Great Clifton Places to Eat, Drink, and Watch the 'Big Game'

Another year, another Super Bowl that doesn’t include either the NY Giants or the NY Jets. Even so, it is still the number one most watched sporting event in the United States and a huge excuse to get together with friends, overindulge in snack foods, and watch the NFL’s two top team battle for the championship.

While many people will opt to watch the Big Game at home, whether in quiet football-intense solitude or with groups of friends and family, many Cliftonites will be searching for public places to watch the game and enjoy good food and drinks. Luckily, Clifton has an assortment of great options with good food, and plenty of TVs.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Sharky’s Wing’s and Raw Bar - 545 Highland Avenue, Clifton

Rated the ‘Best Sports Bar in NJ’ by CBS News NJ and the ‘Best Wings in NJ’ by the Star Ledger, Sharky’s is one of the best places you can go to watch the Super Bowl. If you like chicken wings, Sharky’s offers more than 35 different sauce options, along with a full menu of typical pub foods, draft beers, and mixed cocktails. There are plenty of TVs so you won’t miss one minute of the football action.

According to Sharky's, the ‘to go’ orders on Super Bowl weekend start on Saturday, and go straight through the final play of the game, with Sharky’s typically selling about 30,000 wings over the two day period. That’s a lot of wings!

Alexus Steakhouse and Tavern - 955 Valley Road, Clifton

With incredible pub-style appetizers, burgers, and steaks, plus a kids’ menu, Alexus is a good option for a family-friendly Super Bowl outing. The well stocked bar, has plenty of on-tap beers and cocktails made-to-order, and is literally lined end-to-end with flat-screen TVs for catching every play, but be sure to get there early to get a spot close to all of the football-watching action.

Known for their signature 24-oz Delmonico steak, Alexus also has great burgers, and salads, plus some killer pub-classic appetizers including: their famous fried Onion Flower, Ultimate Nachos, Potato Skins, and Drunken Mussels.

Tommy’s Tavern & Tap - 826 Route 3 West, Clifton

Boasting one of the most expansive — and diverse — menus in Clifton, Tommy’s is one of the few places around that includes a full menu of artisan pizza and… sushi rolls! There is literally something for everyone at Tommy’s, including hard-to-please kids, and plenty of inventive small plates, including: General Tso’s Cauliflower, Breaded Wisconsin Cheese Curds, and Sticky Asian Ribs.

Tommy’s also offers a special Football Menu which includes drink specials: $3 Bud Light Drafts, $6 Good Island IPA Drafts, $5 House Wines, $5 Watermelon Vodka Seltzers, and more. For $9 you can enjoy: Personal Classic Pizzas and other favorites; there are $10 Loaded Nachos, and $12 L.A. Sliders, along with a bevy of other tasty options. And, of course, plenty of football-tuned TVs for watching the Big Game.

The Grande Saloon - 940 Van Houten Avenue, Clifton

A Clifton favorite 365 days a year, The Grande Saloon really steps things up on Super Bowl Sunday with 1/2 Price Apps, discounted bottled beer,  $3 shots, and big screen TVs to catch every minute of game play. 

Don't miss the Cheese Steak Eggrolls, Popcorn Shrimp, and homemade Mac & Cheese appetizers, and some of the best burgers and sandwich wraps in town. Great hometown place where you're definitely going to run into someone you know from around town. 

Athenia Vet’s Super Bowl Beefsteak - 147 Huron Avenue, Clifton

Good food, good times, really good cause. The Athenia Veteran’s Post is hosting its annual Super Bowl Beefsteak at 4:00PM. Enjoy watching the game on large HDTV screens and for $40 you get all-you-can eat beefsteak, salad, fries, draft beer, and soda; plus baked ziti that will be served at halftime! Catered by Nightingale, you can get tickets by calling 973-778-0931. Always a great event and certainly a worthy cause.

Wherever you decide to watch the Big Game, there are plenty of great food and drink options in Clifton. Pick your favorite spot — even if it’s your own living room sofa — and enjoy the day. There’s always next year for the Giants and Jets!