Chicago’s Best Sports Bars - Eater Chicago

The best spots to cheer for the Bears, Hawks, and Bulls this fall and winter

Chicago loves its sports, even if its teams don’t love its fans back when it comes to building championship contenders. A good beer and some chicken wings can help soothe the pain. Some may argue sports bars aren’t popular anymore, because fans don’t need a screen at a sports bar to watch an out-of-market game; they have their mobile devices. But there’s nothing like cheering on a team

Below is a list of the best bars in the city that combine plenty of screens, good food and drink, and a cool decor that puts sports. No true fan wants to be stuck at a club masquerading as a bar that refuses to put the game on.

In an area of the city saturated by sports bars, Murphy’s Bleachers rises above the fray. Open under various “bleachers” names since the 1930’s, it offers a singular gameday experience just across the street from Wrigley Field with plenty of streetside space for watching the world go by.

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Winters don’t have to be drab in Wrigleyville. DraftKings, the online sportsbook, has built a bar outside of the Friendly Confines, a two-level space where fans can rent out private events and be overloaded with sports info on the many screens. The food is from Levy, the Cubs’ caterer. Fans can place bets at one of the 32 betting kiosks and seven over-the-counter betting windows in the venue.

A Lakeview classic for a lot of University of Kentucky fans. There’s a classic pub menu with wings, tacos, and more. The fans here tend to get hyped for the games, so if you’re there on a gameday on a date — unless you and your partner are there for the sports — maybe take your night elsewhere.

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Lincoln Park has seemingly lost its title as the neighborhood with the most annoying sports bars in Chicago. The current champion may be Wicker Park. But not all sports bars are awful. Broken Barrel, on a quiet residential strip, is an example. It’s got plenty of TVs, a friendly waitstaff, and a bar menu that won’t make fans regret staying through overtime. The chicken wings come in fried or smoked, which are some of the best. And there’s a patio.

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Logan Square’s retro sports bar offers daily games on the bocce court, a massive outdoor space in front, and weekend bottomless boozy brunches.

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Julia Shell knows a thing about bars. The longtime PR executive has taken over a Lincoln Park space with a charming sports bar with a serious food menu. Albion Manor should appeal to soccer fans of all leagues with thoughtful drinks and a menu that includes sausage sliders, wings, and fish and chips.

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From the owners of the Scofflaw, this Logan Square bar caters to sports fans with TVs and a pub menu that includes burgers, wings, and salads. The beer selection is simple (with an emphasis on sours), but the cocktails are the highlights, as Scofflaw is one of the city’s best cocktail bars, and they’ve shared some of that magic to their younger sibling. There’s also a patio.

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This longtime Wisconsin and Kansas bar in Bucktown is always packed. It’s also a popular setting for TV’s Chicago Fire.

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Illinois bars are a dime a dozen, but all alums seemingly eventually find themselves at Joe’s. This large entertainment complex near Lincoln Park is good for those who want to start the day with sports and end with some music.

No regrets here. #DaBears #Bears100

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Cleo’s is more known as an international soccer bar, but it also offers NFL Sunday Ticket on its 16 HD screens for the other type of football.

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No Vacancy is another bar that doesn’t want to be put in a single category, claiming it has fancy cocktails, plenty of TV screens, but still will be comfy for lovers of dive bars. It’s a tall order, but this sleek River North bar manages to straddle the line — at least on weekdays. Weekends in River North are hard to escape. Birria egg rolls, chicken tenders, burgers, and salads fill the menu.

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One of the city’s best sports bars has a quality menu that will satisfy non-sports fans dragged to a gamewatch.

There’s more than one way to get sauced on football Sunday! #theorychicago

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Bar La Rue, off Fulton Market, serves French American fare and while it’s trying to avoid being a nominal sports bar, the space has TVs, displays that can discreetly disappear when they turn up the music late at night. There’s also an all-season pergola with HVAC for a unique experience.

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For 14 years, WestEnd served the sports fans near the United Center, living between dive and upscale, providing patrons with something for everyone. WestEnd’s owners closed the bar during the pandemic to convert it into a location of its popular Ranalli’s bar that’s been a Lincoln Park fan favorite. Customers haven’t missed much. The decor is brighter and there’s build-your-own tavern-style pizzas.

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On the second floor of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel — the same building known for Cindy’s Rooftop on the third floor — the Game Room offers arcade basketball, shuffleboard tables, and other games. The hotel has a vintage gymnasium and pays tribute to games of yesteryear. The Game Room offers quality food and drink. Order at the bar and food runners will take care of you while you nosh on a Maxwell Street Polish sausage, burger, or chicken wings.

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Hockey bars aren’t plenty in Chicago, but this new Near West Side establishment near the United Center appears to be on the Connor Bedard bandwagon, dedicating its venue to the sport. The Barn, a reference to the old Chicago Stadium, promises that they’ll always show Hawks games with the sound on, which is a spectacular commitment. The menu is even organized with hockey acumen. Each booth has a TV and there’s a large menu with typical sports bar food — pizza, sandwiches, and more.

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This bar, across from McCormick Place and Wintrust Arena, is the a spinoff of the Wicker Park original. Known for a deep beer list and bar fare (burgers, fries, wings), Fat Pour has plenty of TVs over two levels to support your Olympic habit. It’s great once situated, but beware — it appears the bar is understaffed. Service is a bit slow during peak times, which can be expected. So show a little patience, and perhaps take the time to be firm, yet courteous, if your server isn’t attentive. There is also a suburban Lincolnwood location.

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South Siders of a certain age have warm feeling surrounding Williams Inn, a restaurant that featured Chicago-style stuffed pizza. Closed for years, Williams Inn reopened in September as a sports bar that strives inclusivity. Watch the Bears, the Sky, and baseball while sinking your teeth into the same stuffed pizza that fueled so many memories.

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A quick walk from Sox Park, Turtle’s gets crowded after baseball games as fans crowd the space. It’s got a deep beer list, popular burgers, and pizza to sate any fan. This is a favorite among South Side Chicago chefs.

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When a James Beard Award winner opens a sports bar, food-loving fans should take notice. Daisy’s Po-Boy opened in August with sandwiches, gumbo, fried chicken, and more. Williams is channeling is aunt with southern food inside a spacious restaurant with plenty of TVs and draft and packaged beer. It’s a rare Black-owned sports bar in the city of Chicago.

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Piece is a pioneer along North Avenue, predating most restaurants near Wicker Park’s Six Corners. The specialty is New Haven, Connecticut thin crusts. When the pizza is on, it’s delicious — but Piece gets busy and consistency can hinder any big-volume operation. Still, the pizza is unique for Chicago, there are plenty of TVs, and the city takes the beer for granted. Piece is a bonafide brewpub with lagers and ales which consistently get recognition.

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This South Loop bar, near Soldier Field, is owned by former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije. It’s an upscale sports bar with elevated bar bites from consultant and operating partner Stephen Gillanders, who owns S.K.Y. in Pilsen, Apolonia near McCormick Place, and Valhalla in Wicker Park.

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Wisconsin teams are prominent at this Lakeview dive with a massive patio with a bar and TVs that play big games during crisp fall days. A surprisingly diverse menu includes most bar staples from burgers, and wings, to salads, but let’s give a shout-out to the cheese curds which aren’t to be missed.

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The Barn, located near the United Center on the Near West Side, claims to be Chicago’s only dedicated hockey bar. The decor is dedicated to the sport, with the name referencing the old Chicago Stadium. Find pizza, wings, burgers, and other items with call-outs to former NHL players.

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