Benchmark

Benchmark holds down 1510 North Wells Street in Old Town with two levels, two full bars, and the feature that built its name: a fully retractable roof over most of the second floor. The bar's own billing as Chicago's first convertible beer garden is accurate, and on a warm game day it changes the entire experience.

It suits watch parties, birthday groups, and anyone who wants 46 screens with sunlight. It will repel anyone seeking a quiet pint; volume is the product here.

The Room

Downstairs runs as a conventional polished sports bar, all booths and screen walls. Upstairs is the show, where the roof panels pull back and the room becomes an open beer garden with the skyline over the rail. Tripadvisor reviewers consistently flag the second floor as the seating worth waiting for.

The Drinks

Expect a long American tap wall, beer towers for tables, and a cocktail list built for pitchers rather than precision, with most pints in the 7 to 9 dollar range. The kitchen runs full American sports food, salads through steaks, and a weekend brunch that feeds the early kickoff crowd. Trivia and viewing parties rotate through the calendar.

The Crowd

Old Town and Lincoln Park twenty and thirty somethings, alumni groups adopting corners for their teams, and bachelor parties anchoring the long tables. Party Earth describes the energy as relentlessly social. World Cup summer 2026 has the calendar fully programmed.

The Neighborhood

Wells Street is Old Town's main drag, two blocks from the Sedgwick Brown Line stop. For a different register nearby, Sportsman's Club pours serious drinks a short ride west, and Hopleaf rewards the beer drinker willing to ride north.

When to Go

Any Bears, Cubs, or Champions League window fills both floors, so arrive an hour early. The sweet spot is a warm Saturday afternoon with the roof open and a low stakes game on.

What Regulars Say

• Ask for the second floor when the roof is open; reviewers call it the best seat in Old Town.
• With 46 TVs, every table genuinely sees a screen, a point the bar's own spec sheet gets right.
• Groups should book ahead; walk ins on big game days queue on Wells Street.
• The kitchen holds up better than most sports bars, per Tripadvisor's food ratings.

Who It Is For

• The watch party that needs guaranteed screens and space
• A summer afternoon under an open roof with a beer tower
• Avoid if you want quiet conversation or a craft cocktail

Most sports bars fight for daylight; Benchmark just removes the ceiling. For a Chicago game day with weather worth keeping, this is the room.

Explore more sports bars in Chicago, or read our ranking of the best sports bars in Chicago.