Bears fans are a hardy bunch, willing to endure frigid weather and harsh parking restrictions to cheer on Rex Grossman and the gang. But truly savvy fans know it doesn’t have to be so rough: They arrive at Soldier Field unruffled (and with a decent beer buzz) on a bar shuttle. Looking for a lift? These neighborhood bars open early and provide beverage-equipped busses to the field on game days.
McGill’s Bar and Grill
4553 N. Pulaski Rd. 773-478-6096
This Albany Park corner joint runs a bus to every home game, including (fingers crossed) the playoffs. Here’s how it works: You call in advance to reserve a spot. When you check in at the bar on game day, you get a button to flash to the driver when it’s time to board. The bus leaves exactly one hour before kickoff and unloads directly in front of Soldier Field. As you de-bus, the driver pins you with another button — that’s your ticket home. McGill’s also makes a bold claim: They never oversell.
Cost: $15 round trip
Hawkeye’s Bar
and Grill Chicago
1458 W. Taylor St. 312-226-3951
Fans have been hitching rides to Soldier Field with this Little Italy staple for 20-plus years. You can reserve in advance by phone, but most folks just show up ready to go. Arrive when doors open at 9 a.m. and dig into a loaded brunch menu and beer specials such as $5 Miller Genuine Draft pitchers and $1.25 Hamm’s cans before boarding. Hawkeye’s is only a couple of miles from the field — just enough time for a road brew.
Cost: $7 round trip
Timothy O’Toole’s
622 N. Fairbanks Ct. 312-642-0700
This Streeterville fave shuttles fans back and forth on a pair of rented school buses. Get there as early as 10 a.m. to fill up on brunch and beer specials, including $15 “Bears Buckets,” five Miller product bottles on ice. The buses leave 90 minutes before game time and return when the game is over — OT included. Just make sure you reserve a seat. (Swing by to put your name on a sign-up sheet posted the week before a game or call in advance to reserve a spot with a credit card.)
Cost: $5 round trip
Schoolyard Tavern & Grill
3258 N. Southport Ave. 773-528-8226
Hop the bus from this Lakeview spot, which opens at 10:30 a.m. on game days, for a beer-buzzed ride to Soldier Field and back. While you wait to board (bus leaves 90 minutes before kickoff), take advantage of killer food and drink specials such as $4 22-ounce Miller Lite mugs and $5 mac ‘n’ cheese bites.
Cost: $5 round trip
Morgan’s Bar and Grill on Maxwell Street
1325 S. Halsted St. 312-243-4800
This University Village sports bar takes a different approach. For starters, the shuttle to the 18th Street drop-off point is free. The rub? It’s only available to the first 50 patrons. But don’t worry — there are plenty of perks if you’re left behind. ESPN broadcasts live from the bar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Bud and Smirnoff sponsor game days, offering $2 Bud bottles and drafts and $5 bloody marys. Keep an eye out for giveaways, too, including T-shirts, hats and even Bears tickets. If all the action makes you hungry, dive into a rotating lineup of football-friendly specials such as Italian beef, sausages and sloppy joes, all ringing in at about $5.
Cost: Free — if you make the cut.
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The college connection
Forget the Bears — Victory Liquors
(2610 N. Halsted St. 773-348-5600) knows its patrons care far more about Notre Dame’s Fightin’ Irish than any NFL team. The bar’s popular road trips to South Bend, Ind., regularly sell out — even at $75 a pop. Sound steep? Not when you consider that tickets include coffee and bagels for the road, plus all of the tailgating essentials: beer, bloody marys, burgers, brats, a deep-fried turkey and all the beer pong and flippy cup a former frat boy can handle. All you do is show up at the bar at 8 a.m. and clear your schedule for 12 hours. Just try not to get too nostalgic — you still have work Monday. Reservations required:
party@victoryliquors.com (the e-mail address as published has been corrected in this text)
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metromix@tribune.com
