The Best Restaurants For The 2016 World Series
In town for the big games? Here's where to eat and drink.
The World Series is upon us. While the Chicago Cubs are the favorite to win for the first time in over a century, the Cleveland Indians have home-field advantage. But if baseball isn't your game and you're just in it for the snacks, we're here to help. Forget about those sad stadium peanuts—here are seven recommendations near both Wrigley and Progressive Fields for more substantial sustenance. And if your team doesn't win, at least you'll have gotten a decent meal in addition to all those consolation beers you'll be drinking as you wander around Wrigleyville or Downtown Cleveland. Pregaming never tasted so good.
Chicago
Dimo's Pizza: This by-the-slice pizza place is our closest recommendation to Wrigley Field, so it's great for snagging a quick bite on your way to the ballpark. Its most popular offering is The Mac, a macaroni and cheese/pizza hybrid that is the food mash-up of our dreams.
Kuma's Too: This burger joint is known for its specialty burgers and its love for heavy metal. Choose among the Metallica, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden burgers, and grab a drink from the extensive beer list.
Murphy's Red Hots: Nothing screams Windy City baseball more than a Chicago-style hot dog. The wieners at Murphy's are so iconic that they were inducted into the Vienna Beef Hot Dog Hall of Fame. Not a frankfurter fan? There are burgers and sandwiches, too.
Lowcountry: The name says it all. Head here if you want to get down and dirty with a Cajun-style shellfish boil. There are four spice levels, and even though we like it hot, the "ridiculously hot" option might be too much for even our tongues.
TAC Quick: This affordable Thai restaurant has all of the conventional dishes you know and love, as well as some additional authentic Thai offerings. Plus, the cooking has earned the restaurant the Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide.
The Roost Carolina Kitchen: Is this Chicago's best fried chicken? We have to say it's close. Chicken, biscuits, and macaroni and cheese are the perfect comfort food, no matter who wins the game.
Diner Grill: This 24-hour diner has been serving classics to Chicagoans for nearly 80 years. (It doesn't even have a website, so you know it must be good.) Cheap, good and greasy—sounds like just the trick to keep you alive after a night of heavy celebrating.
Cleveland
Mabel's BBQ: This new restaurant from James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Symon specializes in Cleveland barbecue. It has an extensive collection of whiskeys and Cocktails for a Party that are perfect for you and your buddies before a game.
Butcher and the Brewer: True to its name, this restaurant is all about meat and beer. There are both an in-house butcher and charcutier on staff, so you know they mean business. Order a pint (or two) of the house-brewed beer to complete your meal.
Society Lounge: Though it does offer a limited selection of small plates, its main draw is definitely the craft cocktails. Society Lounge bills itself as a "passageway back in time when . . . hats were never worn inside and a door was always opened for a lady," making it an ideal destination for those who don't want to get quite as rowdy.
The Greenhouse Tavern: Local and sustainable foods are the focus at this tavern run by chef Jonathan Sawyer, who has garnered just about every culinary award you can imagine. Needless to say, you can't go wrong here.
Barrio: Build-your-own tacos. Need we say more? Fine, if we must, there's also a happy hour special that means $2 tacos and half-priced margaritas.
BOLD Food & Drink: Modern steakhouse fare and small plates are the draw here. Lobster nachos, charred street corn and a 16-ounce rib eye are a few options suitable for game day.
The Spotted Owl: This innovative East-meets-West bar offers a rotating menu of snacks and creative cocktails, including an Izakaya menu section that features ingredients like miso, togarashi and sake. "No fighting" is one of the house rules, so this might be the safest place for any Cubs fans in the area.