Patch Picks: Best Places to Watch the Super Bowl

The ambiance, the cuisine, the big-screen TVs, and, oh, the cheese... The culmination of the entire pro football season on one special day requires the perfect balance of all the requisite components. We've ducked into sports bars across the lower Peninsula to check out where the action will be this Sunday.

 1. Most Wholesome



 Want to take your kid with you to watch the game? First & Main gets our vote for most family friendly sports bar. (They even have a kid's menu.) Roomy, and very clean, F&M is about as wholesome as they come. Regular clientele rave about F&M's Mac and Cheese, one even calling it "bliss in a crock."

2. Most Enthusiastic (read "loud") Audience



A loyal clientele lovingly refer to this as "The O." The name says it all. Burgers and pizzas are the order of the day.

3. Most Classic Sports Bar



This venerable sports bar has eight (count 'em eight) new 63" plasma TVs. Their pizzas, sliders, and Buffalo wings are a cut above the average sports bar lineup. Good luck with parking.

4. Best Wine List



The bar inside the Los Altos Grill has two TVs and dozens of really stellar vintages of wine ready to be poured.

5. Most Historic Building



The BBC has a great setting and an impressive list of beers on tap.

6. Best Cheese Plate



If you'd like a little fromage while watching  the Packers take on the Steelers, this is the place for you. We'd never realized how well charcuterie goes with beer.

7. Biggest College Crowd



Great sliders, some really good craft ales and many beers on tap at this institution of higher education.

8. Best Dive Bar



A sign above the bar says, "Watch out for pickpockets and loose women." They're not kidding. Don't say we didn't warn you.

9/10/11/12. A little farther afield: