The alarm sounds at 4 am on a Saturday, and the streets of Santa Monica are empty except for late-shift workers and insomniacs. By 4:45 am, a queue forms outside Ye Olde King's Head, a British pub one block from the pier that has screened every Premier League match since 1974. Staff unlocks the doors, and the first patrons claim stools in the Bulldog Bar, a small alcove lined with signed jerseys and club banners. The main screen flickers to life with pre-match coverage from Craven Cottage, where Fulham will host Chelsea in a West London derby that kicks off at 5 am Pacific. The kitchen starts frying sausages and cracking eggs for full English breakfasts, and the bartender pulls the first pints of the morning. This is matchday in Santa Monica, where European kickoff times dictate weekend schedules and a 50-year-old pub remains the anchor for expats, converts, and anyone willing to wake before dawn for 90 minutes of football.
Karpo tracks live Premier League kickoff times, Serie A schedules, and early-opening pubs across LA—so you never miss a match or scramble for a table at dawn.
A half-century of matchday mornings
Ye Olde King's Head opened in 1974, three years before the Premier League's predecessor competitions consolidated and two decades before the EPL rebrand. The pub has outlasted format changes, television rights battles, and the gentrification of Santa Monica's beachfront blocks. It still occupies 116 Santa Monica Boulevard, one block north of the pier and two blocks west of the Third Street Promenade, in a two-story building that houses the restaurant upstairs, the pub downstairs, a bakery counter, and a gift shop stocked with Marmite, HP Sauce, and club scarves.
The main bar runs along the west wall, backed by shelves of spirits and a chalkboard listing draught selections. The Bulldog Bar—named for the pub's canine mascot—occupies a smaller alcove near the entrance, with eight stools, a handful of banquettes, and walls papered in signed jerseys, historic match photos, and club banners from Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool, and Manchester United. Both bars show every Premier League fixture on multiple screens, and the pub opens early for morning kickoffs: 4:30 am isn't unusual for a 12:30 pm London start.
Staff will unlock the doors if you call ahead to confirm the schedule, especially during congested fixture weeks when matches stack up across Saturday and Sunday mornings. The kitchen follows shortly after, serving full English breakfasts—two eggs, bacon, sausage, grilled tomatoes, baked beans imported from England, and fried bread—from 8 am daily during summer hours, earlier on matchdays. No substitutions allowed, as the menu warns in plain text.
Tracking standings and scheduling your arrival
Fulham vs Chelsea draws a mixed crowd: West London expats who grew up near Craven Cottage or Stamford Bridge, American fans who adopted clubs during study-abroad semesters, and neutral observers who appreciate a derby with actual geographic stakes. The Bulldog Bar fills first, often 45 minutes before kickoff for high-stakes fixtures. Regulars claim the corner banquettes and the stools nearest the screen, leaving latecomers to overflow into the main bar or the outdoor patio.
The pub posts Premier League standings on a chalkboard near the bar, updated after each matchweek, with handwritten notes marking upcoming fixtures and kickoff times adjusted for Pacific hours. During the 2025-26 season, Chelsea has hovered in the top six while Fulham oscillates between mid-table security and relegation anxiety, making their meetings tense regardless of league position. The pub doesn't take reservations for match screenings—arrival time determines seating.
Serie A fixtures also appear on the schedule, though they draw smaller crowds unless a title race tightens or a Champions League qualification battle heats up. Inter, Milan, and Juventus matches typically screen on weekday evenings or weekend afternoons, with kickoffs more forgiving than the dawn starts required for English football. Rugby internationals and Six Nations fixtures round out the calendar, often opening early for Southern Hemisphere kickoffs from New Zealand or Australia.
Food, drink, and the no-frills philosophy
The draught selection includes British standards—Fuller's London Pride, Newcastle Brown Ale, Boddingtons—alongside American craft options and European lagers. Bottled beer expands the list to over 150 choices, though most matchday patrons stick to pints. The cocktail menu exists but sees little traffic before noon; this is a beer-and-breakfast operation during early kickoffs.
Pub grub runs to fish and chips, shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, and Scotch eggs. The kitchen doesn't chase trends or accommodate dietary restrictions beyond a vegetarian breakfast plate that swaps sausage for soy patties. Afternoon tea service—reservations required—offers a more formal experience upstairs in the restaurant, with tiered trays of sandwiches, scones, and pastries served from floral teapots. The tea menu runs long, sourced from British blends, and the service adheres to traditional timing and etiquette.
Happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 4 to 7 pm (8 pm on Fridays), with discounted drinks and pub snacks available in the pub and outdoor patio only. The deal doesn't extend to the restaurant or during match screenings, when the pub operates at full capacity and full price. Staff moves efficiently during rushes but won't hurry patrons nursing pints through extra time or post-match analysis.
Trivia, karaoke, and the Bulldog regulars
Wednesday trivia starts at 7:30 pm in the Bulldog Bar, hosted by a rotating lineup of British expats who blend general knowledge with Premier League questions. Rounds cover history, geography, and pop culture, but football queries appear frequently enough that casual fans struggle against regulars who track transfer windows and managerial sackings. Teams of four or fewer compete for bar tabs and bragging rights; the atmosphere stays friendly even when answers spark debates over offside calls or VAR controversies.
Sunday karaoke begins at 9 pm in the main bar, drawing a younger crowd than the matchday mornings. The song list skews British—Oasis, The Beatles, Queen—but accepts requests from any genre. Performers range from confident belters to self-conscious mumblers who need three pints before approaching the microphone. The event runs late, often past 11 pm, and the energy shifts from pub to party as the night progresses.
The Bulldog Bar regulars form a loose collective of season-ticket holders, former players, and expatriates who've claimed the space as their matchday headquarters. They arrive early, occupy the same seats, and maintain running commentary through 90 minutes. Newcomers are tolerated, occasionally welcomed, but rarely integrated unless they return for multiple fixtures and demonstrate fluency in club histories and tactical debates.
Practical notes
Ye Olde King's Head is located at 116 Santa Monica Boulevard, one block north of the Santa Monica Pier and two blocks from the Third Street Promenade. Summer hours run daily from 8 am, with earlier openings for European match kickoffs—call ahead to confirm. The pub includes two bars (main bar and Bulldog Bar), an upstairs restaurant, a bakery counter, and a gift shop. No reservations for match screenings; seating is first-come. Outdoor patio available. Street parking and nearby lots; the Expo Line's Downtown Santa Monica station is a ten-minute walk. Happy hour Monday through Friday, 4 to 7 pm (8 pm Fridays), pub and patio only. Wednesday trivia at 7:30 pm, Sunday karaoke at 9 pm. Afternoon tea by reservation. Please drink responsibly and arrange safe transportation.
Tags: #YeOldeKingsHead #SantaMonicaPubs #PremierLeagueLA #FulhamVsChelsea #EPLStandings #SerieAScreenings #BritishPubLA #SoccerBarSantaMonica #EarlyKickoffLA #FullEnglishBreakfast #ThirdStreetPromenade #SantaMonicaPier #LAFootballPubs #RugbyBarLA #BulldogBar
Please drink responsibly. Must be of legal drinking age.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Ask Karpo first
Planning your weekend around West London derbies or mid-table Serie A clashes? Ask Karpo which Santa Monica pubs open earliest for European kickoffs, where to find the best pre-match breakfast near the pier, or how to time your arrival before the Bulldog Bar fills up—I'll map the route and save you a wasted trip.
