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Best Restaurants to Watch March Madness At

By: Author Andrew Herig

Posted on Published:

Best Restaurants to Watch March Madness At

Best Restaurants to Watch March Madness At

March Madness is one of the most viewed sporting events of the year.  With nearly 10.5 million individuals tuning into the games, the tournament is one of the most popular and intense basketball matchups across the world.  And with millions more creating and submitting their March Madness pools, the games can create an electrifying energy perhaps unsurpassed by any other sporting event.

And if you are looking to catch every March Madness game, then the below restaurants are a great choice to do so at.  With multiple screens, these restaurants not only serve up great food but also provide a great atmosphere to watch the game at.

Below, we are going to look at the best restaurants to watch March Madness at and take a quick preview of some of the food items on the menu.  You’ll not only be able to catch the game live but will be able to do so in an electrifying atmosphere while doing so.

What is March Madness?

March Madness, also known as the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, is a single-elimination tournament that is played each spring in the United States.  Featuring the top 68 college basketball programs in the country, the games are meant to determine the national championship matchup and winner.

In this single-elimination tournament, teams are divvied up into separate regions and ranked by seeds, from 1 through 16.  The seeded teams will compete against one-another within their region through rounds in the hopes of advancing to the National Semi-finals and then the National Championship.

The National Championship, typically aired on ESPN, draws an estimated 22.5 million fans from across the globe.  In addition to the glory, fame, and recognition,  the NCAA National Champions typically feature some of the best and up and coming basketball players and those likely to be drafted into the NBA.

Why is March Madness so Popular?

Perhaps the biggest reason as to why the March Madness tournament is so popular is due to the simple fact that it is a single-elimination matchup.  With a single-elimination matchup, one loss can see a major team or program upset and booted from the tournament.  So-called “Cinderella stories”, the single-elimination matchup makes for must-watch television.

In addition, the March Madness tournament typically falls right after the end of the NFL season and right before the start of MLB’s spring training.  With little other sports entertainment available, both casual and avid fans are drawn to the March Madness tournament.

In addition, the March Madness tournament is typically run and played in a more competitive fashion than the NBA.  With teams and individual players putting everything on the line, fans are attracted to the intensity and energy of the games and the possibility of an upset victory.

Reasons to Watch March Madness at a Restaurant

While the March Madness tournament is typically aired on TNT, TBS, and CBS, both on linear television sets and online streams, watching the tournament unfold at a restaurant has multiple benefits.  For starters, with 68 teams and 34 games to begin the tournament, many of them are held simultaneously and on separate channels.  By heading over to a local restaurant, you will have the opportunity to view each game on separate, large screens.

Secondly, watching the tournament from a restaurant allows you to engage with the local crowd, feeding off the energy and excitement of other patrons as you watch nail-biting last-minute buzzer beaters and upsets in real-time.

And lastly, watching the tournament at a restaurant can simply be easier.  With a plethora of food and drink options, these restaurants serve up some of the best food and dishes that can make the games all the more enjoyable and fun to watch.

Best Restaurants to Watch the March Madness Tournament

  • Chili’s – with more than 1,400 locations across the country, chances are that you are centrally located to a local Chili’s location.  Known for their wide range of food and drink options, many Chili’s restaurants have television sets near the bar area, allowing for multiple games to be played simultaneously.
  • Dave and Buster’s – Dave and Buster’s is essentially a Chuck E. Cheese for adults.  With a plethora of food and drink options, Dave and Buster’s also has a full-blown arcade center and televisions lining the walls.  Watch all the March Madness games here while keeping your family occupied by all the additional arcade games.
  • Outback Steakhouse – while Outback may seem like an odd place to watch the March Madness tournament, it happens to be one of the best restaurants to do so.  With succulent, juicy steaks cooked to perfection, Outback’s typically have a few television sets mounted behind the bar and will be playing the games to the relief of any avid sports fan.
  • Applebee’s – in a similar class as Chili’s, Applebee’s has been serving up comfort food and drinks to patrons since their inception in 1980.  And with over 2,000 locations nationwide, you can typically find an Applebee’s location near you.
  • ESPN Zone – perhaps one of our favorite restaurants and arcade centers, the ESPN Zone is where sports fans congregate for good food, good drink, and a good time.  And as the ESPN Zone is associated with ESPN, the global sports conglomerate, you know that they will be showcasing all the March Madness craziness as it happens live.
  • TGI Friday’s – another restaurant in the same class as Chili’s and Applebee’s, TGI Friday’s features juicy, seasoned burgers and fries and other comfort foods to ease your cravings for a hearty meal.  And with over 1,000 restaurants across the country, TGI Friday’s is a great restaurant to catch all the March Madness games at.
  • Buffalo Wild Wings – Buffalo Wild Wings is, perhaps, the single best restaurant to catch all the tournament games at.  With recent updates and remodeling, Buffalo Wild Wings has transformed their indoor and outdoor seating arraignments to accommodate a more particular crowd of patrons.  With some of the best wings available, Buffalo Wild Wings has a large selection of television screens situated across the restaurant and frequently play latest sports games and matchups.