Best Decatur/Avondale Spots to Watch the World Cup?
Decatur Metro | June 11, 2014 | 3:00 pmKathy writes in…
Hi! Hoping you could do a post about where to watch the World Cup in the Decatur/Avondale Estates area.
Go to it.
Kathy writes in…
Hi! Hoping you could do a post about where to watch the World Cup in the Decatur/Avondale Estates area.
Go to it.
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Steinbecks in Oakhurst. They are putting up another TV and the outside is all decorated in World Cup style.
Having traveled internationally during three world cups, the best location is where patrons have a connection to any of the teams that are playing. Watching a game in a remote village in Coast Rica or in Argentina or in a British pub is the best! SO … Look for a viewing spot with international customers.
C’mon now, it’s the WORLD Cup. Get outside of Decatur/AE and experience at least a little of the local Atlanta diversity. Everybody know Brewhouse will be hopping for all the games, but The Elder Tree and Midway Pub in EAV are also great football bars. If you’re stuck in Buckhead, Fado will be unbearable but Stout will also have all the games, with cheaper drinks to boot.
Wherever you end up, just remember this one tip from my friends in the restaurant industry. If Mexico is playing, do not order food. Anywhere. And if you must, be prepared for it to take too long and not be properly cooked. Futbol flu is a real phenomenon and restaurant kitchens everywhere will be short-staffed when El Tricolor is playing!
Other than Brewhouse there’s really no reason to leave Decatur for the WC, we’ve got the most soccer-friendly community and bars in the metro ATL.
That said, I hope everyone heeds your advice and heads out of town for the games, so there will be room somewhere for me. Last WC many of our local establishments were geared up and packed – Steinbecks set up extra TVs, Mac MacGees used their overhead projection screen for all games, and even the Brickstore set up TVs. People may find it easier to find a spot to watch at Big Tex or Square Pub or U Joint.
“we’ve got the most soccer-friendly community and bars in the metro ATL.”
Gonna have to disagree there. The bars you mentioned may be soccer-friendly once every four years during the World Cup but that’s about it. Mac McGee’s will put on a game for you during their regular hours but the other places listed usually won’t even do that. And if you want to watch EPL games live, there’s not a single place in Decatur that will open early enough for them the way Brewhouse and Elder Tree do. Believe me, I wish that we had more soccer-friendly establishments but just saying it doesn’t make it so. Here’s to hoping that changes someday soon!
It’s interesting that you speak both so authoritatively and so inaccurately. Steinbecks, UJoint, Mac McGee’s, Twains, and many other places are staffed with serious soccer enthusiasts who are not just soccer-friendly every four years. I spend most time at Steinbeck’s and UJ, and I can tell you they have soccer, including EPL, on whenever possible. I’m not sure what your axe to grind is, but please try not to misinform people in the future.
Huh? Please tell me exactly which of those places is open at 10:00 on Saturday and Sunday mornings, August through May for EPL games? Tell me that and I will apologize for misinforming and grinding my axe.
Jeez, people get pissed off over just about anything, don’t they J_T? It’s just…soccer. Never ceases to amaze me how people get all het up over the most innocuous things.
Well, for one, your claim was not just about EPL games at 11am on Saturday. You said, “Mac McGee’s will put on a game for you during their regular hours but the other places listed usually won’t even do that.” That’s false. If there is soccer on, Steinbeck’s tv is probably tuned to it. UJ either has it on (on the big tv by the bar and the smaller tv in the same room) or will turn it on. That includes not just EPL but all of the other leagues that are broadcast in the US.
Second, not all EPL games are at 11am on Saturdays.There are many at other hours (often, for example, 12:30pm on Saturdays) and other days (EPL often has Wednesday games). If your concern is that England is 5 (or 4 depending on the month) hours ahead of us and so some businesses are not open in time to show their sports, then it seems you’re not really talking about soccer-friendliness but instead about a larger issue. However, I think the observation that many games for one given league take place at hours when local establishments are not open does not imply, as you suggest, they’re not soccer-friendly.
If you think i’m overreacting, maybe you should revisit your initial post, which asserts the local establishments are “soccer-friendly” every four years and that “Mac McGee’s will put on a game for you during their regular hours but the other places listed usually won’t even do that.” That’s just false.
Guys, college football starts in about 3 months, so can we please start arguing about real sports?
Tom, I don’t know who you are or if you’re affiliated with any of the bars in question, but I’ll proffer this offer. Come with me to any bar in question at noon on any Saturday or Sunday in September, October or November. If they are open and will put any single TV on an EPL game rather than college football or the NFL, I will pay your bar tabs for a month.
BTW, most EPL games are 10 am, not 11. Please at least get my axe grinding facts correct!
Also Tom, if you’d like to actually discuss this, you can email me directly. I don’t know why you’re so riled up about this, but I’m a West Ham fan who moved here 20 years ago and would love nothing more than to have a home bar in walking distance of home. You can call me whatever names you’d like, you can say my opinions are stupid, but you’re not entitled to your own facts, because the facts are what they are…
I’ve seen morning EPL games at a couple bars in Decatur, and they even served on Sunday mornings (so I won’t name them).
The only other place I can think of that would show morning EPL games outside Decatur (besides Brewhouse) is Sidebar in Downtown. But I’ll admit I haven’t looked too hard.
I’ll be at Brickstore or Leon’s…
Edited after TeeRuss’s post: I’ll be at Leon’s…
+1.
Is Brickstore doing the two tv’s in the Belgian bar that they’ll raffle off after the World Cup is over, again?
Don’t know about the raffle part, but the TVs, alas, were in place as of yesterday evening.
Not telling…well, it looks like most of the spots have been mentioned.
Whatever you do, on the USA days, get there early.
Almost surprised no one said Taco Mac (almost.) Anyone know if they’ll show the games on their bazillion TVs?
Probably not. Or if they do, they’ll have the audio blasting a billiards tournament or something.
While I shared your opinions about the old Taco Mac (primarily the poor service and inconsistent food), the new TMac is better. Try it if you haven’t.
Agreed. I really like the new T. Mac, and everything has improved. If you have kids, you MUST sit in the booth with the spinning seat. It’s a source of never-ending amusement.
Thirded. After looking down my nose at Taco Mac for years, I was pretty impressed with our recent visit. Great beer selection, great service (and this was with a party of 8 adults, 3 teens and two toddlers — a tough table by any measure), and the best wings I’ve had in recent memory. And the sheer panoply of TVs is certainly a sight to behold. I could definitely see this being a destination for big football games, etc. But whether they will do right by soccer remains to be seen. Hopefully so.
Seems like T. Mac’s killer app would be the Olympics or the first couple rounds of March Madness, where you have a million events happening at one time.
We watched the EUFA final at T. Mac and had an awesome time. Diehard and casual fans alike booed when Ronaldo removed his shirt after his meaningless goal at the end.
I was there yesterday and they are GEARING UP for WC. They said they’ll even have like 8 or 10 new beers they were putting on tap as of last night just to celebrate the WC. they may be my go to spot this year.
And the spinning booth is AWESOME!!! With or w/o kids. IJS.
Er… Come on people….. it’s a No brainer THE MARLAY HOUSE — sure try some other spots, but dashing into The Marlay will be all you need. I can’t wait!!
The Sporch Bar.
The Marley. Tell them the John Mohr McIntosh Pipe Band says hi.
Thanks for posting this, DM! And thanks for all the responses!
Plaza Fiesta is a blast. Great prices on jerseys too.
Heh. I got my unofficial XXL US jersey there!
The Marlay. I watch around 60 games a year there!
Wow. 24 comments and not one yet along the lines of “my family room”. If this was Access Atlanta, it would have happened by comment #4 at the latest.
Proud to be in Decatur, where obtuseness is not a badge of honor.
Realistically, that’s where 90% of these matches will be watched by me, but not out of a sense of antisocial pride. Just the reality of life with toddlers (and on a tight budget). Though I do hope to stroll the wife and kiddos over to the Marlay or T. Mac (just feel like the most likely candidates) for at least one big match, just to take in the atmosphere.
BTW, this conversation really has me pining for the forthcoming ATL MLS team!
Agreed about the MLS team. Given the equation changes significantly when you factor in kids, especially young ones, but if you have a chance this Saturday, the Silverbacks are play at home against the MLS team Real Salt Lake in a US Cup match. The Terminus Legion supporters club will be tailgating throughout the day and watching World Cup matches on a screen until the game at 8 pm. Should be fun.
There’s also Atlanta Soccerfest in Brookhaven Park next Sunday, June 22nd, with large screens to view the matches, other activities, etc. It’s even accessible via the Marta (with a shuttle running the 3 blocks to the park from the Brookhaven station) and might be fun for your kids. Just a suggestion.
Cool. Thanks for the suggestions!
“Realistically, that’s where 90% of these matches will be watched by me, but not out of a sense of antisocial pride.”
I was referring to the obtuseness (maybe obnoxiousness is a better word) of replying “at home”, i.e. missing the point of the survey entirely, not the choice itself.
I saw a big sign outside Melton’s yesterday –“World Cup viewing here”
MarBar is promoting World Cup viewing. They have a big screen over the bar and the owner is big footballer. Maybe a flight of tequila?
Now that right there is some good intel. Thanks, that’s definitely worth a shot.
I noticed that too.
It seems like the management is pretty excited about the WC and it may be a good place to watch with the long bar, and high tables.
Plus, the MarBar-ita is only $5.
This Creative Loafing article (and its comments) from a couple weeks ago about Atlanta’s best soccer pubs listed a lot of the usual suspects already named above, but also included where individual supporters clubs for EPL teams watch matches. I’ve known a couple Liverpool diehards who frequent Meehan’s in downtown, even for really early matches.
clatl dot com/atlanta/atlantas-best-soccer-pubs/Content?oid=11267752
I like the Brewhouse in general and for Germany matches, either Der Biergarten or the Goethe Center (bring your own refreshments), but am willing to try some others if I can walk to them or get there via the Marta. Regardless of where we watch, it’s great to see how much interest has increased across the U.S. since the 2002 World Cup.
The Imperial on College at Mead Road. One of the owners is a soccer fanatic and will put on a game anytime — World Cup or not. I heard they’re adding a patio TV in the next few days in honor of the World Cup.
Kirkyard has some big screens. I enjoyed the game there today.