Looking for a gay bar near downtown Chicago? This old-school spot is the place. Come for happy hour, Sunday afternoon mimosas, or late night. One of the city’s newest lesbian hot spots, it’s quickly becoming known for its classy, sexy vibe and great cocktail menu that includes elevated classic, extra boozy drinks, and alcohol-free/CBD options. In Andersonville, Nobody’s Darling is a black-owned, queer cocktail bar designed for women. The owners are also local activists who helped pass local anti-discrimination legislation in the 1980s. Open since 1982, Sidetrack is famous for their sprawling layout (it encompasses multiple levels and rooms that fit more than 1,000 party-goers), huge video screens playing new and classic music videos, and an endless supply of boozy slushie drinks. This LGBTQ-owned hotspot is one of the most popular bars in Northalsted.
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Grab a drink, play some free darts, and mingle with the diverse crowd of regulars. The laidback spot is primarily known as a lesbian bar, but all are welcome. This neighborhood institution has been welcoming bar-goers since 1978. This LGBTQ nightlife mecca has a bar or club on every corner, and The Closet is one of the originals. You can’t talk about gay bars in Chicago without talking about Northalsted (also known as Boystown). Come for trivia, the free Sunday night buffet, and the themed dance parties - then come back the next morning for brunch at attached sister restaurant Tweet. But don’t think for a second that makes the place feel pretentious - everyone is welcome at Big Chicks and everybody has a good time. The walls are plastered with the owner’s personal collection of paintings and photos, including big names like Diane Arbus.
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This lively and colorful spot is part LGBTQ hangout, part art gallery. Don’t miss the live entertainment, like karaoke nights, Silky Soul Sundays, and a lively dance floor featuring everything from pop to house music. 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. One of the city’s oldest gay bars, Jeffery Pub is a neighborhood institution. And each comes with their own unique history and vibe.Ĭheck out some of the best gay bars and clubs to experience Chicago’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene.
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Our gay and lesbian 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. “To me, that is a gift that we can give.Chicago’s nightlife is a lot like the city itself - inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all. “Things have changed for gay bars, and maybe some younger people don’t feel that need for them like my generation did, but for a lot of people this is their safe place to come in and not be judged,” he said. When the bar reopens, Terradot is expecting “a bunch of Wednesday nights,” but he remains hopeful, and believes the need to reopen is greater than ever. Pre-pandemic, weekends kept the Boulevard in business.
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He’ll need the bar at full capacity and won’t consider opening before the state’s scheduled June 15 reopening date. It’s the one place where every single person is welcome.”Įven if the GoFundMe is successful, Terradot recognizes it will be a long road before the bar is out of the red again. ‘It would mean everything to open,” Façade said.
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She had to find other work and has since stopped doing the virtual shows.
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The disco ball reflected dancing beads of light in celebration of a constant barrage of birthdays and post-work get-togethers.Ī post shared by Borgia Bloom Facade were basically twirling around in our bedrooms trying to create backdrops and interesting things,” Façade said. Three nights a week drag queens from all over the state took to the small stage. Over the years the Boulevard became a safe haven for the gay community in the area and an alternative to the West Hollywood bar scene. “What once was my worst thing in life became my biggest gift,” he said. In 1985, he started bartending at the Boulevard. “Being able to work with gay people and have a gay family, it meant everything.” In his hometown, he felt ashamed and struggled to acknowledge his identity. “I wanted to work in the gay community,” said Terradot, who moved to Los Angeles from Hacienda Heights in the late 1970s. He lost 11 close friends to the disease and felt a sense of urgency to do something about it. In the ’90s, he cared for six months for a friend who had AIDS. It was in the ‘90s.Īlso, a patron was misidentified as Jeffi Archibald he is Jeff Archibald. A previous version of this article said Terradot cared for a friend in the late ‘80s.