For fans of the Los Angeles Lakers, there is nothing like seeing a game live at the Staples Center. From the lavish introduction of players before tipoff, to the entertaining halftime shows, to the choreography of the Laker Girls during every time out, the Buss family makes sure that every night is an event.
Still, attending a game in person is pricey, so whenever the team is playing, home or away, hard core fans descend upon their favorite sports to watch the purple and gold. There are dozens of locations throughout the city where you can watch the games in a fun and energetic atmosphere, and of course every fan has his or her favorite establishment.
Expanding on the best restaurants to visit before attending a Lakers game, here are 10 of the best locations to watch the team throughout the season.
Biergarten – Koreatown
From the name, one would assume it is a German beer garden, but it is really an Asian gastropub. The rooms are large and comfortable. The food is good and they offer a large variety of beers – they even feature a gluten free beer.
There are plenty of televisions all around, and one plus is that they usually keep the volume high enough so you can hear the call of the game. This is a very popular place to watch the Lakers and is ranked high on the list of best sports bars in Los Angeles.
Barney’s Beanery – Santa Monica
It is hard to think of Barney’s Beanery as a sports bar, but the fact is that it is rated by many patrons as the top spot in all of Los Angeles to watch a game. The original bar and restaurant in West Hollywood is still popular, but in the past decade Barney’s has expanded and now has locations in a number of upscale locations including Pasadena, Westwood and Santa Monica.
The latter location is in the Third Street Promenade, home to many of the hippest restaurants and retailers on the Westside. This is a place where rock stars and movie stars mingle with those of us just looking for good food and drink while we are watching our favorite team on big screen televisions.
Rush Street – Culver City
Rush Street is a Chicago-themed bar, restaurant and nightclub. There are 10 big-screen televisions and it is one of the most popular hang-outs in Los Angeles to watch sports.
The Bar is huge, the food and drinks are creative and good, and there is always a bustling, high-energy crowd. The rooftop patio is beautiful and very popular.
38 Degrees Ale House and Grill – Alhambra
Located in the heart of downtown Alhambra, 38 Degrees is one of the San Gabriel Valley’s most popular spots to watch sports.
It is not glitzy or glamorous, but the pub-style food is very good and the drinks are modestly priced. This is a comfortable, low key spot to enjoy a Lakers game. There are televisions at every angle so you can watch the game from any seat.
Busby’s East – Los Angeles
Located in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles, Busby’s East is a very serious sports bar that doesn’t pretend to be anything else.
Featuring 50 flat-screen televisions, it also has free pool tables, arcade games, and board games. The crowd comes from all over and the place is always hopping with sports fans. his is a fun, vibrant place to watch a Lakers game – and the drinks and food are good, too.
Yard House – L.A Live
If you want to feel the vibe of the Staples Center without actually being inside, then the Yard House at L.A. Live is the place for you to watch the game. It is not a Sports Bar per se, but has big screens galore and on game night the bar is packed.
With additional locations in Burbank and Northridge, the owners boast that Yard House features the largest selection of draft beers anywhere in the country and over 100 tasty dishes that are prepared each day from scratch.
If you want good food, good drinks, and a comfortable spot to watch the Lakers game near the Staples Center itself, this is the place for you.
Rock & Reilly’s Irish Pub – Sunset Strip
Located in West Hollywood, and with other locations in New York and Las Vegas, Rock & Reilly’s is an Irish Pub/Sports Bar often rated the best of its kind in Los Angeles.
It boasts more than 45 exclusive hand selected Irish whiskeys, the drink for which it is known. It also takes pride in the food it serves which is definitely a cut above most of its competitors, and it is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner which is unusual.
Don’t miss the secret patio, which is a good place to unwind after the game.
Rocco’s Tavern – Pasadena
Rocco’s is located in Old Town Pasadena, although it also has several other locations around Los Angeles including Studio City, Culver City and Westwood. It offers good Italian food in a sports bar setting.
People often comment that it is a rare breed: a sport’s bar that actually has good food. The place is flooded with televisions so there is no trouble watching the game from any spot, and the patrons really get excited while watching the games.
Rocco’s is comfortable and relaxed, and it is a favorite of the local Pasadena/Glendale crowd.
Champs Sports Pub – Burbank
Champs Sports Pub opened for business in 1983 and was one of the first sports bars in the Los Angeles area. It has 23 flat screen televisions strategically located throughout the establishment for maximum viewing.
It tries to maintain the feel of the great neighborhood bars of years past, known for good comfort food and excellent beers on tap. Like many of its competitors, the pub offers pool tables, darts, shuffleboard and other games.
Sports Harbour Restaurant and Sports Bar – Marina Del Rey
Many of the Lakers’ players live in the Playa Vista/Marina Del Rey area, which is convenient to their training facility in El Segundo. There is no shortage of places to watch a game if you are in that neighborhood.
One of the most popular is Sports Harbour, which is a casual, serious-minded sports bar with above average food and inexpensive beer. For entertainment, they have pool tables, basketball, air hockey, darts, pinball, and shuffleboard.
The restaurant and bar is most often referred to as a “dive” but it is a popular hangout.
