In my opinion Smart Bar is one of the best clubs in Chicago for folks who are serious about electronic music. They bring in some of the best names in electronic music and also some amazing up and coming DJ's as well. People often complain about the cover but you really get what you pay for. The sound system is great, the staff is fast and never unfriendly, I've never ran into seedy people or trouble makers. I've yet to have a bad experience. The drinks are strong, the dancing is fun, the music is amazing, the place is clean. If you love electronic music that isn't too mainstream and you love to dance without people getting up in your business this is definitely the spot. read more

LOVE for Smart Bar. A club you can go to without any sort of pretense, velvet ropes for their own sake, or look-at-me-look-at-my-bottle-look-at-me-paying-$40-cover. The place is open until 4AM. They have text message specials that get you in free. They have drink specials such as $5 Three Olives Vodka Cocktails(saturday) and $3 Effen Cocktails (sunday.) The music is great, the crowd is NOT sketchy at all. Be warned... getting there for the in-before-11-no-cover special means you arrive to an empty dance floor. The dance floor gets populated by 12 or 12:30 at the latest, but you and your friend you came with have consumed a good 10 of those Three Olives cocktails by then. Watch out! read more

Fun Fun Fun! I think this is the only bar that I know of up in the northside that has a regular run of DJs that impress me. The place is about the music.. the scene is for the underground music lover. I danced my ass off and had a great time.. I could stay there till they kick me out.. Dj, keep playing my song... read more

The best dance club to go on a weekday PERIOD. Weekends are also great, but make it the place to close. http://metrochicago.com/history/ Metro Smart Bar used to be called Cabaret Metro/Smart Bar. It is one of the only bars in Chicago that has a 3AM weekday and a 4AM weekend liquor license. AMBIANCE In the beginning, the original layout was best - dark floor, with spots and strobes, sawdust on the floor, pounding heart-thumping music with a killer sound system. House is what rules in the house, but depending on the DJ. After a "lounge remodel", which nearly killed the bar, the layout has returned to a smarter lounge area, and the dancefloor separated by a wall. Still the killer sound system and great DJs, awesome bar and styles from New York (albeit from 5 years back, Chicago being in the midwest and all) CAVEATS No yuppies, and definitely check the yuppie attitude at the door. And don't dress like one. Just don't. And if you don't know what I am talking about, don't go. read more

I have been here loads of times and it is always a good party. The drinks are moderately priced and the service is usually friendly. The sound system is a Funktion One, which is guaranteed to rock your brainium all night long. I suggest bringing earplugs if you are going to a big name show because they crank it up and I love 'em for that. Having ear plugs also allows you the luxury of safely standing close to the speakers on the dance floor so that you can truly feel the bass pulsating through the literally underground night club. Before moving to Chicago from my native state of Texas I'd heard tales of the Smart Bar and it totally lived up to my expectations. The resident Dj's are internationally renowned and talent that they import is usually top notch. On a good night you can even find parking on Clark or the surrounding streets. There's even a greasy-spoon across the street so that one may satisfy their drunken munchies after a night of dancing. read more

Went here for the Justice, Trancid show. Spent about 4 hours dancing and just having a lot of fun. Drinks were good and not /too/ expensive. Lots of people were dancing and were all down with the music. Loved pretty much everything except the amazing amount of cigarette smoke. After four hours of being exposed I felt like my eyes were frying out of my head. read more

If I could give 3 1/2 stars I would. Nothing special about the space itself. Rather dark with minimal decor not in a hip way. But they make up with the lack of character with a great soundsystem. The crowd is eclectic some cool most not but all are generally up for a good time. Not much concern for dress codes here. So in summary, a great place to come if you're just looking to dance and not worried about dressing or impressing. I'd like to try it again to get a better idea of the place when a big name DJ plays there. read more

This place is amazing, especially after a concert. I've got so trashed but was with good company so we just danced all night. They have a photo booth which is cool so you can see how messed up you looked the night before. The music is really good and sometimes the people that are performing will party with the crowd that went to see them. read more

Review for musicians... err, DJs... who gig: Basement of the Metro. Don't find enough basement venues in Chicago, so I love that. Smart Bar has a separate entrance just to the south of the Metro's main entrance, next to their storefront. Fantastic and clearly loud sound. DJ booth is set up simply but just right IMO, dead center in front of a small-ish dancefloor so it's easy to watch the crowd. No separation really between you and the floor, no walled off, glassed in space... I like it like that. A better connection to the folks dancing. You can hear everything really well. Maybe too well? Well, too well for me... I'm still spinning vinyl, and not only are the cracks and pops loud and clear, but so are those not quite perfect beat matches. Ah well. The crowd is up for it and has always seemed forgiving, so long as the music is good. And if you're playing here, the music better be good. It's "smart" after all, and the crowd tends to know their music. There are two bars, one next to the dancefloor, and one in the back behind a wall. Booths line the other wall opposite the dancefloor. It goes late, which is great, and if I remember right they let in the Metro crowd on certain nights. Smart Bar is a favorite for DJs with skills and taste to match. read more

The only reason I'm writing a review of this place is that I hope to bump it up to the 5 stars. This place is good. This place is really good. I think that I haven't had a bad time here yet. Seeing the band I just saw upstairs at the Metro DJ down here afterwards is always a sweet sight. I HIGHLY recommend taking the train or a cab here since otherwise you're out another $15 on parking. If you must drive, you can usually find parking up the street on clark nearer to Irving, but you'll have to walk 2+ blocks and hopefully you aren't wearing heels and a mini-skirt and it's Groundhog day (then again, you probably won't be going to Smartbar like that, trixie.) Oh and didn't they win best club in the city last year? Come and find out why. read more

You know why I like Smart Bar? Because 10 mins or so into my first visit there, I realized that most people look as stupid as I do when they dance- if not even more stupid! Always a nice realization. Anyways, it's a cool spot- makes you feel slick being in there, and from all the listings I've seen, their nights of poor DJ choices are few and far between. The cover charge isn't awful here- usually around $10, give or take 5 bucks, and I believe it's free on Sundays. Free is always good, makes you feel like the drinks are cheaper, right? And uh, you're going to want to feel like the drinks are cheaper, cause those guys get kind of expensive at Smart Bar. All in all it's a fun place. read more

I am so old I remember when Smart Bar's decor was foldout chairs, sawdust, and grime. But I still love the nightlife and I got to boogie. Thankfully, Smart Bar has transformed over the years into a chic and sweet spot for excellent DJs to show their stuff in an intimate venue with a moody vibe perfect for anyone looking to just get their groove on and dance the night away. Seating is certainly at a premium but if you can snag a bench by the dancefloor then life is good. The music is consistently topnotch with aggressive and ecelctic programming which ranges all across the electronica specturm, the volume is loud enough to enjoy the experience but not jacked up to the point of pain, and the dancefloor itself is a perfect size to find your spot but also see what everyone is doing. The crowd is conistently well-behaved and cognizant of personal dance space, which is a real pleasure. There's not quite a "scene" here, but there's certainly notable clusters of young'uns, hipsters, and yuppies, and that's cool. Everyone's definitely got their something at Smart Bar. Now go get yours. Be sure to sign up for their texting service which sends out updated DJ listings and also allows complimentary admission. read more

Awesome bar rocking house music until wee hours of the night. Med size dance floor being watched over by a DJ spinning heart thumping beats making people jump and bump for hours. I have NEVER had a bad time at this place. The DJ himself was a bit on the rude side, but I'll let it slide because it was loud. What I like about this place is that no one cares what you look like or how you dance. Surprisingly enough, this place is in Wrigleyville too. With everyone dancing how they want, it makes for a very fun enviroment. They even have an old school photo booth in the corner for added drunken fun. Friendly staff, good people. read more

First time at Smart Bar last night for the Four Tet show. Doorman was polite and when we asked to see if it was possible to put the coat check out our cards (as we were out of cash-on-hand), the bartender called over the manager who took our coats and put them in the check for us. Very classy. The bartender was friendly, had amazing hair (seriously, I wish I'd taken a picture), and made a great gin martini. The sound was amazing and the crowd energy was palpable (altho, you know... Four Tet... how could it not?). All-in-all, a great experience. For those traveling a distance to come to a show there's a lot of cute little pre-show bars and restaurants on Clark. We stopped at Uncommon Ground to hide out til the doors opened and that was a great neighborhood joint with fabulous bathrooms. read more

Smart Bar is my spot!! Seriously, they always bring the best talent, have the best vibes and though most people disagree, the staff are a great bunch! Any night of the week this place is open I can go there and know, even on a slow night, I can hear some good beats and get my dance on...While having reasonably priced drinks! Thanks Smart Bar for not sucking!!!! read more

The layout of Smart Bar is pretty great, the drinks were fine, the people were nice. But then we were followed into the bathroom, told we were "breaking policy," then asked to go upstairs to have a talk. We got our coats, were ushered outside, and the woman facilitating this all didn't explain what we did wrong until I asked her explicitly. Turns out one of the employees claimed to have seen a friend and I snorting coke on the dance floor ( a full dance floor, mind you. We had little room to move, let alone set up lines on a hard surface we didn't have.) I asked to see the manager because the only thing my friend and I were doing was dancing and having a few drinks. It took half an hour to get 2 minutes of facetime with the manager, and then another 15 minutes to get a partial refund and big ol' fuck you from the same guy. We didn't even get to see the DJ we came to see. I hate the Metro, so I guess it's fitting I hate the Smart Bar. read more

This was one of my favorite places to go for house and techno, until last night. The doorman was so rude and mean. It was raining so hard when we got there that my girlfriend was running to cover herself right by the door and this huge security guy started yelling at her. When I approached him about it for yelling at her and explained that it was only because of the rain, instead of just leaving it alone, he started arguing with me that it was his job.... and he was so discourteous with us. We were just trying to cover from the rain and have a good time inside. Obviously he's getting pay thanks to people going in. He didn't have to be such of JERK! I love the environment at this place, but until they change that big insulting, uncivil; and discourteous guy that only needs to check your ID to get in, I'm not going back and telling everyone that I know to avoid this place because of him. read more

Thanks to Chicago Yelpers, ended up here on Saturday evening. I was was surprised by the location, as it doesn't really fit the Wrigleyville profile but had a blast! Love the large space and wide bar, which is perfect for lining up shots. Great music, unpretentious people and good vibes all night long. Next time, would love to see DJ Heather, Colette, or Kaskade here, but even with a star DJ, this place rocks and puts the house music scene in Seattle to shame! read more

The scene at the Smart Bar definitely depends on the show. For DJ sets, it really depends on the type of party being held... My experience here is that there are always more guys here than girls. If you go in with that expectation, you'll be fine --- it should be all about the music anyways. Drinks are what you would expect...but nice variety of imports. You definitely have to fight for drinks, but just work out a system and you'll be fine. The sound is fairly good, and there are multiple rooms in which to meander when you get bored. The thing i like best about the Smart Bar is the lighting --- blue, green, pink, purple....very nice. The club/bar also stays pretty cool...as opposed to other clubs that leave you drenched in sweat at the end of the night. Definitely a plus. read more

Well, I was out with some friends and we weren't ready to throw in the towel at 2AM. So to the nearest 4 AM we go! So we get to the top and are told there is a $7 cover charge. Whatever, that's not terrible, and I assured myself that their must be a packed house enjoying a DJ worth paying a cover at 2:30AM. Nope, there were maybe 15 people in the bar and some generic DJ playing generic techno with no umph, no style. We did however have a pretty good time as the sparse crowd insured our acquisition of a nice little booth in a wall, right where the bar half splits from the dance half. The little crowd did provide some entertainment with random thirty somethings rocking back and forth alone on the dance floor. I liked the look of the place, anywhere that you have to go down a dark hallway and downstairs to get to earn some cool points on intrigue and build up alone. Maybe if we'd have gone on a busier night, Smart Bar would have earned a few extra stars, but we didn't and it didn't. read more

Cool staff, decent cover (10 bucks I think), great music, and tons of cuties! Very laid back atmosphere and ample seating available. From what I remember, drinks were pretty stiff. The music surpassed all of that though! We went on Halloween so I'm not sure how it is on a regular night. The ladies room can use an upgrade though. It was grossly flooded that night. What's with Chicago public restrooms being all funky? It's not a big deal for the guys but us ladies are particular! read more

Went for Queen night and it was a blast. The crowd was varied and cool and the music made me remember why house music is so fun to dance to. Unexpected surprise and loved! read more

This bar determined both mine and a friend's ID was "fraudulent." The security guard proceeded to fold and hold both our IDs hostage. Cops came to verify them and the bouncer wouldn't even go to the car to give them the IDs to check. Of course they were verified and our $70 tickets only got us in for 40 minutes. Terrible experience and waste of money. read more

I saw Les Rhythm Digitales here before they did the make over. The new look and sound system is great. It akind of reminds me of Sonotheque. Infact, read my review of Sonotheque and replace the word Sonotheque and replace it with Smart Bar and remember that Smart Bar is located right near Wrigley Field. My biggest complaint about Smart Bar is the lack of parking. However, do not let that stop you from going. This is a nice venue with some great nights of music. read more

Too loud and too many people literally falling on the floor drunk at the end of the night, which is odd because the drinks are a little overpriced. It was nice to see the regulars getting down and sometimes the music was really damn good, but when its minimal and so loud you can feel your feet vibrate on the dancefloor, then its annoying. Honestly, I wouldn't go back, too many men grabbing at you (and I didn't even have heels and a dress on) and way too much bass drowning out the treble. zzzzzz.... read more

Da place to be back in the day, and still going strong, Once they open Chitown back up!

As a person who loves dancing, getting a kick out of cheesy pop/dance music, but hates scensters and bimbos, this place was perfect for me. I have been here a couple times after shows at Metro and I have always had a nice time. Plus my boyfriend actually danced with me here, and that itself makes this place awesome. Other then the occasional dude trying to follow you into the restroom this place is 5 stars. read more

OK, looking at the other reviews, this is obviously a place you either love or hate, with not much in between. Friends took me here on my birthday after bar hopping a bit because it was one of the few places still open. Bad idea. For one, there was a cover--which apparently you don't have to pay if you sign up for their text messages--no matter, not interested. It was a Friday night and the place was nearly empty. I'm glad I came with a couple of friends because I felt like dancing and could dance with them--even though all they play is house music--so you better like it (me...not so much). Awkward set-up, "interesting" crowd. Need help making a decision on what end of the spectrum you will fall in for Smart bar? If you like house music, don't like seeing or hearing the people you are with, only want to dance--not drink casually or talk to your friends, and enjoy hanging out with an interesting crowd--this is your place. If you would rather get a drink with some friends, chat, and dance, go somewhere else. read more

If you're looking for an amazing place to dance and see some great DJs, Smart Bar is it. Smart Bar gets in some pretty exceptional shows, and the price is usually not terribly high - if you sign up for their text message specials, you can get $5 knocked off of cover if you show up before midnight - bonus! (Disclaimer: they text a lot, so if you don't have unlimited texts, I might think twice.) The bartenders are Smart Bar are super attentive, the crowd is cool (although it does vary by show, I've never had problems with the uber douchebags you find at so many clubs), and you should have no problem finding a place to sit and sip your drink if you need a break from dancing. One thing to note - there's no real dress code here, so dress accordingly. People aren't super dressed up, so no need to bust out the stilettos and little black dress for this one. read more

Love Smart Bar!!! I went there once and have been itching to go back. While I was there, DJ Colette was on, and performing as well, and she does both just great! Her mix of house/retro kinda techno feel really made everyone in the room move. And her voice is amazing. It really was great to have a local Chicagoan doing something great and she's a regular at Smart Bar from what i heard. So if you want to dance, whether it's by yourself of with someone you went with, or just some random soul breathing in her music, then this is the place to be! It's really great too because you can take anyone there and i can almost guarantee they will have an awesome time... to your sexy club-head, to someone that practically lives at the bar down their street, to someone new in town. That's where we took my cousin who was in from SD, Cali. I'm not sure what the bar or club scene is like down there, but he will never forget it. I however, slightly forgot a few things, but the next morning/afternoon i realized how much i enjoyed myself and, "wow, I need to go there again!" read more

Smartbar - DJ Colette doing her thing! - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sorry but I had a one star experience here. The bartender was incredibly rude to my friend and me, and drinks were slightly over priced. For a 20 dollar cover, I was expecting much more. read more

For months, I heard nothing but rave reviews about the bar below metro. Things like: 'OMG DANCEATHON!!!' or 'VODKA, DANCIN, MACKIN, DANK SHITTSSS' and then i ventured to smart bar after seeing !!! (chk chk chk) at the above venue(much loathed on my part), Metro. for starters, I hate bars that have that 30 buck tab minimum on a card thing. i'm a broke chick and i don't carry cash because that's just stupid and there's no way i can spend thirty bucks on just beer alone for myself so then i get forced to buy all these drinks for other people and then shots and other shit...god! so the first and only time i went to smart bar, i ended up with a 70 dollar tab somehow (apparently certain shots were 9 bucks a pop). i was upset to say the least about the high tab but whatever, i got over it. UNTIL THE NEXT DAY... when i checked my bank account online to discover the bitches charged me TWICE! so that's 140 bucks for one night of mediocre fun. i still have yet to see that extra 70 bucks return to my bank account, even after contacting the bar itself and speaking with the owner. but i've decided i won't hold their lack of mathematical skills against them and instead only return if someone else is paying! however, on a lighter (much more pleasant) note: this place looks hip. lots of wrap around black leather seating with large screens playing whatever random japanese film is cool to play at the time and usually the bands that just played upstairs take some time to chill here. i saw one of the guys from 'holy fuck' hanging out after their show and tried to fall into his lap but he wasn't havin it. oh well. at least i got to watch my friends make out with each other. read more

I've only been here a few times but its now one of my favorite clubs. Great electro and house music and no pretentious d-bags. I love how I can go dance and not get groped by some drunken creep. The drinks are pricey, but I live in walking distance so I usually drink beforehand. The Full Shilling has good deals on weekends so you can always stop there beforehand. Also, no dress code! read more

Smart bar probably could be named smug bar. Located nowhere near all the river north clubs, this one has a name and reputation that might make you think it's full of guidos, europop, overpriced drinks, painfully loud music and nowhere to sit. You would be wrong. In comparison to entourage and sound-bar, this location has plenty to offer. They do have reduced cover via text so be sure to sign up. It's pretty small location wise, but has plenty of seating, none requiring vip. Likewise, drinks were inexpensive and nobody was pushy or rude. And the music? Awesome house that was quite original. This is a must check out location for any dancer of any age - really, the crowd is varied. read more

Please do not go here. The staff is rude and can't count money. I handed over cash for two drinks for the advertised price and then they told me I owed $5 more. If you go here, keep track of your money and don't let anyone rip you off. read more

I went here for NYE for the second year in a row. It was only $30 dollars (with a $6.50 convenience charge for advanced online tickets), and sometime during my drunken stupor I realized they had $10 bottles of champagne. Thats an A+ for NYE and is certainly one of the reasons why they deserved another star. Security was a little more toned down than usual. This may have been because they just had more people to worry about than usual. I saw one of the guys that I hate sweeping a floor instead of working the door, so that made me happy. I only saw the guy with all the piercings and the boots once, and thats cool because I've seen how he treats people so I usually like to avoid him. The sweet bartender with the cool hair was working the main bar, so that was cool. The coat check was an animal house, but it was only $2 (standard price). They did kick one of my friends out for being "too drunk to support her own weight" as she hung off of her boyfriend, but I can understand that so I won't hold it against them. read more

I dont know what's up with this bar but they suck. My.and my GF were ordering a drink and the bartender cut my girlfriend off for no reason and after she politely and quietly said vodka soda he was blatantly rude to her. Awful service, great music. read more

TL:DR We had a horrible experience with the security, which after reading many reviews of Smart Bar and Metro appears to be an incredibly common occurrence. I'm not going back, and would only recommend this place to people who think going would be worth the risk of having a driver's license stolen by needlessly hostile bouncers. My friend and I had been excited all week for a specific Friday night DJ set at Smart Bar and drove an hour in order to get there. We got there fairly early and when we arrived there was no line, one couple was let in before us but no one else was waiting to get in. The bouncer checked my ID (I'm 21), and let me in. He spent a long time looking at my friend's ID (he's 23), and eventually called one of the other bouncers to bring the ID into the club to be scanned or something. He then began insisting that the ID was fake (it's his real, California driver's license) and began treating us VERY rudely. Keep in mind that we were the only one's waiting to get in at this point and it wasn't like we were wasting his time or anything. We were hoping the other bouncer would just scan it in the back, confirm it was real, return it, and let us in, but eventually he came back and continued to insist that it was fake, refused to return it, and at one point claimed to have shredded it. He was even more rude and aggressive than the other bouncer. At this point we didn't even care about getting into the club and were just trying to solve the crisis of getting a real, necessary driver's license back. We called the cops (all while the bouncers loudly threatened that possessing a fake ID is a felony) who fortunately showed up, at which point the bouncer returned the ID to have them examine it. They ran the license and confirmed it was real, so thankfully my friend has his driver's license again. There was no way we were going to go to the club after this debacle anyway, but even so the bouncers made a point of telling us we wouldn't be let in and continued to make very rude jokes as we left. read more

My husband and I had our wedding reception here! It has been our favorite club for almost a decade, and thought... WHY NOT!! To say the least it was the party of the year. The event planning staff are awesome, and the staff was very friendly to our guests. The manager working our party was so professional, helpful, and really looked out for us. He was on top of his game keeping everything running smoothly. Not only is this the best club to go to on the weekend (best vibe, and music talent), but also an amazing place to host your own event. We could not have dreamt of a better celebration. Smartbar will always be special to us, and we will continue to go there for years to come. read more

Ended up at Wrigleyville with a bunch of 20 year olds was no fun! So I came on Yelp searching for an older crowd and found Smart Bar. Yes the crowd was older and the music that night wasn't too bad if you like electronic, house. The space was nice, not too big not too small. We made the best of the night and danced till 4am. Only complaint, what is up with all the weirdo guys? They tend to lurk around, stare, pretend they are dancing with you then continue lurking. WEIRD!! Coat Check lady was funny and nice, she says it's not usually a weird crowd, guess we went the wrong night. read more