duffy’s Tavern: A Chicago Hub for Michigan Football Fans

Chicago, Ill. – Maize and blue alumni flock to a Chicago bar for every Michigan football game.

Duffy’s Tavern and Grille, located at 420 W. Diversey Parkway, has served as a “mainstay” for University of Michigan alumni for decades, according to April Roberts, president of the UM alumni club of greater Chicago.

Roberts, 45 and originally from Grand Rapids, notes that even the sign at Duffy’s is maize and blue.

“It just has really a great, lively energy, especially for game days,” Roberts, a 2002 UM graduate, said. “It’s all decorated in Michigan paraphernalia.”

The sports bar accommodates hundreds of people and features 56 television screens, stated steve Kovaka, chief operating officer of Last Call Tavern Group.

First-time visitors can anticipate balloons, streamers, and Michigan fans decked out in team gear.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, duffy’s will open at 8 a.m. in readiness for the Michigan vs. Northwestern game, which kicks off at noon at Wrigley Field.

Duffy’s also functions as a financial partner for the alumni association, part of a broader initiative since 2009 to collaborate with local bars and restaurants across the city to fundraise for its scholarship program.

The partnership allows the alumni