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Old 08-04-2011, 08:40 PM
 
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I've was looking around the forum for an answer but haven't found exactly what I want.

My friend is visiting this weekend; could anyone suggest good spots/ neighborhoods to go out to at night? Clubs, bars, anything would be good; although we don't really do house music if it's a club. Also no place with an astronomical cover. A place with friendly people would be great (since I just kinda moved here anyway).

Looking around the forum, I saw Bucktown/ Wrigleyville and Wicker Park. I haven't been able to explore those areas so any advice would be greatly appreciated! Also what about Downtown? Especially for sun, mon, tues night? Any insight is wonderful.
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Old 08-04-2011, 08:54 PM
 
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It just depends what your scene is. If you are just two regular dudes who want to get ****ty at bars and catch up, it's hard to beat Lakeview. My favorite bar is the Duke of Perth, which is a Scottish bar with a wonderful beer garden and good food.

Wicker Park is the althernative crowd, a little more yuppie, and there are clubs like Debonair Social Club that you have to wait in line to get into, probably pay a cover, etc., but if you're looking for hot artsy chicks, that is probably a better neighborhood.

I would steer clear of downtown. Hotels bars and the Viagra Triangle are pretty much your only options. Division Street is a puke fest.

Downtown is nice for a drink, to hang out at the upscale places like the Peninsula or Park Hyatt, for a special ocassion, but a night out at the cool bars will cost you $200 a person and the places that don't, like Rush St. or Division, are disgusting.
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Old 08-04-2011, 09:45 PM
 
Location: Chicago
319 posts, read 604,148 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newtoyou4ever View Post
I've was looking around the forum for an answer but haven't found exactly what I want.

My friend is visiting this weekend; could anyone suggest good spots/ neighborhoods to go out to at night? Clubs, bars, anything would be good; although we don't really do house music if it's a club. Also no place with an astronomical cover. A place with friendly people would be great (since I just kinda moved here anyway).

Looking around the forum, I saw Bucktown/ Wrigleyville and Wicker Park. I haven't been able to explore those areas so any advice would be greatly appreciated! Also what about Downtown? Especially for sun, mon, tues night? Any insight is wonderful.
Greetings Newtoyou4ever, Wicker park/Bucktown is really the place to go, in my humble opinion. Admittedly, I do like the slightly *alt* aspect of the area. Yelp these places I suggest below, for additional perspective.

Tuesday:
Danny's near the corner of Damen & Dickens (on Dickens) is way fun on some of the Tuesdays, I like Smith's night, I don't know what this coming Tuesday is. The bartenders are super awesome, and drinks are cheap, and they pour heavy. Also no cover. I'd strongly suggest to be there before the flood of people at 10:30, and if you want a bar seat, you kind of have to get there at 9:30. That place has a fun vibe and if you get sick of that, within walking distance: Estelles! Estelle's has a $2 pint night on Tuesdays as well. Estelle's is a 4-am, so you can really go for the long haul there. Some may say that is not in walking distance, but they suck, you can grab a cab easily at Damen/Ashland if you are lazy. If you are into the totally weird, totally friendly, did that really happen event: after 2 am, Marie's Rip-Tide on Armitage by the Kennedy is way fun, and closer than Estelle's from Danny's. I think Tuesday is Karaoke night. No one shows up there really before 2:30, and it goes until 4 or 5. I've had some of the most bizzare experiences there, it's sort of like a John Waters movie. If you show up there, and it's empty, be patient, bizzaro-land is right around the corner.

The Map Room is also close to Danny's, if you are into high-end, more expensive beers.

Monday:
I usually stay home on Mondays. I'd suggest though, Big Star, near Damen/Milwaukee/North intersection (6 corners). Their Queso Fundida is the absolute perfect marriage of Chorizo and Cheese. Their pork-belly tacos are lethal. They have an immense selection of bourbon, whiskey and the finer brown liquors from the US. The only problem with this place, is it can be very hard to get a seat, Monday is easier though than say Thurs-Sat. If you land seating, I'd suggest hanging at the Star for as long as is fun, gorge on food, and then wandering down Milwaukee, stopping by Rodan, which has eclectic music usually, and is honestly hit-or-miss for a fun time. Tequila Salud is also on Milwaukee quite near Nick's, if you want to layer on some Patron after the Templeton Rye. After that, Nick's is a 4am that can be quite entertaining. I can't remember how many nights, a bit tipsy, that I was hitting on delightful young ladies there, to varying degrees of success I think Debonair does something odd like a fetish night on Mondays, or Industry night, and should be free cover but I never found it that much fun.

Sunday: Hit up somewhere not Wicker park, and go to bed early, so you have energy for back-to-back weeknight antics on Monday and Tuesday...

I'm sure you heard the the new Thursday is Monday.

Last edited by Isotope-C14; 08-04-2011 at 10:00 PM..
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Old 08-04-2011, 09:59 PM
 
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Thanks guys! I'll be looking up those places ya'll suggested. Also I'm a girl and so is my friend; next time I'll be sure to be less androgynous in my posts
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Old 08-04-2011, 10:09 PM
 
Location: Chicago
319 posts, read 604,148 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newtoyou4ever View Post
Thanks guys! I'll be looking up those places ya'll suggested. Also I'm a girl and so is my friend; next time I'll be sure to be less androgynous in my posts
No problem.

You can take a cab then from Danny's then, lol. I'd also suggest riding in the Happy Cab. Send me a private message and I can give you his number if you like. It's a pretty surreal event, if he is in the right distance. Plays funk/R&B, has christmas lights in the car, flashes the indoor lightswitches at intersections, all around very, very amusing. Has candy, and articles about him taped to the roof that came from Chicago Tribune newspapers, though I don't know how many years ago they wrote him up!
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Old 08-04-2011, 10:18 PM
 
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Originally Posted by RingWalk View Post

I would steer clear of downtown. Hotels bars and the Viagra Triangle are pretty much your only options. Division Street is a puke fest.
What is "Viagra Triangle"? It sounds like a really bad porno/ sex toy...
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Old 08-04-2011, 10:31 PM
 
Location: Chicago
319 posts, read 604,148 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newtoyou4ever View Post
What is "Viagra Triangle"? It sounds like a really bad porno/ sex toy...
It's an area north of the loop (or north side of the loop, never end up spending time there, so don't know the official boundaries) where all the old guys go to pick up all the young women.

I find the loop, and most of the directly adjacent areas, excruciatingly boring and expensive for night-time activities. I do enjoy some of the techno-esque music at Visions though. You have to know which night to go, and usually that is Saturday, and not every Saturday is good. There are two parts to the club too, and the one you first see when you get in is the sucky one. The second part, plays some more electronic styles of music.

If you are new to the area too, make sure you hit up some of the great BYOB dining locations, especially out in wicker-buck. 90 Miles Cuban Cafe and Irazu are fresh in my mind, and very tasty.

Good luck!
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Old 08-05-2011, 07:23 AM
 
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I would strongly consider Bucktown/Wicker Park. As someone said it does have an alternative vibe, but it also has a little bit of everything, yuppie bars, sports bars, hipster bars, clubs, etc. It really has a good mish mash of people.

Honestly, I think Wicker Park/Buctown's nightlife is what an urban city's nightlife should be like. Diverse, interesting and dynamic. Just walking around the six corners at the border of wicker park and bucktown is awesome, all the diverse people, food vendors, music blaring from the bars, awesome architecture, gritty feel, El roaring above, really gives a unique and cool urban experience.
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Old 08-05-2011, 07:34 AM
 
1,210 posts, read 3,061,279 times
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Originally Posted by newtoyou4ever View Post
What is "Viagra Triangle"? It sounds like a really bad porno/ sex toy...
Viagra Triangle is the street name for the area along Rush in the Gold Coast. It gets the name from the rich old men that hang out in certain bars/restaurants in order to pick up gold diggers/high end prostitutes.

Nice area though
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Old 08-05-2011, 07:36 AM
 
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I don't necessarily agree that downtown is boring. How about the Roof at the Wit Hotel?
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