If a bar has a TV, you already know it’s going to be nuts during the Super Bowl. Absolutely slam packed jersey-to-jersey with crazed fans who want their chicken wings, like, last quarter. And while that sort of atmosphere might be too nuts for some to handle—in which case, maybe just fly solo at home—there’s no denying the electric energy at a bar during the game, especially if your team is winning. (And if they’re losing, hey! At least there’s booze!)
So how can you make the best of of a hectic, crowded situation? We asked bartenders for their best Super Bowl bar advice. Now, may the best team win (and may their fans not throw up in the parking lot).
Order the Special
Two-for-1 well drinks? $2 off margaritas? Happy hour all day on domestic tap beer? Whatever the special is, that’s what you’re ordering. “The bar is steering you toward these for a reason,” says Colin Silva of Ser Steak & Spirits in Dallas. “You will find them fast, cheap, efficient, and best of all: readily available.” In other words, if the bar puts margaritas on special, it means they’re not going to run out of tequila before half time. And they'll make the for you real fast.
Order as a Group
“If you’re with a group,” says Jules Gomez of Zuma Miami, “always order for everyone at once, not one at a time.” Figure out what everyone wants and send one or two people to battle the crowd at the bar—bartenders will be thrilled to fill your order of six beers and two shots of tequila while everyone else at the bar hems and haws over their order.
Stay Hydrated
Also known as: don’t get too drunk. “Water is your friend,” advises Pamela Wiznitzer, the president of the United States Bartenders’ Guild. “Don’t vomit in the venue. Learn your limits and take care of yourself.” The Super Bowl is a looooong game, what with all the commercials and the half time show. And there is usually a lot of drinking involved. Settle in and pace yourself.
Don’t Get Too Upset
“Just because your team is in the Super Bowl doesn’t give you the right to be obnoxious and disrespectful to the other patrons around you,” says Thomas Waugh of the Pool Lounge in New York. Be nice, be chill, and be a good sport. After all, says Waugh, “No one likes That Guy.”
Not Watching the Game? Go Out
Find a bar without a TV and revel in a relatively chill night out. “A lot of non-sports bars are slow on the Super Bowl,” says Aaron Polsky of Harvard & Stone in Los Angeles. So go out: “If you’re not a huge [football] fan, go support your favorite bartenders.”
And, as Always, Leave a Decent Tip
It’s loud, it’s crazy, and bartenders aren’t turning over customers as quickly as normal. Also, you have the luxury of going out with your friends on this particular sunday, and they do not. You’re settled in for the duration of the 4+ hour long game. So tip nicely: “Remember that your bartenders wish they could be watching the game too,” says Kellen Hamrah of Piatello in Fort Worth, TX. “So tip a little more than usual.”
