Game Time Grub
03 Sep 2021
Where to fuel up for football games
By Elise DeVoe
Football season is upon us and the following Charleston sports bars have the snacks and cold beers fit for game day. Whether you’re looking for a place to cozy up to the bar and watch the game or pick up food to take to the tailgate, these sports bars in and around Charleston have you covered.
Bay Street Biergarten
@baystreetbiergarten
549 East Bay St., Charleston
Bay Street Biergarten is the ideal sports bar for craft beer enthusiasts. They have 24 beer taps behind their expansive bar with 62 more spread throughout the tables and beer wall. To go along with the beer, they have food inspired by German beer gardens, but with a touch of the Lowcountry added in. Must-try items include their brats, soft pretzel and freaky taters. Catch the game saddled up to the bar, in one of their spacious booths or on their dog-friendly patio.
Kickin’ Chicken
@kickinchickenchs
349 W Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant
1179 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., Charleston
800 North Main St., Summverville
9800 Dorchester Rd., Summerville
(coming soon) 45 Romney St., Charleston
The owners of Kickin’ Chicken, Chip Roberts and Bobby Perry, were fresh out of college at University of South Carolina when they opened the original Kickin’ Chicken location on Morrison Drive. If anyone knows tailgate food, it’s two Charleston locals who just graduated from a large university. Their Kickin’ Nuggets—hand-breaded, crispy-coated goodness—can be enjoyed while dining in or to-go in a party platter. If you want to start game day strong, order the Bobby Fries as an appetizer. They are covered in an addictive mix of ranch dressing, bacon and cheese and make the perfect game day snack.
Uptown Social
@uptownsocialchs
Uptown Social has 46 TVs and plenty of space downstairs or on their rooftop to watch your team in the big game. Early game? Cheer along with fellow fans while you enjoy a bloody Mary topped with candied bacon. Uptown Social will welcome a new pop-up breakfast option starting in the fall. If you’re looking to share an appetizer with friends, you can’t go wrong with the pizza dough bites, many pizzas on the menu. They even have large format cocktails in a 32 oz pitcher that you can share with your crew. No matter what team you cheer for, you are sure to find camaraderie with fellow sports fans at Uptown Social.
1st Place Pub
@1stplacepub
570 King St.
1st Place Pub is King Street’s newest premium sports pub. They have a great selection of craft beer, cocktails and bar food we all know and love, but with a few more upscale items added in. They have peel-n-eat shrimp, tempura buffalo shrimp and a smoked Philly cheesesteak made with prime rib. At 1st Place Pub, Saturdays are dedicated to college football. All 24 of their screens stream college football starting at 11 a.m. For NFL fans, they stream NFL Sunday Ticket all day long. To make Sundays even better, they offer a full brunch menu from 12-3 p.m., which includes $5 mimosas and $6 Bloody Marys.
Home Team BBQ
@hometeambbq
126 Williman St., Charleston
2209 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island
1205 Ashley River Rd., Charleston
Although they are known for their barbecue, Home Team has all the elements of a great sports bar. Their crispy wings, toppling piles of nachos, meaty sandwiches and cool frosty drinks are the perfect fuel for a game day. They have a large catering order option, where you order in advance to pick up pounds of freshly-smoked meats and even Lowcountry Boil to bring home. They have a wide selection of draft beer, but the drink to get at Home Team is their frozen rum drink called the Game Changer—a refreshing combination of two types of rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, cream of coconut and freshly grated nutmeg. They also serve a frozen Irish coffee that is a great pick-me-up for early games.
The Alley
@thealleychas
131 Columbus St.
Usually going bowling is a separate activity from enjoying a game day, but the Alley allows you to do both in one location downtown. In addition to their bowling lanes, they have a spacious bar and seating area where you can enjoy the game on their 161” projector screen. They also have arcade games ranging from Pacman to mini basketball to skee ball to keep you entertained between games. They have rotating daily food and drink specials, so you can get a great deal every time you go. If you get hungry, their loaded tots are a must order and they also have ten different flavors of wings to choose from.
Montreux Bar and Grill
@montreux127
127 W. Richardson Ave., Summerville
If you’re looking for a bit more entertainment on your game day, head to Montreux in Summerville for live music “of every imaginable style” Thursday through Monday. To sweeten the deal even more, they have brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and offer $2 build-your-own bloody Marys and $2 mimosas. Their brunch items are sure to fuel you for game day, especially “The Hangover.” The Hangover is a decadent bowl of grits, home fries, bacon, ham, three eggs any style and topped with cheese, hollandaise sauce and hot sauce. Pair that with a bloody Mary, mimosa, or draft beer and you are ready to take on the day.
Loggerhead’s Beach Grill
@loggerheadsbeachgrill
123 W. Ashley Ave., Folly Beach
The only thing better than going to a bar to watch the game is going to a bar at the beach to watch the game. Soak up the sun on “The Deck” at Loggerhead’s Beach Grill and watch the game all in one place. They have typical game day appetizers like loaded tots and fried pickles, but since they’re by the beach, you can also enjoy their seafood specialties such as their po boys, fried shrimp, or steamed crab legs. They have a great selection of craft beer as well as refreshing cocktails that are perfect for sipping by the beach. The bar is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles bar, and servers don the dark green fan wear on game days. Many regulars watch games there.
Bohemian Bull
@bohemianbull
1531 Folly Rd., James Island
Bohemian Bull on Folly Road has plenty of space inside and on the patio for you and your squad to meet up and watch the game. There are six TVs at the bar and four TVs in the dining room for all your game day needs along with craveable food, craft brews and cocktails. If you’re looking for something stronger than beer to drink on game day, they have an entire menu dedicated to bourbon. Pair the bourbon with one of their signature burgers or mac and cheese bites to kick off your game day. They also have an extensive brunch menu from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Sundays. They serve the classics like chicken and waffles, but they also serve frittatas, Benedicts, breakfast sandwiches and more.
Bumpa’s
@bumpas_chs
5 Cumberland St., Charleston
Bumpa’s is a family-owned bar-restaurant downtown that was inspired by the owners’ Irish heritage and their grandfather “Bumpa.” Their mission is to channel the spirit of the Irish pub into the 150+ year old converted warehouse at 5 Cumberland Street. Highlights of the menu include their plate of fries that are smothered and covered with every topping imaginable. On game day the “Shaking My Tail-Gate” fries are especially appropriate. The combination of diced buffalo chicken, chili, jalapenos, and blue cheese is perfect to enjoy while watching the game.
