Went during the cabaret night and really enjoyed myself. Got there during Happy Hour 6-7pm and and tried their holiday martini. It was a delicious mix of apple and caramel. They also have a photo booth that you HAVE to be ready for because the machine doesn't give you a good warning on when it's going to be taken. The atmosphere is very dark and intimate that is a great spot for date night. I think my favorite part was great music and the fun, very useful vending machine by the bathroom. (see below) Unfortunately the boneless couches were a hazard and really struggled to get up since my knees were were up to my chest. read more

Dorothy Downstairs - Vending machine with all the essentials - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love the vibe of Dorothy. We come here for a pre-dinner drink. It's so cozy downstairs. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. The handcrafted cocktails are unique and very tasty! I know there are lots of events going on here so make sure you check out their social media. read more

Such a fun space! Loved the decor inside and how safe it felt. Would love to go back and try some more drinks read more

Dorothy Downstairs - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It was very lowkey and the drinks were extremely strong ngl. Me and my girlfriend felt really safe and welcomed. I like the free vending machine they have there filled with different stuff. We also enjoyed the Photo Booth a lot. Very nice place! read more

Dorothy Downstairs - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is amazing!!! Talk about amazing drinks, great vibes and killer couches!! Stopped here for a friend's birthday and had the best time!! STRONGLY recommend the reverie drink! Perfect balance of sweet and refreshing!! Bar tenders work fast and are super nice! read more

You walk in and think "I want my living room to look just like this"! It's chic and inviting and cozy, all in one. Dorothy is a lesbian bar, and I was told that lesbian bars historically don't do well. And yet, Dorothy feels like it's on top of its game: exceptionally good drinks (and Mocktails), friendly staff, aspirational decor and fun events. I was there for the movie release of Broken Bone Bathtub- an immersive theatrical experience. People were walking in during the very last part of the Q&A, and the gal running that personally invited everyone in. She made sure to tell people entering "it's OK to come in, Welcome, bar is right over there!" I thought that was so, for lack of a better word, nice. There was no rushing or roasting people because she had a mic. The bathrooms are clean. The parking outside is easy. Their hours are 6-11pm so you'll be in bed by midnight if you make it a "late night". Is this the way of the future? Reeeally great cocktails, reeeeeally great events, reeeeeally great feels? If so, this straight girl is coming to a lesbian bar near you;) read more

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Love this spot for a well made cocktail and a retro vibe. Drinks have crept up in price quite a bit in the last year though, and their happy hour has been slashed to a tiny menu, hence the loss of a star (used to be half off if I recall correctly, now it's just three drinks on the menu that are discounted to $10ish). But a great community spot. Lots of events, so make sure you check instagram before you walk into a ticketed sold out event and have to find an alternate spot! read more

Dorothy is a 70s inspired lesbian cocktail lounge bar. Ample seating, great drinks, and a cute little photo both! I got the San Junipero it was very refreshing and a good size for the price. It's a little hard to find at first but make sure to go through the red door on chicago ave. read more

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Oh how I wish my living room looked like Dorothy. The 70s decor is cozy and inviting while remaining deeply cool, and I firmly believe all bars should have photo booths. My partner and I visited during happy hour and enjoyed several drinks plus the caviar and chips. The staff was friendly and helpful, making great recommendations. My partner had a tiki-esque mocktail that was so tasty; we love to see a bar that has a mocktail program that clearly had just as much intention as a cocktail program. Perhaps most importantly, Dorothy has been a queer space for years, and I feel passionately about patronizing queer spots to ensure they exist for years to come. read more

My wife and I came here during our trip to Chicago in November this past year. Between the speakeasy feel of the entrance, the playlist, and the cozy basement vibe, we were completely obsessed before we even had a drink. I think we tried every seasonal cocktail on the menu and there were no misses. Bartender Lu was hooking us up and we definitely left with every intention of returning for every trip! read more

I've been to this place a couple of times, both on a Saturday. I had a great time both times. The place is nicely crowded and the vibe is really chill. Good mix of friendly people. And no, the lesbians did not attack me read more

Absolutely great bar. Amazing cozy atmosphere with great spaces to socialize or bring a date . Bartenders were fast and friendly and I appreciated the $4 PBR drafts. The beer list could probably add a few choices for the craft and IPA people out there. I love the downstairs layout and going through the hidden red door on Chicago. Felt like I was back in time . read more

WOW!! Almost tempted to move back to Chicago just to be close to this bar! Lesbian bar #6 on our bucket list and we went for NYE. We had such a fun time at Dorothy. The vibe is so cute and cozy with velvet couches and pillows everywhere. There's a photo booth as well for $6.50. We got there early and had a drink at the bar and then snagged a couch spot for the show! All of the NYE drinks were incredible. My favorite was a gin drink with strawberry, basil, and black pepper - so good!! The bartenders were great as well - I ordered one of the drinks with egg white and they were so excited to make it! I would be here all the time if I could. Definitely want to make a return trip soon! read more

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really cool seventies vibe with cool lighting and big couch-ish seating, they had hard kombucha when we went which was so good, awesome space read more

Dorothy Downstairs - view from the back corner - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I could see this being a really amazing spot and I wish I had more time in town to experience it again! The vibe, music, COUCHES/BEDS - amazing! Also the fact that it's pretty much all queer women is absolutely perfect. We came around 10pm on a Friday and it took about 20 minutes to get a drink, so prepare to wait and not have somewhere to sit unless you get there early! read more

One of my favorite spots in the city hands down. A cozy, unintimidating queer bar. The drinks are great and the layout of the bar itself lends to multiple "zones" in my opinion so if you're going for a social time, the bar rocks, or if you just want to be alone around people, there are plenty of nooks to tuck yourself into as well. Love the live music schedule and there's always something fun scheduled (book reading time on sundays?? 10/10). Everyone there is hot and kind and its just nice to have a sexy little neighborhood queer bar, ya know? read more

The vibes down here are immaculate and very comfortable. There's a great cocktail menu and they make them so well. The service was also great and bartenders are all friendly. Definitely check this out if you're looking for a queer friendly, safe space to socialize or grab a few drinks. read more

Best lesbian bar close to us! The drinks were amazing and the service was top notch. It had a very sexy ambiance and everyone is very friendly. read more

i didnt have an amaaazing experience at Dorothy but i would try again. the bartender working was super sweet, and made me a delicious drink. the vibes were good, but minimal. maybe that was just cause of the day i went. i went alone, and wasnt feeling entirley comfortable being alone there / maybe others weren't feeling me. id come back with friends. but it was hard to interact with people who were already with friendsss or peoplee which was sad to me cause i thought the crowd would be more approachable. they all seem cool and awesome tho read more

OVERALL: Love the vibe here, and drinks are so tasty. DRINKS: We got a complimentary glasses of bubbly for their grand reopening that was the perfect pick me up. We then got "exactly the right thing" which was a Prosecco & clear liquor based drink with a hint of cayenne which was so interesting, but also so tasty. PRICE: $9-$12 for a cocktail which is pretty standard. ATMOSPHERE: It's a 70s vibes with big comfy couches, retro decorations - this is such a cool place. Plus it's located under the split-rail for true speakeasy vibes. SERVICE: You feel like a friend here, even if you didn't know anyone. So kind, and so willing to walk you through the drinks. read more

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I've been going here for the last year and it's been one of my favorite bars in Chicago. I try to make it to every fruit salad open mic event because they're always so great. Dorothy is always full of life and good energy and hot gay people. The cocktails are so good and creative, too. I hope this bar stays thriving for decades to come read more

Dorothy Downstairs - a stage set up for a concert - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Coolest bar I've ever been to. The couches, the disco balls, the general feel of being in a well-appointed 1970's basement. The drinks are delicious and priced on par with other stuff in the neighborhood. Bonus points for a Photo Booth and really kind staff. read more

Dorothy Downstairs - Couch area - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really wish I had a place like this where I live. Really cozy queer bar with excellent cocktails and really sweet clientele. Came for karaoke and had a blast. Staff were welcoming and responsive. This place is a total gem. read more

Incredible vibes, delicious drinks, and beautiful people. Karaoke night is definitely a highlight of the city, the energy was infectious.

Amazing ambiance. Very popular but not super packed. Great place to go on a date. 99% female presenting but any LGBTQA person is welcome!

I came in here because I was looking for a queer space in Chicago and I was truly surprised. The NICEST staff, the absolute BEST vibes, all with gorgeous, delicious, and UNIQUE drinks. Want to walk into a different world? Come here. Dorothy Downstairs is where it is at and filled with queer joy. 10/10 read more

Dorothy Downstairs - The Empress - WOW - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Where do I begin? The experience was so unpleasant I'm writing this review from the car outside the venue. If you're looking for diversity, go anywhere else. They know their target audience: white queers. In a room full of at least 75 people, there were 4 people of color. The venue does require vaccinations but there is ZERO air circulating through the room. You knew this because of the smell of warm sweaty bodies fanning themselves with the drink menu. A drink menu that was affordable but lacked imagination. Because I couldn't find anything that interested me on the drink menu, I ordered a very simple gin and tonic with lime and my partner ordered a ginger ale. A bartender (curly haired mohawk) that had previously ignored us after making eye contact made sure to follow about payment before our drinks were even made by another bartender (medium length dark hair). Now remember I ordered a gin and tonic with lime and a ginger ale... I was give what tasted like lime juice with tonic water and a glass of ginger beer... Brown, queer, looking for a friendly environment with a decently made drink? Find another bar. read more

Had the most horrific abusive experience at the door of this venue. My friend is Djing and show sold out. The evenbrite said they put us on a waiting list. Me and 2 friends decided to come down and see what we had to do to exercise the waitlist. We were able to get any answered. A patron with a ticket and friend of DJ said they would find out. They came and asked us to come to the front door and talk to bouncer to inquire about the wait list. He said there is no such thing. Upon inquiring about what the wait list in event brite protocol is he became extremely agitated and was extremely aggressive. It was really scary. This is at bipoc clients who hold multiple marginalized identities. It was fucking scary. I am still shaking. I we still don't have any answers and I seriously feel traumatized. How are you going to attract such vulnerable populations and have the client facing person be so aggressive unhelpful and down right scary. I am so freaked. I have felt safer in more cis het spaces than I do here. Wow. What a violent unethical dangerous bait and switch read more

Super friendly staff! Great vibes! Wish they weren't out of certain product to make certain drinks but over all great experience.

Such a sweet spot! Came out with my friends and girlfriend here back in February. The atmosphere is super inviting and they have a great ambience and decor! Love finding some great queer spaces! read more

what a beautiful queer oasis! My partner and I just got engaged and were met with lovely service and excitement. The drinks were funky and delicious. I felt so safe here. The decor takes you back to the 70s with retro and charm. Don't sleep on this place- it's the lesbian spot to be. read more

Was kicked out of this bar and it wasn't because of my behavior. I was sober and had to be there for maybe 5 mins just standing there. Apparently if another patron is friends with the staff they're cool with kicking out whoever they want for no reason. This isn't a safe space for anyone outside of their inner circle. Go to Nobody's Darling instead where it's a safe space for everyone. read more

First of all the place is so cute. We went after dinner at Split Rail. Our waiter guided us through the restaurant rather than going through outdoor entrance. They really committed to the speakeasy vibes; the décor and the the music really add to the experience. The bartenders were all super friendly and the drinks were thoughtfully made. Bonus: they have a photo booth. read more

My girlfriend and I were visiting from LA after moving from Chicago several years ago and were so excited to check out this new WLW bar with a few friends! The decor is amazing and it was great to be in a queer space outside of Boystown. There was, however, one incident that left a sour taste in my mouth. It was a busy Saturday night with not a lot of open spaces to post up. We ordered our drinks on one side of the bar and then spotted a newly empty spot on the other side. My friend and I went to grab that spot and wait for the others. A bartender came to ask if they could get us anything and we told them we had ordered on the other side and were waiting for our friends. About a minute later, we both see this bartender speaking in a very annoyed manner to another bartender, gesturing toward us, and saying "they're sitting at the cocktail bar and not ordering any drinks." The other bartender came and asked if we needed anything and I, once again, explained that our friends were bringing our drinks, just as they all walked up. Having served in bars and restaurants in NYC and Chicago for a decade, I understand getting annoyed and not always having the best time at work, but this is a queer space and should be working to make everyone feel welcome. I didn't feel very welcome after this. Great bar, despite the negative interaction! read more

Lovely ambiance, the drinks were delicious and I would definitely revisit sometime in the future!

Great atmosphere and fun drinks! Easy to find a spot near the bar but also some secluded couches and tables. Bartenders were super friendly! read more

10/10 what else can i say. drinks are yummy. the hot queer bartenders are perfect humans. last time i was there they made me a drink item not on the menu and it banged. great place to make and take friends. 70s vibes with lots of seating a chill energy. read more

it's very cute inside and people n staff are friendly. lots of beautiful seating- those are the good things. but I'm really just trying to find a reason why 2 of the 3 dyke bars in Chicago close at midnight. I feel like we're being tossed crumbs and the community is so desperate we eat it up. this place closes early as hell. and we wonder why dykes bars keep closing? drinks are fine, bar is a lil understaffed and the music is baaaaad. who chooses the music? Such a pretty place with a luxurious interior should be setting trends, not regurgitating old tired tropes about what gays want to listen to. hire local queer DJs. get curated playlists. and stay open till 2! read more