Tom's Watch Bar
By Tim Schooley
Tom's Watch Bar schedules opening for new, bigger location on the North Shore
Tom's Watch Bar, a sports bar chain with an event viewing approach that floods guests with options on floor-to-ceiling high-definition screens in a 360-degree dining room, is set to debut in Pittsburgh on the North Shore.
The new sports bar is scheduled to open in the SAP building at 261 North Shore Drive on Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 4pm.
It's a riverfront location where Pittsburgh Steeler legend Ben Roethlisberger was previously expected to open a restaurant that's a short walk from Acrisure Stadium and PNC Park.
The announcement for the newcomer to the growing entertainment district on the NorthShore boasts that Tom's Watch Bar is "breaking the mold of the traditional sports bar," which includes personalized audio at every table.
The 9,700-square-foot restaurant will be maxed out with 100 high-def screens and a capacity for 624 guests, shooting to become a major hub for watching sports for Pittsburgh's local teams, led by the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins, with capacity for other sports viewing as well for such events as the FIFA World Cup and UFC fights.
It's a considerably larger venture than previously announced in 2022, when the Tom's Watch Bar slated for Pittsburgh was expected to be 7,400 square feet with a capacity of350 people.
In a prepared statement, Co-founder Tom Ryan called the bar's approach a "highly curated 360-degree viewing screen play" along with a "watch party calendar" and a menu that includes dozens of beer taps, along with craft cocktails and wine, as well as food selection described as "elevated sports bar fare."
The summer schedule suggests an August soft opening approach to build up to the upcoming football season.
Tom's Watch Bar has also expanded quickly since its May 2022 announcement for Pittsburgh, a time when its website featured about five locations, mostly out west. Now
Tom's Watch Bar totals 13 locations scattered throughout the country.