March Madness is back, and Philadelphia’s bars, restaurants, and sportsbooks are gearing up for weeks of buzzer-beaters, bracket busting, and game-day specials.
Reservations are currently live for March Madness watching at Sports & Social. First up, the venue is partnering with Jäger on Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20 to offer free swag, specialty cocktails, giveaways, and discounted drinks during every game. Otherwise, fans can head to the sports venue to watch all the action through different packages: The Jump Ball Package ($75) comes with social nachos, cheesesteak egg rolls and a Bud Light beer tower, the 3 Pointer ($100) comes with pepperoni flatbreads, 24 wings, and a Bud Light beer tower, while the Slam Dunk ($175) features social nachos, pepperoni flatbreads, 24 wings, cheesesteak egg rolls and two Bud Light beer towers. Bookings can be made via OpenTable.
900 Packer Ave., livech.com
Locals can watch all the action while getting in a few rounds of mini golf at Libertee Grounds. The space has 15+ TVs, 20+ hyperlocal brews, and a packed menu. The space typically opens at 5 p.m., but during game days, doors will open at noon.
1600 W Girard Ave., Suite C5, liberteegrounds.com
Philadelphians can celebrate March Madness with a competitive twist at Flight Club. Perfect for groups of 20 or more, the social darts club is hosting three tournament-style events for groups in a reserved oche with a dedicated Games Host, who acts as commissioner for the night. Built-in cameras automatically capture gameplay highlights, and each oche comes with TVs to watch the college game play happening as well. Groups interested in booking a large-party experience can reserve directly through Flight Club.
1417 Walnut St., flightclubdartsusa.com
Fans can post up at BetRivers Sportsbook from March 19 to 22 to catch the first and second rounds of the men’s college basketball tournament. All games will be streamed live across multiple high-definition screens, and visitors can place wagers on their favorite teams throughout the tournament as well.
1001 N. Delaware Ave., riverscasino.com/philadelphia
From March 18 through April 6, Lucy’s in Rittenhouse will offer shareable sliders and bucket specials for groups watching March Madness. Sliders (each priced at $4 or all four for $14) span cheeseburger, cheesesteak, crispy chicken and grilled chicken picks, and in addition to the food specials, Lucy’s will feature several drink deals. Highlights include Pony Buckets (5 beers) for $15 with choices like Corona, Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra, Stella, Modelo, or High Life. The Starting 5 Bucket Special, on the other hand, offers any five canned beers on the menu (excluding Guinness) for $25. For canned cocktails, the Courtside Buckets include five cans of Stateside Orange, Stateside Black Cherry, Surfside Iced Tea, or Surfside Strawberry Lemonade for $50.
1720 Chestnut St., lucysphiladelphia.com
Locals can watch all the game play here, while also indulging in the venue’s "Social Hour" menu. Highlights include smoked wings with BBQ spice and buttermilk dill dressing ($8), beer-battered cheese curds served with Thousand Island and tomato jam ($8), and pork belly sliders topped with gingered yogurt, caramelized onions and jalapeño ($8).
509 S. 2nd St., thetwistedtail.com
Craft Hall is celebrating the occasion with Mac Madness, a bracket-style mac and cheese showdown where eight new flavors compete head-to-head in a single-elimination tournament. Each round features two mac creations facing off, and whichever dish sells more advances to the next round—while the losing flavor gets bounced from the bracket.
The opening starts March 19 with Crab & Old Bay vs. Truffle & Wild Mushroom, followed by French Onion vs. Chipotle Brisket on March 20, BBQ Pork Shoulder vs. Jerk Chicken on March 21, and Al Pastor Pork vs. Broccoli Cheddar on March 22. Winners advance to the Final Four on March 26 and 27, with the remaining contenders battling in the semifinals on March 28 and 29. The final two dishes will meet in the Mac Madness Championship on April 4 and 6. Each contender is priced at $12.
901 N. Delaware Ave., crafthallphilly.com
Patchwork is planning to feature a few tasty specials for the occasion. During March Madness games, diners can order up $6 craft drafts and a chicken wing deal (half dozen for $11 or a dozen for $20) featuring Calabrian chili, honey, and oregano.
1620 Chancellor St., patchworkphilly.com
Those who want to watch the action by the beach can head to Borgata’s BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar, which features giant LED screens. Guests can reserve a spot to watch the action unfold while enjoying food and drinks, and those feeling lucky can even place sports bets right at the bar. From March 19 to 21, fans can also head to the Central Conference Center for all-day access to the space, making it easy to settle in, plan a bracket, and watch the biggest games of the tournament.
1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, New Jersey, borgata.mgmresorts.com
Caesars properties (which span The West, Tropicana, and Harrah’s Resort) feature some of the largest sportsbook environments in Atlantic City, designed for multi-game, all-day tournament viewing. This season, Caesars is also debuting several features, including a First Bet Match up to $250 in Bonus Bets for new users, a large 15,228-square-foot sportsbook at The West (complete with five private Fan Caves), and a 250-square-foot odds board paired with panoramic LED screens at Tropicana.
caesars.com/caesars-ac/casino/sportsbook
The Greene Turtle is tipping off tournament season with a lineup of drink specials and bites. From March 19 through April 6, guests can try out the Starting Five lineup, featuring $3, $4, $5, and $6 drink specials, along with $15 beer buckets and $20 Nutrl buckets. Fans can also score the $15.99 Turtle Trio shareable bundle and receive $5 in Turtle Rewards Bucks (to redeem April 7 to 30). Food options span chicken tenders, loaded nachos, saucy wings, and warm crab dip served with pretzel sticks and for those hosting their own watch parties, there are also catering options.
Multiple locations, thegreeneturtle.com
