Category: Nightlife

Feeling like every bar you plan on hitting is pretty much going to be the same experience? Want to make an escape to the tropics but can't afford the time off? Then take a quick ride out to the nearby western burbs to River Grove's world famous retro tiki-themed bar, Hala Kahiki! It's a little sliver of paradise this side of Maui.

Regulars and first timers agree, there is just no other place around that's quite like it! The decor is very reminiscent of kitschy old school Polynesian night clubs, complete with tiki torches, palm fronds, bamboo awnings and wicker furniture. Sweet and exotic drinks fill the menu, complimented with music pumped through you just won't find anyplace else. There's even a gift shop where you can pick up cute little toys, leis and other novelty items. With all that said, this place most obviously serves as a great place to hold a luau, or in us mainland layman's terms, a girl's night out! Then again, there are some pretty dark and tucked away corners that you might want to consider bringing that special someone to!

Of course, no bar's layout matters if the drinks aren't able to live up to the ambiance, but anyone who has ever had a Mai Tai here can assure you it does! Tropical fruits abound, mixing coconut milk and pineapple juice with just about every mixer. Go with the flow and skip the standard orders. You know you've always wanted to order a drink served in a coconut, perhaps with those cute little umbrellas, so here's your chance! If it's warm outside, be sure to hit the patio deck – it's very lush and laid back.

So if you've never been, be sure to check out Hala Kahiki. Besides: Where else are you going to find exotic drinks so sweet it hurts your teeth and can knock you on your keister at the same time?

From Indie to Metal, if it rocks on the south side, then Champ's is the place to go. Bands like Disturbed cut their teeth here, in which many speculate it was because of this small stage and the regulars who hang out here that made them what they are today. Many will remember their original location as being in a strip mall parking lot with very limited parking. Now that they've found a banquet hall to call home, the parking has gotten lots better and the floor space was gotten a whole lot wider. What has remained the same is the superior sound and the good, cold beer at their full bar.

On almost any given night, local regulars find their way in, no matter which bands take the stage, rarely ever giving them a hard time. The sound guys hired do an excellent job of taking care of them as well, which of course helps in delivering a fantastic show. On Thursdays, patrons can take advantage of that stage themselves ala karaoke.

As far as the bar itself, there are plenty of brews to choose from, and the fun and frolicy bar staff are more than eager to please, mixing up drinks with a sassy Cheshire grin. Food is also available, including some pretty good pizza that comes fairly recommended at a reasonable price. After all, if there's one thing Chicago is known for, it is good food for big appetites!

So, whether you're heading out with a date or your buddies, be sure to check the schedule to see who's playing at Champ's. Or not! Because no matter who's playing, everyone is guaranteed to have a good time!

The scene in Lincoln Park is primarily known for one thing: pricey sports bars packed with reverting Frat boys and Trixies. However, there is one place where the kids from that one particular school lunch table (you know, that one, way in the back!) congregate and shake their money makers: that place is the Neo.

Whether you’re into the Goth, Punk, Metal or 80s New Wave scene, the DJs here spin it all! There might even be a few 80s pop songs thrown in for good measure. The entire place is decked out in black, the blackest black, the lights are hitting all the right places, the fog machine has that definitive haunted house smell, the floor is open to everyone and the gin and tonics will knock you on your keister! What more could anyone want?

What makes this place truly a cool place to go is that you can dance like a complete idiot without a care in the world, as the regulars there really aren’t taking notes. Really! There are no attitudes at his place, because real underground scenes like this simply won’t put up with it. The other thing that’s great is most people who hit this spot go there spontaneously off the cuff, so pretty much everyone there is looking to get something going, which also kicks a lot of the pretension out the door. Also, that customary meat market mentality is also lacking, so ladies can go there without worrying about some slime ball “accidentally” bumping them over and over.

So if you’re looking to party and go dancing with your friends in what is probably the absolute coolest bar in Chicago, here is what you need to do:

Dress the way you really want to - be it denim, leather, pleather or lace

Dress as lightly as possible or bring your guard dog buddy, since there’s no coat check

Bring cash

Take the train or cab, as parking really sucks

Find your way back into the alley on Clark and go inside

Dance till dawn!

Lordy, Lordy, look at all those brews on the chalk board! They're currently standing at 267 varieties to choose from, hailing from all parts of the world, and maybe even other galaxies! What is this, a geography lesson? Drafts change regularly, featuring stuff most people probably never heard of but fun to try out. Hey: with a name like that, they had BETTER have enough to drink!

Quencher's is a local hot spot for hipsters, locals and even lap tops that features great local acts almost every night of the week, with free popcorn to make folks even more thirsty. They even have a photo booth to capture that sweet, sweet drunken lapse of reasoning! And with the band area spaced out far enough away from the front, folks who want to just hang out and shoot the breeze can do so without blowing out their buddy's ear drum in the process.

Located smack dab on the corner of Fullerton and Western and away from most of the other scene sites, Quencher's plays hosts to some of the most eclectic crowds in town who go out of their way to get there, and hey, they serve up some darn good eatin' pub grub food as well. (Tater tots just plain rock!) Daylight hours tend to be on the mellow side, where the back room takes on a flair more like a coffee house than a bar, but at night and especially on weekends, this place can get really hopping with crowds from all walks of life.

What makes this place cool is the fact that anyone is truly welcome, even people pushing 40 and who sometimes may beg to get carded. Bar flies shackled to the stools are more than welcome here, and yes, the bar keep actually know their regulars' names. Of course, ample youthage on a scene night out are also prevalent, along with all those beer snobs this place just may have been built for.

So hey, come on down and try out something that's hard to pronounce, check out a band and chill out with some new friends. Just remember to bring a small wad of cash, because the only card that's accepted here is a driver's license.

Go ahead and take a double look at this latest Streeterville addition! While you may not find Jack and Larry brooding over a brew about Greedy Gretchen (or plotting their next sexcapade with a pair of Swedish flight attendants!), what you will find is a very retro 70's and 80's themed neighborhood lounge, complete with wood paneled walls, DJs pumping out music of the heyday and even kitschy commercials on the tube! The sitcom snappies on the walls and the fondue on the menu add to the theme, yet the owners somehow worked the nostalgia in with just the right amount of contemporary flair to keep their patrons' minds from going into overload.

This place is really happening after work, as many folks wandering out after a brutal day at the office are more than ready to let their hair down. Sitcom sing alongs tend to spontaneously break out, allowing 20- to 40- somethings to leave the seriousness behind and become fun and silly. Bar height tables and lounge seating around a roaring fire make it a great spot for starting the night off downtown with a new companion, with top notch bar staff at the ready to mix up anything your heart desires.

While not exactly the sort of place for having a sit down meal, the traditional bar grub available is more than ample for whetting appetites before heading out to the main events. Stick with the theme and go with the fondue, or try the Jamaican Jerk served in a hollowed out pineapple! Since the area is not very car friendly, cab it for the night! Take in a performance in the nearby theatre district, go shopping along the Mag mile or take a quiet walk through Millennium Park when the tourists have all but gone.

The only retro on the sans menu are the leisure suits and Members Only jackets - leave those back in the closet, please! And that goes for you too, Mr. Furley! If the Disco Gods are indeed merciful, they will never make a comeback!

Joe's on Weed Street is almost synonymous with live bands, since they book a lot of happening, traveling acts of different styles and has that fun, vibrant atmosphere everyone loves for both dancing and rocking out. Then again, sports fans will argue this is their place, due to the five rooms filled with 120 TV's plus 14 ten-foot screens hooked up to the satellite to catch the game du jour. Whoever wants to claim it is fine by the owners, just as long as the people keep coming back for more!

Besides the bands and shows, what brings folks in droves are all the beer specials on off nights. How can anyone go wrong with $2 pitchers and half priced pizzas? However, be sure to stick with the beer, because the drinks are really weak on the liquor, making those Sour Jack's awful sour. Also, make sure to pull a double check on their band schedule before heading out, because folks who are not interested in checking out the bands in the back area might get charged a cover charge after a certain time or be set up on a drink minimum. It's also a good idea to bring cash, as busy wait staff may not bring back a credit card as quickly as one would like. As far as the food goes, stick with the pizza, or perhaps the pork sandwich.

No mistaking, this place is huge and can get very crowded on the weekends or when an important game or killer act is playing. The back bar can get really warm and loud as well. The rest of the time, the setup is pretty flexible and casual, making for a decent place to kick back and hang out up front, either for catching a game or an acoustic set.

So yep, Joe's patronage is fairly polarized, depending on what people are going there to do. When it's good, it's great, but when it's bad, it's well… it is what it is.

Probably the most popular Irish bar in all of Chicago and sponsors of the St. Patrick's Day parade and the annual Celtic Fest downtown. The Abbey Pub is also host to live entertainment with a nicely risen stage and a good shot from just about any vantage point. The sound is fairly decent as well, with a low ceiling, wrap around balcony that allows guests to enjoy traditional Irish fare while catching a show.

The decor in the venue area is very charming, with large rounded picture windows that take up both floors and exposed brick walls, helping to justify its namesake. Couples may want to venture upstairs during crowded shows, where the dim lighting and sense of relative spaciousness will allow for a more intimate experience. In spite of the big screen TV's and other sports bar regalia, this place has a classic homey feel to it. Service can be a little on the slow side with the wait staff, but with so much going on, only seriously hungry patrons will notice. The bars however are manned by squadrons of staff, ensuring everyone gets their pints in a timely manner.

As far as the food is concerned, this place really knows how to serve up some fantastic, authentic Irish fare. Go for the fish and chips - a huge, hearty portion that is also on the all you can eat special Friday nights. The shepherd's pie is undoubtedly the best in the city, and where else would anyone want to order up corned beef and cabbage on Saint Paddy's Day? An interesting addition is the curry fries, which is covered in a wonderful gravy. Of course, standard bar grub is also available and very tasty, like burgers, cheese sticks and hot wings, but it seems almost sinful to order that sort of thing here!

So head on down to the Abbey, grab a pint of the dark stuff and check out a great band!

Here's a movie theater everyone can agree on! Besides the fact guests get to kick back a few cold ones on huge comfy seats while checking out a favorite cult film, this place has incredible sound when the bands come into town! Five floors make up this early 20th century vaudeville, where some of its original brilliance still shines through. It's nice an dark here and extremely casual.

This is pretty much a movie theatre for people who like to treat the place like they are watching cable in their own homes, and that includes getting a little chatty and reclining back. It serves as a great alternative to staying in for the night, and guests get to mingle and meet new people, as the beer goes for a cool $1.50 and admittance for only $5.00. It is also ideal for new couples who may desire a dark scene but want to avoid a completely segregated area, especially those who want to put off seeing how the other half lives at the moment. This is casual at its finest. And by the way: the best seats are down in the front center, but pretty much anyplace is good!

Whether folks go there for a concert or a flick, The Vic is centrally located in a pretty great area for young couples of all breeds. The immediate neighborhood is very eclectic, from the punk and goth kids to the young socialites, all feeding from the same proverbial trough known as the intersection of Belmont & Clark. Shopping and dining are plentiful, as are cabs, trains and buses - a true feast for the eyes and lips! Just be very careful when parking anywhere in the area! Just about everything on the street not metered is permit only, with cops ticketing often, and store lots hire spotters to boot unauthorized vehicles. Using the pay lot or taking the train is a very wise idea!

While some people may never venture inside because they think it's a dirty, brawly biker bar, there will be twice as many folks who wander in for a beer and a burger… and get a whole lot more! The line of bikes outside the Twisted Spoke sure can look intimidating, and that skeleton perched overhead on a revolving chopper can be downright frightening! But hey - that just means the tourists are held back at bay, along with the screaming babies who tend to tag along. And, mom will probably never want to go here once she finds out what they do on Saturday nights!

Just as one would expect, the decor is full of chrome and chopper imagery - pure Hog Heaven this side of Sturgis! In the summer, folks can climb on upstairs and hang out with their mascot, catching an eyeful of the neighborhood below. Since the staff work at their own pace and the food is made to order, folks in the know go there anticipating it will be a fun night out.

Beer and drink specials run consistently, and they serve what is probably the best tasting burgers in town, seasoned perfectly. Seriously. The Fat Boy is a 1/4 pounder, and the Double Fatty is another patty for a few bucks more! All of their items are organic, and many items on the menu are vegetarian and even vegan. (Hey! Bikers can get away with sporting pleather these days, y'know!) Another favorite is All You Can Eat meatloaf Mondays, while others would recommend the Pot Roast.

Oh, and just what exactly is Smut N' Eggs? On Saturdays at midnight, they pull the shades and run pornos on the walls while patrons dine off the brunch menu. Seriously, once mom finds out about that, she will probably never want to go there. Or Aunt Maggie. Or Nanna. Or maybe even the better half, since it really is Smut, and not the foux foux "erotic" stuff on Skinemax.

Where can S&M -minded folks watch and even participate in a public, bondage -themed event while perched atop an indoor motorcycle drinking a good import? The Exit.

Where can punk rockers go to jam out on the classics while slamming $2 PBRs? The Exit.

Where can goths go to show off their latest vintage corsets and stacks and be the best dressed in the room, instead of the freakiest? The Exit.

Where can metal heads go to party with the DJ who lets people flip through his thousands of CDs while playing Guitar Hero alongside popular underground bands (who just so happen to be passing through)? The Exit.

And where exactly can anyone else go who aren't intimidated by the regulars, want to have a good time and drink until dawn? The Fuggin Exit, Dammit!

Located on the opposite side of the North Avenue bridge, where all the tourists “flock” to a popular micro brewery, lies the seediest of all the bars, and they like it that way! The Exit is deservedly the most infamous bar in the Tri State area and has remained pretty much the same since its opening back in the 80s. Back then, the only significant difference is the location, since many of the regulars then are regulars now, just a little older, at least according to their driver’s licenses.

Of course, a whole new breed of unique individuals make their appearances as well, as some things like rebellion just don’t ever seem to die. They gather together in their denim and leather, their pleather and lace, their whips and paddles, their tattoos and piercings and even their artfully designed and yes, intentional, brandings. The theme changes every night, with different music spun by DJs who actually prefer to leave the dance tracks at the store. It’s a centralized bastion for sin in the Midwest, and they like it that way!

The thing it though, The Exit really is a gentle giant, just another place to go chill out and socialize, in spite of its rough image. The decor is suiting for any run down biker bar, complete with cult flicks, videos and vintage porn on the tube, and the upstairs is a great place to party with drunken strangers. In a nut shell, it’s the place to be when everyplace else doesn’t seem to take kindly to those types, even though those types take rather kindly to everybody else. Oh and yeah - they’re open pretty late, too!