Gay bars in chicago downtown
LGBTQ+ nightlife in Chicago: gay and womxn loving womxn bars, clubs, and more
Chicago’s nightlife is a lot favor the city itself — inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all. It’s also a whole lot of fun. Our gay and female homosexual bars have a little bit of something for everyone, with late-night lounges, dance clubs,burlesque and drag shows, and long-standing neighborhood watering holes in almost every corner of the city. And each comes with their own one-of-a-kind history and vibe.
Check out some of the best queer bars and clubs to experience Chicago’s queer nightlife scene.
Jeffery Pub
One of the city’s oldest male lover bars, Jeffery Pub is a neighborhood institution. The South Shore staple is also one of Chicago’s first black-owned gay bars, making it all the more meaningful for the spot’s many regulars. Don’t fail the live show, like karaoke nights, Silky Soul Sundays, and a lively dance floor featuring everything from pop to house music.
Big Chicks
This lively and colorful spot is part LGBTQ hangout, part art gallery. The walls are plastered with the owner’s personal collection of paintings and photos, including enormous names like Diane Arbus. But don’t think for a second that makes the pla
Lex's Guide to Gay Chicago Nightlife | LGBTQ+ Bars
Welcome to our queer capital guide series! Chicago boasts a prosperous and diverse Homosexual community, with a thriving lesbian and gay nightlife scene to match. Send on Lex to find a gender non-conforming date or buddy to check out these LGBT+ bars with you. Whether you're a local or just visiting, here are some top-notch queer nightlife spots in the Windy City.
Download Lex to connect with LGBTQ+ friends and queer community in Chicago.
1. Dorothy’s Downstairs
Located in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago, Dorothy’s Downstairs is a sexy, 70s inspired subterranean lesbian cocktail lounge for every comrade of Dorothy. Acknowledged for their innovative cocktails, outstanding event programming and the coziest place to be yourself, it’s an incredible place to spend a gay night out with friends. Review their events calendar to see when they’re open to the public!
Dorothy’s Downstairs
2500 West Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60622
2. Nobody’s Darling
This sexy Nina Simone-inspired cocktail lounge serves incredible drinks on demand while providing a relaxing, classy space for the queer people of Chicago. Featured in 2021 in Them for how they thrived durin
Downtown: Everything’s waiting for you
For the first hour of a recent Saturday night at Downtown—a new bar in the space once occupied by Gentry and, ever so briefly, The Lucky Lady—I was the only lady in the room. Among the lounges that dot River North, Downtown stands as the sole male lover bar save for the stalwart dive Second Story in nearby Streeterville. As a veteran of many a Boystown bar hop, I had decided to visit both spots and evaluate the possibility of a new gay district on Chicago’s nightlife horizon.
With three male companions in tow, I headed to Downtown first, since I’d heard happy hour is bus-tling (my next call on will be for Talentless Tuesdays karaoke in the basement). Relieved to uncover the drink list unencumbered by craft cocktails or hundreds of beers to sift through, I ordered my old faithful, Maker’s and Diet ($8), and huddled with my community under the dramatic barrel ceiling. “Oh, yeah. There’s a lot of Grindr action going on here,” my friend Tim muttered, peeking at the so-named smartphone app that lets like-minded seekers of, ahem, certain favors zero in on one another, wherever they may be. Y
The 34 best LGBTQ+ bars in Chicago
Photograph: Courtesy Sidetrack
Northalsted, aka "Boystown," is the historical center of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ scene, but excellent gay bars are all over the city.
Chicago has always been a trailblazing city when it comes to spaces for the LGBTQ community. One of the first American LGBT rights organizations, the Society for Human Rights, was founded in Chicago in 1924, more than 40 years before Stonewall. And Northalsted, the gay nightlife hub also established as "Boystown," became the first officially-designated gay village in a major city in 1997.
These days, while a night out on Northalsted is still a joyful blur of boozy slushies and death drops, queer nightlife in Chicago is expansive, creative and thriving all over the city. From Rogers Park to South Shore, from James Beard-nominated cocktail bars to beloved, homey dives, there's a queer bar to fit your vibe. Oh, and don't forget about drag brunch. You'll need it after a evening out on the town.
RECOMMENDED: Refreshment at the best bars in Chicago
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Polic