Boston is a title town, and the game day bar scene is organized around its two stadium districts. The TD Garden side handles Celtics and Bruins nights, and Fenway handles Red Sox and Patriots Sundays. The best rooms here are the ones with the sound on for the home team, sight lines that work from a packed floor, and a kitchen that keeps up through extra innings. These ten deliver.
TD Garden: Celtics and Bruins
These rooms cluster around the Garden and turn a Celtics or Bruins night into an event. Sound goes on for the home game, and the crowd does the rest.
01
Banners Kitchen & Tap
West End$$$60 TVs / 40-foot screen
Next to TD Garden, Banners runs 60 TVs and a 40-foot screen, the biggest in the Northeast, plus 30 rotating taps and Topgolf swing suites. It is built for Celtics and Bruins nights, with the sound on for the home game and sight lines from almost every seat.
Game day tip: Book ahead for playoff games, when the big screen room fills before puck drop.
02
The Harp
West End$$Walls of TVs / Walk-in
Across from TD Garden, The Harp is walk-ins only, with walls lined with TVs so you catch every play. It packs in tight and gets loud for Celtics and Bruins, and a second location by Gillette Stadium handles Patriots Sundays.
Game day tip: Arrive well before tip-off or puck drop, because the line forms fast on game nights.
07
The Greatest Bar
North Station$$Multi-level / Stadium sight-lines
Near TD Garden, The Greatest Bar offers multiple levels of stadium-style sight lines, filling with seas of green, black and gold on game nights across Celtics, Bruins and Patriots. The upper floors have the best screen views in the building.
Game day tip: Head upstairs for the clearest sight lines on a busy Garden night.
08
Sullivan's Tap
West End$Oldest sports bar / Dive
Boston's oldest sports bar, open since the day after Prohibition ended in 1933, Sullivan's Tap is a cash-only dive near TD Garden where the volume reaches legendary levels for Bruins and Celtics. It is unchanged and proud of it.
Game day tip: Bring cash and expect a line out the door on big game nights.
Boston sports bars: the full guideOur Boston sports bar guide covers every venue worth knowing across the year.
See Boston sports bars
Fenway: Red Sox and Patriots
The Fenway bars are built around the ballpark and the Patriots Sunday slate, with screens everywhere and one with an actual view onto the field.
03
Cask 'n Flagon
Fenway$$Ballpark institution / Multi-screen
The Fenway institution beside the Green Monster, Cask 'n Flagon is the classic pre and post Red Sox bar, with screens throughout for the game and every other fixture on the slate. It is as much a part of a Fenway day as the ballpark itself.
Game day tip: Come before first pitch, then stay for the late national games.
04
Bleacher Bar
Fenway$$Field-view window / One of a kind
Built into the Fenway Park bleachers, Bleacher Bar has a window that looks straight onto the field. You watch the Red Sox on the screens and through the glass at the same time, which makes it a one-of-a-kind game day room even when the Sox are away.
Game day tip: Reserve the window seats during a home stand, because they go first.
05
Game On! Fenway
Fenway$$Big screens / Arcade games
On Lansdowne Street, Game On! pairs big-screen TVs with an arcade, cornhole and ping pong, an all-day Fenway sports room that runs the full Patriots and Celtics calendar. It suits groups who want to play between windows as well as watch.
Game day tip: Good for a group that wants games to play during the NFL window breaks.
06
Tony C's Sports Bar
Fenway$$Towers of beer / Sunday slate
A dependable Fenway multi-screen bar with beer towers and a full Sunday NFL setup, with the sound zoned for the marquee game. It is a solid, no-drama choice when you want to watch the 1pm and 4pm windows without booking weeks ahead.
Game day tip: Reliable for the back to back NFL windows on a Patriots Sunday.
Where to watch the NFLOur NFL viewing guide covers the bars that run the full Sunday slate properly.
Read the NFL guide
Weekly editorial
The bars worth going to, weekly.
One email per week. The bars our editors are recommending right now, across 72 cities worldwide.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Soccer and the Wider Slate
For soccer mornings and the bars that run every fixture on the calendar, these two round out the city.
09
The Lansdowne Pub
Fenway$$Irish pub / Soccer and sport
A Fenway Irish pub that mixes live music with full sports coverage, with screens for the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins, plus soccer for the international crowd. It is the Fenway pick when you also want the morning Premier League fixtures.
Game day tip: Good for soccer mornings before an afternoon at the ballpark.
10
Hurricane O'Reilly's
West End$$Near TD Garden / Multi-screen Irish
A Canal Street Irish sports bar steps from TD Garden, Hurricane O'Reilly's runs multiple screens and a strong pre-game crowd for Bruins and Celtics, with a kitchen that keeps going through the evening. It is the reliable overflow when the bigger rooms fill.
Game day tip: A dependable backup when Banners and The Harp hit capacity.
Where to watch the NBAOur NBA guide covers the rooms that handle a playoff night right.
Read the NBA guide
Game Day Questions
Where is the best bar to watch a Celtics or Bruins game?
Banners Kitchen & Tap and The Harp sit right by TD Garden and turn a Celtics or Bruins night into an event. Sullivan's Tap and The Greatest Bar are also within a short walk.
Which Boston bar has the biggest screen?
Banners Kitchen & Tap by TD Garden has a 40-foot screen, the biggest in the Northeast, along with 60 TVs and 30 rotating taps.
Where do I watch the Patriots in Boston?
The Fenway bars run the full Sunday NFL slate, with Tony C's and Game On! built for the 1pm and 4pm windows. The Harp also has a location by Gillette Stadium for Patriots home days.
Can I watch soccer in Boston?
The Lansdowne Pub in Fenway carries soccer for the morning Premier League fixtures alongside the local teams, which makes it a good early-and-late option on a game day.
Our Verdict on Game Day in Boston
Pick your district in Boston. For Celtics and Bruins, the TD Garden cluster of Banners, The Harp, The Greatest Bar and Sullivan's Tap is unbeatable, and Banners has the screen to prove it. For Red Sox days and Patriots Sundays, the Fenway bars own the calendar, with Bleacher Bar the one true novelty thanks to its field-view window. Book the big rooms for playoff nights, and keep Hurricane O'Reilly's in mind when everything else is full.
