Perth does the sports bar well. Wall-to-wall screens, quiet locals with the game in the corner, and everything in between. There’s a spot here for every kind of watcher.
Full disclosure before we start: we run one of the bars on this list, so we’ve popped ourselves at the top. The rest are here on merit, and we’ve been fair about what each one does best. No rankings, just a good match for whatever kind of afternoon you’re after.
1. The Claisebrook Bar, East Perth
Best for a sunset, a proper feed and the dog
That’s us.
What you get at the Claisey is the footy on the big screens, a pint of Claisey Ale or Tennent’s in hand, and the sun going down over Claisebrook Cove while you watch. The deck’s dog-friendly, the owners are behind the bar, and the food goes well past standard pub grub. Think haggis spring rolls, half-kilo wings on Wingsday, and The Claisebrook Burger with your choice of haggis or black pudding.
Happy hour runs 4 to 6 pm daily, and if you’re heading to the stadium, we’re the relaxed feed before the walk over.
2. The Royal, East Perth
Best for screens on the water
Our neighbours around the cove, and credit where it’s due. Nine screens [VERIFY], waterfront views and a solid run of pub classics. If you want a proper sports pub atmosphere without leaving East Perth, The Royal does it well. Big match days get busy, so get in early.
3. Crown Sports Bar, Burswood
Best for the full production
If screen real estate is the measure, Crown wins by the length of the straight. We’re talking a wall of screens of two bars, TAB facilities and a private viewing room you can hire for the big ones. It’s an 18+ venue, and it’s a production, not a local, but for a UFC main event or a Grand Final with a big crew, it’s hard to top.
4. The Sporting Globe, Floreat
Best for booking a booth with your mates
Fifty-plus screens and private booths with their own touchscreen TVs, which means your group picks the game and nobody argues with the bloke holding the remote. Wings and parmas do the heavy lifting on the menu. It’s a chain, but it’s a chain that knows exactly what it’s doing.
5. Patriots Sports Bar, Northbridge
Best for the American stuff
NBA at 8 am, NFL on a Monday, and more than a dozen American beers on tap [VERIFY]. Patriots lean all the way into the US theme, and it works. If your sport of choice runs on Eastern Standard Time, this is your spot in Perth.
6. The Game Sports Bar, Northbridge
Best for pre-game atmosphere
A big room that fills up fast before match days and handles a crowd well. If you like your build-up loud and your venue walking distance from the action in Northbridge, The Game is built for exactly that.
7. Hill Street Bar, Perth CBD
Best for the after-work game
Tucked inside the Pan Pacific, Hill Street is the civilised option. Catch the game with a weekday lunch special or swing by for happy hour between 4 and 6 pm. Less scarves-and-face-paint, more quiet pint while the cricket ticks over. Sometimes that’s exactly what you want.
So, Where To?
Depends on the day, doesn’t it? Grand Final with twenty mates, probably Crown or the Globe. NBA before breakfast, Patriots. But if your ideal afternoon is the footy on the screen, a cold pint, the dog at your feet and the sun setting over the water, well. You know where we’ll be.
See you at the Claisey.