Another season is about to kick off and reward us all with football greatness, but where are the Best Places in London to Watch NFL?
Well, we’ve got you covered with our list for 2023.
As a group who have been promoting and hosting live NFL viewing parties over the past 18 years across the capital, we have quite a bit of knowledge of the sport viewing landscape.
Any punter will tell you that after Covid, the whole bar and entertainment industry took a punch on the chin.
Independent pubs shuttered, quality staff found other work, and the price of pints continued to rise.
As promoters, we look to offer people the best value and service when it comes to hosting NFL nights.
Sure, we might hold things to a North American standard, but why shouldn’t we, when he have always attempted to deliver that threshold across all of our events.
So these are just our independent thoughts on almost 20 years of watching and promoting the NFL across the UK.
1. Home
Home?!?! What a lame answer to start this list off!
Well, not really if you’ve seen the price of a London pint recently, as they near ever closer to the £8 range.
When we first started promoting the NFL in London, pints were still in the £3 range, and pitchers were £10.
Those were the days!
It’s not just the crazy price of booze at London pubs and bars, but there is also the Rugby World Cup and Premier League to throw wrenches into the works of NFL viewing.
With many times and dates over-lapping with the NFL, UK-centric bars are more likely to NOT put on the NFL, with so many Sundays in contention.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup will take place MOST Sundays until Week 7 of the NFL, with games airing between 4-10pm GMT.
If you’ve never experienced a RWC during the NFL season, then you’ll quickly find out that rugby trumps American football in the UK.
They might SAY they are showing NFL, and then bartender changes the channel.
Too bad.
With DAZN taking over from Gamepass, there also hasn’t been a commercial license on offer, which means it could be illegal for many bars and pubs to show the NFL, taking us back to 2013.
Independent pun chains have also been swallowed up over the past few years, gobbling up former sports bars, and then cutting costs, taste, and fun when they rebrand it into a corporate image.
Sadly these chains are very inflexible, and demand that promoters must increase attendance week on week.
Not worth it when half the customers have to pop over to McDonald’s because the food is so dire.
When’s the last time you threw a truly awesome, NFL party?
The best NFL nights are when you have hook a few devices up to Gamepass, and invite over some friends, foes, or just fellow fans you met on social media for a few bevies and a game.
You’ll not only save lots of money, but maybe make some new friends in the process!
2. Famous Three Kings
This Fulham sports bar has a legendary status in the city, as it always seems to be the ‘go to’ place for sports viewership.
Located in West London in the posh bit of town, the Famous Three Kings has been a perennial favourite for sports fans looking to stare at loads of TVs across a cavernous pub.
Although part of a large chain, the food isn’t as abysmal as those burgers with the pre-grilled marks on them that you find in some chains.
Like many London sports bars, it closes at 10pm on Sundays.
Find out more here.
https://www.crafted-social.co.uk/famous-three-kings-west-kensington
3. King Sports Bar-Empire Casino
Leicester Square has also changed in recent years, going from a glitzy West End destination, to a urine soaked playground for the drug addled and destitute.
Great place for a night out.
The King Sports Bar at the Empire Casino benefits from not only having loads of TVs on the go with NFL action, but also being open 24 hours for your viewing, and gambling pleasure.
NFL fans will be happy to have a place to watch the games, and be centrally located enough to be able to snag a night bus home.
The food is rather mediocre, which is why it’s good to have a lot of late-night food options to explore.
https://www.thecasinolsq.com/kings-sports-bar
4. Bodeans-Soho
Bodeans is the original Canadian BBQ joint, that has a long, and storied history in Soho.
Famous for their burnt ends, Bodeans also has two floors of TV action, with NFL and Saturday College Football on tap.
Speaking of on tap, they also have a ridiculously good selection of beer and top North American food.
Of all of the London pubs, Bodean’s has the best NFL food bar none.
However, they do close at 10pm, so you won’t be able to watch the late games.
5. Sports Bar-Marylebone
One of our OG locations back in 2008, the Sports Bar Marylebone found fame due it being across from the Landmark Hotel, where many of the teams, players and cheerleaders have stayed.
The fact that Jerry Rice could walk in, sit down beside you and order wings made it a crazy place to go.
Time has seen the Sports Bar & G bought by new owners, who dropped down the food quality, but marked up the prices, so authenticity is lacking in the food, and their pints have rocketed to top end London prices.
The bar does benefit from being on the train to Wembley, making it a good place to start and finish after the game.
https://www.sportsbarandgrill.co.uk/marylebone
There are loads of other places that say that they will show NFL, but will also refuse to put it on when people show up, or just turn it off at the whim of a manager.
We can’t recommend any of these places, as we have worked with many before, and they are horrible.
Promote Your Venue
If you’re a venue looking to promote your NFL nights, let us know!
