Explore Long Island

Top Long Island sports bars

There's a big game tonight. Or maybe it's just a regular NFL sunday. Or perhaps you just want to get out of the house for a few belts and watch some sporting events at the same time.

Whichever it is, you want to know where to go to satisfy your urge to watch sports on television in a bar.

Here's a list of some the top places to watch the game.

The Bench: In Stony Brook, jerseys hang from the rafters as 22 televisions -- including a monstrous movie screen -- broadcast the games. With the Long Island Rail Road station just across the street, you can catch the game here and leave the car at home. 1095 Rte. 25A, Stony Brook, 631-675-1474, thebenchbar.com.

Buchmann's Radio Grill Restaurant & Bar: Don't let the name and decor fool you. Aside from your ultra-comfortable couch or an old-school beanbag chair, Buchmann's indeed may be one of the best places for you and a small group to enjoy a sporting event. Wonderfully situated in each booth is a TV ... and a remote control. Choose the game you want to watch. Or just flip back and forth. This way, Rangers fans can still hang out with Islander-fan friends.

Champions: Located inside the Marriott, this place is a must for local sports fans. A few hundred feet from Nassau Coliseum, is there a better place to carouse after the Islanders win? Hockey games notwithstanding, Champions goes all out with the sports theme. Dining areas are designed with motifs centering around a hockey penalty box, a press box and regular box seats. For true authenticity, try sitting in the stadium seats. Seriously, stadium seats.

Croxley Ales: This is a first-class twofer, with locations in Franklin Square, Rockville Centre and Farmingdale. The choices are varied and excellent, with 60 brews on tap at the Franklin Square location, 52 in Rockville Centre and 68 in Farmingdale. International and domestic are well-represented. 129 New Hyde Park Rd., Franklin Square; 516-326-9542. 7-9 S. Park Ave., Rockville Centre; 516-764-0470.; 190 Main St., Farmingdale; 516-293-7700.

Dave & Buster's: Skip over the pool rooms, bowling alley and expansive arcade, if only temporarily, and hunker down in front of one (or more) of the dozen-plus, big-screen TVs carrying games or other sports programming. Grab a stool, a booth at the bar or a table in the dining area, then look in any direction and watch the game of your choice. And if your team is out of it early, go back to the video games. Three locations: Farmingdale, Islandia, Westbury.

Instant Replay: On its Web site, Instant Replay asks a simple question: "Where will you be when the next great sports moment happens?" Of course, they hope the answer is "positioned in front of one of the more than 50 television sets at Instant Replay." Talk about options! If you can't find a game or reality show worth watching on that many screens, perhaps you're in the wrong building. So just sit back, eat the wings and watch other people play pool and air hockey. 282 E. Jericho Tpke., Huntington Station, 631-673-6161.

The Main Event: Yankees/Mets schedules at the door, memorabilia and close to 50 TVs, which means you should be able to catch any game nationwide. The full menu includes appetizers, salads, steaks, seafood, burgers, wraps and desserts.799 Old Country Rd., Plainview, 516-935-5120, themaineventny.com.

McCann's Pub & Grill: There are nice touches -- Mets and Yankees home/away schedules on the tables and every game played by any major league outfit is broadcast courtesy of the MLB Extra Innings satellite television package, plus an enthusiastic sports-minded crowd. But what makes this place really sing: 60 flat-screen TVs that bring the sports-minded crowd right onto the diamond on the opening pitch. 5590 Merrick Rd., Massapequa, 516-798-1496, mccannspubli.com.

Mulcahy's: On any NFL Sunday, you'll find every game on television and just about every football represented in jersey format by the patrons. A huge screen takes the place of the stage usually reserved for bands. Another big screen on the side wall is surrounded by smaller screens all around. The front of the bar, a smaller and more tranquil area (if such a thing is possible in a bar), has small screens showing the games. The food - typical pub fare - is pretty good, too. The best part: They print a map each week to let you know which TVs are showing which games, thus giving you the chance to properly position yourself for the game of your choosing. Just get there early. Three locations: Wantagh, Centereach; 160 Adams Ave., Hauppauge, 631-952-1111.

Napper Tandy's: Large and bountiful televisions? Check. Booze at the ready? Check. Wings and such? Check. Sunday and Monday football specials? Check. The Napper Tandy's establishments are distinguished in their promotions of less-than-mainstream sporting events. For example, rugby fans can head over to Northport to watch all the World Cup of Rugby games. UFC pay-per-view events have also been known to air on these TVs. Three locations: Northport, Smithtown, 275 Rte. 25A, Miller Place, 631-331-5454.

Rookies Sports Club: Walk through the door and you know you're in a sports bar. Big screens, nine booths with separate televisions, those Joe Namath and Patrick Ewing jerseys hanging from the wall. The center bar is horseshoe shaped and there's a TV to easily look at no matter where you sit. Football is big, as are UFC fights. The food is quite good, and the menu goes beyond just burgers and wings. Of course, we love the wings, especially the honey thai wings.

Yogi's All American Grill & Sports Bar: MLB Extra Innings satellite? Check. Fifteen 42-inch plasma screens and two 8-foot screens? Got it. No matter where you're sitting, you'll be able to see your favorite teams playing -- tables also have personal speaker boxes that can be tuned to any sports broadcast. That means while fans are screaming like mad, you can surreptitiously check on another matchup. Game-time specials include $2 drafts and deals on jalapeño poppers and sliders. 1730 N. Ocean Ave., Holtsville, 631-758-2900, yogisallamerican.com.

More listings:

B.K. Sweeney's Pub
55 New Hyde Park Rd.
Garden City
516-328-8326

Dugout Sports Bar
639 Commack Rd.
Commack
631-499-5554

Fatty McGee's
138 Connetquot Ave.
East Islip
631-581-9868

Field of Dreams
613 Old Country Rd.
Plainview
516-937-7603

N. J. Grunts Sports Bar
Bowling & Tanners Lanes
Levittown
516-731-5700

No Limits Sports Bar
247 S. Broadway
Hicksville
516-931-9239

Ultimate Sports Bar
380 N. Wantagh Ave.
Bethpage
516-931-9620