The Arizona Wildcats are Final Four-bound for the first time in a quarter-century. We’ve rounded up some Tucson restaurants and bars to watch the Wildcats take on Michigan at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday. This list is only a few of the places around town to get in on the excitement of March Madness, because, let’s be real, nearly every bar in Tucson will have the game on.
Secure your seats early — 10 hours after Arizona Athletics announced a free watch party at McKale Center on Wednesday, the event was sold out.
If you have a specific restaurant or bar you’d like to watch the game at, call beforehand to check for seating availability and specials.
University Boulevard + UA area
– Agave House, 943 E. University Blvd., Ste. 171
Starts at 3 p.m.
– Borderlands (Sam Hughes), 2500 E. Sixth St.
Candice and John Dowdall enjoy beers and food outside on the patio at Borderlands Sam Hughes, 2500 E. Sixth St.
Borderlands will have $3 El Rio drafts, $5 tequila shots and $8 margaritas.
They will also have a DJ playing from 8-10 p.m.
– Brother John’s Beer, Bourbon & BBQ, 1801 N. Stone Ave.
Brother John’s will have $2.50 Modelo and Corona specials.
– Frog & Firkin, 874 E. University Blvd.
– Gentle Ben’s, 865 E. University Blvd.
Gentle Ben’s deck opens at 1 p.m.
– No Anchovies, 870 E. University Blvd.
No Anchovies will have $5 Surfside and $12 bucket specials, along with a postgame party.
Bartender Zoey Stockdale mixes up a trio of margaritas, one original and two prickly pear at Bourbon Bent, now known as The Saddle, 820 E. University Blvd., April 4, 2024, in Tucson.
– The Saddle, 820 E. University Blvd.
– The Blind Pig, 943 E. University Blvd. #115
Downtown Tucson + surrounding area
– Barrio Brewing, 800 E. 16th St.
They’re not calling it a watch party, per se, but the bar will have the game on with sound.
– The Board Room, 120 E. Congress St.
– Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St. #1811
A crowd filled the Hotel Congress Plaza for the inaugural Club Congress Weekend.
Starts at 3 p.m. in the plaza. This watch party is all ages.
– HighWire Tucson, 30 S. Arizona Ave.
– Playground Bar & Lounge, 278 E. Congress St.
Playground’s rooftop, ground level and patio will be showing the game.
Patrons can also order HUB food (there will be a limited menu on the rooftop).
– The Monica, 40 E. Congress St., Ste. 150
– The Neighborhood DWTN, 61 E. Congress St.
Starts at 4 p.m. Both floors of The Neighborhood will be open during the watch party.
Lindon “Lindy” Reilly, owner of Thunder Bacon Burger, is heading back to the kitchen at Lindy’s on Fourth, eight years after he left his namesake Tucson burger joint.
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Fourth Avenue
– Lindy’s on 4th, 500 N. Fourth Ave.
– O’Malley’s Bar & Grill, 247 N. Fourth Ave.
– Sky Bar, 536 N. Fourth Ave.
– Corbett’s, 340 N. Sixth Ave.
Around town
– Anchor Bar, 7080 E. 22nd St. #104
License plates decorate the walls at Anchor Bar.
– Big Bad Wolf Bar & Grill, 3700 N. Oracle Road
– Brooklyn’s Beers & Burgers, 3790 E. Irvington Road
BBB will have “Zonaritas” and Wildcat nachos on special.
– Cafe Santa Rosa, 2615 S. Sixth Ave.
– Caps & Corks, 3830 W. River Road #100
– The District, 3025 N. Campbell Ave. #121
– Galaxy Theatres, 100 S. Houghton Road
Admission is free, but seats are limited.
– Kintoki Sushi House & Bar, 2960 N. First Ave
If Arizona wins, there will be penny Miller Lites.
– Midtown Vegan Deli & Market, 5071 E. Fifth St
– On The Rocks, 7930 E. Speedway
– Pockets Pool & Pub, 1062 S. Wilmot Road
Pockets will have multiple specials throughout the night, including sliders with fries for $12, half-price wings and blue and red Jello shots.
– Putney’s Pitstop Sports Bar & Grill, 6090 N. Oracle Road
– Rusty’s Family Restaurant & Sports Grille, 2075 W. Grant Road
– Salty Dawg II, 6121 E. Broadway
– Trident Grill I, II & IV, 2033 E. Speedway, 2910 N. Swan Road and 2912 W. Ina Road
Cim Sankey, left, bartender Kat Peterson and Connie Gee try to pick out hometown favorite Abdi Abdirahman in the pack of runners at the start of the Tokyo Olympics marathon during a watch party at the Trident Grill, Aug. 7, 2021. The bar was full of Abdirahman’s friends to watch the two-hour race.
– Tucson Soccer Center, 7061 N. Camino Martin #120
TSC will have $4 draft beers all night, plus open field for kids from 5:30-7 p.m. for $10.
– UnCork’d Kitchen & Cocktails, 6300 E. Tanque Verde Road
UnCork’d will have carne asada fries and a “Wildcat” cocktail on special for the game.
– Union Public House, 4340 N. Campbell Ave., Ste 100
– Wooden Nickel Tavern, 1908 S. Country Club Road
– Whiskey Roads, 2290 W. Ina Road
Both bars will be open with all-night drink specials.
