While the long-awaited Lee Roy Selmon's opens on Sunday, football fans do have some other options. Here's a rundown on some of the area's other sports venues.
Barnacles
926 Providence Road
Best bet: Chicken nachos
Scoop: Cavernous establishment with more TVs than perhaps any place in the area.
Beef 'O' Brady's
Various locations
Best bet: Watterson roast beef
Scoop: The east Hillsborough area has 11 Beef 'O' Brady's, and each is unique. The original location (210 S Kings Ave.) holds a special place with locals, and the wings stand out.
Big Dog's Patio
103 N Palmer Ave., Plant City
Best bet: Varies
Scoop: New owners will open on Sunday this year and offer a quality game-day experience. It doesn't have its own kitchen but serves typical bar snacks.
Brandon Ale House
1817 W Brandon Blvd.
Best bet: Chicken nachos
Scoop: Popular nightspot with the area's 20-somethings, but it has enough TVs to make game-day viewing good. And the nachos can feed an army.
Brass Tap
775 Brandon TownCenter
Best bet: California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ Pizza
Scoop: A beer lover's dream with more than 60 on tap and 300 craft beers. The TVs are big and clear even after you've downed a couple of brews. As for food, you can order from any of Westfield Brandon's nearby restaurants.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Various locations
Best bet: Parmesan Garlic wings
Scoop: You will find this chain in Brandon, FishHawk and Riverview. It features TVs with great sight lines, network trivia, and separate bar and dining areas.
Cherry's
Two locations
Best bet: Chicken Philly
Scoop: The Bloomingdale Square location (903 E Bloomingdale) has a top-flight game room so the kids can occupy themselves while you watch the big game.
Clubhouse Sports
1265 Kingsway Ave.
Best bet: Buffalo chips
Scoop: Classic neighborhood pub with two big-screen TVs and some of the friendliest servers around. Say hello to Stacy and get Mike to tell you about his sideburns.
O'Brien's Irish Pub
Various locations
Best bet: Buffalo wings
Scoop: The Brandon location (701 W Lumsden Road) draws Steelers fans on one side and the Buffalo Bills Backers of Brandon on the other side. No one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills, and that's why they have true Buffalo wings and beef on weck sandwiches.
Tadpoles
115 E Brandon Blvd.
Best bet: Monte Cristo
Scoop: Resurfacing after the original Tadpoles closed, it has drawn a strong following. The revival continues.
Etc.
Hooters and WingHouse always offer a festive atmosphere. Smokey Bones has killer doughnuts, and believe it or not, Applebee's isn't a bad place to take in the game.
Times staff writer Ernest Hooper
Loading...