14 spots in NYC to watch the Knicks in the NBA Finals
Credit: Jacob Williamson
New Yorkers are ready to party like it’s 1999. The New York Knicks are just days away from beginning their first NBA Finals run in 27 years, bringing a level of excitement to the city not seen in three decades. With official watch parties outside Madison Square Garden off the table following the NYPD’s withdrawal of support, fans need reliable backup options to cheer on the team as they face the San Antonio Spurs. Although some official watch parties have been relocated inside Madison Square Garden and to Central Park’s SummerStage, the events usually sell out quickly. Fans will likely have better luck at bars, restaurants, and other spaces across the five boroughs that will offer big screens and food and drink specials, promising an electric atmosphere as the Knicks chase their first championship since 1973.
Mustang Harry’s
352 Seventh Avenue, Midtown
A fixture on Seventh Avenue for three decades, Midtown Irish gastropub Mustang Harry’s is known for its electric New York sports atmosphere and serves as an official Knicks fan bar. With more than 20 TVs and premium surround sound, the space offers an immersive viewing experience. Guests can also enjoy handcrafted bites, a wide selection of cocktails, and a full range of spirits and beers.
Magic Hour Rooftop
Moxy Times Square, 485 7th Avenue, Midtown
The Magic Hour Rooftop at Midtown’s Moxy Times Square Hotel is hosting watch parties for every Finals game, just steps from Madison Square Garden. Beginning June 3, fans can watch the games on eight large screens while enjoying drink buckets, game-day bites, and access to a retractable roof for open-air viewing.
Virgil’s Real BBQ
2452 Broadway, Midtown
Midtown’s long-time BBQ institution, Virgil’s, is offering an immersive full game-night experience for fans who couldn’t afford the hefty ticket prices to see the game up close, or those in search of a fun environment to enjoy the Finals. The restaurant will screen every Knicks playoff game live while offering $5 “slam dunk” shots, $25 beer buckets, and a signature blue cocktail.
Back Bar
Hotel Eventi, 851 6th Avenue, Chelsea
Just a few blocks away from the Garden in Chelsea, Back Bar is offering a more polished but equally exciting option for Knicks fans who prefer craft cocktails and “chef-driven bites” over beer buckets while watching the Finals. Located inside Hotel Eventi, the contemporary cocktail lounge features multiple TVs, elevated bar food, and an extensive drink program, making it a strong choice for gatherings pre-game and watching the Knicks’ full Finals run.
American Whiskey
247 West 30th Street, Midtown
If you weren’t one of the lucky (and wealthy) Knicks fans to secure Finals tickets, American Whiskey is hosting a watch party that might be the next best thing. Located just one block from Madison Square Garden, the Midtown sports bar is teaming up with Latino Sports for a Game 1 watch party featuring raffles, giveaways, and an immersive viewing experience across 37 TVs with live game audio. Patrons can also pay $100 for an open bar, available from 8 p.m. until the end of the third quarter.
Bar Avant
Olly Olly Market, 601 West 26th Street, Chelsea
Root for the orange and blue at Olly Olly Market’s Bar Avant in Chelsea’s historic Starrett-Lehigh Building, where the venue will host free Knicks watch parties throughout the Finals. Fans can watch the games on four TVs and a projector with full sound while enjoying food vendors and drink specials. Attendees are encouraged to wear Knicks gear to the events, which will begin with Game 3 on June 8th at 8:30 p.m. You can register here.
Beckett’s Sports Bar
81 Pearl Street, Financial District
Beckett’s Sports Bar in the Financial District will show every NBA Finals game in its historic space, housed within a landmarked building in the Stone Street Historic District. Fans can catch the action on more than 20 screens across two floors, as well as on large outdoor displays with full sound in the venue’s spacious dining area.
Harlem Tavern
2153 Frederick Douglas Boulevard, Harlem
An official member of the Knicks Playoff Bar Network, Harlem Tavern offers an energetic setting to watch the Finals just a few stops uptown. The bar, restaurant, and beer garden serve a wide selection of craft beer and wine alongside a menu of elevated bar fare, including tavern-style mac and cheese and truffle burgers.
Industry City
Bandshell Stage, Courtyard 1/2, Sunset Park
Enjoy the Finals beneath the night sky at Industry City’s spacious Bandshell Stage, where the games will be shown with full sound on a massive 16-foot screen. The watch parties are free with advance registration and open to guests ages eight and older. Drink specials will be available throughout the night, and attendees are welcome to bring food from the adjacent food hall. Only about 100 seats will be available, though there will be plenty of standing room. Fans hoping to grab a seat should arrive early, as admission will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. You can RSVP here.
EastVille Comedy Club
487 Atlantic Avenue, Boerum Hill
Brooklyn’s oldest comedy club has waited long enough for the Knicks to return to the Finals. The venue will air every Finals game on its three TVs, with comedy shows scheduled during and after the games. Visitors can also enjoy game-night drink specials throughout the series
Elsewhere
599 Johnson Avenue, Bushwick
Bushwick’s three-floor music venue Elsewhere will host Knicks watch parties in its Chatroom, the space’s modular event area. The venue first held watch parties during last year’s NBA playoffs and is bringing them back this year, expecting a strong turnout and an energetic atmosphere. Tickets are free, but advance registration is required, with admission distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans can sign up for the waitlist here.
BK Backyard Bar
151 Banker Street, Williamsburg
Spanning 17,000 square feet, BK Backyard Bar is an open-air venue designed for gameday watch parties and similar events. The space features more than 40 TVs, a 20-foot video wall, picnic tables, private cabanas, and outdoor games, making it an ideal spot to watch the Knicks take on the Spurs. You can reserve a table here.
Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg
Williamsburg’s iconic Brooklyn Bowl is hosting watch parties for Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals, continuing the screening events it launched after the NYPD denied permits for official gatherings outside Madison Square Garden. The venue offers full game audio, 13 viewing screens, food and drink specials, and lane and table reservations for fans looking to keep their mind occupied during commercial breaks and timeouts. Wednesday’s watch party will be hosted by Knicks creator Duglust and feature a live pregame performance. On Friday, the event will be hosted by Robert Randolph. You can RSVP here.
Pig Beach BBQ
35-37 36th Street, Astoria
Though usually closed on Mondays, Pig Beach’s Astoria location is opening at 5 p.m. for Knicks Finals games. Fans can enjoy barbecue in its spacious indoor and outdoor spaces, an area roughly the size of six NBA basketball courts, while watching the action. The venue features 65 widescreen TVs, four bars, and multiple indoor and outdoor fast-service food and beverage stations, ensuring patrons won’t miss a moment of the game. Whether watching in the outdoor beer garden with its 28-foot jumbotron or indoors, the 28,000-square-foot venue is one of the city’s largest, making it an ideal spot to catch the Finals.
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