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Nightlife and Bars in Gold
Coast/Division
The tri-level and
bustling Hunt Club is one of Chicago's best night spots.
The Gold Coast Area
Right off the Magnificent Mile are several
swanky bars and restaurants located in what is known as the Gold Coast
area. This is where Chicago's rich and famous live and play.
But this is Chicago, not L.A., so those neither rich or famous will
not feel out of place here. There are a lot of great bars in the area
and everything is within walking distance. Drinks and dinner are a bit
more expensive than in other parts of town, but all types of of interesting
people come here, making it one of Chicago's most scenic scenes.
A good place to begin is the Signature Room Lounge at
the top of the John Hancock Building. The view is the best in the city
and the atmosphere is as soothing as a massage. The bar area is small
and there is often a wait for window seats, but it provides an unforgettable
drinking experience.
Although a restaurant, Club Macanudo is a great place to have
a few drinks and smoke a few cigars before hitting the town. It has
the best selection of cigars in Chicago. This is a very upscale establishment,
so dress accordingly.
Right up the street is Whiskey Bar which is owned by Cindy Crawford's
husband. This place is exclusive to VIPs so most people are only able
to check out the action as they pass by the door.
Harry's Velvet Room is a fashionably trendy place where a lot
of single people mingle over martinis. It's a very dark and romantic
bar with great music.
Before martinis were the cool drink among Generation X, the Martini
Ranch (311 W. Chicago) was shakin' up cocktails for the locals for
decades. This is another great place to pre-party and gets our vote
as Best Martini Bar in Chicago.
Follow the yellow brick road in Ruby Slipper into the Land
of Oz. This bar has a Wizard of Oz theme and plays great house music
and acid jazz.
Pub Club's vote for one of the best bars in the city is Hunt Club
(1100 N. State). It is located in an area that is in the middle of some
of the city's finer restaurants. There is great people-watching in this
busy alcove. On nights when the White Sox are not playing, star player
Frank Thomas is usually seen having a few drinks at the bar. The Hunt
Club is a three-level bar with a dance floor upstairs and pool tables
in the basement. The main level serves food and has more of a sports
bar feel to it. There is always a great crowd and everyone is very friendly.
Rush and Division
BAR Chicago is one
of the area's most uninhibited clubs.
Traditionally, Division Street has been where the suburbanites and
tourists always hung out because there were 15 bars within a two-block
stretch. Eventually, the tourists won out, the locals having retreated
to the friendlier confines of other areas.
Lately, however, Rush and Division has experienced a rebirth. New,
trendy bars have joined the traditional haunts and a lot of locals are
revisiting the area and finding it quite fun. There is something for
everyone here, which makes Division Street the place to go for large
groups. Only the trendier bars have a cover charge, so people can freely
roam from place to place and pick their favorites.
There are the traditional places such as Mother's and Shenanigans,
but the real fun is at the newer clubs.
The best place to start is P.J. Clarke's. It's crowded nearly
every night of the week and is SRO after work on Fridays, filled with
young and professional patrons.
BAR Chicago will remind you of the best frat party you ever
attended. Girls are dancing on the bars to party songs from the 70's,
80's and 90's. Expect to hear everything from Rick Springfield to Guns
N Roses. The bar is small and it gets very crowded, but guests are guaranteed
to have a blast and relive those carefree college-age days.
Right next door is the Leg Room, which is very trendy and has
lots of funky lounge furniture. There is a good mix of people and they
are definitely here to people-watch and hook up.
The Lodge (21 W. Division) is a Chicago tradition. Looking somewhat
like a ski lodge, it is a favorite haunt of longtime barflies and frequent
Chicago visitors, many of whom don't arrive until 2 or 3 in the morning
because it stays open until 5 on weekends. The Lodge serves free chili
and peanuts and has a miniature bowling alley, which alone is worth
a visit.
Alumni Club has long been a favorite sports fan hang out, although
it can mix it up pretty good on the weekends with dance music and party
favorites.
• The
Loop.
• The
Suburbs
 Next
stop on the Party Bus: Lincoln Park/Wrigleyville!
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