have a ton of food and drinks for the family to enjoy.

Chickie's and Pete's— Multiple Locations

If you have high standards for your Sunday eats then Chickie's and Pete's is definitely the place to go. The menu is filled with delicious eats such as crab fries with an insanely delicious dipping sauce in addition to wings, pizza, and more. I love coming to Chickie's and Pete's to watch football and I have honestly never met someone who doesn’t love going too.

Sharky’s— 3 locations

With three locations in Clinton, Boonton, and Alpha, Sharky’s is always a favorite when it comes to what you expect from a sports bar. Baseball, basketball, football, and more are all part of the Sharky’s experience and their drinks are some of NJ’s favorites.

This sports bar is most popular for its wings, featuring 23 sauces including Boom Boom, Pineapple Habanero, Old Bay, On-Fire, and everyone’s favorite, Honey Chipotle. A Raw bar, seafood, and a fun sports crowd. And don’t leave without trying their pretzels, clams, and margaritas.

Firkin Tavern— Ewing

Firkin makes everyone’s list because it has everything a sports fan needs: 25 TVs, and 37 beers on tap, many from local craft brewers. You gotta love a place that supports locals. Plus, there’s a dedicated game room. And u like a lot of other sports bars, f you’re a soccer fan, Firkin is your Shangri La—with everything from Series A to the English Premier League. And if the game gets a little slow, visit the game room for a round of pool, darts, or air hockey.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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