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Rate Field, Chicago
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Rate Field

What a visiting fan needs to know: where to stay, getting in from MDW, parking and tailgating, what to eat and where to sit.

  • Chicago, IL
  • Home of the White Sox
  • Fly into MDW
  • Stadium tours
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Games at Rate Field

Where to stay near Rate Field

Where visiting fans stay

From a specialist guide
  • The Loop
    Jass, Google Maps

    The LoopVisiting fans pick this

    15 min by transit. The largest choice of hotels in Chicago. Board the southbound Red Line in the State Street subway and ride to Sox-35th.

  • South Loop and Museum Campus
    William Fang, Google Maps

    South Loop and Museum CampusVisiting fans pick this

    10 min by transit. The closest big hotel cluster to the ballpark, a few Red Line stops north at Roosevelt and near the lakefront museums.

  • River North
    Thomas Boyd, Google Maps

    River North

    20 min by transit. Restaurants and nightlife north of the river, with Red Line stations at Grand and Chicago.

Around the stadium

From a specialist guide
Rate Field sits beside the Dan Ryan Expressway in Armour Square, ringed by its own parking lots. ChiSox Bar & Grill is across 35th Street at Gate 5, and the Bridgeport neighborhood bars start a few blocks west and north, but there are few hotels nearby.

Map of the area

Tap a pin to see the place.

Getting to Rate Field

From Midway

From a specialist guide
MDW (Chicago Midway) is closest, about 7 miles away. Take the CTA Orange Line toward the Loop, switch to the southbound Red Line at Roosevelt, and ride two stops to Sox-35th. Plan on 35 to 45 minutes.

On game day

Checked at the source
CTA Red Line, about 15 min. Sox-35th station on 35th Street, just east of the ballpark across the Dan Ryan Expressway. Metra Rock Island Line, about 10 min. 35th Street station, just east of the Dan Ryan Expressway, a short walk to the gates. CTA Orange Line and Red Line, about 40 min. Switch to the southbound Red Line at Roosevelt and ride to Sox-35th. Rideshare, about 15 min. Lot A on the Wentworth Avenue side. Use Gate 5.

Parking and tailgating at Rate Field

Tailgating

Checked at the source
Tailgating is allowed in the parking lots until first pitch and never after the game. Stay inside your own parking space, and keep tents and gear out of the lanes. Small grills only, with charcoal dumped in the coal bins in the lots. Kegs, freestanding speakers, live bands and DJs are not allowed. Lots close about an hour after the game. You can buy a reserved tailgating space in Lot E, close to the gates. Reach Lot E from Wentworth Avenue and 37th Street, then turn on Princeton Avenue.

Game day at Rate Field

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: Only clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags up to 12 x 12 x 6 inches (a one-gallon freezer bag works) and small clutches up to 9 x 5 x 2 inches are allowed. Backpacks, drawstring bags, computer bags and all coolers, soft or hard, are not. Diaper bags (with a child present) and medical bags are allowed after an extra search. Paid bag check is in Lot C at 35th and Shields and opens with the gates.
  • Cashless: Rate Field is fully cashless, including parking, shops and concessions. To turn cash into a gift card, visit the Advance Ticket Windows behind home plate on the 100 and 500 levels.

Touring the stadium

Checked at the source
The White Sox do not sell public tours on a fixed schedule. Ask for one through the form at whitesox.com/fanfeedback. A donation is requested, and it goes to Chicago White Sox Charities.

After the final whistle

Checked at the source
Most carless fans walk to the Sox-35th Red Line station, just east of the ballpark across the Dan Ryan. Roads around the ballpark close on game days, so leaving by car is slow. Lots close about an hour after the game, and tailgating is not allowed after the last out.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Showing up with a backpack or a normal purse. Rate Field allows only clear bags up to 12 x 12 x 6 inches and small clutches up to 9 x 5 x 2 inches. Check other bags for a fee in Lot C at 35th and Shields before you reach the gate.

Food and drink at Rate Field

Bars near the stadium

Checked at the source
  • ChiSox Bar & Grill
    ChiSox Bar & Grill, Google Maps

    ChiSox Bar & Grill

    320 W 35th St, Chicago, IL 60616

    The official White Sox bar, with more than 70 TVs and a beer garden. New in 2026, a second floor whiskey bar called Bookends opened inside.

    Away fans: the team's own bar, full of White Sox fans but used to visitors on every game day.

  • Cork & Kerry at the Park
    Jason Cadell, Google Maps

    Cork & Kerry at the Park

    3258 S Princeton Ave, Chicago, IL 60616

    A Bridgeport Irish bar a few blocks north of the ballpark. It pours beer and has live music after every White Sox home game.

    Away fans: a neighborhood Irish bar full of White Sox fans. Visitors who keep it friendly get along fine.

  • Mitchell's Tap
    Larissa Gunther, Google Maps

    Mitchell's Tap

    3356 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60608

    A Bridgeport neighborhood tap with classic bar food, live music and TVs for every sport. It is quieter than the bars right next to the ballpark.

    Away fans: a low-key local bar where away fans draw little attention.

  • Parking lot tailgatesDistrict

    333 W 35th St, Chicago, IL 60616

    Rate Field is one of the few big city ballparks with lot tailgating, and on weekends the lots fill with grills before first pitch. It is the main pregame scene, since few bars sit right next to the ballpark.

    Away fans: friendly, with grills going in every lot. Visitors are welcome to talk baseball.

Things to do around Rate Field

Listed in the order they happen on game day. Each one earns points.

  1. Tailgate75 points

    Tailgate in the lots

    Rate Field allows tailgating in its lots until first pitch, a rare thing for a big city ballpark. Bring a small grill, park early and join the South Side crowd.

    $$. 2 hours before first pitch

  2. Drink50 points

    Pregame at ChiSox Bar & Grill

    The team's own bar across 35th Street opens two hours before first pitch and has a beer garden and more than 70 TVs. It also works as a ticketed entrance, so you can walk straight in to the ballpark.

    $$. 1 hour 50 minutes before first pitch

  3. Landmark65 points

    Find old Comiskey's home plate

    The White Sox played across 35th Street at old Comiskey Park from 1910 to 1990. A home plate monument in Lot B near Gate 5 and a plaque on the sidewalk mark where it stood.

    Free. 1 hour 40 minutes before first pitch

  4. Ritual65 points

    Get a First Game Certificate

    If this is your first White Sox game at Rate Field, pick up a free certificate to mark it. Go to the Rookie Corner near section 101 in center field, near section 522 upstairs, or the Guest Relations booth behind home plate on the 300 level.

    Free. 1 hour before first pitch

  5. Eat50 points

    Comiskey Dog or Polish sausage

    A Chicago ballpark meal means a Vienna Beef dog or a Polish sausage. The Comiskey Dog is at sections 109, 123 and 155, and Polish sausage is sold all over the 100 level.

    $. 30 minutes before first pitch

  6. Eat65 points

    Eat elote in a cup

    Elote, Mexican-style street corn, is a South Side ballpark favorite. Find it at sections 104, 127 and 144.

    $. 20 minutes before first pitch

  7. Ritual40 points

    Watch the scoreboard light show

    The LED lights flash in a light show about five minutes before first pitch, after every White Sox home run and after every win. It carries on the tradition of the old Comiskey exploding scoreboard.

    Free. 5 minutes before first pitch

  8. Eat50 points

    Duck fat hot dog at The Duck Inn

    The Duck Inn is a gastro-tavern in a pre-Prohibition building on the edge of Bridgeport, known for its Chicago-style hot dog made with duck fat. Make it your sit-down meal before or after the game.

    $$

  9. Outing50 points

    Field Museum

    The natural history museum on the lakefront Museum Campus is a short ride north of the ballpark. Pair it with a walk along the lake on your off day.

    $$

  10. Outing50 points

    Art Institute of Chicago

    One of the great art museums of the world sits on Michigan Avenue at the edge of Grant Park. It opens at 11am most days, stays open until 8pm on Thursday and is closed on Tuesday.

    $$

  11. Eat65 points

    Try a jibarito

    The jibarito is a steak sandwich served between fried plantains instead of bread, with lettuce, tomato and cheese. Rate Field serves one at the Jibaritos stand by section 136.

    $$. 30 minutes after first pitch

  12. Eat50 points

    Order the Campfire Milkshake

    The Campfire Milkshake went viral and returned in a 2026 edition at the Topo Chico Hard Seltzer Cantina by section 159. Share one in the middle innings.

    $$. 1 hour 15 minutes after first pitch

  13. Drink50 points

    Postgame at Cork & Kerry

    This Bridgeport Irish bar a few blocks north of the ballpark has live music after every White Sox home game. Walk over while the lots empty.

    $. 3 hours 20 minutes after first pitch

Seats and shade at Rate Field

Where the sun lands on a day game, and which seats stay dry when it rains.

Shade and cover

From a specialist guide
  • Upper deck (500 level), rows 9 and up. The upper deck roof covers rows 9 and higher, which keeps you out of the sun and rain. A few seats have views blocked by the roof supports.
  • First base side, sections 117 to 129, rows 30 and up. The first base side gets shade first. For a 3:05pm start, the 300 club level and 500 level on that side are shaded, and most lower rows are shaded by 4 to 4:30pm.
  • Third base side, lower and upper levels. Sun reaches much of the third base side during early afternoon games, so pick the first base side if you want shade.
  • Left field, sections 155 to 161. No outfield seats are covered, and left field is the sunniest part of the ballpark. On hot days, cool off in the Rain Rooms by Gate 1 on the main level and at the Gate 3 and 5 entrances on the upper level.