Best Sports Bars in Waco: Where Baylor Students Watch the Game

Baylor football season brings 45,000 people to McLane Stadium for home games. But what about the away games? The 11am Big 12 matchup on a Tuesday? The Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City? For those moments — and there are a lot of them across football, basketball, and baseball seasons — Waco has a solid sports bar scene.

These are the bars Baylor students actually use when they can't make it to the stadium or pavilion. They range from a downtown institution with 100+ beers on tap to an outdoor venue where the TV screen is bigger than some apartments.

Cricket's Grill & Draft House — The Classic

211 Mary Ave, downtown Waco | Sun–Mon 11am–12am | Tue–Thu 11am–12am | Fri–Sat 11am–2am

Cricket's has been the go-to sports bar in Waco for more than 25 years, and it's held that position for a reason. The setup is built for watching games: 22 flat-screen TVs spread across the bar, plus 9 full-sized pool tables, shuffleboard, and darts to occupy you during halftime.

The beer selection is genuinely impressive — 100+ draft beers plus 25+ bottled and canned options. If you care what you're drinking while watching a game, this is your place. The food is a step above bar standards: hand-crafted burgers, signature cheddar fries, and a from-scratch kitchen that's actual food rather than frozen apps reheated.

Best for: Away games, NFL Sundays, any night you want to settle in with a proper pint and multiple screen options.

Tips: Half-price appetizers and $1 off all beers, wells, and wines during happy hour. Get there early for Baylor championship game broadcasts — it fills up.

Salty Dog Sports Bar & Grill — The All-Ages Option

2004 N. Valley Mills Drive | Sun–Mon 11am–9pm | Tue–Thu 11am–10pm | Fri–Sat 11am–11pm

Salty Dog occupies a different niche from Cricket's: it's more of a family-friendly sports bar where you can bring your parents when they're visiting for a game. Baylor sports memorabilia lines the walls, the TVs are plentiful, and the menu covers the full range of bar food — wings, burgers, sandwiches — at reasonable prices.

The atmosphere is enthusiastic during Baylor games. Students and families mix comfortably here, which makes it a good pick for parents weekend, graduation weekend, or any time you want a casual game-watching experience without a late-night bar crowd.

Best for: Game days with family in town, casual weeknight watching, groups of mixed ages.

Tips: Earlier arrival is better on Baylor game days — the parking lot fills by kickoff. It's an all-ages venue, so the 21+ focus isn't the priority here.

The Backyard Bar Stage & Grill — For the Big Games

511 S 8th St | Daily 11am–midnight

The Backyard operates at a different scale. The outdoor amphitheater holds up to 1,300 people, and the crown jewel for sports fans is the 40-foot outdoor TV screen — one of the largest sports viewing setups in central Texas. On big game days, the crowd and the screen size turn it into an event rather than just watching a game.

Beyond the TV, the Backyard has a full restaurant (American food and BBQ), rooftop deck, fire pits, cornhole, and washer pits. Friday and Saturday nights bring live music on a real stage. For students who want game day to be a full afternoon rather than two hours at a bar, this setup works well — especially in the fall when the weather cooperates.

Best for: Baylor home game satellite watching parties, Big 12 Championship weekends, groups that want an outdoor experience alongside the game.

Tips: Happy hour specials are available. The outdoor setup is best in fall and spring — summer afternoons in Waco are hot, so factor in weather. Parking is nearby off 8th Street.

Putters — When You Want More Than TVs

320 S 2nd St, downtown | Mon–Fri 4pm–2am | Sat–Sun 12pm–2am

Putters is a different category from a traditional sports bar — it's Waco's first venue combining mini golf, arcade games, and a sports bar under one roof. If watching the game is secondary to hanging out with a group and the game is just on in the background, Putters is the move.

$7 per adult gets you unlimited mini golf and unlimited arcade games, and individual arcade games start at 25 cents. Pool tables run $1 per game. The bar itself carries sports on multiple screens, and the format is unique enough that it works for birthdays, Greek chapter events, or any night where bowling or escape rooms feel too specific.

One practical note: there's no kitchen on-site, but Putters has partnerships with nearby restaurants (Billy Bob's Burgers, J Petal) where you can order food delivered at no markup. No cover charge.

Best for: Group hangouts where the game matters less than the activity, birthday parties, casual Tuesday nights when you want something to do.

Tips: Kid-friendly until 9pm, then 21+ only. The downtown location makes it easy to pair with dinner or drinks elsewhere.

Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux — The Upscale Experience

5601 Crosslake Parkway (near Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center)

Walk-On's is co-owned by former Saints quarterback Drew Brees, which is either a fun fact or a decisive selling point depending on how you feel about the Saints. More practically, it's an 8,500 sq ft sports bar serving Cajun and Creole cuisine made from scratch with fresh seafood — a genuine step up from wings-and-nachos bar food.

The viewing setup is solid with multiple screens, the cocktails and beer selection are comprehensive, and the outdoor seating is good. For Baylor students who want a game-watching experience that also happens to be a solid dinner, this is the pick. Best for a parents' visit when you want sports without a dive-bar atmosphere.

Best for: Date nights during game season, family visits, groups that want good food alongside sports.

Tips: Check game schedules before going — busy game days can get crowded. The location near the medical center is a short drive from campus (about 10–15 minutes from South Waco).

Living Near the Game — and the Bars

Here's something worth knowing if you're still figuring out where to live: Centre Apartments sits at 1901 S 11th Street — walking distance to both McLane Stadium and Foster Pavilion. For home games, that means no parking permit battles, no rideshare surge pricing, and no traffic on the way home after the Bears win.

For away games or weeknight viewing, the South Waco location puts you within a short drive of every sports bar on this list. The Backyard Bar is about a mile away. Cricket's is under two miles downtown.

Students who live farther from campus — out on Valley Mills or Lake Shore Drive — face a real choice: drive and pay for parking or ride-share both ways, or skip sports bar nights altogether. Living at Centre makes it practical to say yes to a spontaneous Tuesday game watching session without planning the logistics.

Centre offers 2-bedroom, 2-bedroom townhouse, and 3-bedroom floor plans with parking included, high-speed internet, and washer/dryer in every unit. If you're in a group of friends who watch a lot of Baylor games together, the math on splitting a 3BR here versus the per-person cost of driving to sports bars from a farther complex adds up fast.

Which Bar Should You Go To?

Here's the quick version:

• Baylor away game, everyone's watching: Salty Dog or Cricket's — both are Baylor-specific in atmosphere
• NFL Sunday / non-Baylor game: Cricket's for beer selection, Walk-On's for food quality
• Big game, want a real event: The Backyard for the outdoor screen and crowd size
• Group hangout, game is secondary: Putters
• Parents in town: Walk-On's or Salty Dog

Whatever your game, Waco's sports bar scene has enough variety to match the situation. The key is knowing which venue fits your night before you show up.

Ready to live walking distance from McLane Stadium and five minutes from Waco's best sports bars? Schedule a tour or check out our floor plans to see what's available.