Chicago's ESPN Zone: For a Night Out in Chicago, Minus the Hip, Trendy Bars

ESPN Zone was not in our plans when we were putting together our Chicago itinerary for our end of August 2008 trip. However, my husband was quickly reminded of it when we arrived. He had been there before during his business trip and remembered it being a fun place to hang out in the evening. We had an evening free so we headed over for a couple hours of entertainment and relaxation.

What is it?
My husband told me that ESPN Zone was just like Lucky Strike Lanes, except without the bowling alley. Well, he was close, but not exact. ESPN Zone is a big arcade, like Lucky Strike Lanes, but the difference is that most all of the games are sports related. You got basketball nets, of course, racing games by the dozen, golf, boxing and more. Even though I'm not into sports that much, I did manage to have some fun!

Games I liked
The games I actually played were:
-Bowling but with skeeball type balls instead of bowling balls. That was pretty fun and something even the kids could play without too much trouble.
-Basketball competition: I played a couple of rounds against my husband, and lost, but was surprised how close I got!
-Racing: We went for a car race as well and I was real close there too... but lost again... dang it!!

Games I watched
Even though I didn't feel like trying any of these other games in front of crowds of people, I watched my husband, and other patrons, play some of the other games.
-Golf: Of course my husband had to get in a round of golf
-Football: They had a video game on the large screen so that two guys could play football against each other, just like they would on their coach at home, except now everyone can watch it on the big screen.
-Get in the game: There were some cool games we watched where people could actually get into the game. For example, throwing baseballs as if you were the pitcher to try and strike people out, or playing hockey and trying to score a goal against a moving hockey goalie.
-Dancing: They did have one of those dancing type games and we watched a few people give it a try, but they all pretty much stunk. Then one guy got up there, moving around like he didn't even care, and hit all the steps. It was obvious he had a lot of practice.

The Other Stuff
Besides games, the ESPN Zone also has a few bars so you can order drinks while you play games. The downstairs level has a restaurant but we didn't visit that area. There is also a gift shop you can enjoy. TVs are located throughout the ESPN Zone showing various sports shows or games that happen to be going on while you are there.

Overall
I enjoyed the ESPN Zone in a different way then I enjoy Lucky Strike Lanes. At Lucky Strike, there is a larger variety of games to play, however at ESPN Zone, the sports theme is pretty fun and does keep everyone entertained. They did have kids in there so bring your family along, but there was also groups of teens, 20-somethings and adults all equally having fun. If you are looking for some evening entertainment but don't want to deal with the dress code or rules of "hip" and "trendy" bars, the ESPN Zone is your best bet. It's only a short walk away from most hotels and it gives you a break from the hustle and bustle of a busy Chicago vacation. Enjoy!!