Luna was amazing! Took very good care of us and my siblings after the cubs game. We had a great time and will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Franco Alonso
Luna was the best! Such an amazing man!! He was treating me well from beginning to end. Such a vibe with him!! 100%
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dave Buga-ay
On 9/26/25, sometime between 9:30–10:00 PM, I experienced racial discrimination at Charlie’s. I sat next to a man who immediately told me, “You’re not an American, I am an American.” I calmly ended the conversation and walked away, but an inner voice told me to defend myself. I went back briefly and told him, “I am American, and I have a U.S. passport,” before leaving the bar again.
As a Filipino-American and a gay man, I found this experience hurtful and disappointing. Queer spaces should be welcoming and inclusive for everyone, regardless of race or background. I hope Charlie’s takes incidents like this seriously and works toward a safer environment for all members of our community.
Update (09/29/25): After posting this review, the General Manager of Charlie’s, Ralph, reached out to me directly. He gave a very kind and thoughtful response, acknowledged what I went through, and reassured me that my report is being taken seriously. He emphasized that staff are trained to step in if something like this happens again, and encouraged me to reach out in the moment if I ever feel unsafe.
I appreciate that management responded with care and took the time to address my concerns. While the incident itself was very hurtful, I feel reassured knowing that Charlie’s is committed to reinforcing its values of inclusivity and safety for all guests.
Andy
Bella & aurora are so fun to hangout with on Mondays for bingo! :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Spencer
I mostly come these days in my later years for an off weekend affair. I absolutely love bingo on Monday and the hosts. It’s full of banter, crowd participation, laughter, and community. It’s like a live pod cast with bingo. Absolutely recommend for an early weeknight activity!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Quinn Wahl
Repeated accounts of roofies and other dangerous drugs make this place a very unsafe place to go. Definitely seem to not care… at all about sexual assault cases, or other obvious public safety measures that they need to start taking as a priority. The over serving, the lack of safety checks at the door and so on make this bar in my mind, a bar that promotes “men to be men”. We as gay people need safer bars to go to. *I have proof and witnesses other than myself that show just how dangerous this is*
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Brendan Caverley
Reggay boots literally made my Monday night as we were celebrating my friends birthday and there were no good options for fun but then we found reggay and had a blast the rest of the evening. And not too mention but the show was live also!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Einar Rojas
Genuine flavors and outstanding homemade pasta.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Genaro Caamal
Luna and Adrian and luisito are amazing always make my night they’re so nice and love this club
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
José Bastidas
Honestly the best gay bar in Chicago, amazing crew, s/o to Luna and Adrian for their magnificent service. My safe place!
Come here for the two sexiest bartenders I know Luna and Adrian they always so happy to be here and great service if you know you know
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Laisha LaRue
It’s always an amazing time! The atmosphere and the vibes are the best! Adrian and Luna were wonderful behind the bar and made my drinks exactly like I like them!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Darrick Coleman
Love this bar.... Great friendly staff and awesome drink prices
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Lost Memory Found
A Heartbreaking Testament to a Realm That Has Lost Its Soul I am writing this not with a pen, but with my very being, for what was once a home has become entirely unrecognizable. I have countless incredible memories of the original location; it was more than just a place to go out—it was a true community space, a sanctuary where you could feel the collective energy of everyone coming together. The laughter, the connections, the feeling of absolute belonging—it was all a testament to its soul. It felt like a second home, a beacon of light in the city, and it is with a profound sadness that I have watched it become what it is today. The moment you walk in, the very air feels different. The new space is a fraction of the size, and that open, vibrant energy that defined the old place is gone. It feels cramped and bottlenecked, and it's clear that the genuine energy has been replaced by an egotistic core, an imitation of what it once was. The space now feels cold and uninviting, like a cold-blooded lizard that sits on a sun-drenched rock, with eyes that hold no warmth and no empathy for the people who seek refuge. Its spiritual dimensions feel like a fundamental violation of a natural law, as if the very layout works against the flow of life itself, trapping the light rather than allowing it to shine and grow. This is a place that has chosen to suppress the very thing that made it great. What truly hurts is what I feel is a fundamental lack of care for the community that made the original so special. A place that once embraced everyone, regardless of who they were, now feels so closed off. It's not just a matter of a reduced capacity; it's a profound betrayal of its moral compass. There is no clear path for all—no way for those with different physical needs to enter or to find comfort. A true community space should have an open path for every soul, and it's a painful thing to witness a home that once stood for unity now stand for exclusion. It feels like this new realm has willingly chosen to turn its back on its own family. This place has chosen a path that does not lead to the Rainbow Road. It has rejected its opportunity to exist in grace and has instead fallen into a lower frequency. This is not just a review; it is a page from the Final Testament, a record of a realm that has rejected its own soul. Its story will serve as a lesson for all—that love, grace, and an open heart are the only way to an eternal life. Its failure is a warning to those who would seek to monetize the sacred and turn a home into an empty husk. The collective has spoken, and its truth will be known forever.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
kayla boyd
Got my phone stolen and the security didn’t do Jack shit to help. Ask if he would speak to other bartenders to see if a phone was sent to the bar and they just stood there and said yeah… they didn’t go anywhere
Luna was amazing! Took very good care of us and my siblings after the cubs game. We had a great time and will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Luna was the best! Such an amazing man!! He was treating me well from beginning to end. Such a vibe with him!! 100%
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
On 9/26/25, sometime between 9:30–10:00 PM, I experienced racial discrimination at Charlie’s. I sat next to a man who immediately told me, “You’re not an American, I am an American.” I calmly ended the conversation and walked away, but an inner voice told me to defend myself. I went back briefly and told him, “I am American, and I have a U.S. passport,” before leaving the bar again.
As a Filipino-American and a gay man, I found this experience hurtful and disappointing. Queer spaces should be welcoming and inclusive for everyone, regardless of race or background. I hope Charlie’s takes incidents like this seriously and works toward a safer environment for all members of our community.
Update (09/29/25): After posting this review, the General Manager of Charlie’s, Ralph, reached out to me directly. He gave a very kind and thoughtful response, acknowledged what I went through, and reassured me that my report is being taken seriously. He emphasized that staff are trained to step in if something like this happens again, and encouraged me to reach out in the moment if I ever feel unsafe.
I appreciate that management responded with care and took the time to address my concerns. While the incident itself was very hurtful, I feel reassured knowing that Charlie’s is committed to reinforcing its values of inclusivity and safety for all guests.
Bella & aurora are so fun to hangout with on Mondays for bingo! :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I mostly come these days in my later years for an off weekend affair. I absolutely love bingo on Monday and the hosts. It’s full of banter, crowd participation, laughter, and community. It’s like a live pod cast with bingo. Absolutely recommend for an early weeknight activity!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Repeated accounts of roofies and other dangerous drugs make this place a very unsafe place to go. Definitely seem to not care… at all about sexual assault cases, or other obvious public safety measures that they need to start taking as a priority. The over serving, the lack of safety checks at the door and so on make this bar in my mind, a bar that promotes “men to be men”. We as gay people need safer bars to go to. *I have proof and witnesses other than myself that show just how dangerous this is*
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Reggay boots literally made my Monday night as we were celebrating my friends birthday and there were no good options for fun but then we found reggay and had a blast the rest of the evening. And not too mention but the show was live also!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Genuine flavors and outstanding homemade pasta.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Luna and Adrian and luisito are amazing always make my night they’re so nice and love this club
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Honestly the best gay bar in Chicago, amazing crew, s/o to Luna and Adrian for their magnificent service. My safe place!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Come here for the two sexiest bartenders I know Luna and Adrian they always so happy to be here and great service if you know you know
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It’s always an amazing time! The atmosphere and the vibes are the best! Adrian and Luna were wonderful behind the bar and made my drinks exactly like I like them!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Love this bar.... Great friendly staff and awesome drink prices
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
A Heartbreaking Testament to a Realm That Has Lost Its Soul
I am writing this not with a pen, but with my very being, for what was once a home has become entirely unrecognizable. I have countless incredible memories of the original location; it was more than just a place to go out—it was a true community space, a sanctuary where you could feel the collective energy of everyone coming together. The laughter, the connections, the feeling of absolute belonging—it was all a testament to its soul. It felt like a second home, a beacon of light in the city, and it is with a profound sadness that I have watched it become what it is today.
The moment you walk in, the very air feels different. The new space is a fraction of the size, and that open, vibrant energy that defined the old place is gone. It feels cramped and bottlenecked, and it's clear that the genuine energy has been replaced by an egotistic core, an imitation of what it once was. The space now feels cold and uninviting, like a cold-blooded lizard that sits on a sun-drenched rock, with eyes that hold no warmth and no empathy for the people who seek refuge. Its spiritual dimensions feel like a fundamental violation of a natural law, as if the very layout works against the flow of life itself, trapping the light rather than allowing it to shine and grow. This is a place that has chosen to suppress the very thing that made it great.
What truly hurts is what I feel is a fundamental lack of care for the community that made the original so special. A place that once embraced everyone, regardless of who they were, now feels so closed off. It's not just a matter of a reduced capacity; it's a profound betrayal of its moral compass. There is no clear path for all—no way for those with different physical needs to enter or to find comfort. A true community space should have an open path for every soul, and it's a painful thing to witness a home that once stood for unity now stand for exclusion. It feels like this new realm has willingly chosen to turn its back on its own family.
This place has chosen a path that does not lead to the Rainbow Road. It has rejected its opportunity to exist in grace and has instead fallen into a lower frequency. This is not just a review; it is a page from the Final Testament, a record of a realm that has rejected its own soul. Its story will serve as a lesson for all—that love, grace, and an open heart are the only way to an eternal life. Its failure is a warning to those who would seek to monetize the sacred and turn a home into an empty husk. The collective has spoken, and its truth will be known forever.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Got my phone stolen and the security didn’t do Jack shit to help. Ask if he would speak to other bartenders to see if a phone was sent to the bar and they just stood there and said yeah… they didn’t go anywhere
Atmosphere: 3
Service: 2
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