As I post this review, Hydrate has an average rating of 3 stars, which is about what it deserves based on my experience. We were in this section of Boystown on both Thursday and Friday nights, and Hydrate never seemed busy. On Thursday evening their lighted sign above the sidewalk advertised "Sexy Gogos", but none of the staff could tell us when they'd be performing, and a bit after midnight one of the employees was on a ladder removing that wording from their sign. I guess no sexy gogos that night after all. This place features a bar room at the front, and dance floor/performance space in the rear. I imagine Hydrate could be lots of fun if and when it ever fills up with people. I personally never saw that happen during my time here, on either visit. read more

Ahh I had so much fun here when I went. I'm honestly starting to love going to gay clubs because I feel so much safer as a cis & straight woman than at regular clubs. Plus everyone here was soo freaking nice. I even met a girl that is from the macomb michigan area too here and I was like how did you get here lmaoo. But really tho, I want to go back like asap. Next time ill get a better video and pictures. *My only small con about this place is that they only have two individual bathrooms and the line is LONG af for both of them. I was doing the needtogotothebathroom waddle dance at some point in line because I was dying. Thankfully I made great conversation with the other people who were also waiting and dying. Please add another bathroom or something * read more

1. This pitiful place relies on two single-occupant restrooms. The lines are ALWAYS long, and the wait is tormented bladder agony. The multitudes dancing from the pain. It is incomprehensible that a bar serving beer would have such a ridiculous arrangement. 2. Look at the other reviews here. Over half from women. On safari. Invading what should be a safe space for guys. AND the reason for the problems and long lines with the pitiful two single-occupant restrooms. read more

I really enjoyed myself here and will go back. What did I like? There were so many other straight women there and I'm like yes they get it. It's a place where you can go and not get hit on and you can just sit back and enjoy yourself. I tipped well and had fun dancing at my table. They have a dance club, but it's not as cool as having a table in front of the bar. - Close to public transit - the men had good bodies. There was no one who was just plain. You could tell they all worked out. - Cool go go dancers - great beer specials - friendly crowd - no rowdy or unsavory behavior amongst patrons or staff Cons- - I bought one cosmopolitan and it was $26. I didn't ask for specialty liquor and I'm struggling to understand why the drink was so overpriced. It wasn't even that good. After that I just ordered beer and I don't usually drink beer. But I didn't trust that I wasn't being over charged. I want to believe they somehow thing cosmos are somehow worth $30 a glass but I don't believe it. My friend ordered mix drinks and they were on average $10-13. I was super annoyed but I kept my cool and just refused to order anymore mixed drinks after that. I think I got a few beers, and we were there a long time! My advice - take money out the atm before you go and order beer only. read more

haven't been here in a long time so I figured I'd check it out. I asked the lady at the bar for a vodka tonic and she made vodka cranberry. when I corrected her she fixed the drink with attitude threw my card and recpie at me . rude as bartender people make mistakes ma don't be mad at me be mad at yourself read more

This bar is good I just feel like if it's a gay bar then there should be more guys then girls there

I love this dance floor. Around midnight to 2 am this place comes alive. The front bar seems small and doesn't so it justice, the bathrooms are small and theirs always a line. BUT IF YOU CAME TO DANCE BABY. read more

Hydrate - a view of a city street at night - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Every time i come here it is always shady as hell. The workers there are extremely untrustworthy and scam artists so count your money if you pay cash. I was paying for a drink and the bartender snatched my cash out of my hand and said it was his now (I am not even kidding) One of the bouncers also told me friend that he can put his backpack on the side and he will watch it. A few hours later my friend goes to look for his bag and the same bouncer said "What bag?" Don't come here. read more

It was my first time here and I had blast! Went in completely alone and vibed with some really cool people and I loved the music it was one of those nights that lit me up again during this harsh winter read more

Very very spotty with days you go. Not super inclusive but I love shoving my big body in the door to get hit on by bears yaaasssss! The dancers are always very nice bring singles. The bear tenders in the front are nice but once you reach that curtain.... Girl your on your own! Service is quick and cheap but as with most gay bars the vibe is for those who go on cruises. I like it for people watching but nothing more. read more

The music is perfection! Although they only accept cash..so be prepared but the atmosphere is everything here and worth it better than any other clubs in Chicago. read more

I have to say, I wasn't really impressed with this place. It may have been the night we visited, but first impressions last a lifetime. For the most part, the place is rather nice. Lots or room to move about. Maybe that's the thing that threw us, there was too much room, as in the place didn't have that many patrons inside. I expected this place to be packed, given the fact that there was a DJ performing that night. But that was not the case. In fact it felt like that caused people to not want to come here. I did get one drink here, and it goes without saying that the service was fast. Trying to enjoy it was another thing. Completely dark with strobe lighting and a thick fake fog made for a less than desirable time to enjoy a drink. Needless to say, we hurried ourselves in here and booked it for the door. read more

Been coming to this place for years for its friendly atmosphere and hot bartenders. When you go, find Laz, he's the mega-hot that makes the Hydrate's signature chocolate martini, the best in Chicagoland! Just be careful at 3AM carrying one out there on the dance floor if you know what I mean #chocolatemartini #simplertimes read more

Fun bar with super affordable drinks! A new Chicago friend recommended it and the party was *alive* on a Sunday. Thanks for hosting!

Absolutely appalled. I had some friends visit me from Wisconsin for the week. Bouncer denied one of my friends entry and took her out-of-state ID. It's spring break and she's staying the whole week. Do not patronize this place unless you fit the norm they're looking for in Boystown. read more

We paid to get in during Market Days. They said we could take a cigarette break outside but didn't warn us there was no in/out privileges. It smelled bad inside anyway. read more

If I could give this place 100 negative stars I would! Some family and friends where suppose to go out tonight and meet up here but when one of my best friends got there with his cousin he felt so uncomfortable with How they treated him and his cousin was not the same as everyone else, and everyone around me could tell. As someone who has frequented the club, it definitely was a disappointment and i hope this doesn't happen to other people. PLEASE HYDRATE DO BETTER!!!!!! read more

Pretty pricey, music is pretty clubby and remixed, so if that's your style you'll enjoy

Great place and wonderful staff. This is my Monday night spot and the management and staff is amazing. This club is well worth my drive every week. Martin is the one of the best bartenders with an amazing personality. The management team ROCKS and Ruffy definitely keeps us entertained. You all are the best Andre read more

I am having an issue with a credit card charge from Sunday morning, July 11th at 3:07am. I tried to reach out via phone to Hydrate, however there is no answer and no availability to leave a voice mail. I was overcharged a total of $69.46 for ordering four Vodka/Sprites - $17.36 each. I don't know if this was a manual entry error or some other glitch. Typically Hydrate charges around $7.75 each for a Vodka/Sprite - The previous week I was charged $7.72 apiece by my then server Matthew. I would like to request that the Manager Brad or my server Amy please resolve this overcharge. At $7.72 apiece for a Vodka/Sprite my total charge should have been $30.88, not the $69.46 I paid. Thank you. John Edwards Thank you Mark, I appreciate your quick response. I have reached out to Grayden via email. I have always enjoyed being a regular at the various incarnations of Hydrate over the last 35 years. Although I rarely see you in person at the club anymore, your stewardship of Hydrate over the past 18 years has always made for a great night out, especially with Daniel's opening greeting at the front door with every visit. read more

I left this bar and right behind me leaving the bar was assaulted and hit in the back of the head by another patron. The blow had me falling down the steps knocked out and had a severe concussion that lasted over 2 months. I went back into the establishment to security who watched me fall as the other patron ran down Aldine street and they did nothing but tell me I wasn't allowed back in. Absolutely unacceptable. You are not safe here. read more

Super fun like disco dance hall. Plus coat check! Good staff etc fun time. Cost check is $2.

I found out about this place while i was conversating with a couple of ladies I met at a bar restaurant. My sister and I were visiting and didn't know any fun clubs to go to and they mentioned this. Then I went to our hotel bar and our bartender said it is always a good time so I got really excited about it and I really wanted to like this place. When we got to the show, we were late, so didn't have to pay cover for the show and stood at the side of the stage where you can still enjoy the show. Pros: 1 HOT male partial strip tease dancer for the show we saw and HOT bartenders (note con). Cons: Bartenders are prob gay. .great for those who can benefit. ..not so much for a straight gal. Performance was horrible. ..sorry!!!! Drinks were weak. I was hoping for a fun drag show. Maybe I'll check out the club part another time. read more

Hydrate - On my "pro" list - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Such a fun place such friendly staff. Amy is amazing, Mark was so sweet to me when i visited

It's the place to go after Roscoe's is closed. I feel like it has more dance floor space than Roscoe's. But I'm not positive. The atmosphere is definitely different compared to Roscoe's. It's darker and less open/friendly. However, I'm not there to be friendly. I'm there to dance and the music is pretty good most of the time. There's mirrors everywhere, which is handy when a girl wants to check her lipstick. :] But, I would only go here unless I'm down to stick around Boystown after Roscoe's has closed. read more

Check out the NEWLY remodeled Hydrate! Finally the Front Bar has 'flow' and the new open windows & front entry are a welcomed change! The dance floor remains similar to before with a more logical layout for staged performances, upgrades to lighting and lounge layout. Let's not overlook the remodeled bathrooms. Kudos on a job well done! read more

Hydrate - New Front bar - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Okay, as long as this bar keeps hosting my good friends in the Righteously OUTrageous Twirling Corps' fundraisers, they're going to be aces in my book. Went here on Saturday, for the amazing drag show - really, what girl does not love a good drag show, I ask you! Teri Yaki hosted a nasty, over the top AWESOME time. And they keep redecorating and remodeling, which is hot. It's different every time I come in! Which is rare, granted, but a well designed night spot always gets props from me. read more

I've been to this bar twice and left mad twice, the first time was years ago and they basically told us we couldn't come in because I'm a female, I swore I would never come back, the second time was at the most recent pride, I went to pride with my 18 year old son, all the bars were allowing people to come in and buy drinks and leave with the drinks, I had friends inside the open window who bought me a drink, I stayed outside with my son and drank from there, this douche came over to me and snatched the brand new drink out of my hand and walked away with it, telling me or was illegal, we went down the street and found a place with drinks to go. I'll definitely never be back, even if it was their policy he could have explained this to me and I would have come in. Eta in response to Mark's response, I was completely sober at my first visit, I was told it was shirts off night and that as a female I was not allowed to come in with no shirt. And like I said for Pride I was totally fine if they had just explained to me that it wasn't allowed and had me come in, or even at least explained the situation I would have been understanding, not just rudely snatched it out of my hand and walked away. We had a lot more fun just a block down the street, a lot more friendly atmosphere. ‍ read more

Hello my name is Abel , as a district manager. One thing that appreciate is great customer service. Juan, shows the epitome of a security guard who makes sure that everyone is well secure. My boyfriend had a cut, and he did his best on top of dealing with a large amount of traffic, while asking all the staff for a band-aid. That is a quality that any company would pay top dollar for. Great job hydrate with hiring staff that is empathic, while proficient. read more

The drag shows here are soooooooo fun!!! and the queens who walk around afterwards are sweet and fun too! I love this place :D I usually come here after Spin closes, and it's always a good spot to end the night. The bouncers have actually always been super sweet to me- I don't know what the rest of these reviewers are talkin about! If it's your first time here- definitely go on a drag show night!!!!!! read more

If you're visiting in the colder months where an outdoor patio isn't as important -- but don't want to visit Sidetrack, Hydrate is probably your best place to visit. Hydrate is fairly spacious, with lots of places to move around -- and really split into two distinct areas. One which is a quieter, upscale bar area that is nice to have a conversation and filled with very friendly bartenders. The other side is a nice spacious dance area, which isn't overly loud and typically isn't too crowded. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

This place is a great time! We ordered the Groupon for a table with bottle service for 10 people and they gave us everything they promised. An amazing show with a hilarious host, A bottle of Belvedere, A long table right by the stage, free entry at the door, and wonderful staff all night long! We came for a bachelorette party and the bride had an amazing time. They pulled her on stage to dance with the other brides and the performers did not hold back. The music they used was up to date and a lot of fun. The normal cover is $5 if you don't book a table which is not bad for the experience you get. They do have change so you can get $1s... so make sure you tip a lot! Honestly they were so good we did not mind tipping... We were happy to make it rain! They don't care if you use cameras to Snapchat or take pictures which is awesome. They were showing a lot of skin but we're confident in their beautiful bodies and we're happy to take pictures with us. This is a perfect place to spend a birthday or bachelorette or just to go and have an amazing time. The parking is not the best on Halsted so Uber it so you can get dropped off and walk right in. The bartenders are sassy but fun so make sure you play around with them and tip them well also. I mean 10 girls ... An amazing show... Liquor flowing ... And we spent like $300 (including the tipping) not bad at all! read more

It's really inappropriate to say you will charge cover at 11 on your advertisements and then start charging cover at 10:30.

There are obvious reasons why Hydrate is empty before 2am; its only perk is that it's a late night bar. Even then, Hydrate is just not a good place. The bouncers are rude, the bartenders are worse, and I've found major inconsistencies with drink pricing depending which bartender you visit. Furthermore, the type of people that hydrate attracts are bad--not all of them are bad, but lots of snakes come here. Many of my friends, including me, have had things stolen from pockets or bags. Management and staff show little concern and offer no solutions. And get this, on my last visit, and the reason this review was prompted, a friend of mine started a tab with a bartender with his ID and card and the bartender lost both cards. Upon closing his tab, the bartender said he lost them and said he didn't know what happened. They tried asking him to pay his tab with another card but after we complained we got it comped...as it should have been! Later that night, charges showed up on my friend's card...meaning the bartender gave away his card to someone else or used it himself. Get your act together, Hydrate. read more

Words can't describe how much I hate Hydrate, but let me try... It's not the patrons that bother me.. The bartenders are all snotty, and the doormen even snottier. And the whole place just thinks its much cooler than they actually are. The place has a SERIOUS ego problem. The last time I went there I was nearly kicked out over a bottle of $10 Dasani water I had just purchased. (Why was it $10 you ask? ...). I had opened a tab and ordered a round of drinks when my friends decided it was time to go (it was the end of the night, I hate the place, so I was more than ready). Apparently there was a $25 min on credit cards that I hadn't reached (which by the way is in violation of their credit card merchant agreement, but that's a whole other can of worms). The bartender told me this when i tried to close out my tab, so he told me to just order water or something if I didn't want drinks, because either way he was putting $25 on my card. So I ordered water... then somehow the bartender still ended up with a $10 tip or something due to the min. Upon leaving, the door man told me I couldn't take my plastic bottle of water out the door. I was pissed as it was, and I actually was thirsty. i told him I was taking the water since I had just bought it, it wasn't alcohol and it was in a plastic bottle...there's no good reason I couldn't take it. He tried to take it from my hands and I wouldn't let him and kept walking.... One of the doormen knew one of my friends and called him and tried saying I assaulted the door man. I'm pretty sure if you looked up the liquor laws, they wouldn't prohibit one from removing purchased bottles of plastic water from the establishment.... and preventing someone from getting water in a place called hydrate just seems ironic, and even moronic on their part. what a hoot. if my friends ever drag me here again, i think i'm going to take a big long pi$$ on their wall just to make myself feel better. On two other occasions, I've seen people passed out and so drugged up and they looked like they were basically ready to die being thrown into cabs and whisked away to the hospital... there are obvious reasons why they do it this way instead of calling an ambulance, but this kind of behavior just speaks to what kind of crap goes on here. There are many weekend nights when there was a $15 cover charge for no really good known reason, other than maybe some guest DJ (who the f'ck cares, its the same music you hear everywhere else) ... yet people line up and wait 45 minutes in line to get in, this isn't new york people. get a life Hyrdate! read more

We saw the holiday drag show at Hydrate last night and it was a blast. Those are some hot bitches. The staff was friendly and kind, which to be honest, I have not found to be the case at other gay clubs. (I'm sorry I'm a girl and crashing your party!) Also, while in line for the bathroom a girl said to me, "Wow, you look really pretty!" So that alone upped my experience. Blatant flattery will get you everywhere. Seriously though, the show was really fun and the performers are talented. I would go back again. read more

So much of the experience of going to a bar, or any establishment really, is the tone that the staff sets to make the experience a pleasant, positive, and fun one. It is this aspect of Hydrate alone that has earned it my one star rating. The other day, a friend and I were going to go to get drinks at Hydrate (a low-key bar located on Halsted that I'd heard good things about) but were so profoundly insulted by the woman working the door that we simply decided to leave. Her horribly inconsiderate, aggressive, and insulting demeanor were striking. I am often wary of writing reviews for places that I don't like (I don't often have negative things to say about most places I visit, and Chicago is a great city with terrific bars and restaurants), but Hydrate absolutely confounds me with its atrocious customer service. I will not be going there any time soon, and certainly don't recommend supporting such an unfriendly establishment. read more

I'm done with Hydrate. Hydrate isn't even one of my "choice" places to go. I go there on occasion for after hours if friends want to although my disgust with this bar has been growing for months. It seems like every time i go the staff gets ruder, i don't enjoy being treated like cattle, and I especially don't enjoy the Studio 54 atmosphere they try to create at the door. If i am reluctantly going to a bar in the first place please don't treat me like i'm some 21 year old dying to get in when the fact is that I'd really rather be somewhere else ..which from now on i will be.. read more

A bunch of my buddies tricked me into coming here one night, under the guise that they were already there and "the place was slammed with fine hunnies". Obviously, that was not the case. I felt like I was on a bad acid trip. read more

TOP 5: Dislikes 1 line outside/cover charge 2 CROWED!!!! 3 pricey drinks 4 the place isnt clean 5 the guys are trashy, they're like hilly billy gay guys lol i went with my gay guy friends, we stayed for a few songs-they did play good songs,ill give em that. we danced it up....that was weird there was plenty of room on the dance floor but no where else! i will not come back!!! there are sooo many other great places in boys town! read more