Where to Eat and Watch the Hong Kong Sevens
Head to one of these neighborhood bars to catch all the action live with a cozy seat and a cold beer in hand.
Grand Central
Majored in beer pong back in uni? Now’s your chance to put those frat-boy skills to the test for the chance to win last-minute Sevens tickets. Stop by Grand Central on April 7 and face-off in the ultimate beer pong competition to win a set of two Sevens tickets for one game day, along with limited Carlsberg mini gifts. If you get knocked out, you can still console yourself with generous pints of Carlsberg and the pub’s American-portioned bar snacks, from deep-fried buffalo wings dripping in hot sauce to crispy nachos piled high with all the fixings. Head back to Grand Central’s spacious two-story digs to catch the games, televised live April 8-10. Apr 7, 6-8:30pm. Purchase a 1-liter Carlsberg beer ($180) to enter the competition.
The Jockey
Get your fill of burgers, baby back ribs and French fries at The Jockey, a quaint pub nestled in Happy Valley right near the heart of the action (who knows, maybe you’ll be able to catch the sounds of distant cheering?). This neighborhood watering hole is giving rugby fans something large and tasty to tackle outside of the playing field: a full rack of saucy, caramelized baby back ribs paired with crispy, hand-cut fries ($268). The set also comes with a 1-liter “charge-down” cup that you can take home with you as a souvenir—after you polish off the Carlsberg in it, that is.
Captain's Bar
Catch the rugby in style at the Mandarin Oriental’s Captain’s Bar, which will be broadcasting the action in posh surrounds with special lunch and dinner menus available throughout the weekend. Hunker down on one of the plush red leather armchairs and dig into amped-up versions of fish and chips ($248), Hainan chicken rice ($268), beef burgers ($168) and spicy tandoori chicken tikka makhani ($238). Of course, the Sevens revelry wouldn’t be complete without plenty of beer—Mandarin’s seasonal beer on tap is from Hong Kong’s own Young Master brewery, and is a light Belgian-style brew with floral hints of jasmine, osmanthus and chrysanthemum. Sounds too delicate for the rough-and-tumble Sevens? Drink four and then let’s talk.
McSorley's
Old-fashioned Irish bar McSorley’s is the perfect place to catch the Sevens action short of being up in the stands—complete with comfortable chairs, large screen TVs and fantastic food to boot (plus no one will be sloshing their beer all over you). A booming sound system puts you right in the thick of the action as you nosh on mouthwatering pub grub—think risotto balls ($78), crispy crab cakes ($98) and beef & Guinness pie ($145). From now until Apr 10, the pub is offering a Ribs & 1L Carlsberg Combo ($268) that you can feast on while rooting for your favorite teams.
Spasso
For those who feel exhausted just thinking about navigating the throngs of wild, boozed-up fans at the stadium, Spasso presents a relaxed alternative where you can catch the games as well as great food, beer and wine, all with a waterfront view. The party kicks off with a pretty sweet pizza deal: 13” handcrafted pizzas available for just $100, with flavors including spicy salami, prosciutto and funghi, and a special “Rugby 7’s” pie loaded with tomato sauce, sausage, mozzarella and rosemary gorgonzola. Round out the pizza viewing party with buckets of chilled Peronis ($320 for six bottles), or pints of Carlsberg and Asahi ($78 each). Apr 8-10, 2:30-5:30pm.
