Locals looking for Super Bowl energy need only to head to Capitol Hill this Sunday. Less than one first down from each other lie two bars, each representing a team participating in this year’s showdown. The Pour House, at 319 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, has long been the headquarters of the local Pittsburgh Steelers fan club; the Hawk ‘n’ Dove, just down the street at 329 Pennsylvania Ave., in recent years has taken up the mantle of the Green Bay Packers.
| Where to watch the big game |
| Practically every bar in the region with a television will have the Super Bowl on this Sunday, so it’s difficult to go wrong. Here are a few places to check out. Game time is 6:30 p.m. |
| Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse |
| The big screen at the Drafthouse may not rival the big screen at Cowboys Stadium, but it’s still a pretty cool way to catch the game. Info: Free. 4:30 p.m. doors. 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington; 703-486-2345; arlingtondrafthouse.com |
| Crystal City Sports Pub |
| One of the best sports bars in the region does it right. Start with an appetizer buffet from 4 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a halftime dinner buffet. And, of course, full bars on three levels and scores of televisions. Info: $35, reservations required. 529 23rd St., Arlington; 703-521-8215; ccsportspub.com |
| Hawk ‘n’ Dove |
| A Packers headquarters, this Capitol Hill watering hole will have all four of its bars opened by 4 p.m. Drink specials will include Leinenkugel beer out of Chippewa Falls, Wis. Info: 329 Pennsylvania Ave. SE; 202-543-3300; hawkanddoveonline.com |
| Mister Days |
| An all-you-can-eat buffet starting at 3 p.m., raffles, drink specials and the Redskins cheerleaders make this the place to be in Clarendon. Info: $25. 3100 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington; 703-527-1600; misterdays.com |
| Pour House |
| Home of the D.C. Steeler Nation fan club. Three floors offer plenty of room, but get there early to snag a spot. Info: 319 Pennsylvania Ave., SE; 202-546-0779; pourhousedc.com |
| Tortoise & Hare |
| The party starts at 12:30 at this Steelers bar with the Penguins and Capitals facing off. Enjoy food and drink specials, but get there early. Info: 567 23rd St., Arlington; 703-979-1872; tortoiseandharebar.com |
| Looking for some super eats? |
| Superbowl recipes |
| If you are a Green Bay or Pittsburgh transplant who can’t make it to the big game, back home or to a local bar, you might want to cook up some food that honors the Packers and the Steelers. Here are some recipes representative of both cites. |
| Homemade Primanti Bros. sandwich |
| 1. Mix 98 percent lean ground beef (how much depends on how many you want to make; one pound makes about four 1/4 lb. patties) mixed in a bowl with two eggs, Italian bread crumbs, sea salt, and oregano. |
| 2. Mold the mixture into 1/4 lb. patties and cook, either on the stove or a grill. |
| 3. While the patties cook, bake thinly sliced french fries (either homemade or store bought) at 350 degrees, covered in olive oil. |
| 4. When fries and patties are ready, serve them on thick slices of French bread topped with cole slaw (again, either homemade or store bought) and ketchup. |
| 5. Serve hot. |
| – Submitted by Pittsburgh native Jared Leland |
| Tavern Beer Cheese |
| 3 cups (12 ounces) aged Cheddar cheese, shredded |
| 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) Parmesan cheese, shredded |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce |
| 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce |
| 1 tablespoon pure chili powder blend, such as ancho and New Mexico |
| 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic |
| 1/4 to 1/3 cup beer (any beer will do) |
| 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley |
| Crackers or toast slices |
| 1. In large bowl, combine the cheeses. Add the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder and garlic powder. Mix well. |
| 2. In a large food processor bowl with a metal blade, process mixture, adding the beer to make a thick spread. |
| 3. Return to the serving bowl, and stir in parsley. |
| 4. Serve at room temperature with crackers or toast. |
| – Courtesy of eatwisconsincheese.com |
“If you’re not in Dallas, if you’re not in Green Bay, if you’re not in Pittsburgh, you oughtta be over on Pennsylvania Avenue in the nation’s capital,” said Hawk ‘n’ Dove general manager Paul Meagher.
Meagher said that after another area establishment which hosted Packers fans moved out of the neighborhood, those Green Bay loyalists migrated to the Hawk ‘n’ Dove.
“Once it got going, it sort of snowballed,” Meagher said.
Next door, DC Steeler Nation has congregated at the Pour House for a decade, and the group typically fills the bar’s three floors on game day.
“It’s like your home,” said Pittsburgh native and DC Steeler Nation president Katie Gorscak. “They talk about their love for the city and their love for the Steelers.”
While the proximity of the Hawk ‘n’ Dove and Pour House makes for a confluence of fandom, they aren’t the only team-specific bars primed for Sunday.
Duffy’s Irish Pub, on Vermont Avenue in Northwest, added “NFL Sunday Ticket” this season. Without an allegiance to a team other than the hometown Redskins, owner Andy Duffy elected to support the favorite team of his best friend — the Green Bay Packers.
“It was a natural fit,” Duffy said.
Across the river in Crystal City, the Tortoise & Hare Bar and Grille has supported the Steelers since shortly after its 2007 opening. What started as a small group of Pittsburgh fans popping in to watch games evolved into a full-out Steelers home away from home, complete with Terrible Towels hanging from the ceiling and Iron City Light on special.
“There’s nothing more fun that being in a place where everyone is cheering and going crazy,” said Tortoise & Hare co-owner Brian “Monty” Montgomery. “I get chills when this place erupts.”
