WHERE TO WATCH SPORTS
IN LITTLE ITALY
A short list of rooms in Little Italy and downtown San Diego, and what each one is good for.
Little Italy isn't a sports-bar district the way the Gaslamp is, but there are a handful of rooms here and just outside it where the game is genuinely on — audio up, kitchen running, no reservation needed. Here's the short list.
1. Waterfront Bar & Grill — Little Italy
The neighborhood's oldest room, open since 1933, and the default for Padres, NFL, and college football in Little Italy. Audio on the main game, pitchers, and a kitchen that runs to last call. About a 10-minute walk from Petco Park.
2. Princess Pub & Grille — India Street
The British pub in the neighborhood, and the place for Premier League and international soccer. Matches go on early — often before most kitchens in Little Italy have opened — with cask ale and a full English to match.
3. Underbelly — West Fir Street
Not a sports bar, but a good option if you're watching with people who care more about the beer list than the score. Screens are up for bigger games, the room is loud either way, and the kitchen runs late.
4. Downtown and the Gaslamp
Walk 10–15 minutes south and you're in the Gaslamp, where the big multi-screen sports halls are. Better for a group that wants every game at once on a Sunday; worse on price, and several of them run reservations or minimums for marquee games. Around Petco Park the same rooms fill up two hours before first pitch.
What to check before you go
- Ask whether the audio will be on your game or on the house playlist.
- Check the kitchen's closing time, not the bar's.
- For out-of-market games, call ahead — most places can put it up if asked early.
- For Padres home games and big Sundays, arrive before the crowd or expect to stand.
Watching at the Waterfront
2044 Kettner Blvd, Little Italy. Open daily 8am–2am. Walk in.