If you're looking for a place that plays the same repetitive beat for hours, then this is the place for you! Do NOT go here if you like EDM and expect to hear music that is played at festivals, major clubs, concerts, etc. We came from out of town and saw the raving reviews so we decided to check it out. We were incredibly disappointed. Maybe I'm just spoiled with the clubs and bars in my hometown but I honestly have no idea why this place has such great reviews. It is located in a dark basement and we saw multiple people ask if there's another room (answer: there isn't). This place costs $16 to enter and the music will put you to sleep. I will say the staff was very friendly though. read more

Note to Smart Bar - you are so not as cool as you think you are.... And you've lost any return visits from this customer. Step in. Go downstairs to the ladies room. My friends were waiting for me upstairs. Finish doing my business. Go back upstairs to retrieve friends. Friends were no longer there. I asked the guy sitting in the hall if I could peek inside the upstairs in case they had wandered in, as none of us had ever been there. He said, no, you can't go in there - it's not my problem you can't find your friends. Ass! The sound itself was good, and the bartenders were friendly enough, but the heaps of projectile vomit all over the floor of the bathroom was not cool. And once it finally got cleaned up, the entire bathroom smelled no longer like puke, but foul perfume. Enough to want to make anyone barf again. Finally, one of my friends had her feet kicked up, laying back, after a long night of dancing and drinking at about 3:30 PM. A group of us were sitting on the back couches. One security guard came over, and soonafter, there were probably five of them swarming us. They said she had to leave; her husband after trying to talk some sense into them, as we were not on drugs, said he'd take her out. They put up an attitude, basically had a tantrum amongst themselves, and forced us outside. Completely unnecessary rude treatment. What a joke. read more

Weird. WEIRD. crowd BUT great sound system. I had to begin with that warning. If you're coming here prepare yourself for a dark dive bar with lots of weird people dancing on drugs. This combination could make for a great night or for some strange encounters. Pregame hard and come ready to dance the night away! read more

Gosh I love this place. The sound system THUMPS the night I was there the drinks were absurdly cheap (how cheap? I don't know I got so drunk off them!) They were doing a record release party for these local guys Stripped & Chewed. The music was disco-y and I was in love. The staff then the people releasing the music were so friendly we keep in touch to this day and I always make it a point to go there at least once whenever I'm in Chicago. No pretentious vibes here. Just great music, Midwest friendliness, and a swirling light floor to boogie down on all night. read more

I like Smart Bar for what it is, and that it doesn't change. How many clubs have been around as long and are still drawing the crowds? Not many. Smart Bar has got it's formula down - but that includes a lot of variety. I've been her for goth nights, big name local djs, and sometimes big bands doing an after show dj set when I'm lucky enough to squeak my way in. I started going here because of a friend who worked here, but keep going back because I love it. Yes, it does sometimes have a hefty cover, but I don't mind paying it to go to one of the few unpretentious clubs in the city - snotty clubs/bars/lounges are a dime a dozen. I never feel like I'm judged here when I just want to come in a shake my ass to whatever bitch'n dj is there that night. Thank you Smart Bar for breaking up the sportsbarfrathousegrossness of Wrigleyville and continuing to impress. P.S - Make sure you're nice to Lenny - he's the most important guy there. :) read more

How predictable--the 1-star reviews are written by people who aren't a part of the underground house and techno scene. This less-than pretentious basement party is for those who know what they're getting into, hence the cover to try and dissuade the regular Wrigleyville crowd from wandering in. If you don't know what to expect from Smartbar, then you probably shouldn't try this place out. That being said, Smart Bar is one of the last institutions in the city that is consistently working hard to keep the real scene alive in Chicago, a city that played more than its fair share in helping to create and spread this amazing music. Drink prices are fair, cover is fair, staff is alright. None of that should really matter because Smart Bar is a place to go for the music. Stop judging the crowd and lose yourself to a sound system that many DJs claim to be one of their favorites. Please don't be the one to show up to Smart Bar with any expectations other than listening and dancing to some really phenomenal mixes spun by world-class DJs. read more

We purchased tickets for Smartbar's NYE event before the Omricon spike, but once risk increased felt uncomfortable attending the event. Sev and Chadd were extremely understanding of the situation and flexible with our ticket exchange request. We will be returning once we can party together again! read more

Was here last night for the first time in about 20 years. Back in the day this used to be a total dark, dirty, run-down shit hole dive bar, where all the punks would come to slam dance on Tuesday nights. Also it was the notorious "after-party" bar to go to after seeing a show at the Metro right upstairs. Standard to see hay or even sawdust on the floor to soak up all the booze spilled, but no more. They totally re-vamped the place and made it more of a high-end nightclub. I loved it back then but nice to see it's updated look. A lot more clean, contemporary looking and without the sawdust or hay on the floor. Sound system is amazing... DJ's spinning, no live music here(you have to go upstairs to the metro for that) If you're looking for a fun place to dance to house/techno music til 5am, this is your spot! Low douchebag/meat market/yuppie quotient. read more

1. Coat check is $2. You wanna smoke? $2 more each time you want your coat. 2. Cheapest beers (domestic bottles) are $6 minimum. You can get $4 car bombs next door. And karaoke. (in between $$$ beers after paying your cover at smartbar). 3. You want a water to hydrate in between alcoholic beverages? Be prepared to receive a bottled shitstream/crystal geiser water at the price of $3, bc they do not serve tap water back w/ alcohol. Evidently, the bartenders are c*ntmuffins. 4. Does that sum it up? The atmosphere is dec, but nothing fabulous. Terribly dark and tough to sign your bill (had to shine my iPhone over the receipt to close out). The water thing, though, is a liability. Dumb on the establishment & servers/bartenders. I'm a bartender myself & would give people water over the risk of overserving, to aid someone generally in need, despite any bar policies. Why would I ask for a glass of water at 3am? Our health was in consideration. My friend suffered from a concussion a few weeks ago too and that was the primary reason for requesting H2O...but sorry, we think water should be free (as we can flush your toilets countlessly and run your water from the restroom sinks as long as we please). Use your better judgement. Thanks smartbetches. read more

Came here for the late night party after the North Coast Music Fest and was NOT disappointed. It was my first trip to Chicago and I heard this place was cool and it lived up to the hype. It reminded me a lot of Le Poisson Rouge in NYC. Plenty of bathrooms, very flexible about going outside to smoke, and $2 PBRs. We had a ton of room to dance and everyone was having a great time. I would definitely come back here for another dance party the next time I'm in Chi! read more

If you are a big fan of EDM, GO HERE IMMEDIATELY. This place is an EDM Mecca. If you aren't a fan of electronic/dance music, it's definitely not worth the money. You will be pissed about the high cover and expensive drinks. HOWEVER, if you can at least tolerate the genre, get ready for an evening of the MOST delightful people watching. Like I said, Smart Bar is Mecca, and the devotees of this particular religion are a colorful and entertaining people. Open your mind, have a few drinks, and dance your face off. read more

I need to write another post for Smart Bar since so many people seem to have dogged it recently. For people wanting to hate it because its not everything they have imagined after watching Studio 54, continue to hate. For people looking to experience electronic music in its purist (non-capitalist AKA EDM) form than check out smartbar, you will be glad you did. This month alone you can see Nightmares on Wax, & Tama Sumo. I miss getting there as I am a new dad w early morning responsibilities but needed to write a updated review cause this place always deserves 5 stars in my book read more

I'm not sure I have adequate words to use towards smartbar, but if you've ever seen me near the left front speaker, you will notice my nonstop dancing is a fairly accurate testament towards the quality smartbar bestows. I can't speak highly enough on the music front. Constant variety and quality. Amazing residents and resident nights ontop of national and international talent. If you like to drink, the prices aren't outrageous and they make em strong, learned that lesson the hard way at John Roberts last year (sorry guys). From ticket counter to bouncers to bartenders to talent buyers, the staff is warm, kind and helpful. The only drawback is the crowd, and that's a disadvantage of Wrigleyville, not sb. The staff has been very good at keeping a lot of creeps out (it's never perfect but it's not any of the downtown bars AHEM). My pro-tip is close your eyes to dance and enjoy the night with your friends, and have a friend who doesn't mind cockblocking the occasional weirdo for you :3 What more could you ask for? read more

Seriously, Smart bar is a dope club. People actually freakin dance and that is all that matters to me. I have been here to see Goldie, LTJ Bukem, Dj Dara and so many others including last nights HECTOR MORALEZ and Jason Hodges. If you are into house especially deep jackin house Hector is the man right now. Like every vinyl he puts out is pure heat and I have to have it for my collection. At any rate, back to Smart Bar. I have been here countless times and the crowd is tight and are there for the music and will dance all night like my friends and I and I love that. I don't really drink so I can't comment on their drinks, but I do know a bottled water is 3 bucks and a Corona is 6. My friend that I haven't seen in 3 years came to town with her bf and I brought them here and they loved it. That is until she got drunk and I hailed them a cab back to their hotel downtown and took my ass back inside to dance till 3am. I love that I live close enough where I can just walk home, all sweaty and everything. Chicago needs more spots like this for the underground scene. Funny thing is that Richie Hawtin was at Metro and the line was ridiculous. I wanted to see both but Richie was 35 bucks vs free for Hector and Jason before 12... So Smart Bar never fails me. Every time I leave I am sweating with sore feet and a smile on my face. read more

I have been going to this joint for the past 7 years or so, and have not yet gotten angry about really anything here, ever. Best small club sound in Chicago (Funktion1 Holler). Only complaint about the sound is on occasion its a bit too loud, but I always forget my ear plugs (stupid me). Bartenders are not messing around down there. If you take care of them you will never feel cheated about drink prices/specials, although prices fluctuate depending on the day, a bit bogus IMHO. Often leave this establishment not recalling the second half of the night, due to drink strength. They have been through their fair share of dickhead doormen in the past, although the biggest one is no longer an employee, holler. Now they are all pretty down to earth and decent guys. The place is layed out so that you can get your 2-step on and get funky or you can step on the otehr side of the wall and have a conversation with your peers and not have to scream at them (but still enjoy the music fairly loud). Any place that has Hendrick's Gin automatically gets a 3 star minimum from this guy. read more

The best place for real house in Chicago. Wonderful staff, great dj's, no hipsters. ;) Douchebags are removed promptly. Love it. read more

See all

What a great little find! I am so glad the bf went along with a suggestion from a friend who used to live in Chicago and took us here. It definitely set a great mood on our first night in Chicago. We paid our $10 admission and headed down the hallway to a black end where there was a silver door handle. I opened the door and behold, a staircase. Pretty cool because I don't see places like that in California. Then a spacious room with a bar, but no one. Up an small flight of stairs to the main room and that's where everyone was, either at the bar or on the dance floor where anything goes. We went on a night where the DJ's played a genre called "Dub Step." I had never really heard it before, but definitely loved the vibe it created. Everyone was pretty nice as they were all letting loose and doing their own thing. Drink specials for this Thursday night were $5 3 Olives 80 vodka in BIG glasses and not the dinky half glasses that you would get at a club. Awesome! The night was getting better and better! Note: They do charge an extra $3 for a Red Bull in your drink :) They also have a black and white photo booth for $3 to capture the moment :) One of my favorite things of the bar. Definitely a place I would check out again if I was back in town as it was not something I would normally do. They play different music everyday of the week so I would check their website and for special DJ appearances. read more

When I was a kid, Chicago was still in the throes of being a hub of the global dance scene. Back then, it was harder to make music and harder to find the good stuff, so clubs like Smartbar were the places to get the fresh stuff and meet the like minds. Things have changed in Chicago, but maybe less is more. Smartbar's still going as strong as their drinks, which in addition to being served by cool people (often with great ink!) get you sloshed on a budget. The DJ booth is occupied almost exclusively by quality, the club is old-school dark, and the seating is where it should be: along the walls, so you can watch the dancing (or leer like a creep). Smartbar will always be a go-to for me, and is a huge part of what keeps Wrigleyville cool. Don't forget to stumble over to Wrigleyville Dogs for the grease to soak up all that alcohol. read more

There are no dresscodes, lines, pushy bouncers or judgmental assholes here. Just an amazing sound system dropping amazing beats directly from some of the most amazing DJs and producers in the country. Wear what's comfortable and check your coat, because once you hit the the dance floor, if you're doing it right, it'll be a full-on dance-athon, and by morning, you're gonna be a sweaty, blissful mess, and no one will care what you wore anyway. read more

Was last here 20+ years ago and it's a testament to its uniqueness that its still relevant today. We happened to hit a night where the DJ was spinning "deep house." We danced for a good hour+ and enjoyed it, but there was virtually no variation in the music. The DJ was primarily playing 15 minute long songs w/ nothing but throbbing back beat and was not open to any requests/suggestions. We were there early on a Friday night (11pm-ish) and there were only a handful of people. I'm sure things picked up later, but we'd headed elsewhere in search of better music by then. I'd give the venue 4 stars and 3 stars for the music that night. I would love to come back when they've got a different DJ spinning. read more

I really enjoyed my experience at Smart Bar when I saw Kaskade. The sound system here is fantastic, and the dance floor is pretty spacious as well. This particular venue seems to bring in some top-notch house DJs. If you're a fan of the genre, I would definitely check it out. I also was pleasantly surprised by the stark contrast of the crowd here as compared with other bars in the surrounding Wrigleyville area. There is a noticeable absence of bros, douche bags and drunk, annoying Cubs fans at Smart Bar (even though the venue is very close to the stadium). The crowd was really eclectic, and everybody was having a great time and just enjoying the music. Overall, it's one of the best nightlife venues in the neighborhood, and a must-visit if you're a fan of house music. read more

One of the best nights out I've had in a while... Sunday = Dollar Disco! So much fun... and the in-house resident DJs were incredible. We weren't intending on staying that late, but the music was so good, we got our dance on even though we were exhausted and closed the club at 4am. Sic. This place has a nice, big dancefloor, pretty good sound system.. an old school photobooth (!!!), and a $1 cover charge on Sundays. What!? So awesome. Cheap drinks.. cool staff.. a crowd that is truly there to get down and dance instead of stand around looking pretty (no high heels.. most of the people were in whatever they wore to Lollapalooza earlier.. shorts and t-shirts and sneakers). So fantastic. Because my buddy G kept buying a shit tonne of drinks, the bartender just gave him a free beer.. just like that. That NEVER happens, right? Dope music, great crowd, lots of fun. AMAZING! Wish I could find a house spot like this in NYC. You kids in Chicago, you don't know how lucky you are! read more

Before I moved to Chicago in 2003, I came to visit a friend, and we went out to Smartbar. He knew I was a househead, and this was where all the dancers would go he said. I remember leaving Chicago with an idea in my head that Smartbar was representative of Chicago music. Years later I moved there, and started going to Smartbar on the regular. It really is the classic nightclub. well laid out, great soundsystem, good diverse range of music (just research what the theme of the night is). It does suffer from an almost too random crowd sometimes due to the fact that the live shows upstairs in Metro let out and send a crowd into the club, who might not have otherwise come to hear said music. Mixing scenes can be good, or bad, haha. It's larger and more spacious than my fave club in Chicago, Sonotheque, so that's the one leg up it has, more room to dance. But it takes second place in all other categories. read more

Smart Bar is my musical home away from home. The first thing that draws you in, is the caliber of the musical talent they bring in and once you catch a few notes from the legendary and beautifully tuned funktion 1 quadraphonic sound system, you are sure to be sold. Smart Bar is Chicago for me, I've met some great people here and have always been blown away by the regular underground talent that they constantly bring in. If you want to keep up with the trends and movement of the underground music scene, Smart Bar is where you have to go. Don't be shy to go by yourself if you can't find a companion to bring along, everyone here is friendly and welcoming of those who share the same enthusiasm for underground music. Get yo ass down here already. read more

The people who run this club care about their guests, they care about the artist, the care about everyone having a good time. Best place to hear House Music in Chicago. Space to dance, space to sit, space to drink at one of the two bars. One of the best things in Chicago. read more

My friends and I went on Sunday for QUEEN. Had an amazing time! Drinks were a little weak/small in my opinion compared to the usual places in Boys Town, but definitely not the worst I've experienced. Only real complaints was that it was really dark, and really loud. I think the combination definitely pushed us to the dance floor earlier in the night than we would normally venture out there. But at the same time you couldn't really people watch effectively because you couldn't even see them, and conversation was limited just because of how loud it was. Would I recommend going, absolutely - but if I was a local would it become a weekly/monthly destination, probably not. read more

Thank god for this place. For anyone else sick of the eurotrash/silicone laden trance/house scene in Chicago that's been bringing in the same Dj Mag's top ten in for years, come get your groove on at Smart Bar. I don't get out here nearly enough, if only it weren't all the way out in Wrigleyville. Electro/techno/deep house rule here. Consistently pulling in the cutting-edge international and local talent like Ellen Allien, Tiefschwartz, Mylo, James Lauer, Alena, Matthew Dear, Alexi Delano, plus solid resident djs including Colette and Justin Long. Since it was renovated and had the Funktion One system installed, life got even better, and the bar's no longer cash only. Plenty of dance floor space to get your onitsukas dirty. read more

Let me get it outta the way and start off by saying that Smart Bar gets the official Mr Beautiful stamp of approval for having amazing DJ's, an amazing sound system, attentive bartenders, and a crowd of people that are all about the music and having good time. I like that it's not a fashion show in here like at some other clubs where many people are out to see & be seen in an attempt to have their faces plastered all over the interwebs. Pretty much everyone at this club is here for the DJ's and the music. Nice. This is a great place to hang out with friends and do a lil dancin. If you find yourself at the Metro and still wanna party afterward, Smart Bar is right there to fulfill your nocturnal need for music. If you wanna hear Top 40 and Hip-hop, then, this is not the place for you. If you wanna hear some bangin underground house music, then, this is the place to be. Holla!!!™ read more

This place is really mellow and straight-forward. There are no lines to get in. No dress code! People really do come here for the music/DJ. No douche bags either. Some chick dropped her phone on the ground and people found it and gave it back to her immediately. Which isn't like most cases. I've lost my phone at sound bar and I'm pretty sure those Asian punks kept it and hacked it within seconds. They actually had drink specials here! First time I've ever been to a club that had one. Got like 9 beers and two mixed drinks for about $57. The bartender actually introduced herself and shook my hand, shocking. Go here if you just wanna dance and drink. The only negative was that cover was $15, well $30 for me since I paid for two. But that was understandable since we got there at like 1230 am and it did say clearly on the events that it would be that price after midnight. read more

Why isn't this rating higher? I show a Michigan drivers license and its like I'm from fucking Mars. Michigan is real. I didn't make it up. It has a mitten and a weird little add on across the big lake. Honest. The sound system is awesome. The drinks are damn expensive but its par for the course at this place. The one thing that keeps me coming back whenever I visit my cousins is the talent they have coming into this place. Always a packed crowd that's loving it. Get a new bouncer, or at least one that isn't a prick about admittance. I'm not a transplant. I go back to enemy territory once I am done with your fair city. But if you are visiting Chicago I would check this place out. Good music, pretty good beverage selection and nice atmosphere. read more

Bouncers are racist and lie just to drag people who they target to get thrown out and lie about everything. My African American/Mexican daughter and her Hispanic friend were targeted here. My daughter said she was drinking water mind you she only had one beer when all of a sudden a female caucasian tapped her shoulder and told her she was drunk and that she needed to leave. My daughter was clearly not drunk then told her that she was not but that she would leave she just needed to tell her boyfriend who was at the bar what was going on. She said that the bouncer then grabbed her wrist and twisted it really hard then my daughter told her to back off all of a sudden all these other caucasian bouncers come and drop her to the ground and lie and say that she punched the bouncer just to justify dragging her down the stairs mind you she hit every step with her head gave her a concussion. Then they wouldn't let get her coat her boyfriend and her friend tried defending her so they kicked them out as well. Racism needs to STOP! As for the female bouncers what did you feel that intimidated by a beautiful black/mexican woman that you just targeted her. Places like these need to get looked into so that this doesn't happen to anyone else. This place SUCKS! If your not caucasian be careful when you go here and have a friend record everything because you will be targeted. Don't support businesses like this! P.S. I gave it one star because zero stars wasn't a choice! read more

With a top notch staff who can identify a bunk ID in a glance,they know laws and city code like the back of thier hand. Lived here in the fair Windy City since 1995 and have never had any problems or conflicts with this establishment or the staff,perhaps it is because I have always complied with equal courtesy. Winter of '96,I will never forget when I was with my GF at the time,Best Friend,and a few of our peers/friends who were coming to Goth Night and were called derogitories en route by some suburban bigots due to our appearance; the staff dispersed the bigot individuals immediately. One of the [bigot]individuals was persistent and ended up in jail after an attempted assault on another patron,and the bigots were never seen again. Since then,I have witnessed many times, the staff will not tolerate bigotry,dicrimination,racism,or actions of hate to clientele; because of this demeanour and and common decency of the staff and management over these 2+ decades is why I will gladly patron this establishment. Note:I only give 5 stars to food related,anything else,4 is my max. read more

Wanna dance til 5am? Smartbar is the place to go. I'm one of those shy types, but I'm not afraid to dance here. There are so many people on the dance floor and no one cares what you're doing. Although this is not always the case, there was plenty of available seating the other night, and my tired feet were much appreciative. Which reminds me, you don't have to dress up or anything, though some people do. There are clubbers and goths and people who probably rolled out of bed from the night before. Be sure to bring some good earplugs if you plan on listening to music again. It's very loud here. Cover can be a nice chunk of change, but it's often free/discounted before 11pm or so; you can even sign up on their website to receive text messages that get you better discounts for coming early. read more

Smart Bar blows- at least on four occasions I've gone with my best friend (she is pushing 30) and they have rejected her ID claiming it to be a fake. Then on the other hand we know a girl who is 19 and gets in regularly. Let's try consistency! read more

Always a good time at Smart Bar. Even on busy nights there's usually a place to hang out if you need a breather off the dance floor. Usually a perfectly drinkable beer and liquor on special, even on Saturdays. Surprisingly low douche quotient for Wrigleyville. Special thanks to the world's most patient security manager Grayson, by the way: he was incredibly calm and quiet with a tired and frustrated friend who lashed out a bit after losing her coat check ticket the other night. The staff could've kicked her out at any time and instead they let her cool off-- and once she found her ticket all was forgiven. I would've sent our asses packing! read more

Don't waste your time here. The head bouncer (short 5ft dude) claimed my ID was fake cause it was out of state. Was rude as fuck when I asked him what made him think it was fake cause it was indeed a real ID & told me the only way I could get it back was if I called the cops-which he said was a "felony" if I did because it was fake. So I had to call the cops & he pulls out a booklet to show the cop & tells him to peel the plastic off the ID to prove it's fake. The cops run my ID(which low & behold it actually turns up to be a REAL ID!!) & give it back to me. After all of that the bouncer still denied me & my friends entry ALL BECAUSE I PROVED HIS DUMB ASS WRONG & HE WAS TOO PUSSY TO EVEN BE A MAN AND APOLOGIZE AND OWN UP TO THE FACT HE MADE A MISTAKE. Invest in a ID scanner and save yourself the future embarrassment dude. read more

The sound system here used to be really good and now it's GREAT with the Funktion One system in place. Wow. Sonotheque used to be the only place in town with it, but they had a hard floor to dance on (er, I mean--it's hard to dance on stairs). Now it's a great dance club--probably gets my "favorite" ranking. It's still dark with the low ceilings, and there's no "runways" like in other clubs, which means you'll be less likely to be hit on by creepy drunk guys or followed around by groups of shiny shirts. If you're not an electronic music genre snob like me (techno has to be minimal and / or glitchy, IDM has to be good, no trance, no DNB, no hip hop, no teen-radio tunes, no nostalgia), then you're pretty much guaranteed to have a good time here, as long as you dance. Tips: 1. Take the El. Forget about parking in this neighborhood. Or if you just can't bear to be without your car, try parking way up on Irving Park by the cemetery. It's a hike, but it's also a spot. 2. Bring earplugs. Seriously, don't kill your ears--you can still hear the music just fine. 3. Sit on the subwoofers. It is quite fun, especially while under the influence of your toxin of choice. 4. Pee early. Toward the end of the night the line in the ladies room gets reeeally long and the floor gets progressively wetter. 4. Consider Redbull and Vodka. This little cocktail will keep you happy and awake to take full advantage of this club's late license. read more

My girls told me I loved this club ... but honestly I got really problem to remember much what was happening after midnight this night lol :). I just checked pictures from yelp and it look cool :) I was afraid I would find my self on one of the pictures. Good news for me there none lol :). I have to trust my girls and I am gonna say its great club... definitely I have to go back there:) lol ... little earlier next time :) read more

I'd give this place 3.5 stars. Hipster dance place...kind of divey with a decent-sized crowd. Place wasn't shabby. Sadly, the bar was filled with obnoxious patrons, calling the bartender by first names to get attention, yelling and complaining about not getting drinks. Needless to say, my being patient resulted in me waiting for +15 minutes to get 2 beers. Probably on other nights, Smart Bar has potential of being a fun place to go. Unfortunately, my one night as a visitor for New Year's Eve probably did not give me the best impression of the place. Try again. read more

I've been going here for years. I think it's incredible that this establishment has been putting out house music for the last 35 years. Such an incredible testament to Chicago house!! Always a great time! read more