Here are a few of the best spots in college football bars in Broward County.
Funky Buddha Brewery
1201 NE 38th St., Oakland Park. Call 954-440-0046, or visit funkybuddhabrewery.com.
Out with the old, in with the higher-quality new. That's what the ideology behind the craft-beer-industry explosion has been, and it has bled into where you should prefer to spend your Saturday afternoons. Funky Buddha is huge (which is awesome), because you decided to get your butt off your couch to watch the game, not to rub sweaty elbows with some dude yelling "Roll-Damn-TIDE!"
Bokampers Sports Bar & Grill
Multiple locations. Visit bokampers.com.
For every game airing, there are roughly ten TVs at your local Bokampers — should I keep trying to sell you, or are we good? If that's not enough, Bokampers is well-known for its menu that features much more than your average game-time grub. Everything from ribs to crab legs to a variety of flatbread sandwiches is available to stuff in your face while your team stresses you out at the pub owned by an ex-Miami Dolphins player. As an added bonus, Bo's carries an assortment of locally crafted brews many of your typical sports bars don't bother keeping in stock.
Tucker Duke's Lunchbox
1101 S. Powerline Road, Deerfield Beach. Call 954-708-2035, and tuckerdukeslunchbox.com.
Yeah — so this might not be the best week to mention this if you happen to be from Syracuse, but Tucker Duke's is every Florida State football fans dream. You can always be sure to find a packed Tucker Duke's bar full of former Tallahassee residents. If that's your thing, this bar owned by some former Florida State students can't be beat around the time the Noles kick off. Amazing food, choice craft-beer selections, fellow FSU fans: Tucker Duke's is an underrated place to watch the game.
Twin Peaks
2000 S. University Drive, Davie. Call 954-306-6191, or visit twinpeaksrestaurant.com.
If you live in South Florida, chances are you've been to Hooters roughly a thousand times — by now, you can recite the menu back to the server. Twin Peaks offers the same, um, atmosphere, with a new menu and different vibe than your traditional "breastaurant." Peaks has more than 20 high-definition flat-screen TVs facing in all directions, so no matter where you sit, you're sure to get a good look at your team driving you to drink. One of the specialties here is that it serves its beers at a freezing 29 degrees to ensure you get the most out of your drinking experience. It boasts a tap lineup of at least 20 draft beers on any given day, so you're sure to find something that fits your taste.
Duffy's Sports Grill
Multiple locations. Visit duffysmvp.com.
This is the place you go if there just so happens to be a UFC fight that falls on the same night as your team's game — hey, it happened during the UM versus Seminole showdown. Surrounded by televisions and servers who are just steps from your next drink, Duffy's is arguably the most logical choice when deciding where you're going to take in the college football slate. Extra points for the oversized TVs tilted toward customers. Some places just throw up 100 32-inch flat-screens, but not Duffy's; this place makes it easy to switch your eyes between a bite of its BBQ ribs and your team scoring another touchdown.
The World Famous Parrot Lounge
911 Sunrise Lane, Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-563-1493, and visit parrotlounge.com.
No fuss, just a good, old-fashioned pub to catch the game. Between the tropical indoor-tiki-bar setting, the raw bar, and the nice set-up of TVs tuned to everything from the English Premier League games to Alabama taking on Auburn, this is the place to roll out of bed for on a Saturday to watch some college football. Bloody marys and margaritas flow at Parrot Lounge, and the servers who bring them to you seem friendlier here than those at most places. If sipping on some local craft beers is your thing, Parrot has you covered. It carries everything from Funky Buddha Hop Gun to tasty Cigar City creations.
American Social Bar and Restaurant
721 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-764-7005, or visit americansocialbar.com.
American Social might not be the first place you think of when it comes to college football Saturdays — but it should be, because it's a bar, and it has TVs, and it's an awesome place, OK? Good talk. Grab a seat at the decked-out bar that features endless taps and televisions pointed down toward your seat. The best part about American Social is once halftime hits, you're not just stuck in some crappy sports bar, surrounded by empty pitchers and chicken bones. American Social has plenty of lounge space for you to chill in while your favorite team is in the locker room getting yelled at.
Quarterdeck
Multiple locations. Visit quarterdeckrestaurants.com.
Looking to get rowdy and high-five a fellow Hurricanes fan this weekend? You can totally bro out with a fellow Cane at the Quarterdeck. Routinely packed to the rim with customers having a good time, Quarterdeck is where you can expect to find the sort of fans that might sing a fight song after a touchdown or throw a ketchup bottle at a wall after a heartbreaking loss. Between the indoor bar and the outdoor viewing area that has ample views of flat-screen TVs, Quarterdeck is as solid a choice as any on a College Football Saturday.
Bru's Room Sports Grill
Multiple locations. Visit brusroom.com.
When in doubt — pick Bru's Room. While a Bokampers might be bigger or an American Social might be fancier, Bru's Room is the coziest. Tables aren't so close that you're on top of a rival fan, and ample viewing is available outside, so you and your fellow Canes fans can make all the noise you want. By now, you've been to a Bru's Room 75 times over the past decade, so you know what to expect: a solid game-viewing experience, with no surprises.
Slackers Sports Bar and Grill
Southland Shopping Center, 995 W. State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-530-4758, or visit slackersbarandgrill.com.
We have reached the mecca of all college sports bars in South Florida. Slackers