Every big city has it's big dance clubs, and
Chicago is no exception. It's packed to the brim with
places to arrive at 11:00 and not leave until after the sun
comes up, filled with beautiful people shaking their respective
rumps. Here are a few of the Windy City's sweatiest
parties.
Bootlegger's
13 West Division Street
(312)266-0944
Bootlegger's is ideal for that person your
clique who really doesn't go out to clubs all that much, because
it's not over-the-top, yet provides a genuinely fun
experience. The casual atmosphere and current dance music
bombarding your eardrums will keep you comfortable and mobile
all night long, and since it's open until four in the morning,
you're assured a good night's sleep when all is said and
done. Definitely an enjoyable time, and definitely on our
list of clubs to visit while in town.
CroBar
1543 North Kingsbury Court
(312)413-7000
Okay...this is not the place to take
that person in your clique who doesn't go out that much, but
it's lots of fun for the rest of us. Featuring an
atmosphere straight out of Arnold's "The Running Man,"
CroBar boasts a gigantic warehouse of a club with crazy people
running around and doing crazy things to crazy music. If
you're looking for people who share your views on the First
Amendment or just want some uninhibited, off-the-wall-fun, bust
out your toolbox and choose the CroBar.
Excalibur Entertainment Complex
632 North Dearborn Parkway
(312)266-1944
Excalibur is the city's most famous nightclub,
and it's also one of the best around. It's certainly the
largest; the floor's titanic. The big gimmick with this
one is that there are tons of different themed rooms, ranging
from the Billiards Room to the Dome Room (where they play
"alternative" music) to the restaurant area to all
sorts of other things, so you know you won't get bored or worn
out. We recommend this one for people who like to dance
and meet people but feel bored by the end of the night, because
the wealth of new things to see and do is more than enough to
keep you occupied well into the wee hours.
Jilly's Retro Club
1009 North Rush Street
(312)664-1001
Hey, look! It's the seventies! Jilly's
Retro Club takes on the considerable task of transplanting a
disco right into a major city on the cusp of a new millennium.
The result is a surprisingly fun place to be, with sexy music
and lots of strangers in bell bottoms and afros and other fab
gear. If you're a nostalgia buff or enjoy watching reruns
of the Brady Bunch, don't overlook the Retro Club.
Neo
2350 North Clark Street
(773)528-2622
Do you like vampires? If you answered
"yes," then stop what you're doing and head over to
Neo. The place is chock full of gothic, ultra-broody,
Dracula-types, all pasty and writhing around to industrial,
heavy, throbbing-bass music. While it may frighten away
the yuppies, one of the city's better times can be had at ol'
Neo, because even though its inhabitants thirst for blood, they
also know how to throw a pretty decent party. Throw on
your favorite black and/or velvet clothes and head here one
night...if you dare.
Polly Esther's
213 West Institute Place
(312)664-0777
Polly Esther's is a 70s/80s disco dance club
not to be confused with the aforementioned Jilly's Retro
Club. While the latter strives to replicate the seventies
through music and costume, Polly's combines the seventies and
eighties under one roof, and the bottom line is that it's
really, really fun. Upstairs, a lit-up dance floor
highlights every groovy step you take, while new-age classics
bombard you downstairs in the "Culture Club" (get
it?) Needless to say, you'll meet lots of displaced people
here, but the overall vibe is so strongly positive that you'll
instantly fall in love with the place. Don't take our word
for it though...get over there!
