Tyler St Sport

CONTACT

Ph: (09) 218 9251

46 Tyler Street, Britomart
Auckland CBD, 1010
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Opening Hours

SUN 12:00pm - late
MON closed
TUE 12:00pm - late
WED 12:00pm - late
THU 12:00pm - late
FRI 12:00pm - late
SAT 12:00pm - late

The Details

In the mood for
  • Beer
  • Cocktails
  • Great Pub Food
  • Sport
  • Wine
Need to know
  • Bar Snacks
  • Full Food Menu
  • Function Space
  • Good for Groups
  • Outdoor Seating

The Verdict

As a thirty-something-year-old female with an (at most) moderate interest in sports, I'll be honest—sports bars aren't usually my thing. If they were, however, this is where you'd find me: Tyler St Sport, the cracking new venue from Foley Hospitality aka the group behind several other top Auckland establishments including Soul Bar & Bistro, Andiamo, and Somm Wine Bar & Bistro. Solid credentials, to say the least.

So what makes this spot resonate with a lukewarm sports fan such as myself? No, not the fact that I have a (very loose) six-degrees-of-separation-type sitch going on (the owner, Bill Foley, also owns Auckland FC, which I'll touch on more in a mo; my uncle, David Taylor, used to play for the All Whites). Rather, it's the upmarket vibe in an iconic portside setting, which many of you will remember as The Chamberlain and before that, Tyler St Garage. That, and the fact it's dishing up some seriously bangin' eats and drinks.

So, about that Auckland FC link. Tyler St Sport is the official home for the newly formed football club, with nods to its allegiance at every turn (the team's jerseys, proudly displayed in glass cases like pieces of fine art, for example). As such, the venue hosts regular game days and also offers a very affordable food/drink/transport package to punters heading along to home matches at Go Media Stadium. And while football is undoubtedly Tyler St's baby, rest assured that other sporting events will also be playing out live and loud across their super-sized, state-of-the-art TV screens. This could be the scene for quite a party, me thinks (including your own—the space can be hired out in whole, or partially, for private events).

Think of the food as a homage to typical pub grub, only elevated. Case in point? The cheeseburger, stuffed with no less than ½ pound of premium wagyu beef and housemade onion rings, dripping in bacon and bourbon jam (you will get messy, and it will be worth it). Or for those who aren't quite ready for that kind of commitment, there's something equally mouthwatering on offer: cheeseburger spring rolls. These are a dead-ringer for the real thing, and when dipped in burger sauce—it's a gourmet hole-in-one. Add popcorn prawns, fried pickles, sesame prawn toast and a sharing board stacked with fried and fabulous goodies to the mix (not to mention their incredibly chic chicken salad), and you have a truly exceptional line-up of eats.

Pints of beer and glasses of wine are on high rotation here, but what might surprise you is the cocktail offering. Bringing a decidedly feminine touch to the menu, these sophisticated bevvies have been carefully curated by seasoned mixologist Hollie Wright (who also oversees the upstairs bar, Portside, and was also in charge of its predecessor, Talulah). The pastel orange Sideline Sip, garnished with a sprig of gently smoked rosemary, is a particularly good time; as is the banana, pineapple, and double-rum-laced Number 11. And I personally always appreciate drinks with tongue-in-cheek names (The Tyson, with hard-hitting Monkey Shoulder scotch? Genius).

All of this to say, Tyler St Sport is knocking it out of the park as a spot for a cheeky drink and a bite to eat (or a game day of course, if that's your thing)—take it from a newly-converted sports bar fan.

Words: Kathryn Steane | Image credit: Michael White