The weather is getting warmer. The days are getting longer. March has arrived, and with it comes the madness of the college basketball postseason. The Bull City offers no shortage of places to experience the NCAA Division I basketball tournament, from modern sports bars with televisions covering the walls to more intimate local hangouts. It’s no coincidence that Durham was ranked the 4th best city in the U.S. and best mid-size city for college basketball fans in 2024 by WalletHub.com.
The following is a rundown of where to watch March Madness in Durham and what college basketball specials you can take advantage of during the tournament.
Want to support the Blue Devils? Duke is one of only four schools to have both their men’s and women’s teams advance to the Sweet 16! Duke Men’s Basketball will take on Houston on Friday, March 29 at 9:39 p.m. Duke Women’s Basketball plays UConn on Saturday, March 30 at 8 p.m. Head into Durham and support both teams as they look to advance to the Final Four!
Maverick’s Smokehouse and Taproom
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Located at 900 West Main Street downtown, Maverick’s features multi-state BBQ, a full bar, and numerous TVs. There’s also as an outdoor patio equipped with a second bar and a projector they put to use for the big games, weather permitting, complete with fire pits so you can enjoy the outdoors even if there’s still a chill in the air.
Bull Durham Bar
Located in the Washington Duke Inn at the Duke Golf Club, Bull Durham Bar is a favorite hangout for Duke fans. The public is welcome to come and watch all the games. With games running late into the night, this is a great option with their late night dining menu from 9:30 p.m.-12 a.m. Thursday-Sunday.
Carolina Ale House
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Situated prominently on U.S. 15/501 on the way to Chapel Hill, Carolina Ale House draws its share of basketball fans, and with more than 50 TVs you won’t miss anything during the frenetic opening rounds when multiple games are being played simultaneously. Take advantage of their March Madness menu specials. And join the Carolina Ale House bracket pool for a chance to win an Apple Vision Pro, free wings for a year or a $100 Visa Gift Card.
Clouds Brewing
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Most breweries are known more for their beer than their television selection, but Clouds’ spacious new location on Main Street is an exception as 33 HD screens line every wall and even hang from the ceiling. Throw in a full menu and craft brews and this is a great place to relax and catch the madness. When you’re there, they also have daily games that are free to enter with chances to win prizes every day of the tournament. Reservations are recommended.
Dain’s Place
Ranked by Complex magazine as one of the 10 best bars near a college campus, Dain’s, located in the Ninth Street district, is an obvious choice for Duke fans who are looking for where to watch March Madness in Durham. Every game will be on one of four TVs. Did we mention more than 80 American microbrews are available?
Devine’s Grill and Sports Bar
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Devine’s was founded by a former Duke football player and has been a favorite for Duke fans since 1978. Enjoy pub favorites like wings and burger while watching the tournament. They have an outdoor patio with seating around a TV screen, too.
Rookie’s Sports Bars RTP
If you don’t want to venture to downtown, Rookie’s is the only sports bar in Research Triangle Park. Rookie’s has 26 televisions, 12 beers on tap, and both indoor and outdoor viewing areas. For the first time in 2024, Rookie’s is having their own bracket competition with a chance to win prizes. Click here to enter their bracket challenge!
Tobacco Road Sports Café
Tobacco Road serves fresh, local food surrounded by a wall of TVs – all in a location overlooking the Durham Bulls Athletic Park across from the American Tobacco Campus. They prioritize quality food and a passion for sports. No matter where you’re seated, you can expect to see all of the action in an environment surrounded by passionate fans.
Heavenly Buffaloes
Heavenly Buffaloes is the perfect spot for wings and sports fans in Durham. The original wing shack opened in 2014, with a new location with TVs and larger dine-in options opening on Erwin Road in 2021, right across from Duke’s West Campus. So grab some wings that were voted best in Durham County from 2015-2023 and enjoy the madness on one of their multiple TVs.
The Tavern
Located in Durham’s Ninth Street District, across from Duke’s East Campus, the Tavern is a great spot to shoot pool, throw darts or watch games and hang out with other sports fans. A family-owned bar and restaurant with an extensive menu is a great stop to catch the game, with multiple TVs and a projector.
Bull McCabes
In the heart of downtown, Bull McCabes has great patio seating and multiple indoor-outdoor tv viewing options. They are in an incredible location and traditional Irish bar with burgers, pub staples and 20 beers on tap!
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Bralie’s Sports Bar
Bralie’s is a no-nonsense spot with sports on the big screens, beer on tap and burgers and wings on the menu. They also have cornhole and darts for those who aren’t glued to the game. They have two locations in Durham.
Town hall Burger & Beer
A neighborhood favorite, as voted by Nextdoor, Town Hall Burger & Beer offers much more than its name implies. The original Town Hall location is situated in South Durham just off Interstate 40, convenient to The Streets at Southpoint. For those that might not need to catch every moment of the game, there’s a shuffleboard and great patio.
Kickback Jack’s
Kickback Jack’s is located just minutes from Duke University, right off of I-85 on West Club Blvd. They have dozens of TVs throughout the place that will be dedicated to the madness. They also have a full food specials menu dedicated to the tournament! Kickback Jack’s is a great place for the whole family to enjoy the action.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Located at Southpoint in Durham, Buffalo Wild Wings is a classic sports bar that is sure to embrace the madness. Take advantage of their Buy-One-Get-One-Free boneless wings March Madness special, and cheer for games to go into overtime because if they do, you get free wings! Their multitude of TVs make for a great place to enjoy the tournament.
If you have a familiar favorite like Motorco, Fullsteam, or Ponysaurus, chances are they will have the game on a projector too, with March Madness spilling out into every corner of Durham. Most of these places confirm whether or not they’ll have the game playing on their social media accounts, so make sure to check them out on Instagram before going!