Our Sunday forecast: a sunny 72 degrees and a Bears victory over the Bills of Buffalo in the season-opening game at noon. Below, our recommendations for bars where you can watch the game, take in the sun, and order something other than Buffalo chicken wings.
Photo: Courtesy of CleosCleos
1935 W. Chicago Ave., Ukrainian Village, 312-243-5600
At this soccer bar on Sunday, pitchers are $10 and nachos and quesadillas are $6—which means for the price of one $106 upper-deck Bears ticket, you can purchase no fewer than five pitchers and five orders of ’dillas, with just enough left over for tip, tax, and a stretcher to take you home.
Photo: Courtesy of Four Corners TavernCrossing
2548 N. Southport, Lincoln Park, 773-327-4900
Get your usual gameday beer in a stadium cup if you want to pretend you got tickets to the game, or get the craft bucket (also offered at Gaslight, another Four Corners Tavern bar) if you want to pretend you’re above the stadium-cup crowd.
Photo: Courtesy of FrontierFrontier
1072 N. Milwaukee, Noble Square, 773-772-4322
Craft beer and house cocktails in, naturally, a frontier setting, though hopefully the buffalo will not roam after kickoff. Specials include $5 craft drafts and a $7 roast pear Bellini, with chili and a rotating wild-game burger for carnivores.
Photo: Courtesy of Four Corners TavernGaslight
2450 N. Clark St., Lincoln Park, 773-929-7759
Oh, the sweet, sweet taste of pulled pork poutine. $25 buckets of Revolution and Lagunitas, if you’re feeling crafty.
Photo: Courtesy of Howells & HoodHowells & Hood
435 N. Michigan Ave., Streeterville, 312-262-5310.
If you find yourself in Streeterville for the game, head to H&H for the bar's special "football features": pierogi poutine, 7-layer dip, and duck wings. They're served all day, along with the 100-plus beers available on the menu.
Photo: Courtesy of O'Donovan'sO'Donovan's
2100 W. Irving Park Rd., North Center, 773-478-2100
Eat your pigskin heart out. Choose between an all-you-can-eat buffet, for $14.95 from 10-2, or a $25 mimosa brunch. Next week, a bus will be on hand to take you straight to Soldier Field—with beer aboard.
Photo: Courtesy of Rocky'sRocky's
234 W. 31st St., Bridgeport, 312-842-9200
Enjoy this Bridgeport bar's brunch special ($10 buffet with $3 mimosas and $5 Bloody Marys) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. while the game airs on four outdoor TVs. Or, if you want to watch Cutler get sacked while just drinking beer, the joint helpfully offers $5 drafts, $12 domestic buckets, and $16 imported buckets on Sundays.
Wells on Wells
1617 N. Wells St., Old Town, 312-944-1617
They call it a “beer garden” for a reason, but the patio also serves $4 glasses of wine and $5 bombs.