Mount Prospect's Draft Picks scores points with specials
If you're looking for a great spot to watch the end of baseball season or to kick off your fantasy football league, Draft Picks in Mount Prospect has you covered. The bar, which opened in March, offers plenty of TVs plus daily food and drink specials that make dining out affordable.
Motif: Draft Picks' TVs are positioned so that you can see a screen at almost every angle, with a bank of 12 sets at the bar and a video wall in the back. Along with the standard sports, you'll also find competitive poker. Some screens are devoted to showing the day's specials. Walls are lined with sports photos. You can grab a seat in one of the booths lining the space or at the tables, which have room for two to six. If you're just looking for a quick bite, there's a takeout counter up front.
The bar is striving to make its Trophy Room into a home for fantasy football leagues. The private party space has its own projector and is decorated with pictures of the local sports teams the bar sponsors.
Food: The daily food specials have been a big hit, with half-price pizza Mondays, half-price tacos, quesadillas and fajitas Tuesdays, 50 cent wings Wednesdays, half-price burgers Thursdays, a Friday fish fry, $12.95 slabs of baby back ribs Saturdays and $1 sliders Sundays. In fact, the pizza has proved so popular that Draft Picks is planning on starting delivery soon. They're considering opening early on the weekends during football season to serve breakfast. The bar is also a great place for late-night eats, with the kitchen open until an hour before closing and all appetizers half-off after 9 p.m.
Liquid consumption: Not surprisingly given the name, the bar has a strong selection of draft beers, with 15 taps including selections from craft breweries such as Deschutes Brewery and Revolution Brewing. You'll also find more in bottle form. Another favorite drink is the signature Bloody Mary, available for $5 on Sunday, which comes with a slider, chicken tender, pretzel bites, bacon stick and celery.
Crowd: Local workers come in for lunch and early dinner, with the average age range running between 35 and 60 but getting younger later in the evening, particularly on Fridays. Bears preseason games have already been bringing in crowds, and the half-price burgers mean Thursdays are always busy. Team trivia on Tuesday is another draw.
Service: We were quickly greeted when we stopped in first by the hostess, who offered us a menu, and then by the bartender who was happy to provide tastes of any drafts we were curious about and made sure we knew her name in case we needed to get her attention. She checked in on us as soon as we finished our round to see if we'd like a refill.
Music: Draft Picks hosts DJs every Friday and live music the last Saturday of the month. Local '90s cover group Blue Onyx plays on Aug. 29.
Parking: There are plenty of spots in the strip mall's free parking lot.
Overall: Change up your football season playbook this year and catch a game at Draft Picks.
Draft Picks
912 S. Busse Road, Mount Prospect, (847) 290-9000, <a href="http://draftpicksonline.com">draftpicksonline.com</a>
<b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday