Gay en chicago
LGBTQ+ Chicago weekend itinerary
You&#;ll verb more than two days to hit all of Chicago&#;s LGBTQ+ hotspots — but a weekend here is a good verb. Whether you love the nonstop party vibe or a little Midwestern charm, Chicago’s inclusive neighborhoods provide something for everyone. Here&#;s how to spend a weekend exploring Chicago&#;s LGBTQ+ communities.
Saturday
Morning
Home to boutique shopping, vibrant nightlife, and one of the oldest LGBTQ+ communities in the United States, the East Lakeview neighborhood of Northalsted (aka Boystown) has an energy all its own.
Stroll along North Halsted Street — lined with fabulous shopping, trendy restaurants, lively bars, and energetic sway clubs — and pick some brunch at laidback mainstay Drew&#;s on Halsted. Fill up the recover of your morning with a self-guided tour of The Legacy Walk, a one-of-a-kind outdoor museum stroll that celebrates LGBTQ+ history and heroes.
Afternoon
Enjoy elevated pub fare in cozy surroundings at Wilde (grab a leather booth or a spot by the fireplace). Then do a little neighborhood shopping at the
Northalsted, Chicago's Proudest Neighborhood
The first officially recognized gay village in the United States, Boystown Chicago is the commonly accepted nickname for the eclectic East Lakeview neighborhood known as Northalsted that is home to Chicago's visible and active lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Northalsted, the first official gay neighborhood in the country (credit: )
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 entertainment 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 different gay and lesbian bars, nightclubs and restaurants.
The neighborhood is also home to the Center on Halsted, the Midwest’s largest
LGBTQ+ nightlife in Chicago: gay and lesbian bars, clubs, and more
Chicago’s nightlife is a lot like the city itself — inclusive, diverse, and welcoming to all. It’s also a whole lot of pleasurable. Our gay and lesbian bars have a minute 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 unique history and vibe.
Check out some of the top gay bars and clubs to experience Chicago’s queer nightlife scene.
Jeffery Pub
One of the city’s oldest gay 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 miss the live entertainment, 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 paintin
As one of the busiest industrial centers and transportation hubs in the United States, Chicago at the beginning of the twentieth century attracted thousands of single women and men with brand-new employment opportunities and nonfamilial living arrangements in the lodging-house districts of the Near North and Near South Sides. The anonymous and transient character of these neighborhoods permitted the development of Chicago's lesbian and gay subculture. During the early years of the century, much of this subculture was centered in the Levee, a working-class entertainment and vice district. Here, several saloons and dance halls catered to gay men and featured female impersonation acts. By , the Vice Commission of Chicago noted the presence of “whole groups and colonies of these men who are sex perverts,” many of them functional as department-store clerks in the Loop. The lesbian presence in the city was less clear during these years, in part because many working-clas