Came for a drag brunch and was not disappointed. Had an amazing time food, staff, and drinks were amazing. It was an X-men themed brunch and the host Kimberly summer was amazing. Very interactive and did her own amazing performances. Servers were very nice and attentive even though it was busy. Food was also good Mac and Gouda bites were delicious. Caesar salad wrap is a must try. 10/10 would recommend!! read more

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Stopped by for a pitcher on a Friday around 8pm hoping for a fun vibe, drinks, and music, but it just wasn't what we expected. The entire bar had a drag show playing on all the TVs, and there wasn't really music or the upbeat Friday night energy we were looking for. No hate at all -- everyone likes different things -- it just wasn't the vibe for us as first-timers looking for a lively Friday night atmosphere. Not sure if this is the norm here, but just something to keep in mind depending on what type of night you're looking for. read more

So the drag performers were great, especially the host Batty and Kylee Hunter but the person who made the experience was Carlos, our server. He SERVED. Love that guy. He knows how to serve a drag brunch. Made sure the drink didn't stop, made sure we were having a good time, and was just so cool. HES THE BEST. I would come back again no matter who wa performing because of Carlos. read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It was super busy and took a while to get a drink but the selection was good and the drinks were tasty. Music was great. We decided to sit down and have some food outside. Brandon helped us and he was great. Food wasn't my favorite and I was sad to receive thick ranch with my fries but it was a bar, not a fancy restaurant. I ended up switching my husband- my Caesar wrap for his crispy chicken wrap, which I preferred. We'll return for some dancing! read more

Came back here after the lakeview run club. Great deal on Tuesdays: $5 burger and $ 3 for medelo!! read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came during Beyonce Drag Brunch weekend and was NOT disappointed!! The food was incredible, the queens ate down and the mimosas never stopped flowing! Thank you to everyone who made this such a fun time and got us ready to see Queen B herself later that night. read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Mac 'n Gouda Bites - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We're traveling through Chicago and stopped into Roscoe's--definitely glad we did! The Mac-n-Gouda cheese was rich and comforting, and the chicken Caesar wrap was seriously delicious--fresh, flavorful, and super satisfying. The atmosphere was relaxed and easygoing, just what we needed after a day of travel. Staff seemed friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. Whether you're local or just passing through like us, Roscoe's is absolutely worth a stop. So rating would be 4 1/2 if I could! read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Chicken Caesar Wrap w/curly fries! - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Service was great food was delicious and perfectly priced for the portions! Staff was so friendly! read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Chicken Caesar wrap with delicious French fries and ranch - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Boystown just wouldn't be Boystown unless Sidetrack and Roscoe's were at loggerheads drawing all the gay brethren in the city between them. This bar has the disadvantage of a $10 cover charge...or is it? It certainly controls the overflow of revelers that take over Sidetrack (review: https://yelp.to/5-O1iesIOb). That meant we could actually find an open seat here. No small feat. The other plus was that drinks were cheaper, just $6 for a Tequila Sunrise albeit a tad watery one (photo: https://yelp.to/91om4BPI6Q). The vibe was more neighborhoody than Sidetrack with the large wooden bar, pool tables, and a fireplace defining the space. When we arrived, we unfortunately just missed the drag show in the next room, but the queens were still cavorting around the bar. It's a hangout when Sidetrack becomes too much of a zoo. DRINKS - 4 stars...full glasses but a bit watery AMBIANCE - 4 stars...cozier than Sidetrack SERVICE - 3 stars...nothing all that exceptional TOTAL - 4 stars...worthwhile to make this a double header with Sidetrack RELATED - Exploring Chicago? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/44c4CZO read more

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Roscoe's has a few different rooms to explore, including one that's fully, perhaps somewhat oddly in 2024, dedicated to Britney Spears. Where most every other bar on Halsted was relatively sleepy on the Thursday night we visited Boystown, Roscoe's was nearly full and pumping with a decidedly younger crowd. Bartenders were fast and friendly. The only minor disappointment was when we returned here the next evening and found that Roscoe's was charging a $10 cover, while most other spots, including Progress Bar and the always amazing Sidetrack across the street, weren't charging to enter. read more

My friend and I came here for Wednesday Drag Bingo (Disney-themed) and it was also Kimberly Summer's birthday celebration! We arrived at 7 pm and were handed 5 paper bingo cards. Although we made reservations to ensure a table, it was clear it wasn't needed at that early time slot. (Oh, we easily found parking right near the restaurant.) The entire staff was friendly and at the top of their game with service. We were impressed! The other customers there were friendly and fun. There were quite a few vegetarian items on the menu but only 2 were vegan, so I ordered the naked nachos with guacamole and salsa. I also got the chickpea salad. Both were delish! My friend ordered the house fries and she absolutely loved them. Bingo was fun and there were drag performances between some of the rounds. My favorite performer, Olaysia, did one song that left me wanting more! Will definitely be back! read more

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IN SHORT: AWFUL place for visitors... especially those of color!! Go across the street to sidelines instead. I generally dont write reviews and when I do it is to support local businesses. Unfortunately, in this case, it is to write about the rudest service I can recall ever experiencing. A group of us visiting Chicago from Atlanta visited Roscoe's for a friend's birthday and to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. The space was pretty much empty and since there was about 15 of us we figured it would be a perfect spot to enjoy a few drinks. Unfortunately, and for no clear rhyme or reason, our service not only failed to meet our expectations, it failed to meet even the basic levels of respect. The server was avoidant, impatient, disinterested, unbothered and downright rude. He also spent time laughing at our confusion and frustration with another employee. We could not figure out for the life of us, why we were being met with such vitriol and mean spiritedness. Although nothing racially insensitive was stated, there was a clear difference between his interaction with our group vs the interaction he had with the other patrons. There was also glaring difference between our group and them.... we were all people of color. We decided to take our business elsewhere. Before leaving however we asked for a manager to discuss our concerns . As it turned out, the manager (whose name is Kyle) ended up being that other employee that the bartender was jeering us. Kyle met us with the same indifference only stating that he had just got there. Not only apology or even an acknowledgement of what had just transpired. We ended up walking across the street to a bar called Sidelines. Sidelines was AWESOME! Great energy and great service! read more

I'll start off with the food was good and hit the spot. Now being charged $11 to sit outside, server only came by to take order and give you your bill, and it was very apparent that the workers only cared about the regulars. Would never go back as other places across the street showed you respect. read more

Love the welcoming atmosphere, friendly staff and performers!!! This is the place to stop when in the area!!! read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the first places to go to if you want cheap drinks! It does get very packed and can take a bit to get a drink but they have multiple bartenders everywhere so you'll get something! I love the outdoor area where you can just have a drink and talk with your friends. Then the dance floor is quite nice as well, the music is okay! read more

Love their chicken caesar wraps! The fries are the perfect amount of crispy too! Bartender was really nice and food came out quick. I went at 9pm which was nice that they still serve food then and can stay to dance read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Chicken Caesar Wrap - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My daughter was there with some friends from college this past Friday September 19 and started to not feel well and reached out to me so that I can pick her up she had me on a FaceTime call. Once I arrived I thought I can just walk in but there was a line and I was stopped and asked to wait for the manager once I explained what I was there for. This young gentleman was so caring that he walked with me and helped me find my daughter and then ran outside to hand me a water to help my daughter he did not have to do that but he went that extra step and also for reference my daughter did not get sick because of something she had there it was some hint outside of the place. I just wanted to express my gratitude to this gentleman and hopes he reads this. Thank you again read more

A few of us girlies wanted to have a boozy brunch before the pride parade and decided to try Roscoe's. Reservations are made online through open table and confirmation messages are sent out the day before. The restaurant is such a vibe! There are multiple bar areas and a stage/dancing area in the back. The decor is slightly basic and the restaurant is kept clean from top to bottom. Even the restrooms were well maintained during a very busy weekend. The staff are super friendly and the Queens are such a slay!! They put on an amazing show and we enjoyed every minute of it. The menu is extensive and they offer a great brunch package that comes with either unlimited mimosas or Bloody Mary and an entree. It's about 50$ per person. The package is worth it in my opinion if you plan on drinking more than 4 or more mimosas/Bloody Mary (it's 11$ a drink otherwise and around 15$ for an entree). The food was delicious and super satisfying. The portions are honestly HUGE. I had the watermelon feta salad and it was extremely refreshing on a hot summer day and paired really well with the mimosas. The crispy chicken wrap was a table favorite, so definitely try that! Highly recommend! Till next time. read more

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Came to Chicago with my partner in September and decided to hit every gay bar we could in one night. Roscoe's was first and had the best drinks, they were strong and a great value. The service was super quick. We didn't have time for food but it smelled great, that's my one regret. The vibes were excellent - it was already packed by 5 or 6pm. Pretty amab-heavy, very het-friendly. read more

It's fun because Yelp easily shows why Roscoes has long fallen off and is so dumb now: mostly full of out of towners and straight women. Scroll through this collection of comments if you don't believe me. It has always leaned a little this way because it was a cute, big, relaxed place with pitchers of cocktails but it is way too crowded during the weekend and has lost most of the neighborhood magic it once had. Still sometimes fun during the weekdays. Nostalgia keeps this place meaningful for the community and it was once a place people cut their queer performance teeth. If you are visiting from out of town or are a straight woman who wants to get in line to have a girls night in the garden of gay. you will have a wonderful time if you like waiting in line for a crowded bar on the weekend! read more

Was visiting from out of town. In the grand scheme of LGBT bars it's pretty good. The drinks are shockingly cheap at $6 each. The dance floor can get pretty crowded and foggy, but there are nice tables outside this near the bar area that you can hang out at if that's not your speed. The outdoor area could use some work. And the front part of the bar is underutilized (the one bar was actually closed when we were there so the tables seemed very random). read more

We were crunched for time before a concert and we're looking for some fast casual options in the Lakeview neighborhood. Roscoe's was busy with drag queen Disney bingo on a Wednesday night, but we were still able to order food and drinks and leave within an hour! The gouda burger was amazing!! There are tons of LGBTQ events that happen throughout the week. Glad I got to experience some Roscoe's magic! My star rating: 5 - must go!!! 4 - liked it, give it a try! 3 - it was alright 2 - I probably won't go back 1 - turnaround and run read more

Always a fun night at Roscoe's! I love the separate rooms with different vibes. Drinks are cheap and service is always good! There is often a $10 cover but I think it's worth it :) read more

Last night my friend and I visited Roscoes to watch a drag show and here is our experience: The food was great we had some bar snacks which we enjoyed! The loaded fries were my favorite and the mini corn dogs were crispy and warm. I was surprised at how salty the pretzels were though, I had to scrape the salt it was covered in to eat it. They had three drink stations which was convenient but I feel like the drinks they served weren't very strong. I had three drinks (two vodka cranberries and a prickly pear margarita) which were both too sweet and it was hard to taste the alcohol in it. It was also concerning how packed it was that day (given it was a busy St. Patrick's day so I wasn't too shocked) but it felt like being in a can of sardines. The atmosphere was pretty decent and the service was quick. We had a waiter that was not very friendly to us which upset my friend a lot but we had another waiter who was friendly too and doted on us. This isn't my first time at Roscoes so I know that it can get crazy on busy nights, but I think I will leave it as a solid three stars! If they made their drinks a bit stronger it would've gotten a 4 stars! Thank you for the experience read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Roscoe's Homestyle Fries Mini Corn Dogs Soft Pretzel Sticks - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Horrible place, they refused me service because I was "too drunk" on a Tuesday night. But I'm writing this 10 minutes later. I'm not drunk, and when I tried to ask the manager (Eric?) why they wouldn't serve me he dismissed me. Carlos the bartender sucks... makes up stories about people being too drunk read more

Drag in Chicago is top tier and Roscoe's is one of my favorites. Saturday brunch XYZ had three shows and accepts reservations. I caught the middle show and it was as so much fun. Multiple entertainers and a lively crowd. Lots of food and drink options, something for everyone. I had a salad and RedBull with water. Will definitely be back. read more

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This review is specifically for Bryce who was working the MIB viewing party on May 30th. I've been to Roscoe's regularly and love it. But on this day he was working and really dampened my mood. So I'm standing at the bar patiently for a while, did not roll my eyes, make a single comment, or anything because I see that it's busy. After about 5 minutes or so, he turns to me and my friend and says while rolling his eyes "in case it wasn't obvious, we're not serving out of this well". It was rude and uncalled for when a simple "this is the service well would've sufficed. That being said I assume he works the service well because he doesn't have a customer facing attitude. read more

Absolutely horrible service! The worst service I have ever had! I will not return. Waiters, hosts and bartenders were incredibly rude to my entire group of friends. It was appalling behaviour! I felt terrible for my friends who had to deal with them when they came in from out of town and were so excited to be a part of an expected great night out! do not support this business. read more

You have to come to Roscoe's at least once when in Chicago and definitely one of the most popular spots in Boystown. There's always something going on, drag shows, live djs etc. I went in a Saturday night and it get busy around 11 and before the space is smaller than I imagined, it gets pretty packed quickly but the vibes are great! The drinks are super affordable and the staff is really nice! read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The good: fun ambience, good music (top 40 pop), and great drinks. I really enjoyed that the bartenders know their drinks well, from well to tier drink recommendations to cocktail and mixes, they know what their talking about. They're also super friendly, very nice and approachable. It is a gay bar so expect a wide range of patrons but you can't not have a good time here. The okay: the food. I decided to have dinner here and their food menu looked good enough. I ordered the avocado chicken sandwich and it was bland. The chicken tasted flat and the coleslaw with the avocado tasted unseasoned. The fries was over seasoned, just a mouthful of salt. I noticed not many people were ordering food (either cos it's a bar or they just know how the food is, not sure). read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Avocado Chicken Sandwich - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Unfortunately, no longer a gay bar, but a "safe space" bar. Women now outnumber men, which is totally fine, but I don't want other gay men to expect to come here to meet other gay men. You will meet plenty of friendly and open-minded women. read more

Fantastic show and fantastic food. The service was top notch. You must do the brunch! $45 gets you 1 bloody Mary, 1 entree, and bottomless mimosa x 2 hours. So worth it because the ambieance and entertainment is unbelievable. read more

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fun place in Boystown with multiple bars, a patio, and a dancefloor! the DJ played remixes of top 40 songs that were fun to dance along to. The fog machine on the dancefloor did drip something hot that burned myself and another patron. There haven't been any covers the times I've gone. read more

Roscoe's Tavern - outside - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TYRONE KILLED IT. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING WEDNESDAY FUN!!!!!!! The songs they played were my entire childhood! Thank you for all of your positivity and kindness!!! read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Irene was delightful she took great care of us! Love this place! I got some delicious fries and some Jell-O shots and Cam is awesome too! Thank you for your services :) read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Love it - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Rude guy at the door. I showed him my ID. I could t hear anything. He then grabbed me and said Sir. I still couldn't hear. I'm 60. He said show me your ID again. I said, " I just did." He said, "No, you just walked past." When so did show it to him for a third time, he didn't check it. I don't think they like old people here. I was also brining my niece and six of her friends. We had one drink and then went to Sidetracks. read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Don't bother. - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had the best birthday brunch here! Performers were amazing and the food & service were both excellent read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Breakfast burrito - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Stopped by for a drink our last day in town. I was not impressed, to say the least. The bar is right in the middle upon entering so you think high top tables on both sides are in the bar area, but nope! Told the host/server that we were just here for drinks so he directed us to the left but it was rather dark and no window seating so we switched to the opposite side. When I approached the bartender he said we were at the dining area and we could order from him but a server would be right with us. He was nice but kind of copped a little attitude about it. Server was somewhat unattentive since we moved, but whatever...also very pricey. read more

Visited here last night with my girlfriend! Our waitress was so sweet and gave us great drink recommendations. We there on the early side so it wasn't full but the music was bumping (great songs queued) and i could tell it was a good time. I got the prickly pear margarita and my gf got the patio punch. the patio punch was better than the margarita but both were tasty! will come here again when i'm back in town read more

Roscoe's Tavern - Bar area with troye sivan rush playing - Gay Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for New Years! Beware of the New Years cover fee of $30 but 5 stars because TOTALLY WORTH IT. Literally the funnest New Years I've ever had. I bought 6 jack and cokes which amounted to a pretty penny at $8/drink but they were pretty strong and definitely delicious. The music was spot on, definitely what my friends and I expected. They also had fun New Years attire, like tiaras and horns, and had a nice alcoholic slushie station (of which my friend bought 2). It was the right kind of atmosphere, where there were enough people to make it feel like a party but not so much that you were suffocating. This was definitely a night to remember! read more