Five Chicago Spots Where It’s Okay to Be a Packers Fan

If you live in Chicago, you know well that pretty much every bar is a Bears bar on Sundays when autumn starts to roll around. But if you bleed green and gold, and your battle cry is #GoPackGo, it can be a little harder to find kindred spirits.

Looking for somewhere to watch the game? Or maybe a little taste of home? Here are a few places that encourage you to wear that Cheesehead with pride.

Official watch sites

Will’s Northwoods Inn: This South Lakeview spot doesn’t screw around with its ‘Sconnitude…Friday nights are fish fries.

But the real action starts on game days, when the full-service kitchen opens at 9:30 a.m. but closes 30 minutes before kickoff — then there’s a patio grill serving the basics. On the pre-kickoff menu: Leinenkugel’s-battered walleye bites, Wisconsin cheese curds and a Merkt’s cheddar burger, among other things. And on tap, there are plenty of Wisconsin beers for Packer Fans to enjoy.

 O’Leary’s Public House: If you’re in River North and need your Packers fix, stop in at this old-school Irish pub to find yourself in good company. Have a bowl of their famous chicken tortilla soup and enjoy the game with plenty of downtown Green Bay fans. They’re also an official watch site for lots of college sports.

Kroll’s South Loop: The menu is standard bar fare, including loader tater tots and an epic appetizer combo basket with fried cheese curds, onion rings, jalapeno poppers, chicken strips and chips with salsa. Also droolworthy: grilled cheese packed with American, mozzarella and gouda cheeses on rustic crusty bread, and duck pot pie (duck. pot. pie).

And if you miss your neighborhood Culver’s, you can stop by this South Loop spot to get Kroll’s version of a Butterburger.

Other spots

Beyond the official watch sites, there are a couple of other Chicago spots that may remind you of your motherland…with a full Packers Fan mothership on game days.

Lettuce Entertain You has a secret gem way up on Lincoln called L. Woods Tap & Pine Room. Door County natives say this is the real deal — and they’re a tough crowd. The Sister Bay bloody mary features Svedka Clementine, spicy pickle and a barbecue spiced rim, and the Apple Brandy old fashioned gets sweetened up by Laird’s apple brandy and a little apple pucker.

For a real treat, take your favorite fellow ‘Sconnies to Lincolnwood for their Supper Club menu, perfect for parties of six or more.

And we hear the Burlington, west on Fullerton to Kimball, has a couple of killer Wisconsin beers on tap, including Capitol Brewery’s Supper Club lager and one surprise rotating tap…order “the Burlington” and you may just be surprised by what shows up in front of you.

Now, we enjoy a taste of “God’s Country” as much as anyone, else, but don’t get it twisted. Come this season, Packers…

BEAR DOWN!