Where2WatchIt

Stop #22 in my search for Sydney’s Best Sports Bar: York 75 🍻🏉

This one is a little hidden gem.

Head into Hotel CBD, jump in the lift, head up to Level 3 and you’ll find York 75 waiting for you.

If you’ve followed this series for a while, you’ll know I have a soft spot for booths with their own screens. Sometimes you don’t want to fight the crowd for the one big TV showing your game.

York 75 absolutely delivers on that front.

Whether you’re following rugby, football, NBA or something a little more niche, having your own screen makes all the difference—especially when the venue is dominated by AFL or NRL fans watching something else.

It’s a venue built for sports fans who want options.

Definitely one worth knowing about if you’re in the CBD and looking for somewhere to settle in and watch your game your way.

Venue #21 in my search for Sydney’s best sports bar: Ichiro’s 🍺🏉

Some venues have lots of screens.

Some venues have great food.

Some venues have a good atmosphere.

And then there’s Ichiro’s, which somehow manages to combine all three.

⭐ Sports Bar Score: 23/25

📺 Screens & Sightlines: 5/5
🔊 Sound & Commentary: 4/5
🏉 Sports Coverage: 5/5
🍻 Vibes: 4/5
✨ Extras: 5/5

Why Visit?

Feels like a mate’s place… if your mate happened to run an awesome Japanese sports bar.

Ichiro’s is one of Sydney’s most unique venues to watch sport. You’ll find Japanese beer, great food, plenty of screens and a crowd that genuinely loves the game.

The rooftop is a standout, especially on a sunny afternoon. There’s something pretty special about sitting outside with a beer, watching rugby and feeling like you’ve stumbled onto one of Sydney’s best-kept secrets.

It’s also one of the few venues where you can catch everything from Super Rugby and international rugby through to Japanese baseball and football.

If you’re after polished corporate sports bar vibes, look elsewhere.

If you’re after personality, good people, good food and great sport, Ichiro’s absolutely delivers.

A deserved 23/25 and one of my personal favourites from the search so far.

🍺 Venue #21 complete in the search for Sydney’s best sports bar.

Blackwattle Brewery is the kind of venue that knows exactly what it is — good beer, rugby on the screens, and a relaxed crowd that actually wants to be there & stop 19 on the search for Sydney’s best sports bar!

This isn’t a mega sports pub packed wall-to-wall with TVs. It’s more of a brewery hangout that happens to be an excellent spot to catch the game.

⭐ Sports Bar Score: 19/25

📺 Screens & Sightlines: 4/5
🔊 Sound & Commentary: 4/5
🏉 Sports Coverage: 3/5
🍻 Vibes: 4/5
✨ Extras: 4/5

Why Visit?

Brewery & rugby — what’s not to love?

Blackwattle feels like one of those venues built for long afternoons that accidentally turn into full nights. Fresh beers brewed onsite, solid food, and a crowd that leans more rugby tragic than ultra sports-bro energy.

If you’re after screaming crowds and 40 TVs, this probably isn’t your place.

If you want quality beer, a good atmosphere, and somewhere to settle in for a Wallabies or Super Rugby match with mates? You’ll have a very good time here.

One of the better “sports without trying too hard to be a sports bar” venues I’ve visited so far.

There’s something special about a pub that feels like the heart of its neighbourhood.

The Magpie in Sydney’s Inner West is one of those places.
Stop 18/ 100+ on the search for Sydney’s best sports bars

This isn’t a flashy mega sports bar. It’s the kind of venue where locals gather, pints are poured properly, and live sport feels like part of the furniture.

⭐ Sports Bar Score: 21/25

📺 Screens & Sightlines: 5/5
🔊 Sound & Commentary: 3/5
🏉 Sports Coverage: 5/5
🍻 Vibes: 4/5
✨ Extras: 4/5

Why Visit?

Great vibes and feels like a true local pub.

The Magpie strikes an excellent balance between serious sports coverage and classic neighbourhood pub atmosphere. If you want somewhere welcoming, relaxed, and reliably showing the big games, this is a cracking option.

Sometimes the best sports bars aren’t trying to be sports bars at all.

They’re just really good pubs that happen to know exactly what fans want.

Would I come back? In a heartbeat.

Sports Bar Review: The Erko (Erskineville Hotel) 🍻
Stop 17 / 100+ on the search for Sydney’s best sports bars

A proper community pub with good vibes — just not a sports bar.

The Erko is one of those places people actually hang out in. Dog-friendly, kid-friendly, pool table out the back, and a relaxed local crowd that gives it that real neighbourhood feel.

There are screens and you’ll catch a game, but this is definitely a “sport in the background” kind of venue rather than somewhere built for big match viewing.

Scorecard in the slides 👆
👉 Best for: casual hangs, dogs, and a game on the side
👉 Not for: full game-day atmosphere.

Sports Bar Review: The Townie (Town Hall Hotel, Newtown) 🍻
Stop #16 / 100+ on the search for Sydney’s best sports bars

A proper Newtown pub with a bit of everything — gigs, drinks… and a game on in the background.

The Townie falls into the “pub with screens” category. It’s got Foxtel, so you’ll catch AFL and NRL, but this isn’t where you go for a full sports bar setup.

What it is great for?
👉 A pre-gig drink before heading to Enmore
👉 Catching the first half before live music kicks off
👉 A casual watch without the chaos

Scorecard in the slides 👆
👉 Best for: Pre-gig drinks + catching the game
👉 Not for: full game-day atmosphere

SportIsBetterWithOthers

Sports Bar Review: Harbour View Hotel 🍻
Stop #13/ 100+ on the search for Sydney’s best sports bars

One of the best rooftop views in Sydney — but not where you come for the game.

The Harbour View Hotel absolutely delivers on location, with a rooftop looking straight out to the Harbour Bridge. It’s the kind of spot you bring visitors to soak up Sydney… just don’t expect to be watching the match up there.

Downstairs you’ll find screens and sport on, but the vibe leans more towards live music, drinks and atmosphere than a dedicated sports setup.

It falls firmly into the category of:
👉 sport is there if you want it, but it’s not the main event

Scorecard in the slides 👆
👉 Best for: Harbour views & taking out-of-towners
👉 Not for: “live & loud” game watching