Touchdown Shots
By Steve Croyle |
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A couple of basics: You can't really do a touchdown shot unless you're at a good, old-fashioned sports bar. That means flat screen TVs, chicken parts slathered in sauce that makes you weep in fear and rage, and grown men wearing jerseys like high school cheerleaders on game day. Are there better shots in the world? Probably, but touchdown shots are supposed to be cheap and accessible, and satisfyingly to-the-point.
Patrick J's might be best known for hosting a Columbus Fire Department party a few years ago. This landmark bar manages to entertain a staggering number of fans in spite of its cozy layout. Televisions are lurking at every turn, including a big screen on the back patio.
A "mini" bomb at Patrick J's
Photo: Christopher Atwood
Patrick J's offers $3 mini bombs on game day, except there's nothing mini about these shots. A big glug of cherry or grape vodka hooks up with a splash of a popular energy drink and gets spilled into a rocks glass. The result is a sweet concoction that goes down way too easy and, thanks to the energizing herbs and extracts, you'll probably have more than you should.
Patrick J's also has a classic pub-grub menu resplendent with excellent sandwiches.
Patrick J's
2711 N High St.
614) 784-0660
www.patrickjs.com
I asked Lindsey about Martino's specials and she told me that they like to keep it simple.
"Something red," she said of their game-day selection, but a common feature is the Washington Apple. Perhaps that's because the blend of whiskey, sour apple schnapps and cranberry juice doesn't sit in your gut like a case of Sweet Tarts. I dare say it's a manly shot that chicks can dig. Everybody wins. Except Michigan.
Martino's Washington Apple Shots
Photo: Christopher Atwood
On Saturdays, these shooters can be had for $4 a pop, and the gang at Martino's tends to tip the bottle longer than most places.
They also offer specials on beer, and they have a nifty little menu that includes wings and a damned good pizza. The best part is that the bar is adorned with a halo of flat screens, and dueling projection screens can be found on opposing walls. The open plan makes it easy to keep the drinks coming, and you won't miss any of the action.
Martino's
6645 Dublin Center Dr.
(614) 760-5575
www.martinossortsbar.com
Sloopy's offers something really special: a genuine touchdown shot. Bacardi "O" bombs are only a buck (puns abound!) after the Buckeyes post a quick six, which could mean trouble this year because Bacardi Orange rum is easy drinking, mixing it with an energy drink makes it a real slammer, and selling it for a buck is just crazy. Factor in the Terrelle Pryor and the scoring frenzy he'll be leading each week and Columbus might need a stint in rehab before the season's over.
Sloopy's Bacardi O Bomb
Photo: Christopher Atwood
Sloopy's has plenty of room, offering extra space in an upstairs lounge. They have a patio that can accommodate a busload of fans and keep them entertained with a giant-screen TV. Sloopy's also makes use of projection screens and can crank out good food in short order if you get hungry.
Sloopy's offers plenty of parking and Terry (the manager) wants people to know that they are open, in spite of the fact that the High Street resurfacing project has dragged on well past its projected finish date.
Sloopy's
2619 N High St.
(614) 263-9650
For other places to celebrate your football victories or drown your pigskin losses, see Home Bar Advantage
Originally Published: September 1, 2009
