It’s shaping up to be quite a season. The Super Bowl is returning to the Bay Area in February and the 49ers figure to be right in the mix. And new eras are underway for the college football teams.
For fans looking to get a break from keeping tabs on their teams from home, here’s a sampling of sports bars where Niners, Raiders, Cardinal, Golden Bears or Spartans supporters can gather to root for the home team.
Clara’s Junction, Santa Clara
You can’t get much closer to Levi’s Stadium without having a ticket to the game.
Just a five-minute walk from the action, this spacious indoor-outdoor sports bar (and family-friendly restaurant) sprouted last September in the city’s fast-growing Clara District.
Snag lawn chairs or a picnic table for the backyard barbecue vibe. (Your well-behaved dog in red and gold is welcome outside, too.) The Pit offers smokehouse specials, while Taz’s Tacos fills tortillas with Chicken Tinga, Beef Birria and Baja Fish. Inside, the chef-driven menu ranges from sandwiches like the Crispy Chicken with apple slaw and hot honey and the Tri-Tip Steak with Point Reyes blue cheese to entrees like Lemon-Roasted Petaluma Farms Chicken and Pan-Seared Salmon.
Sports decor is limited. “We want to be everybody’s favorite spot,” not just football fans, GM Henry Hiatt says. Still, take the time to appreciate the cool artwork custom-made from driftwood. Looks to us like a pile of players the ref will have to untangle to see if they got the first.
By the numbers: 14 TV screens (nine inside, five outside) and 12 beer taps.
Good to know: The VTA’s Lick Mill light-rail stop is right across the street, so there’s no need to search for $80 parking on game days.
Details: On game days, the Junction opens by 11 a.m. or three hours before a home-game kickoff.
2221 Tasman Drive, Santa Clara; www.clarasjunction.com.
VJ’s Sports Bar X Pizza, Alameda
If there’s a 10-year-old girl in the family who knows when to yell, “Epic pick!” then get her and the rest of the kids here to share their enthusiasm.
VJ’s is a family-friendly, light-filled spot in Alameda’s West End owned by restaurateur Varun “VJ” Limbachiya, who ran the Straw Hat at this site for a dozen years before deciding in 2021 to transform the place into his own space.
Young athletes know VJ’s well as a gathering spot for the Alameda Little League and other boys’ and girls’ sports teams.
Pizzas still rule here. They’re available in four sizes, including individual. Popular orders include The Works, with six meats plus mushrooms, olives and bells, and the California Veggie, a combination of fresh broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, red onions, with a dusting of Cajun spices. Sandwiches, pastas and garlic twists round out the menu.
Smaller portioned and priced children’s meals –– pizza, pasta, burger or wings with beverage – are available also.
By the numbers: 14 TV screens, 20 beer taps.
Good to know: If you’re an Ultimate Fighting Championship fan, VJ’s shows all the fights – with no cover charge.
Details: Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.
901 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda; www.vjspizza.com
Double D’s Sports Grille, Los Gatos
Dean and Darin Devincenzi’s eponymous restaurant and sports bar is still going strong after 29 years. You can’t miss it – Double D’s holds down one corner at the entrance to downtown Los Gatos, with a huge shaded patio out front.
When it comes to food, Double D’s stands apart from most other sports hangouts, with an executive chef, Robert Moreno, at the helm all these years. Filet mignon stars in his Steak Fettuccine, Southwest Steak Salad and Steak Sandwich. The Cajun Pasta Genovese with chicken is a hit, as are his soups. And what sports fan can pass up an appetizer called The GOAT? That’s focaccia crostini topped with goat cheese, ricotta and parmesan, tomatoes and basil and drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Like most longtime sports hangouts, Double D’s doubles as a museum, with Joe Montana’s No. 16 jersey and tons of other cool Niners, Sharks, Giants and other sports memorabilia on display.
By the numbers: There are 35 TVs inside and out, including some whoppers — an 85-incher and several 75s. Ten beer taps.
Good to know: You can catch all of the San Jose State, Cal and Stanford games here.
Details: Breakfast menu available starting at 9:30 a.m. Sundays during football season. Otherwise, open for lunch and dinner daily, starting at 11:30 a.m.
354 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; www.doubleds.com
Rickey’s Sports Lounge, San Leandro
Formerly the home of Raider Nation, this legendary sports bar has settled nicely into its role as a welcoming home for fans of all sports, all teams – as evidenced by the turnout for this year’s NBA Finals.
But this will be the third season of football since entrepreneur Ramonn Smith turned what was called Ricky’s Sports Theatre & Grill into Rickey’s Sports Lounge. The bar has been in its current location on Hesperian Boulevard since 1960, though the father of the late, longtime owner, Ricky Ricardo, opened the business in 1946.
Look for a big tailgate party to kick off NFL play on Sept. 7. During the season, breakfast is served on Sunday mornings (think Chicken and Waffles, Shrimp and Grits) followed in the afternoon and evening by such menu favorites as the fried, garlicky Whole Snapper, Wings and Catfish Sliders.
By the numbers: There are 38 screens, two TV walls, six beer taps.
Good to know: Surprise guests are always a possibility. Retired tackle Lincoln Kennedy came by in July to sign autographs and hang with members of the infamous Black Hole.
Details: Open at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays, noon on Saturdays.
15028 Hesperian Blvd., San Leandro; www.rickeysca.com
Dutch Goose, Menlo Park
If you’re a sucker for wooden booths carved with names from yesteryear and walls decorated with neon beer signs, get yourself over to the Goose for a game – and the old-school atmosphere.
This legendary watering hole and restaurant is marking its 59th anniversary this year, with a clientele that ranges from longtime Peninsula residents to young customers who may be living here just long enough to get a Stanford degree.
Order the wildly popular Spicy Deviled Eggs while you’re waiting for your French Dip with grilled onions and cheese (they roast the beef in-house) or the Alburger Pizza. Served here since the beginning in 1966, the deviled egg halves are overflowing with super creamy, paprika-dusted filling. (The recipe is top secret, so don’t even ask.)
By the way: According to Dutch Goose lore, the original owner named this place for the bar in Kansas where he had his first beer.
By the numbers: 11 TV screens, 12 beer taps.
Good to know: There’s a pool table surrounded by arcade games.
Details: Open daily from 11 a.m. til midnight Sunday-Wednesday, until 2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday.
3567 Alameda de las Pulgas, Menlo Park; www.dutchgoose.net
Stadium Pub, Walnut Creek
Established in 1992, Walnut Creek’s oldest sports bar turns 33 this season and is going strong as ever.
Sundays belong to the NFL – you’ll find every NFL game available – but owner Patty Sherman says some of Stadium Pub’s busiest days are college football Saturdays. And there are plenty of screens to accommodate Cal, Stanford and San Jose State fans as well as transplanted Buckeyes, Longhorns, Cougars and others.
The menu is filled with bar food favorites, including eight different variations of toppings for French fries. Longtime favorites are the signature Chicago-style hot dogs, served on Mary Ann buns brought in from the Windy City.
By the numbers: More than 40 TV screens and every package imaginable. There are more than 15 beers on tap.
Good to know: The Stadium Pub is also dog friendly, so Fido can enjoy the game – and a cool bowl of water – with the gang. Signature cocktails for two-legged visitors include the Hail Mary Bloody Mary and the Stadium Margarita.
Details: On weekend game days, the Stadium Pub opens at 9 a.m. and offers breakfast. Saturdays, that means breakfast burritos, and Sundays, the early menu typically includes 4-5 items. Otherwise, hours are: Monday – Wednesday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday 1:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday – Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight; Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
1420 Lincoln Ave, Walnut Creek; www.thestadiumpubwc.com
O’Sullivan’s Sports Pub, Newark
If you want to be able to enjoy watching the big game with a large group – but also have access to midgame diversions or find a place to slink away if your team goes south – this longtime neighborhood establishment has you covered.
O’Sullivan’s stretches across virtually the entire length of Newark Square – the 110-foot bar is one of the longest in Northern California – with more than two dozen screens visible from any vantage point. If you need a break from the game, there are two dart boards, wooden tower blocks, line-em-up and ring toss games on the walls and a newly installed pool table.
The menu includes a wide variety of full meals, pub food, brunch options and sweets, including Guinness cake and churros that come on a plate, in a basket or in a bucket.
By the numbers: 55 TV screens and 27 beers on tap, including Pliny the Elder.
Good to know: Open from 6 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. every day, but you have to be over 21 to get into the establishment. Limited reservations are available on game days.
Details: The facility is so big that there are two sound zones (so patrons can enjoy the audio of separate games) and a front and back bar stocked with more than 300 bourbons, whiskeys and tequilas. Dogs and smokers are allowed in the patio area.
5660 Thornton Ave, Newark; www.osullivansnewark.com