If I lived in Chicago, at least in the North Side, you'd probably find me here a lot. That's…read morebecause it felt less like a bar and more like a gathering place. Or I guess I should say a "gay-thering" spot. Spreading over two floors, it manages to be spacious and cozy at the same time. There are bars on both floors which makes hanging around super-convenient. As expected, there are pool tables as well as skeeball and darts. Watch out for the latter as they fly right in front of the stairwell. Jamie W. and I settled down on the main floor and had their special $5 Margaritas (photo: https://yelp.to/dK4BE5czs3). What made them special? Hey, they're $5. Needless to say, we had a couple each and were feeling no pain with the friendly staff and customers to be found here. DRINKS - 4.5 stars...did I mention the $5 margaritas? AMBIANCE - 5 stars...fun and chill SERVICE - 5 stars...doubly chill TOTAL - 5 stars...gay-ther together RELATED - Exploring Chicago? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/44c4CZO

Love playing bingo here on Wednesdays! Cheap drinks and good vibes. Nice neighborhood spotread more

We went to Immm Rice & Beyond, but there were no seats so we sat at Mao bar instead. I'm so…read moregrateful for the bartenders, Lew & Ken, who were such a joy to chat with! They were so kind and funny. The food and service were 10000/10! I would come back just for them.

Mao bar definitely lives up to its name!…read more Mao in Thai means drunk...but don't worry if you aren't looking to get smashed you can most definitely still have a fab time in the neighborhood! This is located inside Immm Rice & Beyond. It use to be BYOB but since they've received their liquor license they have pumped up their drink options. I love the fun cocktails with the unique housemade infusions. My fave is the "Cool Water" with a smoky and spicy kick that leaves a slight tingle to your lips! They also have a really tasty mocktail called Pinky in Love with lovely fruit notes- as well as a CBD cocktail and a variety of fun southeast Asian fruit drinks like Longan. On Friday and Saturday the bar stays open later with a limited kitchen menu. Great spot to meet up with friends and chat the night away. Service is attentive and friendly. Street parking is available.

Not sure how I missed this joint but so glad I found it. Larry's is a small cocktail bar in the…read moreLawrence House, which was built in 1830 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Because it is located in the lobby of the apartment building, it is not something you see from the street. The bar itself is very small, but there are multiple seating options outside of the actual bar. You are permitted to take your drink to the lobby or to the outside patio area. Both are nice and allow for a pleasant drinking experience, but folks that live in the building sit there as well, on laptops or reading. The vibe of the bar is super chill, with this crazy red hue that I love. I am not a big cocktail person per se, but if you are into them like The Queen is, then you are in for a treat. There are also non-alcoholic selections for wines, beers and cocktails for those that require that. In addition they also have bubbles, so that is a win for me. In addition to great cocktails and bubbles, they also do "Summer Movie Nights" on the patio. You can bring a blanket, grab a drink and enjoy. Larry's does not serve food, but you can order something to eat from The Uptown Deli (which has good sandwiches). There is street parking on Sheridan and it is about two blocks from the Lawrence Street El stop (once it opens again). Now that I am aware of its existence, I will be back to chill and have bubbles, and maybe catch a movie.

Love the vibes and energy here always. They also have super fun trivia on Wednesdays and it's…read morealways a blast!

My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025!…read moreRestaurant: 59/50 Month tried: October Favorite dish: Fried Pickles We've heard so much about the legendary Carol's Pub and were happy to finally swing by for drinks and music. I can't really rate it as a full restaurant yet because we only had fried pickles, but the menu is small and simple and smelled delicious. The serving of pickles was HUGE! Fit for like six people, not just the two of us. And they were yummy. The artist playing when we went was great. I've heard the music lineup is always reliably good, as are the events. It's high on my 2026 goal list to come back for karaoke, bingo, and drag brunch.

Staple in the Andersonville area for the good old classic bar experience in Chicago. Great draft…read moreselection, good food options - though I will say their idea of tater tots is maybe a little unique (but still good!). Go if you want to catch the local game, go if you want somewhere low key and straightforward, go if you just want to experience local Chicago.

I love this bar so much STILL…read more Gay, straight, whatever - just behave. We always end up chatting with fellow Andersonvillans when we go here. Daily specials. If you love dogs (is there a person who does not?) go here on a Saturday! It's DOG PARTY! I try to pet as many pups as I can, but truthfully, they are catching up with their dog friends. The perfect description of this place was uttered by my good friend, the legendary John B (may he RIP). It's a casual neighborhood bar that just happens to cater to a mostly gay clientele. Go here, make new friends. Pet dogs. Quaff a few.

Imagine being banned because of you called the ownership transphobic and racist due to their own…read moreactions. When I went here, I would CONSTANTLY either go through slower service bc the staff is more attentive to their conventionally attractive white male customers, or get subtle discrimination from white patronage. When I voiced this to owners Mike and Mark, they said I was "making false accusations" for something I EXPERIENCED bc it "wasn't seen on camera" or "the staff said it never happened". Never is accountability taken. The prior issue with staff is absolutely NOT an isolated issue: the reviews I am sharing say the same thing. They can't be found anymore because ownership uses their staff and followers to harass them, silence them, then ban them. When it comes to accountability, the ownership of this bar will be fast to call it out from others, but when it comes to THEIR actions, they will use DARVO to abuse their victims and silence them. This bar is absolutely NOT a safe space for black or brown women and trans folk. Please hold the ownership and other figures in power who enable this abuse accountable for their actions. They should not be allowed ANY access to positions of power. There's a new leather bar called Chicago Eagle. I'd recommend giving that a try.

Have never met a bartender so mean…read more The Temu Ed Harris made sure we knew we weren't welcome. Go for the stale Schlitz on draft, stay to be glared and sneered at. Oh, and don't be paranoid and think it's just you. He hates all of us.

They don't serve Absolut...?! In a Swedish bar, in a gay neighborhood?!…read more Bad business misunderstanding reality, and rude service. I wish I could support a local place like this, but suggest going anywhere else. Wil's and Atmosphere are nearby!

In honor of Women's History Month I would like to update my review of Nobody's Darling to state…read morethat the lovely owners of this fine establishment are still doing their thing. Nobody's Darling is not just to have a chat and cocktail, they offer quite a few events for folks to attend. Below are a few examples of the swinging times you can have there. In 2026 I am so happy that they are still in business and thriving. The vibe is still cool, the menu for the cocktails is still exciting and the crowd is eclectic. Wine Down Wednesday Unwind midweek with Happy Hour 5-7pm $7 glasses of wine $20 bottles Thursday: Pitch Your Peeps Help your friend find love (or vibes). Pitch them to the room - all relationship styles welcome. Feel Good Fridayz w/ DJ All The Way Kay Start the weekend right! Happy Hour 5-7pm DJ Kay live 8-11pm Sunday Karaoke All Day Happy Hour starting at 2pm Karaoke 5pm-8pm Sip.Sing. Repeat. Empanadas by De Luna Empanada 7pm-10pm DJ Gloria on the decks Cocktails flowing all night Friday, March 20 DJ Set 8-11PM

Great drinks and no douchy "bro" energy to be found anywhere. I love this bar. The staff is so…read morefriendly and the vibe of the entire experience was very appealing. It's thought of as a gay bar and clearly that's a lot of the clientele, but all are welcome. Cocktails are delicious and run about $15 each. Pretty standard pricing. They have a good selection of n/a drinks and a menu for lower alcohol cocktails as well. Great neighborhood bar

I was recently in Chicago visiting my Son in law and granddaughter (his Wife). While in Chicago I…read morebought tickets to attend the Magic Lounge. It has been one of my bucket list things to do. I first heard of the Magic Lounge many years ago and thought, one day I must go there if I ever find myself in Chicago. Long story short, granddaughter married a Chicago man, work moved her to Chicago, and my opportunity presented itself. I bought four tickets and all went on a Sunday most recently. We thoroughly enjoyed the show and the walk around magicians before the show started. I highly recommend going to the Magic Lounge for a fun filled evening and an experience you will not forget. The show is top notch and very well presented. there really is no bad seating as you are close to the stage no matter where you sit. I plan to attend again on my next trip to Chicago. Happy Magic to all. Robert T

Didn't get to try the food but had a cocktail and it was delicious. Can I remember the name of it…read morenope lol but I would have it again. Service is great very attentive even if you sit in the second floor. I love the close up magic performances during cocktail hour. I would say if you are on the first floor especially in the front row you get more magicians performing. So that is definitely one thing I would change when I go next time. I will buy tickets for the first floor preferably in the front. I enjoy the performance it was great and entertaining it definitely flew by but afterwards you can go back to the main bar and see the show. Overall it it's very entertaining and a magical spot worth exploring

Had lunch today at Little Bad Wolf in Andersonville and ordered the Bad Burger -- and it was…read morephenomenal! Two juicy patties, American cheese, house-made pickles and red onion mayo. Nothing overly complicated -- just a really well-executed burger. Little Bad Wolf has the accolades to back it up. Time Out ranks its larger Wolf Burger #1 in Chicago, while The Infatuation actually prefers the Bad Burger, saying the simpler version allows the meat to shine. After eating it, I understand the hype.

Have you ever heard the story of the Little Bad Wolf... who huffed, and puffed, and blew my socks…read moreaway because of HOW DELICIOUS of an exerience it was? YUP FOLKS. The Little Bad Wolf isn't just a story... it's a phenom dot com restaurant that you NEED to visit! My family and I visited after a Saturday Cubs game and luckily, there were still a handful of tables available and we were promptly seated. The staff were super friendly and provided excellent service! Almost everyone at our table ordered the Wolf Burger after hearing my sister and her husband rave about it. When our orders came to the table, we were all PLEASANTLY surprised at how beautifully stacked and dressed our burgers were. A triple stack of patties, topped with cheese, bacon, a fried egg, crispy onions, and housemade pickles?! That's a recipe for delicious success right there! The Wolf Burger was indeed SCRUMPTIOUS! My goodness, I am still thinking about it two whole days later and how I can't wait to revisit this restaurant and try some more of their menu items. An honorable mention goes out to the delicious fries on the side!! They were the perfect cut, well-seasoned, and out-of-this-world. I HIGHLY recommend Little Bad Wolf to all folks looking for a delicious experience! The burger is sensational, the environment is impeccable, and this is a great spot if you're going on a date or out with friends.

It's been a while since I have stopped in here and it is high time I did a review. I met The Queen…read morefor a drink at the Uptown Lounge one sunny Saturday afternoon this summer. I am happy to report that the place has not changed: still a chill vibe and an impressive beer/cider list if that is your jam, plus bubbles for me. Uptown opens from 4 pm to 4 am, so this was the place I use to hang out before shows at the Aragon and the Rivera before and after shows. The lounge still has the booths and tables as options if you don't want to sit at the bar, but me and The Queen sat at the bar. Uptown sort of reminds me of a TARDIS, it is bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside when you are just strolling by. spread out around its surprisingly spacious interior. The Queen ordered the Raspberry Beret and said it was great, followed by a Blakes's El Chavo cider (Habanero and Mango). She is big lover of ciders and according to her they have a decent list to select from. They also serve coffee in the morning, which is new for me. Not sure how that work in terms of the place being open and I don't know if they allow you to bring food into the place or not, I didn't think to ask. I do remember back in the day you could order from Papa Ray's (which closed some time ago), I will have to inquire about this as it would be nice to spend a leisurely nosh over drinks while sitting at the bar. Service was good. There were two ladies behind the bar. I think one was in training. Both were talkative but in a good way, and they took care of us. Because we were there at 4ish, it was pretty quiet and I did not mind that. The Doctor ended up joining us after completing his errands and we had a great time. We definitely will be adding this to our rotation of places to chill and have a drink.

This is a nice bar just off the Lawrence Red Line stop and close to Aragon and Riveria, so perfect…read morefor a drink before or after a show. I stopped in here once before meeting friends and enjoyed the vibes. Prices were reasonable and staff is very friendly. It can get packed with a cover but still a good time