Best places to be when Gamecocks play opening game against ECU Saturday night
Wild Wing Café - 729 Lady St.
Wild Wing in The Vista is kicking up its Gamecock pride, hosting not one, but two events in anticipation of this weekend’s big game. The restaurant is closing down Gadsden Street today for its street party pep rally, pulling out all the stops to drum up support for the team. The USC dance team and cheerleading squad will be at the event, as well as live music from Columbia bands Tokyo Joe and Weaving the Fate. Wild Wing will also host a $500 cornhole tournament, and guests will have the opportunity to get their picture taken with Cocky. And Wild Wing is known for its crowded and loud atmosphere, so the sports bar will offer the full experience of the game, without the trip to Charlotte. With a menu packed with appetizers and samplers — including the ever-popular hot spinach dip, pretzel bites, hot shots and fried ’shrooms — and an almost unbeatable wing menu, the Cafe is the perfect place for the biggest of groups and a Saturday game. Local rockers Casual Kings will also be performing at Wild Wing Saturday evening, making a night out of the Carolina opener.
Bank of America Stadium – 800 South Mint St.
It’s never too late for a road trip. And, let’s face it; nothing beats being in the stadium for the first game of the season. The Gamecocks will be playing at Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, just a 1.5 hour drive from Columbia. Williams-Brice still beats the Panthers’ home stadium seats number-by-number, but there is still a certain charm to seeing your college team on an NFL field. Tickets are still available on Ticketmaster, $67.25 with fees, and even though you’ll be sitting pretty in the nosebleeds, the Gamecock experience will still undoubtedly ring true. Check this week’s Blitz for the low-down on all the best pre- and after-parties in Charlotte, and the recommended restaurants and cheap eats in the city.
Carolina Ale House – 708 Lady St.
The Vista’s Carolina Ale House stands out with its outdoor seating and above-the-restaurant balcony dining area, offering the perfect setting for a summer night’s game. Classic appetizers, like buffalo boneless chicken zingers, peel and eat shrimp, fried pickles and Ale House onion strings start off every meal right, with the Triple B and Sweet Mountain BBQ burgers just finishing off the signature bites. The Ale House also sweetens up the deal with its 30 draft selections and 38 bottles, including Flying Dog Heat Wheat and Highland Oatmeal. And although there are no special deals planned for the screening of the Carolina game, all drink specials still apply — $2.50 Yuengling, $3.50 Magic Hat Circus Boy, $3.50 vodka and tonics, and $11 Bud Light buckets. With over 50 high-definition televisions and a full bar, the Ale House is ideal for a night of fall season football. Voted Free Times’ Best Sports Bar of 2011, Carolina Ale House is sure to bring the Carolina crowd, with all the extras for a night of action-packed viewing.
Jillian’s – 800 Gervais St.
Jillian’s, another one of The Vista’s favorite restaurant and bars, is getting into the season’s spirit with a college football kickoff party. A naturally social hangout, complete with a game room, billiards and pingpong, Jillian’s offers a little of everything, and keeps the evening exciting. Play a game of ski ball, take a spin on the virtual motorcycles, or join in on a game of pool, all while watching the Gamecocks in their first game of the season. For the best appetizer deal, scoop-up a 9-Ball combo, complete with buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks and onion rings. Make the main course one to remember with one of Jillian’s grilled flat bread pizzas — the shrimp, feta cheese and caramelized onions a personal favorite — or one of the restaurant’s more expensive ribeye steaks or grilled shrimp. Columbia rock band Fallen Kings will be playing Jillian’s Saturday night, adding some local beats to the field’s excitement. Although Jillian’s is a bit more upscale and pricier than its sports bar counterparts, it does promise a solid night, full of Gamecock pride and halftime game room breaks.
Village Idiot – 2009 Devine St.
Five Point’s pizza shop and pub Village Idiot always proves to be a hot spot for road Gamecock games. Its big group-style seating, sports memorabilia and televisions lining the casual, but high-energy bar accommodates tons of fans and the pub is packed for every Carolina screening. Drink specials include $5 bomb shots and $5.50 Budweiser and Bud Light pitchers, and the specialty and more classic, generously sliced pizzas feed the whole group. Village also features four beers of the month for $2.50 each, only adding to one of the college crowd’s favorite stomping grounds. Again, it is game night, and Village Idiot is sure to draw droves of fun-loving fans, making for a night full of pub-wide high-fives and Gamecock cheers.