Wrigley Gameday Hey Hey

The before, during and after of a day spent at the best stadium in baseball.

Apr 03, 2025

Baseball is back and Spring is finally (almost) upon us in Chicago. The Cubs home opener is this Friday and with that comes one of the truly great American spectacles—a full capacity day game at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.

Less and less people seem to give a shit about baseball these days. It’s too long. Too slow. Too boring. It lacks the run-and-gun action of the NBA, the all-consuming zealotry of the NFL, the mortal bloodsport of UFC, the global excitement of FIFA.

If we’re just judging by on-field action alone, perhaps there’s some truth to all that. But there’s a secret sauce to attending a game at Wrigley Field that goes beyond the game itself. There’s the before, during, and after aspects of a Cubs game that add up to one of life’s great joys.

Unless you are commuting in from a distant suburb, getting to the game is half the fun because the stadium anchors a vibrant northside neighborhood. The El that connects all corners of the city rolls right up to the back of the stadium and the view from the platform makes one giddy. Sure, the traffic sucks, but bartering with a local to park in their personal garage a couple blocks from the stadium is a rarified experience. You can also bike, Lime, Uber or simply stumble your way there.

There’s no need to rush into the stadium because perusing the surrounding neighborhood is integral to the experience. The bars, patios, rooftops, and restaurants are all packed, but there’s enough of them that you can usually find a spot without having to wait in a line. Mingle with the firefighters who have the coveted gig at Engine 78. Chat with the old timers who stand guard with their gloves on Kenmore Avenue waiting for fly balls to carry out of the park. Discover and endless stream of new gear at the Cubs Team Store. Set your beer down for a minute to take some batting practice in the cages on the second floor of Slugger’s two blocks from the stadium.

Once you do make it inside, take in the glorious sights and sounds from a few different perspectives. Bask in the full sun of the bleachers or wander around the perimeter to to find your favorite perspective. If you’re lucky, you can watch a pitcher deliver, an El train pass by, and a boat sailing the bright blue waters of Lake Michigan all in one glance. If you’re with your kid, find a patch of grass in Gallagher way and play some catch. Seek out an Old Style which manages to remain on tap in a few select locations even after Budweiser bought all the beer rights. Local wiener king, Hot Doug, makes some interesting hot dogs, but a good ol’ Chicago-style hot dog is a must. Maybe try a Nacho Helmet, Barbacoa Quesa-taco, or Wrigley-rita if you’re feeling frisky. I don’t recommend the beer bats as their novelty wears off about 5 seconds after the first cumbersome swig. If you have tickets to one of the VIP clubs, scratch all this and take full advantage of the open bars and premium buffet. And while I tune out the “Go Cubs Go” post game song, I always relish the 30,000 strong seventh inning communal singalong, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

Unlike most other stadiums across the US, once the game has ended, you aren’t stuck dealing with the funeral-esque drudgery of a prolonged parking lot exit. Wrigleyville is your oyster. If you’re looking for a post game beer at one of the remaining dive bars, Nisei Lounge is your spot. If you want to hang with the beer vendors once they’ve clocked out, head to Toons. If you want to class it up and eat some proper food, try Swift and Sons or, better yet, grab a bar seat at Ella Elli.

All good days must eventually come to an end. But Cubs game days last longer than others.

Here’s some options for a high/low gameday itinerary spent around Wrigley Field:

Pre-game social reveling

• Bernie’s - This multi-level classic Cubs bar is a great place to ease into the afternoon as you’re bound to bump into someone you know. The outdoor patio is a good place to start.
• Murphy’s - Perhaps the ultimate Cubs bar, this place sits right across the street from Wrigley’s bleacher entrance and sets up like a labyrinth with numerous rooms, bars, and patios that you can weave your way through. Press ahead all the way to the very back bar which has a miniature replica of Wrigley Field.
• Slugger’s - If you like the idea of incorporating a little workout into your gameday routine, head up to the second floor of Slugger’s where you’ll find multiple batting cages.
• Lucky Dorr - Tucked away just off Waveland in the alley between Wrigley and the Cubs baseball operations building is this tiny little bar that serves local microbrews.

During the game to-dos

• 1914 Club - If you can get your hands on these tickets, enjoy private, climate-controlled, premium everything with multiple bars, chef stations, and in-seat vendors directly behind home plate.
• Scoreboard Bar - This is just a simple beer vendor stand, but it is perched in a unique spot near the highest point of the stadium directly under the centerfield scoreboard. Bud and Bud Light are your only options, but there’s quite a panorama from up there.
• Nacho Helmet - If you’re going to get nachos, you might as well get a whole helmet full of them. Find this item near sections 307, 327, or 124.
• Chicago-style Hot Dog - You might as well go to the source for one of these, thus try the Vienna Beef Grill in section 131.
• Barbacoa Quesa-taco - A unique item worth seeking out in section 121.
• Old Style - See below for the particular areas of the stadium where you can find this brew.
• Gallagher Way - If you are with kids, or if the game is dragging on in the later innings, it’s not a bad idea to venture out to the turfed park area just outside the stadium where you can stretch your legs, grab a drink, and catch the last few plays on the giant screen overlooking the area.

Post-game bar hopping

• Guthrie’s - Corner tavern in the first floor of a house.
• Nisei Lounge - Enduring dive that offers its own brand of “Day Baseball Beer.”
• G-Man Tavern - Old school hipster cool.

Post-game eats

• Toon’s - Great food, great beers, great service. And shuffleboard. And homemade pineapple vodka shots.
• Big Star - Great tacos with handmade tortillas, but the sleeper hit on the menu is the Big Star salad.
• Billy Goat - Solid burger, solid bar, no more curse.

Post-game fancy eats

• Ella Elli - Sneaky little hot spot with a good size bar you can belly up to for a post game feast if you’re lucky enough to find an open seat.
• Swift & Sons - Directly across the street from the Wrigley marquee, you can get a platter or oysters and a decent steak.

One more for the road

• Lange’s - Cold beer, wild crew.
• Ten Cat - Nobody even seems to know this place is here yet it has a great bar, pool tables, and a nice outdoor patio.

Where to find Old Style at Wrigley Field:

Portable Bleachers - Sections 506, 515
Portable Upper Deck - Sections 314, 321
Portables Mezzanine - Section s207, 222
Portables Concourse - Section 116, 124
Retro Beer Cave - Upper Bleachers
Red Line Grill - Lower Bleachers, Right Field
Beer & Wine - Sections 107, 114, 118, 122

A nice overview of the significance of the flags at Wrigley Field.

A bitter poem about a really good Cubs infield trio from the turn of the century.

The interesting origins of one of the Cubs original logos.

A peek inside the manual Wrigley scoreboard.

Classic Bill Murray clip on the Cubs first night game at Wrigley.

Ever wonder what game Ferris Bueller attended?

Cubs World Series parade was allegedly the seventh largest gathering in human history.

Somehow, Eddie Vedder and Bill Murray managed to travel from Cleveland to The Lodge on Division Street in Chicago on the night the Cubs won the World Series.

Randy Newman’s classical ode to Wrigley Field.

Eddie Vedder singing “All the Way” with 2015 various players on roof of Jon Lester’s roof after the Cubs won their first pennant since 1945.

The Harry Caray glasses might look good on you.

William Murray Cubs Polo Shirt.

This remarkable drone video sums up all the best parts of a day at Wrigley. The audio is almost as good as the drone flying itself.

I asked ChatGPT to write an article as if Ernest Hemingway witnessed the Cubs winning the World Series.

The Cubs players over the last century have had some nifty nicknames. Can you identify these players?

Cap (side note: I tried to name my first born son, Cap)
Death to Flying things
Dad
Jiggs
Buttons
Peerless Leader
Three Finger
King
Bubbles
Zip
Hippo
Sweetbread
Tiny
Sheriff
Pinky
The Rajah
High Pockets
Monk
Every Day
Footer
Froggy
Kong
The Professor (the first one)
Fonzie
El Mago

Answers: (1) Adrian Constantine Anson, 1876-97 (2) Bob Ferguson, 1878 (3) William H. Clarke, 1888 (4) Walter Edward Parrott, 1892-95 (5) Herbert Briggs, 1896-98, 1904-05 (6) Frank Chance, 1898-1912 (7) Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown, 1904-1912 (8) Leonard Cole, 1909-12 (9) Eugene Hargrave, 1913-15 (10) George Washington Zabel, 1913-15 (11) James Vaughn, 1913-21 (12) Abraham Lincoln Bailey, 1919-21 (13) Earnest Osborne, 1922-25 (14) John Blake, 1924-1931 (15) Clarke Pittenger, 1925 (16) Rogers Hornsby, 1929-32 (17) George Kelly, 1930 (18) Walter John Dubiel, 1949-52 (19) Don Elston, 1953, 1957-64 (20) Richard Allan Johnson, 1958 (21) William Alfred Hands, 1966-1972 (22) Dave Kingman, 1978-1980 (23) Greg Maddux, 1986-92, 2004-06 (24) Alfonso Soriano, 2007-2013 (25) Javier Baez, 2014-21