It’s that time of year again: March Madness is upon us.
While it’s unclear whether history will be made in the form of a 16th-seeded team taking down a number-one seed, one thing is for certain: Downtown LA will play host to some of the most important games of the tournament. And with March Madness kicking off just after St. Patty’s Day, here’s a bit of Irish luck to add to the magic of the month’s events.
One. The Ultimate March Madness Party at Prank
Prank Bar in South Park won’t let fans miss a single moment of the Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament games happening at the Crypto.comCenter, because the viewing party at Prank is located just a block and a half away from all the action!
Prank’s ULTIMATE March Madness Party begins at 2pm on March 28th with an epic viewing experience bringing the excitement of the tournament to life on THREE large rolling TVs, FOUR stationary TVs, and ONE massive projector screen.
Prank Bar is the place to be with our exclusive Golden Hour specials all night long! Chef Miguel Martinez prepares tasty plates like Prank’d Spicy Cauliflower, Premium Beef Sliders and Wild Caught Salmon (shown here) resting on a bed of mashed potatoes and slightly sweetened sautéd vegetables.
Keeping up the score, Prank bartenders rarely miss a shot with their veteran team of tequila, whisky, vodka and the others. For taste, presentation, service and overall good time, Prank takes home the trophy year after year, scoring higher than your average DTLA Sports Bar. Prank Bar is located 1100 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90015. www.prankbar.com
Two. Celebrating 9 Years of March Madness at Boomtown Brewery
There’s plenty of screens indoors & outdoors that show all of the hottest sports games at Boomtown and this March Madness, Arts District hideaway Boomtown will be showing as many games as they can.
From the court to the field Dodger’s fans are welcome to attend Opening Day Event on March 28th with guest eats from Poppa Joe’s Kitchen and “Make Your Own Micheladas” with I Love Micheladas starting as early as 10am. Boomtown not only shows the Dodger game throughout the season, but they are a quick 5-10 minute walk to the new Union Station Stadium Shuttle Stop. Boomtown Brewery is located at 700 Jackson St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. www.boomtownbrew.com
Three. Wall to Wall Taps & Sports Screens at 33 Taps
Location, location, location… 33 Taps just opened their newest location in South Park, just in time for March Madness festivities. Located one block south-east of Crypto.com Arena within the base of The Moxy & AC Hotels, the new downtown venue is the largest of its other two franchises in Silver Lake and Culver City.
Menu favorites include the Fried Calamari, lightly breaded, cajun spices, lemon wedge, with a side of marinara, and their Crispy Chicken Sandwich, served like they do in Nashville, with coleslaw, pickles, special sauce and a side of fries.
With new interactive-gaming room, wall to wall big screens, a solid food menu and taps by the dozens, DTW is betting on 33 Taps this Saint Patty’s Day as well, because… $7 Guinness, Green Ale, and $8 Jameson Shots! And their Taco Tuesdays take home the trophy with Tequila Specials to really pump up that moment of victory.
33Taps is located at 1240 S Figueroa St,
LA, CA 90015. https://eat33taps.com
Four. Celebrating Tradition at FIXINS Soul Food Kitchen
Fixins Soul Kitchen is a full-service soul food restaurant that celebrates African American culture and traditions.
Proudly founded in 2019 by former NBA All-Star and Mayor of Sacramento Kevin Johnson “KJ” and his wife Michelle, this soul food haven includes family favorites made from scratch. Dishes like chicken and waffles, oxtails, shrimp and grits, deep-fried deviled eggs, and Grandma Gladys’ famous peach cobbler accompanied by collard greens, mac and cheese, candied yams, black-eyed peas, red beans, rice, and grits give new meaning to “teamwork makes the dream work.”
Located on the LA Live/Crypto Arena campus, big screens and a full bar make sure guests never miss a moment of the March Madness action. Fixins is located at 800 W. Olympic Blvd., #A150. https://fixinssoulkitchen.com
Five. Dublin’s Irish Whiskey Pub: 3 Points for Tradition
For those looking for a more traditional Irish pub ambiance complete with a full Irish menu with old UK favorites like Bangers and Mash, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Fish & Chips, and even Sheppard’s Pie, look no further than Dublin’s Irish Whiskey Pub in the Financial District. The venue has a modern, classic appeal, with flat-screen TVs built into the surface of this traditional Irish pub. For those on the bench, Dublin has a wide selection of ales, IPAs, lagers, and stouts, with live DJs every night at 10 p.m. for those ready to add a little sweat to the court. Dublins DTLA is located at 817 W 7th Street, LA CA 90017. https://www.dublinson7th.com
Six. Sunset and IPAs at the Escondite
March Madness heats up at the Escondite. Since 2011, this favorite local hangout has been serving up tasty eats, live music, and drinks.
Fans are ready to catch every game with unbeatable deals on their delicious wings—just 50 cents each during the Final Four.
Seriously, views of the DTLA sunset from the Escondite score the most points and mix well with Happy Hour specials, featuring juicy $10 Smash Burgers, crispy chicken wings, and refreshing $6 IPAs.
Escondite is located in SkidRokyo at 410 Boyd St., Los Angeles, CA 90013, and is open Monday-Friday at 5 p.m. Happy Hour till 8 p.m. Sat/Sun, at 3 p.m. www.theescondite.com
Seven. Tom’s Watch Bar for Every Game
One of the premier options for anyone watching West Regional is Tom’s Watch Bar, which sits on prime real estate in South Park across the way from Crypto.com Arena. Tom’s festive atmosphere and sports-lined TV dining area and bar will be ready for every single major broadcast of NCAA men’s basketball games, including March Madness, in addition to carrying the full NBA and NHL schedules.
DTW will vouch for Crispy Chicken & Cornbread Pancake or Tom’s Mac & Cheese with poached lobster and bacon instead of fries to accompany their ALL-AMERICAN Bacon Avocado Burger made from Angus beef, topped with cheddar cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion on a toasted brioche bun any day of the week.
Eight. First Draft Picks at First Draft Taproom and Kitchen:
What’s not to love about the bright, lofty environment of First Draft Taproom & Kitchen in South Park? Its March Madness viewing experience gives access to four or five big screens, along with First Draft self-service at 46 taps. That translates to as much beer, seltzer, or cider as one can drink paid per ounce without the variable of waiting in line at a busy bar. Each tap comes with special training, allowing beer drinkers to reach their personal best. Throw in a party basket filled with flatbreads, chicken sliders, wings, sweet potato fries, and zucchini sticks for a March Madness party with friends, or roll solo with First Draft’s Rodeo Burger, with dripping Angus beef, white cheddar, applewood bacon, onion rings, BBQ sauce, and jalapeños, on a brioche bun.
Nine. Fresh Produce and Cocktails at The Eight Bar:
Sure, downtown residents miss having a full bar complete with the exciting memories of sports chatter smack dead in the middle of the grocery market as it once was at Ralph’s. Never fear! Whole Foods has something similar, allowing beer, wine, and spirits to flow each and every day at the Eight Bar annex, still almost close enough to pick out produce and fresh meat selections.
Located within Whole Foods in the Financial District, Eight Bar offers two giant screens to watch the games.
For the healthy-minded sports fan, salmon salad comes highly recommended. There’s also Crispy Cauliflower Bites, Field Green Salads, and Beyond Meat Burgers for those cruelty-free intermissions if anyone’s favorite team ends up getting slaughtered.
Happy. Extremely happy. Originally based in San Diego, the team is expanding its reach to DTLA.
Ten. Raising the Championship Bar at Far Bar in Little Tokyo
Far Bar in Little Tokyo takes the template of the traditional sports bar and adds an Asian fusion twist. The result of the blend of one of the most comprehensive Japanese spirit bars the town has ever known. From sake-based drinks to Japanese beers and whisky, the bar has made a name for itself as one of those spots that makes downtown Los Angeles the best place for fun and adventure.
Far Bar mixes sushi, ramen bowls, cheeseburgers, and tacos to make sure every culture feels included, but never misses a chance to add a bit of Asian spice, like with the Shiitake Miso Burger sandwiching Angus Beef, caramelized onions, and Sriracha mayo.
Pair all of that with sports, and the final score is a tie between heavenly bliss and sweet gastronomical satisfaction.
Fun Fact: This month, March Madness will mark the first time the tournament games will be held at Crypto.com Arena. The West Regional, which consists of the Sweet 16 and the Elite 8, hasn’t been played in Los Angeles since 2018, after it was scheduled to take place in 2020 but was cancelled due to the COVD-19 pandemic.
