Local Bars Pick Their March Madness Brackets

CHOI Bracket Room
What local teams are in your bracket?  Tech, UVA, UMD and GWU
Who do you think will go all the way?  Kentucky
Name your final four teams.  Kentucky, Ohio State, Duke and UVA
What smaller school(s) in the area do you think might get in?  GWU 
What makes the March Madness viewing experience different at your bar than other bars?  [We have] 45 great-quality TVs.  

BRACKET ROOM: 1210 N Garfield St. Arlington, VA; 703-276-7337;www.bracketroom.com 

COLIN LAVERTY The Ugly Mug
Who do you think will go all the way?  Kansas 
Name your final four teams.  Oklahoma, Kansas, Maryland and Villanova 
What smaller school(s) in the area do you think might get in?  James Madison and Hampton  
When can we visit you at the bar? Thursday to Sunday nights  
What makes the March Madness viewing experience different at your bar than other bars?  Capitol Hill just has that unique blend of people that work in many different sectors of the economy. This creates a fantastic atmosphere throughout March Madness, but in particular, the early rounds. It’s a great time of the year to be around DC for sports. The Ugly Mug has that laidback feel where everyone is welcome. With multiple TVs, a staff that is sports crazy, beers served by the pitcher or 100 oz. beer towers, cocktails served in pint glasses and great bar food including brick-oven pizzas and Stromboli, it really is hard to beat coming to The Ugly Mug around tournament time. Of course, this year the first day of [the] games happens to be St. Patrick’s Day. [It’s] lining up to be an extremely fun first weekend of the Big Dance. 

THE UGLY MUG: 723 8th St. SE, DC; 202-547-8459; www.theuglymugdc.com

CHRIS LEFBOM Ragtime
What local teams are in your bracket?  Maryland, West Virginia and GWU 
Who do you think will go all the way?  WVU 
Name your final four teams.  WVU, Miami, UNC and Xavier
What smaller school(s) in the area do you think might get in?  GWU What makes the March Madness viewing experience different at your bar than other bars?  Ragtime is a WVU alumni favorite. The restaurant will be packed with rowdy Mountaineer fans come tournament time.    

RAGTIME: 1345 N Courthouse Rd. Arlington, VA; 703-243-4003;www.ragtimerestaurant.com 

JOHN MURDOCK Old Town Pour House Gaithersburg  
What local teams are in your bracket?   I’ve got to give some love to the Terps, of course, who are looking to be a third seed. However, they’re not looking as hot as the projected first seed – either Virginia or North Carolina. [It] should be a good year for NCAA March Madness.    

Who do you think will go all the way?  Even Scott Van Pelt can’t give you that answer. I’m hoping for one of the area teams to make it to the Final Four, [and] keep the energy pumping for the region. I would love to see Maryland in the final, but we have some tough competition.     

Name your final four teams.  I’m thinking that Kansas, Oregon, Xavier and Villanova [will] make it.    

What smaller school(s) in the area do you think might get in?  A lot of schools are fighting for rank this year. There is no clear-cut champ, so it’s difficult for the smaller area schools to have a chance.     

When can we visit you at the bar?   I work the bar a few nights during the “drink-end.” You know, Thursday night, Friday night and then on Sunday night. Occasionally, I do the Saturday morning gig. As the tournament gets going, I may be there a little more.   

What makes the March Madness viewing experience different at your bar than other bars?  My place is lively when it comes to sports. We’ve got 90 beers on tap, three 110-inch screens for the big games and another 11 55-inchers for the other games going on. Plus, for big games, we VJ the experience! Never watch a commercial. Instead, prepare to laugh and cheer with funny videos spun up by our video jockey Phillip –funny YouTube videos to celebrity mean tweets and more. [We’re] all synced up to cut out commercials and keep the vibe pumping. I’m expecting a lot of great moments at the bar this year for March Madness. 

OLD TOWN POUR HOUSE GAITHERSBURG: 212 Ellington Blvd. Gaithersburg, MD; 301-963-6281; www.oldtownpourhouse.com/gaithersburg 

JOSH BOWEN Don Tito
What local teams are in your bracket?  Georgetown and UVA, but I’m from California, so [my] local team is San Diego State. 
Who do you think will go all the way?  Michigan State 
Name your final four teams.  Michigan State, Kansas, UNC and Oklahoma  
What smaller school(s) in the area do you think might get in?  GWU
What makes the March Madness viewing experience different at your bar than other bars?  [We have] three floors of TVs, [and our] second floor is dedicated to sound. All games are played on TVs in the bar, and you can watch outside on the rooftop deck. 

DON TITO: 3165 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA; 703- 566-3113; www.dontitova.com 

GARY OUELLETTE Union Jack’s Bethe sda 
What local teams are in your bracket? Maryland and Virginia
Who do you think will go all the way? Maryland
Name your final four teams.  Maryland, Virginia, Oklahoma and North Carolina
What makes the March Madness viewing experience different at your bar than other bars?  This is the “perfect storm” of events, with St. Patrick’s Day and the start of March Madness. Each event on their own [is] very strong for our store, but combined with the strength of Maryland this year, it should be off the charts.

UNION JACK’S BETHESDA: 4915 St. Elmo Ave. Bethesda, MD; 301-652-2561;www.unionjacksbethesda.com

SARAH KAYE World of Beer
What local teams are in your bracket?  Georgetown, Maryland and VCU  
Who do you think will go all the way?  Duke and Xavier 
Name your final four teams.  Duke, Xavier, Syracuse and Oregon 
What smaller school(s) in the area do you think might get in?  UVA 
What makes the March Madness viewing experience different at your bar than other bars?  The ability to view games on over 17 TVs and drink a variety of craft beers from the states of the teams you love most! 

WORLD OF BEER: 901 N Glebe Rd. #105, Arlington, VA; 571-483-0422; worldofbeer.com 

LEO GOMEZ Spider Kelly’s
What local teams are in your bracket?  Duke, George Mason and VCU  
Who do you think will go all the way?  Duke  
Name your final four teams.  Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse and Maryland  
What smaller school(s) in the area do you think might get in?  GW and VCU  
What makes the March Madness viewing experience different at your bar than other bars?   [We’re] open for a.m. games, TVs are on a first-come, first-served basis and specials run [throughout the day]. 

SPIDER KELLY’S: 3181 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA; 703-312-8888; spiderkellys.com

TOM ROTH On Tap Staff Member
What local teams are in your bracket?   Maryland, Virginia, GWU and West Virginia
Who do you think will go all the way? Oklahoma
Name your final four teams.  Oklahoma, Kansas, North Carolina and Xavier
What smaller school(s) in the area do you think might get in?  James Madison and VCU