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Des Plaines 'Badger bar' among 'fan bars' geared up for the Final Four

If you want to watch the NCAA Final Four games Saturday with other Wisconsin, Michigan State, Duke or Kentucky fans, you don't have to go to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Most suburban sports bars will show the games on TV and host game-watching parties, but to be among the true fans, the best place to go is one of the school-specific “fan bars” that dot the Chicago area. Among them is Countryside Saloon in Des Plaines, a newly designated “Badger bar.”

“After badgering them,” co-owner Janet Bar said, laughing, “the (University of Wisconsin) alumni association was great about it. Last year was our first official year of being a Badger bar. We just started in September.”

Two of Bar's children attended the University of Wisconsin in the late 2000s, and they “just fell in love with the Badgers,” she said. So they started hosting parties at their bar for Wisconsin football and basketball games.

Besides having all of their 27 TVs tuned to Wisconsin games, Countryside's Northwoods-styled decor includes a Badgers knome and flag. And the menu offers up lots of Wisconsin staples, such as cheese curds ($5.95) or craft beers like Wisconsin-brewed Tyranena. Their “Sconny Special” is a brat cooked in beer, served with grilled onions, chips, coleslaw and a Pabst Blue Ribbon Tall Boy for $9.95.

The vibe isn't as wild as Wisconsin fan bars in the city, said Bar, a Des Plaines resident who co-owns Countryside with her husband, Cornell, and another local family, Weslie and Joe Bellini.

“It's a very different vibe than what the city has to offer. People aren't as crazy drunk. People who come here ... they just wanna watch the game. They're looking for a place to have this common ground (with other fans),” she said.

As Wisconsin's advanced in the NCAA tournament, the bar is seeing bigger crowds for basketball games. And on Saturday, crowds will gather to watch Wisconsin take on Kentucky.

“Every game, we see more and more Badger gear and Badger fans,” she said.

They sometimes play the song “Jump Around,” a tradition at Wisconsin football games. But during basketball season, for superstitious reasons, Bar said she won't play the song until the game is over.

For Kentucky fans, the main destination is The Pony Chicago, in Chicago's Roscoe Village neighborhood. Here, fans can watch their Wildcats while sipping $5 Kentucky-made Lexington Bourbon, or get drinks in souvenir University of Kentucky stadium cups.

The bar blasts the Kentucky fight song on the sound system, and sells a “John Wall Blue Shot” made with flavored vodka, blue Powerade and lemonade. It's named for one of Kentucky's former basketball stars who now plays in the NBA.

The Pony is packed with Kentucky fans on game nights, and as one Yelp commenter put it, watching a game here “feels like I'm back on campus.”

“It's insane in here. Once you get in the door, the only thing you see is blue,” said manager Adam Staehle. “You can tell, probably every person in Chicago who went to Kentucky is in this building.”

The two-level bar, with a retractable rooftop and windows that open to the sidewalk, will be at capacity (around 350 people) so Staehle advises people to get there two hours before game time.

“The Kentucky fans are loyal. They're here all year round,” he added. “They're head to toe in jerseys, jackets ... the fans are incredible.”

Michigan State fans also flock to the city for games, packing several north side “Spartans bars” including Avenue Tavern, The Tin Lizzie and Higgins' Tavern.

MSU takes on Duke Saturday.

For more Michigan State alumni association-endorsed bars, fans can check out chicagospartans.com.

It's a little harder to find a bar for Duke fans, since the North Carolina school is farthest away among this year's Final Four contenders. Sedgwick's is a popular spot for Blue Devils fans. However, the new managing partner noted that he is a Michigan State alumnus.

  The staff will wear Badger red during this weekend's Final Four NCAA basketball games, which will be shown on all 27 TVs at the Countryside Saloon in Des Plaines. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  The Countryside Saloon in Des Plaines is a Wisconsin Badgers bar, and fans will gather here this weekend to watch the NCAA Final Four tournament. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Wisconsin staples like brats are served at the Countryside Saloon in Des Plaines, a Wisconsin Badgers bar. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  The Countryside Saloon in Des Plaines displays its Wisconsin Badger loyalty proudly. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  The Countryside Saloon in Des Plaines is a Wisconsin Badgers bar. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  The Countryside Saloon in Des Plaines is a Wisconsin Badgers bar, so fans will gather there this weekend to watch the NCAA Final Four tournament. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
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