Editor's note: This is the final in a periodic series of looks at the top Bears bars in the Windy City.

Only one letter separates beers from Bears, so the two pretty much go hand-in-hand on game day. But if the Monsters of the Midway are on the road, or you can’t get a ticket to Soldier Field, you need to hole up somewhere with a few cold ones with your friends to watch the game.

The question is: In a city with a bar on just about every other corner, where do I go?

It’s a tough question, one that we here at NFL Bears Blog Blitz did extensive research to answer. Over the past two months, we’ve featured several great Bears bars, from the massive Joe’s on Weed Street to old-school taverns like Kasey’s.

Here are the final five top places to watch the Bears. The last of which is my favorite.



ESPN Zone: Located in downtown Chicago, just a few blocks off the Magnificent Mile, the massive screens, tiered booths and private luxury suites make “The Zone” a great place to watch any NFL game.



Bourbon Street: A New Orleans bar in Chicago? Yep, it’s a great place, too. It’s a nightclub, sports bar, restaurant and beer garden all rolled into one on West 115th Street. The place attracts live music acts such as The Smoking Popes, but on Bears game days, it’s all about football. 670-AM The Score radio does a lot of remotes from 115 Bourbon Street. The sports bar has 17 27-inch TV screens and six 15-foot screens, so you can see the game from anywhere you’re sitting.



Harry Caray’s: It might sound strange to mention a baseball-themed pub as a great place to watch the NFL, but both the downtown and Wrigleyville Caray’s are great spots to watch football. Several games are on screens throughout the bar, but make no mistake – the Bears are the main attraction. The food is always good here, with a brunch buffet giving way to menu food around mid-afternoon. I’ve sobered up here more than once watching the Bears (and my fantasy team) win or lose.

Roundheads Pizza Pub in Lombard: Pizza is always top of mind here, but Roundheads has a great appetizers menu ranging from popcorn shrimp to fried pizza dough balls. You can usually find die-hard Bears fan Paul Pustelnik in the stands at Soldier Field with his kids on game day. But when the Bears hit the road, the Pustelniks head to Roundheads, a sports pub in suburban Lombard. Here’s Paul’s take: “Tons of TVs, some free food. The owners stop by and make sure you’re having a great time. The wait staff is cool. And it’s a great place to host a fantasy football draft, too.” Roundheads also has a location in Downers Grove, Ill.



My Couch: Let’s face it, when the mercury drops in November, even trekking out to a bar to watch a game can be a challenge. Nothing’s better than hunkering down with some deep-dish pizza, a six-pack and watching a game in front of that (hopefully) big-screen plasma. The best thing: You won’t have some clown standing up to block your view on that big touchdown pass and you don’t have to tip the wait staff.

  -- MIKE REILLEY
Follow him on Twitter @bearsblogblitz