A couple of months ago, I had to relocate to New York from Seattle for a professional degree. There were the obvious things I would miss: my loved ones, my house, fresh air, grass. None of that (okay, the loved ones, maybe) could compare to the feeling of despair caused by missing out on live Seattle Seahawks football. The tailgates (shout out to Tailgaters Anonymous behind the Krispy Kreme) and the seats in Section 115 Row S (for coat holding only) are my religious experience on Sunday.
Well, I found a Sunday home away from home here in New York with some of my fellow Seattleites. Indiscriminately tucked away on Lexington Avenue in the Upper East Side is Carlow East. You better get there early because this place gets packed. If that’s too much for you to handle, a bi-level Irish inspired pub called the Central is located down in the East Village by NYU. Both of these bars take service to another level despite the unwavering demand for food and alcohol. Carlow is such an old bar that it doesn’t even have a kitchen (or a website!), so they order pizzas for the entire bar or offer a buffet before the game starts. It’s the best tailgating I’ve done in this concrete jungle. (NEW YORK – CARLOW EAST 1254 Lexington Ave. New York, NY, www.meetup.com/NYC-Seattle-Seahwks-Fans). THE CENTRAL 109 E 9th St. New York, NY, www.centralbarnyc.com).
For those of you headed to or stuck in other destinations, here are the best places to get your ‘true to the blue’ fix.
LOS ANGELES, CA – THE BACKSTAGE
10400 Culver Blvd. Culvery City, CA
The Backstage is all things good: affordable, friendly and its Hawk fans are among the most organized fans outside of Seattle. They meet here during games, but if you’re interested in other activities they’re happy to add you to their activity list – Disneyland takeover? Why not! There’s a reason this place has developed a reputation as the best Seahawks bar in the country with over ten years of 12s packing into the place.
SAN DIEGO, CA – THURSTERS LOUNGE
4633 Mission Blvd. San Diego, CA
www.thursterslounge.com
A stone’s throw from the beach, you can soak up the sun or catch a wave before strolling into Thrusters for some taco grilling, raffles, drink specials and giveaways during every game. I actually headed here to watch a game against St. Louis around Christmas time while I was visiting family. Don’t worry, this place is just the right amount of dimly-lit dive bar to ensure the glare of that pesky California sun doesn’t ruin your view of the TV.
CHICAGO, IL – NEWPORT BAR & GRILL
1344 W Newport Ave. Chicago, IL
thenewportchicago.com
I already love this place because they give discounts to teachers but they also offer one of the best specials list during Hawks games (and appear to be giving out a signed Russell Wilson Jersey to some lucky winner). They even have cans of Red Hook so you can attempt to replicate that feeling of standing in Century Link, screaming in the rain while you sip a nice hoppy IPA. I’m sure the bartender will throw water at you if you ask nicely.
AUSTIN, TX – THE COMMON INTEREST KARAOKE BAR AND GRILL
8400 Burnet Rd. Austin, TX
One can’t complain about the beauty that is the Austin 12s website nor the southern hospitality you’ll find here. Where else can you belt out a sweet rendition of You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ during halftime? With plenty of transplants now invading Austin, Hawk folk alike say that this place feels like “home on game day.”
WASHINGTON, DC – ACRE 121
1400 Irving St. Washington, DC
www.acre121.com/events/dcs-official-hawks-nest/
With nine HD TVs and screens throughout the bar and patio, Acre 121 wins for the most opulent out-of-town Seahawks experience. They went out of their way to craft an entire game day menu featuring such items as the “Largent Classic Burger” and the Beast Quake “hawktail” (see what they did there). They also special order Elysian kegs–you know, the brewery right next to Centurylink–just for those Seattle beer nerds.
Many cities have their own meet-up groups and booster clubs (or Hawks Nests, if you please), so if I neglected to mention a city you might want information on, there’s always the good old-fashioned Internet to seek out your very own Seahawk Sunday shrine.
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