Chadwicks

Situated next to A Taste of Philadelphia and a few blocks away from The Palace Theater, Chadwicks is your resident James Street sports bar. In addition to booze and screens to watch the game, it offers customers all the grilled food staples, prepared right in front of your eyes at a window across from the bar. There’s plenty of room inside to mingle during half time, and the drink specials will more than make up for that lousy ref the other team bought.

When to Go: Anytime is a good time to go to Chadwicks. There’s obviously more of a crowd on weekends, but even on game nights you can find a spot. Just make sure you stop by when it’s open. Hours are 2 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Friday and 12 p.m.-2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The bottom line: Chadwicks won’t make you feel claustrophobic, no matter what time it is.

On Tap: The selection won’t blow you away, but it goes beyond Bud Light. A few of the options are Killian’s, Yuengling, Guinness, Blue Moon and Saranac Season’s Best. But if beer’s not your thing, the mountain of vodka, rum and whiskey bottles displayed under a hanging baseball bat might draw your attention. The bottom line: The choices aren’t endless, but there are choices.

Blue Plate Special: You won’t find many deals on the food, but Chadwicks prides itself on its Friday happy hour. From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., you can get a Labatt Blue or Blue Light for just $1.50. And if you don’t feel like camping outside the Dome for decent seating, take in the basketball game with a cheap drink: All 20 oz drafts are $3 during SU games. The  bottom line: Buck fifty beers.  Enough said.

The Scene: As you’ll see on the sign outside, Chadwicks is the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Just about every inch of wall space affirms this – plaques, pennants and photos decorate the entire inside. Well, expect for the grill window. As you order, you’ll be greeted by the familiar faces of some of Syracuse’s finest athletes. Once you take a seat, you’ll have no problem locating a nearby TV; there are 17 total. But if your team isn’t playing, you can always shoot some pool or select songs from the jukebox. There’s no need to worry about your safety, either. A little suit of armor near the front guards the patrons of Chadwicks from harm, unbearable sports fans and bad times. The bottom line: Typical sports bar … that stockpiled on flatscreens.

The Crew: Whether staff members are behind the bar or behind the grill, they are extremely friendly and attentive. Finished with your food? They’ll take that out of your way. Need another round?  They’re already on it. Can’t find enough cash to foot the tab? They’ll kindly direct you to the bar’s ATM. The bottom line: They’re nice to you, so be nice to them.

The Crowd: Chadwicks welcomes all sports fans – when Orange basketball is on, you can find a lone yet vocal Georgetown alum yelling right along with the SU crowd. Students invade on the weekends, but lots of locals frequent the bar as well. And age is the least important statistic.  Depending on the day, that guy next to you at the bar could be 22 or 62. The bottom line: Even the Eagles fans are allowed in.

The Deets: Chadwicks is a 10- to 15-minute drive from campus. Patrons need never fear parallel parking with the spacious lot adjacent to the bar. The food averages about $8 or $9 an entree and includes burgers, chicken fingers and pizza. Did I mention they have 17 television screens? The bottom line: For sports fans, it doesn’t get much better.

Review by Kristin Hunt