These Sports Bars Are Top Spots to Watch the Game in Delaware

With food, drinks and TVs galore, these community sports bars are the perfect places to watch all your favorite games in the First State.

There’s a reason why sports bars have survived pandemics, recessions and dining trends. People love to cheer for their team in the company of others—whether they’re friends or strangers.

“People like to be with like-minded people,” agrees Serge Zborovsky, owner of Home Base in Brandywine Hundred. “If the Phillies score a run or the Eagles score a touchdown, the whole place erupts. It’s more fun than sitting at home.”

While dingy, dark sports bars still exist, most have evolved to please a variety of customers. Today’s crowds include men, women and children, and the atmosphere must be welcoming, Zborovsky maintains. “People want to bring their families.”

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Check out these local fan favorites.

Home Base

There are 30 screens in this Concord Pike restaurant, and come summer, guests can also watch the game outside. Because not everyone is into sports, Home Base has live music on Thursdays and Fridays.

The menu has traditional fare: burgers, nachos, wings and pizza. But there’s also a fun selection for creative tacos and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. Consider a fried egg, American cheese and bacon on buttered sourdough toast. The restaurant serves happy hour, brunch and late menus, plus daily specials.
4723 Concord Pike, Wilmington; 302-482-1378; homebasedelaware.com

Sports bar menus have become more adventurous. At Home Base in north Wilmington, for instance, there are sections for tacos—including a cheesesteak taco—and for gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. The restaurant has 30 TV screens and an outdoor set.
Sports bar menus have become more adventurous. At Home Base in north Wilmington, for instance, there are sections for tacos—including a cheesesteak taco—and for gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. The restaurant has 30 TV screens and an outdoor set. Photo by Andre Wright Jr.

Buffalo Wild Wings

Wings are the essential game day food, and the restaurant specializes in bone-in and boneless chicken and cauliflower wings. Go rogue with such creative sauces as Bulleit Bourbon, hot barbecue, mango habanero, lemon pepper and Nashville hot. Or opt for an equally eclectic rub.

Wall-to-wall TVs broadcast boxing, mixed martial arts, football, basketball and baseball. A Buffalo Wild Wings site might have up to 100 screens in a location—the more screens, the better the chance your team or favorite athlete is playing. There are daily free-to-play games for prizes and craft beer specials. High 5 has six Delaware locations and two in Maryland.
high5hospitality.com and buffalowildwings.com

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Few sports bar menus are complete without hot wings. At Buffalo Wild Wings, they are the essential game day food. Go for the expected sauce or opt for such creative takes as Bulleit Bourbon BBQ, made with Bulleit Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Few sports bar menus are complete without hot wings. At Buffalo Wild Wings, they are the essential game day food. Go for the expected sauce or opt for such creative takes as Bulleit Bourbon BBQ, made with Bulleit Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings.

McGlynns Pub

Owned by Ashby Hospitality Group, McGlynns Pub has four locations: Pike Creek, Glasgow, Dover and Barley Mill, the newest. On average, the New Castle County sites have 30 screens, and Pike Creek and Glasgow also have large projector screens.

“The atmosphere during game time is high energy, bustling and fun,” says Morgan DeMarco, who handles marketing for the hospitality group. “We have a ton of longtime customers who are now family.”

While the restaurant bills itself as an Irish pub, the menu leans toward the American palate with jumbo lump crab bombs, jambalaya, burgers and wraps. However, you can dig into fish and chips and sip a Guinness if you wish.

Each location has between 15 and 24 beers on draft, and specials include any roast beef sandwich with a pint of domestic beer for $14.50.
mcglynnspub.com

Grotto Pizza

Pizza is this Rehoboth Beach–based chain’s claim to fame, but the sports bars come in at a close second—so much so that they have a sign on the façade. The number of screens will depend on the restaurant’s size. For instance, there are 31 screens in the Dover location and 18 in Camden. Grotto offers game day bar menus that include loaded nachos, soft pretzels and Buffalo chicken dip. Guests can participate in Pigskin Pick ’Em during football season, and Grotto also participates in the Delaware Lottery’s Sports Pick.
grottopizza.com

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Most Grotto Pizza locations have a bar that revolves around sports, complete with a dedicated menu, discounts and promotions with prizes. At the Grotto Pizza in Middletown, fans cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles during a game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Most Grotto Pizza locations have a bar that revolves around sports, complete with a dedicated menu, discounts and promotions with prizes. At the Grotto Pizza in Middletown, fans cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles during a game against the Dallas Cowboys. Courtesy of Grotto Pizza.

End Zone Bar & Grill

There’s little doubt about this Smyrna restaurant’s focus. Along with the name, it’s on Stadium Drive, and menu sections are divided into first, second and third base. Entrées are under Home Run, and desserts are a Grand Slam. Even some of the dishes stick to the theme. Take, for instance, Curveball BBQ Pork, Touchdown Tacos and Dugout Gravy Fries. There are multiple big-screen TVs and live entertainment on select nights.
235 Stadium St., Smyrna; 514-9843; endzonebarandgrill.com

Nicola Pizza

When this iconic restaurant moved from downtown Rehoboth Beach to Route 1 near Lewes, it brought the antique merry-go-round horses, the original sign and a parking meter—a tongue-in-cheek nod to the free parking in the expansive lot. New touches include a large, gleaming bar with a bank of television sets that attracts a crowd on game days.

Football Sunday specials include $5 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPAs, shooters, buckets of beverages and $5 meatball sandwiches.
17323 Ocean One Plaza, Lewes: 226-BOLI (2654); nicolapizza.com

High Stakes Bar & Grill

If you love Philly teams and live at the beach, head to this hot spot for cheesesteaks—with Cheez Whiz—and sports. The business, previously known as Philly’s Finest, expanded twice and now includes two bars. There are hoagies (subs to Sussex County folks), wings, wraps and sandwiches. High Stakes also has live entertainment with artists such as Lower Case Blues.
5799 Lighthouse Cove, Route 54, Fenwick Island; 537-6971; highstakesbarandgrill.com

“If the Phillies score a run or the Eagles score a touchdown, the whole place erupts.”
—Serge Zborovsky, Owner, Home Base.

Coastal Taproom

Located near the intersection of Routes 1 and 24, Coastal Taproom has 15 screens, table games, more than 12 draft beers and daily drink specials. The taproom does not serve food, so get your DoorDash app ready. This business is truly a taproom; you must be 21 to enter.
18766 John J. Williams Highway, Unit 2, Rehoboth Beach; coastaltaproom.com

Nalu Surf Bar & Grill

You wouldn’t expect a tropical-themed restaurant to attract sports fans—unless they’re into surfing. But football, baseball and basketball buffs flock to Nalu in Rehoboth Beach for the 11 80-inch, high-def screens. “They’re the best TVs around,” says Chad Auckland, the admittedly biased bar manager. Meanwhile, the football menu bucks the norm with gravy cheese fries, Korean barbecue pork wings, open-faced meatloaf and Sussex County–style chicken and dumplings.
41 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach; 278-7960; nalusurfbar.com

Related: This Harry Potter Pop-up Bar in Newark Is Every Wizard’s Dream

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