Where to Watch the Knicks Make Their NBA Finals Run: The Best Bars and Restaurants Near MSG
The Knicks are making a long-awaited, serious run toward the NBA Finals, and all of New York is buzzing. For fans priced out of Madison Square Garden, or anyone who just wants to keep the party going before and after tip-off, the blocks around MSG and Penn Station have become game-night headquarters. From wall-to-wall TVs and beer buckets to craft cocktails and rooftop views, here are the best spots in Midtown to catch every possession of the Knicks’ playoff run.
Photo credit Virgil's Real BBQ NYC
Virgil’s is built for big Knicks energy: massive BBQ platters, ice-cold beers, wall-to-wall TVs with the game audio on, and the kind of loud, collective camaraderie that feels straight out of a playoff tailgate. This longtime NYC BBQ institution is airing every Knicks playoff game live and leaning all the way in with $5 “slam dunk” shots, $25 beer buckets, the Brisket Chopped Cheese, a special blue-colored Playoff Punch cocktail, and prize wheel giveaways throughout the postseason. Whether it’s a group dinner before the game or fans gathering to watch the action without paying arena prices, Virgil’s has become a Midtown playoff headquarters.
Medium Rare
New York’s cult-favorite prix-fixe steak frites destination is joining the Knicks frenzy in the most colorful way possible. The restaurant is rolling out a limited-time Knicks Hot Fudge Chocolate Sundae, a mountain of vanilla ice cream drenched in warm chocolate sauce and topped with whipped cream and orange and blue sprinkles. It’s festive, indulgent, and the perfect way to celebrate after every game.
Chelsea Living Room is hosting a special Knicks watch party this Wednesday beginning at 8:30 PM and continuing late into the evening. Guests can watch the game while enjoying martinis, champagne, dinner, and the restaurant's signature supper-club atmosphere complete with late-night energy and caviar mozzarella sticks. For those looking to turn game night into a full night out, Chelsea Living Room offers one of the city's more elevated settings to cheer on New York.
Kimpton Hotel Eventi
Just steps from Madison Square Garden, Kimpton Hotel Eventi has become an unofficial Finals headquarters for Knicks fans during the team's playoff run. Guests who attend an NBA Finals game can show proof of attendance at check-out for a chance to win a complimentary one-night stay, turning every game ticket into a potential winning ticket. To toast the championship pursuit, the hotel's Back Bar is pouring the "Knicks in Six" ($20), a blue-and-orange tribute to New York basketball made with Volans Tequila, Cointreau, Giffard Blue Curaçao, fresh lime juice, and a dehydrated orange garnish. Whether you're heading to the game, celebrating a win, or just looking for a central home base in the heart of Manhattan, it's an easy spot to soak up the Finals energy beyond the court.
The Stand
The Stand is bringing Knicks playoff energy outdoors with a free watch party on its patio featuring the game shown on a large outdoor screen. Doors open at 8:00 PM, with tip-off shortly after, giving fans a chance to gather with fellow New Yorkers for what could be one of the biggest games of the season. Guests can enjoy cocktails, beer, game-day bites like their signature burger and the electric atmosphere that comes from combining basketball fever with one of the city's most popular comedy destinations. Admission is free with RSVP.
Catch the Knicks game with a side of ceviche at Mission Ceviche, where both the Union Square and Upper East Side locations will be showing every playoff matchup on TVs throughout the restaurant. Guests can enjoy Peruvian favorites, pisco cocktails, and an energetic atmosphere while cheering on New York. For groups looking to settle in for the game, the restaurants offer plenty of shareable dishes, cocktails, beer, and wine to keep the celebration going from tip-off through the final buzzer.
1803 NYC
For a Knicks watch party with New Orleans flair, head to 1803 NYC in Tribeca. The Cajun restaurant features TVs throughout the space, allowing guests to catch every game while enjoying balcony seating, covered outdoor dining, handcrafted cocktails, and Southern favorites like gumbo, jambalaya, and seafood specialties. The restaurant is also home to Bon Courage, its hidden speakeasy known for live jazz and late-night cocktails.
Just a few blocks from MSG, Back Bar offers a more polished but equally spirited alternative for fans who want craft cocktails and chef-driven bites with the game. Hidden within Hotel Eventi, the sleek lounge features TVs, an energetic atmosphere, standout drinks from Beverage Director Jason Hedges, and elevated bar food from Michelin-starred Chef Laurent Tourondel, including wood-fired pizzas, sticky wings, ahi tuna rolls, and one of the city’s great burgers. It’s the ideal pre-game cocktail spot or a stylish landing place to catch every Knicks possession.
Rowdy Rooster
Right across from Penn Station, Rowdy Rooster brings the heat with a deal as exciting as a buzzer-beater. Stop in and grab the Big Rowdy combo, a crispy chicken sandwich, fries, and a mango lassi, for just $10 (regularly $18) during the Finals run. The catch: you have to be wearing Knicks gear to get the deal, so dress accordingly.
The Lookout Rooftop
Located atop the Kixby Hotel, The Lookout Rooftop will be showing Knicks games against a backdrop of Empire State Building views and an energetic rooftop atmosphere. Guests can enjoy cocktails, frozen drinks, elevated bar bites, and pre- and post-game gatherings while following the action from one of Manhattan's most centrally located rooftops.
The Bronze Owl
The Bronze Owl, the retro-inspired cocktail lounge from Chef Franklin Becker, is celebrating Knicks playoff season featuring an Italian Ice-inspired cocktail alongside its crowd-favorite Pigs in a Blanket. The playful combination of sports, nostalgia, and elevated hospitality makes it an easy stop before, during, or after the game.
Wherever you land, these Midtown spots prove you don’t need a ticket inside the Garden to feel the electricity of the Knicks’ Finals run. Grab your gear, round up your crew, and let’s go Knicks.
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