Come one, come all, to Soldier Field, where the Chicago Bears will duke it out in another battle for football glory.
But for Halas’ sake, don’t cheer on an empty stomach.
If it’s your first time in Chicago, we’ve got all the essential food and drink details for a great game day, from tips for tailgating around the stadium, to the best hometown dishes you’ll want to track down inside Soldier Field.
For more tips, check out our all-encompassing guide to everything you need to know before you head to a Bears game at Soldier Field. Don’t forget your face mask — they’re required indoors no matter your vaccination status — and enjoy the game.
Tailgating tips
The real pros — we’re talking Tailgating Hall of Famers — know that tailgating in the Soldier Field parking lots can be a finicky feat. Parking lots open four hours before the game.
“By the time I get in and set up and get everything rolling, it’s time to get in for the game,” said Ken Michalski, who has faithfully tailgated at Chicago Bears games for 38 years and was inducted into the Tailgating Hall of Fame in September. “It’s very limited on time.”
He and other die-hards in the Chicago Bears Tailgating Club rent a private lot for their weekend gatherings, but there are also a handful of off-campus lots in the area — many along Wabash Avenue — where you can get your tailgate on.
If you’re sticking to official lots, be warned that Soldier Field has said that with season passes, additional single-game parking is limited. Tailgating is allowed in open-air parking lots — the South Lot, North Parking Garage and Adler Planetarium Lot — and the top deck of the Waldron Deck garage. McCormick Place 31st Street Parking Lot will also be available, with a shuttle transporting fans to the game from Lot B. Parking facilities immediately surrounding the stadium require a prepaid parking pass, and will close two hours after the game. Tailgating is not allowed during the game.
“If you’re going to tailgate at Soldier Field, you’ll have to do something that’ll be really quick,” Michalski said. Pre-make food in foil pans that can be heated up quickly on the grill, or stick to simple entrees such as hot dogs and hamburgers. He also recommends streamlining what you bring, so breakdown is easier before you head into the game.
Grills are not permitted in enclosed parking garages, and heaters with liquefied fuel cannot be used in the Waldron Deck. Deep fryers, tents, fire pits and propane tanks are prohibited. No open-flame tailgating is allowed in the North Garage.
Pregame spots
Whether you’re on the search for delicious bites to enjoy with a brew, or ample outdoor space, here are spots near Soldier Field primed for pregaming — or a postgame victory lap.
Outdoor space
Flo & Santos: A spacious patio with plenty of seating awaits at this South Loop pizza joint that also specializes in an assortment of pierogi. Starters, including crispy calamari and Buffalo wings, pair great with two dozen beers on tap, plus a healthy list of bottled and canned brews. Cocktails such as a Don Julio paloma and a peach-infused take on an Arnold Palmer are also popular choices to get the party started. 1130 S. Wabash Ave., 312-566-9817, floandsantos.com
Reggies’ Roof Deck: Housed in a former auto repair shop, Reggies is a multihyphenate with a concert venue, a bar and grill and a roof deck. Head up to the roof for a fully stocked bar and food such as char dogs, pizza bread and garbage fries loaded with chili and pico de gallo. Pool, pop-a-shot basketball and cornhole (“bags” to you Wisconsinites) are primed for your pre-gaming entertainment, and Reggies’ will often have a free bus ready to transport fans to the game. 2105 S. State St., 312-949-0120, reggieslive.com
Roots Handmade Pizza: The fourth location for Chicago-based Roots features a jaw-dropping rooftop patio stuck right in the middle of the Printers Row neighborhood. Just know you’ll need to reserve tables ahead of time. Instead of standard Chicago thin-crust, Roots specializes in Quad Cities-style, where malt is added to the crust and the pieces are cut into thin strips. While you can certainly order a sausage pizza, you’ll also find slightly odder combinations, such as the McDowell’s, which mimics the flavor of a Big Mac. The bar menu has some slurpable cocktails, and a long beer list stuffed with great local options, like Half Acre and Pipeworks Brewing Company. 744 S. Dearborn St., 773-645-4909, rootspizza.com
Good food
Eleven City Diner: Deli aficionado Brad Rubin opened his Jewish-style restaurant meets reimagined American diner in 2006 as a pioneer in the South Loop neighborhood. Ever since, each slice of corned beef has been laced with lean and fat. Every sandwich radiates careful consideration, and you have to get the matzo ball soup too. A glorious orb comes crowned with a precise carrot cube. Kick off game day with one of their signature bloody marys, but remember they close early some days. 1112 S. Wabash Ave., 312-212-1112, elevencitydiner.com
Half Sour: This new-school, deli-inspired, all-day cafe opened in the Printers Row neighborhood just a few years ago, but the vintage bar will take you back with speakeasy vibes. Look for house-made corned beef and other specials on the chef-driven menu. Check their Instagram for doughnut specials, currently featuring the return of a mesmerizing cinnamon bun swirls. Do note weekend brunch starts at 10 a.m., but an hour earlier for Bears home games. 755 S. Clark St., 312-224-1772, halfsourchicago.com
Harold’s Chicken 88 Meets Beer: Harold’s Chicken is the stuff of Chicago legends; independently franchised with ample freedom for each of the 40 or so locations to operate as they see fit, the brand is subject to endless debate over which reigns supreme. But not all of them have beer, which makes this South Loop Harold’s ideal for postgame dining. The no-frills dine-in space and sidewalk patio are perfect spots to refuel with fried chicken and a Harold’s specialty known as mild sauce — equally delicious on chicken and fries. 1450 S. Michigan Ave., 312-964-5003, instagram.com/haroldschicken88meetsbeer
Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen: The award-winning old-school restaurant still delivers the best traditional deli experience in Chicago, along a cafeteria line since 1942 no less. It’s especially great if Gino Gambarota makes your sandwich, which he’s been doing for about 40 years. Manny’s fourth-generation owner Dan Raskin suggests ordering their famous piled-high corned beef fatty if you can. Remember a side of their fat, golden potato pancakes, and beer by the bottle too. 1141 S. Jefferson St., 312-939-2855, mannysdeli.com
My Place: Once an anchor at the old Chinatown Square mall, My Place moved to the South Loop early last year. Cantonese seafood and a full bar star at the stylish restaurant, alongside Hong Kong diner-style comfort food. Get the baked Portuguese chicken over rice any time, available as a postgame special for afternoon tea with a side of scrambled eggs, milk bread toast and your choice of drink, from milk tea to Ovaltine. You can order something a little stronger too, such as the Tea Time cocktail with Hennesey, yuzu and chrysanthemum tea. 1307 S. Wabash Ave., 312-763-6935, myplacesouthloop.com
Lowcountry South Loop: Tuck in for a proper seafood feast at this Southern-style fixture — and we mean that quite literally, as a plastic bib is pretty much a requisite for this deliciously messy meal. Huddle up with your teammates to choose between succulent shrimp, lobster tail, mussels and crab as the base of your seafood boil. Get them tossed in a host of spicy sauces along with potatoes, corn and other sides, and just try to resist the urge to lick those flavor-drenched fingertips. Frozen mango margaritas and Suntory highballs cool things down just long enough to have you ready to dive back in for more. 1132 S. Wabash Ave., 312-8283, lowcountrychicago.com
Great dive bars
Kasey’s Tavern: When imagining the perfect dive bar — with enough flat-screen televisions to satisfy a crowd, well-worn bar fixtures and a sprawling beer list — you might as well be picturing Kasey’s Tavern. Its credentials are well-established as a neighborhood favorite and the second-oldest tavern in Chicago, and it’s got dozens of Midwestern craft beers and thin-crust pizzas to shore up your base before a long night of toasting to your victorious team. 701 S. Dearborn St., 312-427-7992, kaseystavern.com
O’Neil’s on Wells: O’Neil’s has operated for 40 years in the South Loop, long before the neighborhood had a wisp of trendiness. There’s nothing fancy about what can affectionately be considered a classic Chicago family-owned and -operated dive, but the beer is cold (and costs $20 for a bucket of domestics on game day), a shuttle gets you to the stadium and back, and Reggie’s Pizza is serving up slices. 411 S. Wells St., 312-922-1778, oneilsonwells.com
Weather Mark Tavern: For an ever-so-slightly elevated game day experience — think fried cauliflower, garlic parmesan fries and bacon-wrapped potatoes — Weather Mark is the place. The draft beer list is well curated, known to include such local heroes as Dovetail and Off Color breweries. Weather Mark offers game day $8 bloody marys and screwdrivers, and $5 Modelo Especial on draft, plus $11 pretzel bites. Perhaps best of all: $25 valet while you’re at Soldier Field, which sits less than a mile away. 1503 S. Michigan Ave., 312-588-0230, weathermarktavern.com
Best stadium eats
Budlong Chicken: You can score an exceptionally crispy and juicy fried chicken sandwich from The Budlong by ordering the sandwich “naked.” But know that this local chain specializes in Nashville hot chicken, and that the heat dramatically improves the crave-ability of each bite. Go with “the classic,” and you’ll skip well past what would normally be considered medium, to actually spicy. The “hot” will stun most taste buds, while I haven’t even dared to try the “x-hot.” That said, maybe it’s exactly what you need to warm you up during a frigid fall or winter game. Section 340
Buona Beef: Eating a messy Italian beef strewn with giardiniera while watching football at Soldier Field practically screams old-school Chicago, or at least like the beginning of a Chicago Party Aunt tweet. But there’s a reason why this sandwich is a beloved local specialty. Buona Beef is one of the better chains, so you know the thinly sliced beef will be tender, and the jus will pack a meaty punch. Depending on how you’re feeling, you can also get the combo, which adds a whole grilled sausage to the party. Sections 110, 144, 430
Farmer’s Fridge: The salads found at most concession stands are embarrassing. If they aren’t sad collections of wilted iceberg lettuce, then there is usually enough cured meat and cheese to defeat the whole purpose of ordering a salad. But Farmer’s Fridge actually puts together thoughtful combinations, including the north Napa salad, where you’ll find mixed greens and Napa cabbage mixed with sweet grapes, salty feta cheese, tart dried cherries and crunchy pistachios. Each salad also comes in a handy plastic container, making eating in the stands slightly less awkward. Section 103, Dr Pepper Patio
Nuts on Clark: The original Nuts on Clark location, which sits a couple of blocks north of Wrigley Field, has long been an ideal stop before a Cubs game. With a kiosk inside Soldier Field, its array of popcorn, nuts and sweets are also an easy and tasty way to pass the time at Bears games. It’s one of Chicago’s most legendary snack spots for reasons that range from cheese corn to caramel corn, and double dipped chocolate peanuts to jumbo cashews. Sections 111, 130
Robinson’s Ribs: This Chicago fest mainstay opened in 1983, and its smoky, sweet barbecue sauce has been drawing fans ever since. If you didn’t get the chance to tailgate before the game, why not bring the tailgate to you? Sure, there might be other tasty items on the menu, but when ribs are in the name, you’ll want to get right to the meat of the matter. Section 122, Northwest Plaza
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