Sports Bar

My typical weekend does not involve sports bars. This past weekend, however, I went to six. On a self-induced wing-a-thon at some of Chicago's newest sports bars, I spent my evenings popping aspirin for flatscreen-induced migraines and trying to come off as though I know anything about the NBA, NHL or UFC by mimicking the grunts and groans of people near me wearing jerseys. Overall, I think I did pretty well. By the time Monday rolled around, I'd even managed to come out learning a few things: Everyone looks disgusting eating wings.

There's no better way to get pumped for the Blackhawks' playoff run than to share the experience with fellow hockey lovers at a sports bar. You can stake out some space at a bar that's been catering to hockey for nearly a decade or more - we've dubbed them The Old Guard here - or try out a newer hangout that's opened within the last five years. Some bars are official partners of the team , offering specials on designated drinks and hosting big parties during away games. Others attract fans with perks such as massive TVs and free shuttles to United Center.

260 Sports Bar 260 W. 26th St., 3rd Floor 312-706-8100 Rating: 2.5 (out of 4) Take it or leave it While Wrigleyville seems to get a new crop of openings and facelifts every season, it's rare to see new options around U.S. Cellular Field. So when the family behind local restaurant chain Ricobene's announced that they'd turned part of the Bridgeport location into a sports bar, we started counting down to baseball season so we could take a look. Unless you're familiar with the neighborhood … be sure to Google Map before you head out. My party and I thought we had our...

March Madness, the mass basketball hysteria that bubbles up each spring, is just around the corner. Beginning Tuesday with the First Four round, otherwise rational adults will be reduced to cheering and screaming crazies, capable of making choices only when options are presented in bracket form. (What's for dinner? Let's check the chicken-versus-salad bracket!) But while the tournament is full of upsets and surprises, most fans end up watching the games from the same boring couch year after year.

Check back at redeyechicago.com/collegebars on Aug. 29 for RedEye's college sports bar guide.

The Anthem 1725 W. Division St. 773-697-4804 Rating: !!! (our of four) Off to a good start The scene: This new Wicker Park sports bar is owned by the team behind Bangers & Lace (conveniently located just down the street), and it was clear that some of the crowd had crossed over to check out the new spot on opening weekend. Neighborhood hipsters seemed not-quite-at-home among the flatscreens and Budweiser drafts. As the dinner crowd moved off to other spots, Blackhawks fans starting coming in for an 8 p.m. game.

Between the gifts, the overeating and the family obligations, Christmas day can be hectic for anyone. But for Chicago sports fans, this year will be even more complicated. Thanks to scheduling bordering on a holiday miracle, both the Bulls and Bears will play major away games Sunday, with the Bulls making their post-lockout debut against the L.A. Lakers and the Bears meeting with the Packers. With both games scheduled to broadcast on national networks, many Chicago bars are opening their doors on the national holiday to accommodate fans who are...

What the hell am I doing here? That's the question that kept tugging at my brain while sitting at the UFC event "in person" a couple weeks ago. I put that phrase in quotes because even while sitting in relatively coveted seats on the ground floor of the United Center, I realized I wasn't actually watching the live action in front of me. Instead, I kept finding myself peering upward to the crystal-clear JumboTron, transfixed by the up-close-and-personal shots...

Clover Sports & Leisure 722 W. Grand Ave. 312-334-1934 Rating: 3 (out of four) Off to a good start The scene: This new sports bar in the old Butterfly Social Club space has been open just a few weeks, and I won't lie: When my friend and I arrived around 9 p.m. on a recent Saturday, it was dead. A small group dressed in business attire (who may very well have stopped in after dinner at Piccolo Sogno across the street) left soon after we arrived and until another pair of girls who lived nearby came in, we had the bar to ourselves.

The Euro cup matches may be seven time-zones away, but with the diverse neighborhoods in Chicago, you can still enjoy the action like a true football fan: shouting at a TV with a beer in your hand and a crowd full of drunk people. For the fan whose team has already been eliminated, Chicago has more than a few soccer bars with deals to distract from the sadness of seeing another team reach glory. Fado Irish Pub ( 100 W. Grand Ave. 312-836-0066 ) will be offering a $100 bar tab to anyone who correctly predicts the minute of the winning goal for the final, and will have...

Looking for a local bar to cheer for your alma mater? This guide will help you zero in on where to stake out some space on college basketball gamedays. Bar owners and alumni groups: Don't see your bar included here? We'll be adding to this guide throughout the season. Send your affiliation and specials to RedEye nightlife and events reporter  Kate Bernot  for consideration. RedEye's college sports bar guide includes official partnerships with alumni associations in addition to bars owned by alumni and unofficial affiliations declared by bar management.

Mark your calendars for these coming-soon spots due to open in the last weeks of the year, listed in order of estimated time of arrival.   DEC. 1 Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House 58 E. Oak St. Gold Coast steakhouse in the former Esquire Theater space. DEC. 3 Suite 25 2529 N. Milwaukee Ave. Sports lounge in Logan Square from the owner of Rio's d'Sudamerica.  Park Tavern 1645 W. Jackson St. Sports bar serving craft brews near United Center.

November 2012 update: John Barleycorn River North is due to open Nov. 15. Article originally published July 10, 2012.  Downtown Chicago football fans will have one more option when it comes to sports bars this season with John Barleycorn River North due to open in late August at 149 W. Kinzie St., next to Moe's Cantina. The sports bar and restaurant is the ninth venture from the team behind Moe's Cantina Wrigleyville and River North, as well as the John Barleycorn outlets in Wrigleyville, Lincoln Park and Schaumburg.

When a bar opens downtown, there's really only one thing I want to know: Will it be someplace I actually want to hang out or better left to the tourists? On Michigan Avenue, Hard Rock Hotel's sleek sushi-and-saketini spot China Grill has been replaced with Chuck's Manufacturing, a spunkier, laid-back bar with the potential to lure locals working at nearby Illinois Center. Meanwhile, on the west end of River North where Hubbard Street dead ends into Kingsbury, the two-floor space vacated by Latin dance club Rumba also has a new life.

The Euro cup matches may be seven time-zones away, but with the diverse neighborhoods in Chicago, you can still enjoy the action like a true football fan: shouting at a TV with a beer in your hand and a crowd full of drunk people. For the fan whose team has already been eliminated, Chicago has more than a few soccer bars with deals to distract from the sadness of seeing another team reach glory. Fado Irish Pub ( 100 W. Grand Ave. 312-836-0066 ) will be offering a $100 bar tab to anyone who correctly predicts the minute of the winning goal for the final, and will have...

If you're out to explore Lincoln Park after dark, look no further than the diagonal thoroughfare of Lincoln Avenue. Though Irish pubs and sports bars with college flags proudly displayed make up the majority, here are five hangouts that stand apart from the pack. The Barrelhouse Flat 2624 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-857-0421 Lincoln Park scored a linchpin in the local craft cocktail movement when this swanky, two-story lounge opened. There's a seemingly endless menu of classic cocktails, a few hearty snack options and free billiards upstairs.

ATTEND Blackhawks vs. Nashville 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, CSN Let's see if the Blackhawks can exact a bit of revenge on the Predators, who just won Saturday night's matchup of the two teams - oh, and also knocked out captain Jonathan Toews.   ATTEND Bulls vs. Indiana 7 p.m. Wednesday, CSN The Bulls and Pacers are the only teams to remain undefeated at home. The Pacers would like to change that.   RIDE Critical Mass monthly ride 5:30 p.m. Friday, Daley Plaza Layer up and,...

Mark your calendars for these coming-soon spots due to open in the last weeks of the year, listed in order of estimated time of arrival.   DEC. 1 Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House 58 E. Oak St. Gold Coast steakhouse in the former Esquire Theater space. DEC. 3 Suite 25 2529 N. Milwaukee Ave. Sports lounge in Logan Square from the owner of Rio's d'Sudamerica.  Park Tavern 1645 W. Jackson St. Sports bar serving craft brews near United Center.