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100% ambiance
“came back to Chicago to visit my friends and family and needed a place that is fun and can handle crowd.”
100% drinks
“Way more cool than the average sports bar”
80% food quality
“Decent food, Decent Games, Overrated”
100% service
“The screening room was fantastic and the service first rate.”
33% value
“If your kids want to go play expensive games, then ok.”
Espn Zone
Tips for Espn Zone
Good Weekend Place to Kick It!!. ESPN Zone is a very active place to get your game on, your laugh on, your fun on, and your drink on (if that's what you're into). Get ready to spend a moderate amount of money, but have an great time doing it. Food is good too. Welcome families, kids, or your best friends.
DO YOU VALUE YOUR SAFETY? IF SO, THEN READ ON!. After having been viciously assaulted (October 28th, 2008) directly outside of ESPN Zone, I can only suggest to the unsuspecting public that for fear of their safety, they refrain from visiting this establishment until security measures are put in place. I used to frequent ESPN Zone at least twice a week. In fact, I was on a first name basis with several of the bartenders and managers. However, after exiting ESPN Zone at closing and smoking outside the entrance, I and a female patron were confronted by a homeless person (this homeless guy had visited ESPN Zone several times prior...in fact, on one occasion, I even bought him a beer!). The homeless guy demanded that we give him a cigarette. I said that we didn't have any more. he then repeatedly spat upon me and then viciously assaulted me. I suffered multiple facial fractures and the loss of my eyesight. I notified ESPN about the incident and asked why they did not have any security measure which would protect its' patrons. ESPN manager Dorothy Heck nonchalantly apologized and stated that what had occurred was a matter for the police and not ESPN's responsibility! Hmmm. After having spent over a thousand dollars at what I thought was a safe environment (minus the homeless and 'moochers' who frequent during the evening hours), it appears that ESPN Zone is solely concerned about the patrons dollars and not the patrons safety! Therefore, I strongly suggest to anyone thinking about visiting ESPN Zone...DO NOT DO IT!!! YOUR SAFETY AS WELL AS THAT OF YOUR FAMILY MAY BE AT STAKE!!! If ESPN Zone General Manager Dorothy Heck is not concerned about your safety, then why give such an establishment your hard-earned money!!! STAY AWAY LESS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME BEFALLS YOU OR YOUR FAMILY!!! VISIT ROCK BOTTOM INSTEAD...IT IS ONLY A BLOCK AWAY!
Decent food, Decent Games, Overrated. I was in Chicago for 4 days and treid to go to the ESPN Zone the first day, they place was closed for a private party. I tried to go the second day and the place was closing at 4 for a private party. I tried to go the third day and the game and upstair bar and tv area was closed for a private function. Finally on the 4th day it was actually open, what a pain. The game selection is nothing to brag about and it is rather expensive. The food is decent and the prices are the same, kind of high for what you get. The ESPN zone is nothing special and as a sports bar, is not nearly as good as a local place
Great games, great fun.. ESPN Zone is a playground for grownups. Lot's of games to play and games to watch. The food isn't bad either. But it is a bit heavy. A lighter pizza somewhere else will come oozing with cheese.
Not what it should be!. You would think for ESPN that this would be a cool sports bar, it isn't. I was in Chicago for a week and went there on a Sunday to watch football thinking ESPN this will be cool and all the game will be on and it will be happening. The only thing happening was the long wait and the over priced everything. This place isn't even a sports bar. It has two small bars and two restraunts. They weren't even showing all the games, just three of them and they closed down for the Sunday Night Game. Avoid this place. ESPN should be ashamed of themselves for claiming to be the leaders in sports and entertainment. This place is a rip off and joke. You can find hundreds of place in Chicago better than this place, especially if you are looking for a sports bar.
Chicago downtowners and visitors flock to this sports-themed entertainment palace to watch and play games..
The Scene
The 35,000-square-foot complex has a sensory-stimulating atmosphere, thanks to 33 satellite receivers and dishes, 260 speakers, about 200 video and live-action games, and nearly 175 TVs. Top-notch food, drinks and service keep the flow going.
The Draw
A slew of small monitors surround a 16-inch high-definition screen, providing a wall of sports. Besides Zone Thrones--chairs with built-in TV trays for ordered food--there are tables with personalized TVs, private "skyboxes" with their own TVs and a bar with plenty of action. Tourist families and area co-workers indulge in multicourse meals, then compete on dozens of arcade machines based on almost every sport under the sun. Besides ranging in athletics, the video games also represent a breadth of technology, from a golf-themed pinball machine to an advanced golf simulator that uses sensors to interpret players' real-life action on-screen.
With so many other places..... Granted, I had to take a large group there after meetings, but still! The food was just ok and the service was slower than molasses in winter. If your kids want to go play expensive games, then ok. Otherwise stay away.
Way more cool than the average sports bar. I thoughT this place is really cool! The food is good but not great. On the other hand it's not the food that's really drawing you to the "Zone". The place rocks for sports fans and not so sports fans. The drinks were great and the service was wonderful. It can get busy, so come early to get a good seat for the game you want to watch. I can't wait to go again!
Chain, chain, chain..chain of fools.... So what? There aren't enough sports bars in this city that we need a Disney-fied chain sports bar? There is nothing really bad about his place---it's just really expensive and incredibly bland. It has a SOUVENIR shop, for Pete's sake.
Out of all the bars. Out of all the bars in the City Of Chicago --WHY!!!! Would you go to Disneyland well a Disney owned Company .... What can I say But pick other places
Espn Zone
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