Cubby Bear Lounge   

The prime location -- directly across the street from Wrigley Field -- makes this cavernous club an instant target before and after Cubs games. Fans pack the three-level venue and soak up suds from one of three bars or chow down on pub grub, including burgers, Italian beef and chicken sandwiches. Taps range from standard domestics to Guinness and Sam Adams. During the post-Cubs season, Cubby Bear is still a main attraction, with local and national bands performing nightly on the sometimes hard-to-see stage. Video monitors are interspersed throughout to keep less aggressive fans abreast of what's happening onstage. Cubby Bear's backroom is more explicit about its sports tendencies. Pennants and posters from Chicago teams adorn every nook and cranny. -- Audarshia Townsend