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Bars & Clubs...
Chicago Nightclub & Bar alternatives by www.chicagonightlife.com
Whether you're in the mood for a lounge, or you've strapped on your dancing shoes, We've got the answer to your nightlife needs. Check out our list of Chicago's newest and most popular nightclubs and bars.
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Funky Buddha Lounge
Located a bit off the beaten path, west of the River North gallery district, this club blends in with its industrial surroundings -- even the whimsical Buddha sculpture on the heavy steel front door is a rusted husk. Inside is a different scene altogether: low red lighting, seductive dens with black-leather and faux leopard-skin sofas, lots of candles, and antique light fixtures salvaged from an old church. The DJs are among the best in the city, flooding the nice-size dance floor with hip-hop to bhangra, funk to African, and soul to underground house. Recently, the club's original fan base of yuppies and after-dinner hipsters has been shaken as attractively as its signature martinis: hugely popular Thursday nights pack in the young club kids, but Fridays and Saturdays feature a cool, eclectic crowd decked out in funky gear.
| 728 W. Grand Ave. | Phone: 312/666-1695.| Cover $15-$20.
Green Dolphin Street
An old auto garage on the north branch of the Chicago River has been transformed Cinderella-like into a sexy, retro, 1940s-style nightclub and restaurant. The beautiful, well-appointed crowd shows up here to smoke stogies from the club's humidor, lap up martinis, and make the scene (there's also an expensive, fine-dining restaurant whose patrons can move on to jazz after dinner without paying the cover charge). Green Dolphin books jazz in all its permutations, from big band to Latin jazz. The club's main room is closed Monday and Tuesday.
|2200 N. Ashland Ave. |Phone: 773/395-0066. |Cover $10-$15.
House of Blues
The largest in a national chain of music venues, the House of Blues could more appropriately be called the House of Pop. Although it is decorated with Mississippi Delta folk art, the bands that play here tend to be rock groups, '80s novelty acts, and the occasional hip-hop or reggae performer. This is a great place to see a show -- concerts are held in a theater that recreates a gilded European opera house (minus the seats), and the sight lines are pretty good no matter where you stand. A restaurant also serves lunch and dinner with hometown blues accompaniment. The popular Sunday gospel brunch, offering a Southern-style buffet, brings a different Chicago gospel choir to the stage each week; the three weekly "services" often sell out, so get tickets in advance.
|329 N. Dearborn St. |Phone: 312/923-2000 for general information. Ticket prices vary
Le Passage
The Gold Coast's swankiest nightclub fits all the prerequisites for chic exclusivity, starting with the semihidden entrance at the end of a narrow (but well-lit) alleyway just steps from Oak Street's Prada and Barneys New York stores. You descend down a long flight of stairs into an environment filled with expensive, gilded furnishings and exquisite decor imported from France; to gain access you must first pass muster with the gatekeepers manning the velvet rope. The beautiful, the rich, and the designer-suited come here for the loungy aesthetic. The soundtrack mixes R&B, soul, hip-hop, house, funk, and acid jazz. Another highlight is the stellar French fusion menu. The place teems on Friday and Saturday nights, but Wednesday night caters to local fashion-industry folk, with occasional runway fashion shows. Stop by the Yow Bar -- named for Yow Low, a legendary local bartender who was snagged from Trader Vic's -- and hopefully you'll get Yow himself to spill some of his late-night tales.
|1 Oak Place. |Phone: 312/255-0022. |Cover $15-$20.
Lookingglass Theatre Company
A rising star on the Chicago theatrical scene, Lookingglass has a style all its own, producing original shows and unusual literary adaptations in a highly physical and visually imaginative style. The company, founded more than a decade ago by graduates of Northwestern University (including Friend David Schwimmer), stages several shows each year. Schwimmer himself has also been known to make appearances here, either as an actor or director. Lookingglass shows emphasize visual effects as much as they do acting, whether it's having performers wade through a giant shallow pool or take to the sky on trapezes.
|821 N. Michigan Ave. |Phone: 312/337-0665. |Tickets $30-$50.
Lyric Opera of Chicago
One of the top American opera companies, the Lyric attracts the very best singers in the world for its lavish productions. The Lyric's talented musicians and performers satisfy the opera snobs, while newcomers are often swept away by all the grand opera dramatics (English supertitles make it easy to follow the action). Opening night in September remains the quasi-official kickoff of the Chicago social season.
The Lyric Opera performs in the handsome 3,563-seat Art Deco Civic Opera House, the second-largest opera house in the country, built in 1929. If you're sitting in one of the upper balconies, you'll definitely want to bring binoculars (if you're nice, the regulars sitting nearby may lend you theirs). There's only one problem with catching a show at the Lyric: the season, which runs through early March, sells out way in advance. Single tickets are sometimes available a few months in advance. Your other option is to call the day of a performance, when you can sometimes buy tickets that subscribers have turned in because they won't be using them.
If you're in town in February or March, you can check out the theater by taking a tour (tours are only offered during those months; call tel. 312/827-5685).
Tickets $26-$125
Martini Ranch
Staying in a Magnificent Mile hotel and looking for a late-night libation? The Martini Ranch serves up 40 different versions of its namesake cocktail until 4am during the week, attracting bar and nightlife insiders (and a fair share of insomniacs). The Western theme is subtle (paintings of Roy Rogers and other cowpoke art) and the seating is minimal (come early to snag one of the four red booths). But fans swear by the chocolate martini, and the pop-rock soundtrack keeps the energy level high. If the crowded bar scene is too much, you can always chill out at the pool table in the back room or settle down at one of the tables in the heated beer garden.
|311 W. Chicago Ave. |Phone: 312/335-9500.
Metro
Metro, located in an old auditorium, is Chicago's premier venue for live alternative/rock acts on the verge of breaking into the big time. Everybody who is anybody has played here when they were starting out, from REM to Pearl Jam to such local heroes as the Smashing Pumpkins. Newer "alternative" bands that are getting attention from MTV and radio stations show up at Metro eventually. The subterranean Smart Bar -- at the same location -- is a dance club open 7 nights a week (you can get in for free if you've seen a concert that night at Metro). Some shows are all ages, but most require concertgoers to be 21 and older. Tickets are sold in person through the box office in the attached record shop, Clubhouse, or by phone through Ticketmaster.
|3730 N. Clark St. |Phone: 773/549-0203. |Tickets $12-$20
Narcisse
The cigar-and-martini virus has wrought this next-generation retro concept: a "champagne salon and caviar bar." Ivana Trump would feel right at home here among all the 1900-era imperial glamour: chandeliers, gilded walls, and yards of plush fabric. The glass tabletops are etched with labels of renowned champagne houses. The thick menu has pages and pages of champagnes (more than 50, with a few bottles topping $300), wine, martinis, and other mixed drinks. Besides about a dozen types of caviar, the kitchen serves French-Italian tapas and some tasty desserts.
|710 N. Clark St. |Phone: 312/787-2675.
Second City
For more than 40 years, Second City has been the top comedy club in Chicago and the most famous of its ilk in the country. Photos of its vast class of famous graduates line the lobby walls, from Elaine May to John Belushi to current Saturday Night Live cast members Tina Fey, Horatio Sanz, and Rachel Dratch.
Today's Second City is a veritable factory of improv, with shows on two stages (the storied main stage and the smaller Second City ETC) The main-stage ensembles do change frequently, and the shows can swing wildly back and forth on the hilarity meter. To sample the Second City experience, catch the free postshow improv session (it gets going around 10:30pm); no ticket is necessary if you skip the main show (except Fri).
|1616 N. Wells St. |Phone: 312/337-3992. |Tickets $8-$17.
Signature Lounge
The drinks here are pricey, but here you can get a drink and a fabulous view. It's open until 1am Sunday through Thursday and until 2am on the weekends.
|875 N. Michigan Ave. |Phone: 312/787-7230.
Smart Bar
A long-established name on the dance circuit, Smart Bar, tucked in the basement below the rock club Metro, spins the latest musical forms from underground house to punk to ethereal and gothic. The scene starts late, and the dancing denizens vary widely depending on which bands are playing upstairs (concertgoers get free admission to the Smart Bar). A no-frills club that attracts a diverse crowd, you never quite know what you're going to get here, and that's part of the appeal. This is an established Chicago spot where clubbers can come as they are, and you'll see a range of fashion. Smart Bar stays open until 5am on weekends. No cover before 11pm during the week.
|3730 N. Clark St. |Phone: 773/549-4140. |Cover $5-$15
(free with show at upstairs Metro).
Spoon
The closest Old Town has to a trendy nightspot, this combination bar/restaurant pulls in an attractive, professional crowd on weekend evenings. The modern, loftlike space would be right at home in the River North neighborhood, but it's a novelty in tradition-bound Old Town. Weeknights are a little less frenzied, when locals are able to sip their Mucho Mango martinis in peace.
|1240 N. Wells St. |Phone: 312/642-5522.
Sugar
This see-and-be-seen spot bills itself as a "dessert bar," but it's the decor as much as the sweet treats that draws crowds. Lit in tones of orange and yellow, the overall mood is sophisticated yet fun; whimsical touches include beehive chandeliers hanging above the bar, and bar stools that look like hard candies. The desserts are delicious (although pricey), with clever literary-inspired names (MacDeth by Chocolate, Banana Karenina, and so forth). But most of the beautiful people here wouldn't be caught dead eating anything fattening; most simply sip martinis.
|108 W. Kinzie St. |Phone: 312/822-9999.
The Baton Show Lounge
Catch the city's long-running revue of female impersonators at this River North lounge, which has been showcasing fabulous "gals" in outrageous getups for 35 years. Shows are held Wednesday through Sunday at 8:30pm, 10:30pm, and 12:30am. This is a very popular spot for bachelorette outings, so be prepared for some groups of rowdy women in your midst.
|436 N. Clark St. |Phone: 312/644-5269. |Cover $14 per person - Fri & Sat. $10 per person Wed, Thurs & Sun. with a 2 drink minimum.
The Gramercy
Gramercy is an oasis of sophistication in a neighborhood of frat bars. The decor may appear snobby at first -- an all-white interior with vinyl-covered booths and streams of water trickling down behind the bar. But the place is attitude-free: no dress code, no cover, and no obvious pickup lines being recited at the bar. This is a place where people come to talk -- and where they can actually hear what their companions are saying.
|2438 N. Lincoln Ave. |Phone: 773/477-8880.
The Leopard Lounge
This cozy modern-retro bar has a cheesecake-and-spice ambience that would make Bettie Page proud. Vintage pinup-girl illustrations hang on the walls, and the lounge's seating is upholstered in (what else?) faux leopard skin. The snappily dressed crowd comes for the bartenders' quality cocktails.
|1645 W. Cortland St. |Phone: 773/862-7877.
Transit
Carved out of a warehouse space beneath the elevated train tracks just west of the hip Randolph Street restaurant row, Transit is an excellent no-nonsense dance club that doesn't trick itself out under the auspices of any wacky theme. Its 10,000 square feet feature a sleek, boldly colored geometric interior with modern, minimalist furniture. The large dance-floor area, called the Oval, is surrounded by postindustrial metal staircases leading to a VIP room, the tiny Light Bar, and another VIP space called the Marquee Room. The bone-rattling, state-of-the-art sound system and DJs -- spinning progressive dance, remixed hip-hop, and R&B -- don't disappoint the die-hard dance fans. Come wearing your best club attire.
|1431 W. Lake St. |Phone: 312/491-8600. |Cover $15-$20. |
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