Bowl Game Bites Around Chicago

For sports fans, the party doesn't have to stop after New Year's Eve. We've rounded up some spots around Chicago offering up specials for the widely watched College Bowl Games.

Commonwealth Tavern (2000 W. Roscoe St., www.commonwealthchicago.com), a neighborhood sports bar and restaurant in Roscoe Village, will start serving brunch at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 2. Guests will enjoy a $3 Build-Your-Own Mimosa Bar with various fruits and juices and a $6 Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar stacked with hot sauces, veggies, meats and more while Commonwealth broadcasts all the bowl games. Menu highlights include Brunch Schnitzel (herb aioli, smoked potatoes, pickled red onion, fried egg; $14), Pig Muffin (maple pig head, farm egg, American cheese, English muffin; $12), and Kentucky Hot Brown (smoked turkey, bacon, tomato, beer cheese, sourdough, $14).  

A great option for those hosting watch parties for the Cotton Bowl, Outback Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on Monday, January 2, MAK: Modern Asian Kitchen (1924 W. Division, www.makrestaurant.com) will offer a Bowl Game Special featuring 20 chicken wangs for only $20. Named after owner Tommy Wang, MAK's Chicken Wangs are crispy fried with a sweet and spicy sauce. The special will be available on both Sunday, January 1 and Monday, January 2 for dine-in or delivery. 

On Monday, January 2, Tavern on Little Fort (4128 North Lincoln Avenue, www.littleforttavern.com) will open for brunch at 10 a.m. and feature all the college bowl games including Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Florida Gators in the Outback Bowl at 12 p.m. Iowa fans can find refuge at Tavern on Little Fort, and Hawkeyes game day specials include $8 Miller Lite pitchers, $5 Miller Lite stadium cups, $5 Jack Daniels and Coke, $5 Vodka Lemonades and $5 Hawkeye bombs. Brunch highlights include the Breakfast Burger (70-percent brisket and 30-percent bacon patty, tavern sauce, bread and butter pickles, fried egg, New England bun; $15), Breakfast Bagel (ham, scrambled egg, beer cheese; $12), and Vegetable Frittata (asparagus, tomato chile relish, aioli, parmesan; $12). More drink specials include a $3 Build-Your-Own Mimosa Bar and $5 Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar.