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What? You'd rather see a picture of fat Dolfans drinking beer?

Down. Set. Drink! Where to watch the big game

By Lisa Cawley

If you can't get your tail to the gate, get your tail to the bar for some touchdown action. With an unending supply of food, brews and oh-so-sweet A/C, you'll have the best seats in the house. Plus, with all the money you saved on tickets, there'll be more cash for beer. Head to one of these spots and get ready for kickoff. It's game time, baby.

Beef 'O' Brady's
This Tampa-based restaurant is a favorite among families and sports fanatics. Kids can play in the game room while you watch the real game. With 28 TVs showing all of the NFL and most college match-ups, you'll never miss your team. And with individual sound boxes available at every table, you'll actually be able to hear them, too.

Plenty of Dolphins, Patriots, Eagles, Steelers, Ravens and, of course, Hurricanes fans walk through these doors on game days for specials on pitchers and buckets of beer, as well as giveaways and raffles at halftime. On Monday nights at the Homestead locale, there are happy hour wing deals and 99-cent drafts. Head north to the Sunrise location for an inventive assortment of "Stadium Dogs," 31 hot dogs that are each themed after a different NFL city. The Baltimore dog is topped with crab cake, the popular Chicago dog features tomatoes and grilled onions, and the Miami dog is a spicy concoction of "nuclear sauce," cheese, onion and garlic.

30390 Old Dixie Hwy., Homestead; 305-242-7248; 10079 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise; 954-748-2297; for other locations, go to beefobradys.com

Miller's Ale House
Another Florida chain, the Ale House, takes the name of whichever location it's in. At the Doral Ale House, there's plenty of love for the Dolphins and the Hurricanes. Watch all the Miami action on 45 high-definition TVs. Pitchers of Miller Lite, Miller Genuine Draft and Icehouse are $5 all day, every day. On Saturdays and Sundays, there are five for $10 specials on buckets of Bud Light and Miller Lite. If you don't get there early, be prepared to wait.

3271 N.W. 87th Ave., Miami; 305-629-9442; for other locations, go to millersalehouse.com

Sandbar Grill
If you bleed green and orange, this is the bar for you. Located less than five miles from the main University of Miami campus, Sandbar is a prime destination for Canes fans. Three jumbo projector screens in addition to 24 TVs show all college and NFL games, though the restaurant tries to cater to fans of Florida teams - especially the local favorite. Wash down your Baja California-style fish taco with $3.50 bottles of Miller Lite on college game days and $4 Miller Lite 25-ounce mugs on Sundays. The big games draw a crowd, so if you want to watch the Canes face off against big rivals this season, plan to arrive as early as two hours before the game.

3064 Grand Ave, Coconut Grove; 305-444-5270

The Playwright Irish Pub and Restaurant
This traditional Irish pub is popular among soccer fans as a spacious place to catch a match on one of 13 plasma TVs or three giant screens. But The Playwright also shows every NFL and college football game. On Sundays and Mondays, pitchers of Coors Light are $9, and on Thursdays and Saturdays, Heineken pitchers are $12. Chicken wings are just 25 cents each on all game days. Get there about 30 minutes before kickoff for the best seats. Sorry Dolfans, you'll be surrounded by Patriots, Steelers and Colts supporters at this pub.

1265 Washington Ave, Miami Beach; 305 534-0667

Quarterdeck
Paul Flanigan, nephew of late Flanigan's and Big Daddy's founder Joe Flanigan, launched Quarterdeck in 1995. Though billed as a seafood bar, the most popular item on the menu is the baby back ribs. Maybe that's because Quarterdeck uses the same award-winning recipe as Flanigan's. And at only $7.25 for a half rack and $11.25 for a full rack, they're a steal. But the food isn't the only thing the restaurant has to offer.

There are 40-60 TVs at each of its eight locations, most of which have outdoor dining areas so you can get your daily dose of vitamin D. Game days feature specials on pitchers and buckets. The South Beach spot does not have alfresco seating, but there are plenty of other reasons to head to that location. In addition to the usual game day drink deals, there's a $13.99 3-liter beer tower filled to the brim with your choice of Anheuser-Busch products. Also, every Monday night you have a chance to win tickets to Dolphins home games in a halftime raffle. The restaurant is big among college football fans, especially those who love Ohio State. You'll also find a healthy mix of Florida, Florida State and Miami fans.

1430 Alton Rd, Miami Beach; 305-531-2441

Shuckers Bar and Grill
This dockside restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere that's worlds away from a typical, smoky sports bar. Sure there are pool tables, 22 TVs with the complete NFL package and plenty of beer for all the thirsty Patriots, Steelers and Cowboys fans, but where else can you pull up your boat, kick back and enjoy the game?

Whether you arrive by land or sea, just make sure to get there early to score a table near a TV. The best part? For those moments when your team is 10 down with 2 minutes to go in the 4th quarter and your wide receiver fumbles, take a deep breath and shift your eyes from the screen to the beautiful bay. The Dolphins may suck, but hey, at least you're in Miami.

1819 79th St. Cswy., Miami; 305-866-1570

Mike's at Venetia Restaurant and Irish Pub
Off the beaten path for most, Mike's is located inside of a downtown condo building. To get there, you walk through the lobby of the Venetia, take the first set of elevators to the 9th floor and pass the pool. Mike's will be on your right.

While there's a Miami cheering section, the restaurant tends to be dominated by New York fans. The Giants and Jets reign supreme. If you need to let out some steam at half-time (or if you want to get away from the Jets fans), two pool tables in the back offer a reprieve. It does get crowded on game days, but not so full that you can't find a seat near one of the 20 TVs, so arriving early isn't necessary. The lunch menu is reasonably priced, and game days feature specials on beer, burgers and hot dogs.

555 NE 15th St, Miami; 305-374-5731

Other places to check out:

Flanigan's
2721 Bird Road, Coconut Grove; 305-446-1114

Finnegan's Way
1344 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach; 305-672-7747; 401 SW Third Ave., Miami; 305-856-7881

Keg South of Kendall
12805 SW 136th Ave, Miami; 305-253-2043

Gameworks
5701 Sunset Dr, Miami; 305-667-4263

Published: 9/08

Average rating based on 1 review.

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Great fun! Posted by: Ladiesinthecitycom on Fri, 2008-11-28 11:16

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