Gay chicago clubs
What GLBT clubs or nightspots in Chicago accept under-21s?
February 25, 2010 12:44 PM Subscribe
My best ally recently came out as a lesbian, and even more recently scored a rather impressive collegiate coup. She's 20, but wants to go, with a bunch of our friends, to a gay or lesbian club in town (Chicago) some weekend soon.
Unfortunately, no amount of Googling has come up with any sort of under-21-friendly GLBT-centric venues in Chicago other than a coffee house called 'Cafe Pride'- the website of which is pretty successfully and truly dead.
So, fellow MeFites, I plead of you: Help a guy help a lady out?
LGBTQ+ nightlife in Chicago: lgbtq+ and lesbian bars, clubs, and more
Chicago’s nightlife is a lot like the city itself — inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all. It’s also a whole lot of pleasurable. Our gay and sapphic bars have a petite bit of something for everyone, with late-night lounges, dance clubs,burlesque and queenly shows, and long-standing neighborhood watering holes in almost every corner of the city. And each comes with their own singular history and vibe.
Check out some of the optimal gay bars and clubs to experience Chicago’s gay nightlife scene.
Jeffery Pub
One of the city’s oldest queer bars, Jeffery Pub is a neighborhood institution. 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. Don’t miss the live business, like karaoke nights, Silky Soul Sundays, and a lively dance floor featuring everything from pop to house music.
Big Chicks
This lively and colorful spot is part LGBTQ hangout, part art gallery. The walls are plastered with the owner’s personal collection of paintings and photos, including big names like Diane Arbus. But don’t reflect for a second that makes the pla
SOUTH SHORE — For Dark and Brown LGBTQ Chicagoans, finding belonging on the North Halsted strip formerly known as Boystown lengthy has been a struggle.
But they’ve long found a home and fellowship inside an unassuming bar in South Shore — one of the only Black-owned LGBTQ bars in Chicago.
Sitting across from a former bank, Jeffery Pub has been a neighborhood stalwart since the 1960s. It quickly became a protected haven for Black and Brown queer people, particularly on the South Side, and it’s maintained its notoriety in large part because there are no other establishments like it. Places like Jeffery Pub, 7041 S. Jeffery Blvd, are especially notable as Black-owned LGBTQ bars vanish across the country.
By filling a much-needed cultural void, the bar cemented its place in Chicago history, owner Jamal Junior said.
“This area here was filled with, like, doctors and lawyers and a lot of other professionals,” Junior said. “And teachers, you know. So, back then, this was their place to come, where they felt safe in the neighborhood. Now, I would say it’s still the same thing.”
Junior, a longtime businessman, took over Jeffery Pub fifteen years ago after the previous owner of th
The 34 best LGBTQ+ bars in Chicago
Photograph: Courtesy Sidetrack
Northalsted, aka "Boystown," is the historical center of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ scene, but wonderful gay bars are all over the city.
Chicago has always been a trailblazing city when it comes to spaces for the LGBTQ community. One of the first American LGBT rights organizations, the World for Human Rights, was founded in Chicago in 1924, more than 40 years before Stonewall. And Northalsted, the gay nightlife hub also known as "Boystown," became the first officially-designated gay village in a major city in 1997.
These days, while a night out on Northalsted is still a joyful blur of boozy slushies and death drops, queer nightlife in Chicago is expansive, creative and thriving all over the city. From Rogers Park to South Shore, from James Beard-nominated cocktail bars to beloved, homey dives, there's a queer bar to fit your vibe. Oh, and don't forget about kingly brunch. You'll need it after a night out on the town.
RECOMMENDED: Cocktail at the best bars in Chicago
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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