Where to Watch Thursday Night Football in NYC

Where to Watch Thursday Night Football in NYC: A Midtown Pick Worth Knowing

Thursday Night Football is a different animal from an NFL Sunday in New York.

Sunday is an event. You pick a bar, claim a table early, keep an eye on five different games and suddenly realize you've been there for six hours.

Thursday is usually simpler: get out of work, meet a couple of friends, find somewhere with plenty of TVs, order a beer and some food, and settle in for the one game everyone is watching.

If you're looking for somewhere to do exactly that in Midtown, D.B. Cooper's on 9th Avenue is one of the better options I've come across.

It's a relatively new Irish-American sports bar in Hell's Kitchen, a few blocks west of the madness around Times Square and close enough to Penn Station that you can realistically catch the game after work without committing to an expedition across Manhattan.

More importantly, it actually feels like a sports bar.

The Setup

Walk into D.B. Cooper's and the first thing you'll notice is that there are screens pretty much everywhere.

There are 17 HD TVs throughout the bar, but the centre-piece is the large four-sided Jumbotron hanging above the main bar. The setup makes considerably more sense once the place fills up: you don't really have to think about where you're sitting to see the game.

That's particularly good for Thursday Night Football.

Unlike Sunday afternoon, when a sports bar is juggling half the NFL schedule at once, Thursday has one game. Everyone is watching the same thing, and the room tends to move with the game rather than having five different groups reacting to five different screens.

For the bigger nationally televised games, that's exactly what you want.

The Thursday Night Vibe

What I like about Thursday football in New York is that it doesn't require the same level of commitment as Sunday.

D.B. Cooper's location helps.

It's at 506 9th Avenue, in that useful part of Midtown/Hell's Kitchen where you're within walking distance of Penn Station, Moynihan Train Hall, Madison Square Garden, Port Authority and Hudson Yards.

That makes it an easy meeting point if half your group works in Midtown and everyone eventually needs to disappear toward New Jersey, Long Island or another part of the city.

There's also something distinctly New York about walking out of the office, meeting someone for a pint and realizing you're still sitting there midway through the fourth quarter.

What to Eat

This isn't somewhere I'd recommend eating before going to watch the game. I'd just eat here.

The menu leans into the Irish-American sports-bar thing rather than trying to reinvent bar food, which is probably the right decision.

You've got the familiar football options, but the more interesting order is the Irish Spice Bag.

If you've never had one, this is essentially the Irish-Chinese takeaway phenomenon translated into sports-bar food — exactly the sort of salty, spicy food that makes sense next to a pint.

The menu also includes the usual burgers, wings, sandwiches and shareable appetizers, so it's easy enough to order for a table rather than everyone disappearing elsewhere for dinner.

And Yes, There's Guinness

D.B. Cooper's describes itself as an Irish-American sports bar, and the drinks program follows accordingly.

There's Guinness alongside draft and bottled beer, cocktails, wine and whiskey.

For Thursday Night Football, though, I'm not overthinking this.

Get a pint.

Get some food.

Watch football.

That's sort of the point.

What About Giants and Jets Games?

This is where I'd plan ahead.

A random Thursday matchup between two out-of-market teams is one thing. A Giants or Jets primetime game is another.

D.B. Cooper's already puts a significant emphasis on NFL football, including Thursday, Sunday and Monday Night Football, so I'd expect the better New York matchups to attract considerably more interest.

If there's a game you particularly care about — or you're coming with more than a couple of people — I'd reserve rather than taking your chances.

Going With a Group?

There's another part of D.B. Cooper's that isn't immediately obvious if you've only walked past the main bar.

There's a separate event space that can be used for group watch parties, with seven HD TVs and its own sound system.

For most people meeting two friends after work, that's obviously overkill.

For a fantasy league, office outing, alumni group or 20-plus people trying to watch the same game together, it starts making considerably more sense.

And frankly, Thursday Night Football is a pretty good excuse for an office event. It's more relaxed than taking everyone to dinner and gives people something to pay attention to besides making small talk with accounting for three hours.

The Verdict

D.B. Cooper's is a strong Thursday Night Football option if you're looking for a sports bar around Midtown, Hell's Kitchen or Penn Station.

The location is convenient, there are enough TVs that finding the game isn't an issue, the Jumbotron gives the main bar a proper sports-bar feel, and you've got Guinness and substantial food without needing to make another stop.

I particularly like it for the after-work Thursday crowd.

Come straight from the office around 6 or 7, get a table, have dinner and a couple of drinks, watch the game, and you're still close to several of Manhattan's major transportation hubs when it's time to head home.

For a low-stakes Thursday matchup, I'd happily walk in.

For Giants, Jets or another genuinely big game?

I'd book ahead.

D.B. Cooper's

Where: 506 9th Ave, New York, NY 10018

Neighborhood: Hell's Kitchen / Midtown West

Best for: Thursday Night Football, NFL games, groups, after-work sports

TV setup: 17 HD TVs + in-house Jumbotron

Food: Irish-American sports-bar menu

Drink move: Guinness

Group option: Private event space with 7 HD TVs and dedicated sound

Thursday Night Football at D.B. Cooper's: Quick Questions

Is D.B. Cooper's good for Thursday Night Football?

Yes. The number of screens and central Jumbotron make it particularly well suited to a primetime game where the whole bar is watching the same matchup.

Can I reserve a table?

Yes. I'd particularly recommend doing so for Giants and Jets games, rivalry matchups and other major Thursday games.

Is it close to Penn Station?

Yes. D.B. Cooper's is on 9th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, making it convenient from Penn Station, Moynihan Train Hall and Madison Square Garden.

Can groups book a watch party?

Yes. There's a separate event space with seven HD TVs and dedicated sound that can be used for group events and watch parties.

What should I order?

If you haven't had an Irish Spice Bag before, that's where I'd start. Add a Guinness and you've got a pretty solid Thursday night.

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