Windy City Gridiron
Where are your favorite places to cheer on the beloved?
As much pain as it can put us through sometimes, all of us in this Windy City Gridiron community have something in common: we all like watching the Chicago Bears play football.
Especially in the dead of summer, it really puts into perspective how much we all look forward to watching our favorite NFL teams. I’m sure it’s the case with many of you, but for me, watching the Bears is a necessity. I make sure to block off that time on my calendar to the best of my availability with as few distractions as possible.
If the Bears are on TV, I’m going to be watching them no matter what.
Granted, as a single 24-year-old man with no kids who’s probably going to die alone, I don’t have very many commitments. Even then, I’ve turned down numerous plans over the years so I could sit on the couch and watch the Bears.
Since I write the postgame articles here at WCG, I usually prefer to watch Bears game at home on my couch. I’ll order myself something for lunch — Jersey Mike’s or any of the local Mexican restaurants are usually favorites of mine — and watch the game with my laptop out to tweet out commentary and make progress on my immediate recap articles.
I also typically go to one or two Bears games a year in-person. My family has Bears season tickets, and I’m a fourth-generation season ticket holder. The Infante family has been going to games on a yearly basis since my great grandfather attended games regularly at Wrigley Field. At Soldier Field, we sit in the mezzanine by the media deck. It’s the perfect place to get exposure to that Bears weather without risk of getting snowed or rained on directly.
That said, I always like going out to watch football, too. My preference is to watch Bears games at home with my laptop so I can write articles, but I like turning off the “analyst” side of my brain and just being a fan with a beer in my hand.
If I’m in Chicago, my favorite place to watch football is Flo & Santos off Wabash in the South Loop. It’s right in between Soldier Field and where my dad lives, so it’s a perfect place to stop for pizza and pierogi on my way back from a noon Bears game. As someone of Polish-Italian descent, it’s the perfect blending of cultures for me.
If I’m in the suburbs, my buddy’s family has a garage bar with six flat-screen televisions and a beer keg that’s lovingly referred to as Up Your Ass Eating a Ham Sandwich, or “The Ass” for short. Michelob Ultra runs freely throughout the day.
Now, it’s your turn. Where’s your favorite place to watch Bears football?
