Beijing Olympics picks: Sports bars
Both residents of Beijing and the barbarians descending upon it will require watering holes in which to drink the sweet tastes of success and the bitters of failure during the Olympics. Over the next few days, I’ll be making some “bar picks” and welcome others to throw in their two kuai. First up: sports bars.
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The Rickshaw
Two floors, five screens: this spot has seen F1, cricket, and even American football fans share their sports fixes and comfort food in peace. Known for its unpretentious and oft-times rowdy crowd, sizable burritos, and so-so service.
Bonus: The Rickshaw is close to a public toilet, which provides a second option for those who really need to go (especially if you are working your way through this bar’s growing number of craft beers).
Personal memory: In a country where Houston Rockets Center Yao Ming is a national hero, The Rickshaw is the only bar I know that had the NBA Channel last season.
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Goose & Duck
Well worth a gander (goose, duck, gander, get it?), this is a massive sports bar with numerous rooms and TVs, a batting cage, and a basketball court.
Bonus: Cheerleader performances.
Personal memory: When Beijing resident Richard Robinson cost the New England Patriots the Super Bowl.
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Paddy O’Shea’s
A two-story Irish-themed pub north of Sanlitun run by Gleann Phealan, who some say is single-handedly responsible for the shamrocks found in the design. “Business as usual,” says Glenn in raeference to the Olympics, which means sports on TV and wear and tear on the beer taps (Guinness, etc).
Bonus: Did I mention the shamrocks?
Personal memory: When Glenn played Danny Boy on the pan flute. When Glenn almost incinerated me (sorry, wrong bar). When Glenn explained that Ireland is not part of the “British Isles.”
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Frank’s Place
An incarnation of the bar that helped get the scene started in 1989, Frank’s Place offers table and bar seating, a big covered deck, a pool table, screens of all sizes, and an assortment of regulars.
Bonus: Frank’s Place is located below restaurant Salt (RSVP: 6437-8457) and above wine bar Cave, so you can hit all three in one night.
Personal memory: When co-owner Roger Dutton informed me that the land on which the Eastern Inn (and Q Bar) now stands used to be an artificial limb factory.
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The Den
Another longstanding Beijing bar, The Den offers a blast-from-the-past first floor and a fancier second one. Sponsor of a local rugby team, the Den offers solid service and above-average pub grub.
Bonus: The hamburger comes with a fried egg on top.
Personal memory: Either when (in my early Beijing days) O-Zone dragged me here at 6 AM for a four-cheese pizza or when two of the waitresses took a few swings at each other.
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Others: Hooters (near Workers Stadium), Eudora Station (spacious venue, fun staff, near the Lido Hotel), and The Pomegranate (in Shunyi). Unfortunately, The Pavillion, with its excellent patio, will be closed during The Games.
Note: This list includes spots I feel comfortable recommending. Please feel free to add your own picks in the comments section or email me at beijingboyce@yahoo.com. Don’t get angry, get emailing.
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Don’t forget Room 101 for viewers in Dong Cheng! Large screen projector and two large flat screens. We will be showing all events throughout the olympics. Schedule will be available here: http://www.room101.cn
No, that’s pretty much the whole field, isn’t it?
It’s a reminder of just how relatively poorly served we are for sports bars in this town.
Your only conspicuous omission is Sangria, which is an utterly charmless basement/sub-basement bar on Lucky Street, next to White Rabbit. It has so-so food, it’s fairly inexpensive, and it has a foreign satellite feed and two big projection screens. It’s primarily a football bar, though, so it may show pre-season warm-up games in preference to the Olympics.
They’re going to try to project satellite TV on the wall opposite the deck at Saddle Cantina. Decent picture, but I’m not sure how well the sound will work – and I suspect they risk getting themselves shut down, since that would be kind of ‘outside entertainment’.
The old Zoo bar down by Houhai, now renamed Zoom, is trying to position itself as a sports bar; they have a decent-sized screen, but no foreign satellite, I don’t think. A cheap option, with a pleasant view of the lake, if you don’t mind trying to enjoy your Olympics on CCTV5.
During the last football World Cup they put up a huge outdoor screen on the altar in Ritan Park, and the whole of that central circular enclosure was turned into a slightly upscale night-market, with lots of foreign bars and restaurants running food and drink stalls. That was great. I don’t think there’s anything similar happening this summer, though – probably not “secure” enough.
I’ll give my vote to the Rickshaw. The multiple television angles means there’s not really a bad seat for watching the games and there’s always a good crowd for major events.
Thanks for the input everyone.
That huge sports bar All Star is slated to open August 8, so that’s another potential spot.
Cheers, Boyce
I’ll throw in another vote for the Rickshaw. Very nice place.
Cheers,
The Commish
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