The Globe Pub

The Vibe

The Globe Pub is quite simply one of the most important soccer bars in America. Named Best Soccer Bar in the country by US Soccer, this North Center institution has been the heartbeat of Chicago's football community since opening in 2004 inside a building that's over a century old. The thick wooden door, the worn faux-brick floors, the walls covered in beer ads and club scarves -- everything about The Globe says this is a place where soccer is taken seriously but never pretentiously. It feels like a British pub that landed on Irving Park Road and decided to stay forever.

The Setup

Over twenty TVs cover every wall and sightline across the main bar and back room. The front room has high wooden bar stools and cocktail tables looking out onto Irving Park, while the larger back area features a stage platform, dart boards with both cork and steel-tipped darts, and a pool table. On the biggest match days, the overflow spills next door to The Black Eagle, which operates as an extension of The Globe for Arsenal matches and major tournaments. Weekend doors open thirty minutes before the first Premier League kickoff, which means 7:30 AM or earlier during the English season.

Match Day Experience

The Chicago Gooners (Arsenal) and Chicago Villans (Aston Villa) call The Globe home, but this bar transcends any single club. On a Saturday morning during the Premier League season, you'll find supporters of a dozen different clubs scattered across the room, each cluster leaning into their own screen. The energy during a North London derby or Champions League knockout is intense -- proper chanting, proper reactions, proper football. The Globe also shows MLS, USWNT, international rugby, Australian Rules Football, and even Formula 1, making it a year-round destination rather than a seasonal one.

Food and Drink

The Globe boasts one of the longest beer lists in Chicago, with around 20 rotating draft lines featuring English imports like Young's Ram Rod Ale, Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter, Boddington's, and Belhaven alongside Belgian and local craft selections. The food is authentic British pub fare at honest prices: fish and chips every Friday, shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, meat and chicken pasties, curry chips, steak and ale pie, and a traditional Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding. The panko-breaded scotch eggs with curry aioli are a cult favorite that alone justify the trip.

Who Goes There

The Globe is a meeting point for British expats, second-generation immigrants who grew up on Match of the Day, American converts who caught the bug during a World Cup, and the full spectrum of Chicago's international community. Burns Night in January brings haggis and a proper Scottish celebration. Tuesday quiz night draws the trivia crowd. Thursday karaoke and Friday DJ sets keep the non-soccer nights lively. But the core identity is unmistakable -- this is a football pub first, everything else second.

Insider Tips

For big Arsenal matches, arrive early or you'll end up at The Black Eagle next door, which is a fine consolation prize but not quite the same atmosphere. The Irving Park Brown Line stop is a short walk away. Parking on Irving Park Road is doable but tight on weekends. Order the scotch eggs before they run out. And if you're visiting Chicago for a soccer trip, plan your entire schedule around The Globe -- it's that good.