Football season has arrived! And there’s no better city for watching a game than Las Vegas.

Some of Vegas’ top restaurants have outposts right inside Allegiant Stadium – home to the Silver and Black. But football watch parties kickoff much earlier in Las Vegas, and last well beyond the final whistle, with celebrations and specials on the Strip and Downtown. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best places to watch the game in Las Vegas including world-class sports bars, restaurants, a brewery and a resort pool.

 

PREGAME 

As you prepare for game day, it’s important to note that Las Vegas has its own style of tailgating. And with thousands of fans walking to each home game from the Strip, the festivities often begin en route. That walk begins on Mandalay Bay Road/Hacienda Boulevard – less than a mile from the stadium. It’s also accessible via the Mandalay Bay stop on The Deuce bus, or by either the Mandalay Bay or Luxor tram stops, and passes directly under Mandalay Place with direct entry into the shopping district. And along the way there are plenty of bars and restaurants ready to help football enthusiasts begin their celebrations.

  • Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino – Located just a few feet inside the Hacienda Boulevard doors, Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar puts elevated spins on classic sports bar grub. Throughout football season, it offers game day brunch menus every Saturday and Sunday. And on game day, it opens a takeout window where you can grab a beer and a bite for the final walk to the stadium. PRO TIP: One of Flanker’s two private dining rooms converts to a karaoke studio, perfect for postgame parties.

  • Aurora Bar and Centra at Luxor Hotel and Casino – Both of these casino bars offer game day drink specials, on select draft beer, cocktails, shots and beer bucket specials.

AT THE GAME 

 If you don’t have time to eat on the way to the game, luckily, there are plenty of incredible food options inside the stadium, many of which are outposts of popular Las Vegas restaurants.

  • Fukuburger (Sec. 128) – What began as a food truck offering “American burgers with a Japanese twist” to late-night gatherings of off-duty restaurant workers, Fukuburger has become a local institution, with an additional two brick-and-mortar restaurants in town. Don’t overlook the chicken katsu sandwich. You won’t regret it. Original Location: 3429 S. Jones Blvd. (Chinatown)

  • Rollin’ Smoke Barbecue (Sec. 124) – Starting in a modest off-Stip location in an underdeveloped  neighborhood known for blue-collar bars and auto repair shops, Rollin’ Smoke now offers its Arkansas-style barbecue at five locations throughout the valley. And it’s recognized for more than its food, as Rollin’ Smoke made a debut on the show Pawn Stars, thanks to a partnership with Rick Harrison. Original Location: 2185 Highland Drive (Off-Strip)

  • Slice House by Tony Gemignani (Sec. 118, 140, 206, 230 and 308) and Pizza Rock by Tony Gemignani (Modelo Lounge, Twitch Lounge and Sec. 346) – Thirteen-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani’s restaurants are must-visit spots, both in Downtown Las Vegas and at Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa. Pizza Rock Las Vegas ranked No. 18 on the Top 50 Pizzas of the 50 Best Pizzerias in the U.S., likely because Gemignani is the G.O.A.T. when it comes to competitive pizza making. But don’t take our word for it, try it for yourself! Original Location: 201 N. 3rd St. (Downtown) and inside Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa (Henderson)

  • Ferraro’s Italian Street Eats (Sec 247, 328 and 340) – The family behind the local institution Ferraro’s Ristorante, as well as Pizza Forte, offers a collection of their greatest hits at their stadium locations, including meatballs with pesto and ricotta, Roman and New York-style pizza, and sausage sandwiches. In fact, they’ve been serving Las Vegas visitors and residents alike since they opened in 1985, and have one of the destination’s finest Italian wine lists. Original Location: 4480 Paradise Road (off-Strip)

  • Holsteins (Sec. 106) – The Gold Standard (dry-aged beef, smoked bacon, cheddar, tomato confit and chive aioli) and The Nom Nom (beef patty, cheddar and Thousand Island dressing) are two of the top sellers from this high-end burger spot.

NO TICKET? NO PROBLEM! 

Of course, you don’t need to go to the stadium to have a great game day in Las Vegas. In addition to having some of the biggest brick-and-mortar sportsbooks for wagering and watching every touchdown, the rise of app-based gaming now means football fans can catch all the action and make bets at their convenience. Resorts on the Strip and Fremont Street have responded by introducing high-end sports bars and restaurants where you can settle in for a long day of games, delicious food and incredible drinks. 

  • Stadium Swim at Circa Resort & Casino – Part dayclub, sportsbook and casino pool, Stadium Swim is your place to watch pro football every Sunday, Monday and Thursday, and college football every Saturday. General admission prices vary by day, starting at $15, with a selection of daybeds, water couches and cabanas available for those who want to spend a bit more. PRO TIP: Bottle-service packages start at $400 and top out at $4,500.

  • Tailgate Social at Palace Station Hotel Casino – Opening at 9 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday during football season, Tailgate Social offers a wide variety of traditional bar food, as well as pool and foosball tables, video poker machines and 30 HDTVs positioned throughout the restaurant. HOME TEAM FUN: At the start of every game for the Silver and Black, each table is assigned a player on the team and awarded a free shot whenever that player scores a touchdown. 

  • Charlie’s Sports Bar at Wynn Las Vegas – A throwback to the days when sports gamblers didn’t want to stray too far from the sportsbook. On the menu, you’ll find nachos, pretzels, wings and burgers, and some healthy options, all served with an amazing view of all the sportsbook action. FUN FACT: Charlie’s Sports Bar is named after the late Las Vegas “super host” Charlie Meyerson.

  • BrewDog Las Vegas – Enjoy burgers, nachos, wings and tacos, or a full seafood or steak dinner, washed down with your choice of 30 on-tap beers, while you watch the game. And don’t miss the outstanding rooftop views of the Las Vegas Strip. FUN FACT: If you get bored during halftime, it has pool tables and a nice selection of pinball machines on the lower level.

  • Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Sports Kitchen at Horseshoe Las Vegas – UNLV alumnus, Guy Fieri, offers the most diverse menu of his three Las Vegas restaurants here, with Mexican, Asian Southwestern and classic bar food dishes, served in a room packed with TVs, sports memorabilia and a digital ticker with the latest scores. PRO TIP: The two varieties of trash-can nachos make for great TikTok moments, while the barbecue ribs show off the skills Fieri developed with his award-winning Motley Que competition barbecue team. 

POSTGAME 

After the game, if you’re walking from the stadium back to the Strip, Luxor and OYO Hotel & Casino will likely be the first resorts you encounter with gameday specials for fans who attended the game.

  • Public House at Luxor Hotel and Casino – A collection of huge TV screens and a menu packed with sports bar favorites like nachos, wings, ribs and burgers make this a prime spot for viewing any game. And they welcome post-game partiers on their way back from Allegiant Stadium by giving anyone who shows a ticket to that day’s game a free appetizer with the purchase of an entrée. PRO TIP: Don’t overlook the cheese curds on the menu, which are something of a rarity in Las Vegas bars and restaurants.

Even if you venture out a little further, there’s plenty of late-night deals for fans to continue their festivities, which tend to take place throughout the night all along Las Vegas Boulevard. A quick rideshare away, you’ll discover more specials and certainly more fun and excitement.

  • RedTail at Resorts World Las Vegas – Run by the team that runs the adjacent Zouk nightclub, RedTail is a prime spot for watching a game that transitions seamlessly into other fun activities like videogames, beer pong, coin-operated basketball and karaoke, as the party continues into the late-night hours. PRO TIP: For every drink purchased on a Thursday, you receive a raffle ticket for the local NFL team’s home game.

  • Raiders Tavern & Grill at M Resort Spa & Casino – If you’re taking a Game Day Express bus from Allegiant back to the team’s official hotel, make sure to check out the only NFL-affiliated restaurant in the country. It’s a three-meal restaurant, open until 3 a.m. every day, and packed with HDTVs and team memorabilia. PRO TIP: All the players stay here the night before every home game, with a few who frequent the restaurant.

And that’s just the start to all the fun ways to enjoy this season’s gridiron battles, right up until the Big Game in February, which will undoubtedly take Las Vegas football celebrations to a new level. 

 

Neon Feast App

Al Mancini has been reporting on the Las Vegas food scene for over 20 years, for over a dozen local and national publications. In 2022, he launched the Neon Feast mobile app and website, where more than 50 of Las Vegas’ top chefs, restaurant owners, critics, journalists and influencers share their restaurant recommendations in over 100 different categories. Download the Neon Feast app for free or visit NeonFeast.com.