5 Bars in Gramercy-Murray Hill to Enjoy the Start of the Football Season

GRAMERCY-MURRAY HILL, NY — College football starts this weekend, and the NFL gets underway in less than a week, so we check out some bars to watch all the action in your neighborhood.

Here are five choices to inhale some nachos, drink some beers and watch your favorite team:

1. Gramercy Ale House — 272 Third Avenue

They open at 11 a.m. on Saturday and stay open until the West Coast college football games end well after midnight. This is important. You can't be a sports bar and open at 2 p.m. on a Saturday. They've got 24 beers on tap and a rotating selection of craft beers. Potato nachos are the most-recommended bar food. Essentially they're nachos, but waffle fries replace the tortilla chips.

Ry P. on Yelp said: "Don't want to tell anyone about this because we don't want it to get packed... But literally the best sports bar/pub we've come across in awhile (we live in Murray Hill and have run the gamut). Super friendly service, excellent happy hour, great pub menu."

2. Barfly NY — 244 Third Avenue

There are a load of TVs, so you don't have to worry about not getting the game you want, or the angle you want to see it. Wings, tenders, nachos, mozzarella sticks, all the usuals are here.

Carlos E. on Yelp said: "No, it's not fancy, it's not gourmet, and if you're coming here for high-end cocktails you've come to the wrong place. What it is is an everyman's bar with lots of TVs, good food, good company, and good prices."

3. Turnhill — 119 E. 27th St.

If you're looking for a little classier of a place, Turnhill could be the option for you. Don't worry, they've got plenty of beer (19 on tap, 21 in bottles) and some TVs, but they also have a brick fireplace. See? Classy.

Sarah Z. on Yelp said: "Turnmill is like a little hidden gem in Murray Hill. My boyfriend and I were looking for a place to watch Sunday football where we could walk to the bathroom without pushing through 109 drunk dudes but still had a fun crowd watching the game around us. Turnmill was perfect for that!!"

4. Taproom No. 307 — 307 Third Avenue

They have a beer rewards program. A. Beer. Reward. Program. Also, this is your answer to the sports bar chains like Buffalo Wild Wings and Chilli's. They have a lot of TVs, but the atmosphere doesn't suck. They have 40 different beers on tap and another 60 available seasonally by bottle. They've got all your classic snacks, and beer pizza dough (for pizzas, not raw, just to be clear). They even have mac and beer cheese.

Jennifer C. on Yelp said: "Music selection is good, ambiance is good, TV's are perfectly placed, bathrooms are clean, the bar is very comfortable, and our bartender the second day couldn't have been any better."

5. The Whiskey Rebel — 129 Lexington Avenue

Cheap beers at happy hour, free popcorn, plenty of big-screen TVs. It's kinda like a nice dive bar — and we mean that entirely as a compliment. And you can get $3 PBRs and Bud Lights on Saturdays if your team isn't doing so hot. Or, then again, maybe if they are.

Celia Y. on Yelp said: "Attentive bartenders, tv screens for sports, and booth areas. Just too many pluses for this bar. I'll definitely be back!"

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