Six Great Spots to Cheer on the Mets in the NL Wild Card Game Tonight

After making it all the way to the World Series last year, the New York Mets have a shot at playoff baseball for the second season in a row. They face off against the San Francisco Giants in the National League wild card game at Citi Field at 8:09pm tonight. This is do-or-die time for the Mets, as the loser of this game will hang up their cleats until next season and the winner will advance to the NLDS vs. the Chicago Cubs. It’s a home game, Mets ace Noah Syndergaard is on the mound, and the forecast calls for perfect baseball weather this evening. Now, all we can do is raise a cold glass of beer to the Amazins and hope for the best tonight. In order to help you do that, we thought we’d put together a little list of some of the best Mets/baseball hot spots around (or close to) Greenpoint!

P.J. Leahy’s (50-02 Vernon Blvd.)

We are gathering to watch the kings from Queens play tonight, so why not head up to…Queens. This gem of an Irish hideaway is located at the top of the steps off the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue 7 station in LIC and is worth the trip. I had always noticed it for its’ big neon Mets sign in the window and figured it was sort of a Mets bar. But after going in and talking to the bartender yesterday, I realize that this is like REALLY a Mets bar. They organized a field trip to a Mets game in July, and I’m told that Mets manager Terry Collins has come in a few times himself this season. The game will be on most of the 12 TVs with sound, there will be $10 pitchers of Bud/Bud Light, and there will be a Wednesday night burger special that gets you a burger and a Bud/Bud Light for ten bucks. Plus, all baseball aside, this is just an incredible Irish dive. There is an Irish hurling jersey on the wall when you walk in and the bartender I talked to was from County Monaghan. Doesn’t get much more authentic than that.

Brew Inn (924 Manhattan Ave.)

This excellent neighborhood spot will have several TVs showing the game with sound. They will still be hosting their usual Wednesday night trivia, so if you want to go somewhere where the game is the only focal point this might not be the best choice. However, if you want to take part in both and possibly win a bar tab to cover your brews while you watch the game, this is your place (1st place gets $30 tab, 2nd gets free bucket of beers). This place is also a den for dank and delicious beers, with 27 taps including Cigar City Jai Alai, Ithaca Flower Power, and local favorite Greenpoint Milk & Honey Blonde. They have $3 pints of PBR and Narragansett and $6 shot & beer deals all night.

Shayz Lounge (130 Franklin St.)

This Greenpoint favorite will have the game on both TVs with sound. Happy hour normally ends at 9pm, but in honor of the Mets, the deals will go on through the game tonight, with $3 Bud/Miller/Miller High Life and $4 well drinks all the way until the last pitch. One bartender, Katie, is attending the game tonight and was wearing her Mets shirt when I went in yesterday. I also am told that their bartender John is rocking a 1986 Mets World Series champions shirt in his kindergarten photo, although unfortunately I was not able to procure such photo by press time today.

Keg & Lantern Brewing Company (97 Nassau Ave.)

With ten TVs and 16 delicious handcrafted beers on tap, Keg and Lantern is a paradise for beer enthusiasts and sports fans alike. They will be showing the game (most likely with sound) and will also have half price wings from 7pm to 10pm tonight. According to the bartender I spoke with, there is definitely a regular Mets contingent that watches games here. This is a fantastic neighborhood spot with a back patio, a spacious interior, good bar food, and top notch beers that are all brewed in the basement. All of the IPAs are delicious, and their new Bagelsmith Brown Ale, made with cinnamon raisin bagels from Bagelsmith, is a perfect fall choice.

Mulholland’s (312 Grand St.)

Flanked on either side by sophisticated vintage clothing shops, this place sticks out in Williamsburg like a sore, buffalo sauce-covered thumb. It feels more suited to say…Milwaukee…than Williamsburg, but with its armada of nice flat screen TVs (at least 14) situated all around the bar, it’s a great place to watch a game. Other than Roebling Sports Club, this is the only other bar on this list that has the MLB Package, meaning baseball fans are coming here all throughout the season to watch the random Tuesday night games that no one else cares about. Being such a baseball den, this should bode well as far as a good Mets turnout this evening. The beers are a bit pricy (cheapest option is a $5 Budweiser), but they have 21 drafts including such solid choices as Sixpoint, Lagunitas, Allagash and Boulevard. The wings are also ridiculously good.

Roebling Sporting Club (225 N. 8th)

Whereas Mulholland’s feels like you probably shouldn’t order anything fancier than an IPA, one would not feel remiss at all ordering an Old Fashioned and taking in the game at the Roebling Sporting Club. In fact, their game night special for this evening includes two-for-one specialty cocktails (Frescaritas or Moscow Mules), and $1 blue and orange JELL-O shots in honor of the Mets. They have food, and will be showing the game on a big projector, three smaller projectors and seven flat screen TVs. Also, I just talked to the owner Sean on the phone this morning and he informed me that after a long and stressful wait, his Tim Tebow Mets jersey has just arrived (Roebling is also a Florida Gators bar) and he will be personally pouring drinks in it this evening.