The Best Sports Bars in Shanghai

Boasting 4 TV walls and 11 other 70-inch screens, The Camel Sports Bar & Kitchen is one of the most popular sports bars in the city. While the Australian management ensures lots of rugby and other Aussie-focused programming, you’ll also find full schedules for the NFL games, baseball, local events and even college basketball (if you ask nicely). The recently renovated space also has 20 beers on tap, a private back porch and a menu that stretches beyond classic bar-food fare.

One of the original names in Shanghai’s sports bar game, Big Bamboo is an establishment that has stuck close to its roots. The location in Hongqiao district is tucked down a pedestrian lane aptly named “Foreigner’s Street,” (Laowai Jie). Here you’ll find lots of sports on the screens, plus pool and foosball tables. In warm weather, the outdoor patio is a great place to catch up in front of a big-screen TV and nosh on nachos.

This low-key establishment offers well-priced drinks and comforting pub food to go along with the on-screen competition. In addition to a well-stocked beer pantry, The Shed also offers good quality spirits and mixed cocktails that pair perfectly with chicken wings, burgers and meat pies. This is another spot founded by Australians, so expect a healthy dose of Aussie-rules football and rugby, but you’ll also find the Grand Prix and much more. Check their website for updates on what’s screening.

With hardwood floors and high ceilings, Shanghai Brewery is more streamlined brauhaus than down-n-dirty sports bar. The kitchen also gets a little more creative with its cuisine, offering dishes like German pork knuckle and a “fitness salad,” alongside burgers, pizza and steak. True to their name, Shanghai Brewery also brews up a decent array of their own beers to go along with those 14 flat screen TVs and 4 large screen projectors.

Here’s something a little different. Instead of just watching sports, why not get involved in a little action as well? Set in a huge 4,000sqm warehouse space out in northern Jing’an, Cages offers batting cages, a squash court, dodgeball, and bubble soccer along with more standard bar games like pool, cornhole and foosball. Once you’ve exhausted yourself, settle into the huge bar and restaurant where you’ll find 70 HDTVs playing all the sports your eyeballs can possibly handle.

This spacious location on Taixing Road is dedicated to the beer aficionado, offering an extensive range of beers on tap and imported bottles, along with nice pub grub to go along with your sports entertainment. Their second-floor rooftop deck overlooking the buzzing courtyard is also a prime location for people watching during commercial breaks.

Another long-time Shanghai stalwart, Blarney Stone is one of those cozy classic Irish pubs in both decor and feel. Of course, Guinness on tap is a mainstay, along with other lagers and house pours. You’ll find lots of regulars posted up at the bar rooting for their favorite teams. Live music is often playing in the background.

For a more upscale experience, head to The Brew located within the Kerry Hotel Pudong. Here you’ll find a contemporary space with soaring ceilings, and brew tanks chugging away in the background. In addition to your favorite sports on the screen, you can also go on a brewery tour and listen to live music at night. Grab a spot on their outdoor patio, which opens out onto a nice green space to relax.

If you have a large group of fans in tow, The Spot is a good place to consider posting up. The generally buzzy, spacious bar is a great place to get into the spirit of whatever happens to be on screen. Their menu meanders around the globe with both Western and Asian specialties, and drinks flow freely. Keep an eye out for happy hours and other promotional offers.

The newest sports bar establishment on the Shanghai scene is Caxton, which leans heavily in favor of rugby leagues. They do offer other sports, but only when the big boys aren’t playing. There are also 10 beers on tap (including some local brews from Boxing Cat and Brewdog) and more of that lovable pub grub. Get there early on game nights, as the place gets busy.

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