I wish I could give this establishment zero stars. In the past I have gone to joy district and had a good enough time until this weekend at the studio 54 experience. The bouncer that looks like fat albert pushed me and my friends around on several occassions. The first when we were leaving the bathroom and didn't see that there were performers taking pictures with patrons (not a good reason to push someone 6 times smaller than you). The second time when he was trying to clear space on the dance floor for a wack ass aerial performer. Again I got pushed but so did my friend who spoke up to the security guard. Rather than apologizing and changing his demeanor he got in my friend's face and tried to intimidate her he said "I'm security... and what are you going to do...l " Neither of us were drunk at the time, we'd maybe been at the bar for 1 hour tops and decided to leave despite the amount we paid and distance we all traveled to attend this event that would have been a fun time but instead turned into a horrible night. All because an oversized male security guard was being aggressive and i'll even go as far as to say abusive toward women. This is not good representation for this business. Advice to joy district: don't continue to hire asshole security guards. If they dont care about the guest experience and lack basic respect they should not be working here. We brought our experience to someone we thought might be a manager and they told us to get the security guard's name next time and laughed it off. Which is why i'm posting here. Bottomline there is no excuse for the disrespect, mistreatment, and intimidation we experienced. If you need such aggressive security for a busy event then y'all also require a bigger venue because spacing was definitely a problem. Security should not be putting hands on patrons unless there is a fight or immedite risk to safety. I DO NOT RECOMMEND this bar/ club to anyone. There are many other bars and nightlclubs to choose from in river north don't let this one and their shitty security ruin your vibes. read more

I used to always have a great time at Joy. The ambience Is awesome but the level of disrespect is insaneeeee. I cam here last night wanting to show my brother the city. We waited 40 minutes in line to get charged $40 per dude and $20 per woman, WTF? THEY ROBBBBB YOU. On top of it, I paid $25 for a vodka rebul. If you want to spend that much go to TAO, at least the bouncers treat you fair. Matter of fact. All of river north clubs have gone to shit. Old Town is where it's at. read more

This place is all marketing and no substance. All Staff, except for the manager were rude and dismissive. It was difficult to get the host's attention at Parlay (the restaurant), even though we were the only 2 people waiting, and we had reservations. Our server never came, so we kept having to ask the bartender to find him/her. Ultimately it was the manager who took our orders personally and did everything else, including refilling our water. The free lemon drop shot and half off the bill made up for it. The music at Parlay was too loud for dinner conversation when we got there (8:30pm) and it got turned up twice on top of that. Went to the rooftop bar after dinner and the bartender asked my friend and I to step aside so he could first serve a big group of douches shots. It's not like the bar was crowded, either. We (two hot girls) walked up to a large empty section of the bar and immediately got asked by the bartender to move. In terms of atmosphere, none of the floors looked like the pictures. The rooftop was a lot smaller and way less decked out than the photos made it look, and there wasn't much of a view, despite advertising "impeccable views." The bathrooms on the second floor were run down, dingy and gross. Not what you'd expect from a club that has a dress code. read more

It is so much fun here! Be prepared to dance the night away and lose track of time because you're having too much fun. There's a DJ that plays the best music. I wouldn't come here to eat food. The service was quick and had no problems getting a drink at the bar. read more

I've only been here during the day post-brunch or for their drag brunch and have only had the best time. The music is always great and people here are ready to party! HIGHLY recommend drag brunch because both the queens and the food were great. If you're coming here for a night out I've heard that the line can be pretty long so just a heads up. read more

Joy District - The day vibes at joy are the best. I always come after my brunch and have a great time. Natalie is a QUEEN and DJ bomb. - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went to Joy District for the first time to check out there Saturday Drag Brunch. The service was outstanding, the performances were over the top amazing and the food was great. I literally can't wait to go back! read more

Joy District - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It was alright. The place was real cool but the service all around sucks the bartenders try to charge you more than what you ordered. Not even just one of them either it happened with two of them and then both said they poured it a double, cap. Security was a little over the top with everybody they're real grabby and negotiated from $40 to a $20 dollar cover charge for men to get upstairs. After getting through top level security you gotta good crowd with two dusty dudes in hoodies sellin bags in the wide open. And if it's anything like their drinks it was just as disappointing anf taxed. Just overall was a little lame cuz it was so cash grabby you almost felt like you had to be on your toes and couldn't even relax and turn up. Plenty of better clubs and bars within minutes of here do not recommend. The DJ was a1 though. read more

Unfortunately, they didn't serve food at the bar on Sunday, so we were slightly disappointed, but our main objective definitely was to try some of the cool cocktails! Definitely wasn't disappointed here. We tried both sizes of the Scrumpdiddlyumptious (fish bowl pretty much, but presented in a gumball machine) and the Mega Bloody Mary - which actually came with a whole meal lmao, like pizza, cocktail shrimp, bacon, etc. Had so much fun and wish we tried the Cereal Killer triple shot - hopefully next time! read more

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Another great place to bring a group of people who likes fresh air and expensive drinks. I was not exactly in a suit and tie but got off work and all I was able to drop in with cover and heading upstairs to the roof top. Plenty of seating as long as you can find a seat or stand by the bar. There are plenty of security which is concern for your safety and periodically ask to check your backpack. I would come back here and enjoy some shots with my friends. read more

Joy District is a great venue for private events. I've been to three separate events and each time I was impressed with the food and service. Events are held on the second floor where there's plenty of space to mingle, dance or sit back and people watch. I read a few reviews that referenced poor service. This was not my experience, though I've never dined in the restaurant. I can only speak to the private event staff. Solid 4 stars. read more

Joy District - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What on Gods green earth. The happy hour does not apply to the rooftop bar WARNING. as if people are wouldn't want to sit on the roof from 4pm-7pm (happy hours). very unprofessional. forget everything i ordered. were still setting up 45 minutes after opening. 4 drinks were $100 they better be liquid f***ing gold jesus christ -- one of the drinks being a beer. not even the pillows match, discount, boot leg, dirty, wannabe bar. TRASH. read more

Joy District - please. who designed this place, helen keller? - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in from Los Angeles this weekend. My cousins recommended this place. I was greeted by the manager Edwin, who showed me and my friends the space and gave us a warm welcoming. Rooftop was a vibe and then we went to the club after and was an incredible experience. 10/10 would come again! read more

I'm at Joy 12/4/2022 1:05 am CST, i've been constantly harassed by the security guard on the stairs from the 2nd floor to the 3rd floor multiple times. THE MEANEST STAFF AND SECURITY. Extremely rude even if you are the most kind person. Don't know how to act diplomatic. read more

Unfortunately we came the same day they had a taco bar crawl so it was very hectic, but we were still able to enjoy brunch once we moved out of their way. I'm not a fan of Buffett style brunch, but they did have a lot of options, but not everything was good or tasty. I would definitely just come to drink or order food a la carte, but the brunch is not worth the $30 and going up and down the stairs to get a plate. read more

Would give them zero stars if I could. Talk about a scam. This is Bernie madoff type stuff. Numerous people paid 50+ for a ticket and had to wait 3+ hours in the same line as someone who didn't have a ticket. May be a good bar, but they ran a scam on st paddies. read more

This place is FUN! If you're looking for a good night on the town with your significant other or friends, this is your place. If there's an event or a special guest, the cover is quite expensive though if you want to get on to the top floor but it's free entry if you stay on the bottom floor. We paid $40 bucks for the guys and $30 for the girls and that's quite a lot but it was so much fun- so it was worth it ha! The music is great (there was a DJ there last night) and the crowd is a lot of fun. The place is HUGE so there's plenty of room but towards the end of the night, the bottom floor is jam packed. They also have a balcony if you happen to pay the cover to go up top and that was fun but the bouncer stopped letting people on it because I think someone spilled their drink or something and they didn't want people to keep spilling on the people below. Overall- great place! Can't wait to come back read more

Joy District went above and beyond to reconcile the situation. I was offered a free happy hour at Hubbard Inn, right next door since Joy District had a private event on the date we planned the happy hour. Really amazing customer service, Joy District's Director of Events - Bianca - set it up for me for around the same number of guests as the original event and exceeded my expectations in making up for the situation, including both appetizers and a sizable drink tab. She went far out of her way to make sure the event was planned to my specifications. The employees at Hubbard Inn were also very kind and attentive to our needs during the evening. I highly recommend Joy District because they clearly care deeply about their customers. read more

View: 5 stars Great place to take photos and document your surroundings with some memory friendly decor. I have found this Chicago rooftop bar to be one of the more spectacular views- not the best, but still really cool. Service: Rollercoaster 3 stars. Maybe, four stars. Attentive and fun bartenders, okay servers. Drinks: four stars Food: N/A Haven't tried the food yet. Atmosphere: five stars Very swanky, breezy, trendy, full of energy Would love to add more to this review with more visits to Joy District. read more

Do not go to Joy District if you can. We bought a table for our newly engaged friends and then got asked to "stay off the balcony". We got no response as to why we should stay off our balcony and even were threatened by the bouncer when asking why. This place is a joke and shouldn't hire fools that take it personally when asked what the issue is. read more

the bouncers are on a power trip. if you are calling an uber, they will make you wait outside in the cold instead of waiting inside with the space they have available. call an uber when you are on the dance floor or they will make you wait in the cold. read more

Just like Hubbard inn next door, this place knows how to serve great food!! Everything tastes amazing. I've still not ordered something I didn't like. My favorite dishes include the tuna poke cones, octopus tacos, and truffle ravioli. Their drinks are delicious and fun! I like their variety of cocktails. After you finish eating, the rooftop is a great place to check out! It's a lot of fun during happy hour or weekends read more

Joy District - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wouldn't even give them a 1. Made me spend 80$ on a st Pattie's ticket then had to wait 3 hours in a line they wouldn't even let me in. I hate this place read more

The mimosas were not strong at all, more so a splash of champagne. I had the vegan toast and the mashed avocado was more like avocado paste sold at Walmart. I also ordered the shrimp and grits and it was not an appropriate serving size for $19 so I sent it back. read more

Joy District - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What can I say about Joy District? It's very similar to many of the clubs / bars that you'll encounter on Hubbard, and is definitely one of the reasons I don't frequent Hubbard very often. I've been here a few different occasions, the first one was for my wife's holiday after-party, and it was a phenomenal night. There was some DJ from Vegas spinning a set on the second floor and the atmosphere / lighting was very cool. I had a great time, but it seemed like the staff were kind of jerks on price for the leader of our group. Fortunately he's a great guy and didn't share any complaints, so I can't fault anyone for this occasion. The second time was for a work event, to which we reserved a portion of their rooftop for a happy hour. The rooftop was stellar and they had heaters on, as early fall in Chicago can be cold, as everyone knows. The drink package was reasonably priced, and all that attended had great reviews. The third and most recent time was when a friend asked to come here for their birthday. Now, I feel pretty well connected to the bar/club scene in Chicago, but I by no means act entitled when I go to these bars. The bouncer wanted $10 for ladies and $30 for any guys entering the bar (don't forget about the nearly $13 drinks when you actually get in!). I'm honestly shocked that in 2019 bars are still able to get away with doing that (any form of sexism, that is). We chose to go elsewhere, as there are plenty of bars in Chicago with more reasonable covers and loud music. read more

I wish you could just review one employee rather than the entire place. I've been to Joy District many times before for the night. Short Story: Basically wasted our time making a reservation when we could've had a way better time at a much more welcoming bar! Host was completely rude and didn't care about us. The reservation doesn't mean anything to them and they're really just trying to fool you guys and get you in the door. She asked if we wanted to start ordering food and drinks at the inside table when that's not what we made a reservation for. Long Story: I made a reservation for dinner on the roof for a group of 10 with bottles to follow after. A few of us got there earlier than our reserved time and the host said they were running "a little" behind and asked to seat us inside until our table opened up. We were totally okay with it since we were early and since our whole group wasn't even there yet. A couple minutes later a few others came in and the host said there was no reservation under that name. We went to go get him at the door. A few more minutes and the rest of the group arrived and was asked to wait outside...20 minutes later, I asked if she could give us an estimate and didn't even remember who I was. Then when she finally did, she said she couldn't give us an estimate because everyone upstairs ordered the "table minimum." I asked her what the table minimum was and she looks me up and down with a snark voice and says, "$1000." 35 minutes later and they finally get another waitress to come by and take drink orders for the rest of the group. $1000 for a group of 10 with very high paying jobs really wasn't an issue and I definitely took offense because I felt like she didn't think we "had money." Moral of the story, if you are a waitress, host, or anyone in this industry, you better treat every single person with the same amount of respect and great customer service because you never know who has what money. read more

Despite having to wait a little longer than usual to get in it was worth it. The place, and decoration and vibe all mesh very well and make you feel like you are at the right place. I went on a Saturday and it was packed to capacity it seemed. Drinks were good, not too expensive (talking downtown wise) and there were tons of girls and good music for a guy like me to wanna go back (which I plan on tonight) The negatives are that the DJ switches songs every 45 seconds and that gets annoying after a while but i find that if you drink enough and fast enough you soon will give zero F#$@? What the DJ is playing. Did not get to the rooftop as it was so packed but still had a good time. I will have to come Back and try the food but this place is def the it-spot for the moment read more

Joy District - Packed! - Dance Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've only been to Joy District a handful of times and decided that it would be a super fun place to celebrate my 24th birthday! I had the best time with friends due to the super hype and fun environment with great music. After getting in, my friends and I walked up to the second floor which turns into a club vibe at night- and got a table with complimentary bottle service. The bottle girls are all super pretty and sweet- They made sure we got everything for the night. Def a place to stop at if you like going out in River North! Made so many memories at JOY that night :) read more

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Beware! Extremely aggressive security! I was left bruised from a worker there on 04/23. I was told to "calm down" when i accidentally bumped into him and he grabbed my arm aggressively; When my boyfriend saw how the guy grabbed me he calmly intervened and so did my friend. The worker then got us kicked out after this whole situation and now my arm is very bruised and hurts to this day. Out of pocket to be treated like this from an employee. They have deleted my friends reviews from that day! read more

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I've been here sooo many times! One of my go to spots for a good time! The bartenders and bottle girls are polite and pretty as well as accommodating. I've eaten downstairs ate Parlay for my friends birthday and they gave us a complementary drinks and champagne! We all had the ramen and it was delicious. The upstairs club area is always a good time. I love the DJs and how they play a mixture of hip hop and pop music. Great place to come for St. Patrick's Day. The rooftop area is perfect for summer day drinking with friends. Sooo cute and perfect for pictures! The area is not too big but a nice space for dancing and catching up with friends. I always recommend Joy to friends that need somewhere fun to go. read more

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LOVE the new concept on the first floor. They turned the restaurant into a sports bar. The food is AMAZING. Awesome place to watch all the games. The have The 2nd floor nightclub is perfect if you like good music. They have a DJ every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night while the first floor plays more throwbacks. Don't even get me started with they're beautiful ROOFTOP. They have frozen drinks, giant Moscow Mules, and hot bartenders. Can't wait for them to open for the season. read more

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Do you want to have fun or not?! Ezell is a must at Joy District! He will make your table experience well worth your money spent. He is extremely accommodating and made our whole night better. Definitely come with a group and invest into bottle service, you won't regret it!!! read more

Just left here a few hours ago and I must say... very lackluster experience. I've been here quite a few times before and it has been a pretty decent experience. However, this time, it was the opposite. Things started off well..ambiance on point (as always), frose was pretty good, and seemingly decent server initially. Fast forward..our party of five (myself included) were all eating except for myself and one other who ordered the exact same thing--the chicken sandwich. The menu is very short so I don't understand the 30+ minute wait for something so simple. The other guest in our group who ordered the same cancelled theirs as did I since our group finished eating and were ready to go after two hours. The response? "You sure you don't just wanna get it boxed to go?" You don't even know where my sandwich is! Ugh. There were more issues but I'm too exhausted to elaborate. I know with the reopening of things as we navigate through the pandemic will have some kinks, but come on. I gave multiple attempts for staff to fix the issues. Nothing was fixed or alleviated in a hospitable way. Telling me "your food is in the kitchen" and "umm I don't know how long it will be" are not good answers nor is the lack of true communication between kitchen and server, and then to customer too good. Please do better next time. read more

horrible customer service I made a reservation 4 weeks in advance and 2 days before the reservation it was randomly canceled without any reason why I called and email and got nothing the day of the reservation I got a text saying the venue was bought out until 9pm. no offer to accommodate me or my reservation at a later date or anything. I wouldn't dare go spend my money there now. so unprofessional! read more

The Saint Patricks day tickets are a scam. Our whole group purchased wristbands in advance, however still ended up waiting in the general line. We've been waiting an hour with no real progress. So don't bother buying wristbands it clearly doesn't make a difference. read more

There's better nightclubs in Chicago! Having a table reserved means nothing, the security is rude especially as it gets crowded, will push you (heads up if you have heels) they kick u out if you fall too. The staff will dismiss any women if you try to converse, as they assume you're just a drunk b*ch... two three years ago this place was exclusive, well managed and honestly a great venue, but after the way my party was treated I will not be returning, take your money and service somewhere worth it not this stuffy heap of people, simply unsafe (tip. Don't bring anything expensive WILL GET STOLEN). read more

On a Sunday afternoon we decided to have a bar crawl and ended up here. To be honest, I liked the 1st floor than the roof top. The inside of the bar looks very classy with high sealings. The place was definitely noisy and crowded, so if you are looking for a party environment this place is for you read more

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Thanks to Sis Nem Yazzie I had a great time. Alway feel welcome. Door guys and security is always on point and respectful. Bless 2024

(Company party review) Overall: Noisy, expensive, yet unique in its own way, Joy tries to stand out above the crowded neighborhood of bars and clubs. The good: For an event space, it has some very unique and interesting decor throughout the multiple floors. Between the interesting portraits, mirrors, and lighting, the mood was well set. The app samplings that they had coming around all tasted okay, but nothing mind blowing. The not-so-good: The music was far too loud. I get it's a club, but for our holiday party, we were having to basically yell at each other. Especially once the floor was open to the public, then the music got insanely loud. The DJ that was on the floor was, for lack of a better word, disappointing. And, the food, while decent, definitely had some misses and didn't come around often enough. I left hungry. Oh, and to top it all off, the drinks were pretty watered down. read more

Girl at the bar knew nothing about alcohol or drinks. She was super not friendly whatsoever. Asked her if she could make a martini which is literally just alcohol in a glass no special ingredients and told me she couldn't instead of just saying she didn't know how. Menu is really needing to improve. Didn't tell us that 20% gratuity was automatically added and didn't give us a bill just a verbal "your total is 35" so we tipped her and then saw our receipt after. It was $35 for a corona and a margarita. Won't ever come back here. Wish googles reviews reflected this place the way yelp does. read more

Basically they take the ingredients of each drink and charge you individually for them. It is pointlessly expensive there. 4 shots and 4 drink was 300$?! Should have gotten a bottle, perhaps the bottle girl serving us would have been less rude with us. The whole time she was rushing us to leave, knowing they were taking our money anyways. Music was okay at best. Would not recommend. read more