February 4, 2017
Each year NYup.com honors the best bars in Upstate New York and, drumroll please, we're excited to announce that The Distillery Restaurant was named the Judge's Choice for Best Sports Bars in Upstate NY! After being narrowed down to a list of just six finalists, The Distillery received a visit from Syracuse.com sports writers Chris Carlson and Stephan Bailey, this year's official judges for the competition.
A diverse range of criteria were used to choose the winners, including everything from comfort and sports viewing environment, to food menu, drink selection, distinctive characteristics and other factors. You can read the original NYup.com article here, but we thought it would be fitting to provide a summarizing recap of what each judge liked best about their experience at The Distillery in Rochester.
Chris Carlson
- No other Rochester bar caters more to the needs of sports fan
- Televisions in every booth to never miss the game
- Many TVs and the perfect big screen for watching the Super Bowl
- Running sports ticker ideal for fantasy football and March Madness
- An over-the-top, homey and intimate atmosphere
- Above average list of beers with a wide ranging food menu
Stephen Bailey
- Has the best combination of drink, food and environment
- 40 taps, solid craft offering, plenty of cheap beer for college students
- All seats have a clear line-of-sight to one of the many televisions
- Enormous projection screen for watching games at the bar
- Scores, betting lines and power rankings on the sports ticker
- Buy a Friend a Beer Board
- Spaced-out seating, great place to enjoy a game with friends
We had a great time meeting Chris and Stephen, and think they both made a wise, inspiring choice! Thank you to both judges, as well as everyone who cast a nomination for us in this year's voting. The Distillery Restaurant works hard every day to provide a diverse, laid-back atmosphere where anyone can feel right at home. Be sure to stop in one day and discover for yourself what makes us one of the best Sports Bars in Upstate NY!
