A friendly Rogers Park place that has the hallmarks of a dive, but can also accommodate families with young children during the day. The food can be hit or miss depending on who’s in the kitchen. The atmosphere and staff are the main draws, and that energy helps create a fun game day.

This Lincoln Square bar features a strong food menu paired with a solid craft beer selection. Sundays are particularly crowded for brunch and NFL games, so get here early.

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.

Surge Billboards opened its second location during the pandemic, hoping to cure quarantine blues. There’s a second location on the North Side, but the formula remains the same: lots of pool tables, TVs, plus fun cocktails and desserts.

The Bob Inn is an old person’s bar only until it isn’t. This is a dive for shots and a beer, with the type of aesthetic that big beer companies love to steal for its commercials. Yes, the crowd skews younger as the night goes on, but make no mistake: This bar takes its baseball seriously. Check out the neon sign in the front declaring it a North Side White Sox bar.

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.

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

Tricycle is a classic American bar that’s gone through a few identities through the years. It’s a neighborhood tavern that aims to serve families in Bucktown. But it’s also a lively spot for college football during the afternoons. The bartenders will gladly pour a beer from their deep craft beer list and turn on the game if you ask nicely. 

The Fifty/50, with their infamous chicken wings and 25 TVs, is one of Wicker Park’s OGs for sports.

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.

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

Drinking at the Loop can be an adventure, and Miller’s Pub, with its familiar green and red sign, wants to be part of your night. The pizza and ribs are Chicago classics, while the bar oozes history with vintage photos and other trinkets throughout the space. There aren’t too many TVs in the space, but the fans who are paying attention to the game will soon become your best friends. You may even become penpals.

The South Loop spinoff of the Wicker Park bar is back near McCormick Place. It features a large beer list, Sunday brunch, and it’s probably the closest bar to Soldier Field.

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.

This Hyde Park classic continues to chug with a friendly clientele and famous pitchers and burgers. The cheap prices may appeal to college kids at the University of Chicago, but the bar formerly known as Jimmy’s welcomes all. Note: They’re cash only.