Great football bars and specials

Erik Bergeland, Robbie Burnett, Rebecca Burnett and Renae Fuller hang out at Johnny’s Hall of Fame during last year’s Iowa-Iowa State game.
(Credit: Metromix File Photo)

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If you don’t have tickets to see your favorite team on the field, the next best thing is to grab a bar stool and hunker down in front of a big screen with your fellow fans for an afternoon of beer-drinking, wing-eating football gluttony. We tracked down deals and specials at some of the best spots to watch a game ... or 10 — including the ultimate Cyclone and Hawk bars in central Iowa.

Ultimate Cyclone bar: Welch Ave. Station, 207 1/2 Welch Ave., Ames; 292-2334
Sure, you’ll have to make the trip north to the friendly confines of Ames, but Welch Ave. Station is worth the trip if you’re looking to surround yourself with fellow über-Clone fans. Be warned: Hawkeye fans’ eyes may burn out of their sockets, as the walls inside this Campustown basement bar are packed with cool Cyclone memorabilia. Play a game of pool or darts or foosball while cheering on the Cyclones and your fave NFL squad. And, order a pizza or delicious cheese bread from the Pizza Pit, the popular Ames restaurant located upstairs.

The deals: Welch Ave. opens at 11 a.m. weekends.

Saturday: Get $5.25 domestic pitchers until 8 p.m., $2.50 domestic mugs, margaritas and bloody Marys and $2.75 daiquiris.

Sunday: Watch all the games with the NFL Sunday Ticket. Get $2.25 bowls of chili, $4.75 domestic pitchers, $1.25 domestic draws, and $2 domestic pints.

Monday: Watch Monday Night Football with progressive 60-ounce domestic pitchers: $4 from 4-8 p.m., $4.50 from 8-9 p.m., $4.75 from 10 p.m.-close. Also, $2.75 daiquiris, $2.75 Long Island iced teas.

Ultimate Hawkeye bar: Front Row, 6555 University Ave., Windsor Heights; 255-6912
Where can you go to bleed black and gold on gameday? The Front Row is the perfect place for the school’s biggest fans (The Herky statue out front should give that fact away). This Windsor Heights staple has long been the area’s best Hawk hangout, and Cyclone fans know that they’ll be deep in enemy territory should they stop in sporting their cardinal and gold. Front Row sometimes wheels in extra TVs for big games, has a Hawk Club, gives away prizes and Hawk stuff on game days, and has even sponsored bus trips to Hawkeye games. If you’re a true die-hard Hawkeye fan, though, you probably know all this already.

The deals: Stop in early on Saturdays for their bloody Mary breakfast (10 a.m.-noon), where you buy a bloody Mary for $5 and get a free breakfast of French toast, build-your-own omeletes, and biscuits and gravy. Also get $3 tall boys of Bud, Bud Light and Bud Select, plus free food at halftime and giveaways after the game during Hawk games.

Johnny's Hall of Fame, 302 Court Ave; 280-6679
Johnny's is one of Des Moines' classic sports bars, occupying the same downtown spot for years. Now it's been updated and revamped, giving sports fans even more options. And with 18 TVs, you'll always be able to see your favorite team score.

The deals: Get $2.50 wells and $2.75 domestic beers from open until 5 p.m. during televised ISU, IOWA and UNI games.

Rookie's Sports Bar and Grill, 2180 N.W. 156th St., Suite 108, Clive; 987-0093
This suburban sports bar caters to fans of all teams. And after watching the games all day Saturday, you can stick around for karaoke.

The deals: Buy a "season pass" for $15 and get a T-shirt, food coupons and $3.25 23-ounce domestic beers during all football games. Wings are also just $4.95.

The Game, 3719 86th St., Urbandale; 278-1686
Seventeen TVs - five big screens - mean just about every angle in the house has a view of the big game. Plus, there's outdoor seating and great food, which makes this a great hangout to watch your favorite team.

The deals: During all Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Drake, and NFL games, get $10 domestic buckets and $1 hot dogs.

Champps Restaurant and Bar, 101 Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines; 440-6565
This big and roomy sports bar boasts 20 TVs and one big screen, making it a comfortable place to watch a game with a large group. Plus, there's a ginormous food menu.

The deals: During Iowa, Iowa State and Sunday NFL games, get $3 20-ounce domestic draws. During Monday Night Football, get a 25-ounce domestic draw and a cheeseburger for $10.

Mickey's Irish Pub, 50 S.E. Laurel St., Waukee; 987-9604
Some Saturday nights, you can listen to live music after the games end. You can also party like it's the weekend on Tuesday afternoons, during their tailgate parties.

The deals: On Saturdays, get $10 buckets of domestic beer and $15 buckets of import beer, plus $.50 wings and $3 Captains after 7 p.m.

Down Under Bar and Grill, 8350 Hickman Road, Clive; 278-6718
This spacious bar has 16 TVs and is a suburban hangout on Hawkeye and Cyclone game days.

The deals: $11 domestic buckets, $6 pitchers, $3 bloody Marys and 49 cent wings during all Iowa, Iowa State and NFL games.

Overtime, 4810 86th St., Urbandale; 727-4992
Overtime has the NFL Sunday Ticket, plus all college games and sports networks, so if it's televised, there's a strong chance that you'll be able to watch it here.

The deals: During all football games, get $6.50 domestic pitchers.

Jethro's BBQ, 3102 Forest Ave.; 279-3300
Screw burgers and brats. Support the Drake Bulldogs (and any other of your favorite teams) barbecue style, with a delicious menu of pulled pork sandwiches, jalapeno sweet corn and other Southern-inspired favorites. The combination of multiple TVs, ample space and delicious food means this place fills up for football games.

The deals: On Saturdays, enjoy $7 Mason jar beers and mixed drinks, while on Sundays get 24-ounce domestic tallboys for $3.50.

Trophy's Sports Bar & Grill, 2701 Douglas Ave.; 255-1111
Fans of all schools and teams are welcome at Trophy's, which is also home to the area's Pittsburgh Steelers Club. Come early - or stay late - after the game and play bags, bowl a few games at Plaza Lanes, or play sand flag football. Also home to some of the best hot wings in town.

The deals: During Iowa, Iowa State, and all college and NFL games, get $2.75 16-ounce and $3.75 24-ounce domestic draws, 49 cent naked wings, $12 buckets of beer (five domestic or four imports) and $17 Towers of Beer.

Third Base Sports Bar, 1720 25th St., West Des Moines; 221-0150
This giant suburban sports bar features more than 40 TVs, as well as a regulation-size basketball hoop, foosball table, and other games to take out your aggression on when your team falls behind, 21-0, before you even get your drinks ordered. Make sure you're here Monday, Sept. 14 to enter a drawing that will qualify lucky fans to win a car the last Monday Night Football of the season.

The deals: On Mondays, get $1 tacos and buckets (six tall boys) for $17. Thursdays, eat all the wings you can for just $4. Saturdays, enjoy bucket specials and free food during select big college football games. On Sundays, get $2.50 tall boys and $4 bombs, plus 2-for-1 pizza and buckets specials during the NFL games.

Mickey Finn's, 7020 Douglas Ave.; 270-8738
This Irish bar leans to Iowa City with its college fan affilitation, so watch the Hawks (and even Iowa State games) on large flat-screen TVs with great drink and food specials.

The deals: $5.50 pitchers, $2.50 wells and domestic bottles, and $2 pints during Sunday games, plus and $10 buckets during Saturday games (in addition to Sunday specials).

The Longest Yard, 122 Fifth St., West Des Moines; 274-1710
This Valley Junction hangout is dominated by Hawkeye fans on game days, so you can expect to fit right in wearing your black and gold. And while you're there, why not try one of their famed yards (or half-yards, for the timid) of beer?

The deals: During Saturday Hawkeye games, plus Sunday NFL and Monday Night Football, drink $2.75 domestic bottles and $2.25 domestic draws.

Hooters, 1480 22nd St., West Des Moines; 224-9464
Yes, Hooters is famous for its wings and its waitresses, but during Monday Night Football, it's a bustling spot to watch the big game and suck down some brewskies.

The deals: During Monday Night Football, enjoy $2.50 Big Daddy's (25-ounce mugs) of Bud products.

Daytona's All Sports Cafe, 4875 Merle Hay Road; 331-0996
For racing fans, Daytona's is pretty close to heaven. But the bar loves its football too, and features 17 TVs and two big screens so you can see every play.

The deals: Get 49-cent wings, $2.50 bottles and draws of Bud products, and $3 tall boys during Sunday NFL games.

Gerri's Tavern, 232 E. 30th St.; 265-8383
This east-side dive is known for having arguably the best hot wings in town.

The deals: Get $5 domestic pitchers and $5 14-inch pizzas ($1 per additional topping) during Monday Night Football games.

Scooter and Bab's Sports Bar and Grill, 918 E. Euclid Ave.; 266-1491
This sports bar has the NFL Sunday Ticket, so no matter who you're rooting for on Sundays, you'll find them on the screen.

The deals: Get $5 pitchers, plus on Monday nights they'll fire up the grill and serve 75 cent hot dogs and burgers.

Chicken Coop, 1960 Grand Ave., West Des Moines; 223-0088
This bar gets packed for on Saturdays and Sundays, so get here early. You can watch several games at once, since they have a huge wall of TVs. Iowa and Iowa State fans both frequent the Coop, but if a Nebraska game is on, the sound for the Huskers trumps both.

The deals: During Sunday NFL games and from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. during college games, get $6.50 domestic pitchers, $2.50 wells, bottles and tall boys and $2.25 draft pints. During Monday Night Football get $6.50 pitchers of Coors Light.