March Madness Food and Drink Specials That Are Slam Dunks

This time of year, sports fans typically have three things on the brain: basketball, brackets, and booze. As March Madness gets underway, tons of neighborhood bars are offering discounted eats and drinks during tournament games. So polish up your bracket, throw on a jersey, and take advantage of these specials while seeing how your bets play out. (To find the best spots to cheer on your alma mater, check out our Ultimate Sports Bar Guide.)

Delia Foley’s: Immediately after this Irish pub—also a popular University of Michigan hangout—winds down from its St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans, it’s rolling right into March Madness. From March 18-20, the first 64 people to purchase a Miller Lite pitcher will be randomly picked and entered into a special Delia Foley’s bracket. Prizes will be given out to the elite eight, final four, and grand prize bracket winner. Beyond that, there will also be game-day beer and food specials during every matchup. 1439 S. Charles St. 443-682-9141

Five & Dime Ale House: Hampden locals will be heading to this sports bar on the Avenue to tune in while tipping back $3 Bud Light, Miller Lite, and Michelob Ultra bottles. Other noteworthy discounts include 16-oz. pours of Oliver Brewing’s Balls to the Wall IPA and Founders’ Solid Gold lager for $4. Plus, there will be extra food and drink deals if your team happens to be playing during happy hour. 901 W. 36th St. 443-835-2179

Il Palio: If you need a spot to cheer on your team from Owings Mills, this Italian restaurant in Foundry Row is offering all-day happy hour specials at the bar. Gather around one of the three massive screens to enjoy half-price appetizers, beer, select cocktails, and wines by the glass throughout the final game on April 8. 10090 Reisterstown Rd., Owings Mills. 888-456-3463

Johnny’s: This Roland Park mainstay is getting creative with a basketball-inspired menu offered throughout the tournament. Watch all of the action unfold while sipping specialty cocktails like the “Alley-Oop” (Natty Boh, cointreau, housemade lemonade, and ginger beer) and the “Slam Dunk,” which mixes Woodford Reserve with vermouth, Campari, and blood orange juice. The snacks also stay on theme, with featured “baskets” of mac-and-cheese balls, crab balls, and cauliflower-potato balls drizzled with ranch and Old Bay Buffalo sauces. 4800 Roland Ave. 410-773-0777

Mt. Washington Tavern: All of the bars inside this multi-level Mt. Washington bar will be cracking open $2 Narragansett cans and pouring $6 Tito’s drinks to celebrate the games. Additionally, fans will be able to choose from a selection of $4 small plates like cheese curds, pretzels with beer cheese, boneless wings, and nachos with pico, queso, and guacamole. 5700 Newbury St. 410-367-6903

The Red Star Charles Village: Johns Hopkins students and Charles Village locals will be making this neighborhood spot their headquarters for NCAA games. Catch every upset and buzzer beater on one of the many screens while sipping $5 pints at the bar. There will also be daily food specials (you can’t go wrong with the cheesy crab dip), and a fun beer bracket challenge to see which of Red Star’s 16 top-ranked beers reigns supreme. Local favorites like Union and Monument City will face off against domestics including Bell’s Brewery and Brooklyn Brewery. 3224 St. Paul St. 443-948-9539