32 Best Bars in Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Blues Festival

Fodor's choice

The Chicago Blues Festival leaves no doubt about it: Chicago still loves to sing the blues. Each June, the city pulses with sounds from the largest free blues festival in the world, which takes place over three days and on five stages in both Grant Park and Millennium Park. The always-packed open-air festival has been headlined by blues legends such as B.B. King, Koko Taylor, and Buddy Guy.

404 Wine Bar

Lakeview

Next door to the rowdy Diag Bar & Grill you'll find the serene 404 Wine Bar, a romantic spot filled with cozy nooks. The librarylike back room has ornate chandeliers, shelves lined with books, and dramatic oxblood walls. Grab a spot on the patio or near one of two fireplaces and enjoy a glass, flight, or bottle of wine accompanied by a cheese plate.

Apogee

Near North Side

Trendsetters hit the scene on the 26th floor of the Dana Hotel and Spa for cocktails with penthouse views or gravitate toward the fire pit on the patio.

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Blokes & Birds

Wrigleyville

A departure from the typical Wrigleyville sports bar, this modern public house draws Anglophiles thirsty for a well-poured pint and contemporary takes on classic English pub fare, such as shepherd's pie with stout-braised lamb and fish-and-chips with malt vinegar aioli. (The bar's name is British slang for "guys and girls.") Friday and Saturday nights, sing your heart out in its karaoke lounge.

Blues Heaven Foundation

South Loop

For a walk into history, stop by the Blues Heaven Foundation, which occupies the former home of the legendary Chess Records. Breathe the same rarefied air as blues (and rock-and-roll) legends Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, and the Rolling Stones, all of whom recorded here. Check out the Chess brothers' private offices, the recording studio, and the back stairway used only by signed musicians. Be sure to see the eerie "Life Cast Portraits" wall showcasing the plaster heads of the Chess recording artists. Tour hours are 12–4 Monday through Saturday.

Booth One

Old Town
While new ownership restored the Ambassador name to this storied Gold Coast hotel in 2017, they lost the rights to call its historic restaurant the Pump Room. So they renamed the space in honor of its most coveted table, where celebrities and other VIPs have held court since the 1930s. The updated decor features numerous black-and-white photos of those famous faces, while the bar's classic cocktail and wine lists hope to lure a new generation of A-listers.

Bridge House Tavern

River North

With an enormous patio overlooking the Chicago River, this bar attracts both the after-work crowd and tourists searching for the quintessential city view. Order a burger or bratwurst and watch the boats docking barside. Off-season visitors can take refuge inside the cozy lounge with stone walls and wood paneling.

Bull & Bear

River North

Bull & Bear amps up the testosterone, with a dual focus on sports—the bar's name references two Chicago sports teams—and the stock market. Reserve one of five booths with built-in beer taps (you pay by the ounce), or grab a seat at the bar and catch the game on one of several flat-screen TVs.

Chicago Improv Festival

The springtime Chicago Improv Festival, the nation's largest festival for improvisers, has stages devoted to group, pair, and single improv; sketch comedy; and more.

Circuit

Lakeview

The biggest dance club in Boystown is a stripped-down hall energized by flashing lights, booming sounds, and a partying crowd. Take a break in the up-front martini bar.

Citizen Bar

River North

Everyone's welcome at Citizen Bar, a sleek space with exposed brick walls and traditional bar fare. But the real draw is the huge, multilevel outdoor area—it's one of the city's most coveted spots come summer.

Debonair Social Club

Wicker Park

In the historic Flat Iron Building, the Debonair Social Club combines visual arts, music, and late-night dining. Upstairs, curated video installations line the walls surrounding the stage-cum–dance floor; the dimly lighted downstairs has a more clandestine feel.

Division Street

For vestiges of the old Rush Street, continue north to Division Street, between Clark and State. The watering holes here are crowded and noisy, and the clientele consists mostly of suburbanites and out-of-towners on the make. Among the better-known singles' bars are Butch McGuire's, the Lodge, and Original Mother's.

Double Door

Wicker Park

Double Door is a hotbed for music in Wicker Park. The large bar books up-and-coming local and national acts from rock to acid jazz. Unannounced Rolling Stones shows have been held here. Door No. 3, a lounge with a speakeasy theme, occupies the basement.

East Room

Logan Square
This unmarked "secret" bar carries through with its speakeasy theme—the only sign you’re in the right place is the red light above the door. Inside, the lights are dim, the drinks (cash only) are cheap, and the whiskey choices are plentiful. DJs spin funk, house, and other genres; seek out the decked-out elevator room for the best seat in the house.

Elbo Room

Lakeview

Elbo Room, a multilevel space in an elbow-shape corner building, has a basement rec-room feel. Talented live bands add a strong dose of nu-jazz, funk, soul, pop, and rock seven days a week.

Happy Village

Ukrainian Village
Located in Ukrainian Village, this neighborhood institution is known for its cheap beer, Ping Pong tables, and, when the weather cooperates, its massive beer garden. There’s no kitchen, but Chicago’s own “tamale guy,” who sells authentic Mexican tamales out of a cooler, swings by nightly. Be sure to hit an ATM before you arrive because Happy Village is cash-only.
1059 N. Wolcott Ave., Chicago, Illinois, 60622, USA
773-486–1512

Joie de Vine

Far North Side

Catering to a lesbian clientele, this wine bar has expanded its focus to include craft beer and cocktails. The space itself is cozy, but good design (and sidewalk tables in summer) keeps it from feeling claustrophobic. Sit at the long wooden bar or opposing banquette and enjoy the room's real focal point, a glass-brick wall lighted up in multiple colors.

1744 W. Balmoral Ave., Chicago, Illinois, 60640, USA
773-989–6846

Logan Square Auditorium

Logan Square

The second-floor ballroom hosts all-ages rock shows put on by the team at the Empty Bottle, plus other live performances and assorted special events. The acoustics aren't the best, but the hip younger crowd it draws doesn't seem to care. For those 21 and over, there's a full bar.

Lollapalooza

The current incarnation of Perry Farrell’s famed festival takes over Grant Park for three days in August. Lollapalooza boasts a packed slate of big-name musicians (past editions have included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, and Pearl Jam). Tickets typically sell out before the lineup is even announced, but many turn up on Craigslist and third-party websites in the days leading up to the event.

Nick's Beer Garden

Wicker Park

Nick's Beer Garden is a neighborhood favorite, especially in the wee hours (it's open until 4 am; 5 am Saturday). Kitschy tropical decor—think palm trees, flamingos, and a surfboard—adds to the appeal.

Northside Bar & Grill

Wicker Park

This spot was one of the first anchors of the now-teeming Wicker Park nightlife scene. Locals come to drink, eat, shoot pool, and see and be seen. The enclosed indoor-outdoor patio lets you get the best out of the chancy Chicago weather.

Pitchfork Music Festival

This three-day indie-oriented festival brings a diverse array of top and emerging talent to Union Park each July. Although smaller than Lollapalooza (it has three stages compared to eight-plus), devotees say the acts are more eclectic and the environment more comfortable. Artists including Beck, Kendrick Lamar, The National, and St. Vincent have played Pitchfork.

Rockit Bar & Grill

River North

Designer Nate Berkus assembled Rockit's hunter-lodge look: picture wood-plank-framed plasma TVs, antler chandeliers, and brown-leather booths. The crowd, much like the beer list, is diverse and tasteful, and there's a good mix of men and women despite the masculine vibe. Dress to impress.

Rodan

Wicker Park

The highly stylized Rodan is a restaurant and lounge that caters mostly to the young neighborhood hipsters who arrive at dinnertime (served until 11 pm) and stay put until closing. The narrow space often feels cramped, but if you can snag a spot at the bar or on a blue-suede banquette, an evening of major-league people-watching is in store. Snacks are served all night, so refuel with a pile of wasabi-tempura fries served with a side of siracha ketchup.

Rush Street

The famous Chicago bar scene known as Rush Street has faded into the mists of time, although the street has found resurgent energy with the opening of a string of upscale restaurants and outdoor cafés.

The Abbey Pub

Irving Park

Located in the Irving Park neighborhood, about 15 minutes northwest of downtown, this place showcases rock, as well as some Irish, Celtic, and country music, in a large concert hall with a separate, busy pub. By day the hall is used to show soccer and rugby games from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Burlington

Logan Square
Just a few blocks from the heart of Logan Square, this narrow bar has a woodsy vibe and a straightforward menu. In the front room, a rotating roster of DJs plays an eclectic mix of tunes; in the back room, live music from both local and touring acts tends to skew toward punk or noise rock.

The California Clipper Lounge

Humboldt Park
After being spruced up by Brendan Sodikoff, one of Chicago's best-known restaurateurs, this 1930s lounge is better than ever. A curving 60-foot-long Brunswick bar still dominates the interior, and tiny booths still line the long room back-to-back like seats on a train. But the look is now cleaner, and the cocktail list is longer (most cost $11 or less, so prices are refreshingly old-school). A tobacco shop has been added in the back room, too. Beloved by hipsters who've begun gentrifying the surrounding neighborhood, the lounge is located in Humboldt Park, just west of Wicker Park.

The Motel Bar

River North

The Motel Bar has all the comforts of a real, honest-to-goodness motel bar (TVs tuned to sports, classic cocktails, and a retro color scheme), but the atmosphere is amped-up with sexy, low-rise furniture and a "room service" menu of upscale bites.