New sports bars coming to Downtown South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – South Bend’s nightlife scene is shaking up with several new bars and entertainment spots preparing to open their doors in time for football season.

From a tequila bar on Eddy Street to a new 6,640 square foot sports bars coming to the Ivy at Berlin Place outside Four Winds Field, residents and visitors will soon have more options for their weekend plans.

Manny’s, a new sports bar taking over the former Garage Arcade Bar space downtown.

Construction crews are already hard at work transforming the space, aiming to open Manny’s by late July.

Josh Thompson, behind the upcoming Shamrock’s Sports Bar, coming to the Ivy says this is the first time in over a decade that a true sports bar will call downtown South Bend home.

“The last time there was what we would consider a true sports bar downtown,a place with good food and a multi-TV experience was the old Buffalo Wild Wings,” Thompson said.

And down the street, plans are underway for the Ivy Alley Social House, which will feature a craft beer and duckpin bowling inside the old Spenner Garage.

These new venues will join La Esperanza, a recently opened Mexican restaurant also located just outside Four Winds Field.

Though Shamrock’s won’t be ready in time for the South Bend Cubs’ current season, the team hopes to open in time for football this fall.

“We’re excited to roll right from baseball into college football and then the NFL,” Thompson said.

Thompson says the goal is to contribute to the area's revitalization by giving residents and visitors more reasons to stick around after work or a game.

“People used to just go to work and go home. Now, we’re trying to build up the community to support all this new residential development,” he said.

With ongoing growth around the ballpark and a focus on creating more all day destinations, the hope is these new businesses will draw more people downtown and enhance the city’s social scene.

“Even though we’re an individual business, we’re part of something so much bigger,” Thompson said. “To be involved in that is really, really cool.”

Shamrock’s Sports Bar is expected to open in October, just in time for Fighting Irish Football, and plans to feature lights and music that sync to the game.