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    First Draft

    4.1 (673 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

    Order First Draft Takeout or Delivery

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    FIRST DRAFT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials

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    Brussels Sprouts
    Leslie H.

    I was excited to come back to this place for an amazing vegan pulled pork Sammie only to find out that they no longer had it. I made the best of it, though, and tried out their Brussels sprouts and pretzel bites. Both were good, although the sprouts had a slight edge. The bartender was attentive and there was ample opportunity for people watching if you weren't into any of the games showing on the wall to wall tvs. I look forward to stopping in again sometime.

    *Macdaddy
    Randy S.

    At this point, I consider myself an authentic First Drafter!!! I love the wings and Macdaddy burger so much that I'd invest in them commercially. There's something about their fries that intrigue me as well. The service has always been great for me, whether it was busy or not. It's a great place to catch a sporting game and vibe with some good tunes as well.

    Chicken caesar wrap with fries
    Shannon C.

    Stopped in for lunch on New Years day after checking into our nearby hotel. Atmosphere is typical Chicago bar with lots of TVs and seating. We were greeted right away and drink orders taken while we looked over the menu. Menu had a lot of great options, we chose the kids cheese quesadilla, grilled chicken caesar wrap and burger. I am not normally a fry lover, but these fires were hand cut and had the perfect seasoning; they were the best I've had in a long time. The burger and wrap were very tasty, good amount of sauce in the wrap. Overall this was a great find and we'd return in the future.

    Cheese curds and pretzel bites. 10 bucks fitting happy hour!
    Cody S.

    This place has a great happy hour. Cheep drink and 10 buck cheese curds and pretzel bites, both are amazing! Rest of the food options and quite good as well, with a cool bar and nice atmosphere. Only thing keeping it from a 5 is the service we had that night, or lack there of I should say. Took forever for our waitress to come back, I would usually have to flag her down and she was walking by past our empty bottles and plates. She did seem a little busy but can at least acknowledge us. Will definitely be back tho. Will update next trip!

    Cowboy Brisket Burger
    Shayla M.

    I checked out First Draft while visiting Chicago. Great place to watch sports if you are interested. I went with a group just to eat dinner. I was debating between the Slammin Salmon Sammie and the Cowboy Brisket Burger. The cowboy brisket burger was huge. I couldn't even make a dent in it. I kind of wish I had gone with the Salmon sandwich. The entrees are served with options of fries, salt and vinegar chips, potato salad, cole slaw or a side salad. I got fries with my burger. The fries were the hand cut potatoe fries. They were soft and a little crunchy but lacked the saltiness. Again great place to check out if you are interested in watching sports.

    Jason K.

    Great brew pub in the printer's row part of downtown. They have a wide variety of brews on tap with a nice selection of appetizers and pub grub. The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is laid back bar style. It's also a great place to pre-game before a show at the Auditorium Theater.

    Craft beers
    Randy M.

    a great selection of craft beers. If you want to hang out and watch the big game.. This is the perfect place to be. Our food was delicious. I had the half roasted chicken and it was amazing. service was friendly.

    Honey mustard chicken sandwich and Brussels sprouts
    Heather M.

    We ordered the Chicago Beef and Honey Mustard Chicken sandwiches to go. Both were incredible. Although it was very busy, I was helped within one minute of arriving. While we didn't dine in, the dining room and bar felt very comfortable and welcoming.

    Brie G.

    I like this spot for a good beer in south loop. They have a great selection, a good happy hour, and varied food menu. The service is great and the ambiance is sports bar meets Chicago. A little historical, but with newer TVs to see your favorite team play.

    George L.

    Delicious bar/pub in Chicago that had Americana food and a musicbox for anyone willing to splurge on coin, First Draft offers a wide variety of burgers and sandwiches as well as every drink you can offer. This place definitely feels like it'd be more lively during a game day or a weekend but due to the fact that we had a festival and this was next to our hotel, we went with it for lunch in which it was not busy at all. And we are kinda glad because the food here was on point. It's nothing special and more simplistic and most but everyone had a burger in one form or another and some often for sweet potato fries or fried pickles. They were well seasoned and were filling. Overall I could see this place as more of a drinking spot than a food place but given that we had a complete meal here I'd got to give props.

    Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps for lighter eaters... tasty!
    John N.

    Absolutely get the Ruben!! Probably the best I've ever had. Meaty, Cheesy, Smokey and huge! ... hmm sounds like I'm describing myself!! LOL. The wings were absolute winners as well. Definitely adding First Draft to places to go anytime I'm in town. Be prepared for a wait for a table tho! P.S. Skip the Italian Beef and stick with the RUBEN!!

    Cider
    Stacie B.

    A fun spot to watch a game or hang out with friends. It is a bit loud for talking but has a lively atmosphere and a varied menu. They have amazing fries and a lot of vegan as well as meat options. Our group opted for mainly meats but after eating the fries I was full! Such a large portion of perfectly cooked and not overly fried potatoes. Yum! If you are in the area this is a great spot to check out for hanging out and good. They have an extensive bar as well so you can get a bit of anything and everything!

    Buffalo Chicken Wings

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    2 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Place was a great place to have some drinks and chill. The service ran quick and always alert.

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    9 months ago

    Amazing sports bar. Service was amazing. Great venue to watch football. Different games on entry TV. Recommend.

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    1 year ago

    Went in on a Thursday night. This was a cool neighborhood dive bar with great beers, great service, and amazing fried pickles.

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    Page 1 of 17

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    Ask the Community - First Draft

    Are there any steps or anything else that would make it tougher for a wheelchair to access? If so is there a ramp, elevator, or other entrance to make things more accessible?

    We have a mobile ramp. Thank you

    Do they get SEC Network?

    Yes we do!

    Do they have electronic darts?

    Nope

    Does this place show boxing fights?

    I have seen some here

    Do they get the PAC-12 Network?

    No ?

    View All 7 Questions

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    Theory

    Theory

    4.1(984 reviews)
    1.1 miNear North Side
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    Went here to watch football playoff games and the experience was amazing. They have TVs everywhere…read moreand during commercial breaks, they pay really good, upbeat music instead of having to listen to commercials. The food and drinks were also incredible. Would highly recommend the skirt steak nachos. All kinds of beer on tap and the service was amazing. Multiple people coming to check on you, including the manager who checks in on guests as well. If you're watching a game or want a cool sports bar to go to, I would highly recommend this place.

    Our line of business hosted the holiday party here at "Theory." We had the entire second level to…read moreourselves. In additions, we had the access to the bar, appetizers, and dance floor (with music DJ'ed by one of our talented colleagues). My favorite appetizer was the miniature grilled cheese and tomato soup in a shot cup. The tomato soup was more like tomato sauce in terms of the texture. The presentation was super cute and it definitely added sophistication to this simple classic comfort food. Other appetizers that were brought to the party were sliders and boneless nuggets with various dipping sauces. The bartender who served me was nice to accommodate me with zero percent Guinness since I don't really drink. I have always been curious about this place. I would say "Theory" is a sports bar, serving the typical and creative bar food according to a plethora of pictures posted on Yelp. If I ever poke around this area with friends, I will keep this establishment in mind. Thank you for the staff members who helped make our holiday party a successful one!

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    Having a good time!

    Theory - Crab Rangoon, Mac & Cheese Pizza, Southwest Salad

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    Jake Melnick's Corner Tap - Best Wings Ever

    Jake Melnick's Corner Tap

    3.8(1.7k reviews)
    1.5 miNear North Side
    $$

    Nice sports bar in an iconic area.the wings are very very good. Not the small new age wings but…read morethe traditional wings bone in... .excellent. the show stopper was the smoked sweet potato glazed wedges.......wow! Bar was large and the servers were ON IT! Totally enjoyed it. Will be back

    Picture this; we travel downtown to do a little Christmas shopping. Being the planners we are, we…read moreendlessly scrolled through Yelp looking for the perfect post-Christmas shopping meal for our group of five adults. We are starving, hangry actually. We saunter up to our chosen restaurant only to find a sign on the door that says, "closed for private event." Did I mention I was hangry? My husband suggests Jake Melnick's. It was within walking distance ... did I mention it was raining that night? And I was hangry? I was game for anything at that point. We arrived and waited probably four minutes for a table. A couple of the adults ordered a beer, the others ordered a Coke. We ordered a large pretzel and our mains. The pretzel was so good. All the meals were outstanding (a sliced brisket sandwich, some wings, chicken tenders, onion rings and a burger). Service was great. It was a little loud when we first arrived as there was an intense Illinois State basketball game on but as soon as the game ended, it was much quieter. We really enjoyed our meal at Jake's!

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    Mac Daddy Mac 'n Cheese

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    Over/Under Sports Bar - 65 Game & Odds Screens plus 80'of Live News Ticker!

    Over/Under Sports Bar

    4.1(44 reviews)
    4.2 miLincoln Park

    Instead of heading home for the Super Bowl bc we couldn't find a hotel in the state of Louisiana,…read morewe headed to Chicago where we hoped to find Eagles fans. We made a reservation at Over/Under. When we arrived, there weren't a lot of people yet and we got seated quickly at a table already set up with our name on it and lots of fun swag. By the time the game was starting, it was packed. TV's lined the walls all the way around so every table was a good table. No one blocked our view. We each received 5 drink tickets and 2 meal tickets. In addition to the fact that we wiped the floor with Kansas, we met some really nice fans from Chicago. They made our visit so much fun, filled with endless laughter and a great time. It was a nice mix of young and older folks like us and the young people were so respectful and friendly. It truly was a pleasant surprise. They gave us their bar stools with backs so that we would be comfortable. I don't know if Steven David, who we also met there works for the bar but he was funny as all get out. He says he's a comedian so if you're in Chicago, look for him at a comedy club. The owners were very friendly and we appreciated chatting with them too. We didn't get to our second meal or order half of our drinks bc we were having such a good time so we gave them away. The pretzels were good and nachos weren't bad. Edible. They also offered free opps for prizes and you could also buy tickets to win prizes. Overall, we really enjoyed our time. Nice neighborhood bar feel, surrounded by great humans, including the owners.

    Sunday funday is on a different level here! They bring the vibes of a Vegas Sportsbook right here…read moreto Chicago! You can place bets and enjoy drinks along with food specials like their $4, 6, 8 and $10 happy hour deals or the $8 and $10 large drinks. There are tvs EVERYWHERE so you're able to not miss a game and watch multiple sports at once. My brother and I tried a few menu items, but our favorites were definitely the wings with the Dragon sauce (sweet chili, sesame, soy and ginger) and the sautéed shrimp with potatoes. Be sure to try their cocktail called "Uncut Gem" and check out the Red Zone room! Enjoy!

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    Over/Under Sports Bar - Montana Burger Sautéed shrimp Wings and tenders

    Montana Burger Sautéed shrimp Wings and tenders

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    GRILLED TRIPLE CHEESY

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    Game Room

    Game Room

    4.1(252 reviews)
    0.6 miThe Loop
    $$

    My friend and I recently stayed at the Chicago Athletic Authority, and every few hours, we walked…read morethrough the Game Room. It was over March Madness, so there were always men or women's games on the televisions. Besides being a happening place, there was also decent food. Upon our check-in, we even received complimentary bubbles as a welcome drink in the Game Room. For one of our dinners, we decided to enjoy some Game Room food while I taught my friend how to play chess. We ordered a delicious dish of WSC Cheese Sticks (made with Wisconsin brick cheese and marinara). We then each ordered the Chicken Caesar Wrap, consisting of crispy chicken, romaine lettuce, parmigiano Reggiano, and house chips. We both upgraded our chips to French fries. I thought the food was good (not excellent but not bland like other reviews stated). The best part of the experience is the vibe in the space. There were also protests in the area earlier in the day so many of the non-hotel guests in the Game Room were from that (as we could tell from the signs they had with them). Even if you go to the Game Room website (https://www.gameroomchi.com), you're in for some fun just getting into the website. On their website are upcoming events (like karaoke), details on booking private events, menus, and more. They serve their all day menu from 11 AM to close daily. Their hours are Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 11 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 1 AM (kitchen closes at 11 PM), and Sunday from 11 AM to 9 PM. There is also Happy Hour on weekdays from 3 PM to 5 PM, which include $10 wings, Old Style combos, and half off pitchers. While there were more exciting places to be in Chicago, for a hotel guest or someone in the area, this was a fun place to hang out, grab a bite, play some board games, and watch some games on TV. Certainly recommend it!

    A very nice place, very lowkey, chill vibe, I really enjoyed the drinks. Service was a lil slow for…read morea slow Friday, not much of a crowd yet servers barely came around. Sat down for like 10 mins before someone came to give us a menu, Water came out quickly. Food is not good, it's so bland. I wouldn't order the wings or burger again, maybe try something else or legit only get drinks . I would recommend going for drinks, elsewhere for food! There is sooo much better food out here

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    Game Room
    Game Room
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    Timothy O'Toole's Pub - Blacken chicken melt and Garlic Parmesan Fries

    Timothy O'Toole's Pub

    3.7(1.4k reviews)
    1.5 miRiver East, Near North Side
    $$

    Let's just start with WOW! I'm in town for a conference. Same conference I've been to before and I…read moredrive by it telling myself that I'm going to eat there this year. Well this is the year! I was so excited that I was the 1st person in this morning. The bartender, Lisa was amazing. Just a quick PSA, before posting a picture of someone, please ask before posting! If you get a chance, please ask for her! Having read a previous review, I knew I had to have the Ruben! As you can see, it's piled high with corned beef! The fries were delicious! Trust me. There were other options but if you're a true Ruben fan, you'll order it whenever you get a chance. Total success! If you never heard of Man Vs. Food, one you missed a great show. The filmed an episode here! They knew what they were doing filming here! The staff is fantastic! The atmosphere was perfect! Not too loud which helps with the bar bantering. Stick a pin in this place and experience this place!

    Timothy O'Toole's is a tasty Irish pub and sports bar on a corner in Streeterville - Near North…read moreSide, Chicago. We stopped in on a Friday midafternoon (May 2026), and found a moderate crowd, good food, and good service. For starters, we had perfect calamari. Crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. It went well with the medium-spicy salsa they provided. This is already a win with any cold beer and any game on their many tvs! We would definitely it get again! We had their shepherd's pie: really flavorful Guinness Irish beef stew under a deliciously creamy layer of parmesan mashed potatoes, nicely crunchy on the outside with a lightly toasted top, and Irish soda bread. Delicious and satisfying! We loved the pastrami reuben sandwich, and we're not even big fans of sauerkraut in a sandwich. But in O'Toole's version, everything came together in a perfect union - the pastrami, the thousand-island dressing, the sauerkraut, and the griddled marble rye. We deliberately left off the Swiss cheese, and maybe that's the trick (for us) to balance the sauerkraut? Well, it worked nicely this way. We were still there towards the end of their weekday 3-6pm happy hour, so we got the $9 Chicago Handshake! A shot of Mälort & an OldStyle chaser! "Mälort-face" free of charge!

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    First Draft - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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