Where to Watch the Football in Pattaya: Tips From a Sports Bar Owner

I own three Hemingways in and around Pattaya, and showing live sport is a big part of what we do. Here's what I'd tell anyone wanting to watch a match here.

What makes a good sports bar?

Plenty of screens, and ideally live commentary in English.

What about late kick-offs?

With the time difference, a lot of matches are on late at night here. A bar that markets itself as a sports bar will stay open for them. Most places can stay open until 2 a.m., and the late games are normally over by then.

For some World Cup or Champions League matches that finish later than that, you'll need to head into town, where some places stay open longer.

How do multi-screen bars work?

At Hemingways, we stick printouts at the bottom of each TV, so when you come in you know which screen is showing which game and can sit accordingly. As the evening goes on, if nobody is watching a game, we switch that screen to a more popular one.

All the Hemingways have a lot of TVs, so showing several games at once is never a problem. The tricky part is commentary, because you can really only have one running through the whole restaurant. We choose it based on what we think is the best or most popular game. At Hemingways Jomtien, we can sometimes run a different commentary outside from inside, so we can effectively do two.

Should you book a table?

For a really big match, yes, if there are a few of you. On your own you don't need to. But for a group of three or four, pop in during the day and book a table. There's normally no charge, but make sure you turn up on time, because the managers will give your table away if you don't.

Every bar has better and worse spots, too, so if you want one of the good ones, booking is definitely worth it.

For more, read running a restaurant and bar in Pattaya and a night out in Pattaya beyond Walking Street.