Editorial
Chicago lives and dies by its teams, and these six rooms are where the city actually gathers to watch. Wrigleyville carries the energy, Streeterville carries the screens, and each bar below earns its place on a matchday.
Murphy's Bleachers sits directly across from Wrigley Field on Sheffield, and on a Cubs afternoon the beer garden turns into the loudest corner in Wrigleyville. The kitchen runs classic pub food, the rooftop catches the game-day overflow, and the crowd spills onto the sidewalk by first pitch. Go before a home game, claim a patio table, and ride the neighbourhood roar.
The Cubby Bear stretches 30,000 square feet across from the Wrigley marquee, half sports bar and half live-music room. Private balconies overlook the field, the screens carry every Chicago team, and the calendar swings from Opening Day parties to late concerts. Best on a Cubs matchday when the upstairs fills, then stays loud for the band long after the final out.
Declan's has held down Old Town at 1240 North Wells since 1972, and its two dozen screens and big sidewalk café make it the Notre Dame crowd's Saturday home. The kitchen sends out solid pub plates and the second floor handles the bigger match parties. Go for a college-football weekend, grab a patio seat, and watch Wells Street roll past.
Replay in Lincoln Park pairs Pac-Man and pinball with every game on the screens, so the sports crowd and the arcade crowd share one room. It opens at 6pm midweek and pushes to 3am on Saturdays, with themed pop-ups and bingo nights filling the calendar. Best for a group that wants a match on and a controller in hand.
Timothy O'Toole's has anchored Streeterville since 1992 with 72 HD screens and more than 40 games on tap every day. The award-winning wings and the Big Timmy burger pull the lunch crowd, and the late license keeps the room busy past 2am. Go for a packed Sunday slate, settle into a booth, and let the staff queue up whatever you came to watch.
Sluggers has run on Clark Street since 1985, stacking a full indoor sports complex above the bar with batting cages, pop-a-shot, and a dueling-pianos room. The ground floor handles the game while the second floor handles everything after it. Best on a Wrigleyville night when a Cubs win spills in and the pianos take over until close.
Wrigleyville
Gold Coast
Wrigleyville is the gravity well. Murphy's Bleachers, The Cubby Bear, and Sluggers cluster around the ballpark and turn every Cubs home game into a street party, while Replay adds an arcade twist a few blocks south.
Downtown plays it differently. Timothy O'Toole's in Streeterville runs the most screens in the city and Declan's holds the college-football crowd in Old Town, so pick your neighbourhood by the game you came for.
What is the best sports bar near Wrigley Field? Murphy's Bleachers and The Cubby Bear both sit directly across from Wrigley Field in Wrigleyville and fill on every Cubs matchday.
Which Chicago sports bar is best for college football? Declan's Irish Pub in Old Town has run since 1972 and draws the Notre Dame crowd every Saturday across two dozen screens.
Where can you watch every game downtown in Chicago? Timothy O'Toole's in Streeterville runs 72 HD screens and more than 40 games a day, with a late license past 2am.
Which Chicago sports bar has games and activities too? Sluggers on Clark Street has batting cages, pop-a-shot, and dueling pianos, while Replay in Lincoln Park pairs arcade classics with the match on screen.