22 sports bars ranked and reviewed by our editors.
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Belushi's Bar London Bridge
London Bridge
The flagship London location of the Belushi's chain sets the benchmark for sports bars in the city. Fifteen screens across two floors, a dedicated Premier League showing every weekend, and a crowd that arrives early and stays late. The burgers are better than you expect.
Purpose-built for the sports bar crowd, The Dugout runs 20 screens across a cavernous basement space beneath Shoreditch High Street. Excellent draught selection, fast service on matchdays, and a retractable roof section for warmer months.
Three floors of live sport in the heart of London's most accessible neighbourhood. Rugby internationals get the biggest crowds; football draws a more partisan mix. Arrive 45 minutes early for any Six Nations match.
One of CAMRA's finest pubs in London, The Harp shows sport without sacrificing atmosphere. A small but well-placed screen means you can watch the match and still have a proper conversation. We recommend it for smaller games.
Adjacent to Victoria station, this is the city's most accessible sports venue for arriving or departing fans. Sixteen screens, a menu built for pre-match crowds, and extremely efficient bar staff who understand what matchday means.
The outdoor screens here are London's best matchday experience when the weather cooperates. Container bars selling craft beer, a crowd that mixes locals with visitors, and screens big enough to see from twenty metres back.
The Ned's basement bar shows major sport in surroundings that feel completely unlike any other sports bar in London. The screens are modest but the cocktails are not, making it ideal for guests who want to watch the match without surrendering their standards.
The Holborn branch of the O'Neills chain consistently outperforms its siblings. Better beer selection, a more engaged staff, and screens positioned for viewing from almost every seat. Reliable and surprisingly good.
A City bar that pivots expertly to sport on matchdays. The large screens are discreet when not in use, and the crowd shifts from suits to supporters depending on the fixture. Good wine list alongside the usual draught.
Ping-pong meets sports bar at this Farringdon institution. The combination works better than it sounds: watching sport between games of table tennis is genuinely enjoyable. Book tables in advance for big Premier League fixtures.
A Victorian pub that has adapted gracefully to the sports bar era. The garden shows sport on outdoor screens from spring to autumn, while the main bar has three prominent screens and a proper draught selection.
Overlooking the South Bank, The Refinery shows major sport across six screens while maintaining the quality standards of a cocktail bar. The riverside terrace is an excellent vantage point in summer. Reservations strongly recommended for Champions League nights.
London's sports bar scene differs fundamentally from its American counterparts. The pub heritage means that screens compete with conversation for attention, and the best venues manage both. A great sports bar in London isn't necessarily one with the most screens or the loudest atmosphere, but rather one that understands its audience and context. Some venues prioritise the match; others prioritise the people watching it.
The Premier League divide runs through every bar in the city. Every venue is partisan at some level, whether they admit it or not. The best sports bars manage rival supporters with grace, maintaining both atmosphere and safety when passions run high. This is particularly important during derbies and high-stakes matches where emotions peak. The quality of a sports bar is often measured by how well they handle these moments.
What to look for: screen placement matters enormously — can you actually see from your seat? — as does sound management, service speed on matchdays, and the quality of the draught beer selection. Several of our favourite sports bars double as excellent craft beer destinations, and for those nights when there is no match on, our guide to the best craft beer bars in London is worth bookmarking alongside this one. That social element is what separates great sports bars from merely adequate ones.
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