Cubby Bear

Homogeneous crowd full of assholes looking for fights. Average music and venue. Awful management and staff. The general manager, Josh, is incredibly rude and unprofessional as illustrated through the following story: I am from out of town and left my ID and Credit Card at The Cubby Bear with an open tab. I immediately realized this while I was still in the cab and on my way to the train station and I called the bar to have them close the tab. The receptionist told me that I could come in at anytime the next day as long as it was after 9AM. I woke up early to drive back into the city and got the bar between 11AM and noon. The general manager (Josh) told me that I would have to wait an hour before he could retrieve my belongings. While this was an inconvenience, I agreed and asked if that would really be the best time. He informed me that it would be better for him if I could wait two hours. After waiting around for two hours, I was told by the bouncer that I would have to come back the next day. I told him that, because I am not a resident of Illinois, this was not an option for me. I tracked down the manager upstairs, who wouldn't bother to come down to talk to me, and politely asked him for my belongings that he had promised to retrieve for me. The management and staff were unhelpful, rude, and unprofessional. They failed to deliver on our agreement and I never got my driver's license or debit card back. I went out of my way to be polite and do everything the manager asked me to do, and entire ordeal took up 6 hours of my day on New Year's Day. more

This place gets going right after the Cub's are done getting beat. I can say that because I am a Cub fan. This place has mediocre food but a great beer selection. The people that come in here after the game is done are a fun crowd. It is easy to have a good time here and meet new people if you could use another friend. more

I was never actually served when I went here. Admittedly, I was decked out in Sox gear for the Cross Town Classic, but hey, before the Sox became the World Series Champions (hey wait, let me say that again "World Series Champions" "World Series Champions" "World Series Champions." Hee hee) there wasn't much joy for Sox fans aside from annoying Cubs fans. I met a couple cool people there, but it seemed to be overpriced and obnoxious in general. Since I was also being obnoxious, I'll give it two stars. more

The Cubby Bear, right across the street from Wrigley Field, is a nice place to see a favorite band, if you're lucky enough to catch them at such a relatively small venue. As a bar, though, the Cubby Bear is pretty forgettable stacked up next to nearby John Barleycorn and Goose Island, and much more of a meat-market situation (girls wearing little, and fratties digging it). more

I went here last week because I won free tickets to a Guster concert. The place is huge (I guess I'm used to smaller bars) and the stage, lights and everything was fantastic. Since it's across from Wrigley field and it wasn't a game day - parking was pretty easy to find (pay parking). The staff and bartenders were nice. I would definatly go here for a show again. more

The Cubby Bear is an evil necessity: The food is overpriced and unspectacular, it plays host to a disproportionate number of washed-up (“old school” would be the positive spin on this) music acts, and after Cubs games, the place packs in like sardines—and on a hot day, they are especially drunk and smelly sardines. The flip side of all this is that if you are visiting from out of town (or hosting visitors), you almost feel obligated to check out this Chicago institution that’s kitty corner from Wrigley Field as part of any "Cubs game" experience. Well, I’m here to tell all you potential tourists, admire it from the outside, pop inside if there isn’t a line, but do not spend your hard-earned bucks on either a cover charge or food—your wallet will thank you later. It’s not that the Cubby Bear is a bad place, it’s just that there are far more enjoyable bars nearby. more

The Cubby Bear is a spacious sports bar with a wide beer selection. The food menu is adequate - typical of what you would expect from a bar. Beware during Cubs game - this bar can get ridiculously crazy. On Sundays, they have a buffet bar to munch on while watching the game. They also have live music, check their schedule to see who's playing. more

I always try to hit this place up after a Cubs game (whether or not I actually attend that game). That is because most people will go here after the game and it becomes a real fun place since all the fans crowd here for some fun and drinks. The crowd here is really cool and I always enjoy my time here. It is a huge bar, but it gets jam packed so you can imagine just how many people there are here! more

This bar is right accross from Wrigley Field. Though it is really huge, it is always crowded. On weekend nights, it is usually jam packed with people. So jam packed, that it can be hard to get around. The food here is okay. It is a good place to go if you want to mingle and meet with other people, but to get a better experience, try out some of the other bars in the area. They are usually less crowded and have better food too. more

...no one is really sure why they are so popular, they just are. Close to Wrigley, this place is definitely a draw before, during, and after Cubs games, but at other times of the year - not so much. Way too cheesy to be taken seriously. The beer is overpriced, the staff could clearly care less, and overall, not worth it. more

This place is a great place to hang out before and after Cubs games. It is right outside of Wrigley on Addison St. They do have great weekday specials, but unfortunately not on Cubs game days. No surprise there though. Nevertheless they play good and LOUD music with lots of beers on tap to choose from. more