Written by Harper Wayne
College Park is home to several different bars, four of which attract hundreds of Maryland students every day.
Students can be found at Cornerstone, The Barking Dog, Looney’s and Bentley’s every night drinking, dancing and socializing. However, many of them prefer to go during the day when the atmosphere is calmer and for a chance to watch some of their favorite sports teams on the bars’ big-screen TVs.
Photo by Krista Stucchio
When there are so many different bar options to watch sports, it’s often called into question which of these is “the best.” Some students are die-hard Looney’s fans, while others couldn’t imagine watching a football game anywhere other than Cornerstone with their fraternity brothers. What makes one better than the others?
One of the biggest competing factors among the bars is which one has the best deals. Looney’s, which opened in the fall, has already attracted a huge following because of their different specials every night, including an all-day happy hour every Monday. Looney’s also airs up to 15 games at once on their 68 high-definition televisions.
“You can’t beat their happy hour prices on drinks and food,” said Kurt Peterson, a junior political science major, who prefers Looney’s to any other College Park bar. “Plus, the atmosphere is second to none and the setup is perfect to watch sporting events.”
Zach Cytryn, a sophomore letters and sciences major, would actually rather watch sporting events in his fraternity house.
“I am a fan of hearing what the announcers are saying and this usually is not possible at the bar,” he said.
However, he agrees with Peterson in that Looney’s is the best bar to watch a game at. “If I am in a mood to just get rowdy and don’t care too much about the game, I would go to Looney’s because they have the best TV setup and the best food,” he said.
Other students, like senior government and politics and philosophy double-major Shane Galante, choose Cornerstone.
“Cornerstone, in my opinion, is the best bar to watch sports at, especially during their happy hour,” he said. “They have a special when you order one drink at the bar that’s $4 for either wings or a burger with fries. That can’t be beat by any other bar in College Park.
“They have enough TVs that you can watch easily from anywhere in the bar,” said Ansley Walker, a senior communications major, who also favors Cornerstone. “Usually they offer inexpensive game-day specials on drinks too.”
“The staff is fun and friendly, and a postgame round of pool is what makes Cornerstone my favorite place to watch a game,” agreed Ryan Walker, a senior biology major.
The Barking Dog and Bentley’s seem to have more of a party atmosphere than a game-watching one. However, this doesn’t stop Moki Tran, a junior economics major, from swaying from the crowd.
“I like Cornerstone on Sundays because of drafts, but other than that I go to Bentley’s to watch the games because my friends work there,” he said.
The general consensus seems to be that Looney’s and Cornerstone are the prime game-watching spots, but it’s essentially a matter of personal preference. Try them all out before deciding which one you like best.
Nonetheless, a great viewing experience is bound to exist in any bar you choose.
