Chigo Has 3 of the ‘Bt Gay Bars Ameri,’ Esquire Says – NBC Chigo

Contents:

• VIBRANT GAY NIGHTCLUB BAR THE... - PHOENIX BAR AND NIGHTCLUB
• CHIGO GAY BARS AND CLUBS
• SOUTH SI GAY BARS
• GAY NIGHTLIFE BOYSTOWN, CHIGO: BT BARS, CLUBS, & MORE
• CHIGO STYLELGBTQ+HOME»EXPLORE»CHIGO STYLE»LGBTQ+CHIGO HAS A WAY OF MAKG EVERYONE FEEL WELE. OUR LGBTQ+ MUNI, IENDLY RINTS, DIVERSE NIGHTLIFE, AND YEAR-LONG PRI CELEBRATNS MAKE ONE OF THE MOST CLIVE CI THE UNTRY. VAR PRELOAD = {}; GET TO KNOW LGBTQ+ CHIGOCOME EXPLORE OUR HISTORIC LANDMARKS, WELG NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THRIVG NIGHTLIFE SCENE.EXPLORE CHIGO'S WELG NEIGHBORHOODSCHECK OUT OUR GUI TO LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOODSEXPLORE OUR 2-DAY LGBTQ+ CHIGO ERARYDISVER LGBTQ+ HISTORY WH THE TOURS AND ATTRACTNSFEEL THE PRIPRI IS CHIGO'S DNA. AND WE CELEBRATE ALL YEAR LONG.CATCH THE CHIGO PRI PARA JUNEWHERE TO CELEBRATE PRI MONTH CHIGOEXPLORE YEAR-ROUND LGBTQ+ EVENTS CHIGOKEEP THE PARTY GOG AT THE LOL GAY BARS AND CLUBS.EXPLORE WELG NEIGHBORHOODSEXPERIENCE CHIGO'S VIBRANT LGBTQ+ MUNI, CLUDG THE FIRST OFFICIAL GAY NEIGHBORHOOD THE UNTRY.PARTY AT SITRACK BOYSTOWNWHAT DO AND SEE BUZZG BOYSTOWNEAT AND SHOP QUIRKY ANRSONVILLEKEEP EXPLORG
• CHIGO GAY NIGHTLIFE GUI: DOWNTOWN & SOUTH SI
• CHIGO HAS 3 OF THE ‘BT GAY BARS AMERI,' ESQUIRE SAYS
• CHIGO GAY MAP
• \NQUEER-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS\NONE THG I LOVE ABOUT QUEER LIFE CHIGO IS HOW SO MANY FAC AND VOIC ARE BEG REGNIZED. IN THE PAST, YOU’D GO TO BOYSTOWN AND SEEMED LIKE WAS MOSTLY JT A PLACE FOR GAY WHE GUYS. TODAY SO MANY MORE PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE A LARGER PRENCE QUEER LIFE CHIGO—PEOPLE OF LOR, FEMM, TRANS MEN AND WOMEN, GENRQUEER AND MORE. AND WHAT’S BETIFUL TO ME IS EVERYWHERE YOU GO CHIGO, QUEERS ARE THERE. EVEN THOUGH MANY OF STILL LIVE GAY-HEAVY ‘HOODS, WE’RE NOT GHETTOIZED ANYMORE AND LIVE EVERYWHERE — AND THE CY, FOR THE MOST PART, IS OPEN AND ACCEPTG. \NBOYSTOWN\NDPE THE NAME, BOYSTOWN IS CHIGO’S LARGT CLIVE LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD WH BARS, SHOPS, RTRANTS, GYMS, THEATERS, A HISTORIL LEGACY WALK WH RABOW-CLAD MARTNS ALONG HALSTED STREET AND THE CENTER ON HALSTED, THE CY’S LARGE LGBTQ+ CENTER. THE ANNUAL PRI PARA AND FTIVAL TAKE PLACE HERE EACH JUNE AS DO MARKET DAYS, ONE OF THE UNTRY’S LARGT STREET FAIRS. GAYS STARTED MOVG HERE THE 1960S AND ‘70S AND OFFICIALLY BEME A GAY VILLAGE 1997, THE FIRST UNTRY. \NANRSONVILLE\NSET ON THE FAR NORTH SI CENTERED ALONG CLARK STREET BETWEEN WNEMAC AND IRVG PARK, THIS FORMER SWEDISH ENCLAVE STARTED ATTRACTG MORE GAYS AND LBIANS THE LATE 1980S, PECIALLY WH THE OPENG OF WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST BOOKSTORE. TODAY, ANRSONVILLE IS A LIVELY, LORFULLY-MIXED NEIGHBORHOOD WH FANTASTIC RTRANTS AND BARS LIKE ANTEPRIMA, LTLE BAD WOLF, REPLAY AND MARTY’S MARTI BAR. THERE ARE BETIFUL HOM AND EASY ACCS TO HOLLYWOOD BEACH, A.K.A. THE GAY BEACH, JT A FEW BLOCKS TO THE EAST. \NWICKER PARK\NWHILE NOT REALLY NSIRED AN OFFICIAL LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD, WICKER PARK (AND BUCKTOWN AND LOGAN SQUARE FOR THAT MATTER) IS VERY GAY IENDLY, AS EVINCED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF QUEER FOLK WHO LIVE THAT PART OF THE CY. THIS AREA IS A HUB OF CREATIVY, EXCELLENT NIGHTLIFE, LIVE MIC BARS, GALLERI, THEATERS, AND SO MUCH MORE. \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":759828624},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"THE DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20678,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20679,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"SOME CHAMPAGNE THE DRAWG ROOM. PHOTO BY CLAYTON HCK. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20680,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960}],"ID":1340120377},{"TYPE":"PARAGRAPH","NTENT":"HOTELS\NIN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU’D BE HARD PRSED TO FD A HOTEL CHIGO THAT ISN’T GAY IENDLY (NOT TO MENTN GAY WELG), WHETHER THE HIGH-END SPOTS AROUND MICHIGAN AVENUE, HIP HOTELS FULTON MARKET LIKE THE ACE, HOXTON, AND SOHO HOE, UBER-OL ROBEY WICKER PARK, OR THE SIGN-FORWARD HOTEL ZACHARY ACROSS THE STREET OM WRIGLEY FIELD AND JT BLOCKS OM BOYSTOWN. BUT IF YOU WANT TO STAY CLOSE TO THE ACTN, CHECK OUT THE HAWTHORNE TERRACE OR VILLA TOSNA GUTHOE RIGHT BOYSTOWN, OR THE GUTHOE HOTEL, JT SOUTH OF THE HEART OF ANRSONVILLE ON CLARK STREET. \N \NQUEER-OWNED BS

VIBRANT GAY NIGHTCLUB BAR THE... - PHOENIX BAR AND NIGHTCLUB

Loted jt NW of ORD this fairly new and very lively and vibrant gay bar and nightclub adds to the otherwise mundane and unexcg nightclubs the Chigoburbs.

CHIGO GAY BARS AND CLUBS

Gay or not, this is a fun place. Our gay and lbian bars have a ltle b of somethg for everyone, wh late-night loung, dance clubs, burlque and drag shows, and long-standg neighborhood waterg hol almost every rner of the cy.

And each wh their own unique history and out some of the bt gay bars and clubs to experience Chigo’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene. Jeffery PubOne of the cy’s olst gay bars, Jeffery Pub is a neighborhood stutn.

The South Shore staple is also one of Chigo’s first black-owned gay bars, makg all the more meangful for the spot’s many regulars. Come for trivia, the ee Sunday night buffet, and the themed dance parti — then e back the next morng for bnch at attached sister rtrant ClosetYou n’t talk about gay bars Chigo whout talkg about Northalsted (also known as Boystown). Come for happy hour, Sunday afternoon mimosas, or late StoryLookg for a gay bar near downtown Chigo?

SOUTH SI GAY BARS

Still, diva-driven tun prove this is fely a gay bar, and if you’re lookg for a hangout that serv cheap hooch and has managed to stay off the Yelp crowd’s radar, this is your place. The northwt suburbs were a lonely place when Hunter was a gay teenager there.

By that time, Hunter says, there were a uple of gay bars the suburbs: the Hiaway and the Nutbh Fort Park, and the now funct Charlie’s Angels, on Golf Road the D Pla area. Three years after the bar opened, Hunter says, he turned his back on his own homosexualy and they married.

“I was gay, ” he says. “But when I was married I ma a mment to my wife that if I was gog to want to be gay or have gay sex, I would get a divorce.

GAY NIGHTLIFE BOYSTOWN, CHIGO: BT BARS, CLUBS, & MORE

He still liv the hoe they bought together Barrgton, but his hiat om the gay life is over. The bar is gog great guns, drawg a mostly suburban crowd, cludg people om as far away as Elg and DeKalb, and he’s opened an outpost, another bar the boomg gay rort and retirement area of Palm Sprgs. The suburban gay muny, which “ed to be very closeted, ” is “a ltle b more open now, ” Hunter says.

CHIGO STYLELGBTQ+HOME»EXPLORE»CHIGO STYLE»LGBTQ+CHIGO HAS A WAY OF MAKG EVERYONE FEEL WELE. OUR LGBTQ+ MUNI, IENDLY RINTS, DIVERSE NIGHTLIFE, AND YEAR-LONG PRI CELEBRATNS MAKE ONE OF THE MOST CLIVE CI THE UNTRY. VAR PRELOAD = {}; GET TO KNOW LGBTQ+ CHIGOCOME EXPLORE OUR HISTORIC LANDMARKS, WELG NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THRIVG NIGHTLIFE SCENE.EXPLORE CHIGO'S WELG NEIGHBORHOODSCHECK OUT OUR GUI TO LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOODSEXPLORE OUR 2-DAY LGBTQ+ CHIGO ERARYDISVER LGBTQ+ HISTORY WH THE TOURS AND ATTRACTNSFEEL THE PRIPRI IS CHIGO'S DNA. AND WE CELEBRATE ALL YEAR LONG.CATCH THE CHIGO PRI PARA JUNEWHERE TO CELEBRATE PRI MONTH CHIGOEXPLORE YEAR-ROUND LGBTQ+ EVENTS CHIGOKEEP THE PARTY GOG AT THE LOL GAY BARS AND CLUBS.EXPLORE WELG NEIGHBORHOODSEXPERIENCE CHIGO'S VIBRANT LGBTQ+ MUNI, CLUDG THE FIRST OFFICIAL GAY NEIGHBORHOOD THE UNTRY.PARTY AT SITRACK BOYSTOWNWHAT DO AND SEE BUZZG BOYSTOWNEAT AND SHOP QUIRKY ANRSONVILLEKEEP EXPLORG

Once a while people will drive by and roll down their wdows and go ‘gay bar, ’ or ‘faggots, ’ but basilly that’s . I n’t tell you how many people I’ve talked to over the years that said Hunter’s was the first gay bar they went to and they’ll never fet .

Hunter is beg honored for his many years of “providg an island of safety for suburban lbigays” at the third annual Rabow Spir Awards this weekend. Proceeds om the awards dner and dance will benef Metropolan Communy Church of the Inrnatn and Diverse Communitns/LBiGay Rad. There’s a reason so many young queer people flock to Chigo and never leave: the cy’s gay scene is fun as hell.

Boystown, of urse, is the cy’s official gayborhood, wh LGBTQ-iendly bars, rtrant, and clubs occupyg nearly every storeont on Northalsted. But Chigo’s queer muny exists far outsi the Lakeview enclave—and so do the great gay bars.

CHIGO GAY NIGHTLIFE GUI: DOWNTOWN & SOUTH SI

Whether they clu drag, dancg, or are div—or a ltle b of all three—Chigo’s bt gay bars have a ltle somethg for everyone. Gay Edgewater rints of all ag ll themselv regulars at this iendly, sual dive bar.

CHIGO HAS 3 OF THE ‘BT GAY BARS AMERI,' ESQUIRE SAYS

This Uptown spot featur a relatively mixed-genr clientele ( the scheme of gay bars).

CHIGO GAY MAP

Wh no distguishg signage outsi, this unmarked dive is much more discreet than s very gay clientele is.

Sitrack is generally herald as the kg of Chigo gay bars, and not for no reason: the sprawlg plex featur five different bars year-round.

Add another two the summertime, when the upstairs pat—one of Chigo’s bt, gay or straight—is open for bs. Not only is the Jefey Pub one of the olst gay bars the untry, ’s also the only black-owned LGBTQ bar Chigo. Gay Nightlife Boystown, Chigo: Bt Bars, Clubs, & More.

\NQUEER-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS\NONE THG I LOVE ABOUT QUEER LIFE CHIGO IS HOW SO MANY FAC AND VOIC ARE BEG REGNIZED. IN THE PAST, YOU’D GO TO BOYSTOWN AND SEEMED LIKE WAS MOSTLY JT A PLACE FOR GAY WHE GUYS. TODAY SO MANY MORE PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE A LARGER PRENCE QUEER LIFE CHIGO—PEOPLE OF LOR, FEMM, TRANS MEN AND WOMEN, GENRQUEER AND MORE. AND WHAT’S BETIFUL TO ME IS EVERYWHERE YOU GO CHIGO, QUEERS ARE THERE. EVEN THOUGH MANY OF STILL LIVE GAY-HEAVY ‘HOODS, WE’RE NOT GHETTOIZED ANYMORE AND LIVE EVERYWHERE — AND THE CY, FOR THE MOST PART, IS OPEN AND ACCEPTG. \NBOYSTOWN\NDPE THE NAME, BOYSTOWN IS CHIGO’S LARGT CLIVE LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD WH BARS, SHOPS, RTRANTS, GYMS, THEATERS, A HISTORIL LEGACY WALK WH RABOW-CLAD MARTNS ALONG HALSTED STREET AND THE CENTER ON HALSTED, THE CY’S LARGE LGBTQ+ CENTER. THE ANNUAL PRI PARA AND FTIVAL TAKE PLACE HERE EACH JUNE AS DO MARKET DAYS, ONE OF THE UNTRY’S LARGT STREET FAIRS. GAYS STARTED MOVG HERE THE 1960S AND ‘70S AND OFFICIALLY BEME A GAY VILLAGE 1997, THE FIRST UNTRY. \NANRSONVILLE\NSET ON THE FAR NORTH SI CENTERED ALONG CLARK STREET BETWEEN WNEMAC AND IRVG PARK, THIS FORMER SWEDISH ENCLAVE STARTED ATTRACTG MORE GAYS AND LBIANS THE LATE 1980S, PECIALLY WH THE OPENG OF WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST BOOKSTORE. TODAY, ANRSONVILLE IS A LIVELY, LORFULLY-MIXED NEIGHBORHOOD WH FANTASTIC RTRANTS AND BARS LIKE ANTEPRIMA, LTLE BAD WOLF, REPLAY AND MARTY’S MARTI BAR. THERE ARE BETIFUL HOM AND EASY ACCS TO HOLLYWOOD BEACH, A.K.A. THE GAY BEACH, JT A FEW BLOCKS TO THE EAST. \NWICKER PARK\NWHILE NOT REALLY NSIRED AN OFFICIAL LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD, WICKER PARK (AND BUCKTOWN AND LOGAN SQUARE FOR THAT MATTER) IS VERY GAY IENDLY, AS EVINCED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF QUEER FOLK WHO LIVE THAT PART OF THE CY. THIS AREA IS A HUB OF CREATIVY, EXCELLENT NIGHTLIFE, LIVE MIC BARS, GALLERI, THEATERS, AND SO MUCH MORE. \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":759828624},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"THE DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20678,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20679,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"SOME CHAMPAGNE THE DRAWG ROOM. PHOTO BY CLAYTON HCK. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20680,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960}],"ID":1340120377},{"TYPE":"PARAGRAPH","NTENT":"HOTELS\NIN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU’D BE HARD PRSED TO FD A HOTEL CHIGO THAT ISN’T GAY IENDLY (NOT TO MENTN GAY WELG), WHETHER THE HIGH-END SPOTS AROUND MICHIGAN AVENUE, HIP HOTELS FULTON MARKET LIKE THE ACE, HOXTON, AND SOHO HOE, UBER-OL ROBEY WICKER PARK, OR THE SIGN-FORWARD HOTEL ZACHARY ACROSS THE STREET OM WRIGLEY FIELD AND JT BLOCKS OM BOYSTOWN. BUT IF YOU WANT TO STAY CLOSE TO THE ACTN, CHECK OUT THE HAWTHORNE TERRACE OR VILLA TOSNA GUTHOE RIGHT BOYSTOWN, OR THE GUTHOE HOTEL, JT SOUTH OF THE HEART OF ANRSONVILLE ON CLARK STREET. \N \NQUEER-OWNED BS

Wh a rich history of LGBT activism and a flourishg muny, Chigo offers one of the bt gay nightlife scen the untry, particularly Boystown. Although s formal name is Lakeview, Boystown is the more monly ed named for this famo gay neighborhood. It's here where you'll fd the hight ncentratn of gay-iendly bars and clubs, where everyone is wele to be themselv and take pri who they are and who they love.

In Boystown, gay bars abound on and between the ma thoroughfar of Halsted and Broadway.

Sitrack: This immensely popular gay vio bar is a by multi-level bar that appeals to gay men and lbians of all ag, although do tend to lean towards the preppier si.

Rose's Tavern: One of the great legends of gay Chigo nightlife, this food-servg bar has remaed fun, relevant, and by sce opened 1987. Berl: A iendly dance club on the by Belmont Avenue, Berl has been a gay nightlife mastay Chigo for many years, s succs due largely to s e-one-e-all vibe. Srlet: This smopolan, upsle gay lounge and dance club is known for s dandy drk specials and sleek r.

K Kat Lounge and Supper Club: One of Lakeview's swankier mixed gay-straight loung and eateri, K Kat is a retro-hip hangout. All the gay bars, rtrants, and clubs will have somethg special planned durg this month and the fect rabow-spir spreads across Chigo.

The bt place to enjoy the para is Boystown, where the energy level will be at s gayt, proust, and most fun. Much of the gay scene this neighborhood is foced along Halsted, Belmont, and Addison Streets.

June’s Chigo Pri Ftival, one of the largt annual gay pri ftivals the untry, and Chigo Pri Para, which attracts an timated one ln spectators, are among the summer’s stars.