Chicago / Illinois Casino Region Nightlife

The Aviary

West Loop / Fulton Market

The Aviary by chef Grant Achatz is one of the world's most acclaimed cocktail bars — applying the kitchen techniques of three-Michelin-starred Alinea to drink-making. Cocktails arrive as complete culinary experiences with housemade ingredients, theatrical presentation, and preparations requiring tools rarely seen outside a professional kitchen. A must for serious cocktail enthusiasts visiting Chicago.

The Violet Hour

Wicker Park

The Violet Hour is Chicago's founding craft cocktail bar — opened in 2007 and instrumental in launching the city's serious cocktail scene. Cocktails are original compositions using house-made syrups and fresh-pressed juices, served in an intimate and deliberately quiet room under house rules that prohibit loud conversation and cell phone use at the bar.

The Green Mill Cocktail Lounge

Uptown

The Green Mill is Chicago's most iconic jazz bar — an Art Deco cocktail lounge in Uptown that has operated continuously since 1907, making it one of America's oldest jazz venues. Al Capone's regular booth is still pointed out to guests; weekly jazz sets and the world's oldest poetry slam (Sunday nights) create an atmosphere of genuine Chicago history unmatched anywhere in the city. An essential destination for any jazz enthusiast or serious cocktail traveler visiting Chicago.

Spybar Chicago

River North

Spybar is Chicago's most respected underground electronic music club — a River North basement club that has presented the world's finest house and techno DJs in an intimate, low-ceilinged space perfectly designed for focused dancing. Its reputation for quality bookings without compromise and the genuine dance music culture it maintains make it essential to Chicago's electronic music community.

The Mid Chicago

River North

The Mid is Chicago's premier large-format electronic music nightclub — a 2,100-capacity River North venue with world-class production presenting international headline DJs for Chicago's most important electronic music events. Its scale and production capabilities enable it to host the same artists who perform at European mega-clubs in a Chicago context that honors the genre's American origins.

Prysm Chicago

River West

Prysm is Chicago's most technologically spectacular nightclub — a River West venue with an extraordinary LED ceiling system creating immersive visual environments for international headline DJs and Chicago's most fashion-forward nightlife crowd. Its commitment to the intersection of technology and dance culture makes it one of Chicago's most exciting large-format nightlife destinations.

Green Mill Jazz Club Chicago

Uptown

Green Mill Jazz Club is Chicago's most historic and atmospheric nightclub — an Uptown institution dating to 1907 that was Al Capone's favorite speakeasy and has presented live jazz seven nights a week for over a century without interruption. The Green Mill's original wooden booths, pressed tin ceiling, and continuous 100+ years of live jazz make it the most atmospheric entertainment venue in Chicago and one of the most historically significant bars in America.

Lincoln Hall Chicago

Lincoln Park

Lincoln Hall is Chicago's most beloved mid-size music venue — a beautifully renovated Lincoln Park theater presenting the best emerging and established artists across indie rock, folk, and alternative genres. Its intimate 500-person capacity, outstanding sound, and thoughtful programming have earned it consistent praise from both Chicago's music community and national touring acts who consistently name it their favorite Chicago venue.

Schubas Tavern Chicago

Lakeview

Schubas Tavern is Chicago's most venerable independent music venue — a 1903 Schlitz Brewing Company tied house in Lakeview that has been presenting singer-songwriters, indie rock, and Americana artists since 1989. Its intimate 150-person capacity, Schlitz building history, and role in launching the careers of dozens of artists (Liz Phair, Andrew Bird, Sufjan Stevens played early Chicago shows here) make it an irreplaceable part of Chicago's musical heritage.

Soho House Chicago

West Loop / Fulton Market

Soho House Chicago is the Midwest outpost of the global members club — a 40 West Loop loft building with private bars, rooftop pool, and intimate music performances that serves Chicago's creative industries community. Its role in anchoring the Fulton Market creative economy and providing a members-only social infrastructure for Chicago's most creative professionals makes it one of the city's most influential private social clubs.

Lost Lake Tiki Bar Chicago

Logan Square

Lost Lake is America's most acclaimed tiki bar — a Logan Square establishment that has appeared on the World's 50 Best Bars list and consistently ranked as one of the top tiki bars globally for its extraordinary rum program, immaculate tropical cocktails, and genuine love of tiki culture. Its commitment to taking tiki seriously as an art form while maintaining the fun that makes tropical bars beloved has made it a pilgrimage destination for cocktail enthusiasts worldwide.

Spybar

River North

Spybar is Chicago's leading underground electronic music club — a basement venue beneath River North with a world-class sound system and a booking policy focused on international house and techno talent. An institution for Chicago's club community since 1993, Spybar regularly draws European DJs and serious electronic music fans visiting the city.