Gay friendly bars downtown chicago

Boystown is the oldest officially recognized gay neighborhood in the United States and is home to many of the hottest Chicago gay bars! While a few bars dot the surrounding streets, you could easily bar hop up and down the main drag all night. With that much competition, drink specials are everywhere, making it perfect for those on a budget.

The second Chicago gayborhood is Andersonville, which is adjacent to Boystown. Smartbar is on the top west corner of Boystown on N Clark Street. The venue is open four days a week: Thursdays from 9 pm until 2 am, Fridays and Sundays from 10 pm to 4 am, and Saturdays from 10 pm to 5 am. Meeting House Tavern in the Andersonville gayborhood is a place to relax and unwind with your friends.

Closed Mondays, meeting House Tavern is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5 pm to midnight, Thursdays and Fridays from 5 pm to 2 am, Saturdays from 2 pm to 2 am, and Sundays from 2 pm until midnight. For the rest of the year, it is a laid-back sports bar with arcade games and an extensive comfort food menu.

The team at Progress Bar in Boystown wanted their bar to stand out amongst the crowd.

Out and About: Best Gay Bars in Uptown Chicago

And it does! It was engineered to be visually impactful and conceptually profound in almost every way. The place feels like it flows and breathes. Resident and guest DJs provide the vibe. If you only get to visit one bar, make it this one. Progress Bar is open six days a week: Tuesdays through Fridays from 5 pm to 2 am, Saturdays from 3 pm to 3 am, and Sundays from 1 pm to 2 am.

Like the friendly bar, bears and their gay are most welcome here. Trivia and karaoke nights and bear beer blasts are held weekly. The Sofo Tap is open Monday through Thursday from 5 pm to 2 am, Friday from 3 pm to 2 am, Saturday from bar until 3 am, and Chicago from midday until 2 am.

Omelets, biscuits and gravy, and burgers are on the menu. Big Chicks is open daily, from 4 pm to 2 am on downtown and 9 am to 2 am on weekends. The kitchen hours are 4 pm to The Glenwood in Rogers Park is conveniently located near the Morse subway exit. This friendly gayborhood bar hosts weekend DJ-fueled parties and has trivia and karaoke on other nights of the week.

The Glenwood is open Mondays to Fridays from 3 pm to 2 am, Saturdays from 3 pm to 3 am, and Sundays from midday to 2 am. Mostly a leather bar, it welcomes everyone and believes in education and community engagement. Various weekly events include karaoke, themed Tea Dances, and cigar socials.

The venue is open five days a week.