The Best Sports Bars in Adelaide to Catch a Game
Nothing beats the vibes of watching a game of your favourite sport at the best sports bars in Adelaide.
Some games deserve more than a spot on the TV at home. There’s the anticipation before kick-off, the collective groan of a near miss and, of course, the excuse to order another round. Adelaide’s best sports bars know how to do game day properly, from The District at SkyCity’s giant video wall and Sideline Bar’s seven-metre LED screen to Alma Tavern’s AFL and NRL specials. Add sunny beer gardens, generous pub fare and tables made for groups, and you have plenty of reason to stay until the final siren.
In This Guide
The Best Sports Bars With Big Screens
Sportys, Arkaba Hotel
Fresh from a revamp, Sportys at Arkaba Hotel is made for watching the game with a crowd. Giant LED and 360-degree funnel screens, surround sound and an outdoor zone with booths, fireplaces and additional screens give the Fullarton venue plenty of scale. Add all-day dining, cocktails and game-day specials, and there’s little reason to leave.
Suburb: Fullarton
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Group dining, Outdoor dining, Weekend plans
The District at SkyCity
If it’s on the sporting calendar, chances are you can catch it on the giant video wall at The District at SkyCity. The CBD venue brings a little stadium-style drama to game day, with front-row seats, VIP booths and a menu of generously loaded pub fare. And when the final whistle blows, you’re right beside Pirate Life Brewing, making it easy to keep the afternoon going.
Suburb: Adelaide
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Group dining, Late night, Special occasion
Sideline Bar
The ground-floor sports bar at Hotel Panorama gets the big-screen brief exactly right. A seven-metre LED screen takes centre stage, while the beer garden’s private cabanas give groups their own comfortable base for the afternoon. The menu covers panko schnitzels, tempura fish, hand-stretched pizzas and share plates, with happy hour Monday to Friday and locals night on Thursdays.
Suburb: Panorama
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Gastropub
Best For: Group dining, Outdoor dining, Weekend plans
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The Best Sports Bars With a Beer Garden
The Gully Public House & Garden
A leafy little escape in Tea Tree Gully, The Gully has a garden made for settling in when there’s a big game on. The covered, greenery-filled space is home to a big screen, with plenty of room to gather over a cold beer and some pub fare. Grab a pizza, order a few rounds and settle in for the action, before moving into Mr Jones Bar as the afternoon rolls into the evening.
Suburb: Tea Tree Gully
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Live sport, Beer garden sessions, Groups
Brighton Metro Hotel
When the sun is out, Brighton Metro Hotel makes a strong case for taking game day outdoors. The beer garden comes with a big screen, plenty of room to settle in and a menu spanning sliders, salt and pepper calamari, arancini and schnitzels. Dogs are welcome too, making this one for the whole crew.
Suburb: Brighton
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Outdoor dining, Dog-friendly, Group dining
Need To Know: Dog-friendly beer garden.
Mosaic Hotel
Set within the Footy Park Precinct, Mosaic Hotel brings together big screens, casual dining and plenty of room for a group. The newer beer garden adds an open-air option, with wood-fired pizzas and share plates beneath a retractable roof designed for year-round use. Upstairs, X-Golf and Hey Caddy keep the sporting theme going long after the game.
Suburb: West Lakes
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Group dining, Outdoor dining, Weekend plans
The Best Sports Bars for Casual Game Day
Alma Tavern
There’s some genuine Adelaide footy history behind Alma Tavern, which was once co-owned by former Adelaide Crows stars Mark Ricciuto, Taylor Walker and Rory Sloane. Today, the Norwood pub keeps game day well fed, with AFL and NRL food and drink specials, plus extra deals when South Australian footy clubs are playing.
Suburb: Norwood
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Group dining, Locals, Special occasion
Feathers Hotel
Game day takes on a more relaxed pace at Feathers Hotel, where you can follow the action from the oversized screen in the Upper Terrace Bar or settle into the Lower Terrace Bar with its own TV. The main menu runs all day, while happy hour Monday to Saturday gives you another reason to linger.
Suburb: Burnside
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Group dining, Locals, Weekend plans
The Highway
For a classic local pub game day, The Highway keeps things straightforward: a big garden screen, plenty of room for a crowd and a menu of running specials. The Plympton pub has long been a natural choice for settling in with mates, a cold drink and your team’s colours on full display.
Suburb: Plympton
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Pub fare
Best For: Group dining, Budget-friendly, Locals
The Cremorne
At The Cremorne, game day comes with a choice of settings, from the beer garden to the dedicated sports bar. There are 18 beers on tap, rotating selections, cocktails, small and large bites and a dedicated sports bar menu, making it an easy place to settle in for a few hours of live action.
Suburb: Unley
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Gastropub
Best For: Group dining, Locals, Weekend plans
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Sports Bars in Adelaide
Brighton Metro Hotel welcomes dogs in its beer garden, making it one of the more relaxed, casual options for catching a game in Adelaide. Alongside the big screen, the menu covers sliders, salt and pepper calamari, arancini and schnitzels, suited to an easygoing afternoon rather than a big stadium-style atmosphere. It’s a solid pick for anyone wanting to bring their pet along while still catching the action.
Sportys at Arkaba Hotel in Fullarton is built with groups in mind, offering giant screens, surround sound and an outdoor zone with booths and fireplaces alongside all-day dining. Mosaic Hotel in West Lakes is another strong group option, set within the Footy Park Precinct with casual dining, a beer garden and added attractions like X-Golf and Hey Caddy upstairs for before or after the game. Both venues offer enough scale and menu variety to comfortably host a larger crowd.
Several of Adelaide’s best sports bars pair big screens with outdoor beer garden setups. Brighton Metro Hotel has a big screen built into its beer garden, with a menu spanning sliders, salt and pepper calamari and arancini. Sideline Bar at Hotel Panorama offers a seven-metre LED screen alongside private cabanas, while Mosaic Hotel in West Lakes has a newer beer garden with a retractable roof, serving wood-fired pizzas and share plates for year-round outdoor game days.
The District at SkyCity is Adelaide’s standout CBD choice for watching sport. Its giant video wall covers whatever’s on the sporting calendar, with VIP booths available for a more elevated game day. The menu leans into generously loaded pub fare, and the venue sits right beside Pirate Life Brewing, making it simple to keep the afternoon going once the final whistle blows. For a central location with broad sporting coverage rather than a single-code focus, this is the pick.
Adelaide has a strong lineup of sports bars built for game day. Alma Tavern in Norwood, once co-owned by former Adelaide Crows stars Mark Ricciuto, Taylor Walker and Rory Sloane, runs AFL and NRL food and drink specials, with extra deals when South Australian clubs play. Sportys at Arkaba Hotel in Fullarton offers giant LED and 360-degree funnel screens with surround sound, while The District at SkyCity in the CBD shows the game on its giant video wall. Each venue suits a slightly different atmosphere, from suburban local to CBD entertainment precinct.
Got your sports fix with our article on the best sports bars in Adelaide and want to see what else our city has to offer? Check out what’s happening across Adelaide this month, or the best pubs for a purse-friendly feast.