Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar in New Orleans is one of five finalists in ESPN Mobile's Best Sports Bar in North America competition. Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar on Poydras Street in New Orleans is one of five finalists for ESPN Mobile's Best Sports Bar in North America competition.
The Baton Rouge-based sports bar group, which also has locations in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, beat out three other establishments in its bracket in voting that took place between Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 and now faces a final showdown against restaurants from Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte and Pittsburgh. The winner will be crowned 2012 Best Sports Bar in America.
Nationwide voting for Walk-On's and its four competitors runs until Friday, October 5, at 2 p.m., on ESPN Mobile's "Best Sports Bar in North America" site (www.votewalkons.com). To ensure fairness and competitive balance, the winning bar will be selected by a combination of fan balloting and editorial panel review. ESPN Mobile averages 25 million unique visitors per month.
"We're so grateful that our awesome customers have already taken us this far, to the final five," Brandon Landry, co-founder and owner of Walk-On's and its parent company, Last In Concepts, said in a press release announcing the honor. "Now we're asking everyone in Louisiana to help us reach the Promised Land. Please go online and vote for Walk-On's. Tell your friends, your neighbors, your pets, and everyone you see," Landry said.
Known for it Louisiana-inspired menu and unique game-day dining experience, Walk-On's has more than 150 flat-screen TVs and is a popular destination for great food in a great sports-themed atmosphere. Since its opening, Walk-On's New Orleans has hosted major events for the BCS National Championship, SEC Championship, NCAA Men's Final Four, Super Bowls, High School State Championships and most Saints, Hornets and LSU football games.
"We love what we do at Walk-On's, and our customers can sense that when they come through our doors," Landry added. "We've developed a special chemistry in our restaurants that really resonates with local sports fans, probably because we're big fans ourselves. And we're proud to be one of the few places where you can go party with friends or feel comfortable taking your entire family, including the kids."
In addition to earning bragging rights as the "Best Sports Bar in North America," the winner of the 2012 competition, along with the fan who nominated it, will receive a Monday Night Football Experience sponsored by ESPN Mobile.
The 2011 winner was Chickie's & Pete's in Philadelphia.