Best Soccer Bars in NYC

Americans are no strangers to sports fanaticism. But for many years, soccer has taken a very limited, secondary role in the hearts of American fans. Instead, the United States largely invested their interests in football (the American kind), basketball, and baseball. But now, the number—and intensity—of soccer fans is rapidly growing, with soccer expected to overtake baseball in overall popularity in just the next few years.

With this new-found fervor for the riveting sport, there has also grown a new market for sports bars for soccer fans. And in the culture capital of America, New York City has much to offer these fans. So here are the best soccer bars in NYC, where you can watch, cheer, drink, and talk among like-minded (and not-so-like-minded) fans.

Paulaner Brauhaus

Paulaner Brauhaus is a brewhouse, and not just in the "we serve a lot of different kinds of beer" way that so many bars and tap houses advertise themselves as. No, this bar actually brews many of their beer offerings, which hail from the bar's German roots. But we're not here to talk about the best brewhouses—we're here to talk about the best soccer bars in NYC.

Also a result of the place's German roots, you can be sure to find a German game playing if there is one. But they will also play a constant stream of sports to engage with, as you enjoy the excellent beer and German food.

Football Factory (Legends Bar)

Address: 6 W. 33rd Street, New York, NY 10001

The Football Factory at Legends is not just a great sports bar that runs soccer during soccer season—they are, in fact, devoted entirely to the game, with over 100 games playing across 20 big screen TVs every week. This allows them to play games from every league and tournament, from MLS games and the World Cup, to La Liga, Ligue 1, and many South American leagues. So whether you only tune in for the World Cup finals, or you catch every game you possibly can, The Football Factory has something for you. You might get to experience the most emotional moments in soccer history while you're there. They also offer a great selection of foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you don't have to choose between missing the game or watching hungrily.

Banter Bar

Address: 132 Havemeyer St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

It's no secret that Europe has been on the soccer (football) wagon for a long time. The World Cup in Europe is like the Superbowl in America, except that it is an international phenomenon, drawing more than a billion viewers. Recall, there are only about 7.4 billion people in the world in total.

As a result, many of the best soccer bars in NYC are styled after European pubs and bars. And so soccer, a sport that owes its popularity in the U.S. largely to Europe, brings with it the same kind of spirit of being a fan, and an authenticity.

Smithfield Hall

Address: 138 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10001

Smithfield Hall, located in the center of NYC, is not a bar that simply plays sports as people drink and talk and flirt and ignore the screens. It's a bar dedicated to and designed around the love of sports. Here, you can be sure to find all the major games you'll want to watch. You can head over on Saturday and catch the World Cup, Uruguay vs. Portugal, and stay for the Seattle Sounders vs the Portland Timbers in the MLS season. They have all upcoming games and times posted on their site, so you can be sure to catch your favorite teams. They can also host private or semi-private parties for you, so you and your friends can make a real event of the big game. They have excellent options for brunch, so you don't have to have beer for those early games, as well as great bar food throughout the day and evening. And of course, they offer a wide selection of beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails, so you can enjoy the game to the fullest.

This setup of this sports bar also reflects its status as a sports bar above all else, with a long row of big TVs, and the biggest game of the moment playing on a massive projector screen, so you can sure you won't miss a moment.

The Red Lion

Address: 151 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012

The Red Lion is a small, UK-styled bar that offers live bands on the weekends, but runs numerous soccer matches throughout the rest of their business hours. Though certainly styled after sports bars of the UK, The Red Lion has all the standard, familiar offerings of the American bar, with basic, tasty, probably terribly unhealthy bar food, and a wide selection of drinks—especially beer. There are numerous TVs throughout the bar, so they can air many matches at once, making this a good place to catch the game—especially if your game coincides with a happy hour, during which you can get great deals on wings and drinks.

Sláinte Bar and Lounge

Address: 304 Bowery, New York, NY 10012

This authentic Irish pub offers all of the comforts of your favorite bar foods (the nachos are particularly mouthwatering if you want my opinion), as well as lighter and healthier options, and options for those on special diets—something that can be hard to find in the world of sports bars. And of course, as any good Irish pub must, they offer an excellent selection of beer.

The bar is hosting viewings for all of the upcoming World Cup matches, and makes sure to give soccer fans a place to let out their team spirit in comfort, and in the good company of other soccer lovers. Maybe you'll get to see the top soccer fights between teammates!

Lansdowne Road

Address: 599 10th Ave, New York, NY 10036

Lansdowne Road boasts end-to-end TVs throughout the Irish pub, ensuring that you will have your chance to get a good view of the game you came to see. They have a standard selection of beer, but at decent prices (for NYC) ranging from $5-7, as well as the alternatives of wine and cocktails. But their menu will certainly not leave you wanting, with options from tex-mex to burgers to good old-fashioned bar food. They also offer world-famous Scruffy Duffy's Wings, the result of a wing and sauce recipe that has been handed from its original owners to this thriving soccer bar in NYC.

The Central Bar

Address: 109 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003

The Central Bar has something for everyone, with floors for dancing and floors for sports viewing, and of course, bars on every floor. They have 10 large TVs on this floor, along with a cozy fireplace and comfortable seating options, so you can have the best of both worlds: the comfort of home, with the excellent bar food, unlimited drinks, and lively atmosphere of an Irish barroom. They do air many different sports (more than just soccer, unfortunately), but you can call ahead for the schedule to be sure to catch the game.

Their excellent beer and drink selection also include many gluten-free beer options, so everyone can partake in the festivities. The selection also includes all your favorites, as well as a number of interesting new beers to try.

11th Street Bar

Address: 510 E. 11th St., New York, NY 10009

Another wonderful traditional Irish pub worth a visit is the 11th Street Bar. This place has all the standard diversions of an Irish pub, including excellent food and drink, as well as occasional live music, both Irish music, and jazz.

While the bar does a number of screenings and sports viewings, what really places them among the best soccer bars in NYC is their Liverpool Football Club. Obviously, this is probably not the atmosphere for you if you detest Liverpool, but for fans it's paradise. Liverpool fans are among some of the craziest fans in world football, after all. On game days, fans pack into the bar to watch, celebrate, commiserate and generally enjoy their experience with other enthusiastic fans. These events are open to all ages, as long as those under 21 are accompanied by an adult.

4th Down Sports Bar

Address: 750 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

This bar has a lot to offer, and might be a great place to catch the game with a mixed group—and by mixed, I mean sports fans and not sports fans. The bar has a long row of TVs to air all the biggest games, as well as boasting a classic arcade area, with pool, Skeeball, and more. If you go to catch the game with a group, you may want to order on of their buckets of beer, a deal that gets you six for the price of five.

They do offer viewings for American football and baseball as well, but you can find their schedule for soccer matches here. Unfortunately, they are not currently able to offer viewings for the World Cup, but the true soccer fans out there might still want to check this place out for Premier League games.

Stout NYC - Flagship

Address: 133 West 33rd Street, New York, NY 10001

Stout NYC is one of the largest Irish pubs or soccer bars in NYC, in more than one way. First, they have multiple locations. The main one is located right by Madison Square Garden. This bar has three floors and 36 HDTVs on which to watch the big game. They also have an arcade and other activities, as well as a design that creates an authentic Irish town atmosphere, a breath of fresh air off the streets of NYC.

They can accommodate private parties for anywhere from ten to four hundred guests, so whether it's a group of friends or your entire company, this is a place that can make your event happen.