Best Sports Bars in Cape Town

The closest serious sports bar to DHL Stadium, which makes it ground zero for international rugby fixtures. Fourteen screens across two levels, a tight beer selection that runs well beyond Castle and Heineken, and a kitchen that turns out decent burgers and nachos at sensible prices. Pre-match energy here is unmatched in Cape Town. Book a table for Springbok Test match days. Rugby

Cape Town's most reliable sports pub. McGinty's covers every major sport across ten screens, with particular enthusiasm for Six Nations rugby, Premier League football, and international cricket. The Guinness is poured correctly. The crowd mixes tourists with genuine sports fans who've been coming here for years. The Waterfront location means mountain views from the outside terrace when the game allows a break. All Sports

A proper pub in the Victorian warehouse district of the Waterfront, Ferryman's shows all the major sporting codes and benefits from its heritage building atmosphere. The mix of exposed brick, dark wood, and a low ceiling creates the kind of environment that makes watching sport feel like an event. Eight screens and a good draft beer selection. Tends to be calmer than McGinty's, which some people prefer. Heritage Pub

One of the most atmospherically unusual sports bars in Africa: a pub sitting directly on the Kalk Bay harbour with waves crashing against the rocks below and several screens showing whatever the nation is watching that day. The Brass Bell draws surfers, fishermen, and sports fans together in a way that should not work as well as it does. Order a Castle and something from the fish and chips counter. Ocean Location

Cape Town's oldest pub, trading since 1862, and still one of the best places to watch rugby in the city centre. The walls are thick with sports memorabilia, the crowd is reliably enthusiastic, and the prices remain sensible despite the location. It gets packed for Springbok matches, so arrive 45 minutes early for the big fixtures. A proper old Cape Town institution. Since 1862

A Long Street institution that doubles as one of the better sports viewing venues in the CBD. The focus is on football and rugby, shown across six screens with the audio up. The cocktail list is more ambitious than most sports bars and the beer selection includes several South African craft options. A good choice if your group includes both sports watchers and those who prefer a good drink. Cocktails

Ninety-nine beers on tap and screens showing all the major sports. Beerhouse is the craft beer answer to the traditional sports bar, and it works well. The sheer scale of the tap list means every member of your group will find something they want to drink. The screens are well-positioned throughout the space. Sport and serious beer rarely combine this successfully. 99 Taps

Sea Point's best option for watching sport, drawing a local crowd that treats the place like a community living room. Twelve craft beers on tap from Cape Town's growing brewery scene, six screens, and a kitchen open until 11pm. Significantly less crowded than the Waterfront venues for big international fixtures, which makes it our pick for those who prefer to actually see the game clearly. Sea Point Local

A Scottish-themed pub that brings credible enthusiasm to rugby in particular, which makes sense given the sport's position in both cultures. The whisky selection is more serious than the surroundings would suggest, with 80 Scottish malts behind the bar. Six screens handle the sport. The atmosphere for autumn internationals is excellent, with a genuinely mixed crowd of South Africans and expatriates. 80 Whiskies

Observatory's community bar has two screens, an excellent draft beer list that rotates frequently, and the kind of genuinely local crowd that is almost impossible to find in the Waterfront or Long Street areas. It's primarily a neighbourhood pub with sports as a welcome feature rather than a dedicated sports bar, which actually makes the atmosphere on big match days feel more authentic and less manufactured. Neighbourhood

Set above Muizenberg beach with a terrace that faces one of Cape Town's most famous surf breaks, Tiger's Milk combines sport watching with ocean views in a way that few bars anywhere can match. Rugby and football on big screens, sunset over the Atlantic on others. The food is consistently good across a big crowd. A logical destination after a morning surf session. Beach Location

Kloof Street's most reliable sports pub, drawing professionals from the surrounding residential areas for Six Nations and Premier League fixtures. Good cocktail list alongside the standard draft beer lineup, which makes it a practical choice when your group's sports enthusiasm is mixed. The televisions are large and well-placed. Parking is manageable in the evening, which matters on Kloof Street. Kloof Street

An Observatory mainstay at 38 Trill Road where students, artists, and locals gather. Now run by the Bodega Ramen team, it pairs Thai street food with sport on the screen and a busy bar. Observatory

One of the first tenants at the V and A Waterfront, set in a converted bluestone locomotive shed since 1989. A beer garden screen, tap beers, and Table Mountain views make it a steady match day pick. V and A Waterfront

Newlands' Forries has poured since 1852, making it one of South Africa's oldest pubs, with 21 draughts and a shaded courtyard at the foot of the mountains. Rugby crowds pack it on Test days. Newlands

A Scottish themed pub and grill on Gemini Street in Brackenfell, with live events, a long whisky list, and screens for the weekend fixtures. A northern suburbs option away from the City Bowl. Brackenfell

A 290 seat beachfront room on the Muizenberg boardwalk with surf views, wood fired pizzas, and its own Tiger's Milk lager on tap. DJs on Wednesday and Sunday keep it lively after dark. Muizenberg