Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition

WATCHING THE WORLD CUP

- By Phillip Valys Staff writer

Your viewing options runneth over. We have the best spots.

It seems like only yesterday we were blowing our vuvuzelas (or mourning) over Germany’s 2014 World Cup victory. The best soccer players in the world will converge on Russia June 14-July 15 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and notably absent is the United States, whose U.S. Men’s National Team failed to qualify for the first time in more than 30 years. Bars and restaurant­s from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale and Miami will be decked out in team banners and club jerseys for the next month and a half, offering cheap drinks and food specials to stoke futbol fever. Everything from World Cup prix-fixe menus to themed appetizers and private cabanas offering high-definition projection­s of every game can be found at these soccer-friendly hangouts. Here are the best places to watch the tournament’s 32 countries square off on the pitch.

Biergarten Boca Raton

309 Via de Palmas, No. 90, Boca Raton; 561-395-7462 The German fan base is strong at this beer garden, opening 10 a.m. for the June 17 Germany-Mexico match, and will offer $6 Bitburger pints, Jagermeist­er specials, tappings of Mexican and German beers, glassware giveaways and raffles for upcoming games. For Brazil’s matches, Xingu bottles will cost $5. Carlsberg bottles will cost $4 during Denmark’s games, and Baltika No. 6 Porter bottles cost $6 during Russia’s matches. Also: $1 bratwurst and $5 witbiers on June 18.

Dorrian’s Red Hand

215 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 561-355-1401 or Dorrians-WPB.com The sports bar and Irish hangout will be Team Australia and Team England during the World Cup, but every game will be screened on its six large TVs and 10-foot projection screens. During matches, breakfast items cost $7 to $20. Meanwhile, beer buckets cost $18 for domestic, $22 for import, $12 for Bud Light, $15 for Stella and Yuengling and $5 for Ketel One Bloody Mary’s.

ROK:BRGR

208 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale, 954-525-7656; 4 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561-808-7220; 600 Silks Run No. 1210, Hallandale Beach, 954-367-3970; 5800 SW 73rd St., South Miami, 305-663-6099; RokBrgr.com During the World Cup, Stella on draft and Three Olives Vodka will both cost $5.

Etaru Hallandale

111 S. Surf Road, Hallandale Beach, 954-271-3222; 500 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; EtaruResta­urant.us Early-risers hunting for morning games have a place at Etaru, offering a free drink with purchase of any breakfast dish. During the afternoon, the Etaru Burger (tomato, onion, shiitake ketchup) and Sapporo Light costs $18. Etaru’s second location in Fort Lauderdale will open June 15.

Novecento

18831 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura, 305-466-0900; 1414 Brickell Ave., Miami, 305-403-0900; 620 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne, 305-362-0900; Novecento.com An Argentine base known for staging big blowouts during World Cup matches, all three locations will open at 7 a.m. to screen every match on their TVs and projectors. A Prix-Fixe Early Game Menu (7-9 a.m., $25) includes choice of empanadas, bacon pancakes, avocado toast, or Argentine French toast with brioche. Other specials include $20 for unlimited mimosas, $25 for Heineken buckets and giveaways (from team jerseys to airplane tickets). The restaurant will host DJs, afterparti­es and face painting for bigrivalry matches.

Fontainebl­eau Miami Beach

4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 800-548-8886 or Fontainebl­eau.com Watch World Cup matches in posh surroundin­gs at this Miami Beach mainstay. Visitors who book private cabanas have access to 14-by-24-foot screens along with themed team cocktails, such as Spain’s rosé sangria, Brazil’s caipirinha and England’s cucumber gin.

Brimstone Woodfire Grill

8300 NW 36th St., Doral; 786-837-8960 or BrimstoneD­oral.com Only Brimstone’s Doral outpost will offer a themed appetizer menu inspired by participat­ing countries. Germany’s matches will include bacon-wrapped sausage with pretzel and mustard paired with a gimlet, while Brazil’s matches will have churrasco with rice and beans and a caipirinha. Switzerlan­d’s games will have Rosti (a Swiss potato cake) with zucchini and ham and peach Grand Marnier, while Mexico’s games will have chicken tacos and a rose margarita.

Boteco Miami

916 NE 79th St., Miami; 305-757-7735 or Boteco Miami.com The popular Brazilian hub for World Cup matches will screen every game, but call ahead for drink specials.

OFA

1929 Purdy Ave., Miami Beach; 305-763-8766 or OFARestaur­ant.com This Brazilian mainstay will offer three Braziliant­hemed appetizers and three beers for $35 in its alfresco lounge, including pão de queijo (cheese bread), fried yucca and coxinha (deep-fried pouches of shredded chicken meat). The restaurant also offers an in-house caipirinha, CaipirOFA.

Brother Jimmy’s BBQ

700 S. Rosemary Ave. No. 232, West Palm Beach; 561-619-5604 or BrotherJim­mys.com The West Palm Beach location will screen every game on its 30 flat-screen TVs. Drink specials will include $5 drafts of Bud Light, Budweiser, Corona Light and Modelo, and food specials such as 75 cent wings and $10 nachos and loaded fries.

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