New York City is home to possibly some of the best restaurants in the world. It is a destination high on everyone’s list, and for good reason, there are countless museums, shops, and attractions to visit. When visiting New York, one of the benefits of visiting as a football fan is the city’s growing appreciation for the sport.
New York has a thriving football scene, thanks in part to generations of Italians and Irish families who hold fast to their roots, as well as a healthy population of expats from all parts of the world living there. It’s a great city to visit because you can still probably catch a great game and make a day of it, all while spending time with like-minded fans, eating great food and adding to the charm of travelling abroad.
To travel to New York City, you need an ESTA, which is a travel authorization that works similarly to a visa. Except, the ESTA does not require a trip to an embassy or biometric info to be taken. Apply for an ESTA . Besides an ESTA, you also need to know which sports bars are the best in the city for watching football.
Smithfield NYC
There is probably no better spot to watch a game in the USA than Smithfield Hall. This spot in Chelsea is just a few blocks from Madison Square Garden in the heart of the city. There is literally no spot in this bar where you can’t catch a good view of a game. To make it even better, the biggest games of the day will be featured on a large projection screen, so you won’t miss a thing from your table.
This particular bar is highly dedicated to showing a wide variety of matches. If there’s a small regional game somewhere, it is very likely they will be showing it. Currently, it’s not only possible to catch the current Italian Serie A, but also the regional Serie B games as well. The website is also fantastic, and they have a comprehensive schedule organized by sport, by date and time, so you can easily check while on the go in the city if you should stop by.
The bar itself has a fantastic menu, with both classic American items, such as hamburgers
and wraps, mouth-watering appetizers like pulled pork sliders, Jameson wings, and even brunch fare such as chicken and waffles. The drink menu is also pretty great with a wide array of beers to choose from both on tap and bottled, classic cocktails and a major whiskey selection, with bourbons and whiskeys from Ireland, Scotland and even Japan.
The Football Factory at Legends NYC
Legends is perhaps one of the snazziest Irish pubs in NYC, and is located near Koreatown. With vaulted ceilings, dark wood interiors and moody lighting, it isn’t your average haunt. Despite the folded napkin vibes, the focus is on comfort food and watching a game after work.
Many will say that this is the home of football in New York City. This isn’t such a far off claim, considering this is the meeting ground for around 30 football clubs. These include clubs dedicated to different European football leagues, including the New York City AC Milan Official Fan Club, the Bologna FC club of the USA, and the Juventus Club of NYC. This is only a few of the clubs that meet up at this spot. Needless to say, a fan could make a great day out of catching the game, and making some good friends while doing so.
The menu at Legends is not going to disappoint, either. The full-fledged menu is filled with classic American style appetizers like spinach artichoke dip, and beer battered mozzarella sticks, and potato skins. And of course there are tons of classic pub fare, with staples such as shepherds pie, an array of different burgers and sandwiches. The drink menu is also heavy on the whiskeys, bourbon and scotch, with plenty of different varieties to choose from, as well as a classic cocktail menu.
Travelling to New York
There are plenty of other sports bars located all throughout the city. An honourable mention is the Paulaner Brauhaus, which is the place to watch a Bundesliga game. There is also Mr. Dennehy’s in Greenwich Village , where, if you are lucky and the weather is great, you can watch the game in the outdoor café. Catching a game at one of these places after work is a great way to experience the city from a less tourist-oriented perspective.
To get to New York, or any part of the USA, you need an ESTA, which is not exactly a visa, it is much easier to apply for and costs much less than a visa. To apply for an ESTA you do not need to go to an embassy or a consulate. About the ESTA application form – you can do the ESTA application online. Luckily, the ESTA is valid for 2 years, so you can plan trips to other parts of the USA and hit up other sports bars throughout the country. Travelling with friends and family is easy too, you can just make a group application, meaning you only have to fill in most of the information once.
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