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Take charge and make your own! 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.

The Closet

You can’t talk about gay bars in Chicago without talking about Northalsted (also known as Boystown).

Tucked away above the bustling streets of Streeterville, Second Story is a relaxed refuge that’s remained virtually unchanged since it opened 35 years ago. The laidback spot is primarily known as a lesbian bar, but all are welcome.

gay dance club chicago

The best time to visit is late June through early September if you want long days, lake breezes, and festival energy, but book early and expect higher prices around Pride and Market Days. With its spacious dance floor, karaoke nights, and drag bingo, Roscoe's Tavern guarantees a fun and memorable night out with good vibes.

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The Happy Hour, on weeknights from 4-7pm, offers a dollar off local drafts, $7 mules and $7 glasses of wine.

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16. Whiskey Girl Tavern

As the co-founder of Back Lot Bash, Christina Roberts stewarded one of Chicago Pride season’s destination parties.

Other popular events include dueling pianos, themed dance nights, and karaoke hosted by Chicago cabaret legend Honey West.

La Cueva Night Club

This popular Little Village spot has their own slice of LGBTQ history — they’re known as one of the oldest Latinx drag bars in the country. Queer cuties in your neighborhood are right at your fingertips - go meet them!

Looking for something a little less nightlife-related?

This neighborhood institution has been welcoming bar-goers since 1978. We’ve got tips for sober activities, too. Over the past few years, the groovy ‘70s basement cocktaillery in Humboldt Park has become a favorite local queer haunt and a must-visit for out-of-towners alike. It also boasts a better selection of craft beers on tap than most bars on the Halsted strip.

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Come for the drink specials, pool table, and outdoor patio — and stay for their famous Roscoe’s Drag Race, billed as the city’s longest-running amateur weekly drag competition.

Head to this laid-back Uptown saloon, where community matriarch Michelle Fire serves tasty victuals and cocktails to the sunburnt brunch crowd (when the space is known as Tweet Let's Eat), and keeps the rest of the week happening with tons of food and drink specials (like dollar off burgers on Mondays) and all-out dance parties on weekends.

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3. Nobody's Darling

This intimate Ravenswood bar has garnered many fans—including the selection committee for the James Beard Awards, who nominated Nobody’s Darling for Outstanding Bar Program in 2022.

Nobody’s Darling

Address: 1744 W. Balmoral Ave. Chicago, IL 60640

This sexy Nina Simone-inspired cocktail lounge serves incredible drinks and cocktails on demand while providing a relaxing, classy space for the queer people of Chicago. The bar is one of the last remnants of “Tower Town”, a former bohemian enclave that was known as an epicenter of LGBTQ life in Chicago.

Roscoe’s Tavern

A Northalsted essential, the welcoming Roscoe’s Tavern has been a go-to for the local LGBTQ community for more than 30 years.

Those looking to dance the night away, sing and enjoy the spectacle of performers crooning in Spanish or dancing with giant robots and pyrotechnics (no, really), take the trip to 26th Street and you won’t be disappointed.

10. The Baton Show Lounge

For more than 50 years, the Baton Show Lounge has been entertaining Chicagoans and visitors alike with classic, elegant drag performances.

The drink specials are excellent, and when RuPaul's Drag Race is in season, Roscoe's is the place to be, as queens from the season stop by the bar for rowdy viewing parties where they've been known to spill some behind-the-scenes tea.

9. La Cueva

An international, intergenerational feast for the eyes and ears, La Cueva is one of the country’s longest-running Latino drag bars.

For big annual events, plan around Chicago Pride Fest and the Pride Parade in late June, which draw the largest crowds and the most pop-up parties. With multiple bars, drag shows, themed nights, and music videos playing on large screens, Sidetrack offers something for everyone.

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