Watch CBS News

Best Bars For March Madness Outside Boston

March Madness is always a busy time for bars here in the Boston area, with many of the city's pubs filling in with college basketball fans dying to watch all of the game action. That being said, there are tons of great bars for fans outside of Boston, as well, throughout all of the neighboring towns from Quincy and Revere off to Salem and Leominster. Here are five of the best bars for March Madness outside Boston.

Southside Tavern
941 Washington St.
Braintree, MA 02184
(781) 848-0511
www.sstavern.com

The Southside Tavern in Braintree is the perfectly loud and boisterous sports bar at which fans can hunker down to watch their favorite March Madness games with the sort of comfort one can only find at a local, hometown bar. Cold beer and burgers are the name of the game here at Southside Tavern, as this Washington Street spot specializes in the sort of classic and traditional comfort food that goes down perfectly with the excitement of a March Madness game.

Related: Phantom Gourmet: Top Spots for Steak Tips

The Brown Jug
1014 Revere Beach Parkway
Chelsea, MA 02150
(617) 884-9579
www.brownjugrestaurant.com

What goes better with watching live sports than beer and pizza? "Not much," is the answer many fans would probably give, and the staff over at The Brown Jug know this and delivers the delicious goods with its pitchers, pints and delicious thin crust pizza. This creates the "perfect storm" of sorts when it comes to March Madness games. From small groups to big gatherings of friends, all are welcome at The Brown Jug for a fun time.

GazBar Sports Grill
1045 Central St.
Leominster, MA 01453
(978) 534-6600
www.thegazbar.com

Located on Central Street in Leominster, The GazBar Sports Grill is a great place for March Madness meet-ups of all sorts, bringing to the table a wide selection of beer options for all of the discriminating alcoholic tastes, while the kitchen also offers a hefty selection of small plate appetizer choices, from hot wings to traditional mozzarella sticks. These traditional tastes set things up perfectly for fans to sit back and enjoy the game in comfort, while the open decor is also welcoming for parties of all sizes. The GazBar is definitely a cool place.

Related: Boston Area's Best Farm Shares

The Old Court
29-31 Central St.
Lowell, MA 01852
(978) 452-0100
www.oldcourtirishpub.com

The Old Court may be one of Lowell's Irish pub pride, but this Central Street spot also provides plenty of space for March Madness gatherings, thanks to this joint's no-nonsense feeling of friendless and approachability. The Old Court is a solid bet on any night of the week, with the local pub feel ensuring that conversation with any of the locals will probably be a given. The kitchen has a dedication to big time burgers, one featuring corned beef and a fried egg, and classic pints of Guinness beer to wash down the taste of victory...or the agony of defeat.

Goal Post Bar & Grille
226 Water St.
Quincy, MA 02169
(617) 471-6306

With a name like the Goal Post Bar & Grille, it kind of goes without saying that this Quincy neighborhood spot would do March Madness fans just fine for any of their desired games. This has definitely proven true for this tried-and-true sports bar with the sort of friendly service and over-the-top portion sizes for lunch and dinner to go along with its bottled and tap beers to satiate the thirst of passionate sports fans. Games are always a big deal here, particularly when any of the local favorites are playing, making a visit to the Goal Post Bar & Grille recommended whenever passing through Quincy.

George Pacheco has been writing professionally about arts and entertainment for over a decade. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, George currently resides in a humble New England home with his wife, cat and massive music and film collection. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.