It’s official. Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar in New Orleans is the Best Sports Bar in North America! ESPN Mobile made the announcement late Friday at the conclusion of its third-annual continent-wide vote.
After steamrolling through the initial round of 12 finalists, Walk-On’s was pitted last week against four other sports bars representing Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte and Pittsburgh for the ultimate designation as 2012’s Best Sports Bar in North America.
Nationwide voting took place over two weeks on ESPN Mobile’s “Best Sports Bar in North America” site (http://m.espn.go.com/wireless/story?storyId=8466409&hcId=8292292&wjb). To ensure fairness and competitive balance, the winning bar was selected by a combination of fan balloting and editorial panel review. ESPN Mobile averages 25 million unique visitors per month.
In breaking the news about Walk-On’s triumph, ESPN Mobile’s editorial board said it was “impressed by their extensive food and beer selection, plethora of TVs and, most importantly, extreme dedication by their patrons.”
“What an unbelievable couple of weeks, first being named one of the Top 12 finalists, then the Final 5, and now being crowned the Best Sports Bar in North America!” said Brandon Landry, co-founder and owner of Walk-On’s and its parent company, Last In Concepts. “As ESPN Mobile said, our loyal fan base took to the polls in droves, and I can’t tell you how grateful we are to all our incredible customers, our local community and the amazing team that makes Walk-On’s so special. I’m just blown away!”
Renowned for its delicious Louisiana-inspired menu and unique game-day dining experience, Walk-On’s was previously voted Best Sports Bar in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and New Orleans. So it’s fitting that it was the only Louisiana restaurant among the original 12 North American finalists.
Walk-On’s prevailed over the fierce competition with an extensive social media campaign and an embedded link featured prominently on its website (www.walk-ons.com).
“We did what we could to get the word out to our fans, but they did the heavy lifting,” said Jack Warner, Walk-On’s other co-founder. “We clearly have the best customers in the business, and we can’t thank them enough for showing everyone across North America what it means to have Bayou Pride! Brandon and I feel like we’ve finally gone from walk-ons to winners!”
With more than 150 flat-screen TVs, Walk-On’s has become the go-to destination for great food in a great sports-themed atmosphere. Walk-On’s is the place to go to cheer on the local teams, and to enjoy all the biggest sporting events of the year.
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.
Walk-On’s is a culmination of many years of ideas, hopes and dreams. We are a true celebration of great food & drink combined with team spirit and camaraderie. We also possess an undying enthusiasm forwinning service that you can look forward to every time you walk through our doors. In addition to Walk-On’s, Last In Concepts has developed and implemented three other original concepts: The Roux House, Happy’s Irish Pub and Schlittz & Giggles. The company now operates eight restaurants in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and New Orleans. For more information, visit www.lastinconcepts.com.
