Peppino's in downtown Grand Rapids.
Vitale's in Comstock Park
The Score in Grand Rapids.
GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Drink specials, cheap chicken wings, eating contests -- and a football game you may have people talking about this Sunday.
Grand Rapids-area sports bars are doing their best to pull fans off of their couches for Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday. Why watch the game on just one TV, when you can see it on as many as 72?
"We have the best wings in town," says The Score's Neil Cox. "This is the place to watch big sporting events, no question about it."
Mike Biddick, General Manager of Vitale's in Comstock Park, may have something to say about that. Pizza is the main attraction at his business, but what about washing it down?
"We've been doing a lot with the craft and the Michigan craft beers," Biddick says. "We're pretty proud of that."
The Peppino's in downtown Grand Rapids has beer, wings, and a meatball-eating competition during halftime. But they offer something many others don't, says GM Mark Stamkus.
"Being downtown with 400 people down here, getting crazy, cheering, having fun, plenty of food, plenty of drafts" says Stamkus. "It's a unique environment."
Stamkus expects a capacity crowd between Sunday's college basketball game between Michigan and MSU, which tips at 1 p.m., and another group to filter in before kickoff between the Giants and Patriots.
Neil Cox of The Score says that while Super Bowl house parties have become more popular over the past few years, take-out orders at his restaurant grow 15-20 percent on Super Bowl Sunday.
"People come in for our wings and our pizza because they're fantastic," says Cox. "We can count on that."