Bruins fans have their options around the Garden to still get that Garden atmosphere without actually being in the Garden. (Getty Images)
One of the many great things about being a Bruins, Red Sox or Celtics fan is that there are countless bars just a few steps away from their home venues. Not every sporting fan base in this country has this luxury.
Hub sports fans can still get that great “all for one, one for all” atmosphere without paying $8 for a watered down Bud Light.
Bruins fans, in particular, like their beer and they like it cheap. Here are the plusses and minuses for watching the game at a bar around the house that Shawmut Bank built.
Vito’s Sports Bar
54 Salem Street
If you want to venture away from the Canal Street bleep-show and get as far away as you can from the North Station T stop crowd, Vito’s in the North End might do the trick. There are three large flatscreens in the front with three smaller screens behind the bar. The painting of boxer Rocky Marciano lets you know it’s a true Boston sports bar and the framed autographed photo of 1990s WWE female wrestler Sable on the women’s bathroom door lets you know you’re in Bruins territory.
The Grand Canal
57 Canal Street
The outside patio is fun if its 75 degrees and sunny (which occurs here two or three times per year) with a scenic view of Route 93. Has plenty of TVs, which is a huge plus.
Boston Beer Works
112 Canal Street
Not the ideal place to watch a game. If you want a giant slice of watermelon in your beer, you probably aren’t much of a B’s fan anyway.
Porter’s Bar & Grill
173 Portland Street
The best thing about Porter’s is that it tends to hide and therefore you might actually be able to get a seat in front of a TV during a Bruins Stanley Cup game (unthinkable, right?). It has 12 beers on tap, one decent-sized projection screen and two small flatscreens behind the bar. There is a chance that this place could be a little too upscale for some die-hards, however. There’s a sign above the bar that reads, “Hippies use the backdoor – No exceptions.” Well, the average 20 or 30-something Bruins fan isn’t known to be too shy around the bong – so Porter’s will likely be a third or fourth choice for true puck heads.
The Littlest Bar
102 Broad Street
It’s a little bit of a hike from the Garden but B’s fans are a gritty bunch. It is what it claims to be – little – and has just a couple of TVs. Still, this place has the potential to get rowdy.
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The Red Hat
9 Bowdoin Street
Also a bit of a hike from the Garden. Might want to rickshaw this one. But down those stairs is a solid B’s atmosphere.
Stanza dei Sigari
292 Hanover Street
Want to smell like Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito did in 1972 after a night out on the town? Stanza dei Sigari is your best bet – because you can smoke cigars and rip butts INSIDE.
Hurricane O’Reilly’s
150 Canal Street
As soon as the last goal is scored it has the potential to turn into an episode of Wicked Single – aka a messy grind-fest on the dance floor with a bunch of guys in Lucic jerseys looking to slide the puck past the goalie.
This place will be next to impossible to get into on a game night this week as it is a bandwagon fan’s dream bar.
The Sports Grille
132 Canal Street
It’s a sports bar with lots of TVs, food and beer. Inside you will find tributes to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wayne Gretzky. Guessing the owners are either from LA or Generic-ville, USA.
The Four’s
166 Canal Street
It was once voted the No. 1 sports bar in America by Sports Illustrated and you can eat a sandwich named after Ray Bourque. Another spot that will be next to impossible to get into but if you show up at 3 p.m. or so, you’ll likely be set for a fun night and a $732 tab.
Sullivan’s Tap
168 Canal Street
The quintessential Bruins bar where the PBRs and Bud heavy’s flow like Coors Light, err, water. It’s cash only, so be prepared to slip the fire marshal a couple Abraham Lincolns.
Other options: McGann’s Irish Pub, Stadium sports bar & grille, West End Johnnies, The Greatest Bar, The Harp, Coogan’s
