Illinois

Chicago

Bucks Saloon
3439 N. Halsted
Tel: 773-525-1125
10am Mon-Sat 11am Sun
Neighborhood bar attracts a mixture of ages and is a good place for people watching. Also has a dack at the rear.

Cocktail
3359 N. Halsted St.
Men in G-strings and work boots dancing on stage, dollar bills floating through the air, screeching, hollering … we must have made a wrong turn into a strip club. But no, the drag-queen bouncer explains to me it’s just Cocktail on a Thursday night. Right. A bit on the skeezy side, this small mid-Halsted bar caters to an older, mostly male crowd with a few queens and a smattering of lesbians. While the strip show was a little on the intense side, it did make for great small-talk. Basically, Cocktail is kinda like the Cheers bar, only gayer. On a non-strip night it’s a nice place to meet some older folk. And, there’s never a cover. So if you take it off, so will Norm!

Gentry
440 North State Street (Illinois/Hubbard) 

Gentry on Halstead
3320 North Halstead Street

Little Jim's
3501 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60657-1832
Tel: (773) 871-6116
12 p.m.- 4 a.m. Sunday through Friday; 12 p.m.- 5 a.m. Saturday
CTA bus (#8 Halsted, #152 Addison), Red Line train (Addison)
The first of the city's gay bars on Halsted Street when it opened in 1975. Very popular bar where the older and younger crowd meet - although there are many hustlers too. Has a very late licence until 4am which means its most crowded after the bars around it have closed.

Manhandler
1948 N Halsted St - between Wisconsin St and Armitage Ave
Tel: 773-871-3339
El: Brown, Purple (rush hrs) to Armitage; Red to North/Clybourn. Bus: 8, 72, 73.
Long establish cruise and raunch bar for the over 40s and their admirers. Guys aren't really coming here to drink but don't let that keep you from ordering a cocktail from the friendly bartender and enjoy the porn on the TV. The back patio has a deserved reputation.
Sun–Fri noon–4am; Sat noon–5am.

Sidetrack
3349 North Halsted Street
Chicago IL 60657 USA
Tel: 773.477.9189
Recently expanded into another new bar area making 5 bars in all including one on the large, two-level outside deck which has planters with flowers and trees.

Billed as a video bar but don't let that put you off since they have different theme nights which features a different type of video entertainment for every night of the week. Sunday has show tunes in the afternoons (which attracts an older crowd) followed by 50's, 60's and 70's music . Monday also has show tunes (the best day for the older crowd, apparently) and on either day, cast members of musicals playing in town often show up to mingle with the crowd, raffle off free tickets and drum up business. Tuesday has 80's music; Wednesday has 50's, 60's and 70s music, and first Wednesday of each month features "Fruit Bar," in which videos with gay themes are shown. Thursday is comedy night; Friday has show tunes followed by current music; and Saturday has 50's through 80's music followed by 90s music.

Second Story Bar
157 E Ohio St Ste 2
Chicago, IL 60611-310
(312) 923-9536
Open fom noon Mon-Fri, 3pm Sat-Sun
Small, dimly lit,neighborhood watering hole which attracts an older crowd. With a vintage bowling machine and a back room. Situated above the Armenian restaurant Sayat Nova. The busiest hours are right after work until approximately 8pm. The place picks up again after the bar-hopping crowd finds its way home.

Sauna/Baths
Man's World
4862 N. Clark Street

Groups/Organizations
Chicago Prime Timers
P. O. Box 146681
Chicago, IL 60614-6681 U. S. A.
Phone: (312) 409-1590 Fax: (773) 248-5524 
Email: chicagopt@primetimersww.org