Game day tradition in the South. Cheap wings, neon beer signs, and decades of Gator, Tiger, and Bulldog memories.
The full ranking
Game day tradition in the South. Cheap wings, neon beer signs, and decades of Gator, Tiger, and Bulldog memories.
The Houndstooth (Alabama)
Named for Bear Bryant's signature houndstooth hat and located two blocks from Bryant-Denny Stadium, The Houndstooth has been named the number one college sports bar in America by Sports Illustrated On Campus, Playboy's Best College Sports Bar, and a top 50 Southern bar by Garden and Gun. Thirty-six HDTVs, four outdoor screens, and one of the largest patios in the state.
The Chimes (LSU)
A campus-corner institution since 1983, The Chimes has illuminated the corner of Highland Road and Chimes Street in a 1930s building that started as a drugstore, beckoning LSU faithful 15 minutes' walk from Tiger Stadium with Cajun and Creole fare, hundreds of craft beers, and a rooftop expansion added in 2019. Four locations now, but the Highland original is the one.
Sideways (Arkansas)
A craft cocktail and craft beer bar on Dickson Street in Fayetteville, standing out in the college-bar strip with an artistic vibe, quirky decor, and a drinks program more considered than most competitors in the Big 12. The Razorback game-day crowd and the regulars who prefer Tuesday nights both find their room here.
Dave's Dark Horse Tavern (Mississippi State)
Starkville's only tavern and oldest pizzeria, founded in 1995 by a former Army Ranger, has been the social center of Mississippi State game days for three decades with live music most nights, deep-dish and New York-style pies, wings, gyros, and a local music scene credit that extends well beyond football season.
SkyBar Cafe (Auburn)
Self-described as the SEC's largest party bar, SkyBar on West Magnolia Avenue has an open rooftop in the front section, a dance floor in the back, live music, and a direct sightline to Toomer's Corner after games. Cheap beer, all ages, and an energy that functions as a pre- and post-game stadium overflow valve.
Chimy's (Texas A&M)
A Tex-Mex dive on University Drive steps from the A&M campus, known for queso that students argue about for years after graduation, frozen margaritas, and the kind of dimly lit, dingy-floored honesty that most college bars only imitate. Game-day outdoor seating and multiple TVs are the practical amenities; the queso is the reason.
Fred's Bar (LSU)
Baton Rouge and LSU's oldest college bar since 1982, Fred's is the defining dive in Tigerland, the bar district just south of campus where generations of Tigers have celebrated wins and mourned losses over cheap drinks in a no-frills room that has never pretended to be anything else.
The Globe (Georgia)
A European-style pub in downtown Athens since 1989, serving fish and chips, hearty burgers, and an extensive single malt selection to a clientele that runs about 75% UGA faculty and graduate students. Esquire named it one of the Best Bars in America in 2007, and the upstairs jazz space turns it into something richer than a simple sports bar.
Two Keys Tavern (Kentucky)
A Lexington institution since 1954 near the University of Kentucky campus, locally known as the most storied college bar in a city with no shortage of options. The current South Upper Street location carries the same locally-loved-and-world-famous claim the original earned over seven decades of pours.
The Half Barrel (Tennessee)
A Cumberland Avenue strip institution that has served Tennessee students since 2005, with 35 drafts and a bourbon selection that outclasses its dive-bar price point. Game-day chaos is the house specialty.
Ranked across 5 sources: SEC Rant; Saturday Down South; FanBuzz; Campus Sports; The Takeout. Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
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