Chicago is one of our favourite places in the US. We arrived with no expectations and were completely blown away.
Not only does Chicago have a huge and vibrant gay scene, it is a beautiful city with incredibly friendly people and so much to do.
For a full guide on everything to do in Chicago (hotels, activities, pride etc), check out our ‘Complete Gay Travel Guide to Chicago‘.
For this mini guide, we are focusing on the best gay bars in Chicago broken down into the gay bars in boystown and the gay bars in Andersonville.
Boystown and Andersonville (affectionately coined MANdersonville) are the main gay areas in Chicago and therefore where the majority of the gay nightlife can be found.
Flying the flag proudly in Chicago at the Pride Party in the Park!
Best Gay Bars in Chicago (Boystown & Andersonville)
You can find gay bars all across Chicago but the majority are found in Boystown and Andersonville. We went to Sidetrack twice during our trip and loved it!
Here are some options to keep you busy!
Gay Bars in Boystown, Chicago
Sidetrack – Boystown
Our favourite gay bar in Chicago with the boys of Sidetrack!
Sidetrack was a finalist in Logo Tvs ‘Best Gay Bar in the World’ and we can see why!
It has plenty of rooms to explore depending whether you want to chill, chat, or dance the night away!
For us we were mainly on the dance floor which has a huge screen playing music videos to go alongside the music.
Sidetrack plays a lot of pop, retro and throws the occasional show tune in there to!
Drinks are reasonable and the crowd is relatively young and mixed.
Address: 3349 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club – Boystown
This is a popular place to hangout in Boystown and has performances from local drag queens.
Address: 3700 N. Halsted Street
Roscoes – Boystown
Another one for Boystown. Roscoes offers Djs and drag to a young fun crowd.
Address: 3356 N Halsted St
Charlies Chicago – Boystown
Charlies has a wild west vibe with cowboys dancing to country and western music. However, come 1am on a weekend this turns into a go-go boy after hours dance club!
Address: 3726 N Broadway
Hydrate – Boystown
This is one of the bars to head to if you are looking to go all night.
It starts to get busy from midnight onwards and you can expect DJs and the occasional drag show. Hydrate is open until 4am Friday/Sunday and 5am Saturday.
Address: 3458 N Halsted St
Gay Bars in Andersonville, Chicago
The Call – Andersonville
If you want to dance but aren’t heading to Boystown then this is a great option in Andersonville. This is a video and dance bar and plays a lot of pop.
Address: 1547 W Bryn Mawr Ave
Atmosphere – Andersonville
Atmosphere is known for its scantily clad dancers, drink specials, large dancefloor and upscale dive bar vibes. One to check out if you are in Andersonville.
Address: 5355 N Clark St
Little Jims – Boystown
This was Boystown’s first gay bar and is open to 4am everyday – one for a late night!
Address: 3501 N Halsted St
There are many many more gay bars in Chicago so this is just a few to get started. Let us know what is your favourite.