Chances are, when you walk into a sports bar, men’s games are on the big screens while women’s sports are on a small TV or muted, if they are even shown at all. A place where women take center stage is rare, but in Long Beach, that place is Watch Me! Sports Bar.
The bar, which opened in July 2024 to coincide with the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, is the first women-focused sports bar in California and was the fifth in the world and the fourth in the U.S.
“I’ve been told that I am considered a founding mother, and I would be on the Mount Rushmore of women’s sports bar owners,” said founder and owner Jax Diener.
The idea was years in the making, starting with Diener watching football every Sunday at traditional bars. Even though she went with a group of friends and bought drinks and food, she left feeling unwelcome.
She kept telling herself, “I’m going to open my own bar one day,” and when the time came to name the place she had envisioned, that same drive led her to call it Watch Me.
“It means proving doubters otherwise,” Jax said. “I always felt there were people out there who were doubting that I could achieve success, but I kind of made that fuel for my fire, and I would just quietly go out and prove them otherwise.”
Instead of women’s sports fading into the background, they now take over the biggest screens and shape the experience. Inside, 26 TVs and a large LED screen that can be split into four games keep women’s matchups front and center, with more screens visible from the dog-friendly patio.
“I wanted to create something where anybody could come watch anything they wanted to at any time and feel completely okay about it,” Jax said. “And I feel like we’ve done that.”
Inclusion also extends to the food menu, offering vegan and gluten-free options. Guests can order items like homemade hummus and fried pickles, plus a “girl’s dinner” that pairs a martini or margarita with a Caesar salad and cheesy fries. The bar also features signature cocktails, some created by visiting athletes.
“Our sporty celebs having their own cocktail on the menu is a very unique thing, and we’ve got their photos up on the walls here, making their drinks behind the bar,” Jax said. “That’s really special to us.”
Upstairs, a podcast studio provides athletes, students and guests with a place to share their stories, and a party bus program transports fans from the bar to the game.
“We’ll be going to Sparks games, Angel City games and probably go to Long Beach Coast [games],” Jax said. “People can park here and pregame with us, and we’ll take them over…so exciting things to come with that program.”
In addition to offering a safe and welcoming environment, the bar fills most nights with events such as live music, speed jigsaw puzzles, trivia and karaoke.
Jax said there are moments when she looks down from upstairs and sees people of all ages, races and genders. “They’ve chosen us to watch women’s sports or any sports, and it’s just been incredibly fulfilling.”