Three Local Bars Make List of Top Sports Bars in New Jersey

Sports bars are always a fun place to meet friends and watch the game, we are fortunate to live in an area that has a ton of great options.

NJ.com put together a list of the top 22 sports bars in NJ and three local bars in our area made their list.

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More South Jersey News: South Jersey Bars you miss the most

The three bars that made the list were

20. Fitzpatrick’s Crest Tavern, Lower

It may not have the abundance of screens as others on this list, but the Crest Tavern more than makes up for it in a cozy, convivial atmosphere, and good food. The Mardi Gras shrimp, sauteed in a sweet and spicy Louisiana-inspired butter sauce, is a must-try app. Burgers, oysters, homemade soups. flatbread pizzas, baked grouper, and linguine and mussels are among the menu items. Many assume the Crest is located in Wildwood Crest. It’s not; that town is dry. It’s in Diamond Beach, a section of Lower.

14. Chickie’s and Pete’s, various locations

“The #1 sports bar in North America as voted by ESPN” is how Chickie’s and Pete’s, founded in 1987, describes itself. There are 10 Jersey locations. Their famous crab fries have nary a hint of crab meat in them, but are sprinkled “with a secret blend of crabby spice” and served with a white creamy cheese sauce for dipping. The Marlton location hosted a show featuring Philadelphia Eagles players Dallas Goedert and Avonte Maddox all season. The menu includes shellfish chowder, cheesesteaks, hot roast beef and roast pork sandwiches, pizzas, crab cakes and the astounding B Dawk Impact Burger (named after Eagles legend Brian Dawkins), with jerk spices, provolone, Caribbean-spiced pineapple sauce, jalapeno chimicurri, topped with a fried egg and arugula.

2. Tailgaters, Galloway

Tailgaters describes itself as a “small family-run sports bar in lovely Galloway Township.” It is compact, but sometimes you just want cozy over cavernous. Not-so-ordinary apps include Wisconsin spicy cheese curds and Southern pickle chips; there are also mussels, pizza, wings (10 sauces and rubs), burgers, and homemade chili. The Pittsburger burger is nothing short of stupendous: three pounds of beef, plus cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and an onion ring on top, plus French fries. Finish it all in 30 minutes and get a t-shirt and your photo on their social media pages.

These are three great spots, I have been to all three and they each have different atmospheres for the games .  I suggest you try each of those three establishments out if you are in the neighborhood.

We have do the Sports Bash live from all three locations over the years, we held our whiffle ball tournament at the Crest Tavern one year, we have done our show live at the EHT and Atlantic City Chickies & Pete's for years and have done 99 Bottles from Tailgaters in the past.

"Tailgaters is a place you can call home," said owner Ari Frangias. "Its a family sports bar that welcomes any color jersey you're wearing. Our staff has become family and we treat our patrons as such. We never cut corner on the quality of our food we serve and pride ourselves in our eclectic beer selection."

Here are 15 more places I enjoy watching games in South Jersey (in no particular orfder.  I didn't include chain restaurants or any of the sports books, which all offer great view experiences for games.