Dining

Don’t miss a shot: Where to watch the NCAA tournament in the suburbs

Posted March 25, 2026 10:25 am

By Aimee Barrows

The Starch Madness loaded fries at Old Town Pour House are topped with pimento cheese gravy, smoked brisket, cheese curds, Fresno chilies, pickled red onion and green onions. Courtesy of Adam Flikkema

For college basketball fans, March is the most wonderful time of the year.

The men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments run for two more weekends of exciting action. And when it comes to watching the games, you need the perfect atmosphere: big screens, cold drinks and the electric energy of fellow fans.

From raucous sports bars to cozy neighborhood pubs, here are some locations where you can cheer on your team while indulging in game-day grub and comradery.

Another Round Bar & Grill — Downers Grove

Another Round Bar & Grill is a great place to watch the game, with two bars and plenty of TVs, as well as a late-night menu with pizza, burgers, wings and more. It’s at 5141 Main St., Downers Grove. anotherroundbarandgrill.com/.

Chicago Street Pour House — Elgin

Enjoy specials on wings, beer buckets and Goose Island draft beers while watching all the games on the many TVs around the bar and dining area. Located at 1350 E. Chicago St., Elgin. pourhousekitchen.com/.

Draft Picks — Mount Prospect and Naperville

Draft Picks in Mount Prospect is offering food and drink specials on tournament days; check their Facebook page for updates. The Naperville location has two large video walls in addition to TVs to watch all the games all while taking advantage of daily food and drink specials. The menu features wings, cheese curds, burgers, pizza, nachos, tacos, salads and more. Located at 912 Busse Road, Mount Prospect, and 523 Fairway Drive, Naperville. draftpicksmtprospect.com/ and draftpicksnaperville.com/.

Flagship on the Fox — St. Charles

This sports bar in downtown St. Charles, perched just steps off the Fox River, has several TVs in the bar area to catch your favorite team. Check out their live music lineup and happy-hour and game-day food and drink specials. It’s at 100 S. Riverside Ave., St. Charles. flagshiponthefox.com/.

Goal Line Sports Bar & Grill — Crystal Lake

Memorabilia and flags from the Chicago Bears and Blackhawks are on display at this sports haven in a former house in Crystal Lake, making for a unique interior setup. Watch the games on one of the many TVs located around the bar, and enjoy a menu that features pizza, a variety of salads and traditional sports bar appetizers such as wings, mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders and more. It’s at 85 Brink St., Crystal Lake. facebook.com/Goallinebarandgrill.

Get $5 off Lazy Dog’s Wings Party Pack now through April 6. Courtesy of Lazy Dog

Lazy Dog — Buffalo Grove, Naperville, Northbrook, Oak Brook and Vernon Hills

Watch the games in the bar areas at Lazy Dog while taking advantage of happy hour and late-night happy hour specials, when select drinks and bites start at $3. Or order up Lazy Dog’s Wings Party Pack, which includes a choice of bone-in (32 wings) or boneless (3 pounds) with sauces (buffalo, lemon pepper or garlic Parmesan), a side of veggies and dipping sauces (ranch, blue cheese and Nashville Hot). Enter the code MARCH to get $5 off the online order now through April 6. lazydogrestaurants.com/.

Offsides Sports Bar & Grill — Woodstock

Offsides Sports Bar & Grill is lined with sports memorabilia, making it the perfect atmosphere to watch all the games. Specials include 75-cent boneless wings and $3 tall boy cans. The menu includes traditional apps such as cheese curds, house-baked pretzels and onion rings, as well as classic pub grub including wings, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, tacos, pizza and hot dogs. It’s at 680 S. Eastwood Drive, Woodstock. offsidesbar.com/.

Old Town Pour House’s Final Fourange is made with Ketel One Oranje, triple sec, orange juice, lemon juice, grenadine and lemon-lime soda. Courtesy of Old Town Pour House

Old Town Pour House — Oak Brook and Naperville

With a plethora of TVs and more than 90 beers on tap, with 30 local breweries represented, Old Town Pour House is ready for basketball fans. Tournament specials include the Final Fourange, made with Ketel One Oranje, triple sec, orange juice, lemon juice, grenadine and lemon-lime soda, for $13.45 and Starch Madness, which are loaded fries piled with pimento cheese gravy, smoked brisket, cheese curds, Fresno chilies, pickled red onion and green onions, for $15.95. Dine between now and April 6 and receive a scratch-off ticket for a chance to win prizes, including gift cards, bar bites, dessert and more. Locations are at 8 Oak Brook Center, Oak Brook, and 1703 Freedom Drive, Naperville. oldtownpourhouse.com/.

Old Town Pour House in Oak Brook and Naperville both offer a plethora of TVs to watch all of the March Madness games. Daily Herald File Photo

Pints — Elmhurst

With 17 TVs, Pints in Elmhurst is a place to consider for game day. Specials include $29 Miller Lite draft beer towers, $16 domestic buckets and $6 Bloody Marys. Check out the 20 craft beers on tap, 50 cans/bottles, and a menu featuring wings, cheese curds, nachos, burgers, sandwiches and more. It’s located at 112 S. York St., Elmhurst. pintselmhurst.com/.

Rookies All-American Pub & Grill — Crystal Lake, Elgin, Geneva, Hoffman Estates, Huntley and St. Charles

Each Rookies offers multiple TVs, perfect for when you want to watch several games side by side. On tournament game days, order up specials such as wings or boneless wings ($5), stadium nachos ($8), spicy jalapeno and cheddar sausage ($15), the Monster Mackin burger ($20), domestic ($8) or import/craft ($10) mini pitchers, $5 Corona or Modelo pints, $4.50 Corona Premier or Modelo Oro bottles, $5 White Claw and $6 Ole cocktails. rookiespub.com/.

Sideouts Sports Tavern — Island Lake

Watch all the games on more than 30 TVs, including a giant 15-foot TV, at Sideouts. Check out the food and drink specials from the menu filled with classic pub appetizers, sliders, soups, salads, burgers, wraps, ribs, mac and cheese and more. Located at 4018 Roberts Road, Island Lake. 3dsideouts.com/.

Tap House Grill — Palatine and Lemont

Tap House will be offering game-day specials now through April 6, including $12 boneless and $14 bone-in wings, $15 Miller/Coors buckets and $4.75 Goose Island 312 drafts. Both locations have TVs around the bar and in the dining areas. Find them at 56 W. Wilson St., Palatine, and 1243 S. State St., Suite 109, Lemont. taphousegrills.com/.

Zamboni’s — East Dundee

Zamboni’s in East Dundee will have plenty of food and drink specials during the tournament, including $4 domestic beers, $5.50 High Noons, $5 baby Guinness shots and $2 off Italian beef sandwiches. Zamboni’s also has Spin the Wheel giveaways. It’s at 315 4th St., East Dundee. zambonisbar.com/.