Where to Watch The Lakers WIN in Los Angeles

I’ve watched Laker games here before, and it’s pretty fun. The crowd at this location can be pretty frat boyish (UCLA is just a hop, skip and a jump away, so the frat boy contingency is pretty well represented,) but this place also attracts the after-work crowd. But despite the presence of the suits, this place is a MAJOR sausage fest, so get ready for some testosterone.

Did somebody say wings? Or maybe you just said boobs. You can’t really go wrong with an institution like Hooters when it comes to watching Lamar and Kobe work their magic.

If you’re looking to go to a place where you can watch the game all zen-like (like Zen Master Phil Jackson,) Barney’s is NOT the place. This place is pretty loud to begin with, and when you throw in a NBA Finals Laker game this place is OFF THE HOOK. So come ready to yell.

If you’re willing to brave crowds of Ed-Hardy- T-shirt-wearing Nick Lachey look-alikes, then Big Wangs might be a good place to get your Laker game on. And while Big Wangs is great if you’re looking to load up on beers and cheap ‘n greasy appetizers (tacos, chicken strips, etc..), this place can get ridiculously crowded when there’s a game going on, so be forewarned.

I have to admit I don’t LOVE the scene at Busby’s come Saturday night (it’s a TOTAL meet market— and a slightly sleazy one at that), but if you’re just coming in to watch the game the atmosphere is A-OK (despite its meet market tendencies this place is a sports bar at heart).

Yankee Doodles is your typical dirty sports bar (I used the bathroom here once out of necessity and I don’t really recommend it), which means it’s PERFECT for watching the Laker game. And if you want to blow off some steam during halftime there’s always the pool tables.

I watched game 3 here, and while it’s a pretty random spot to watch the game (it’s upstairs in the Century City Mall), it actually wasn’t half bad. They’ve got some good happy hour specials (the beers are buy one, get one free), and they have a couple of flat screen TVs dotted around the bar area. They also have outdoor couches where you can kick back and watch the game, but you’re better off sitting at the bar if you want prime viewing.

I LOVE this dive bar. Not only do they host MEAN karaoke nights (the people that come here are American Idol quality), but they also pull out the stops when it comes to watching sports. Throw in the fact that the food here is TASTY as hell— the mac & cheese and the sliders are AWESOME— and you have yourself a great place to watch the Lakers kick ass.

If you can’t afford tickets to see the Lakers play at Staples (and really, who can?) you might as well get as close to the action as you possible can. The Yard House is literally around the corner from Staples (at the L.A. Live Entertainment Complex to be exact,) and did I forget to mention they’ve got over 100 different varieties of beer?

Speaking of getting near where the action is, Weiland Brewery is another great option if you’re looking for a Downtown bar to watch the game. There are TVs galore, and some pretty good happy hour deals. Also, their garlic fries are LETHAL.

If you’re looking to actually eat some good food while you watch the game, Birds is a fine choice. And while Birds isn’t really a sports bar per se (it’s not really optimized for game watching), you could do far worse.

Freddie’s 35er Bar sort of reminds me of Barney’s Beanery— both resemble your typical divey college adjacent bar. But when it’s all said and done Freddie’s is good place to watch the game— cheap beers and FREE popcorn, need I say more?