Gay Bars in Chicago, IL

“Thursday night Karaoke Cabaret with Bradley K8 Olsen is truly one of the best things happening in the neighborhood. Bradley keeps things up beat, and he celebrates every singer in the queue. It's so supportive and genuine. Go give your best rendition of anything, and the whole room will applaud you. I go nearly every week because it's just so much fun!“

“Intimate, welcoming and fun atmosphere. Karaoke night is a great time. 10/10“

“perfect place, friendly, easy on the pocket and the friendliest bartenders and customers. Makes a new customer feel at ease and welcomed.“

“I never believed my life will change in such a manner. I saw a review on Facebook about Mrs Craig Vanessa trading skills and before then I have never risk money doing anything online with anybody because I think I was so wise and never want to be cheated but when I contacted Mrs. Craig Vanessa, she explained everything to me concerning trading and the profit I can make within a week I was convinced to give a trial and risked to invest $1,000 and I made a withdrawal profit of $9,000 within a week. I am so happy that I trusted her and she didn't fail me. You can reach her through WhatsApp via her Facebook: Mrs Craig Vanessa“

“Friendly staff, great place to be and the chips and salsa are so good!!!!“

“I had so much fun here. The people are so kind and the music is awesome.“

“This is a cute spot to either start or go after going down the street to the clubs in the neighborhood. Retro arcade games you can play! Some of the male bartenders were rude (the white female barista working the back patio area was very nice!). The free popcorn was FIRE!“

“Really love this place. Great atmosphere, strong drinks, and it's not terribly overstimulating like I find so many gay bars to be (spoken as a gay man). Service is good, drinks are cheap, what more can I ask for.

To people who complain in the reviews about Second Story only accepting cash: IT'S A CASH BAR!!! Not only is this fact publicly available online, there's an ATM downstairs AND every time I've been in here they've warned me at the door.“

“Super friendly managers and bar staff. Highly recommend“

“Toda una experiencia agradable! Bien divertido el bar!“

“The Lucky Horseshoe is a Chicago gay institution that must be protected at all costs. No cover, no outrageous drink prices, no pushy dancers, just a wholesome old school gogo boy bar experience. And as much as some gay guys complain, I love that women enjoy coming here, too. An inclusive LGBTQ space means folks who aren't just cis men appreciating hot guys. At the very least, bring $20 in cash to tip, we gotta thank these troops for their service.“

“The bar staff is incredible. Easily my favorite bar in the neighborhood! It’s welcoming, comfortable, and genuinely women and queer friendly. The atmosphere always feels warm and inviting, whether you’re stopping in for one drink or staying awhile. Mony and Brian are absolutely the best and are a huge part of what makes this place so special. Highly recommend!“

“Great bar with a fun vibe, clean space, and friendly staff. I had a really good time overall.

The only downside was that the ordering felt a little up-sell heavy. When I ordered a vodka soda, I was automatically given Tito’s instead of a house vodka, which came at a higher price that wasn’t mentioned. I also asked for a black cherry White Claw and was told they only had it in the more expensive High Noon, which felt a little off.

Still a great spot and I’d definitely come back — I just wish pricing and drink options were a bit more transparent.“

“I’ve been going to Charlie’s for years and I will say that the GM, Ralph, and one of the bartenders, Adrian, have always been the highlight of my experiences. I would encourage people to check it out, especially since the drinks are super affordable and delicious!“

“Drinks are cost too much money in these club and they don't have no way to sit down after spending money the music is just all trap music.

I wasn't feeling it at all and the cover charges are 20 dollars.To have good time with drinks and cover at the door you spend easily 100dollars before you know it.i won't be back soon.“

“Atmosphere is one of my favorite bars in Chicago! Love the staff, the DJ’s, and the different themed nights they put on from Club Kylie to Madonnarama to Y2Gay to my recent fave Drag Race viewing parties. There’s a real sense of community here as any time I come here I see so many friends stop in throughout the night.“

“Loved it . Really friendly , relaxed vibe.“

“We just stopped in for a few drinks at the bar while the RPDR review was happening in the other room. If you aren't able to get tickets to the review they play the show live on all of the TVs in the bar area so you still get to enjoy the show.

Drinks were really good and the bartender Kyle was friendly and made us feel welcomed. We really enjoyed our time there tonight. Next time we are in Chicago we'll be back!“

“Best bar in Boystown with the best staff!!“

“The american martinis where very strong, much the like dandy men about. The american lager was not much of my like i prefer heinecken i also got served nuts (more than once in the place). The bathrooms were packed so i had to wait a long time, so instead i used the alley but that was also packed, nonetheless im new in the area so company is nice. (i am straight by the way)“

“I like their drinks, music and Service“

“Granville Anvil is a fantastic, welcoming neighborhood spot that consistently delivers a great atmosphere and top-tier service. It is a reliable go-to for a relaxing drink or a social gathering, and the experience is always dependable and enjoyable. I place an incredibly high premium on the cleanliness of service and seating areas, and I am consistently impressed by how tidy, well-organized, and professionally maintained this location is; it is clear the team here takes great pride in keeping the environment sanitary, orderly, and comfortable for all their guests. The staff is consistently friendly, efficient, and does a wonderful job of ensuring that service is prompt and that everyone feels welcome, even during the busiest parts of the day. If you are looking for a trustworthy, high-quality spot that prioritizes both a great vibe and professional cleanliness standards, I highly recommend checking out Granville Anvil“

“I always have a good time at Cell Block. All bar tenders/bouncers are friendly and helpful. It’s a great atmosphere and so far from personal experience, judgement free zone. Drinks are good and so is the music. Always my go to place when I visit Chicago.“

“ok don't come for me! so about 2 weeks ago was my first time ever in boystown ( im 39 ) 😆 I KNOOOOW! Anyway i had come into town early and ended up exploring chicago allll on my own for the day. Now keep in mind, i went to ALL the places in boystown 😆 WOW! I had asked around about karaoke and everyone said this was the place to go. I make my way there and i walk in and instantly was welcomed and people were talking to me and it was just so nice! yes its a BAR not a club, I loved that lol i was "Josh from Peoria " that night and i have never sang karaoke anywhere else but my hometown bar, i was so freekin nervous lol. but after a few of the THC drinks well i was good to go. im sober so it was really awsome that they have non alcohol drinks. overall i spent most of my night there. it was so welcoming and people were so nice and told me different places to go and things. I will definitely be back and ive soooo told my Peoria friends about yall!“

“Cozy wooden saloon bar with friendly bartenders and good drinks.
You can see from the art and historical posters that this has been a true community asset since 1971. It’s important we hold our spaces to account while still protecting them for their history and for future generations.“

“Pretty layback Music is great Ambiance nice and friendly I wish we have more places like this south side ❤️“

“es un lugar muy tranquilo se disfruta el ambiente la comodidad el show muy bonito los meseros todo muy bonito“