Comprehensive List of Awesome Wrigleyville Bars NOT Charging a Cover
There has been a lot of conversation among angry Chicago Cubs fans mad abouy popular Wrigleyville bars charging an expensive cover charge for this weekend’s games. While I understand both sides of the argument, fans think this is a greed grab and the bars are using it to control the size of their crowds – it still makes you think twice about celebrating with tens of thousands of Cubs fans in Wrigleyville.
There are several Wrigleyville establishments that will not be charging a cover this weekend. So if you only want to overpay for your drinks but not your seat, here you go.
No Cover Charge
Murphy’s Bleachers – 3655 N Sheffield (773) 281-5356
Sheffield’s – 3258 N Sheffield Ave (773) 281-4989
The Sports Corner – 956 W Addison St (773) 929-1441
Johnny O’Hagans – 3374 N Clark St (773) 857-0944
Vines on Clark – 3554 N Clark St (773) 327-8572
The Irish Oak – 3511 N Clark St (773) 935-6669
Nisei Lounge (Standing room only) – 3439 N Sheffield Ave (773) 525-0577
Big G’s – 3716 N Clark St (773) 281-2444
Trace – 3714 N Clark St (773) 477-3400
The GMan Tavern – 3740 N Clark St (773) 549-2050
Houndstooth Saloon – 3369 N Clark St (773) 244-1166
Dark Horse Tap and Grill – 3443 N Sheffield Ave (773) 248-4400
Roadhouse 66 Gas N’ Grill – 3478 N Clark St, (872) 206-5309
The Bar Celona – 3474 N Clark St (773) 244-8000
Reasonable Covers
Yak-Zies $25 Cover $50/hr for a table – 3710 N Clark St (773) 525-9200
Rockit Burger Bar $40 Cover $100 for a table – 3700 N Clark St (773) 645-4400
Myron Mixon’s Smoke Show $50 Cover *Includes all you can eat – 3801 N Clark St (773) 360-1452
It’s Going to be an Expensive Night
Cubby Bear $100 Cover – 1059 W Addison St (773) 327-1662
Sluggers $100 Cover – 3540 N Clark St (773) 248-0055
Pricey, But Some Perks
Moe’s Cantina $200 Cover $500 for a table – 3518 N Clark St (773) 248-0002 – Each guest gets an appetizer, entree, and drinks from 7 PM until the 9th inning.
John Barleycorn $200-250 Cover $500 for a table – 3524 N Clark St (773) 348-8899 – Each guest gets an appetizer, entree, and drinks from 7 PM until the 9th inning.
Casey Moran’s $225-250 Cover $500 for a table – 3660 N Clark St (773) 755-4444 – Each guest gets an appetizer, entree, and drinks from 7 PM until the 9th inning.
Old Crow Smokehouse $225-250 Cover $500 for a table – 3506 N Clark St (773) 537-4452 – Each guest gets an appetizer, entree, and drinks from 7 PM until the 9th inning.
Deuce’s and Diamonds $250 Cover – 3505 N Clark St (773) 644-5554 – Each guest gets an appetizer, entree, and drinks from 7 PM until the 9th inning.
HVAC Pub $250 Cover $1,000 for a table – 3530 N Clark St (773) 789-8864 – All you can eat food and drink from 7 PM till 11 PM, table cost includes a bottle of Grey Goose and a bottle of champagne.
Stretch Bar and Grill $300-350 Cover – 3485 N Clark St (773) 755-3980 – Appetizer or entree, premium bar from 6 PM till end of ballgame.
I’m not going to pretend that some of the establishments aren’t trying to flip a HUGE profit this weekend – and they should. But there certainly are still many reasons to visit a local Wrigleyville bar on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, spend a good amount of money to gain entry, and root on the Cubs with thousands of others. I do HIGHLY recommend that you call ahead to any establishment that you plan on going out to, remember to get there HOURS before game time, and make sure to have appropriate IDs when you come out (talking to you 45 year old that has a babyface). Not only will there be a ton more police in the area, but there will be restricted access to Wrigleyville and many security checkpoints throughout the area.
This will be a great time to be in and around the ballpark, make sure to go into it with the expectation that you will not have room to move, people will bump into you, that guy didn’t just look at you hard, and while he may have checked out your girl – its not worth starting something. Make this time enjoyable for all who come out.
Pass out high-fives not punches.
You’d have to be a special kind of stupid to pay these cover charges to watch a game on TV. I don’t recall anything remotely like this in ’05, but then I was at the games including the two in Houston, so I could be wrong. Seems to me these bars complaining about “competition” from the cubs plaza are making a ton of dough off the team, why should the team lose out? Open the plaza like a giant beer garden, these extortionist cover charges will drop exponentially, unless the cubs decide to charge to be in that plaza, then it’s a wash. I suppose one could set up a yard chair and watch from the street since they’re putting in a massive TV in the plaza and if this year is any indication, they’ll shut down the entire northside’s streets.
Regardless, this is ridiculous. I still can’t stand the cubs fans. If they win, they’ll make obnoxious Sox and bears fans look like mild mannered Minnesota fans.