Choose Your Sports Bars Wisely This NCAA Tournament Weekend
By Jim Bochnowski in Food on Mar 27, 2015 9:15PM
It’s now the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. Tiny schools that populate the opening weekend have enjoyed their 40 minutes in the spotlight and now the real action begins. Since it’s already the weekend, head out and watch some high-quality basketball.
Now you could just find yourself in any old bar. Or you could adopt a team, head to their favorite local watering hole and go crazy with alums and superfans of the University (might the author suggest Notre Dame?). After all, what is sports about in Chicago if not giving hugs to sweaty, drunk strangers? Here are the locations of Chicago alumni associations’ game watches along with drink specials to cheers or drown your sorrows, depending on which team wins.
March 27
At 6:15 p.m., UCLA vs. Gonzaga
UCLA: Commonwealth, 2000 Roscoe St. ($8 Miller Lite pitchers, $5 Miller Lite stadium cups and $5 bombs)
Gonzaga: Sully’s House, 1501 N. Dayton St. ($16 domestic buckets, $10 Miller Lite pitchers, $4 Killians on draft)
At 6:37 p.m., North Carolina State against Louisville
NC State: Sheffield’s Beer and Wine Garden, 3258 N. Sheffield Ave.
Louisville: Finley Dunne’s Tavern, 3458 N. Lincoln Ave. ($2 Miller High Life, $5 bombs)
At 8:45 p.m., Duke against Utah
Duke: Lincoln Park Stadium Bar, 2423 N. Clark St. ($7 Fish Taco dinner, $6 Cosmos)
Utah: Merkle’s, 3516 N. Clark St. ($5 Allagash White, $6 22oz Goose Island Drafts, $6 Deep Eddy Pints)
At 9:07 p.m., Oklahoma against Michigan State
Oklahoma: Barn and Company, 950 W Wrightwood Ave. ($6 40oz beer)
Michigan State: Mad River Bar and Grille, 2909 N. Sheffield Ave ($4 drafts, $5 Jameson, and more.)
March 28
At 5:09 p.m., Wisconsin against Arizona
Wisconsin: Deuces and Diamond Club, 3505 N. Clark St. (Special: $15 Domestic Buckets, $5 Badger Bombs and $18 Wings N' Things: wings, fries, onion rings and pickle chips.)
Arizona: Finley Dunne’s Tavern, 3458 N. Lincoln Ave. ($12 Bud Light Pitchers, $2 High Life Drafts, $5 bombs)
At 7:49 p.m., Kentucky against Notre Dame
Kentucky: The Pony Inn, 1638 W. Belmont Ave. ($5 UK Stadium Cups; $5 Big Blue Punch; $4 John Wall Shots; $15 Party Platter)
Notre Dame: Citizen Bar, 364 W. Erie ($5 vodka cocktails)
Enjoy the weekend full of games, basketball will be gone before you even know it!