Best restaurants (not sports bars) with a big-screen TV?
In belated response to Kurt's request for a place to watch the Pistons-Spurs tonight, I nominated Place Yuu on Sawtelle as having "the best food available on the westside in an establishment with a big-screen TV"
At Place Yuu it's not always certain you'll see the event you want to see, because they have only the one screen, they may not be open yet when the event starts, and sometimes they're showing Japanese videos instead of sports. However, I have watched any number of big sports events there and it's a very pleasant setting to do so. Sushi ranging from good to excellent, wide variety of cooked items, great bar.
But surely there are other candidates. Sports bars have their place, but how about alternatives where you can eat some serious, excellent (not just decent) food with the opportunity to watch big games on a great big TV?
By PayOrPlay
on Jun 22, 2005 12:11 AM
View »
Place Yuu is simply awesome. Open way late, high quality sushi (Osaka-style batera!) and izakaya, a big screen TV, good sakes, great staff.... Don't go there, 'cuz then I may have to wait for a seat!!
JL
p.s. I am in NO way affiliated with this restaurant, other than being a faithful patron.
Permalink | Reply
Looking to revive this thread. I'm a sports fan, but don't really like sports-bar food. Tonight a friend and I thought we might drive to Outback (we got a hankerin for steak), but realized the closest is in Burbank (we're in Santa Monica). Does anyone else have suggestions for better-than-bar-food-but-not-too-stuffy-for-sports-watchers on the Westside?
Permalink | Reply
Tony P's is probably borderline between what you're looking for and what you're not looking for. They've got a few TVs and a pretty happening bar area, but I like the food. Pretty upscale (casually dressed but I own a yacht types) crowd.
Also in Marina Del Rey, there's Ballona Sushi. I hear the sushi is great (I don't eat fish). But they do only have 1 TV in the bar area. If you're hankering for steak, they do have a filet mignon there, but I can only vouch for the chicken penne pasta, which I very much enjoyed.
It's pretty casual and not too far from "bar food" but The Counter has a TV screen - sit at the bar - I watched a UCLA game there once. The burger meat is noting to write home bout, but the toppings are great.
Chez Jay also has a couple TVs at the bar and definitely lots of steak on the menu. Probably closest you'll come to Outback on the westside.
Permalink | Reply
I'd suggest eating at the bar at Punch Grill on Wilshire at around 30th. Lots of people watching sports in the bar there, but also tasty, non-bar food. They definitely have steak on the menu. I really enjoy their take on cioppino. It's a probably a little spicy to be considered authentic, but both times I've had it, the seafood has been perfectly cooked.
Here's their website, complete with horrible background music:
http://www.punchgrill.com/
Permalink | Reply
Funny you mention Punch. I really love that place and really hope it succeeds. I was there on Friday night (closed down the place). Their staff is great, too! I work only a block and a half from there, so it's definitely on the list.
Permalink | Reply
I saw complaints about their service on the boards when it first opened last summer, but the times I've been in the past few months it's been very good service and really nice bartenders, too. It really seems like the perfect place to go to watch sports in a more upscale setting plus, like I said, i think it's the best cioppino I've had on the westside.
Permalink | Reply
Nic's Martini in BH..chains like Daily Grill, BBQ Wood Ranch and McCormick's will have the bigscreen, too, and you can order from the full menu.
Permalink | Reply