Cubs Opening Day 2026 — How Wrigleyville Showed Up

The Cubs opened the 2026 season at home on March 26 — a 1:20 PM start against the Washington Nationals. And Wrigleyville did what Wrigleyville does: packed the bars by 11 AM and kept going through the Sweet 16 that night.

Here's how the neighborhood handled the biggest day of the spring.

The Scene

Opening Day fell on a Thursday, and it wasn't just baseball — the Sweet 16 had games at United Center that same evening. So you had Cubs fans in Wrigleyville at noon, pivoting to college basketball by 6 PM. Some bars ran dual-sport specials all day.

The game: Cubs vs. Nationals, 1:20 PM first pitch at Wrigley Field.

The Best Pre-Game Spots

The classic Wrigleyville circuit for a day game:

• Murphy's Bleachers — The OG. Steps from the bleacher entrance. Open early for every home game.
• Sluggers — Two floors, batting cages, and $5 domestic buckets before first pitch.
• Cubby Bear — Right across from the marquee. Game day specials on draft beer.
• Old Crow Smokehouse — Rooftop, BBQ, and $6 frozen drinks.
• SoFo Tap — 11 daily specials including game day wing deals.

Pre-Game Brunch

The 1:20 start meant brunch was the play. Top spots:

• Cody's Public House — 10 specials including bottomless mimosas
• Home Away From Home — Pregame Party specials + Baseball Night pricing
• The Dugout Press Box — Named for it. Beer and shots before the walk to Wrigley.

The Deals

Opening Day specials we tracked across Wrigleyville, Lakeview, and Lincoln Park:

• $5 domestic buckets at multiple bars along Clark Street
• $3 Old Style — the Cubs tax-free classic
• Half-off apps during the game at several spots
• Pitcher specials — $12-15 domestic pitchers at Sports Corner, Vine's on Clark
• Post-game reverse happy hours starting at 4 PM

By the Numbers

• 89 venues in Wrigleyville with active deals
• 426 total deals across the neighborhood
• 3 neighborhoods within walking distance of Wrigley: Wrigleyville, Lakeview, Lincoln Park

What's Next

Cubs season runs through September. For current Wrigleyville bar deals and game day specials, check our Cubs Game Day Guide — updated throughout the 2026 season.

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This guide was originally published for Cubs Opening Day on March 26, 2026 and has been archived. For current game day deals, visit 312deals.com/guides/cubs-game-day-chicago.