Best bars near Madison Square Garden

Just like the restaurant scene, after years of decent places to get a drink around MSG , there has been a rise in fun and affordable bars and pubs near Madison Square Garden. Perfect for sinking a few drinks before the game and celebrating (or commiserating) afterwards.

On a balmy New York night, you want to be outside, drinking all the city has to offer in! Luckily enough, ‘Lucy’s Cantina Royale’ and ‘Local’ both have an excellent roof bar – with views of the stadium, and it’s big screens! Happy hours run from 4-7pm everyday at both of these bars, so take advantage of the offers. Lucy’s Cantina Royal serves up $4 Coors light and $7 Frozen Margaritas. Local’s Happy Hour also has the Coors Light deal – so why not pair it with a $5 Jim Bean Black or get daring with a $7 Cosmo.

If you want to mingle with the ‘after work’ crowd and yet still catch the latest sports news on TV – get yourself to some of the more classic bars in the area. ‘Stitch Bar and Lounge’ has a cool, split level layout which attracts a lot of NYC’s natives. Happy hour lasts until 7pm daily – and with a Draft of the Day being just $5 it’s easy to see why.

Stitch Bar & Lounge. Source: stitchnyc.com

The same deal can be found at Houndstooth pub on 8^th Avenue, so why not have a couple beers here, before checking into Stout NYC, just 50 feet from the stadium itself – they do have a great selection of beers – just don’t take too long or you’ll miss the start of the game!

‘American Whiskey’ and ‘Juniper Bar’ are slightly more elegant than their other MSG cousins, and for the dedicated sports fans looking for a top class experience. American Whiskey is a great Manhattan take on a southern style Bourbon joint, and they have a range of whiskeys to suit anyone down to the ground. Juniper is just as classic, though they too have a killer happy hour – $6 for either a Prosecco, a Flowery IPA, a Rosemary infused Gin and Tonic or your choice of Red/White wine.

Of course, this is an area close to Penn Station, and as such, there is an Irish pub on nearly every corner. Some of these have become tourist traps, but there are some diamonds among the rough. Tir Na Nog – is a very well done Irish Bar and if you’re lucky you could see some live music there. Otherwise ‘Blarney Rock Pub’ will have everything your looking for in an attempt to find that little buzz before the game.