Fan Stay
Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place
South Loop hotel near McCormick Place offering easy transit access to Rate Field for White Sox games.
stadium
Rate Field
Chicago, IL · Capacity: 40,600
About Rate Field
Rate Field is the open-air home of the Chicago White Sox on the city's South Side, opened in 1991 as the last Major League ballpark built before the retro-classic wave of the 1990s. It is known for its "exploding scoreboard" that shoots fireworks after White Sox home runs and wins.
- Opened: 1991
- Capacity: 40,600
- Address: 333 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60616
- Architect: Populous
- Structural engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
- Operator: Chicago White Sox
- Home team: Chicago White Sox
Fan Guide · Chicago White Sox
Rate Field: South Side baseball
Rate Field, opened in 1991 on Chicago's South Side, was the last big-league park built before the retro revolution — and its signature is the “exploding scoreboard” behind center field that lights up and shoots fireworks for White Sox home runs, a descendant of Bill Veeck's original.
It's the proud home of South Side baseball, a CTA Red Line ride from downtown.
Below are the Chicago stays, restaurants and bars fans use around Rate Field.
Fan tip: Take the CTA Red Line straight to the park — and stay for the fireworks after a Sox home run or win.
Where Fans Stay, Eat & Drink near Rate Field
All Chicago hotspots →Hotels, bars, restaurants and things to do near Rate Field in Chicago — every pick web-researched and source-cited, closest to the stadium first.
Where to Stay
Fan Stay
Hilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Place
Hotel near McCormick Place a short drive or Red Line ride from Rate Field, popular with visiting fans.
Fan Stay
The Polo Inn Bridgeport U.S.A.
Bed and breakfast in the heart of Bridgeport, within walking distance of Rate Field, with free parking.
25-min walk
hotel
The Hoxton, Chicago
182-room boutique in a converted meatpacking warehouse on Lake and Green in Fulton Market. Closest Hoxton-style boutique to UC.
25-min walk
hotel
Soho House Chicago
108,000 sq ft Soho House in a converted Fulton Market factory — 40-room public hotel, 80-foot rooftop pool, spa.
Fan Stay
Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
1893 Venetian Gothic landmark with Cindy's rooftop bar overlooking Millennium Park. Barack Obama, Chance the Rapper, Bill Murray.
Bars & Pubs
Cork & Kerry at the Park
Irish sports pub right by Rate Field with 20 rotating taps and an outdoor beer garden, a Bridgeport staple.
Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar
Bridgeport institution combining an old liquor store with a lively community bar and deep drink list.
Shinnick's Pub
No-frills old-school Irish tavern in Bridgeport, a few blocks from Rate Field with strong beer specials.
8-min walk
The Barn Hockey Bar
Hockey-themed bar 2 blocks from United Center, opened 2023 in the former Ogden space. 50 TVs, hockey memorabilia, air hockey, half a Zamboni in the wall. Named for Chicago Stadium ('The Barn').
The Barrelhouse Flat
A two-story cocktail destination in Lincoln Park, The Barrelhouse Flat features a lively beer and punch bar downstairs and an intimate craft cocktail lounge upstairs. Its Victorian-era aesthetic and inventive drinks make it a top post-game spot for fans heading back from the United Center.
Cindy's Rooftop
A glass-atrium rooftop bar on the 13th floor of the Chicago Athletic Association, with sweeping views of Millennium Park and Lake Michigan — patrons can even glimpse Lollapalooza from the terrace. A festivalgoer go-to.
Restaurants
Fan Eats
Han 202
Bridgeport BYOB restaurant serving Chinese cuisine with a French twist on a multi-course prix fixe menu.
Fan Eats
Phil's Pizza
Longtime Bridgeport pizzeria known for its tavern-style thin-crust pizza.
Fan Eats
Zaytune Mediterranean Grill
Casual Bridgeport spot serving shawarma and falafel wraps on homemade flatbread.
5-min walk
restaurant
Billy Goat Tavern & Grill (West Side)
Madison Street outpost of the world-famous Billy Goat Tavern, ~5-min walk from United Center. Original Billy Goat opened 1934 near old Chicago Stadium — deep Blackhawks roots, SNL 'Cheezborger' fame.
Fan Eats
Acanto
An Italian restaurant directly across from Millennium Park with housemade pastas and stone-oven pizzas — named in FOX 32's near-Lollapalooza dining guide for its location steps from the festival.
Fan Eats
Alinea
Grant Achatz's three-Michelin-starred temple of molecular gastronomy in Lincoln Park. Multi-course tasting menus that defy convention — edible balloons, tableside dessert paintings, and dishes that challenge every sense. One of the most important restaurants in America.
Things to Do
Things to Do
Chicago Architecture River Cruise
Cruise the Chicago River past 50+ iconic buildings as expert docents narrate the story of the city that invented the skyscraper — consistently rated Chicago's #1 tour.
Attraction
Wrigley Field Rooftops Experience
The privately owned rooftop buildings along Waveland and Sheffield Avenues — directly across from Wrigley Field — offer one of baseball's most unique spectator experiences, with grandstand views into the ballpark from above the outfield walls. Rooftop clubs include food, open bars, and the intimacy of watching a Cubs game from a building that's part of the Wrigleyville neighbourhood itself. It's a completely different — and perfectly Chicago — way to experience America's most beloved ballpark.
Attraction
Guaranteed Rate Field
Guaranteed Rate Field on Chicago's South Side is the gritty, passionate home of the White Sox and features one of baseball's most beloved quirks — the original exploding scoreboard that bursts with fireworks after every home run. South Side faithful are among baseball's most loyal fans and the rivalry with the Cubs gives every interleague series a city-wide electric charge. The stadium's unpretentious atmosphere is a refreshing contrast to Wrigley's tourist polish.
Things to Do
Chicago Lakefront Trail
Chicago's 18-mile Lakefront Trail along Lake Michigan is one of the world's great urban outdoor experiences, giving sports travelers a spectacular morning run or bike ride with views of the downtown skyline that serve as the ultimate pregame warm-up. The trail passes within sight of Soldier Field and Guaranteed Rate Field, and the Navy Pier section is among the most photographed urban running routes in America. Athletic sports fans who run the lakefront before a Chicago game bond with the city in a way that no stadium tour can provide.
Attraction
Soldier Field Tour
Soldier Field on the Chicago lakefront has hosted Bears games since 1924 and is one of the NFL's most historically significant venues, with its distinctive Roman colonnade and sweeping Lake Michigan views. Game-day tours and the surrounding Museum Campus make it a cultural destination as much as a sports venue. A Bears game at Soldier Field in October, with the lake wind howling, is one of the most primal NFL experiences available.
Attraction
United Center
The United Center is the House That Michael Jordan Built, home to six NBA championship banners, three Stanley Cup championships, and a bronze Jordan statue outside the west entrance that draws pilgrims year-round. The arena's West Side location and dual-sport tenant history make it one of the most legend-drenched buildings in American sports. A Bulls playoff game here, with the Jordan statue lit up at night, is one of sports travel's most iconic experiences.
Plan Your Trip to Rate Field
Rate Field in Chicago is tracked across 0 events and seats 40,600 fans. Here's how fans build a trip around it:
- Anchor Event: Use the event cards below to select your next anchor date.
- Celebrities Tracked Here: Barack Obama and others appear in linked venue sightings.
- Post-Event Path: Continue into Chicago and Chicago hotspots for food, bars, and stay options.
Celebrity Sightings at Rate Field
Sources & References
Structured facts on this page (capacity, opening year, architect, ownership) are compiled from public reference databases and verified against venue coordinates.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rate Field
Barack Obama have been spotted at Rate Field.
Rate Field has a capacity of 40,600 people.
Rate Field opened in 1991. It was designed by Populous.
Chicago White Sox plays home games at Rate Field in Chicago.
Check our events page for upcoming events at Rate Field.