The stretch of Halsted Street in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood (from Belmont to Grace), affectionately referred to as Boystown, has some of the best bars and nightclubs geared for the LGBT community (and great brunch spots nearby, like these!). The Boystown section of Lakeview was the first officially recognized gay village in the United States. A longstanding anchor of the Halsted strip, Sidetrack also plays host to a steady stream of community-minded fundraisers and events. (773) … Sidetrack is the iconic place for Chicago Boystown. Our Team. We arrived with no expectations and were completely blown away. Best Gay Bars in Chicago (Boystown & Andersonville). Excite All Senses. What is a gay Atlantis cruise really like? Loved it! This bar opened in … A relatively recent entry among the Sidetracks and Roscoe's-es of the Halsted strip, this popular gay spot contrasts fairly elegant, classic decor with theme nights that wax nostalgic for college debauchery, like Frat Night Thursday. Drinks. This is a popular place to hangout in Boystown and has performances from local drag queens. Sidetrack was a finalist in Logo Tvs ‘Best Gay Bar in the World’ and we can see why! Try another. Plenty of ladies hang here until the midnight hour, but the boys crash the party shortly thereafter, creating one of the few truly mixed queer scenes in the city. There are many many more gay bars in Chicago so this is just a few to get started. Time Out is a registered trademark of Time Out America LLC. By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. This is NOT a dance club. However, come 1am on a weekend this turns into a go-go boy after hours dance club! In colder months, the attention turns to the more sophisticated picks on the beer list and the slabs of ribs that go a long way toward warming the belly. 12 Things you need to know! Nic. Déjà vu! Wrigleyville and Boystown are two neighboring sections of the north-side Chicago neighborhood more formally known as Lakeview. For a full guide on everything to do in Chicago (hotels, activities, pride etc), check out our ‘Complete Gay Travel Guide to Chicago‘. Hydrate, Halsted's and Elixir owner Marc Liberson expands his Boystown mini-empire, turning the former Buck's Saloon into a barcade with classic video games from Dig Dug to Donkey Kong. Boystown’s oldest gay bar is set to close, according to Block Club Chicago. Management@ScarletChicago.com It starts to get busy from midnight onwards and you can expect DJs and the occasional drag show. My favorite was a dive of a bar called Little Jim's. Drinks are reasonable and the crowd is relatively young and mixed. L & L Tavern is exactly what you would expect out of a dive bar—cheap beer, precarious stools and wobbly tables. REPLAY is a great spot to meet friends, mingle with the locals, enjoy a great drink and arcade games. The small slice of East Lakeview that makes up Boystown packs in lots of bars and restaurants. A unique space that flows and breathes. In 2017, the bar expanded into the neighboring storefront with a new spot called Big Jim’s. Some of the best cuisine in the great city of Boystown Chicago. Open Floor Plan. Snap photos of the Willis (Sears) Tower, Old Post Office, 360 Chicago Observation Deck, Wrigley Building, and more. Chicago’s Boystown gayborhood will never be the same. Chicago Reader publisher Tracy Baim is an LGBTQ historian who literally wrote the book on Chicago’s gay history. This is one of the bars to head to if you are looking to go all night. What do you get when you put a sign on your door stating that nobody under the age of 23 can enter? Bars Night Clubs Cocktail Lounges. Indulge your senses. You can find gay bars all across Chicago but the majority are found in Boystown and Andersonville. At this shoebox of a cocktail bar, the drinks are skillfully prepared, the crowd is kept to a minimum by the doorman, and the music never gets so loud that it drowns out your insights on Jean Genet. This huge Boystown hot spot gets packed, but there are six big rooms, an open-air courtyard and a lush rooftop deck, so you can move around till you find a spot to sip your slushy drink. Our Team. VIRTUAL OUTspoken ZOOM – 1st Tues. of Month WEDNESDAY Open 3pm-1am Monthly parties include MEN’S ROOM, ALL THINGS BEYONCÉ, ALL THINGS GAGA & ALL THINGS TAYLOR VS ARIANA 8pm-1am BOYSTOWN Bachelorette Party Pub Crawl. MONDAY Open 3pm-1am MUSICAL MONDAY Show Tunes 7pm-1am. review; user reviews (4) Party Earth Review Located in Chicago’s famous Boystown neighborhood, The Kit Kat Lounge is a lively spot where stylish gay men and large groups of straight girls sip colorful drinks and enjoy over-the-top tableside drag performances. BOYSTOWN — The oldest gay bar in Boystown is closing its doors for good Thursday night after 45 years in business. It has plenty of rooms to explore depending whether you want to chill, chat, or dance the night away! This huge beer garden turns into a laid-back college reunion on weekend nights in summer, with people crammed in at the outdoor bar. Here's where we like to grab a drink. North End and Halsted's Bar and Grill are also excellent. Boystown is built on the foundation of gay bars. 82,761 were here. It's more of a locals neighborhood bar, which is k=my kind of place. REPLAY has an extensive craft beer list, with 26 beers on tap and a huge selection of bourbon and whiskey. Gay & Lesbian Bars Cocktail Lounges Bars. This freak-friendly dance destination in Lakeview built its reputation back in … Let us know what is your favourite. Battery charges have been filed against a man in connection with one of at least two incidents that preceded a recent (and brief) banning of rap music by a Boystown bar.. Ismael Quinones, 21, of the South Chicago neighborhood is charged with battering another patron shortly before closing time on May 26th at Progress Bar, 3359 North Halsted. It's very cozy, and all the food—cheese-focused, natch—works well with the interesting array of wines available by the glass. Atmosphere is known for its scantily clad dancers, drink specials, large dancefloor and upscale dive bar vibes. This was Boystown’s first gay bar and is open to 4am everyday – one for a late night! Elixir. Website. We went to Sidetrack twice during our trip and loved it! For the lady who wants to celebrate her impending marriage without worrying about being hit on by drunk straight guys, Boystown is the answer to your pleas. Stunning decor. Listen closely as you hang out on the serene outdoor patio, eating fish-and-chips (it’s all-you-can-eat on Wednesdays and Fridays) and drinking from one of the best Scotch whiskey lists in the city—soon you’ll be humming along. Address: 3349 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657, USA. Another one for Boystown. The Closet: This bar has long cultivated a friendly, mixed-gender following and is arguably the most popular lesbian hangout in Boystown. Gay bars in Boystown banded together to hire a fleet of buses to take patrons down to a rally at Daley Plaza to show the strength and size of the community. Unique Cloud Ceiling. Charlies has a wild west vibe with cowboys dancing to country and western music. At this shoebox of a cocktail bar, the drinks are skillfully prepared, … The rainbow pylons of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ neighborhood have been standing on North Halsted Street since 1998, shortly after the area was whimsically given a nickname by Outlines columnist Rex Wockner. Regular strut-through performances by talented female impersonators are a draw for straight and gay patrons alike at this popular night (and brunch) spot, as is the 100-plus strong martini list. The spruced-up patio remains a warm-weather attraction. Chicago Diner is a popular vegetarian restaurant in Boystown. Pastoral launched as a cheese and sandwich shop, then opened this wine bar in 2012. Boystown (recently renamed Northalsted) Chicago is home to one of the largest LGBT communities in the Midwestern U.S. Recently, the allegations led the Center on Halsted social service agency and a Boystown business group to sever ties with a private security company that Walsh owns. Elixir Lounge. Heads up! IN BUSINESS. All rights reserved. We are currently partnered with GoPride.com. The Boystown location was Kanela’s first restaurant and today continues to serve Julius Meinl Coffee and signature cocktails, from rum … © 2021 Time Out America LLC and affiliated companies owned by Time Out Group Plc. Little Jim’s. We’re working hard to be accurate – but these are unusual times, so please always check before heading out. 3501 N. Halsted St. (773) 871-6116. www.littlejimschicago.com. (773) 975-9244. Berlin. It also boasts a better selection of craft beers on tap than most bars on the Halsted strip, with elixirs like Magic Hat #9 and local brew Half Acre Daisy Cutter. Premier Bar In Chicago. See all the most important buildings on one tour, a hard-to-accomplish task on foot. As the neighborhood blossomed into a gay-friendly nightlife hotspot, Little Jim’s became the longest-running bar in Boystown. This laid-back bar on the Boystown scene, which took over the former Circuit space in 2013, boasts a cloud-like overhead sculpture installation made up of 19,000 twinkling light bulbs. Hydrate is open until 4am Friday/Sunday and 5am Saturday. One to check out if you are in Andersonville. UPDATE 7/27/20 *Due to City order, Bars/Taverns have reverted to Phase III and serving outdoors only. Not only does Chicago have a huge and vibrant gay scene, it is a beautiful city with incredibly friendly people and so much to do. Bars Lounges Lake View. Website. TUESDAY Open 3pm-1am TRL TUESDAY 7pm-1am TEAM TRIVIA (new topic each week) 8pm & your Favorite Videos from 90s to Today! 3452 N Halsted … Boystown has every kind of bar you could imagine. On the day after Thanksgiving 2013, Walsh and some friends headed to the Lucky Horseshoe, a bar at 3169 North Halsted in Boystown, where he had known management for at least 15 years. Whether you're looking for the best gay bars in the city or a quiet place to grab a craft beer or wine and cheese at a wine bar, here's where to drink in Boystown. As for drinks, Replay focuses on local and craft beers (26 on tap) and bourbon—a welcome addition to a strip where sugary-sweet mixed drinks and mass-market brews are the norm. (12) 24 YEARS. Wockner’s nickname was tongue-in-cheek, a necessarily cute wink to a … This bare-bones dive is known for its constant stream of live bands and for being one of the oldest bars on Halsted. Clubs Lake View. This is a video and dance bar and plays a lot of pop. If you want to dance but aren’t heading to Boystown then this is a great option in Andersonville. Boystown and Andersonville (affectionately coined MANdersonville) are the main gay areas in Chicago and therefore where the majority of the gay nightlife can be found. It's pretty dark inside, but the drinks are cheap, Jell-O shots come out on weekends and it's a low-key spot for a drink in the neighborhood. Sidetrack plays a lot of pop, retro and throws the occasional show tune in there to! 20s / Bachelorette Parties / Gay. A lot of college kids pissed off that they can’t hang out on the mod furniture under the faux stars, listening to the sing along–friendly soundtrack of Prince and Lenny Kravitz. It has plenty of rooms to explore depending whether you want to chill, chat, or dance the night away! You’ll never know how relaxing Celtic music can be until you spend an afternoon at this Scottish ale house. Crowd stopping decor. Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! Sidetrack: This immensely popular gay video bar is a busy multi-level bar that appeals to gay men and lesbians of all ages, although it does tend to lean towards the preppier side.Video screens play a medley of retro and contemporary music videos. Check out this list of best bars in Boystown we put together! We are formerly part of the Chicago Phoenix family. For this mini guide, we are focusing on the best gay bars in Chicago broken down into the gay bars in boystown and the gay bars in Andersonville. In 1987, the Chicago City Council was set to vote on the Human Rights Ordinance, which outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, public accommodations, and employment. This teeny taproom is a good stone’s throw from the hustle and muscle of Halsted Street’s rowdy boy bars, and that’s just the way this clientele likes it. Boystown has grown into a cultural center for the LGBT residents living within the Chicago metropolitan area. Boystown was a nod to the 1938 Spencer Tracy movie Boys Town, based on Father Flanagan’s group home for boys. We already have this email. Sidetrack was a finalist in Logo Tvs ‘Best Gay Bar in the World’ and we can see why! With several locations across Chicago, Kanela Breakfast Club offers many healthy and sweet breakfast dishes for fair prices. Enormous cloud ceiling. Roscoes offers Djs and drag to a young fun crowd. Welcome to Gay Tiktok: 20 Must Follow Gay Tiktokers of 2021, Gay Chicago Guide 2021: Gay Bars, Events, Hotels & more. More of your favorite Bars & Restaurants in Boystown are reopening cautiously for indoor seating up to 25% capacity as Chicago continues Phase IV. For us we were mainly on the dance floor which has a huge screen playing music videos to go alongside the music. Venue. Great staff. Ask any of your girlfriends - one of the best night’s out in Chicago happens in Boystown. Wrigleyville's nightlife is centered on Clark Street near Addison. Circuit Night Club. 3320 North Halsted Street Chicago, IL, 60657 United States. Gay bar in the Anderson outpost of Chicago’s Boystown. and clientele (Hey, Orlando!) Awesome bartender (Thanks, Bryan!) Boystown bars range from gay bars to dives to craft beer spots. Hottest Bar In Boystown. Located in West Lakeview, Boystown has a lot to offer, from restaurants to nightlife. Chicago is one of our favourite places in the US. Browse through our wide range of delicious restaurants on Halsted Street. Opened in 1975 by Jim Gates, Little Jim’s Tavern was the first gay bar in Boystown and the second-oldest gay bar in Chicago. It is also the cultural center of one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities in the nation. Even though they only have drinks, no food, you'll want to hang out for hours at this friendly neighborhood spot. Gay Bars in Boystown, Chicago Sidetrack – Boystown Our favourite gay bar in Chicago with the boys of Sidetrack! The clientele is mixed in age but not in gender—and everyone is on their best behavior, which makes it an altogether more sophisticated and adult experience than Elixir’s next-door sister, Hydrate. 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