Super Sunday is fast approaching, and the excitement for the Big Game is brewing.
The recipe for a memorable Super Bowl Sunday are simple and involve three key ingredients — great view, a great spread of munchies and great atmosphere. It doesn’t hurt when your home team is playing, but you can’t win them all.
Don’t have thousands to shell out to head out west and watch the Los Angeles Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Feb. 13 from the sidelines at sunny California’s SoFi Stadium? (Seriously, the sticker shock is real, with available upper level tickets alone starting at around $6,000.)
No worries. You can cheer (or jeer) from the comfort of your living room with friends and family. There are also plenty of local sports pubs getting in on the action if you prefer to feed off the energy of a football crowd.
It’s next best thing to a front row seat, plus you don’t have to miss a minute of the game while you stock up on essentials. The cold brews keep flowing and apps keep coming.
If you’re looking for a place to kick off Super Bowl LVI, these super spots in Greater Fall River are surely a touchdown:
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Barrett’s Waterfront (Fall River)
Where: 1082 Davol St., Fall River
More info: https://www.barrettsalehouse.com/waterfront or https://www.facebook.com/barrettswaterfront
Barrett’s Alehouse (Fall River)
Where: 4171 North Main St., Fall River
More info: https://www.barrettsalehouse.com/fall-river or https://www.facebook.com/BarrettsAlehouseFallRiver
Want to feel like you’re in the crowd at SoFi Stadium, without actually being there? Head to Barrett’s Waterfront and check out their main game day attraction.
“The Waterfront has the huge, huge TV wall that takes up the whole bar area which will be on for the game,” said Bobbi Holmgren, general manager of both Barrett’s Waterfront and the nearby Barrett’s Alehouse.
Thanks to this flat-screen monster — which includes three massive TVs, each measuring about 120 inches — as well as screens mounted every few feet throughout the restaurant, there’s no bad seat in the house at the Commonwealth Landing location, the former home of Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar and Grill.
Aside from the obvious visual draw, what brings locals to a place like Barrett’s is “good food and cold beer,” said Holmgren.
The Davol Street spot, which sits a Hail Mary away from the scenic Taunton River, features a locally inspired menu of specialty drinks and pub food — from craft burgers to wood-fired artisan flat bread pizzas — as well as a wide variety of dishes, many with a fun Portuguese twist.
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But what really scores big with football fans on game day is the tasty sampler fare.
“We’ll have a full kitchen staff, full menu, but we expect to be appetizer-heavy at kickoff,” said Holmgren.
She said Barrett’s Triple Dipper Sampler — with guacamole, queso and salsa — is always a go-to app, along with their Buffalo chicken nachos. There’s also plenty of fancier app fare, such as wagyu meatballs, fried brussell sprouts or short rib poutine.
And folks can wash that down with a choice of 20 beers and hard cider on tap, and the bottled list goes on.
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As with most Super Bowls and sporting events, Holmgren said they are gearing up for a decent crowd.
“We usually have this place packed,” she said. “We’re hoping that with COVID regulations lifting we can go a couple deep at the bar. We’ve rearranged the high-tops to be a little bit more TV friendly and visible, along with the TVs around the restaurant.”
If you’re counting on a spot at the Waterfront, Holmgren suggests calling ahead.
“Reservations are recommended,” she said. “People are more than welcome to walk in, but we expect it to be a really busy day.”
The same deal applies at the Alehouse, their sister pub on North Main Street, offering many of the same game day perks.
While there is no colossal wall at the Alehouse, you’ll find over 30 hi-def wide-screen TVs at every turn tuned into the Rams-Bengals matchup at this hometown staple.
Bring family, friends, your love of the gridiron and your appetite too.
Check out what they describe as “the best burger in town” or choose from a number of palette-pleasing finger foods to pick on while taking in the game, such as steak and cheese or Mozambique egg rolls, chicken wings in a variety of sauces or sweet Cajun fried pickles, to name a few. Follow that up with a dive into their extensive selection of beers on tap.
Not a fan of the half-time show, which this year will feature performances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar? Pop into their 3,600-square-foot interactive game room full of arcade classics to double the game day fun.
Scottie’s Pub (Fall River)
Where: 202 Pleasant St., Fall River
More info: http://www.scottiespubfr.com or https://www.facebook.com/my.scottiespub
It’s game on at Scotties Pub, a popular Fall River spot that’s been around since 2007 that’s no stranger to the Super Sunday tradition.
It’ll be all hands on deck there staff-wise, as they gear up to serve the masses looking for a game-day destination with friendly company, good food and over 80 craft brews from local breweries to enjoy.
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You can catch the NFL action in person at Scottie’s, where there’s over 30 TV screens so you won’t miss a beat, as well as special Super Bowl raffles going on that day.
Or Scottie’s staff can help you get ready for festivities at home and prepare your half-time spread to go with Football Specials, also available for dine-in. Call 508-678-8991 for delivery details.
Choose from a handful of unique and creatively named offerings served up on football Sunday – from “Brady Bye Bye” Ribs to The Mac 10 burger, the Belichick Bomb shaved steak sandwich, Scotties Kickoff Kombo with ribs and Buffalo shrimp and fries.
The menu also features combo options such as The Touchdown — a large pizza, 12 wings and 1/2 rack of ribs — The Field Goal — Scottie’s Roadhouse tips and grilled shrimp over rice and grilled chourico — and the New England Patriot with clam cakes, a pizza and fries.
If you’re planning on popping in on game day, reservations are recommended.
Gridiron Sports Bar (Swansea and Somerset)
Where: 2416 GAR Highway, Swansea, or 150 Slades Ferry Ave., Somerset
More info:http://www.gridironsportsbar.com or https://www.facebook.com/gridiron.bar or https://www.facebook.com/GridIronSomerset
Just over the Veterans Memorial Bridge, are two other family-owned neighborhood joints perfect for locals looking to catch the Big Game. It says so right in the name.
Gridiron Sports Bar — with locations in Swansea and Somerset — is equipped with a large bar, multiple screens so you don’t miss a play, a menu filled with homestyle food and plenty of pub grub options, though nachos and chicken wings seem to be the go-to game day choices here. One Google reviewer declares Gridiron’s wings are “honestly incredible.”
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You can also stop in for some half-priced chicken tenders, which the Somerset location has advertised throughout the season on football Sundays.
For those who feel like taking a break from the action, you can unwind at their pool and pong tables, or while Super Bowl contenders throw the pigskin you can test your skills at tossing some darts.
Don’t feel like venturing out, but still want a taste of your favorite Super Sunday foods at home? Get game day ready with wings and things from the Gridiron, and place your takeout orders early. Call 508-379-6168 (Swansea) or 508-689-7911 (Somerset).
Though temperatures may not yet be so welcoming, there are outdoor patio areas at both spots to take a breather from the game. Or perhaps to keep in mind when spring arrives.
Jillian’s (Somerset)
Where: 1876 Wilbur Ave., Somerset
More info:https://jillianssportspub.com or https://www.facebook.com/jillianssomersetma
Need a place to watch the game with your friends? Look no further than Jillian’s on Route 103, where you’ll find all the ingredients for a super Sunday Funday.
Stop in and try what’s on tap as you watch NFL giants battle it out on the gridiron on one of their 20 big-screen TVs.
According to their website, signature menu items include Venus de Milo’s award-winning New England clam chowder and minestrone soup, boneless Buffalo or Asian wings and Portuguese steak.
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If you’re looking for bite-size munchies to share, football app fare includes finger-licking “Wings Your Way” — bone-in or boneless chicken sauced up with a number of interesting flavors such as Buffique, Gold Digger and Chipotle Maple — as well as chourico quesadilla, mac and cheese balls, Mozambique calamari, Buffalo chicken dip, potato skins, or go all in with their Triple Play Appetizer Sampler.
You can also shake things up and try their Portuguese fries — French fries tossed in a house-made Portuguese steak sauce with chourico and topped with melted mozzarella cheese and diced Portuguese peppers.
Jillian’s also features an outside fenced in area if you need a timeout from the game.
Atlantic Sports Bar and Restaurant (Tiverton)
Where: 70 Shove St., Tiverton
More info:https://www.facebook.com/atlanticsportsbarandrestaurant
If you’re in the north Tiverton area, you can enjoy the game with cold beers and friendly faces in a cozy atmosphere at Atlantic Sports Bar.
The restaurant features giant TV screens queued up to Super Bowl action, and if history is any indication, you can expect quite a turnout there for the Big Game.
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If you’re looking for an Atlantic app that’ll bowl you over, here are three words for you: Mozambique fry tower.
You can’t go wrong with Atlantic’s most well-known and best selling app — a mouth-watering tower of French fries served in Mozambique sauce with chourico and bacon and smothered in melted cheeses.
Servers have claimed to go through about 50 fry towers during a shift. According to staff, it’s their No. 1 appetizer besides the calamari.
Other Super Bowl snack items include Knockout Nachos Supreme, Buffalo chicken dip, chicken wings, and variety of pizzas to share.
While patrons rave about Atlantic’s Mozambique that they highlight in many ways and on many things, their Portuguese-inspired menu also features a wide selection of delicious options for those in the mood for a sit-down meal.
St. James Irish Pub (Fall River)
Where: 91 Purchase St., Fall River
More info:http://www.stjamesirishpub.com or https://www.facebook.com/stjamesirishpub
The game will be on and the beer will be flowing on Super Bowl Sunday at St. James.
Along with the 14 types of brews on tap, this pub located in downtown Fall River features a full bar, plenty of TVs, a comfortable space and grub to keep you going from kickoff until the game clock runs out.
Pull up a chair and try their “award-winning” chicken wings, or their burgers and seafood dishes, while you root for your favorite team. Don’t feel like staying? You can get your St. James fix to go and take the party home.