BEVERLY — Not all Far South Side bars are openly antagonistic to Cubs fans.
One has even gone as far as to call for unity between the warring baseball factions.
Whereas McNally's, a Western Avenue bar in Morgan Park, has used its marquee to draw in Cubs haters, Sean's Rhino Bar has advertised that it is welcoming to fans of all Chicago teams.
"Sox and Cubs fans back your city," Rhino bar's sign reads. "Lets go Chicago."
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Before the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Divisional Series, McNally's had advertised that it would be giving away beers for every home run hit off a Cubs pitcher.
Less than a day after the Cubs sent the Cardinals packing, the sign outside McNally's, 11136 S. Western Ave., read: "Go Sox & Whoever Plays the Cubs." The opposite side of the sign still said "Welcome Cardinal Fans."
McNally's representatives could not be reached Wednesday to say how their anti-Cubs promotion went. They did, however, clarify their stance on Facebook after receiving some disapproval on social media.
About a mile north of McNally's sits Rhino Bar, which extended an olive branch to Cubs fans via its sign after seeing the turnout for the Cubs Wild Card game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, manager Abby Casciato said.
Casciato said she was working last week when the Cubs were to face the Pirates in the one-game wildcard playoff. The Blackhawks's season opener was that night also, which would be a pretty big night at Western Avenue bars anyway.
But Casciato said the turnout that night was predominantly Cubs fans. She was asked to turn on the sound for the Cubs game, she said, something that might have been unthinkable in years past.
"I was shocked at how many of our regulars are Cubs fans," Casciato said. "No one was here that night to watch the Blackhawks."
This is not to say that Rhino Bar, 10330 S. Western Ave., is a Cubs hangout in secret. It's about catering to its patrons, as well as taking advantage of an exciting time in Chicago sports, Casciato said.
"Don't get me wrong, this is a Sox bar and we're all Sox fans," she said. "Why wouldn't we support our Cubs fan customers who support us all year?"
Casciato said the bar's protocol was to turn on a game at a customer's request, even if it was the Cubs.
But during the Cubs postseason run, fans won't even have to ask. The bar is even offering specials during Cubs game: $10 buckets of domestic beers, Casciato said.
Casciato said Rhino bar's sign is not a shot at McNally's, nor is it trying to be a safe haven for South Side Cubs fans, she said. Mostly, she said, the bar just wants to capitalize on a rare event in Chicago: playoff baseball.
"It's exciting," she said. "We want everyone to know they're welcome here."
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