Over my 30 years as a sportswriter, sports bars have always left me wanting more — even in places where I’ve become the Black Norm. That’s until I visited Signature in the South Loop. It’s from former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije and chef Stephen Gillanders, who met in 2018 when Idonije dined at Gillanders’s S.K.Y. The ambience is elevated, but it’s the food and drink that set Signature apart from your usual spot to catch the home teams: the well-balanced off-menu mezcal Negroni and the pink guava daiquiri; the open kitchen turning out bites that draw on Asian and Southern flavors, like spicy salmon on crispy rice, short rib nachos, and a lobster roll with pickled ginger rémoulade. No longer do you have to choose between having a great meal and watching a great game. 1312 S. Wabash Ave. signaturebar.com