Football may not be the most popular sport in the Philippines, but there are definitely enough people around to fill up the sports bars come Cup time. With the FIFA World Cup coming in full swing, Juice.PH has prepared a list of bars to check out.

By Denise V. Suarez

  1. National Sports Grill (Map)
    www.nsg.ph 

    2. Located on the third floor of Greenbelt 3, National Sports Grill is known as the place to watch anything sports, thanks to its Jumbotron and ten television monitors. Patrons here are mostly Filipino who prefer to watch basketball.
     
  1. Fiamma (Map)

    2. Despite being one of the hotspots in Makati’s club scene, when it’s time for a World Cup game, Fiamma turns off its party lights and sets up its wall screen along with two portable projector screens. Be prepared to cheer for your team along with a few drunken stragglers. Fiamma is located at 32 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air Village, Makati. 

  1. Tapella by Gaudi

    2. Located in Greenbelt 5, Tapella is owned by the same owners of the popular Spanish restaurant Gaudi. Thus, come World Cup, Tapella is filled with noisy and rowdy Spaniards rooting for their home country. It is equipped with two large projector screens. 

  1. German Club (Map)
    2. www.germanclub.ph

    As the name suggests, German Club is frequented by, well, German or Swiss-German people. Be prepared to chug down mugs of beer while watching the games from one projector screen or two television screens. German Club is found at the penthouse of the Eurovilla Building II on 118 V.A. Rufino Street, Legaspi Village, Makati. 

  1. Handlebar (Map)
    2. www.handlebar.com.ph

    Handlebar, on 31 Polaris Street, Bel-Air Village, Makati, may be a bar run by bikers for bikers, but that doesn’t mean that bikes are their only interest. Equipped with two big screens and four smaller televisions, Handlebar shows only sports channels. Favoring no particular country, citizens from all over the world can be found in Handlebar during the World Cup. 

  1. San Mig Pub

    2. For those living down South, San Mig Pub, on the second floor of the Town Plaza in Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa, is the place to watch the World Cup. Since it’s full of families and friends cheering for their favored teams, it feels like everyone in San Mig knows each other.
     
  1. Kublai’s Rock (Map)

    2. When it’s time to watch any major football match, Kublai’s Rock fills up with college students and yuppies. Located in the Oakridge Building of Paseo de Magallanes, Makati, Kublai’s Rock is a mix of people from the north and south, all of whom have one thing in common: a passion for football. 

  1. Il Ponticello (Map)

    2. Il Ponticello, more popularly known as Ponti, is a favorite among football fans, especially since the owners used to be football players themselves. Ponti describes itself as a friendly neighborhood bar and watching the World Cup in Ponti is just like watching it at a friend’s house: it’s comfortable and the drinks don’t stop coming. Located on the second floor of the Antel 2000 Building on 121 Valero Streeet, Salcedo Village, Makati City. 

  1. Murphy’s Irish Pub (Map)
    www.murphysmakati.com 

    2. Although Ireland doesn’t have a team this year, Murphy’s is still showing the World Cup. Since Murphy’s has a big screen in each of its bar/restaurant areas, fans can watch the games in either the smoking or non-smoking rooms. Found on the ground floor of the Citiland III Building, V.A. Rufino Street corner Esteban Street, Legaspi Village, Makati. 

  1. Heckle and Jeckle (Map)
    www.heckleandjeckle.org 

    2. The self-proclaimed best sports bar in Makati, Heckle and Jeckle has nine television sets, and during major sporting events sets up three 60” to 100” screens with sound. Frequented by the Brits, Heckle and Jeckle is located in the Villa Building on Jupiter Street, Makati.