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Three men watching football on TV in a sport bar.
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Where to watch the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne

Grab a pint and the best seats with a view of all the finals (and Grand Final) action

Lauren Dinse
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Lauren Dinse
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The 2023 AFL Grand Final is set to take over the MCG on September 30, and if you can't snag a ticket, the next best place to watch sporting history unfold is in a Melbourne pub packed with supporters. But what makes a great footy pub? A big screen (preferably more than one), good sight lines to the action on screen, a knowledgeable crowd, a variety of beers on tap and reasonably priced food. And if they drop the music and crank up the commentary, all the better.

Check out our list of the best bars and pubs to watch the AFL finals below. Meanwhile, all that sports-ing making you hungry? Head to one of Melbourne's 50 best pubs for a meal. And if you've got a passion for froffs, check out these inner-city breweries. Rather watch the AFL Granny away from the city crowds? We recommend driving out to check out the newly refurbished Healesville Hotel, which boasts a whopping five screens, bistro and beer garden. 

Recommended: How to watch the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne

Where to watch the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne

CBD bars and pubs
Photograph: Graham Denholm

CBD bars and pubs

The Crafty Squire is a big ol' beer barn and that (along with its 24 screens) makes it perfect for Grand Final celebrations. On Saturday, September 30, doors will open at 9am on the dot. Book in for a table – or a 'Siren to Siren' package that includes bottomless drinks including beer, cider, vino and bubbles and halftime roaming snacks – here. 

Keen to soak up the action at Fed SquareTransport Hotel will be streaming the game in both its ground-floor Public Bar and on the level 2 Rooftop Bar. Head in from 9am to pig out on some delicious Bunnings sausages before settling in for some live music at 11am. No bookings needed so just walk in!

Garden State Hotel will start serving unlimited drinks and roaming canapes at 1:30pm on Grand Final Day, with its popular four-hour Grand Final Day package at $129 per person. Gather a group of mates to watch the game live on the beer garden's big screen in all its loud and dramatic glory.

Waterfront bar the Boatbuilders Yard is having a Grand Final Day Party with Pirate Life taking over the taps, epic meat platters and the game played live on a mega-sized outdoor screen. Entry is free and while it looks like bookings have run out at time of writing (drat!), walk-ins are more than welcome. Your best bet is to wrangle a crew and show up early. 

If you haven't had a chance to check out swish newcomer and entertainment venue Morris House yet, Grand Final Day is as good a day as any. The elevated pub is firing up nice and early with brekky bagels from 9am, with the full menu available from 11am. You can stay on to watch the game too, as Morris House will be switching on the screens so you can catch all the action from 2:30pm. Book a table here.

 

North side bars and pubs
Photograph: Supplied

North side bars and pubs

Last year's Grand Final Day brunch at the Provincial was a party to remember with the venue screening the game across two levels on both the rooftop and level one. The 2023 offering promises to be just as big and buzzing, with $8 drinks specials, live TV screenings of the game and post-game DJs as well as the full food menu available on the day. Get the full deets here.

Over at Welcome to Thornbury, you can book a table to watch the game streamed live across four screens, plus a massive five-metre screen in the beer garden. The food truck park are offering extended booking from 12pm until 6pm.

Meanwhile, the legendary folks at Terminus will be pouring bottomless Stone and Wood brews and house vino for three hours, plus footy snacks along with 'spin-to-win' games at half-time. Make a booking here.

At everyone's favourite Brunswick hangout, Howler, you can catch the game on a huge LED screen in the garden. The froffs will be flowing, and there'll be plenty of food options to keep you fuelled for a big arvo of cheering.

South side bars and pubs
Photograph: Graham Denholm

South side bars and pubs

Over in Prahran, College Lawn is screening the Grand Final across more than 20 TVs and two large projector screens, and a DJ is booked in to play from 7pm so you can party well into the night. There will be plenty of space for walk-ins, but you can lock in your spot here – tables for the Grand Final (and for the duration of the entire game) are available from 2pm onwards. For those looking for a pre-game feed, the pub will be serving up breakfast and lunch so gather your most ardent fellow footy fans and make a day of it!

Meanwhile in Windsor, everybody's fave Southeast Asian beer and food hall Hawker Hall is giving footy lovers the star treatment. Settle in for specials all day long including $5 froffs and cocktails, szechuan lamb ribs, soft shell crab salad and crispy lemon chook. If you want to go all out, the eatery's Boozy Yum Cha deal has you sorted. It's just $66 per person and includes free-flowing bevvies and eats galore, with bookings available from 12pm on Granny Day. 

For $110 per person, you can enjoy three hours of bottomless drinks and roaming snacks at The Espy in St Kilda before the game kicks off on the big screen in the iconic Gershwin Room. Fire up the group chat and book a table here.

East side bars and pubs
Photograph: Griffin Simm

East side bars and pubs

Head to Harlow in Richmond for a game day classic, pie and chips, for just $15. They'll be open from 11am, live and loud, from pregame to postgame. All bookings run for the duration of the game. Click here to secure a table now. 

The Corner Hotel might be known best for booking great music acts, but it's also a solid spot to catch AFL action. There are 13 screens to watch the game, plus a rooftop, bandroom and front bar for postgame libations.

Want to take it to the next level? Grace by Curtis Stone Events will be hosting an exclusive all-day lunch for the AFL Grand Final this year. Just a stone's throw away from the big 'G, Stone's glamorous new venue is the perfect place to enjoy canapes, a two-course meal and drinks package (costed at $150) and two big screens to catch all the footy fun in style. Make a booking via email at the website.

Over in Armadale, Orrong Hotel is also getting in on all the fun. The historic 150-year-old pub is set to blast the game from the big screen, with table bookings available from 1pm onwards. Sink your teeth into fun retro eats like macaroni and cheese croquettes, Louisiana hot wings, twice-cooked pork riblets and more. Nab yourself a spot here, but don't rush out after the final siren! There's live music scheduled to keep the party going well into the evening.

Further east, Auburn Hotel will be broadcasting the game live and loud across the entire venue. Game time bookings are available from 1pm onwards, and you can kick-on with live music that evening. They'll also be open from 11am if you want a bite to eat before the game starts.

West side bars and pubs
Photograph: Graham Denholm

West side bars and pubs

Over in Footscray, the Victoria Hotel is kicking off festivities at noon with a heap of activities for the whole family. This pub has a dedicated kids room, which means adults can sit back and enjoy the game, completely uninterrupted. The Grand Final package includes a table with a view of a screen, footy feast platter for the table and three hours of bottomless bevvies for $75 a head. Get around it! You can book a table here.

Or if you haven't had time to check out the newly revamped Hop Nation brewery and bar yet, there's no better time than Granny Day. The Footscray favourites are hosting an epic AFL Grand Final Party on Saturday 30 (its re-opening weekend) and the vibes are certain to be spectacular. The game will be projected on the walls of the brewhouse and food and bevvies will be available all day. 

Did your team lose? Head to the Drunken Poet after the match for some live music and a pint of Guiness to drown your sorrows.

How about a pub with an outdoor area?

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