It’s a NorCal vs. SoCal battle this Sunday to see who gets to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
So expect to find an appropriately amped-up atmosphere this Sunday at these popular Bay Area sports bars. And arrive very early if you want to snag a table. Many of these locales offer outdoor seating.
Double D’s Sports Grille, Los Gatos
Dean and Darin Devincenzi may win “best sports bar in Silicon Valley” honors year after year, but they consider their place a restaurant first, a bar second. Either way, like all good sports hangouts, it doubles as a museum, with Joe’s No. 16 jersey and other cool sports memorabilia on display.
The screens: 32, including an 85-incher and several 75s.
The menu: Customer favorites include the Korean-Style Baby Back Ribs and the Three Alarm Fire, a fried chicken sandwich topped with pepper jack cheese, jalapeño slaw and chipotle aioli. Six pasta dishes and several pizzas are offered.
You’ll find 10 craft brews on tap, along with a full bar for cocktails including their award-winning, tequila-based Smokey Wildflower.
Details: 354 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; www.doubleds.com
Stadium Pub, Walnut Creek
Billed as Walnut Creek’s oldest sports bar, the Stadium Pub will mark its 30th birthday this year. Fans pack this old-school place year-round, and there are screens and seats both indoors and on the front patio. Check out the great sports photos and other memorabilia.
The screens: Close to 50.
The menu: Classic bar food plus house-made corned beef and kosher hot dogs and sausages. The French fries rate a menu category all their own: You can order them original style, spicy, cheesy, garlicky or topped with chili.
More than 15 beers are on tap. Signature cocktails include the house-made, “slightly spicy” Hail Mary Bloody Mary.
Details: 1420 Lincoln Ave., Walnut Creek; www.thestadiumpubwc.com
Rookies Sports Lodge, San Jose
Rookies offers sports fans their choice of two vibes. There is the “Cheers”-style lodge setting of the original, which opened in 2010, and the sleek urban feel of the newer downtown location. Or, as one local bar expert says, think of one as Candlestick, the other as Levi’s Stadium.
The screens: At the Meridian location, you’ll find 20 inside and 9 outside. Downtown has 33.
The menu: Both locations serve burgers, wings, nachos, pizza, salads and bowls (Cajun, teriyaki) — and most sandwiches and burgers come with your choice of side dish, among them house-made chili, salad or chips with salsa.
There’s a monster list of about 40 craft beers on tap, with an emphasis on Bay Area brewers. Both locations also offer wine and a full bar.
Details: 1535 Meridian Ave. and 99 S. First St., San Jose; www.rookieslodge.com
Jack’s Brewing Company, Sports Pub & Grill, Fremont
You need a long name to cover all the roles that Jack’s plays. It’s a microbrewery, a sports hangout and a family restaurant. This longtime favorite has occupied a prime spot at the Hub for more then two decades, run the whole time by the Steadman-Wallace brother-sister duo.
The screens: Besides the 10-foot “monster screen,” there’s an 80-incher and 20 other TVs.
The menu: Regulars have made the beer-battered Arctic Cod and Chips, Jack’s BBQ Ribs and Giant Cheese Steaks the top sellers. There’s also a vast array of burgers, sandwiches and salads, and a children’s menu.
Sports-themed beers — the Grid Iron Amber Ale, the Hardwood Pale Ale and the Penalty Shot Porter — are brewed onsite. There’s also a full bar.
Details: 39176 Argonaut Way, Fremont; www.jacksbrewing.com
The Old Pro, Palo Alto
Long a favorite of 49ers and Stanford fans, this hangout has been around since 1964. That was back in the bar’s El Camino Real days; for many years now, Ramona Street has been home to The Old Pro, its walls full of fascinating sports memorabilia.
The screens: More than 24 inside and outside.
The menu: Only in California do the game-day eats include trendy, locally sourced fare like Smoked Diestel Turkey Chili, made with organic, non-GMO turkey; an Avocado-Kale Caesar salad; and Crispy Brussels Sprouts with a Thai chile glaze. They’ve got the obligatory wings, sliders and pizza, too.
There’s a full bar with 18 taps, primarily local craft brews.
Details: 541 Ramona St., Palo Alto; www.oldpropa.com
La Barrique, San Jose
This is a new sports bar on the local scene, and it’s an unconventional one, to be sure. Entrepreneurs Helen and Harry Nguyen pulled together an impressive culinary team for their upscale French-Vietnamese concept, then decided to broaden the restaurant’s appeal.
The screens: A 200-inch TV in the dining room, plus other screens in the bar.
The menu: In the main room, it’s dishes like Duck Two Ways. In the bar, you can order shareable plates like Pork Belly, Tuna Tartare and, of course, Chicken Wings.
If you’d like to replace high-fives with Champagne toasts, this is the place to do it. The long list of wines, sparkling and otherwise, favors France and California. Cocktails include the popular Lychee Frozé and the Trái Xoài (mango) Margarita. And yes, there are several beers on tap.
Details: 969 Story Road, San Jose, in the Vietnam Town center.
The Lot City Center, San Ramon
Here’s another new, unconventional spot for gridiron fans. And it’s not a sports venue at all. But it seems the bar and grill at this movie complex located at the upscale City Center Bishop Ranch has become a go-to place for fans. It’s open, airy — and if the game’s lopsided, you can always take in a movie.
The screens: There’s a humongous one above the bar — actually nine screens that form a single image.
The menu: Flatbreads (think Prosciutto and Burrata) and the Chicken Caesar Salad have been popular since this place opened. Signature plates include Crackling Chicken with Thai peanut slaw and an Impossible Burger. Prefer to munch on popcorn while watching the game? The theater is always popping a fresh batch.
The Lot’s got a full bar, several signature cocktails (maybe Fly Me to Hawaii or A Day at the Spa?), and a huge wine list. Beer drinkers will find at least a dozen on tap.
Details: 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon; https://thelotent.com/city-center
