Tom's Watch Bar the newest North Shore game day spot

Filled with 100-plus high-definition televisions and digital stadium screens, Tom’s Watch Bar is the newest bar/restaurant on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, nestled between PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium.

On Saturday, prior to the Pittsburgh Panthers football home opener against Wofford, it was packed with Pitt fans sporting the team’s blue and gold.

A chain with 11 other locations nationwide, Tom’s Watch Bar opened at 261 North Shore Drive in early August. At a recent media event, co-founder Tom Ryan described it as “America’s super sports bar.”

“We show all sports all the time,” he said. “There are often multiple sports happening at once and we bring them to you in real time. Everyone has the best seat in the house.”

Those 100 high-definition TVs and stadium screens fill out the 9,700 square feet of the space. Ryan said the stadium screens are “larger than life” so guests feel like they are in the stadium. The sound is broadcast throughout the restaurant.

The Tunity app allows people to tune in and listen to other games on live television audio through their headset. The place has seating for more than 624 guests indoors and an outdoor covered seating area coming soon.

When searching for where to expand the company, Ryan said Pittsburgh was a perfect choice.

“This city has such an avid fan base,” Ryan said. “It’s the ultimate sports destination to gather for Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and Pitt Panthers football games. Pittsburgh is such a cool town. This right here, being in between in between two stadiums is magic, just magic.”

Ryan said the plan is to host watch parties for local teams as well as special sporting events, such as Ultimate Fighting Championship, international soccer and pickleball.

There is also a screen that shows “Tom’s TV” — featuring offbeat competitive events such as ear pulling and office chair racing.

Tom’s Watch Bar will host NFL Super Bowl parties and the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball’s March Madness.

Ryan said they hired 150 employees.

With dozens of taps, Tom’s offers an array of domestic, imported and craft beers, all available in two-handled 40-ounce steins. The menu features traditional sports bar fare with a contemporary flair — think burgers and wings but also crispy pickle chips, an ahi tuna tower and various types of tacos.

The sports-watching landscape has changed and there is a new generation of sports enthusiasts who are looking for an experience, Ryan said.

At Tom’s Watch Bar, there will be pre- and post-game events for home games; for the away games, there will be watch parties. They will also host rallies for visiting teams.

The patio will also be used for such events. Guests can check the monthly schedule on the website.

“We want to be an extension of the fans,” Ryan said. “We want to engage all fans.”

“My message is we do all sports all the time,” said Shannon McNiel, president and chief operating officer at Tom’s Watch Bar. “When you don’t have a ticket, this is the second best place to be.”

Karyn Locke, of East Liverpool, Ohio, was at the media event. She said there is nothing basic about Tom’s.

“Part sports bar, part mid-scale restaurant, its location is ideal, walkable from Pittsburgh’s North Shore sports venues and Stage AE if you want to pop in before or after a concert,” Locke said. “There’s nothing fussy or stuffy about the bar, but it is aesthetically cool. The countless television screens around the ceiling showcase not only live sports but oddities like ostrich racing and Japanese game shows – bizarre in the best possible way.”