Located in the shadows of the old manual scoreboard, Murphy's Bleachers ostensibly pays homage to the infamous Wrigley Field bleacher bums. Truth is, real bleacher bums enter the gates three hours before the game in order to stake out optimal seats for worshipping the Cubbies and razzing the other team. The actual clientele is decidedly professional; expect lots of corporate logo-embroidered golf shirts “slumming it” a bit, eating hot dogs and drinking beer out of a can.

There's such a vigorous ticket exchange that the bar might as well be an official satellite pit of the Chicago Board of Trade. Though Murphy's Bleachers is slowly engulfing nearby buildings, the most popular part of the bar will always be the original sidewalk patio. It's crowded but it offers an excellent view of the pre-game madhouse that is the corner of Waveland and Sheffield.

Centerstage Reviewer: Larry Majewski