Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DJs and special guests) include acid jazz, hip-hop, house, and lounge music.
1551
W. Division St.
&
773/235-9100.
www.bigwignightclub.net. Cover $5 on weekends. Subway/El:
Blue Line to Division.
Crobar
A veteran of the Chicago late-night scene, Crobar has managed to stay
hip since 1991. The warehouse-gone-glam look and thumping sound system
give the space a quintessential dance club feel, although a recent revamp gave the
place a fresh dose of energy and new spots for people-watching—including a
booth-lined balcony overlooking the huge dance floor. If you're especially gor-
geous—or free-spending—you might make it into the glass-encased VIP room.
The soundtrack is mostly hip-hop and house, and the weekend DJs have a
strong local following, so you might be fighting for prime dance space. The
crowd is fairly mixed racially and age-wise, and mostly attitude-free.
1543 N. Kings-
bury St. (at North Ave.).
&
312/266-1900.
Cover $20 on weekends. Subway/El: Red Line to North/
Clybourn.
Funky Buddha Lounge
Located a bit off the beaten path, west of the River
North gallery district, this club blends in with its industrial surroundings—even
the whimsical Buddha sculpture on the heavy steel front door is a rusted husk.
Inside is a different scene altogether: low red lighting, seductive dens with black-
leather and faux leopard-skin sofas, lots of candles, and antique light fixtures sal-
vaged from an old church. The DJs are among the best in the city, flooding the
nice-size dance floor with hip-hop to bhangra, funk to African, and soul to
underground house. Recently, the club's original fan base of yuppies and after-
dinner hipsters has been shaken as attractively as its signature martinis: Hugely
popular Thursday nights pack in the young, mostly white club kids, but Fridays
and Saturdays feature a cool, eclectic crowd decked out in funky gear.
728 W.
Grand Ave.
&
312/666-1695.
www.funkybuddha.com. Cover $10-$20. Bus: 65 (Grand Ave.), but
take a cab at night.
Harry's Velvet Room
Perhaps the coolest subterranean late-night scene in
Chicago, this is the place to come when you want to party not-so-hearty with
beautiful, upscale clubgoers. Originally a posh cigar lounge, Harry's was retooled
as a champagne, dessert, and wine destination, but the dimly lit, romantic aura
that seduced scores of suave night crawlers remains intact. Warm earth tones flow
throughout the space, from the plush leather booths, sofas, and chairs to the two
bar areas; undulating ambient mellow grooves of dance and world beats throb in
the background. Champagne and wine aren't the only libations on tap here:
Harry's also boasts a wide range of martinis, bourbons, and single-malt liquors.
56 W. Illinois St.
&
312/527-5600.
Cover: $10 on weekends. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
Le Passage
The Gold Coast's swankiest nightclub fits all the prerequisites for
chic exclusivity, starting with the semihidden entrance at the end of a narrow (but
well-lit) alleyway just steps from Oak Street's Prada and Barneys New York stores.
You descend down a long flight of stairs into an environment filled with expen-
sive, gilded furnishings and exquisite decor imported from France; to gain access
you must first pass muster with the gatekeepers manning the velvet rope. The
beautiful, the rich, and the designer-suited come here for the loungy aesthetic.
The soundtrack mixes R&B, soul, hip-hop, house, funk, and acid jazz. Another
highlight is the stellar French fusion menu. The place teems on Friday and Sat-
urday nights, but Thursday night caters to local fashion-industry folk, with occa-
sional runway fashion shows. Stop by the Yow Bar—named for Yow Low, a
legendary local bartender who was snagged from Trader Vic's—and hopefully
