Glad to contribute. 
if you do make the trip down to the Lincoln Park area a couple recommendations…
Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder at 2121 Clark - you’d want to hop on the “22” Clark bus - a true original and worth the wait- maybe not really a baseball-ish thing to do but many folks trek over there before or after the game
Wieners Circle at 2622 N Clark - if it was you and a couple guy friends I’d definitely point you here, and tell you to ask for a chocolate milkshake, even though its not on the menu. But who knows maybe your wife has a taste for an adventure…
Agree with most of the above posts a few extras:
-
hot cocoa is sometimes (always?) offered at April home games (like everything else, not cheap, but also holds a shot or two of Baileys if you can sneak it in)
-
I have gotten by parking on Sheridan Rd just north of Irving Park Rd (just north of Nick’s Uptown and the Holiday Club) at it’s close enough to walk to the park, though I would highly recommend parking in Andersonville as well (you could also take the Clark bus south from there as an alternative to the Red Line), and check out a restaurant or bar (Hopleaf if you are into steamed mussels and expensive Belgian or eurocraft beers)
-iO (formerly called ImprovOlympic and home to many TV/film comedy geniuses) is right around the corner from Wrigley and offers several improv shows per night on the weekends
And I will be in section 204 on Sunday the 19th if you need any more guidance!
PS- I may be yelling at people wearing St Louis garb to go home, but don’t take it personally
For the love of all things holy and delicious, listen to this man. CPOG is unlike anything you’ve ever had before, and it’s glorious.
Hmm…sorry to bring up the hot dog again, but…correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the “no ketchup” thing NOT exclusive to Chicago??? case in point: the question as it appeared in TSD about an “all-dressed” hot dog not containing ketchup came from a NEW YORKER, and there was no specific mention of Chicago in the reader’s question!
Beer overpriced? Yep – but that doesn’t stop it from selling.
And as a north-sider and Cubs fan, I just want to say that as of now I have nothing against the White Sox or their fans. I USED TO, until last year when there was that news story about a Sox fan getting beat up by Cubs fans because he was a Sox fan. THAT…ain’t cool. And I do admit that in 2005 I was grudgingly happy for the Sox – yeah, I wanted the Cubs to win the Series, but I was happy that 1) a Chicago team won, and 2) that someone who hadn’t won in forever finally did it – just as I was thrilled for Boston the year before.
My wife and I might be going to the 4/15 game; she’ll be getting some free tix, most likely…
I attended my first (and so far, only) game at Wrigley Field a few years ago. It was a bar trip from Minneapolis/St. Paul for a White Sox vs. Twins game with a Cubs game the next day.
My advice:
If you spend a two full days drinking (charter bus trip there, night of the Sox game, next day with friends while exploring Chicago), don’t go to Cubby Bears (a bar adjacent to Wrigley field) and do tequila shots right before the game. You will sleep through innings 3 to 9. :sigh:
…and most importantly, don’t forget todo yourselves the greatest of honors and[SIZE=“5”][/SIZE] have your photo taken with the 26th man on the Cubs roster - none other than Mr Ronnie Woo Woo himself.
But, if you go there, be aware that they do not accept credit cards - cash only.
Thanks to everyone for the advice.
We had a great time.
Glad you enjoyed yourself, RV!
Please tell us more… What did you think of our ballpark? How did the Cub fans treat you? Where’d you go pre- and post-game?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Sorry I’ve been busy.
We had a great time. Dressed warmer then we thought we needed, but it turned out just right. Tried Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder which the wife loved enough to grab take out for later.
As for the actual game experience, we didn’t get any abuse from the home crowd (this is what my wife most feared). The actual ballpark is a hole (sorry but it is :D), but for watching a game its first rate.
We were going to stay and go to Sunday’s, but the rain took care of that.
Thanks to everyone.
GO CARDS!!!
OK, it was way long ago, but I’m just now starting some administrative stuff on the Straight Dope Chicago boards.
So, I’ve edited the thread title to reflect the fact that Cecil addressed the question here: http://chicago.straightdope.com/sdc20090305.php … and I’ve moved the thread to the forum relating to Cecil’s SD-Chi columns, since that’s what it now is.
Mr. Zotti, I’m a lifelong Cubs fan as are most of my friends, and every Cubs fan I know has MUCH stronger animosity toward the Cards than the Sox. I think this whole Sox/Cubs rivalry, while real, is overhyped. Sure, we razz each other, but Cubs fans HATE the Cards, and Cards fans.
I’d say White Sox fans hate the Cubs and Cubs fans much more than Cubs fans hate the Sox and Sox fans.
Some do, won’t argue there. My brother was at the Cubs-Sox game Saturday (great game, eh?) and on the ramp on the way out a Sox fan cold-cocked a Cubs fan and took off. Cecil and I are Sox fans from way back but some of these guys take the game way too seriously.
I think the main issue is Sox fans believe that Cubs fans don’t know the game and just want to go to “the biggest bar in Chicago.” That’s a fair argument. But out of the 42k or so fans at each Cubs game, at least half are there for the game and not the Wrigley Experience. I know that’s not a great percentage, but 21k fans that care and know the team and game is not bad in comparison to the average mlb game.
At risk of sounding like the stereotypical Cubs “fan,” a lot of the other 50% are beautiful young women, which does hold some appeal.