In Westeros, the night is dark and full of terror. In Baltimore, the night is full of dark ales and terrifyingly good drink specials. Game of Thrones, the HBO show about frowning and dragons, begins its final season on April 14 and establishments around the city are ready for the premiere. Here are the best places to go before your watch has ended.

Baltimore Improv Group: Improv gets a bad wrap. Some might think of it as a bunch of goobers repeatedly shouting bawdy innuendos, but when done by skilled performers, it is uproariously hilarious. For the next six Thursdays, the Baltimore Improv Group at the BIG theater will host a Game of Thrones-inspired variety show. Come watch Baltimore’s funniest turn incest into high comedy. 1727 N. Charles St.

Camden Yards: On May 21, the Baltimore Orioles will force the Minnesota Twins to bend the knee during Game of Thrones night. Ticket packages are available and include access to an exclusive pregame party and a Game of Thrones bobblehead. Adding to the cross-promotional synergy, the only thing colder than a White Walker is Chris Davis’ bat. 333 W. Camden St. 410-685-9800

The Charles: Spring may have sprung, but winter is undoubtedly coming to The Charles. Starting on April 14, this Federal Hill watering hole will host watch parties on its massive screens throughout the GoT season, celebrating the show’s return with a bevy of drink specials and bar snacks. 1110 S. Charles St. 410-727-2333

The Charmery: We’re just putting this out there, but our favorite raft of angsty Westerosi characters would probably be a lot more laid back if they had ice cream—especially if they could gather around this Hampden creamery’s “Game of Cones” pints. Pledge your allegiance to “House Lannister” (a pinot noir caramel base flecked with golden white chocolate bits), “House Targaryen” (a dragonfruit base with Atomic Fireball swirl), or “House Stark” (a wintergreen and spearmint base with peppermint chips). The pints will be available for pre-order only and can be picked up from The Charmery’s ice cream factory inside Union Collective from April 13-21. 1700 W. 41st St.

Donut Stop Believin’: On April 20, chef Doug Wetzel’s donut pop-up will return to the 32nd Street Farmers Market serving the “You Know Nothing Jon Sno-nut.” The chocolate cake doughnut, topped with vanilla sea salt glaze and charcoal Oreo frosting, is the kind of outside-the-box—or, more fittingly, beyond-the-wall—thinking that has made Wetzel one of Baltimore’s most acclaimed chefs. 400 E. 32nd St.

Live! Casino & Hotel: Here is your chance to prove that you drink and you know things. At this Game of Thrones trivia brunch on premiere day, channel your inner Tyrion Lannister for the chance at winning a seven-day trip to Croatia and visiting the real life King’s Landing. There will also be a special menu of GoT-inspired dishes including Littlefinger-ling potatoes, Wolfswood free-range turkey, Robert’s Rebellion bacon, and Ramsay’s crispy breakfast taters. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. 7002 Arundel Mills Circle.

Order & Chaos: No, “Order & Chaos” is not the name of the next entry in the original book series that you will never read. Rather, this South Baltimore coffee shop is offering a cornucopia of Game of Thrones’ eats and drinks. Stop by for the “Valar Morghulis” mocha (espresso, mocha syrup, and milk, topped with dragon art) and try not to think about the fact that all men must die. There will also be fittingly named cupcake flavors including the red velvet “Dragon Egg,” vanilla “Winter is Coming”, and chocolate “Dragon” with buttercream icing. 1410 Key Highway. 410-244-1111

The Outpost American Tavern: Here’s your chance to sit on the Iron Throne. Well, sort of. This Federal Hill restaurant will be outfitted with Game of Thrones decor—such as the sigils of major houses that are vying for the throne—and will serve a specialty brunch menu of GoT grub on April 14. 1032 Riverside Ave. 443-388-9113

Last year was last year. This season marks the beginning of a new era of Orioles baseball, one defined by exciting young players and a front office on the analytical vanguard. Though expectations may be tempered, excitement still abounds for the Orioles’ April 4 home opener against the notorious New York Yankees. And while nothing quite compares to sitting in the outfield bleachers, nursing a drink from the newly minted Flying Dog Taphouse in Camden Yards, and thanking God for making you a country boy, these food and drink specials are the next best thing.

101 Baltimore
The battle between Baltimore and New York will not solely be contained to the baseball field. This Fed Hill hangout is staging a hot dog faceoff between iconic New York hot doggery Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs, which you might recognize as the fourth best food option at any given Six Flags or highway rest stop, and our very own Polock Johnny’s. Wash down all of the eats with $5 Union drafts and $15 buckets of Boh. Before you know it, it’ll be time for another dog. 1118 S Charles St. #101, 443-682-9480

Banditos
Mere blocks from the iconic B&O Warehouse, this lively Mexican cantina is the perfect place to root, root, root for the home team. The beer will be cheap and plenty ($5 32oz big beers, $15 buckets of Natty Boh), and nothing pairs better with a triumphant victory—or is more palliative to a post-loss broken heart—than a plate of tacos. 1118 S Charles St., 443-835-1517

BMore Around Town
Dying to drink in a parking lot? If so, you’re in luck. Tailgating pros BMore Around Town are hosting a traditional tailgate in the Camden Yards lot, with an open bar, boozy snowballs, an open buffet, and freshly shucked oysters. Tickets range from $50 to $125. 152 W Ostend St., 443-865-5935

Don’t Know Tavern
This neighborhood sports bar is known to get pretty lively for O’s games. Sip on their drink specials ($5 22 oz. Miller Lite Drafts, $ 15 Miller Lite or Coors Light Buckets, $3 Blue Moons), grab a barstool next to one of the regulars, and admire the majesty of a well-framed pitch, a quickly-turned double play, and the other minor beauties of America’s past-time. 1453 Light St., 410-539-0231

Flying Dog Pregame at the Hilton Baltimore
An annual staple, this pre-game celebration will prove that the best part of waking up is a full beer in your cup. Organized by Flying Dog Brewery, the festivities begin at 10 a.m., when you can get an early start by sampling an array of the area’s finest craft beers with hundreds of new friends. 401 W Pratt St., 443-573-8700

Gameday Firehouse
While the bar’s proprietors may be firefighters by day, this Pigtown bar-cum-firehouse is aflame with O’s pride. Baltimore’s bravest will be serving up $5 Absolut Vodka crushes, $3 16-oz. domestic cans, and $2 Budweiser and Bud Light drafts. To wit, a power hour will be held from 10 a.m.-11 a.m.—let’s hope Chris Davis can learn a thing or two. 1202 Ridgely St., 410-234-0734

Jimmy’s Seafood
Although this Dundalk institution is more known for their Ravens events, their opening day bash is equally impressive, boasting an open bar, a full buffet, and three hours of live music. Tickets start at $25 for kids and go up to $180 for a full VIP experience. 6526 Holabird Ave., 410-633-4040

Max’s Taphouse
This Fells Point drinking hole’s party is the most fun you can with orange and black clothes on. More than 15 specialty beers will be on tap, complemented by a menu of ballpark favorites. Be warned, the pregame will quickly transition to the post-game, as the revelry is an all-day affair. If you can withstand the full day, even Cal Ripken, Jr. would be impressed. 737 S Broadway, 410-675-6297

Nando’s
Don’t chicken out on Baltimore’s unofficial holiday. Instead, head to this downtown temple of poultry, order a $3 foamer, and go to town on 24 wings, a towering plate of fries, or hummus, covered in their world-renowned Peri-Peri sauce. 421 West Baltimore St., 443-681 3675

Pep Rally in the Plaza
From noon to 2 p.m., Downtown Partnership will turn Center Plaza into the capital of Birdland, replete with lawn games, food trucks, and free beer courtesy of iHeartRadio while supplies last (don’t fret, this will be supplemented by another bar with wine and beer, since the free beer will invariably be drank dry). 120 W Fayette St., 410-244-1030

Pickles Pub
Surprisingly this is one of two places that you can drink during a 6 a.m. breakfast buffet on Thursday. Spitting distance from the Brooks Robinson statue, Pickles will feature free food until 8 a.m., and $3 Deep Eddy cocktails and Orange Crushes until 9 a.m. 520 Washington Blvd., 410-752-1784

Red Star
Located in the shadow of the Homewood Campus in Charles Village, this recently opened bistro presents a more mellow option, away from the hoi polloi. You’re an adult, after all, and drinking before the sun comes up would require months of preparation to steel your body for battle. Instead, swill $3 pints of Guinness Blonde and $5 orange and grapefruit crushes in relative tranquility. 3224 St Paul St., 443-948-5539

Sliders
For the 27th consecutive year, Baltimoreans will rouse themselves from the warm embrace of sleep and make the pre-dawn pilgrimage to 771 feet away from Camden Yards to start the day off right. Drink specials (be sure to try the new Fancy Clancy Pilsner!) will be served at all 10 of the bars on location. Food is free from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and ante-meridiem drink specials abound. 504 Washington Blvd., 410-547-8891

Wayward Smokehouse
Barbecue, baseball, and beer are the holy trinity of spring. Luckily, this Federal Hill hotspot has all three in spades. Come join the Orioles faithful for $5 Miller Light and Coors Lights pounders, $5 Union Craft Brewing drafts, and $6 specialty Oriole bombs. 1117 S Charles St., 410-223-2269

In the fifth century, St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. In the 21st century, you can drive out to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore County. Opened in August of last year, the Halethorpe establishment marks the first American brewery for the iconic Irish brand. And to celebrate the first St. Patrick’s Day since the brewery’s opening, the most Irish of beers is hosting a month-long bonanza of beer in the lead-up to the most Irish of days.

“In Baltimore,” said Ryan Wagner, the brewery’s brand ambassador, “we’re writing a new chapter in a book that’s 260 years long already, but we don’t want to turn our back on our heritage and a big part of that is St. Patrick’s Day.”

While the preamble to the preamble to St. Paddy’s began on February 17, the event truly kicks into gear on March 7. Namely, the brewery will be dressed to the nines (cóirithe do na nithe for the Gaelic-speaking set). Beyond the themed decorations, there will also be live music performed by a variety of both local artists and traditional Irish acts. Plus, the merchandise area will be filled with St Patrick’s Day-themed hats, shirts, magnets, and glassware. Still, the true piece de resistance is what Guinness staffers describe as an “immersive green Irish phone booth with surprise interactions that bring the Guinness tradition to life.” To translate, it’ll be solid content for the ‘gram.

While the event is eminently photogenic and sure to provide clout for you and yours, the focus will ultimately be the beer. Beyond the array of Guinness varietals, other prominent Irish beers—Smithwick’s, Harp, and Kilkenny, to name a few—will be on tap, as well as several Baltimore brews. Lest you unwisely drink on an empty stomach, food options will be available to accompany the seemingly bottomless fount of beer. A Guinness-branded food truck will make its debut, and the brewery’s on-site restaurant 1817 is unveiling a special menu of Irish recipes on March 17—including the famous Guinness & Beef Stew that is served at the flagship Dublin location.

More than anything, though, the most essentially Irish element of the whole shebang is the warmth and kinship that, even amongst strangers, can only be engendered over Guinness pint glasses.

“Pubs in Ireland are centers for their community,” said Wagner. “Everyone is family when you’re at the pub.”

Despite its status as a major capital-B Brand, the Guinness Brewery still evinces an ethos that feels true to Baltimore and makes the whole enterprise feel natural in our East Coast, blue collar town.

“Similar to Dublin, there’s this incredible brewing community in Baltimore with places like Union or our good friends at Diamondback,” Wagner said. “When you visit a taproom in Baltimore, there’s the expectation that you’re going to feel welcome. We want to work with our fellow brewers to further build this special culture.”

Moreover, the Guinness Brewery is using its considerable resources to support the local area. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to the Maryland Food Bank, the Oyster Recovery Partnership, and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts.

The celebrations will come to a head on St Patrick’s Day weekend (March 16 and 17). Admittance is free for the bulk of the celebration, but tickets for St. Patrick’s Day weekend are $15 for a five-hour drinking session (the first from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., for the brave souls who want to get an early start; the second from 5-10 p.m., aka more conventional drinking hours) and can be bought on the brewery’s website. Make sure to buy your tickets before the jig, perhaps literally, is up.

After an interminable wait, Manny Machado has agreed to a 10-year, $300-million contract with the San Diego Padres, the largest free agent signing in American sports history. And while the rest of the baseball world is alternately confused (the Padres?) and very, very confused (the Padres???), we’re honestly just thankful that he isn’t a Yankee.

Only 26 years old, Machado is undoubtedly worth his monster contract, which will carry him through the prime of his career; if anything, it’s a relative bargain compared to other mega-deals, considering his age and the fact that MLB’s revenues have increased at a rate far outpacing that of payrolls. Although he has developed a reputation as a player who’s had some growing pains play out on the field, Machado is still a special talent, a terrifying cocktail of quick-twitch dynamism and savant-level spatial awareness. Young stars of Machado’s caliber aren’t available often and just about every team in baseball should’ve moved heaven and earth to sign him. Just watch him snare a hard-hit ball down the foul line, or wallop one into left field for proof.

Nevertheless, the deal is surprising; couched in the most scientific terms, the Padres flat-out stink. To be sure, their farm system is widely rated as one of baseball’s best—there is a strong possibility that the prospects coalesce around a still-in-his-prime Machado over the next few seasons to form a strong, cross-generational nucleus. But these potential reinforcements are still largely hypothetical and don’t immediately address the yawning chasm that is their pitching staff—you could probably be their third starter, with me as the fourth, and Mr. Trash Wheel as a high-leverage bullpen arm.

In contrast to the sudden penny-pinching that has swept Major League Baseball, the Padres have committed nearly $450 million over the last two winters to Machado and Eric Hosmer, a first baseman, who, even at the absolute peak of his abilities, is fairly uninspiring. Yet even with this flawed roster, the Padres should be commended for making an honest-to-god attempt at winning, especially in an off-season when the hot stove has run suspiciously tepid as teams peddle future hope instead of present-day competency.

For O’s fans, this signing invariably elicits a raft of emotions. Admittedly, it is easy to imagine an idyllic alternate timeline where Machado stays in black and orange. But trading Machado to the Dodgers last summer has proven to be a boon for both parties: Machado got the chance to play in the World Series and then the opportunity to secure a bag big, while the Orioles received a bounty of promising young players. Outfielder Yusniel Diaz, the best of the bunch, is a consensus top-75 prospect in baseball.

Led by a brainiac front office with a keen understanding of how to unearth and maximize talent, the Orioles could return to glory and the decision to part with Machado and reset their payroll may very well represent a seminal point in franchise history. If the Orioles flounder while Machado excels with the Padres, the failure to build a supporting cast around Machado will haunt the organization for years to come.

Either way, congratulations Padres fans, you got a good one.

There is a notion in the zeitgeist that the media is the enemy of the people, that journalists are hucksters, peddling lies from an ivory tower of deceit. If any of this is true (none of this is true), someone forgot to tell the soon-to-be revived Baltimore Beat.

“We want to serve the community,” said Lisa Snowden-McCray, the once and future editor-in-chief of the Baltimore Beat. “We want to tell stories, but we also want people to know what’s going on and how it affects them.”

On March 6, exactly one year after its initial shuttering, the Beat will relaunch. Founded in 2018 by Snowden-McCray and Brandon Soderberg, both former staff members of City Paper, the Beat functioned as a spiritual successor, of sorts, to the historic alt-weekly, which was shut down the year prior. Although it only lasted four months, the first Beat—the anacrusis, if you will—quickly established itself in the local media scene with its unique perspective.

“Back at City Paper,” said Snowden-McCray, “I remember I went to the opening of a police station that was paid for, in part, by Under Armour. Most of the reporting was just, like, ‘Look at this nice new building,’ but the piece we published in City Paper was ‘Isn’t it kind of weird that Under Armour is paying for a police station?’”

It is this cocktail of serious and unserious that defined the Beat; reviews of marijuana (“Cherry Pie’s high comes fast and strong and stays for hours—also good for reggae listening”) were placed alongside award-winning coverage of the misdoings and corruption of the Baltimore Police Department (“Grave Concerns: Will Detective Suiter’s Death Bring Commissioner Davis Down?”). Even after a year-long hiatus, its ethos will remain the same, focusing on hyper-local issues that larger publications, such as The Baltimore Sun tend to ignore.

“We need to start treating issues that other places don’t see as enough to be a whole major investigative story,” said Soderberg, the Beat’s cofounder, “as if they’re beats that you need to cover. One of our readers told us that he wished someone consistently reported on lead—lead in schools, lead in housing, lead in our communities. There’s no way you could convince a corporate entity to pay someone to report on it consistently; it’s not particularly attractive, but it’s something that’s important and we have the ability and freedom to cover issues like that.”

Beyond the Beat’s irreverent tone and commitment to Baltimore minutiae—“the nuts and bolts,” as Snowden-McCray dubs it—the paper will differ from establishment media in another important way: it will be a digital-only publication. Granted, this is hardly a log gleefully lobbed at print media’s ashen funeral pyre; rather, it is a stark reminder of the financial restriction that the website faces.

In addition to eschewing printing, the Beat will also forego office space and advertising revenue. It will be a nonprofit publication, supported by private donations (its Patreon has 254 backers collectively pledging about $1,200 a month) and the Baltimore Institute for Nonprofit Journalism (BINJ), a foundation that Soderberg helped begin in 2017.

While the decision not to accept advertising money is financially limiting, it’s creatively freeing. Any executive with a baseball-sized windsor knot and a hankering for more listicles and quizzes will kindly be told to get lost.

“As a nonprofit,” said Soderberg, “our metrics aren’t hits or pageviews where people pay to advertise on those pages and expect something in particular. Our metrics are who’s donating and, then, how we can use that money. It gives us flexibility to try new and exciting things.”

In fact, Snowden-McCray and Soderberg will not have to listen to anyone besides themselves—since they’re the only staff members. Eventually, the Beat plans on establishing a deep bullpen of freelancers who, together, can capture the totality of the city, from the arts to the city council.

“I contributed to a piece in the Columbia Journalism Review,” said Snowden-McCray,“and they were looking at the number of people of color in newsrooms and the numbers are still very bad. I really want to be intentional about reimagining how we find writers, how we get talent. I want to be intentional about who we hire.”

And yet, there’s no guarantee that any of this can or will last. Media outlets at all levels—especially on the local one—are struggling to turn a profit; the industry on the whole has shrunk 23 percent since 2008. The Beat hopes to be an antidote to this trend, delivering old-school beat reporting via a unique financial structure.

“These structures that we’ve had in place for decades just aren’t working anymore,” Snowden-McCray said about the state of journalism, but, really, the world at large. “It feels more important to try than to be scared.”

Although the term veganism was first coined in 1944, its place in the recent cultural zeitgeist has largely been relegated to that one-month phase your worst friend went through three years ago and hasn’t stopped talking—bragging?—about since. Of course, veganism is an honorable commitment with a raft of documented health and environmental benefits, but it’s hard to imagine life without cheeseburgers. In the court of public opinion, the vegan lifestyle has always seemed undeniably noble, but carried the weight of certain stigmas.

This is changing.

For the first time ever, Maryland Vegan Restaurant Week will demonstrate that vegan food can be delicious and satisfying. From February 8 to the 18, more than 30 restaurants in Baltimore and the surrounding areas will offer special vegan menus (while Charm City has been celebrating a veganism week for the past three years, this is the first time the rest of the state is getting in on the fun). Venerable omnivorous—that’s vegan-speak for “non-vegan”—institutions such as Miss Shirley’s, R. House, and Gertrude’s will try their hand at plant-based cuisine, demonstrating how this event has permeated the mainstream and is working to reshape it.

“When I go out with my husband or my daughter, we’d like to see more on the menu than just a salad,” said Naijha Wright-Brown, the event’s co-founder and owner of The Land of Kush, a vegan soul-food restaurant in Mt. Vernon. “Part of this event is showing how creative you can be with vegan dishes.”

So, where should a curious meat-lover start on their journey to vegan-dom?

“Start with sweets, something you know you like,” advised Wright-Brown, “and the only difference you’ll notice is that you feel better afterwards.”

Luckily, there are plenty of places to sample your first vegan brownie, since Baltimore’s vegan scene is by no means a small niche. While veganism has gained traction all over the country, it has especially resonated in Baltimore.

“When I moved here over the summer, one of the first things I noticed was the number and, also, the quality of vegan restaurants” said Erin Johnson, a social media influencer who practices a vegan lifestyle. “As a transplant from the Bay Area, I just feel like, ‘Why doesn’t California have this?’”

Surprisingly, Baltimore is showing up the Bay Area in this department (as they did in Super Bowl XLVII). Beyond showcasing the endless possibilities of plant-based food, Vegan Restaurant Week is a celebration of the city itself and the people who live in it. The event is about more than new menu items—it is about fostering belonging.

“Food is about community,” said Samantha Claassen, the event’s co-founder and the owner of Golden West Cafe, a vegan-friendly southwestern restaurant in Hampden, “but it can be very challenging to find a vegan meal when you’re around other [non-vegan] people. We wanted to create a space where people could come together.”

During the themed week, this camaraderie will manifest itself through partnerships with organizations such as Vegan Drinks (a national vegan happy hour community) and No Meat Athlete (a vegan running club) to host a happy hour, run, and karaoke night, which, presumably, is no different than standard karaoke, save for a hard ban on Webstar and Young B’s 2006 classic “Chicken Noodle Soup.”

“Being a vegan can be very socially isolating,” said Rissa Miller, the founder of the Baltimore chapter of Vegan Drinks, “so, with Vegan Drinks, I wanted people to not only support plant-based restaurants and restaurateurs, but also each other.”

Baltimore’s vegan scene is also united by a singularity of purpose: to make the world a better place. According to a report by the United Nations, farmed livestock is responsible for over 14 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions; the polar ice caps are melting one porterhouse at a time. This fact is not lost on Baltimore vegans.

“I think part of the reason that veganism has caught on in Baltimore is that we’re on the coast,” said Elena Johnson (no relation to Erin), the owner and chef of the French-inspired vegan spot L’Eau de Vie Organic Brasserie in Fells Point. “We know what’s happening and what’s going to happen.”

Similarly, Wright-Brown noted that veganism is the natural result of Baltimore’s fierce civic pride. “Baltimore has a large population of activists and advocates who have introduced people to the idea that being vegan can save your body, save the planet, and save the animals,” she said. “Climate change is happening and people are getting educated and people love their city so they’re passionate about what they do.”

All sizzle, no steak never tasted so good.

For some, an eternal, undying hate for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is sufficient fuel to make it through the Super Bowl. Still, man cannot live on hate alone; he needs beer and bar grub—and plenty of it. Luckily, with a raft of Super Bowl events all around the area, some of Baltimore’s finest eateries and drinkeries are more than willing to oblige. Whether you’re a face-painting zealot or a gridiron agnostic, these nine specials promise sweet victory. Even if the Patriots win.

Jimmy’s Famous Seafood
This Dundalk restaurant’s Super Bowl party is a Baltimore staple. For the 28th consecutive year, Jimmy’s will be host to an open bar and an oyster and bull roast. What’s more, there will be a silent auction and appearances from past and present Baltimore Ravens. Oh, and 30 (!) televisions. While this year’s special guests have not yet been announced, Steve Smith Sr., CJ Mosley, and Torrey Smith have attended in the past. Tickets are $70 and going fast.

R. House
To celebrate the Big Game—well, big games, depending on how much you wagered on the Puppy Bowl—this Remington establishment is rolling out the green carpet. The food hall will be decked with wall-to-wall astroturf for a family-friendly and pet-inclusive Puppy-Bowl-cum-Super-Bowl watch party. R. House is also offering food and drink specials: $5 cups of punch, buck-a-shuck oysters from The Urban Oyster, and $3 Michelob Ultra and Natty Boh. Oh boy, what a deal.

Bunzzz Sports Bar & Grill
Located in a space in The Gallery formerly occupied by a Brooks Brothers—or Brookzzz Brotherzzz—this recently opened Inner Harbor spot has quickly become a sports-watching haven. As such, it’s commemorating its inaugural Super Bowl with an open bar and specials on wings, pizza, and sliders. Door prizes, namely $25 gift cards, will be awarded at the end of each quarter. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

Mother’s Federal Hill Grille
Although there will be no tailgate on the famous Purple Patio until next fall, when Lamar Jackson—please, let it be Lamar Jackson—and the rest of the Ravens take the field, that doesn’t mean that this Federal Hill favorite will lie fallow on Sunday. For just $25, you can watch the game, play free video games, and strive to find the bottom of the bottomless wings, draft beer, and rail cocktails.

GAME
Equal parts arcade, night club, and sports bar, this massive Federal Hill mainstay will fill its 10,000 square feet with not only 30 televisions, but six high-definition projectors as well. For those looking for an early kick-off, the drink specials begin at 2 p.m., leaving ample time to indulge in $4 domestic beers and tin cup spritzers, $5 Absolut bombs, and $6 cups of super punch. During halftime, wings will be just 50 cents a pop.

The Port Public House
Have you ever dreamed of watching the Super Bowl alongside some of Baltimore’s elite (yes, elite) football players? Now’s your shot. This 118-year-old Locust Point institution’s Super Bowl party, hosted by the Baltimore Nighthawks (Baltimore’s women’s tackle football team), will display the game on a goliath 168-inch projector. Portions of the proceeds from the Super Bowl Squares pool and the night’s food and drink specials will go toward covering the Nighthawks’ travel expenses this upcoming season.

Johnny’s
As great as a traditional Sunday football experience can be, sometimes you need a respite from two long-lost Sobotka cousins working their way through a rack of Natty Boh and grunting that it’s so stupid—pronounced stew-pid—that you can’t even touch the quarterback anymore. Enter Johnny’s. While some other specials are mere vehicles for copious amounts of fat and salt and beer, this Roland Park restaurant provides a more elevated option: $14 for crab dip in a bread bowl; $18 for a burger piled high with pulled pork, pepper jack cheese, bacon, coleslaw, crispy onions, and an Old Bay barbecue sauce.

The Mt. Washington Tavern
Closing out the football season in style, this Mount Washington, uh, tavern is cheffing up its own spin on classic ballpark fare. These party plates—$4 for a choice of a plate of buffalo bites, two hot dogs, soft pretzel bites with beer cheese dip, or cheese curds—will be served in the restaurant’s SkyBar (which is PR-speak for “up a few stairs” bar). And lest you forget that this, after all, it is a bar, there will also be $2 cans of Narrangasett, $4 drafts of Old Hilltop, and $6 cocktails made of Tito’s Vodka.

The Brass Tap
The Baltimore City location of this chain gets most of the attention, but the county one has fun, too. Namely, this Towson venue has established itself as a game-day go-to way out in that pastoral idyll we call Baltimore County. Food and drink specials abound—$2 Jell-O shots for $2, $15 buckets of beers entire bucket of beers for $15, $4 glasses of house wine, and, most exciting, $5 for pizza fries.