It has been a long, hot summer in Sarasota — especially for the local restaurant and bar scene — but things are about to pick up with the return of football season.
The 2025 NFL season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 4, with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting their NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys. Then, on opening Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on division rival Atlanta Falcons. From there, it’s wall-to-wall gridiron action, and the question becomes: where’s the best place to watch?
Sports bars across Sarasota and Manatee counties will be showing the games, but many offer only the standard setup. These locally owned spots deliver something extra. Along with plenty of TVs, they stand out for unforgettable comfort food, friendly atmospheres, and signature touches that make them destinations long after the final whistle.
Here are 10 of my favorite places to catch the big game — and what to order while enjoying the action.
Big Top Brewing Company (Fruitville Commons)
Details: 3045 Fruitville Commons Blvd., Sarasota; 941-225-8438; bigtopbrewing.com
Big Top Brewing at Fruitville Commons features a fresh and delicious roster of beers, including the Circus City IPA, Hawaiian Lion Porter, and Intercoastal Amber Ale. Add in an eclectic menu of standout pub grub and a fun setting with indoor and outdoor seating, multiple bars, and a fire pit, and it’s easy to see why this was one of my favorite new restaurants of 2024 — and a great place to catch the big game.
Joe Seidensticker and Joe Guli, best known for their leadership of popular Sarasota and Bradenton restaurants Oak & Stone and Libby’s, designed the food menu. Standouts include the 24-hour-brined wings, Bavarian pretzel with Circus City IPA beer fondue, Tex-Mex eggrolls, Mojo Sandwich (their clever take on a Cuban), and wood-fired pizzas — with my personal favorite being the Bee Sting, topped with capicola, crispy pepperoni, sausage, Calabrian peppers, whipped ricotta, and Mike’s Hot Honey.
Brewster’s Gastropub
Details: 1454 Main St., Sarasota; 941-343-2380; brewstersfl.com
One of my favorite destinations in downtown Sarasota, Brewster’s boasts some of the best servers in town and a long bar that’s an ideal spot to watch the game while sipping an ice-cold beer — from macros to local crafts and imports — or a cocktail. There are plenty of indoor tables as well as a covered outdoor area, where you can also catch the action on a big screen. Perhaps most importantly, Brewster’s is fully committed to feeding the friendly crowd that fills the place just about every day and night — especially during football season.
The food? All the gastropub greatest hits — wings, burgers, tacos, sandwiches — and they nail every one. The real move, though, is stopping by for steals like $1 wings on Wednesdays or the Friday burger special: a fully loaded burger with fries and a happy hour drink (yes, even a margarita or Bloody Mary) for just $15.99. Plus, don’t forget happy hour runs daily from 4 to 7 p.m., with $4 drink deals.
Evie’s on Main Street
Details: 4725 Bee Ridge Road and 1560 Main St., Sarasota; eviesonline.com
The locally owned Evie’s chain, which debuted in 1997, has two Sarasota locations for watching sports while eating like a pro. And while the Bee Ridge Road spot is certainly appealing, you just can’t beat the Main Street destination in downtown. There are big TVs everywhere, and the large full-liquor bar in the center of the room boasts 24 beers on tap — each one served ice cold.
The extensive food menu is brimming with pub classics including wings, pizza, and burgers. My favorite dish? The Buffalo chicken dip, served with baked pita triangles and tortilla chips, which I devoured the other evening while sipping on a proper Black and Tan (Guinness and Harp). Evie’s also offers outstanding weekly specials like $8 burger Thursdays, plus a daily happy hour from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. featuring $4 domestic drafts and their very own Mr. Steve’s Vodka drinks for $5.
The Fat Rabbit Pub
Details: 1359 Main St., Sarasota; 941-780-1151; fatrabbitpub.com
Following the success of their Fat Rabbit Pub in Tampa Palms, owners John Kuemmel and Shawn Diehl brought the brand to downtown Sarasota, opening last May in a second-floor spot overlooking bustling lower Main Street. The restaurant offers an elevated pub experience, with a solid selection of beer, wine, and craft cocktails to pair with burgers, hand-cut fries, and some of the best wings in town.
In addition to the wings, I can’t get away from their blackened chicken roll — a blackened chicken breast with sautéed onions, peppers, and corn, all tossed in their irresistible Fat Rabbit sauce and wrapped in a flour tortilla. It’s pressed, sliced sushi-style, and served with your choice of scratch-made dipping sauces (lately, I’m partial to the cayenne horseradish and chipotle ranch). Even better, the blackened chicken roll is just $8 from 2 to 6 p.m. daily as part of the happy hour food menu, which also includes pretzel sticks, sliders, nachos, and five wings for $8. And, yes, happy hour also comes with drink deals.
Food + Beer
Details: Multiple locations in Sarasota and Bradenton; eatfooddrinkbeer.com
Food + Beer first opened in Sarasota’s Gulf Gate district in 2018 and now has six locations across Sarasota-Manatee, including Bradenton and Venice. The locally owned group thrives on a smartly curated beer selection, craft cocktails, and clever takes on comfort food classics — burgers, wings, and other pub favorites like the fried Buffalo chicken sandwich, cheesesteak, and hand-breaded chicken nuggets — as well as seasonal specials.
Personal favorites include the You Jel? burger, which comes topped with chipotle cream cheese, bacon, and jalapeño pepper jelly, plus a roasted jalapeño on the side for those who want an extra kick. The house Buffalo wings are another standout, especially when dunked in a side of jalapeño ranch. And no stop at Food + Beer is complete without a serving of their thin, fresh-cut fries — which, yes, you’ll also want to dip in that jalapeño ranch. Looking for a deal? Don’t miss their weekly specials, including Monday’s cheeseburger-and-fries basket for just $6.99.
Gecko’s Grill & Pub
Details: Multiple locations; geckosgrill.com
A local tradition founded by Sarasotans Mike Gowan and Mike Quillen in 1992, Gecko’s has six restaurants across Sarasota and Manatee counties, all offering a family-friendly setting for watching the big game — either at the full-liquor bar or one of the many tables. I’ve logged the most hours lately at the Southside Village location, but I also had a fun visit recently to the Fruitville Gecko’s, where you can pass the time during commercials by spotting the server robot making its rounds.
Gecko’s is probably best known for its big, juicy burgers that come with your choice of toppings ranging from onion rings and chili to jalapeños and guacamole. In addition to the burgers, I’m a big fan of their house-made potato chips, especially the Blue Cheese Chips starter, which tops those chips with blue cheese fondue, smoked bacon, red and green onions, and a sweet balsamic glaze. Another appetizer I’ve been known to crush is the Loaded Potato Scoops — an inspired take on potato skins, with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, bacon, scallions, and a side of sour cream for mandatory dipping.
Jaxx Sports Bar & Grill and Jaxx Wing Co.
Details: 1035 Hasko Road, Palmetto; jaxxfl.com and 316 Old Main St., Bradenton; jaxxwingco.com
Jaxx Sports Bar & Grill in Palmetto offers a full-liquor bar in a fun, cozy setting along with some of the best chicken wings you’ll find in the region — including my personal favorite, the Jamaican jerk. Jaxx also excels at hand-pattied burgers and hand-cut fries. In fact, any visit to Jaxx should really include trying all three of their top items: wings, burger, and fries.
Last year, the owners opened Jaxx Wing Co. on Old Main Street in downtown Bradenton. This smaller spot serves only beer and wine, but you’ll still find the famed wings, burgers, and fries — which you can always order to-go and enjoy while watching games a few doors down at Lost Kangaroo Pub, my favorite bar in Bradenton and a fine place to spend a Sunday. The ’Roo has been known to give away food on Sundays, but since they don’t have a kitchen, they allow folks to bring food in from nearby spots such as Jaxx and Favs Italian Cucina.
Joey D’s
Details: Multiple locations; joeydsfl.com
The fan-voted winner of our 2024 March Madness-style Best Pizza Challenge, Joey D’s is the place for Chicago comfort foods while cheering on the Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Bulls — and, of course, “Da Bears.”
Their deep-dish pizza features thick, flavorful crust walls filled with gobs of mozzarella and chunky tomato sauce, made fresh daily and spread generously over the cheese. Beneath that gooey layer, I like mine stuffed simply with pepperoni, or pepperoni and green olives — my go-to toppings for their equally impressive thin-crust pizza as well.
The family-owned restaurant debuted in Bradenton in 1994 and now maintains a flagship location there on Manatee Avenue West, along with locations in Sarasota, Venice, and Palmetto. Beyond pizza, I’m also a fan of the authentic Chicago-style hot dog, Italian beef sandwich, and wings.
Oak & Stone
Details: multiple locations; oakandstone.com
The Sarasota-founded Oak & Stone family of restaurants — which includes a downtown Bradenton location with one of the area’s best rooftop bars — is also a great choice for watching sporting events. You can catch the game from your seat, or while pouring yourself a flight of craft beer from one of their popular self-serve beer walls.
Must-try items from Oak & Stone’s food menu include the thin-crust pizzas and slow-roasted oven wings. I’m also a fan of the Philly Cheesesteak Eggrolls, Smoky Gouda Mac N’ Cheese, Griddle Burger, and Voodoo Chick Sandwich. Really, though, the perfect pairing at Oak & Stone is pizza and wings. My favorites are the Farmer & the Pig — with prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella, hot honey, herbed extra-virgin olive oil, and shaved pecorino romano — and the O.G. Buffalo wings, topped with blue cheese crumbles and green onions, served with a side of ginger honey mustard for dipping.
Raffurty’s Bar and Grill
Details: 1888 Main St., Sarasota; 941-260-5285; raffurtys.net
As a Hershey, Pennsylvania, native, the Philadelphia Eagles have always been my favorite football team. The same goes for my wife, Kristin, who grew up in the South Jersey resort town of Cape May. While living on the Bradenton Riverwalk for the past decade, we watched the Birds at Old Main Street spots such as the Lost Kangaroo Pub (with food from Jaxx Wing Co.) and Oak & Stone. Then, just before the Eagles faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9, we relocated to downtown Sarasota — and our main concern became where we could watch the big game, surrounded by fellow Eagles fans, and preferably within walking distance of our new home.
The knowledgeable bartenders at The Gator Club suggested Raffurty’s, and it turned out to be hands-down the most unforgettable Super Bowl experience of our lives. Sure, it helped that our beloved Birds trounced the Chiefs 40-22 — which made every beer taste even better — and that the entire two-story restaurant and its courtyard were packed with green-adorned fans from the same part of the country as us. But special shout-out to owner Karl Raffurty and his expert staff for turning the entire day into one big party, complete with drink specials and giveaways — including an Eagles-emblazoned koozie I’ve safely stashed away.
So, yes, this season we’ll be watching the Eagles from Raffurty’s second-story “treehouse” bar and patio, ordering buckets of ice-cold longnecks and sharing the All-Star Sampler of cheese curds, pretzel bites, potato skins, and boneless wings. A burger with fries or tots will also be in the mix. And for those who prefer cocktails, Raffurty’s has you covered — just be warned, the bartenders are generous with their pours, which only adds to the fun. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you’re back home — surrounded by fellow Birds fans — while enjoying a beautiful, balmy, palm-tree-lined downtown Sarasota setting.
Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and X. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 10 best Sarasota sports bars to watch the 2025 NFL season — and the top foods to order
Reporting by Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
