Here are the best Triangle spots to watch the Canes play in the Stanley Cup playoffs
There’s a siren in Raleigh bar Backyard Bistro that blares a joyous blare whenever the Carolina Hurricanes score a goal.
It’s not PNC Arena, which sits across the street, but it’s close.
Through a mix of proximity and passion, Backyard Bistro is one of the Triangle’s few bars devoted to hockey, hanging jerseys from the rafters and in normal years hosting weekly interview shows with players.
“We’re definitely a Canes bar,” owner Joe Lumbrazo said. “Locals, regulars, this is their pre-game spot and their post-game spot.”
A year largely without bars also meant a year largely without sports bars, those beer-slinging satellite spaces where fandom is sacred. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled or diminished some of the most popular sporting events of the year, including 2020 March Madness. Restrictions on restaurants limited capacity and prohibited screaming and crying with strangers over game-winning goals.
Last week, though, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made new recommendations saying vaccinated adults could mostly be maskless in public. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper followed suit, easing restrictions and mask-wearing.
For Lumbrazo, that meant the playoffs might feel like the playoffs.
“When the Canes started playing, you could feel the momentum and more people coming out,” Lubrazo said about the start of hockey season. “Now the timing is great.”
Usually on playoff nights, there’s a line at the door, Lubrazo said. This year, he was just happy to see patrons in Canes gear, filing in by the early afternoon ahead of the Canes’ first game Monday night.
“We’re excited,” Lubrazo said. “We’re a family over here.”
Lucky B’s, a Raleigh bar owned by former Canes player Bates Battaglia for more than a decade, also carries the hockey bar mantle. The Glenwood-district bar has been largely shuttered for the past year, as North Carolina’s COVID restrictions kept it closed, pushing sales down by 80%. Battaglia said the latest easing has started to bring more patrons out, turning a timid scene into a watch party.
“With a sports town like this, people are nuts about their teams,” Battaglia said. “Hockey is growing in this area like crazy. It’s nice to finally get some people in here. People are excited abut the ease of restrictions.”
At Tobacco Road in Raleigh, tables had been set up along the bar for more than a year, blocking it off and spacing people out to satisfy social distancing guidelines. Over the weekend, owner Alex Amra removed the tables, and the bar was once again a bar.
“We’re delighted to fully open,” Amra said. “We’re welcoming people back with open arms.”
The Canes are in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday night for Game 3 of their playoff series — the first outside Raleigh. These are some of the top bars for fans to watch.
Backyard Bistro
1235 Hurricane Alley Way, Raleigh. 919-851-6203 or backyardbistro.com.
One of the most Cane-crazy bars in the Triangle, running game-day drink specials and showing the game indoors and on the patio.
Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub
427 W. Main St., Durham. 919-682-3061 or bullmccabesirishpub.com
Always one of the great Triangle spots to catch a game, Bull McCabe’s is still easing into normalcy. The Canes game will be projected on a large outdoor screen, but patio seating is still capped at 50%. There is, however, a large grassy space with plenty of picnic tables.
Burial
500 E. Davie St., #170, Raleigh. 919-617-1314 or burialbeer.com/location/dtr
This is not a sports bar, but the Raleigh taproom of the popular Asheville brewery always has the Canes game on, plus some of the best beer in the state.
Carolina Ale House
500 Glenwood Ave., Suite 300, Raleigh. 919-835-2222 or carolinaalehouse.com
This Glenwood location of the poplar taphouse chain is often the spot for away game watch parties.
Lucky B’s
609 Tucker St., Raleigh. 919-833-1310 or luckybsbar.com
Co-owned by former Canes player Bates Battaglia and his brother Anthony, Lucky’s will show the game on a large outdoor screen.
Raleigh Beer Garden
614 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh. 919-324-3415 or theraleighbeergarden.com.
The largest bar in Raleigh is actually three different bars, each one will have the game on.
Tobacco Road
505 W. Jones St., Raleigh. 919-301-8793 or tobaccoroadsportscafe.com
280 S. Mangum St., Durham. 919-937-9909
This pair of Triangle bars boast some of the largest TVs around. The Durham patio looks out onto the Durham Bulls field, so you could snag a home run ball in your beer.
This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 1:56 PM.
