Warsaw manages to satisfy sports fans of many genres. From the national stadium to horse racing to basketball arenas to local football teams, there is always a good sporting event on the agenda for Warszawians, the nickname given to the city’s residents. For those who just want a good old sports bar or pub in which to watch a football match, a boxing match or some grand prix, this list should fit the bill.
The British Bulldog Pub in central Warsaw shows European football, World Cup football, boxing and many other sports on request. The bar is so British it even has three-pin plug sockets. No kidding. Boasting staff who are trained to speak great English, live British football on the screens and a fake London phone box, this is more than a slice of London in the Polish capital. The interior decor contains portraits of David Beckham and newspapers from vintage England. What’s more, the range of drinks – London Pride, Guinness and the whiskeys of Scotland – ensure this place is the nearest you will get to being in the UK while Poland saunters on outside its doors.
A bar with large screens and TVs for big sporting events, Molly Malone’s genuinely tries to be as Irish as it can, taking its name from Irish fishmonger Molly Malone. It sits just minutes from Warsaw’s Old Town and the famous Zygmunt’s Column located on the main street, Krakowskie Przedmieście. The downstairs section is just a narrow bar that serves good Murphy’s and Guinness. The upstairs is where the party really starts with big TV screens for sports and a makeshift dance floor when there is live music or an event on (for example, St. Patrick’s Day). The beverage menu has a wide selection of Irish products, and green beer is available throughout the year. You guessed it – it’s just Polish lager with green colouring, but the idea of drinking it in a little slice of Ulster certainly keeps you perky. Molly Malone’s is as Irish as a bar in Poland gets.
Put simply, Champions Sports Bar is probably the best “sports-themed bar” in Warsaw. Once you enter, you will see flags on the ceiling, a mock boxing ring seating area, a pool table and genuine signed shirts from famous sporting legends. This bar shows all the popular football matches from the Polish Ekstraklasa to the German Bundesliga to the English Premier League. It’s a huge bar with large windows facing out onto the main street. You can sit at the bar, or at a table, but tables should be reserved in advance when there is a big sporting event on, for example, when Poland is involved in a football match. As it’s a stylish and upmarket venue, sports wear is permitted, but bar and restaurant prices are high to reflect the bar’s uniqueness. Beers cost from 10 zlotych (US$3) and up, and meals such as cheeseburgers and pork cutlets cost upwards of 30 zlotych (US$9). It is recommended that you reserve a table in advance even when it is not a big occasion, as this is the most popular sports bar in the city. The atmosphere is fun and lively during big tournaments and matches.
Situated centrally near Warsaw’s iconic Palace of Culture and Science, Legends is a typical British bar and restaurant. Opened and run by an Englishman, the bar has a traditional Victorian England-style interior, which has also tried to encapsulate the other parts of the UK, as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland flags also hang from the walls. Almost all English Premier League football matches are shown on the venue’s many televisions. There is free Wi-Fi, an expatriate vibe, lots of British and Irish beers and a warm atmosphere. Traditional British food is also served such as steak and kidney pie and fish and chips. Legends does drink specials during their ‘Happy Hours’, and the venue attracts a lively crowd for most big sporting events.
The city’s most successful football team, Legia Warszawa, play at the Polish Army Stadium. One side of the stadium, by the entrance and ticket booth, has a superb sports bar. Inside, the bar is full of memorabilia such as scarves, football shirts and photos of players. The bar has big screens and shows Legia Warszawa matches as well as other Polish games, English Premier League and other sports events. The club sponsor Krolewski is the beer on tap, and the food menu has a special ‘Deyna burger’, dedicated to the club’s legendary 1970s player, Kazik Deyna. The bar is frequented by Legia Warszawa fans, so be sure to wear the team’s colours in order to fit in. They play in white, green and red.
Still the leader in the country’s fine range of Irish pubs, Pub Irlandzki set the standard and continues to live up to its moniker, which locally is often ‘the Irish Pub in Warsaw’ or ‘the first Irish Pub in Poland’. Yet, it sits shyly on the edge of Warsaw’s Old Town. With its basic Irish décor and traditional booths, it’s like stepping into a quaint part of Belfast. Indeed, as well as Murphy’s and Guinness on tap, Belfast Ale is sold here (though it’s made in Poland). Get chatting to the regulars who are a lively mix of Irish and British expatriates combined with Polish businessmen popping in for their little taste of Ireland. There are live sports on TV, and the bar has live Irish music from time to time. St. Patrick’s Day is a complete Irish-fest here.
Winners Sports Bar is a stylish 24-hour bar in Warsaw. This is perfect for sports fans wishing to have a drink and some good food while watching sport from a different time zone. You could be having your breakfast and a beer at 8am watching American football or basketball from the USA, or at 8pm having a night out while watching European Champions League football. The bar has some cool items up around the walls, such as football shirts, boxing gloves and football scarves. All Polish national football team matches are shown live as well as Polish Ekstraklasa, Champions League and English Premier League. The bar has a typical range of local beers on tap, wines and spirits and pub grub such as burgers, chips and hot dogs.
