Here are some of the Triangle's best sports bars for March Madness

With three Triangle schools in the NCAA Tournament this year, many locals might be ditching work a little early this week to catch the opening round.

Here are 16 of the best places to catch the games across the Triangle.

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Of note: UNC will be the first local team to play , taking on Wagner at 2:45pm Thursday.

• N.C. State tips off against Texas Tech at 9:40pm on Thursday.
• Duke plays Vermont at 7:10pm on Friday.

Raleigh and Cary

Players Retreat : A sanctuary for generations of Wolfpack fans near N.C. State's campus.

• The vibe: Come if you like the color red and delicious burgers.
• Address: 105 Oberlin Road, Raleigh

Fan celebrate the Wolfpack's 66-63 victory over Georgetown in the third round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament at The Players' Retreat. Photo: Takaaki Iwabu/Raleigh News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Sports & Social : One of the Triangle's newest sports bars and where N.C. State fans and players spent selection Sunday .

• The vibe: A massive bar with a 42-foot LED TV. Expect a more neutral crowd.
• Address: 301 Fenton Gateway Dr., Cary

Brickhouse : Located on Hillsborough Street, this bar will likely be crawling with N.C. State students and alumni.

• Address: 3801 Hillsborough St., Raleigh

Mitch's Tavern : Another symbol of N.C. State lore, Mitch's has been hosting students and Raleighites for more than 50 years.

• The vibe: An old-school haunt with a reliable cast of regulars.
• Address: 2426 Hillsborough St., Raleigh

My Way Tavern : A popular and reliable destination with locations in Raleigh and Holly Springs.

• The vibe: Expect plenty of televisions and solid chicken wings.
• Address: 522 St. Mary's St., Raleigh, and 301 W. Center St., Holly Springs

Carolina Ale House : A Triangle sports bar staple with locations in nearly every corner of the Triangle.

• The vibe: A classic modern sports bar with plenty of televisions and a large menu of food and drinks.
• Address: Multiple locations in Brier Creek, Cary, Durham, Raleigh, Garner and Wake Forest.

Woody's Sports Tavern : A no-frills Triangle institution long known for its chicken wing prowess.

• Address: Three locations — in downtown Raleigh, Cary and Morrisville.

Durham

Dain's Place : An intimate sports bar steps away from Duke's East Campus.

• The vibe: The small bar is cherished by regulars who often spill out onto the bar's sidewalk. Get there early if you want a seat.
• Address: 754 9th St., Durham

Tobacco Road : Famous for its perch over the Durham Bulls outfield, Tobacco Road has long been a popular gathering spot for big games in downtown Durham.

• Address: 280 S. Mangum St., Durham

Tobacco Road Sports Cafe is known for its perch over the Durham Bulls Athletic Park left field wall. Photo: Eakin Howard/Getty Images

Bull McCabe's : An Irish bar that has always been a magnet for sports fans in Durham.

• The vibe: The bar offers one of the few lawns in downtown and often puts games on a projector.
• The address: 427 W. Main St.

Clouds Brewing : It's a brewery, yes, but Clouds offers tables and televisions galore, meaning you'll usually never be competing for a spot to watch.

• Address: 905 W. Main St., suite 22, Durham

Devine's Durham : A downtown Durham dive that is owned by a former Duke football player.

• The vibe: It will be hard to find a bar that roots for Duke harder than Devine's.
• Address: 904 W. Main St., Durham

Bralie's : A time-tested bar that in addition to a fleet of televisions offers darts and corn hole.

• Address: Two locations in north Durham and south Durham

Chapel Hill

Top of the Hill : One of the best-known bars in the Triangle, Top of the Hill is known most for its iconic overlook of Franklin Street.

The vibe: Expect plenty of competition for seats and a partisan Tar Heel crowd.

Address: 100 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill

The view from Top of the Hill after a national championship win for the Tar Heels in 2009. Photo: Chris Keane/Getty Images

Italian Pizzeria III : A pizzeria known just as much as a spot to watch basketball as its pizza.

• The vibe: Wander around and check out the impressive amount of gear and photos from Tar Heel sports legends.
• Address: 508 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill

He's Not Here : Chapel Hill's liveliest bar that crawls with undergrads and alumni alike on game days.

• The vibe: It's a bar where the atmosphere of the people watching is far more important than the number of televisions.
• Address: 112 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill

Outside at He's Not Here in Chapel Hill. Photo: Zachery Eanes/Axios

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