Rookies Sports Bar and Grill
701 Main St., East Aurora
Rookies Sports Bar and Grill is right in the heart of East Aurora. Customers can get their wings sauced in a variety of ways and can enjoy them with a nice view of the TVs from anywhere.
The small size of the location is what many customers love. If the indoor sports bar scene isn’t for you, Rookies has a beautiful patio that puts customers right on busy Main Street. Rookies, in addition to being a great place to watch a game, draws a good crowd when it has retro game night every Wednesday.
Duff’s Famous Wings
3090 Orchard Park Dr., Orchard Park
Duff’s has many locations around Buffalo, including some closer to UB, but this particular Duff’s in Orchard Park is the place to go when you are looking to watch a game.
The well-decorated walls are filled with TVs that have numerous games on at a time. When you are waiting for your wings, which are known to many as the best in Buffalo, you can go to the arcade room and entertain yourself.
The wing sauce options are endless but the restaurant wants to make sure you know one thing before you order: “Medium IS HOT! Medium Hot IS VERY HOT! Hot is VERY VERY HOT!”
(716) Food and Sport
7 Scott St., Buffalo
(716) Food and Sport is inside of the recently built Harborcenter in downtown Buffalo. This is essentially the ultimate sports bar. It’s hard to miss the 38-foot main TV along with the 70 other TVs around the bar and restaurant.
The food has great reviews but people mainly come here for the unmatchable atmosphere. The bar has goal lights that go off with a goal horn when the Sabres score. (716) Food and Sport represents Buffalo’s return to relevance with the transformation of the downtown area.
Bada Bing
42 W Chippewa St., Buffalo
Bada Bing is an Italian sports bar in downtown Buffalo where customers can watch their favorite sports game while grabbing a drink. “The Relish Tray,” a unique appetizer on the menu, holds sliced margarita pepperoni, cubed sharp cheddar, peperoncini, and Kalamata olives. The appetizer is simple and affordable for only $9.99.
Bada Bing also has a food truck serving up the same grub you can find downtown.
Mooney’s Sports Bar & Grill
1531 Military Rd, Kenmore, NY 14217
Mooney’s has nine locations across Buffalo. Customers can enjoy Coconut Raspberry Shrimp right at the bar while watching the next basketball game. Mooney’s serves an eight-count of panko-crusted fried shrimp, with fresh coconut raspberry roulade. The sweet raspberry paired with the coconut is a popular choice. This dish is on the budget-friendly side for only $8.50.
Nikko Lazzara and Rebekah McCullough are staff writers and can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com
