Score Big at These Scottsdale Sports Bars This Football Season
Shake the wrinkles out of your jersey and put your game face on—football season is here! Scottsdale, Arizona, is the MVP when it comes to watching football, and there’s no shortage of sports bars to keep your thirst quenched. Wherever your team loyalties lie, our guide to the best Scottsdale sports bars has you covered. Just think of us as your social safety—similar to how Arizona Cardinals’ Budda Baker takes the field.
Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row
Whiskey Row is not your average honky tonk or sports bar, despite its unmistakable country vibe. During football season, this day-to-night spot is a high-energy hangout for Nebraska fans. They even open early—like before brunch—to broadcast the Huskers’ games. Fans can feast on country-style staples like their Tennessee hot fried chicken sliders and BBQ-topped Southern fries for breakfast. And when the Huskers are up at halftime, tip it on back (the shot ski, that is) or reach for a frosty glass of Dierks’ boozy lemonade.
K O’Donnell’s Sports Bar & Grill
Don’t gamble on game day—K O’Donnell’s is your best bet. This bar and grill was founded in 2005 by poker player Kevin O’Donnell. Today, Kevin’s daughter Jennifer runs this Scottsdale sports bar, offering a lineup of 16 beers on tap, including local brews like Four Peaks Kilt Lifter and Huss Brewing’s Scottsdale Blonde. This fall, KO’s is kicking off the NFL Preseason with specials like $3 Fireball and $5 Deep Eddy Vodka. And with over 70 TVs across the sports bar, every seat inside (and outside on the patio) gives you a front-row view of the gridiron action.
Goldie’s Sports Cafe
Goldie’s opened in 1993, back when the Arizona Cardinals (then known as the Phoenix Cardinals) played their games at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. This Scottsdale sports bar veteran has withstood the test of time thanks in part to its from-scratch menu, everyday happy hour, misted patio, arcade-style games for all ages (plus the upstairs play area for adults), and of course, the sports. On NFL Thursdays, there’s no better place to be than Goldie’s. Here’s why: specials like $14 premium pitchers for two, $10 chicken skewers, $8 spicy chicken sandwiches and $5 Goldieritas. What’s a Goldierita? Goldie’s boozy and blended signature sipper that comes in an assortment of flavors.
Social Tap Scottsdale
Catching a game from a table at Social Tap’s Balcony Bar is the next best thing to watching from a luxury box suite. This bi-level sports bar is brimming with 30 TVs and boasts a social hour menu stacked with snacks like $9 nachos and $7 truffle fries to fuel you through overtime. There are also drink specials like the draft beer of the day for $5 and well cocktails for $7. A second home for out-of-state fans, Social Tap hosts a NY Giants fan club called Big Blue of Arizona on game days and celebrates every Giants touchdown with Jell-O shots.
RnR Gastropub
RnR Gastropub is a San Francisco Giants spring training game day party spot throughout March. Their blazing orange aesthetic and larger-than-life baseball mural are dead giveaways. But every fall, this Old Town pub transforms into a football Shangri-La for fans of all teams, from the NCAA to the NFL. With countless big screens and a bangin’ brunch lineup, RnR is the ultimate spot for Scottsdale football fans. On Saturdays and Sundays, your cups will runneth over with bubbly. Come in for brunch—think eggy breakfast burritos and triple-stack buttermilk pancakes—and stay for the $30 all-day bottomless mimosas.
Goodwood Tavern
If Mondays could be in the draft, they would probably be selected in the last round. But at Goodwood Tavern, this night is a first draft pick. During the season, you can catch Monday Night Football from a cushy booth or barstool while noshing on craft-inspired eats like buffalo chicken dumplings and Baja-style bratwurst. On Thursdays, play a competitive bout of football bingo with your crew while TVs broadcast the game. Goodwood cooks up good times until the final whistle blows—the kitchen is open until 2 a.m. every day.
Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers
It’s hard to beat the duo of cold beers and cheeseburgers but add in a football game, and you’re golden. Originating in Scottsdale in 2011, this popular Arizona sports bar has multiple locations, each with its own neighborhood burger joint vibe. Dozens of TVs and football season specials are good reasons why this sports bar scores big for Fantasy Football draft parties and on game days. Their partnership with the Cards doesn’t hurt either—you can enjoy their hangover burgers and draft beer in Scottsdale and at Glendale’s State Farm Stadium.
Fate Brewing Company
Don’t leave it to fate: this football season, make game-day plans to watch your team at Fate Brewing Company. This Scottsdale brewery specializes in small-batch brews with unique flavor profiles. Take, for example, the fiery Hatch Chile Gatos, a golden ale aged on roasted hatch chiles, and the Strawberry Milkshake, a sweet sipper brewed with strawberry puree and vanilla. Hot ticket appetizers like the cheesy jalapeño cornbread fritters or the crispy chicken wings tossed in your choice of sauce (try the garlic habanero hot honey) are game-day winners. They taste even better when your team has the lead!
OHSO Brewery + Distillery
OHSO is the kind of sports bar where you and your dog can wear matching Arizona State jerseys on game day. All OHSO locations cater to pets and their people with pup-approved biscuits made from the brewery’s spent grain, not to mention drinkable treats for humans like the Handlebar Hefe and BOOM Dynamite IPA. But be warned: consumption may cause you to “hit the griddy” like Justin Jefferson. The North Scottsdale location recently underwent a massive renovation, ultimately making room for more touchdown dances. In addition to the new look, the update also brings a new open-air patio and a family-friendly arcade to the brewery and distillery.
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Rockbar Inc.
Live music may be the headliner at Rockbar, but during the fall season, football takes center stage. Like they say, birds of a feather flock together, and in this case, the birds are the Philadelphia Eagles. Since 2014, Rockbar has hosted the Eagles West Fan Club during football season. TVs at every turn mean you won’t miss any big plays. And the energy around this two-story sports bar is electric: DJs play on commercial breaks, Four Peaks flows like water and the menu features game-day favorites like loaded twice-baked potato skins and hefty Philly cheesesteaks.
Zipps Sports Grill
What do Zipps and the Dallas Cowboys have in common? Well, everyone knows them, their logos are unmistakable, and they’re the biggest franchises in the game. With 14 Arizona locations, Zipps is basically every fan’s neighborhood sports bar. Every football season, fans meet up here for the buzzy atmosphere, beer cheese pretzels and team camaraderie. Whether it’s an Arizona Cardinals road game nail-biter or an ASU Sun Devil showdown, Zipps is the ultimate sports bar in Scottsdale (imagine frosty pitchers and massive TV screens) where you can cheer for your favorite Arizona sports teams—or even the Dallas Cowboys.
