Chicago gay district

Making
Chicago's Boystown

“I would passion to see a ladies' night or a femmes' night happen on a weekend night. Women don’t get weekend nights. That’s for making money off the gay boys,” says Andie Meadows, a author, photographer, and queer femme researcher who has led walking tours of Boystown.

She recalls the excitement of when she first spent time in the neighborhood as a juvenile queer femme. But she says the novelty of being able to openly hold hands with her girlfriend quickly wore off.

With a name fond Boystown, Meadows says it was “pretty clearly not built for me.”

Andie Meadows' photography project "Girls in Boystown" examines women and femininity in Boystown. (Courtesy Andie Meadows)

In summer 2014, "Chloe's," a dyke disco club, opened on the corner of Belmont and Halsted. Three months later, it was closed and rebranded as "Manhole." In 2017, it was announced that "Manhole" would be replaced by a popular ramen chain. (Courtesy Andie Meadows)

LGBTQ+ nightlife in Chicago: gay and womxn loving womxn bars, clubs, and more

Chicago’s nightlife is a lot favor the city itself — inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all. It’s also a whole lot of fun. Our gay and womxn loving womxn bars have a little bit of something for everyone, with late-night lounges, dance clubs,burlesque and drag shows, and long-standing neighborhood watering holes in almost every corner of the city. And each comes with their own unusual history and vibe.

Check out some of the best male lover bars and clubs to experience Chicago’s queer nightlife scene.

Jeffery Pub

One of the city’s oldest queer bars, Jeffery Pub is a neighborhood institution. The South Shore staple is also one of Chicago’s first black-owned gay bars, making it all the more meaningful for the spot’s many regulars. Don’t lose the live show, like karaoke nights, Silky Soul Sundays, and a lively dance floor featuring everything from pop to house music.

Big Chicks

This lively and colorful spot is part LGBTQ hangout, part art gallery. The walls are plastered with the owner’s personal collection of paintings and photos, including giant names like Diane Arbus. But don’t think for a second that makes the pla

Andersonville, a Neighborhood for Everyone

Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood, known for its Swedish roots, historic architecture, and bustling urban main street, has one of the city's largest gay and lesbian communities, second only to Boystown.

The welcoming North Side neighborhood stretches from Foster Ave. to the south, Victoria St. to the north, Ravenswood Ave. to the west and Magnolia Ave. to the east.

Recognized as the “shop local capital of Chicago”, Andersonville’s commercial district and main shopping street, Clark St., features primarily independent, locally-owned boutiques and specialty stores.

In addition, the area features a number of homosexual and lesbian bars, nightclubs and some of Chicago’s best restaurants.

Andersonville hosts Midsommarfest, one of Chicago’s most legendary street festivals, in early June. The annual event kicks off the summer neighborhood street festival season.

The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce is committed to equality, making Andersonville a neighborhood for everyone.

Explore Chicago’s Andersonville, a neighborhood for ev

Northalsted, Chicago's Proudest Neighborhood

The first officially established gay village in the United States, Boystown Chicago is the commonly accepted nickname for the eclectic East Lakeview neighborhood famous as Northalsted that is home to Chicago's visible and active lesbian, gay, multi-attracted and transgender community.

Northalsted, the first official homosexual neighborhood in the country (credit: northalsted.com)

Northalsted is situated just southeast of Wrigleyville in Lakeview. The area is bordered by Broadway Ave. on the east and Halsted St. on the west, Grace St. to the north and Belmont Ave. to the south.

The two main (north-south) avenues of Halsted St. and Broadway dominate the heart of this commercial and business district. Broadway primarily offers a variety of themed shops and restaurants stretching throughout the neighborhood while Halsted caters to a lively nightlife with more than 30 distinct gay and female homosexual bars, nightclubs and restaurants.