The White Hot Heat is back. Whether you're a diehard fan who never misses a game or the kind who digs your number 6 jersey out of the back of your closet when playoffs roll around, it's always fun to rally behind the home team.
With one win under its belt and tonight's game at 7 p.m. at home and broadcast on TNT, the Heat hopes to earn that coveted threepeat when all is said and done. This is Heat Nation, after all, and many restaurants and bars are showing their support by offering food and drink specials that will certainly get better as the championship gets closer.
For now, here are your ten best bets for catching all of this year's NBA playoffs action.
If you're lucky enough to snag a spot at the game itself, the Triple-A has plenty of playoff specials. With new food items such as Buffalo Heat nachos and White Hot sushi rolls to drinks like White Hot sangria and bottomless fountain soda served in limited-edition White Hot Heat player cups, you don't have to settle for the standard overpriced burger and fries.
This new Brickell hot spot offers $15 Miller Lite pitchers during all games plus a dozen wings for $8. Feel good buying a special Batch White Hot T-shirt for $20, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to charity. Even better: Wear the tee during all Heat games broadcast at Batch and enjoy $5 craft beers.
If you've never watched the Heat play at Blackbird, you don't know what you're missing. Enjoy one of the hangout's expertly made cocktails or draft beers from the bar inside while watching basketball on the giant projector screen outside. Blackbird often brings in a chef to grill on the breezy patio, making for a picture-perfect Miami night.
A go-to spot for New Yorkers and Brickellites alike, Bro J's in Sunset Place recently opened. Chow down on barbecue specialties while guzzling beer with your favorite frat bros and watching the game on the many flat-screen TV sets.
With a fresh new location in Coconut Grove, Duffy's has ceaseless two-for-one drinks and plenty of TV screens. Enjoy classic sports bar snacks at this haunt that's all about anything involving a referee.
Catch the games on the five 100-inch projection screens with live audio and DJs during commercial breaks (yes, that's so Miami). Of course, you can't forget chef Todd Erickson's killer food. He'll serve special $7 sushi rolls, sliders, hot wings, and tater tots that can be washed down with $10 cocktail specials. The gastropub has also added an outdoor TV set for patio diners to get in on the action too.
Watch the game on Oak Tavern's 80-inch screen and pray for Ray Allen to sink some three-pointers. For every three-point shot made, you get a $3 shot of whiskey. You can also nosh on special food items such as smoked duck nachos with black beans and cheese sauce, Vietnamese chicken wings, and house-ground slider burgers with oxtail marmalade, pepper jack cheese, and fried shallots.
Last year, this sports bar took "White Hot Heat" to another level by turning everything from the walls to the tables white. Enjoy half-priced drinks and discount eats until 7 p.m. most days, or go on a Wednesday, when they have penny beers.
Serving some of the best chicken wings around, Sports Grill Sunset, Kendall, Bird Road, and South Miami feature all sporting events on their multiple flat-screens and pour $8.50 pitchers of Bud Light and Miller Lite.
With a new South Beach location and a tried-and-true one in the Gables, Yard House is a fan favorite for its wide draft beer selection and extensive menu. Though there are no unique Heat specials, if you're lucky enough to watch a game during happy hour, enjoy discounted drinks, pizzas, and appetizers.
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