Best Sports Bar Restaurants in Lakeview
14 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Will's Northwoods Inn
A Packers-and-Badgers shrine where wings, curds, and beer drive long-running game days.
Notable Picks
8.5
Will's Northwoods Inn is a Wisconsin-themed West Lakeview institution from 1991 where game-day crowds crush pitchers, cheese curds, and saucy wings under cabin-style wood paneling and taxidermy. Wings sit alongside brats, walleye bites, and a Friday fish fry, with long-running Packers and Badgers watch parties anchoring its reputation.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bone-in chicken wings (BBQ or buffalo), Fried Wisconsin cheese curds, Friday walleye fish fry
What Makes it Special: A Packers-and-Badgers shrine where wings, curds, and beer drive long-running game days.
8.3
Established in 1996 near the Paulina Brown Line, Finley Dunne's is a neighborhood Irish-leaning sports bar where jumbo wings and the Ryan Burger share the menu with flatbreads and bar snacks. Wings come in classic flavors and show up heavily in reviews, making this a go-to for casual games, beer, and big plates in West Lakeview.
Must-Try Dishes:
Jumbo wings (BBQ or garlic parm), Chicago Fire wings, Ryan Burger
What Makes it Special: Long-running Paulina Station bar where jumbo wings rival the famous Ryan Burger.
8.2
Old Crow Smokehouse’s Wrigleyville outpost is a high-capacity bar-and-BBQ spot where smoked ribs, pulled pork, and brisket meet country playlists, a large patio, and game-day crowds. With more than a thousand Google reviews and steady traffic, it’s the play for groups looking to pair pitchers and live entertainment with approachable barbecue.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pork Baby Back Ribs, Burnt Ends, Brisket Mac n' Cheese Sandwich
What Makes it Special: Large-format Wrigleyville bar where smoked meats, country bands, and patio space converge.
8.2
A classic Chicago pizza-and-pub operation where the move is thin crust, pitchers, and a steady game-day rhythm. It’s strongest when you treat it like a focused order—one pie, one appetizer, one drink lane—so timing and temperature stay on your side.
Must-Try Dishes:
Thin crust pizza, Calzone, Italian beef sandwich
What Makes it Special: Wrigleyville staple for thin crust and pub energy.
8
Long-running wine-and-sports bar with a large patio and rooftop deck looking directly at Wrigley Field. The food leans toward straightforward bar fare, but its location and open-air seating make it a default choice for watching the crowds with a drink in hand.
Must-Try Dishes:
Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Grilled Chicken, Chicken Tenders
What Makes it Special: A rooftop and patio that stare straight at Wrigley, ideal for lingering over drinks before or instead of the game.
8
Kirkwood is a sports bar where big screens and a beer garden meet better-than-average bar food, including house-seasoned fries and loaded tot-chos that show up on most tables. It’s the move when you want game-day fries with wings, wraps, and fish tacos in a lively Lakeview setting.
Must-Try Dishes:
House Seasoned Fries, Loaded Tot-chos, Boneless Wings
What Makes it Special: A neighborhood sports bar where crisp fries and loaded tots are as important as the games on TV.
A neighborhood public house with a surprisingly dialed wing lineup, especially if you treat sauces like the main decision. Go classic (hot or mild) or lean into Nashville/hot honey, then keep the rest of the order minimal so the wings stay the headline.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Wings (Hot Honey), Chicken Wings (Lemon Pepper), Chicken Wings (Garlic Parmesan)
What Makes it Special: House-made sauces with a wide wing flavor range.
Worthy Picks
A big, open Wrigleyville tavern where wings work as the safest play when the room is moving and the bar is busy. It’s a good happy-hour base for groups who want TVs, loud crowd energy, and food that holds up under volume.
Must-Try Dishes:
Buffalo wings, Buffalo chicken wrap, Chicken nachos
What Makes it Special: Across-from-Wrigley scale with happy-hour flow built for crowds.
#9
The Piggery
7.8
A sports-themed Lakeview bar-and-grill that leans heavy on pork, with ribs and pulled-pork plates as the most reliable BBQ-adjacent plays. Not a pitmaster destination, but it can be a high-leverage move for casual hangs when you keep the order focused on ribs and one pork-driven starter. Note: the restaurant has announced it will close on January 18, 2026.
Must-Try Dishes:
Full rack ribs, Pulled pork sandwich, Pulled pork nachos
What Makes it Special: A pork-forward neighborhood spot with ribs as the main draw.
#10
Big City Tap
7.7
Big City Tap is a late-night bar where the kitchen quietly turns out hot baskets of regular and sweet potato fries long after many Lakeview kitchens close. It’s more about loud music, cheap drinks, and after-midnight snacks than chef-y technique, but it fills the specific need of fries at 2–4 a.m.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sweet Potato Fries, Classic French Fries, Buffalo Wings
What Makes it Special: A no-frills late-night bar where baskets of fries and sweet potato fries stay available almost until sunrise.
Since 1985, Sluggers has been Wrigleyville’s loudest two-story sports bar, pairing batting cages and arcade games upstairs with a menu of World Class Wings, burgers, and deep-dish pizza downstairs. The wings are a staple pre- and post-game order, especially when combined with dueling pianos and late-night crowds after Cubs games.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sluggers' World Class Wings, Little League 10-piece wings, Chicago style deep-dish pizza
What Makes it Special: Rowdy Wrigleyville standby where World Class Wings share space with batting cages and dueling pianos.
#12
The Cubby Bear
7.7
A Wrigleyville standby that’s best treated as a straightforward happy hour stop: order wings, one fried snack, and keep decisions fast. The setting is built for game-day flow, so it rewards simple ordering more than exploration.
Must-Try Dishes:
Buffalo Wings, Garlic Fries, Chicken Tenders
What Makes it Special: Iconic Wrigley-adjacent hangout built for fast bar-food decisions.
7.7
Vibes:
Sports Bar Central
Rooftop Views Revelry
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Group Dining Gatherings
A classic Wrigleyville sports bar that plays as a budget-friendly rooftop-adjacent move when you want the game-day energy without the fuss. Keep expectations in the bar-food lane—beer, something fried, something handheld—and treat the outdoor space as the feature.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken wings, Burger, Chicago-style hot dog
What Makes it Special: Old-school Wrigleyville energy with big outdoor hang potential.
7.6
The Butcher's Tap is a Southport Corridor sports bar with dozens of taps, a roomy patio, and a straightforward menu of sandwiches, wings, and bar snacks. Its rotating drink specials and approachable happy hour pricing make it a utility stop before Cubs games, concerts, or neighborhood nights out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Blackened Chicken Sandwich, Dry Rub Wings, BBQ Pulled Pork
What Makes it Special: High-energy taproom with long beer lists, big screens, and patios.