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Here are the best places to watch the Olympics in NYC, from beer halls to arcades
By
Anthony Schneck
Published Jul 24, 2024
Modified Jul 29, 2024
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By
Anthony Schneck
Published Jul 24, 2024
Modified Jul 29, 2024
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Three years after the pandemic delayed the Tokyo games, the Summer Olympics have returned to fill those long, empty dog days of summer with sports, sports, and more sports.
Casual fans come out of the woodwork to opine on the butterfly stroke, criticize a teenager’s performance on the uneven bars, and root for the good-old U-S-A in… breakdancing? Yes, breakdancing (aka breaking), a new sport at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, featuring Queens native Sunny Choi competing on behalf of the U.S.!
Since Bob Costas spotted his shadow way back in February, tradition suggests this year will be an exceptionally entertaining edition of the Olympics. From the opening ceremony on Friday to the closing ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 11, you can fill your days watching everything from archery to swimming to skateboarding to fencing. Here, we break down the best places to watch the Olympic Games in the city.
Watch the Games near Times Square. Really.
Normally, you might try to avoid Times Square and Penn Station at all costs. But it’s the Olympics, and Bar Moxy is going all in on the Summer Games by hosting daily watch parties at its chic Midtown location. The bar in the Moxy Hotel at 36th Street and Seventh Avenue has an open setup with plenty of couches and lounge areas that can make your viewing experience akin to watching in your living room – if your living room were massive, expensively decorated, and had a bartender and tourists.
Go to Park Slope to follow Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and the rest of the U.S. women’s basketball team.
The U.S. women's basketball team is once again the prohibitive favorite to win basketball gold. It makes sense, given that the last time the team failed to win gold at the Olympics was in 1992 – incidentally, the year the men’s Dream Team took the world by storm.
The women’s team is once again loaded with stars, even though rookie sensation Caitlyn Clark famously failed to make the squad. Follow their journey at That Bar, located near the Barclays Center, home of the New York Liberty. The watering hole has become something of an unofficial Liberty bar, and since Liberty stalwarts Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu will help lead the team in its quest to continue U.S. basketball dominance, it should provide a fun atmosphere to watch the Games.
That Bar plans to show the Olympics on every floor with sound, said owner Savanity Savon Thilavanh. “It’s a fantastic spot to wear your colors and celebrate the games,” said Thilavanh.
Hang out at Rockefeller Center for the official branded Olympics experience.
NBC Universal, which owns the rights to air the Olympic Games, will set up an Olympics watch center at the world-famous Rockefeller Center, where you can watch coverage every day from July 26 through Aug. 11. In addition to showing Olympic events, the space will feature a Parisian-themed bar on a portion of the Rink, which is typically used for ice skating in the winter.
While it will likely be a massive tourist draw, the Olympic space at Rockefeller Center has the advantage of access: Athletes are expected to stop by periodically for photos and meet-and-greets.
Chill outside and watch beach volleyball at BK Backyard Bar.
BK Backyard Bar opened during the pandemic (when it was called TailGate Outdoor Sports Bar) and is the perfect place to gather with large groups and watch international sporting drama unfold.
As you may have guessed from its name and the timing of its opening, BK Backyard Bar features a massive outdoor space with plenty of TVs. Reserve a table if you’re worried about finding space – or better yet, if you feel inspired by the sweaty exploits of the beach volleyball tandems, you can book the volleyball court and work on your setting and spiking.
If you feel inspired by the sweaty exploits of the beach volleyball tandems, you can book the volleyball court at BK Backyard Bar.
Keep up with soccer in all five boroughs at NYC’s various soccer bars.
The U.S. women’s national soccer team hasn’t won gold since the 2012 Games, and will be looking for new manager Emma Hayes to inaugurate a fresh era of international dominance.
That’s a lot easier said than done now that the rest of the world has caught up with America’s skill level. But this roster has loads of talent, as always, including four players from reigning NWSL champions Gotham FC: Jenna Nighswonger, Emily Sonnett, Rose Lavelle and Crystal Dunn. Clinton Hall’s Bronx location is an option for those looking for a New York club flavor – it’s one of the official bars of NYCFC supporters, so there’s a good chance you’ll get to hang out with some diehards.
The men’s team, on the other hand, has qualified for the Olympics for the first time since 2008, and will hope its young squad can break through the heavyweights at the Games. Those heavyweights include host France, who will play the United States on Thursday at 3 p.m. E.T. – two days before the opening ceremony.
The women also start their tournament on Thursday at 3 p.m., playing against Zambia. Boca Juniors Steakhouse in Elmhurst, Queens, is sure to show Argentina matches – just don’t cheer too loudly for Claudio Echeverri, who plays for Boca archrival River Plate. Boca Juniors is nice because it’s right off the E, F, M and R trains, too.
Some of the other New York City football hot spots to consider for your viewing pleasure are Turnmill, Smithfield Hall, Football Factory at Legends, Banter and Crossbar.
Hudson Yards is hosting daily and nightly viewings of the Olympics on the 30-foot screen in the Public Square and Gardens from Thursday through August 11.
Courtesy of Hudson Yards
Check out events playing on the Big Screen at Hudson Yards.
The Big Screen at the Backyard at Hudson Yards (that’s a mouthful) will be showing Olympic events every day they’re televised, which means more than two weeks of nonstop action at the massive outdoor viewing center.
You’re at the mercy of whatever’s playing at the time, but it’s a nice option if you have a large group or are simply strolling around the West Side and need to kill time on a (not too hot) summer day. Since NBC will offer wall-to-wall coverage via its networks and apps, there’s bound to be something entertaining on the Big Screen no matter when you stop by.
Head to Staten Island for a day of bar hopping and swimming (on TV).
Summer is a great time to take advantage of the free Staten Island Ferry that runs every half hour (every 15 minutes during weekday evening rush hour) from the southern tip of Manhattan to St. George Terminal on Staten Island.
Once there, you can stop by Steiny’s Pub, an old-school bar where you can grab a bite and a drink while watching an event. From there, venture further inland to Jody’s Club Forest, famous for helping build fanfare around March Madness brackets.
If you have the stamina, finish the day with Ralph’s on Staten Island, a sports hub known for its wings and pitchers of specialty cocktails. You could make the trip over the weekend of Aug. 3-4 and spend a day (or weekend!) watching medal events in swimming – including one of American legend Katie Ledecky’s signature events, the 800m freestyle, which will take place on August 3.
The weekend of August 3 and 4 is jam-packed with Olympics action at Rocco's in Noho.
Photo by Andrew Sokolow / Courtesy of Rocco's Sports and Recreation
Embrace your inner competitor at Gamehaus in Queens.
If Dave & Buster’s were a little cooler, a little more “New York,” it might be Gamehaus, a Queens watering hole just over the East River in Long Island City.
In addition to its rows of TVs, Gamehaus features dozens of arcade and bar games, including skee-ball and pop-a-shot. What better way to enjoy, say, a hockey game before trying your hand at air hockey. Gamehaus often shows UFC events, so if you’re interested in Olympic boxing, you should add this spot to your list of places to check out during the Summer Games.
Get a gay Olympics experience at Boxers HK.
Head toward the Hudson to watch wrestling (and other sports) at Boxers HK, a three-level sports mecca in Hell’s Kitchen that bills itself as “America’s Gay Sports Bar.” Boxers HK features loads of TVs and a menu of traditional bar food to go along with their signature “Boxeritas.” If you need a break from all the Olympics action, you can head to the rooftop for a breath of fresh Hell’s Kitchen air.
Bah oui! Lean in to the French-ness of the Olympics around the city.
As you know, the Olympics host city is Paris, and New York City is positively crawling with French expats. But not all of them are clogging up Bedford Avenue on Sunday mornings – many have put down roots and developed fine eating and drinking establishments!
One of New York City's most French neighborhoods is Cobble Hill, especially up and down Smith Street. That’s where you can find Bar Tabac, which is a lovely place to watch French sports.
Manhattanites can head to SoHo’s Felix, the Upper West Side’s Cafe du Soleil, or Lena on the Lower East Side – all have been known to show French soccer games, but it’s best to call ahead if you’re looking for a specific Olympic event.
Get a European beer hall vibe at Bohemian Hall.
It’s New York’s oldest beer garden, located in the heart of one of New York’s most diverse neighborhoods, and the perfect place to hole up for a day of Olympics viewing. Astoria’s Bohemian Hall has been serving up beer – along with Czech, Slovak and American food – for more than a century. It’s a massive indoor-outdoor space that occupies an entire block, with screens scattered throughout, so you could spend all day (or all Olympics) there. You can grab a liter of Pilsner Urqell and settle in to cheer on your favorite Czech and Slovakian athletes.
Rocco's in Noho is a great spot for sports.
Photo by Darian DiCianno/BFA Courtesy of Rocco's
Hang out all day at Rocco’s Sports and Recreation.
It’s a sports bar fit for NoHo. Rocco’s offers cozy, upscale booths and TVs everywhere, including a set of screens hanging from the ceiling. That means there’s not a bad seat in the house to watch the Paris Games. Rocco’s brunch menu is small but excellent, and the weekend of Aug. 3 and 4 is jam-packed with Olympics action. Book a table with friends and watch medal events in boxing, gymnastics, swimming and more.
Just find a bar and make some friends.
One of the most appealing aspects of the Olympics is that you don’t really have to follow sports to get invested in the competition. It’s usually pretty easy to tell who’s running the fastest and throwing the farthest – plus, you have a built-in “team” to root for.
You also might discover a sport you didn’t know you loved watching, like table tennis, badminton or trampoline gymnastics. They’re all at the Olympic Games, which are one of the few times you can get a chance to see them.
It’s also worth remembering that the Olympics – and sports more generally – are unpredictable. Who knows which American athletes are going to make a fairytale medal run this summer?
As always in New York City, it’s a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open, just in case a can’t miss event is on a TV around the corner.
Correction: An earlier version of this story included the incorrect location for Gamehaus. It's in Long Island City, Queens.
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Anthony Schneck
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