Where fans touch down
Our favorites
Buffalo Bills
Can we get a seat? Will I
feel comfortable flying
solo? Busby’s West is
your place to cheer for
any team, but particu-
larly the Buffalo Bills.
This rambling roadhouse offers a
roomy bar and a series of booths
and tables where smaller groups
can huddle. Go big with the
chicken and waffles and the
loaded tots. 3110 Santa Monica
Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 828-
4567, busbyswest.com
New England Patriots
The Boston accents are
as thick as the chow-
der at Sonny
McLean’s. You almost
need subtitles. This old
shoe doesn’t have
beamed ceilingsor anything re-
sembling the latest look in hospi-
tality. What it has is character. And
characters. 2615 Wilshire Blvd.,
Santa Monica; (310) 449-1811,
sonnymcleans.comChicago Bears
Owner Brian McK-
eaney takes a hands-
on approach to run-
ning Rush Street, a
large and stylish Cul-
ver City venue. The Bears
are the emphasis (go upstairs),
but Rush Street is roomy enough
to handle clusters of other teams
on the first floor; the Browns,
49ers and Rams all draw contin-
gents. 9546 Washington Blvd.,
Culver City; (310) 837-9546,
rushstreetculvercity.com
Looking for some Soldier Field
insanity? Tin Horn Flats in Bur-
bank is a packed and passionate
neighborhood hangout where they
yell as if the refs can actually hear
them. 2623 W. Magnolia Blvd.,
Burbank; (818) 567-2470
Seattle Seahawks
Dark as a bad dream,
the Backstage is
where the Munchkins
drank during breaks
from “The Wizard of
Oz.” These days the
legendary dive, in the shadow of
Sony Studios, hosts one of the
largest gatherings of Seahawks
fans outside Seattle. Open 365
days a year, the Backstage seldom
sleeps. 10400 Culver Blvd., Culver
City; (310) 839-3892, backstage
culvercity.com
Impressive
completions
New York Giants
Big Dean’s Oceanfront
Café, at the base of the
Santa Monica Pier is
the best open-air bar
in America, despite
serving only wine and
beer. It draws transplants from all
over, but New York Giants fans are
the house band. 1615 Ocean Front,
Santa Monica; (310) 393-2666,
bigdeansoceanfrontcafe.comGreen Bay Packers
They should rename
Pickwick’s Pub “The
Lambeau Leap.” Any
good scouting report
would note that they
roast the turkey and the
beef on the premises of this well-
coached place. Even Lombardi
would approve. 21010 Ventura
Blvd., Woodland Hills; (818) 340-
9673, pickwickpub.comPhiladelphia Eagles
Britannia Pub in Santa
Monica has been
dubbed “Eagles Nest
West.” Early openings,
8 a.m. on Sundays,
speak to how serious they
take their team. 318 Santa Monica
Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 458-5350,
britanniapub.com
You can also catch Eagles ma-nia at the Harp in Costa Mesa,
another super pub that offers up
playoff-caliber food and atmos-
phere. 130 E. 17th St. Costa Mesa;
(949) 646-8855Kansas City Chiefs
The doors and windows
swing wide at airy
Jalapeno Pete’s, the
primary destination
for Chiefs fans around
Los Angeles. Fans start
lining up as early as 8 a.m. for a 10
a.m. kickoff (doors open at 9). The
tacos are worth a trip all by them-
selves. 11618 Ventura Blvd., Studio
City; (818) 579-4264, jalapenopetes
la.comMinnesota Vikings
If you bleed Vikings
purple, head to Pine-
apple Hill in Sherman
Oaks. This cozy Valley
landmark is hand-
somer than the bland
exterior might suggest. And you
have to admire a sports bar that
opens at 7:30 a.m. on game days.
4454 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman
Oaks; (818) 789-0679Miami Dolphins
For Dolphin fans, the
Snug is the place to be
(even if the team itself
seems headed for a
winless season). It
serves a game day menu that
includes a beef eater’s dream: the
Snug Burger, a double patty
topped with pastrami for $9.95.The fish may fail to score, but you
will with this bodacious burger.
4108 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank;
( 818 ) 5 57- 0 018 , thesnugburbank
.comWashington Redskins
Is this the Redskins
year? Evidently not.
(The team is 1-7.) But
all the more reason to
come to Joxer Daly’s
for some group therapy.
This place has that intangible
“Cheers” vibe that sports bar
patrons crave. 11168 Washington
Blvd., Culver City; (310) 838-3745San Francisco 49ers
Naturally, the San Fran-
cisco Saloon worships
the Niners, Warriors
and, of course, the
baseball Giants. An
uncommonly wide-
ranging menu includes
omelets at prices that are better
than most. Almost instantly you’ll
feel like you’re back in North
Beach. 11501 W. Pico Blvd., Los
Angeles; (310) 478-0152,
https://sfsaloon.comCleveland Browns
Got a Browns fan who
needs some company?
Take him or her to
Matt Denny’s, a San
Gabriel Valley favorite
for all sports, but espe-
cially the beleaguered Browns. 145
E. Huntington Drive, Arcadia;
(626) 462-0250, mattdennys.comIn Santa Monica, Browns fans
flock to JP’s Sports Bar. Grab a
Pabst and a pool cue at this lovely
old dump. 1101 Wilshire Blvd.,
Santa Monica; (310) 394-7660.Los Angeles Rams
No, we didn’t forget the
hometown team.
Among the most-
sophisticated Rams
hangouts is the Park
near Westlake Village.
The pizzas are worthy, but go long
with the Nashville hot chicken
sandwich ($15). 706 Lindero Can-
yon Road, Oak Park; (818) 532-7919,
theparkrestaurantandbar.comNo team?
No problem
Here are sports bar superstars
for free agents looking for a team
to party with.Nickel Mine:Nickel Mine
draws good Rams and Lakers
crowds to a clubby venue that
features leather seats, book-
shelves and a wall of windows that
lets the sun shine in. 11363 Santa
Monica Blvd., Los Angeles; (310)
231-0239,nickelmine.comLegends:Established by for-
mer Rams all-pro Dennis Harrah,
Legends just celebrated its 40th
anniversary. Who’s No. 1? The
wings at Legends are No. 1, and the
burgers are among SoCal’s best.
5236 E. 2nd St., Long Beach; (562)
433-5743, legendssportsbar.com
Barney’s Beanery: With its
kitsch decor, the West Hollywood
Barney’s virtually invented the
modern sports bar. The original
has links to everyone from Clark
Gable to Jim Morrison, but all the
bars are sure bets. At six locations
around Southern California. bar-
neysbeanery.com
The Greyhound:You’ve been
meaning to get to Highland Park
anyway. Here’s your reason: a
handsome location where the
comfort food is a step above. Try
the poutine. 5570 N. Figueroa St.,
Highland Park; (323) 900-0300,
the-greyhound.com
Grunions:Since 1974, this
South Bay slice of life (and death)
is one of the area’s best and friend-
liest sports hangouts. Solid pub
grub but most people come for the
drinks and banter. 1501 N. Sepul-
veda Blvd., Manhattan Beach;
(310) 545-9910, grunionssportsbar
andgrill.comNOTHINGbeats the excitement of another six points. At Sonny McLean’s in Santa Monica, Patriots fans Denise Nero, far left, Nikki Nero and Sam Speroni feel it.
Mel MelconLos Angeles TimesPOSTCARD FROM L.A.
In the beginning, God took a fistful of diamonds and hurled them at the world. Those, of course, became our sports
bars. ¶ Some sparkled, some didn’t. But in L.A. the very best became hangouts for transplants who gathered to follow their teams from back
home. ¶ These days, SoCal boasts hometown sanctuaries for cheese heads and chowderheads, Eagles fanatics and followers of the Fish (a.k.a.
Miami Dolphins). ¶ Some spots are proving that sports bars don’t need to be dark, sticky relics (though that certainly helps). The newer ones
are swanking it up a bit, looking more like athletic clubs than taverns. But the places worthy of our time all have the same great autumnal feel —
that of a beer hall after the harvest is in.
BYCHRISERSKINE>>>
REACTIONSreveal who are Saints fans and who are Bears backers at Rush Street in Culver City.Gina FerazziLos Angeles TimesF4 LATIMES.COM
So you’re missing the hometown team? Go find your crowd at a local sports bar