If I lived in Chicago, at least in the North Side, you'd probably find me here a lot. That's…read morebecause it felt less like a bar and more like a gathering place. Or I guess I should say a "gay-thering" spot. Spreading over two floors, it manages to be spacious and cozy at the same time. There are bars on both floors which makes hanging around super-convenient. As expected, there are pool tables as well as skeeball and darts. Watch out for the latter as they fly right in front of the stairwell. Jamie W. and I settled down on the main floor and had their special $5 Margaritas (photo: https://yelp.to/dK4BE5czs3). What made them special? Hey, they're $5. Needless to say, we had a couple each and were feeling no pain with the friendly staff and customers to be found here. DRINKS - 4.5 stars...did I mention the $5 margaritas? AMBIANCE - 5 stars...fun and chill SERVICE - 5 stars...doubly chill TOTAL - 5 stars...gay-ther together RELATED - Exploring Chicago? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/44c4CZO

Love playing bingo here on Wednesdays! Cheap drinks and good vibes. Nice neighborhood spotread more

Mao bar definitely lives up to its name!…read more Mao in Thai means drunk...but don't worry if you aren't looking to get smashed you can most definitely still have a fab time in the neighborhood! This is located inside Immm Rice & Beyond. It use to be BYOB but since they've received their liquor license they have pumped up their drink options. I love the fun cocktails with the unique housemade infusions. My fave is the "Cool Water" with a smoky and spicy kick that leaves a slight tingle to your lips! They also have a really tasty mocktail called Pinky in Love with lovely fruit notes- as well as a CBD cocktail and a variety of fun southeast Asian fruit drinks like Longan. On Friday and Saturday the bar stays open later with a limited kitchen menu. Great spot to meet up with friends and chat the night away. Service is attentive and friendly. Street parking is available.

The ambiance at Mao Bar was very cute and welcoming. Bartender Leow was pretty fantastic , the…read moredrinks were very delicious and balanced. The sticky rice, the rice tasted like jasmine and it was mushier than regular sticky rice would be, I would've preferred extra coconut sauce on the side to pour over my dessert but I could've asked. Either way just had drinks and dessert, it was a nice experience.

Not sure how I missed this joint but so glad I found it. Larry's is a small cocktail bar in the…read moreLawrence House, which was built in 1830 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Because it is located in the lobby of the apartment building, it is not something you see from the street. The bar itself is very small, but there are multiple seating options outside of the actual bar. You are permitted to take your drink to the lobby or to the outside patio area. Both are nice and allow for a pleasant drinking experience, but folks that live in the building sit there as well, on laptops or reading. The vibe of the bar is super chill, with this crazy red hue that I love. I am not a big cocktail person per se, but if you are into them like The Queen is, then you are in for a treat. There are also non-alcoholic selections for wines, beers and cocktails for those that require that. In addition they also have bubbles, so that is a win for me. In addition to great cocktails and bubbles, they also do "Summer Movie Nights" on the patio. You can bring a blanket, grab a drink and enjoy. Larry's does not serve food, but you can order something to eat from The Uptown Deli (which has good sandwiches). There is street parking on Sheridan and it is about two blocks from the Lawrence Street El stop (once it opens again). Now that I am aware of its existence, I will be back to chill and have bubbles, and maybe catch a movie.

Great little bar with an awesome vibe! Sabrina was our bartender and she was funny, friendly, and…read moremade us feel right at home. Drinks are well-priced and made really well. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to!

Great dive with food at a reasonable price. A very welcoming ambiance. Love the characters who…read morehang here too

My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025!…read moreRestaurant: 59/50 Month tried: October Favorite dish: Fried Pickles We've heard so much about the legendary Carol's Pub and were happy to finally swing by for drinks and music. I can't really rate it as a full restaurant yet because we only had fried pickles, but the menu is small and simple and smelled delicious. The serving of pickles was HUGE! Fit for like six people, not just the two of us. And they were yummy. The artist playing when we went was great. I've heard the music lineup is always reliably good, as are the events. It's high on my 2026 goal list to come back for karaoke, bingo, and drag brunch.

I love this bar so much STILL…read more Gay, straight, whatever - just behave. We always end up chatting with fellow Andersonvillans when we go here. Daily specials. If you love dogs (is there a person who does not?) go here on a Saturday! It's DOG PARTY! I try to pet as many pups as I can, but truthfully, they are catching up with their dog friends. The perfect description of this place was uttered by my good friend, the legendary John B (may he RIP). It's a casual neighborhood bar that just happens to cater to a mostly gay clientele. Go here, make new friends. Pet dogs. Quaff a few.

Absolutely love SoFo! The bartenders are great, super friendly every time, especially Bee! Bee, is…read moresuch a sweetheart, so open and energetic!!

Such a friendly place! Bartenders moved from Huttenbar in Lincoln Square after it closed, and it…read morewas so great to see them again! Beer was cold, vibes were great. The Bishop, a bulldog, greeted us and then laid right in the middle of the floor. We've been before and we'll be back!

Looking to catch some great live music on Wednesday and Sunday evenings in Andersonville, Chicago?…read moreThis is the spot! One of the oldest bars in the area, this cozy dive bar offers a relaxed, friendly vibe--and whoever curates their live music is doing an incredible job. I've been twice, and both times the bands were amazing. There's no cover charge on those nights, but be sure to bring cash for drinks--that's all they accept. Definitely worth checking out whenever you're in the neighborhood!

In honor of Women's History Month I would like to update my review of Nobody's Darling to state…read morethat the lovely owners of this fine establishment are still doing their thing. Nobody's Darling is not just to have a chat and cocktail, they offer quite a few events for folks to attend. Below are a few examples of the swinging times you can have there. In 2026 I am so happy that they are still in business and thriving. The vibe is still cool, the menu for the cocktails is still exciting and the crowd is eclectic. Wine Down Wednesday Unwind midweek with Happy Hour 5-7pm $7 glasses of wine $20 bottles Thursday: Pitch Your Peeps Help your friend find love (or vibes). Pitch them to the room - all relationship styles welcome. Feel Good Fridayz w/ DJ All The Way Kay Start the weekend right! Happy Hour 5-7pm DJ Kay live 8-11pm Sunday Karaoke All Day Happy Hour starting at 2pm Karaoke 5pm-8pm Sip.Sing. Repeat. Empanadas by De Luna Empanada 7pm-10pm DJ Gloria on the decks Cocktails flowing all night Friday, March 20 DJ Set 8-11PM

Great drinks and no douchy "bro" energy to be found anywhere. I love this bar. The staff is so…read morefriendly and the vibe of the entire experience was very appealing. It's thought of as a gay bar and clearly that's a lot of the clientele, but all are welcome. Cocktails are delicious and run about $15 each. Pretty standard pricing. They have a good selection of n/a drinks and a menu for lower alcohol cocktails as well. Great neighborhood bar

This was so much fun! It's been on my list forever, and I'm glad we got a group to go. I did my…read moreresearch and wanted to check out the performance bar beforehand - PSA you do not need a ticket for this and can go enjoy drinks and tricks any time! This was so cool but intimate and small so not much space and fills up quickly. The speakeasy door is also so cool though a line will likely form outside right before shows so be prepared for that. The show itself was so impressive, as were the magicians that came up to your table to do tricks beforehand. Drinks were also great. The vip performance after the show was also nice and intimate. Everything was great and so much fun!

My husband and I bought Magic show tickets to celebrate a recent college grad in the family…read more We bought the front row tickets, which also gets you access to the VIP after show (30 minutes)! I thought the tickets were worth that perk alone in addition to being front and center. The talents were superb! I truly enjoyed every act. I loved the pre-show magic tricks at each table. It made the experience very intimate and engaging. I loved that the MC called out each and every celebration that night! There were food and drinks available for order, but kind of pricey (for example, ~$20+ for a shrimp cocktail). I ordered the earl grey non alcoholic drink, which was good!

There's just something about a burger that actually lives up to the hype--and Little Bad Wolf does…read moreexactly that. Stacked unapologetically high, this burger is everything you want and more: juicy, perfectly seared patties layered with melty cheese, crispy bacon, and those golden, crunchy fried onions that take it completely over the top. Every bite is rich, savory, and just messy enough to remind you you're eating something seriously good. The toasted bun somehow holds it all together (barely), soaking up every bit of flavor without getting lost in the chaos. And then... the shoestring fries. Thin, crispy, golden perfection--light but addictive, with that ideal crunch that makes it impossible to stop at just one (or ten). They're the kind of fries you keep reaching for without even realizing it, especially dipped in that creamy, tangy sauce on the side. And let's not forget the drinks--just as good as the food. Refreshing, perfectly balanced, and the kind you sip slow while taking it all in (but somehow they disappear way too fast). It's not just a burger--it's one of Chicago's most iconic bites for a reason. Bold, indulgent, and absolutely worth every single napkin you'll need after. The ambiance inside is GORGEOUS!

My husband and I walked in on a Sunday evening for dinner and were able to be seated right away…read more The atmosphere is dark and moody, and it made sense once I realized it was the same owners as Gretel. Loved the 90s female R&B playlist they had going! Little Bad Wolf has been on my list FOR YEARS to try the burger! My husband got the burger with fried onions and I got some Bao because those also looked delicious and were a popular menu item. Honestly the 3 stars are only that high because of the service. Our server was friendly and attentive + the food came out hot and quick. Unfortunately, the food was pretty disappointing. The burger was swimming in a puddle of grease and just picking it up made your hands greasy + was dripping grease. The fries that came with it were floppy, soggy, and sad...but at least warm? I personally wouldn't order this again. The Bao were better, but small for the price and honestly were just okay? It was nice they gave you sauces you could add, but I found the Bao's to already have enough sauce so I didn't need them. Overall I left feeling confused and disappointed. I don't feel the need to come back here - Little Bad Will was a one and done experience for me.

10/10 eggnog White Russian for the December 2025 holiday menu…read more delicious and full of holiday spirit(s).. haha get it? uptown lounge I love you

I used to think of this place for drinks before and after the Riv or the Aragon, and it's still the…read moreBEST place for those! Super close to both venues, and RIGHT near the Lawrence stop on the Red line CTA. Open until 4 AM, it's still got that going for it! Really great drink specials - a Chicago Handshake for $8?! What! But now . . . Ohmygawd! This place has morphed into a Really Great Bar! Updated interior, and it is SWANK. Really nice booths, a VIP room and BIG windows to enjoy during good weather. Perfect for day drinkin'! Great beer selection, and all the booze, high to low, for your imbibing pleasure. The coolest thing is their new coffeeshop feature in the mornings! This is such a Euro vibe - coffee in the mornings, cocktails after 4 PM! Since they open now at 7 AM for coffee, it's an easy pop off the train, grab coffee and continue downtown. Open 7 AM to 4 AM, do the owners EVER sleep!? *grin* Lots of love and hard work has gone into this place, it's looking great, spotless clean bathrooms, LOTS of cool events, great staff. See you soon, Uptown! I'll be back again and again!