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Big Game

Headquarters Beercade (River North)

Headquarters Beercade, a vintage arcade bar located in River North, is a concept combining arcade games, special events, craft beer and cocktails. A spot to watch sports, from college football to the Bears to Cubs, Blackhawks and more, fans can catch their teams on flat screen TVs with sound on for your viewing pleasure. On Draft Day, head to HQ for half-priced apps, $5 select beer cans and a draft board. 

WhirlyBall (Bucktown)

WhirlyBall has what you need this sports season, whether you are in the mood for bites, drinks or plenty of screens (with sound on!) so you won’t miss a single point, touchdown or basket. Need a halftime break? Get your game on with a round of WhirlyBall, LaserTag or bowling with your team of friends and family. 

Gearing up for Fantasy Football? Reserve your space with WhirlyBall and take advantage of group menu specials including buffalo chicken sliders, nachos and fried wings. Be the MVP of Draft Day with WhirlyBall - reserve a private space with WiFi and TVs in addition to game-changing pizza and wings.

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Courtesy of WhirlyBall

Bar Cargo 

In Chicago’s River North neighborhood at 605 N Wells, Bar Cargo is a Roman-style pizzeria bar from the Stefani’s Restaurant Group. Football lovers will enjoy games with full sound throughout the season. The space features 18 TV’s total with three TV’s in the beer garden, which features a revamped walk up bar and 15 TV’s inside. 

The $30 Cargo Football Buffet features a selection of Cargo items including a variety of Pizzas, Fried Ravioli, Meatballs, Chips and Salsa, Citrus Chipotle BBQ Wings, Buffalo Giardiniera Wings, Cheese Curds, and French Fries. Drink specials include $20 domestic beer buckets, $28 White Claw & High Noon buckets, and $25 Corona buckets.

Kickoff games include:

-Friday, August 30 

Wisconsin vs South Florida 

Buffet begins at 5:30pm 

Kick Off at 6pm 

-Thursday, September 5 

Packers vs Bears 

Buffet begins at 7pm 

Kick Off at 7:30pm 

Wings
Courtesy of Kailley Lindman

Parlay's New University of Michigan Team Affiliation and Game Day Specials

  • University of Michigan season begins Saturday, August 31 vs. Middle Tennessee State at 6:30 p.m.
  • $6 to $40 food and drink specials

Parlay, the sports bar on the first floor of Joy District, features ample booth seating, 19 100-inch LED TV's and a 200-inch projection screen, so there's never a bad seat in the house. 

New for the 2019 season, Parlay is now a University of Michigan affiliated bar, and Wolverine fans will enjoy drink specials like a $40 Elevated Rick's Sharkbowls, $20 domestic buckets, $25 premium buckets, and $6 well drinks (served in branded stadium cups that guests can purchase for an additional $10 each that can be brought back for each game). Food specials will include $10 pizzas as well as a limited menu every Saturday. 

NFL game day specials for Thursdays and Sundays will include $20 domestic buckets, $25 premium buckets, and a $10 Casamigos and Goose Island 312 combo. Monday game day specials will include $20 domestic buckets, $25 premium buckets, and a $10 burger and beer or White Claw combo.

NFL Game Day Specials at Play 

  • All NFL game days beginning Thursday, September 5 
  • $2 to $4 specials

Play Kitchen & Cocktails in Chicago's Gold Coast will broadcast all NFL games this football season. For guests' sports viewing pleasure, there are 17 4k UHD TVs making it the ideal spot to watch a sports game. Monday and Thursday game day specials will include 50-cent wings, $2 shots and $4 beers. For Sunday games, guests can indulge in Play's new brunch launching in early September.

NFL Season Specials at Weber Grill Restaurants

  • All NFL game days beginning Thursday, September 5 

Chicagoans who visit Weber Grill Restaurant in Chicago, Lombard and Schaumburg during football season will be offered happy hour specials in the bar area during all NFL regular season games. Weber Grill will broadcast all games on TVs in the bar area. Specials will be available from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Drink specials will include domestic beer bottles ($3), Weber's Backyard Brew ($4; 16-ounce draft), housemade sangria ($5 featured and traditional), Canyon Road Wines ($6; Chardonnay & Cabernet Sauvignon), and hand-shaken margaritas, Moscow mules & martinis ($6). 

Tailgating Grill Class at Weber Grill Academy in Lombard

  • Saturday, October 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • $65 per person (not including tax and gratuity)

The recently opened Weber Grill Academy at Weber Grill Restaurant in Lombard will host a hands-on Tailgating Grill Class on Saturday, October 12 at 9:30 a.m. In a three-season, custom designed learning facility, Grill Academy chefs will teach students how to prepare sweet and spicy chicken wings, teriyaki skirt steak skewers, Kobe beef sliders and grilled pound cake with roasted strawberries on Weber gas and charcoal grills. For more information and to sign up, visit: https://webergrill.securetree.com/grilling-classes/lombard/classes/Tailgating/

Parlay At Joy District Pizza 3
Courtesy of Adam Sokolowski

Utopian Tailgate

Utopian Tailgate – a 10,000 square foot rooftop is slated to open in late August above The Second City building at 1608 N Wells St. in Old Town.
 
The year-round Utopian Tailgate will be the 17th concept owned and operated by Greg Mohr and Scott Weiner of The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group. The Fifty/50 Group partnered with The Second City to open Utopian Tailgate and the third location of Roots Handmade Pizza.
 
Utopian Tailgate is an ode to all the experiences of tailgating before, during, and after football games and concerts. The rooftop deck features a 6,500 square-foot outdoor patio and a covered rooftop interior spanning 3,500 square-feet that will feature greenery and about 15 custom seating options. The outdoor space also boasts several all-weather SunBrite flatscreen TVs to watch -- and literally tailgate to -- NCAA and NFL football games.
 
Utopian Tailgate will feature group tailgating games including mini golf with surrounding stadium seating, foosball, bocce, bags, and giant board games like Connect Four and Jenga. An adult “field of dreams” will also include rotating experiences like bouncy houses, mechanical bull rides, Spikeball, and more. Guests can also order off a “games menu” featuring about 15 different classic board games that can be delivered to their tables.
 
Utopian Tailgate will feature patio-friendly tailgate cuisine from Fifty/50 Group executive chef/partner Nate Henssler -- also of Fifty/50 Group restaurants Portsmith and 90th Meridian. 

Also expect craft cocktails and beverage experiences from Utopian Tailgate bar manager Michael Barnes and Dylan Seo.

Food menu highlights from executive chef/partner Nate Henssler
 
Chinatown Shuffle Spare Ribs 
Spare ribs brined for 24 hours with salt, sugar, ginger, whole Chinese five spice, shallots, and garlic that are then cooked low and slow. Finished with a sauce of ginger syrup, hoisin, and sweet chili. 
 
Ganja Goo Balls
Bite-sized snacks made from peanut butter, honey, carob, millet seeds, cinnamon, and CBD oil.
 
Corn & Peach Summer Salad
Charred summer corn cut off the cob, diced peaches, brown butter, fresh lime, Parmesan  mayo, cilantro, and salt.
 
Broiled Hanger Steak Kabobs
One of the eight kabob offerings. The hanger steak kabob comes with a porcini mushroom rub and Korean kalbi marinade.
 
Housemade Nacho Cheese “Doritos” 
 
Beverage menu highlights from bar managers Michael Barnes & Dylan Seo

* Regular and large-format specialty cocktails including the following:
 
Gin & Chronic (gin, Green Chartreuse, CBD oil, lime, triple sec)

Big Pina (reposado tequila, coconut liqueur, agave, pineapple, lime)
 
Switch Hitter (Singani 63 Muscat brandy, banana liqueur, thyme, grapefruit juice, lime)
 
Watermelon Crusher (blanco tequila, Apologue Aronia berry liqueur, cilantro shrub, watermelon juice, lime)

* an actual paletas cart from La Michoacana out of Blue Island serving boozy and spirit-free Mexican-style fruit ice pops

* tableside keg service

* cooler service featuring fine canned beer

* 32 draft beer lines

* wines by the bottle & glass

Also the third location of Roots Handmade Pizza is slated to open on the ground floor of Utopian Tailgate in the former Adobo Grill space in mid-September.
 
Roots features signature Quad Cities style malt-crust pizza cut into strips with scissors; award-winning housemade mozzarella sticks; massive signature and build-your-own salad menu; 24 taps pouring Midwestern craft beers; and more.
 
Roots executive chef/operating partner Martin Arellano will helm the new Roots.

Rainbow Road 1
Courtesy of Sarah Zelman/Utopian Tailgate

Jake Melnick's Corner Tap 

With the NFL pre-season already in progress, Jake Melnick's Corner Tap is getting ready to kick off their football specials.

Thursday Night Football - Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Starts September 5th

- $12 Smokehouse Sandwiches (choice of Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken, Jumbo Hot Link, or Rotating Sandwich of the Week)
- $8 Very Old Barton Cocktails
- $4 Miller Lites
- $18 Miller Lite Tailgate Coolers

Saturday Football Specials - Big 10 Football Headquarters Starts September 7th
- $9 Tito's Bloody Marys
- $8 Tito's Cocktails
- $15 Old Style Pitchers
- $18 Short's Local Pitchers
- $10 Burgers (Jake's Burger, Prohibition, Chicago Style, Turkey, or Veggie)

Sunday Football Specials - Your Game Day Tailgate Headquarters Starts September 8th
- $9 Tito's Bloody Marys
- $4 Miller Lites
- $18 Miller Lite Tailgate Coolers
- $32 Build Your Own (BYO) 3 Level Tailgate Towers (choice of boneless wings, stadium nachos, fried pickles, onion rings, pulled pork sliders, 4 Miller High Life Ponies)

Monday Night Football | Starts September 9th
- $4 Miller High Life
- $18 Miller High Life Buckets
- $16 Burger, Beer & Whisky Combo

*Jake's Burger, Old Style, & a Very old Barton

- $12 Detroit Style Pizzas

Photo Sep 12 3 26 08 Pm
Courtesy of Jake Melnick's

Public House

Up until the Super Bowl on February 2, football fans can watch games at Public House (400 North State Street). The gastropub will hold its football season standards high, with an emphasis on its viewing capabilities along with food and drink specials. Home to more than 27 flat-screen televisions along with a 30-foot video screen. Food and drink specials include game-day drink offerings like $6 22-ounce drafts and $25 Bon Viv Seltzer Buckets, consisting of five cans of assorted flavors. All appropriate game-day fare will also be available at a special price including Buffalo Chicken Flatbreads ($15)Buffalo Chicken Nachos ($13) and Buffalo Boneless Wings ($12).

Barrio

Not initially considered as a place to watch football, Barrio (65 W. Kinzie St.), with numerous flat-screen TVs lining the indoor bar. Groups who will be looking for a more intimate viewing experience will have access to one of Barrio’s four private cabana tables, seating up to 10 people and featuring their own flat-screen TV along with a curtain. 

Regardless of where the games will be watched at Barrio, guests will be offered the restaurant’s football-dedicated specials, including the Buckets & Boards offer, consisting of a Beer Bucket and a Taco Board with 10 steak or chicken tacos along with a bucket of beer for $65. Beer Buckets will be available for purchase on their own for $25 and will feature five cans of either Bud Light, Corona, Tecate, or White Claw. For something stronger, the notable and shareable Margarita Towers, an 88-ounce tower made with Hornitos Blanco tequila will be available for $75. 

Bandit

Throughout the season, West Loop restaurant and bar, Bandit (841 W. Randolph St.), will offer new cocktail specials like a bottomless package for the fresh-on-the-market Natural Light Seltzers ($25) in flavors of Catalina Lime Mixer and Aloha Beaches. The back patio offers a full-service bar and three massive TVs. Greasy bar food will be no more when watching games at Bandit, as the typical football game-day fare will be chef-driven with upscale versions of classic American comfort foods, like The Diplomat, a sharable burger made with locally sourced, fresh ingredients and Bandit’s Disco Fries, covered in Bulgogi braised short rib and Kimchi. 

The Burger12
Courtesy of Public House

The Gage

All during football season patrons can swap “bear down” for “deer down” with a bowl of Executive Chef Chris Gawronski’s venison chili at The Gage (24 S. Michigan Ave.).  Located in the South Loop just a short stroll from Soldier Field,  the chili will be available every Chicago Bears home game.

The chili ($14) is packed with onions, peppers, jalapeños, tomatoes, black beans and maple syrup as well as red stag venison imported from New Zealand.

2019 Bears games at Soldier Field:

Thursday 9/5 7:20pm – Green Bay Packers

Sunday 9/29 3:25pm – Minnesota Vikings

Sunday 10/20 3:25pm – New Orleans Saints

Sunday 10/27 12pm – Los Angeles Chargers

Sunday 11/10 12pm – Detroit Lions

Sunday 11/24 12pm – New York Giants

Thursday 12/5 7:20pm – Dallas Cowboys

Sunday 12/22 7:20pm – Kansas City Chiefs

Gage Chili Kb2
Courtesy of The Gage

City Tap Kitchen & Craft 

City Tap will offer drinks specials for every game, as well as food specials during Bears games. Specials are as follows:

Drinks

  • $4 Solid Gold 
  • $5 All Day IPA

Bears Gameday Tailgate Features

  • $7 Cheese Curds
  • $7 BBQ Pork Sliders
  • $8 Buffalo Tenders 
Img 0072 V2
Courtesy of City Tap Kitchen & Craft

Il Culaccino 

Il Culaccino is ocated in South Loop's McCormick Square for Southsiders to enjoy a meal of Chicago-Italian classics before catching the game. 

There's no need to rush a meal before a Chicago Sky or DePaul Blue Demons game, or any event at Wintrust Arena with Il Culaccino only a minute's walk away. South-side sports fans can also take the quick stroll to/from Soldier Field or the easy drive to Guaranteed Rate Field. It’s located just two minutes away from McCormick Place West and the three branded Hilton Hotels at McCormick Place across the street for those in town for a game or catching one while they visit.

Chicken Giardiniera 1 1
Courtesy of Il Culaccino

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