Got Game? The 7 Best Sports Bars in Beijing

Whether you follow the NBA or the Champions League, cricket or Greco-Roman wrestling, badminton or competitive ironing, there is always a game on somewhere in the world, but how can a sports-lover enjoy the thrill of watching a game live with other fans in this great city? To save you from watching them alone at dawn and waking up the grandpa next door when you scream Goooaaal!, we've rounded up the seven best sports bars in town, rated for their rowdy spirit, prime screenage, and fine pub grub and drinks to keep you powered through the big games, no matter the time of day.
 

Paddy O'Shea's

This long-running Dongzhimen Irish sports bar (nominated among the Best Irish Pubs in the World) offers you a vast selection of craft and international beers, starting from RMB 25 for a pint. With a friendly environment, loads of football jerseys hanging on the walls, and more flat screens than is comfortable to watch, Paddy's is the perfect place to catch up with your favorite team, meet new people, and shelter from the elements, no matter rain, sleet, snow, or desert-like heat.

Daily 10am-late. 28 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6415 6389)
朝阳区东直门外大街28号
 

Q Mex Bar & Grill

This Sanlitun (and more recently, Shuangjing) Mexican restaurant is another favorite sports bar on the Beijing scene. Their party environment, pints (starting at around RMB 30), Mexican-inspired cocktails, award-winning burgers, and Tex-Mex fare make the perfect companions for any gaming event. You may not know it, but their pizza is also one of the best in town. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events are featured regularly, and if you get tired of watching grown men kick the living daylights out of each other, retire to the pool table instead.

Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu (nearby The Bookworm and D Lounge), Chaoyang District (6585 3828)
朝阳区工体北路4号院
 

The Local

Just a few steps away from Q Mex, this restaurant and bar has lived up to its name to become a favorite expat hangout thanks to good service, a casual atmosphere, and comforting pub grub. There's also a healthy number of trusted cocktails and a good selection of imported draft beers from China and abroad. Need a kick? Their beer-margaritas will get you chanting for your team, while the eight screens, multiple satellite feeds, and an IPTV hookup will keep you going. The Local also has a pool table to keep you busy between bouts.

Daily 11am-2am. Courtyard 4 (opposite west entrance of 1949 - The Hidden City), Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District (6591 9525)
朝阳区工体北路4号院（1949西门对面）
 

VSports

Located just inside Workers' Stadium North Gate, VSports is the kind of venue where you can hang out and watch the weekend games into the early hours while also practicing your pool or darts skills. Craft beer on tap, a vast selection of cocktails, and Western food aplenty will help console you if your team isn’t doing great. After the game, pop into Vics or Mix next door for some OG Beijing clubbing.

Sun-Thu 11am-3am, Fri-Sat 11am-6am. Inside Workers' Stadium North Gate, Chaoyang District (5293 0333, 8572 8130)
朝阳区工体北门内东侧
 

Luga's Villa

Another great way to enjoy your favorite sports games is surrounded by nachos, burritos, and tacos. Luga's has all of the above and after years of business located at the top end of the formerly Dirty Bar Street (Ed's note: now dubbed Tidy Bar Street. Let's make it happen), Luga's is open till late and remains a safe bet for catching live events. Be sure to check out their daily deals on steak, nachos, and pizza.

Daily 11am-2am. 2/F, 7 Sanlitun Houjie (10m from northwest corner of 3.3 Shopping Center), Chaoyang District (6416 2575)
朝阳区三里屯后街7号2层(离3.3购物中心西北角10米)
 

Caravan

Located just south of Ritan Park and in the heart of the old embassy district, this Moroccan restaurant and bar specializes in traditional Moroccan and Mediterranean fare as well as rum, and sporting events at every hour of the day, including everything from football to baseball, basketball, Aussie rules, American football, and UFC. There's also a healthy amount of live music in between.

44 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District (8563 0801)
朝阳区光华路44号
 

Yummy Box Pizza

Moving away from the trendy east side toward the student hub of Wudaokou (they also have branches in Wangjing and southeast of the Temple of Heaven), Yummy Box is spacious and packed with screens. As the name suggests, the kitchen dabbles in pizza, with their Chicago-style pies and other bar snacks going down particularly well alongside live sporting events. 

Daily 10.30am-3am. 3/F, Bldg 12, Huaqing Jiayuan, Heqing Road, Wudaokou, Haidian District (8288 6632)
五道口荷清路华清嘉园12号楼底商3层

Want to actually do some sport, rather than just watching it? 
Here are 3 fun and unconventional exercise classes to try this summer.

Photo: Conexao Jornalismo