Pittsburgh is one of the best sports cities in the country, and Steeler Nation makes every bar feel like an extension of Acrisure Stadium on a Sunday. The game day map runs from the North Shore screen palaces beside the stadiums to the three floor Southside saloons and the college rooms in Oakland. These ten cover Steelers, Penguins and Pirates days, plus the early soccer window, with the sound on for the black and gold.
North Shore and Downtown: Big Screens by the Stadiums
Steps from Acrisure Stadium and PNC Park, these rooms are built for volume of screens and a pregame crowd, and they open early on a Steelers Sunday.
01
Tom's Watch Bar
North ShoreHundreds of screensTable audio
Sitting between PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium, Tom's promises all sports all the time, with hundreds of screens that give every seat a clear view and personalized audio at each table so your group hears the game it chose. Coverage runs from the biggest events to the most obscure, which makes it the safe choice when no two people want the same match.
Game day tip: Use the table audio to pick your own game, then pregame here before walking to the stadium.
02
Iron City Brewing Co.
North Side24-foot TVLargest screens
The iconic Pittsburgh brand's riverside home claims the largest screens outside Acrisure in Western PA, anchored by a 24 by 14 foot TV in the upstairs taproom. It hosts watch parties on the big board with Iron City pouring throughout, so a Steelers or Penguins game plays at near stadium scale a short walk from the real thing.
Game day tip: Head upstairs for the 24 foot screen, which is the biggest game day view in the city.
03
McFadden's
North ShoreOpens 4 hrs earlyPregame
A few steps from Acrisure Stadium, McFadden's is the pregame headquarters, opening four hours before kickoff so you can set up shop long before the walk over. The black and gold crowd fills it on a Steelers Sunday, and the proximity makes it the natural first and last stop on a stadium day.
Game day tip: Arrive at opening, four hours before kickoff, to hold a table for the whole pregame.
04
City Works
Downtown90 craft beersState-of-the-art audio
In PPG Place downtown, City Works covers nearly every surface with gigantic televisions and backs them with state of the art audio so you never miss a call. The 90 craft beers showcase more than 30 local breweries, and one of the city's best brunch menus makes it a strong pick for an early game or a fantasy draft party.
Game day tip: Book in for an early kickoff and use the brunch menu, served until mid afternoon.
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The Southside Strip
East Carson Street holds the city's densest run of game day bars, from three floor saloons to the soccer room that opens early for the Premier League.
05
Carson City Saloon
SouthsideThree floorsDaily specials
The self proclaimed number one sports bar in Pittsburgh sits in the heart of the Southside, with three floors to find the right spot to camp out for the game. A menu of game time staples and specials every day of the week keeps the native crowd coming, and the room scales up for a big Steelers or Penguins night.
Game day tip: Pick your floor early on a busy Sunday, then settle in for the day's full slate.
06
Mario's Southside Saloon
SouthsideSince 1982Neighborhood and college
A Pittsburgh favorite since 1982, Mario's blends neighborhood, college and sports bar into one room and fills as a Southside game time destination. The crowd skews local and loud, and sister locations in Oakland and Shadyside mean the format travels, but the Southside original is the one for a marquee fixture.
Game day tip: Good for college football Saturdays as well as Steelers Sundays, with a local crowd.
07
Piper's Pub
SouthsideOpens earlyPremier League / La Liga
The Southside's home for football of the round ball kind, Piper's opens early on weekends so fans can catch the best Premier League and La Liga action with a full pub menu and a deep list of drafts, whiskey and scotch. Rugby fans head to nearby Rugger's Pub, but Piper's is the soccer first room with fan friendly hours.
Game day tip: Come early on a weekend for the morning Premier League kickoffs, when Piper's opens for soccer.
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Shadyside, Oakland and Mount Washington
Away from the stadiums, these neighborhood and college rooms deliver screens, specials and a hometown crowd whatever the fixture.
08
William Penn Tavern
ShadysideIndoor / outdoorKitchen till midnight
A Shadyside staple off Walnut Street, the Tav carries a hometown bar feel with an indoor and outdoor bar and a kitchen open until midnight every night. There is no bad day or time to watch here, which makes it the dependable neighborhood choice when you just want friends, screens and a late kitchen.
Game day tip: The room for a late game, with the kitchen running until midnight.
09
Hemingway's
OaklandPitt campus20+ TVs
In the heart of Pitt's campus on Forbes Avenue, Hemingway's is a celebrated college bar with more than 20 TVs, over 40 beers on tap and specials for every Pittsburgh sporting event. It runs young, loud and cheap, which is exactly what a Panthers Saturday or a Steelers Sunday with students calls for.
Game day tip: Best for a college game day crowd, with cheap taps and screens everywhere.
10
Bigham Tavern
Mount Washington18 HD TVs + 10 screensNo bad seat
High on Mount Washington, Bigham Tavern runs 18 HD TVs and 10 huge screens, so there is no such thing as a bad view. It pairs big city sports bar coverage with small town charm, an extensive beer list and food crafted above typical bar fare, making it worth the trip up the hill for a marquee game.
Game day tip: Worth the trip up Mount Washington for the screen count and the skyline on the way.
Watching the Premier League in the USOur Premier League guide covers the rooms that open early for the English football.
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Game Day Questions
Where can I watch the Steelers in Pittsburgh?
Steeler Nation fills nearly every bar in the city, but the North Shore is the heart of it. McFadden's opens four hours before kickoff steps from Acrisure, Tom's Watch Bar runs hundreds of screens, and Iron City Brewing hosts watch parties on a 24 foot TV.
Which Pittsburgh bar has the biggest screens?
Iron City Brewing Co. claims the largest screens outside Acrisure Stadium in Western PA, with a 24 by 14 foot TV in its upstairs taproom. Bigham Tavern on Mount Washington runs 18 HD TVs plus 10 huge screens.
Where do I watch soccer in Pittsburgh?
Piper's Pub on the Southside opens early on weekends for Premier League and La Liga, with a full pub menu and fan friendly hours. It is the city's soccer first room.
Where should I pregame before a Steelers game?
McFadden's opens four hours before kickoff just steps from Acrisure Stadium, and Tom's Watch Bar and Iron City Brewing are both a short walk away on the North Shore.
Our Verdict on Game Day in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh makes it easy on a Steelers Sunday. For the full stadium day, the North Shore trio of McFadden's, Tom's Watch Bar and Iron City Brewing have the screens, the early hours and the pregame crowd. For the biggest picture, Iron City's 24 foot TV and Bigham Tavern's screen wall win. For soccer, Piper's opens early. The thread across all ten is a city where the game is never background, it is the whole point.
