Chicago guide
Boystown Gay Bars Guide: Chicago's LGBTQ Heart on North Halsted
· findlucid
Your Boystown gay bars guide: Sidetrack and Roscoe's on North Halsted, Hydrate late night, Kit Kat drag dinners, Replay arcade games, and Charlie's line dancing, with addresses, hours, and a night plan.
Walk North Halsted Street on a Friday night and you get it fast. Rainbow pylons line the street, patios fill up, and the bars of Boystown, officially branded Northalsted, run for blocks. It has been the center of LGBTQ life in Chicago for decades.
Every venue in this guide is 21 and over, so bring a valid ID. Hours and lineups change, so check the venue page that week.
The icons first, then dance floors, dinner with a show, games, line dancing, and the late night classics.
Sidetrack: the icon
Sidetrack at 3349 N Halsted St is the bar every Chicago gay night starts with. Open since 1982, it grew from one room into several storefronts and levels, with a rooftop deck. Screens in every room play videos and show tunes, and the frozen cocktails are a signature.
Musical Monday is the tradition: show tunes every Monday 8 PM to 2 AM, plus Friday afternoon show tunes from 4 PM. There is no cover. Hours run Monday to Friday 3 PM to 2 AM, Saturday 1 PM to 3 AM, and Sunday 1 PM to 2 AM.
Roscoe's Tavern: 39 years and counting
Across the street at 3356 N Halsted St, Roscoe's Tavern opened on April 1, 1987, and is now in its 39th year. Inside are multiple bars, a dance floor, and a big patio. Drag shows and RuPaul's Drag Race viewing parties anchor the week, and the crowd mixes ages more than most rooms.
Hours run Monday to Friday 3 PM to 2 AM, Saturday noon to 3 AM, and Sunday noon to 2 AM. Come early on weekends: the patio fills first.
Dance late: Hydrate and Progress
Hydrate Nightclub at 3458 N Halsted St is Boystown's big late dance room, a 21 and over club with serious sound and light. Its own site says it plainly: open until 4 AM, and until 5 AM on Saturdays. Check the calendar first: the club runs select nights, not every night.
Progress Bar at 3359 N Halsted St, at the corner of Roscoe, is the middle gear between bar and club: DJs, music videos, and 16 draft beers. It is closed Mondays, open Tuesday to Friday 5 PM to 2 AM, Saturday 3 PM to 3 AM, and Sunday 1 PM to 2 AM.
Dinner and a show: Kit Kat Club
The Kit Kat Club at 3524 N Halsted St is a drag supper club, reimagined into an art deco room after 25 years as the Kit Kat Lounge. The Kit Kat Divas perform tableside all night, the martini list runs past 200, and reservations are smart. Weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday 11 AM to 3 PM. Hours are Tuesday to Thursday 4 PM to midnight, Friday 4 PM to 2 AM, Saturday 11 AM to 2 AM, and Sunday 11 AM to midnight; closed Mondays.
Play a game, learn a dance: Replay and Charlie's
Replay Lakeview at 3439 N Halsted St is the arcade bar: free arcade cabinets and pinball, a rotating craft beer list, and heated patio. It is the easiest room on the strip to actually talk in. Hours run Monday to Thursday 2 PM to 2 AM, Friday and Sunday noon to 2 AM, and Saturday noon to 3 AM.
Charlie's Chicago at 3726 N Broadway is the country western gay bar, open since 1993. Country line dancing and two-stepping run Wednesday and Saturday 7 PM to 11 PM with a free dance lesson at 8 PM, then the room flips to an after-hours dance club until 4 AM, and 5 AM on Saturdays. No partner and no experience needed at the lesson.
The late classics: Horseshoe, North End, Steamworks
The Lucky Horseshoe Lounge at 3169 N Halsted St, on the corner of Belmont, says it has run male dancers seven nights a week since 1989; listings show no cover. The North End is the gay sports bar: darts, pool, and the game on big screens. Steamworks Baths at 3246 N Halsted St is the strip's private men's bathhouse and gym, 18 and over, membership based, and listed as open 24/7.
A Boystown night: the plan
- Start early at Replay for free games or on the Roscoe's patio while there is still room to sit.
- Book the Kit Kat Club for a drag dinner, or catch the show tunes block at Sidetrack if it is Monday.
- Dance at Hydrate or Progress, then finish late at Charlie's or the Lucky Horseshoe.
- Getting there: CTA Red or Brown Line to Belmont, then walk the strip. Rideshares are easy at closing.
Weekends are packed. Tuesday through Thursday is the local move: same rooms, shorter lines.
Find your scene
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Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous gay bar in Boystown?
Sidetrack at 3349 N Halsted St. Open since 1982, it is a multi-level video bar known for Musical Monday show tunes, Friday afternoon show tunes, a rooftop deck, and no cover.
Is Boystown the same as Northalsted?
Yes. Northalsted is the official business district name for the same North Halsted strip in Lakeview. Locals still say Boystown, and both names point at the same bars.
Which Boystown clubs stay open latest?
Hydrate Nightclub at 3458 N Halsted St runs until 4 AM and until 5 AM on Saturdays, per its official site. Charlie's Chicago at 3726 N Broadway also runs to 4 AM, and 5 AM on Saturdays.
When is show tunes night at Sidetrack?
Musical Monday, every Monday from 8 PM to 2 AM, with Broadway and movie musical videos on the big screens. Friday afternoon show tunes run from 4 PM before the dance party.
How do I meet people before a Boystown night out?
Go where the regulars go, show up more than once, and line up a bar buddy ahead of time if you can. On FindLucid.com, an inclusive dating app for everyone, you can sign up free at https://findlucid.com/signup and use free date safety plans and check ins when you meet.
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