The Pavilion Sports Bar & Eatery — The Pav to everyone who walks through the door — holds a spot no other Napier venue can claim: it is the city's only beachfront bar, sitting right on Marine Parade. The idea behind it is simple, that the entertainment of sports and the enjoyment of socialising belong in the same room. From kick-off to last call, cold drinks, bold eats and every major match are served live and loud.
Inside, a fresh, modern interior is kitted out for fans: 18 big screen TVs, a dedicated racing and TAB space with TAB SST, two pool tables and a darts area built for sharp shooters and weekend warriors alike. The bar pours 22 taps of local and international beer and cider, alongside cocktails and coffee, while the alfresco dining area opens onto the beachfront views.
The kitchen keeps things honest with what the team calls 'just really good tucker' — burgers, steaks, pasta, a full kilo of wings on Fridays and platters sized for a whole crew. A different deal lands every day of the week, and weekday happy hour runs from 4pm to 6pm.
The calendar is as busy as the screens: Quiz Night every Thursday, Warriors games all season, All Blacks Tests and FIFA World Cup fixtures in July, plus live bands to dance the night away. There are no table bookings — you're invited to simply come on in — while larger functions can be arranged through the function page. Doors open at 11am Monday to Friday and 8am on weekends, staying open late every night.
Napier's Marine Parade is the city's front porch — and right on it sits The Pavilion Sports Bar & Eatery, better known to locals as The Pav. The pitch is simple and proudly worn: this is 'your favourite sports stars' favourite sports bar', the place where the entertainment of sport meets the enjoyment of socialising. From kick-off to last call, the screens are on, the taps are cold and the kitchen is turning out what the team cheerfully calls 'just really good tucker.' It sits at 49 Marine Parade in Napier South, and the energy inside rarely drops below lively.
There's a claim here that happens to be true: The Pavilion is Napier's only beachfront bar. On a fine Napier day, the alfresco dining area puts you within sight of the waves, coffee or a cold pour in hand. Step inside and the mood shifts to something fresher and more modern than the words 'sports bar' usually suggest — though make no mistake, this is still a room built for fans.
The bar itself is a serious piece of kit: 22 taps pouring local and international beer and cider, cocktails for a girls' night out, and coffee for anyone pacing themselves. It's a set-up that works just as well for a long Sunday session as it does for a packed Saturday night.
Sport is the heartbeat of The Pav. Eighteen big screen TVs wrap the room wall-to-wall, and there's a dedicated racing and TAB space — complete with TAB SST — for those who like a flutter with their beer. The event calendar reads like a fan's wish list: New Zealand Warriors games all season, All Blacks fixtures and FIFA World Cup matches in July, and Quiz Night every single Thursday for the trivia faithful.
And it's not all sport. Live bands take the room on a regular basis, turning a match-day venue into a dance floor once the final whistle goes. The vibe, in the venue's own words, 'hits like a last-minute winner' — game day genuinely lives here.
The kitchen keeps pace with the bar. The menu leans proper pub: burgers, steaks, pasta, wings and share plates, rotating through a weekly rhythm of deals that gives every night its own excuse to come in. Monday belongs to the burger-and-beer combo; Tuesday is steak night; Wednesday brings the pasta special; and Thursday puts all the classics on deal. The thinking is straightforward — good food that matches the occasion, whether that's a midweek dinner or a full-table feast on finals night.
Friday might be the loudest of the lot — a full 1kg bucket of wings lands on tables, built for the whole crew. Saturday answers with the sports platter and a jug, the natural companion to whatever's on the screens, and Sunday winds things down gently with bruschetta and bubbles. Around it all sits weekday happy hour from 4pm to 6pm, which regulars treat as the unofficial start to the evening.
Beyond the screens, The Pavilion gives competitive types somewhere to aim it: two pool tables and a dedicated darts space, designed — so the venue says — for the sharp shooters and weekend warriors alike. Whether it's for the banter or the bragging rights, there's a game waiting.
Practically speaking, The Pav is an easy place to be spontaneous. There are no table bookings — the invitation is simply to come on in and enjoy — though larger functions can be arranged through the venue's function booking page. Doors open at 11am Monday to Friday and from 8am on weekends, running late every night of the week. Whether you're there for the Warriors, the wing bucket or a quiet coffee by the sea, the deal is the same: pick a screen, grab a seat, and tag it #atthepav.