The 2026 FIFA World Cup international soccer tournament has kicked off, and fans in New York City don’t need to travel far to find a watch party with the best viewing atmosphere. Avenida and The Rutherford, two Midtown Manhattan restaurants with excellent bar setups, are the perfect places to watch soccer matches this summer. These two spots pack boisterous stadium-level energy, serve delicious food and a wide variety of drinks while hosting unmatched camaraderie shared amongst fans.
For the first time since 1994, the World Cup is being hosted in the U.S., and New Yorkers as well as out-of-towners can get a front-row seat (from the bar) of the matches. Both Avenida and The Rutherford—located adjacent to each other at 1 Pennsylvania Plaza and West 33rd Street—are giving fans the opportunity to rally behind their countries, throw on jerseys and spend weeks watching matches together.
On June 12, the two venues hosted a watch party for the USA vs. Paraguay match that was overflowing with fans. Guests had a blast at the viewing party, watching the U.S. win on 50-plus large screen televisions and rooftop projectors. Both venues have invested over $75,000 into TV and audio upgrades for the tournament, so the images of the televised match were vivid and pristine. The sounds from the speakers were top-notch too. You could easily hear the grunting from the players!
Courtesy of The Rutherford / Avenida NYC
At the viewing party, the space at both venues were casual and spacious with a bar and dining area that was perfectly set up for game-day viewing. Most importantly, there were plenty of comfortable spots indoors or on the rooftop patios to take in the action due to both venues’ assortment of seating, like high tops, booths, and lots of bar seats. Avenida’s space featured 20 TVs throughout the venue with full sun protection technology for clear daytime viewing, as well as a large rooftop projector that created an immersive watch party atmosphere. The Rutherford’s space indoors was elevated and classy while their rooftop had incredible views of Madison Square Garden and Moynihan Train Hall.
No viewing party is complete without yummy food. Avenida served superb Mexican flavor dishes. Portions were large and shareable. Favorites on the menu included nachos, quesadillas, birria tacos, guacamole with fire roasted salsa, burritos, and enchiladas. The drinks were stacked with beers like Modelo, Dos Equis, Negra Modelo, and Tecate as well as cocktails, including Palomas, Margaritas, Piña Coladas, Lychee Lemondrop Martinis, and the Dear Maud with mezcal, pineapple, lime, and agave. At The Rutherford, their menu offered a NY prime steak sandwich, a heirloom tomato BLT sandwich, a crispy chicken sandwich with dill pickles, shaved romaine and ranch and a double patty smashburger. Shareable dishes included crispy deviled eggs, old bay shrimp rolls, buffalo chicken bites and blistered shishito peppers.
Courtesy of The Rutherford / Avenida NYC
Watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Avenida and The Rutherford was fun and a great place to view all 104 World Cup games throughout the tournament. From our experience, you’ll be able to snag a seat, throwback a beer, and chow down on tasty bites over high-quality viewing setups.
