Best sports pubs in Barcelona
When you are abroad you have fresh opportunity to soak up local culture and cuisines and of course to try new things. But this doesn’t mean you can forget as to the goings on of your favourite football teams while you are away. Especially when you have something as big as the World Cup in Russia in summer 2018. Football is huge in Barcelona, rightly so as one of the best teams in the world plays here.
On match days the whole city turns out to catch the games, the streets are filled with avid football fans donning the navy blue, red and yellow of the Nou Camp crest.
Fortunately, being a city of mass tourism there are many bars in the city where you can watch your favourite team from back home as well. The majority of these are Irish bars (of course!) and the atmosphere in them is fantastic when watching the games. So here is a list of the top sports bars in the city to watch your favourite teams do their thing!
Flaherty’s Irish Bar
Plaza Joaquim Xirau, Barcelona, Spain
This is without doubt the most popular sports bar in the city. Located 30 seconds from the centre of La Rambla and with a terrace out front this bar is filled with holiday makers everyday but especially on match day. The sheer number of screens in this bar means that they can play several different games at the same time. The staff always do their best to accommodate requests so don’t be afraid to ask if your team isn’t up on the TV when you enter (although British Premier League football is always a given). Being the busiest sports bar in the city be sure to get there early on match day or you will not get a seat! The food offering includes some home-made pub classics such as jacket potatoes and pies. The atmosphere here is generally everything you could ask from an Irish pub but especially on match days it hits new levels!
Belushis Bar
Carrer de Bergara, 3, Barcelona, Spain
This huge sports bar is located just off the Plaça Catalunya in the city centre. Attached to one of the biggest hostels in the city centre, St Christopher’s, it is a lively bar popular with international visitors and students. The bar is open late at night and is not unknown to host a few parties at the weekend, as well as organising beer pong and foosball games. Sports is also a big part of Belushi’s identity, and there are a number of large HD screens across the bar where you can watch football, golf, NFL, NBA, cricket and more. Bar food includes burgers, wraps, salads and a selection of Spanish tapas. There are also two huge projector screens at either end of the main bar which play the biggest games of the day.
The Wild Rover Irish Bar
Carrer de Santa Monica 2, Barcelona, Spain
The Wild Rover is a traditional Irish pub located not far from La Rambla in central Barcelona. The pub boasts about its two ‘giant’ screens and six large televisions that show football, rugby, tennis, basketball and more. You can watch both Spanish La Liga matches and British Premier League as well as Champions League and Europa League football. The food is standard pub fare, with burgers and sandwiches making up much of the menu, while on tap you’ll find Guinness, Beck’s, Coors Light, Magners and more. There is always a lively atmosphere in here especially on match days!
The George Payne
Placa Urquinaona, 5, Barcelona, Spain
This bar is one of the biggest sports bars in the city and is located just by Urquinaona metro station and is another great place in town for watching live sports on TV. A vast projector screen in the back room relays the action (albeit not in high definition) as the crowds lay into the pints and bar snacks. Get there well ahead of kick off if you don’t want to be left outside, as it can get crowded, especially for Barca matches. It is also packed for most premier league games. Fantastic drink deals makes this place a real favourite amongst tourists, expats and locals
La Taverna de Barcelona
37 Ronda de la Universitat, Barcelona, Spain
If Irish pubs aren’t quite your thing and you would prefer to watch a games with the locals then La Taverna de Barcelona offers live sports screenings in an altogether more Spanish atmosphere. Located not far from Plaça Catalunya, the bar is popular with FC Barcelona fans who come to watch the game on one of the large screens, and you’d do well to book ahead of time if you want to secure a table. On the menu, you’ll find a mixture of classic bar snacks and international favourites, as well as traditional tapas. It is great fun watching a Barcelona game with local fans, they are extremely passionate about their team, so for a more cultural experience when watching a football game head to this bar and soak up the unique atmosphere!
Cocovail Beer Hall Barcelona
284 Carrer d’Aragó, Barcelona, Spain
Of course not everyone who comes here is a football fan! If you flew over the Atlantic to get here it is more than likely you would rather watch men in huge padding throw a funny coloured rugby ball up and down the field! CocoVail is a craft beer emporium with over twenty different craft beers on tap, many of which are local. Inspired by the American-style beer halls, CocoVail boasts large seating areas ideal for big groups and has a long list of home-made bar food including chicken wings, burgers, pulled pork sandwiches and poke bowls. As for the sports, every Sunday they screen American NFL games on the large screens, and there are some great offers on drink and food starting from 7pm.
Whichever bar you go to watch the games of the summer make sure you turn up early to secure good seats!