The best bars in SoCal for watching your favorite women’s teams, during the Olympics and beyond

The Olympics are upon us! With all eyes on Paris, women’s sports will be front and center as Simone Biles makes her comeback on the gymnastics floor and Katie Ledecky gears up to break more records in the pool.

While interest in women’s sports is clearly booming, bars in SoCal that focus on (or even show) women’s sports are few and far between.

But they do exist — places where you can watch talented women show off their skill and strength while kicking back with a brew and a bite (including the first bar in California to focus solely on women’s sports).

Here are five of the best spots to gather with other passionate women's sports fans this summer — including for Team USA’s game this Sunday, July 28!

Watch Me!

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Courtesy of Watch Me! Sports Bar

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Co-owners Jax Diener and Emme Eddy decided in September that they wanted to get their own women’s sports bar in Long Beach up and running by the time the Olympics started — and they’re just making it, with the grand opening at 4 p.m. Friday coinciding with the opening ceremony in Paris.

“What better time?” Diener told LAist. “It's when most people are rooting for the same team.”

Since the first women’s sports bar in the U.S. set up shop in Portland two years ago, women-focused sports establishments have been cropping up across the country. These sites offer a much-needed sense of community for fans of women’s teams, who historically haven’t had spaces to gather in the way that many bars typically offer for men’s sports.

Watch Me! has special hours throughout the Olympics — opening daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. — designed to accommodate morning games given the nine-hour time difference with Paris. For any big events that fall outside that time, Eddy said they plan to extend their hours as much as possible.

She and Diener say patrons are particularly pumped to watch soccer, but believe women’s rugby and water polo will also be popular, especially since Team USA’s water polo team works out in Long Beach.

The pair is also excited about Watch Me’s food, cocktail, and mockail offerings, but more than anything, they emphasize their desire to build an inclusive environment at the bar, for all ages, all genders, and all sexual orientations. “Everyone who loves women's sports is welcome to come here,” Diener said.

Link N Hops

Logos of all sorts of beers and sports teams alike decorate the red walls at Link N Hops.

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Annie Rupertus

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LAist

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The menu is sausage-focused, with link options ranging from Hungarian Kielbasa to Rattlesnake with Jalapeño.

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Annie Rupertus

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LAist

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Women-owned bar/restaurant Link N Hops is a big supporter of women’s sports — in fact, an Indiana Fever game was playing when we called. They also frequently hold watch parties with supporters’ groups for Angel City FC, L.A.’s pro women’s soccer team.

With eight TVs, including one on their outdoor patio, they’ll have plenty of screen space for the Olympics this summer. They also offer lots of craft beers on tap, plus wine and cocktails and a food menu with options for both meat lovers and vegan patrons (the 'link' in the name is borne out by the extensive sausage options).

Co-owner Zel Marques described Link N Hops as an intimate, neighborhood sports bar. “We are a family hub in terms of the neighborhood. We have kids, we have couples, so it's important for us to have all types of people,” she said, emphasizing how she wants the bar’s atmosphere to diverge from the traditional male-dominated sports bar environment.

Distrito Catorce

Soccer fans high-five at a 2022 World Cup watch party at Distrito Catorce.

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Julia Barajas

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LAist

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Distrito Catorce is the spot to be for any soccer fan, serving as an official partner for LAFC (one of two pro men’s soccer teams in L.A.) and also regularly showcasing women’s soccer. The restaurant often hosts ACFC supporters’ group PodeRosas.

“We’re very supportive of both teams for LA, LAFC and Angel City, and we’re a family environment as well,” chef and partner Jonathan Perez said.

Perez told LAist the bar plans to show women’s soccer games throughout the Olympics. He also emphasized the bar/restaurant’s renowned Mexican food — they host a taco pop-up that was named in the top 25 restaurants in L.A. by the New York Times.

Beyond just sports, Distrito Catorce is also dedicated to highlighting local art, live music, and comedy through a variety of special events. It is both women and Latino-owned.

The Stalking Horse Pub

The Stalking Horse Pub in Rancho Park.

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Courtesy of The Stalking Horse Pub

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Operating partner Jamie Snyder says Broxton is like The Stalking Horse's "mismatched cousin."

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Courtesy of Broxton Brewery

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The Stalking Horse feels like “a dark, cozy English pub,” according to operating partner Jamie Snyder. The brewery offers pub food and a family-friendly (and dog-friendly) atmosphere.

Another one of Angel City’s official bar partners, The Stalking Horse mostly shows soccer games, but Snyder said they’re looking to expand to other sports, such as basketball and hockey.

She told LAist she was never much of a sports fan, but got interested when her fiancé introduced her to ACFC. “It was such an amazing and awesome and welcoming community to be a part of,” she said. “I figured I wanted to be on the forefront of showing and supporting women's sports, because it's been a long time coming.”

Snyder also oversees Broxton Brewery in Westwood. This location is also an ACFC bar partner and plans to open early for the Olympics opening ceremony. What sets it apart from its sister bar, according to Snyder, is that Broxton has more of an airy feel with an outdoor patio, and tends to draw a younger crowd given its proximity to UCLA.

Fan Girl Cafe

Fan Girl Cafe is tucked away just off Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

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Annie Rupertus

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LAist

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Menu items are named after famous songs by women — perhaps you'd enjoy a 'Like a Virgin Strawberry Mojito' mocktail or a 'Pink Pony Club Lemonade.'

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Annie Rupertus

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LAist

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Technically, this is a cafe, not a bar, but if you’re looking for a more intimate and low key atmosphere as opposed to a traditional sports bar, Fan Girl Cafe is not to be missed. Plus, their earlier opening times are actually perfect for Olympics watch parties this year, since the big events in Paris will mostly fall during the mornings in L.A.

Betsy Martinez, who opened the cafe in November with her wife, Cynthia Temblador, told LAist the couple conceptualized the cafe primarily as a space to uplift women and LGBTQ+ musicians. When visitors walk through the door, the first thing they’ll see is a rainbow mat proclaiming, “everyone is welcome here.” Inside, they’ll find music memorabilia, drinks named after women artists, and even a Gwen Stefani-themed bathroom (don’t forget to look for yourself if you stop by).

Martinez said it felt like a natural fit to go beyond just music and start hosting women’s sports events as well, especially given the couple’s experience watching Angel City FC in their inaugural 2022 season.

“Their story is very inspiring,” Martinez said. “You walk in there and it feels like it's their home. And they have such a fan base, and we're just total fan girls for that, too.”

The cafe is outfitted with three TVs (typically playing music videos, but easily repurposed for games) and a projector for evening screenings. And although they serve alcohol for special events, their menu primarily features coffee, pastries, and other breakfast and lunch items. They also have wifi and outlets if getting work done with a game in the background is more your speed.

“It's just more of a relaxing and comfortable environment,” Martinez said. “You don't have to worry about people getting too crazy or loud.”

Honorable mentions

Wait, wait, there’s more! Check out Angel City FC’s list of official watch parties throughout the summer, showcasing both Olympic soccer games and regular NWSL programming at various bars across the L.A. area. The team also has their own network of bars supporting women’s soccer.

If you’re still fiending for new spots to try next time you catch a game, here are a few other highlights:

• Hi Tops is a gay sports bar in Los Feliz and a big supporter of ACFC.
• O’Brien's Irish Pub in Santa Monica and Cervecería Del Pueblo in Pasadena are hosting women’s soccer Olympics watch parties at 8 a.m. on Sunday, July 28.
• Rock & Brews in El Segundo is hosting another women’s soccer watch party that day, 12 noon on July 28.
• 33 Taps in DTLA is also screening the July 28 Team USA game at 12 p.m., as well as back-to-back games on Wednesday, July 31 at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. The bar, which has additional locations in Silver Lake and Culver City, has hosted WNBA events this summer too.

If you’re intrigued by a theater viewing experience, AMC is also showing various Olympic events in movie theaters across the country.

Finally, you might also consider snagging tickets to see a game up close — Angel City has a few more home games this summer, and the Sparks, L.A.’s WNBA team, have three home games in August after the league’s Olympic break.

That’s all, for now! Happy watching!