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Belmont (Purple Express, Brown, Red)
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So, I'm out with a friend of mine when he suggests we hit up some of his favorite bars... gay bars. Hmm, you can imagine what's flashing through my head. He's handsome, 6'2", with impeccable style and has better hair than me. I knew it-- gay!
But no. Turns out he legitimately loves getting down to fun, high-energy dance music. And, I have to say I loved the approving looks I was collecting. I had donned an especially fabulous head-to-toe black ensemble along with fresh bangs. Gay guys are the best for upping a woman's self-confidence through the roof! But yet again, I was dead wrong. They were checking out my friend.
Um... d'oh!
Once I got past the assumption-making phase of the evening, it was all smooth sailing. Or well, something like it. Sweaty bodies bumping into me, cocktails splashing, make-out sessions all around me, shirtless men showcasing their smooth pecs... college 2.0, but gay and minus the frat boy striped button-downs. Hooray!
Good, dirty fun in Boystown. A girl even tried to follow me home!
Oh, and cheesy Euro pop dance music is inexplicably AWESOME.
Roscoe's, you should be ashamed of yourself. My friends and I had one of the worst bar experiences ever right here on Halsted at Roscoe's. One Friday night, we decided we'd leave Spin (don't ask me why) and go down to Roscoe's. I had never been, so I was open for anything.
They were charging a cover. Really? A cover? For what? Nothing was happening inside the bar that should have even required a cover. No live music. No spinning DJ. No show. Nothing. 99.999% of the time, I never go anywhere with a cover. If a place charges, it's not worth my time. Period. However, my one friend convinced me that Roscoe's was worth it, so pay I did.
Eeeek gads, this place was bad. So bad that I'm prompted to say "eek gads."
-Cover: way too much
-Drinks: insanely overpriced and weak (measuring alcohol is really tacky)
- Music: generally bad
- Bar staff: unbelievably rude
- Door staff: even more unbelievably rude
Our night got worse after I bought my $6 (yes $6) Sam Adams. One of my friends was pretty toasted and needed some water. Apparently Roscoe's only gives water in bottles. Literally. They charge for water at all times. Even if you request a glass of water, they will not budge. You must pay $4 for a bottle of water. FOUR FRIGGIN DOLLARS. This doesn't seem like a good business model when many of your clients are drunk and probably need water instead of more booze. Generally, if people are required to pay for water, they'll just buy another drink - at least then they're getting their money's worth.
Upon complaint about this policy to the bartender (in the back), he proceeded to yell and tell us to leave the place if we didn't like it (he was very rude and uncouth). We decided to complain about the bartender's attitude and the really dumb water policy to the manager (who is impossible to find, even after asking several floor staff members). He essentially just told us to go fuck ourselves.
Well, Roscoe's, you're a total shithole. I don't know why you have such a strong client base when you insist on treating a lot of your customers like shit by charging outrageous prices for drinks and maintaining a rude attitude at all times. I will absolutely never go here again. And if I spent a majority of my time in Boystown, I'd be offended that a bar like Roscoe's thinks that it can charge these kinds of prices and treat its customers like crap.
-lots of half naked men with overly chiseled bodies
-incredible music videos on all the tv screens
-I pretty much got lost at least half a dozen times, this place is huuuge and the disco lights dont' help
-i accidentally, tragically ended up in the middle of a fight. a very angry, and super drunk man threw a drink at another angry, drunk man....somehow my friend and I ended up in the middle of that fiasco.
-I probably would've had more fun if I was much drunker or in more of a mood to grind with half naked, hot gay guys
Noticing that most of the 4 to 5 star review are from woman, that's an instant discount for a GAY bar. But I digress as much as owner Jim has with the staff at Roscoes. Yes, over priced drinks. The Sat. night cover for just the 'privilege' of being over crowded.
Debbie does is a great VJ in the front bar though & the OK pool table is just that OK.
Note in Gay Chicago the bar ads list all of Roscoes drink "specials" for each day. Whats with that? Just pay for an ad!!
This is a review of the food only. I love and hate the bar as much as anyone else, but I'd never eaten there before today. I was quite pleasantly surprised at how good the quality of the food preparation was.
I had a turkey club with tater tots and a diet coke. Service was good, waiter was friendly but not "hit-on-us-y" and the meal was gigantic compared to what I expected. The tater tots were decent, and the sandwich was delicious. I think they used really high quality cuts of meat (go figure ahem).
I don't know how much longer in the season they continue their food service outside, but it is worth it for both the taste, and the nice views.
My only gripe is that they don't weight down the table clothes with anything, so when it got windy we spilled some water. But otherwise they've got a good thing going with their lunch menu.
First of all, Roscoe's is not a 'huge' gay bar. Sidetrack is a 'huge' gay bar. Roscoes is a cramped, oddly-planned space for boiz, hags and Fougars. Yes, I called them Fougars. Or Gougars. I like Fougars better.
I digress. I in most cases (read: after dark) voluntarily stay away from Roscoe's for the aforementioned reasons, but also because I am over the age of 30. Roscoe's is for twinks who want to out-grrrrl each other and compete for most-cloned.
I also stay away because the people working the door are rude, the floors are a sticky fucking disaster within 5 minutes after opening, and they almost always charge a cover. Yet even with said cover, they can't seem to keep the place clean, hire people who have ever in their lives smiled for any purpose other than to try and fuck one of the twinkpatrons, or put a fire extinguisher anywhere near the dance floor to put it out when it catches on fire.
Most of the high-praise reviews for this place are totally unrelated to the bar itself but for memories of being freshly-out and appropriately surrounded by others who are in exactly the same boat, and for that I hold no animosity. Most of the low/no praise is based on the atmosphere, environment, employees and utter lack of value for the money. If you're not a shriektwink or accompanying hag, simply cross the street and for less money you'll have a pleasant bar staff, no cover (unless it's a fundraiser, and ONLY then, and only a handful of times per year) and you won't be squeezed up against drunk messes wearing quarts of cologne. Oh, I am referring to Sidetrack, not Mini or Cocktail.
PS to Denise - you don't say a bar has no cover and then list the 943890213 exceptions in which Roscoe's does charge a cover, which is just about allthefuckingtime.
I begrudgingly give Roscoe's three stars, cuz on principle, I hate it.
But the thing is, I first went to Roscoe's 20 years ago, met at least a couple of guys I dated there, and generally still have fun there, on the rare occasion I go at all any more. I am too old to wait in line to get into a bar, though. It's just not that serious.
Yes, it's full of twinks. Yes, it can be a lil pricey, they charge cover on weekends (like half the bars on Halsted), some of their staff are shitheads (would you be nice if you had fourteen 22 year-olds with credit cards screaming at you for drinks simultaneously, all night long? Would you NEED to be?), it's packed, there are 45 year-old musclequeens hitting on guys young enough to be their kids. They play shitty pop music. Duh.
Their layout is pretty much a fire hazard, at least in front: there's like two feet of walking space around the bar, with sixty-five people per square foot standing around. The back is a little better, if you like shitty dance music.
Most annoying, though, are all the I'm-still-in-love-with-my-faggot-high-school-buddy suburban females in the place all weekend, then giving the place bad reviews for all the above. If they DIDN'T charge cover or (gasp!) six bucks for a cocktail, the place would be even more crowded than it already is, with the likes of you. I'm not a misogynist, it's just the truth. It's called supply and demand.
I can't believe anyone would come here for food. There are 79264 restaurants within a three block radius. More to the point, it's inconceivable that this bar/goldmine would even bother with a kitchen.
I'm going to sound like a broken record.....
Less than pretty clientle (young, twinky, mis-dressed, str8 girls in tow)
Drinks are measured (not strong at all, not cheap)
DJ in front plays better music than the actual dance floor dj
Too many f'in str8 girls....in the men's bathroom too! (really? go away!)
Floors are a sticky mess.
I don't think I ever need to go back to Roscoe's.
I burned at least 500 calories dancing with the most handsome boys.
YAY!
I am convinced I was supposed to be born a gay man.
I met up with a few New York and Chicago yelpers…
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I've given Roscoe's a try on a number of different occasions and I always leave feeling very unimpressed. Maybe it's just not my kind of crowd, but for the type of bar it markets itself to be--it lacks that laid back breezy feel that a neighborhood bar should have.
I went with a group of friends a couple of weeks back and probably won't be returning anytime soon. A bottle of beer was $5--more expensive than any of the surrounding bars. A friend of mine said to the bartender, "You know you're the only bar around here that charges that, right?" And the bartender goes: "It's because we can" then turned around and walked away.
Maybe he's right and to each his own. I'll be spending my nights out at places with a little less attitude.
I liked Roscoe's when I first moved to Chicago and didn't know any better. Maybe I outgrew it, or maybe I shouldn't blame Roscoe's for the kind of crowd they attract, but this place just got too ridiculous to handle. Let's give it the rundown:
The Good:
The Stoli Lemonade is probably the cheapest way to get drunk in Boystown. $12 pitchers on the weekends and enough sugar to hide all the vodka means you and your friends are in for a good night. Just don't overdo it... when that liquor catches up to you, it hits you like a brick wall.
Also, the dance floor is alright, but their DJs are hit-and-miss in terms of giving you something danceable. Typical, though.
The Bad: I've never had a very friendly bartender, and the crowd this place draws is ridiculous. It's cruisy, so most of the people there seem the either want to be eye-groped, or to do the eye-groping. I would never go here if I wanted to stand around drinking, chatting, and listening to music. That does not seem to be Roscoe's purpose.
The Ugly: catty people outwardly expressing their inner self-hate. Yes, you know what I'm talking about. Bartenders acting snooty, other patrons making rude comments, and a generally unwelcoming air about the place. If you're not there with people you're already friends with, and you're not there to hook up with a drunk hottie, you shouldn't be there. Period.
Thar' she blows, all the way to Roscoes!
Went here Friday and had a blast! Although it doesn't look too big, there was enough space for us to play pool before the crowd arrived.
Then, it was on to the main bar to sit and chat.
Then, there was the buying of regular priced drinks, but that's okay.
Then, outside on the no-smoking patio (sorry smokers, but this is a draw for me).
Then, there was dancing on the dance floor.
Then, there was the realization I'll be back!
Okay my fiftieth review, it's official I have no life. Anyways, I knew I have to review something special and what a better place than Roscoe's. I'm a self declared fruit fly so I know the gay bar scene pretty well in Chicago. And being that my best pal has a Roscoe's VIP card, this is usually the first stop of the night. Roscoe's will always have a special place in my heart and so many fond memories. How many times has that pink lemonade on Saturday nights caused me the most massive hangover headaches on Sunday? Or how can I forget all those Wet Boxer nights with my textbooks in tow from the earlier part of day's religious classes at Loyola? Something about those tragedies on the dance floor really raises my self esteem. I mean when a half naked boy with a beer gut dances next to you, how can you not look better than that even if I do have breasts? Every time I go, I never leave disappointed. There's always something that happens at Roscoe's.
If I have one complaint, it's the gaggle of drunken lady whores clogging up the bathrooms and spilling drinks all over the place. Honestly, does it take 10 minutes to piss in the bathroom? Like a lot of things in life, it's all fun and games until you're hit in the face with a cheap knockoff Coach purse. Other than that, Roscoe's is still one of the best gay bars in Chicago. Overpriced (watered down) drinks, trashy clientele and kick ass music, what else can you ask from a bar in Boystown?
I love the larger, multi-room gay bars, and this one definitely has got that down. Each room has a different vibe, and I definitely appreciate that. Aside from that, the music was kind of meh, the crowd had a surprising number of older guy wallflowers just creepily staring at us, even for a gay bar. Their iconic Absolut Citron + lemonade pitcher got us RATHER inebriated and was okay but a bit too sweet. The dance floor was packed with people holding drinks and hardly dancing at all.
Yes, a lot of this is circumstantial and I'll update this continually every time I go, for a more comprehensive description. But all things considered: it's a pretty generic gay bar, but you won't be horribly disappointed.
I lost my phone at Roscoe's yes I did! Here's the story.
Walk in to Roscoe's with Mr. Douchebag and some friends. We buy drinks and since I was drinking since 7:30 I forgot to pick up my phone. Some time later (30 seconds, 30 minutes, an hour?) I realized I walked off without it. Mr. Douchebag gets mad but calls it for me. Yup no phone.
I race back to the bar where I think I left it. Mr. Douchebag follows because lord forbid he talk to a gay boy. Cutie bartender says he turned a couple of phones in to coat check. I squeal and hug and kiss cutie gay boy. Mr. Douchebag frowns. I run to coat check. And low and behold he has MY PHONE! I hug and kiss him to! Mr. Douchebag gets mad. Cute coat check boy winks at him and he decides its time for us to go. Ruining all my potential fun now that I have my phone back.
Thank you cutie boys at Roscoe's for saving my phone! I think I like you.
Those gays sure do know how to dance their butts off.
I should add I don't get why you can't smoke on the patio that's outside.
Roscoes Roscoes Roscoes....
I have so many memories at this place that I wouldn't be able to give it anything less than 5 stars. Even though it's not the bar I frequent the most in B-town, it will always hold a dear spot in my heart. Roscoe's was the first gay bar I visited in Chicago when I turned 21. After I graduated college and moved back to Chicago I think I was at Roscoe's every night. I know that sounds sad but it was true. My boys and I would work hard during the day and party even harder at night. This is definitely something you can only do during your youth. Nowadays I would be dead at work if I tried to party on a work night. So many nights we drank our $12 pitchers of Long Islands and danced the night away in the back room dance floor.
Nowadays we usually visit Roscoe's on a Sunday for "Male Call". "Male Call" is a meet and greet style event where the infamous Ms. Foozie (local drag queen) puts a number on your shirt and people around the bar can leave you mail (e.g. their digits or a message to hook up). They still have the $12 pitchers but we stay away from those, we learned our lesson early on.
Roscoe's is also a blast on the last Monday of the month when they host the wet backer contest or on Tuesdays when they host a drag queen competition. The crowd during the week and especially on Friday and Saturday is very youthful (21-25 years old). On Sundays you get a much more mature crowd, which I prefer. Note: Saturday nights they charge a $5 cover fee.
So, if you're in the gayborhood and need somewhere to stop by for a drink I do recommend Roscoe's. They have great music, a lively crowd and lots of eye candy.
Wow I totally love this bar, I think is one of best of Chi-Town! First of all I'm more of a Latino night clubs type of person and I personally think those types of clubs are over rated.
My first time at Roscoe's was in Market Days of last summer, I had a blast that night. Is funny how me and my friend at first we really underestimated the bar before we went for the first time because we both are straight guys, but after the night was over we were like "Wow what a bad-ass place, were coming here every weekend for here and then"!!!!
Above all the drinks are awesome, the prices are reasonable, the bartenders are quick and polite, and the music kicks-ass!!!!
Roscoes's. Oh, Roscoe's.
The queeny - 21 year old - does my ass look too big in these skinny jeans *flips wrist* - über gay Mecca of boystown.
They've had a sign saying the dance floor is being remodeled. Many nights I've sat awake at home dancing to my own beat in anticipation of the opening of something great and magnificent. When my friend said it was finally open I jumped for joy! And what? It's a vibrating dance floor?! OMG! My dreams really were coming true.
The following weekend I made the long trek from my neighborhood to the north side with my super cute Chinese BFFW. I ordered my typical seven vodkas on the rocks and made my way to the dance floor. "What? This is NOT vibrating!" Lame. The dance floor looks EXACTLY the same. Remodeled? Seriously? Roscoe's definitely needs to head over to Spin and see what it actually means to be remodeled.
Roscoe's: The music is crap. The drinks are disgusting. The crowd is meh.
After Sidetrack, this is probably the main standby bar for gay Chicagoans. I've often said that, among the Halsted types, there are Sidetrack people and there are Roscoe's people. After having been to both many many times, I am definitely a Sidetrack person, but can appreciate Roscoe's from time to time.
The bar itself is large and strange...sorta a half-assed neighborhood feel, including a cigar store Indian. Not sure if it's supposed to be ironic. Let's hope so. The front bar is usually so packed that I have to squeeze into one of the side bars, which can prove fun if the stars align, but usually is just a game of avoiding getting shoved by the crowds.
The main thing about Roscoe's that I don't like is how pretentious it is...I have never met someone new here because it seems like everyone's got a stick up his ass. And, although it's finally changing, Abercrombie is ridiculously prevalent here. Not that I'm one to judge people based solely on fashion...but come on, it's like walking into 2002 or something...somehow the pink muscle tee and ripped jeans are still acceptable in Roscoe's world. Oh, and don't even get me started on the seemingly endless stream of straight girls who always seem to be either out of control drunk, or shooting an evil glare at passers by.
All of that said, it can definitely be a good place to have a few drinks with friends before the real fun of an evening starts. The Drag Show is pretty great...one of the better amateur ones in Chicago, I'd say. I've had a few fun nights here and perhaps you can too, although I wouldn't bet on it.
Hmmm. I'm bored and want to have sex with a tourist.
Oh, I know. I'll go to Roscoe's.
Yes, perhaps I am going to become known as the hot gay guy that hates gay bars. Or maybe just the gay guy that hates gay bars. I prefer the first.
I just received a New Year's invite from them in the mail. $20 cover...and you still have to pay for drinks. BUT! They do have a free coat check. Super. I guess this fueled my review.
There are several bars inside this facility. There are little sitting areas, that are usually full of suburban women who came in for the experience, sprawled out, heels off, complaining about how sore their piggy feet are, that they crammed into a pair of 4 inch heels that were the wrong size but looked good.
They do have a good drinks selection, the bar tenders are friendly, but more so (as in any bar) to the regular man-cougars who are there to accidentally touch the under 25 crowd on their bathing suit places....which are usually exposed out of the top of their low cut jeans.
OK, I know this sounds mean. But I am mean. And honest. My Mother always said "Tell the truth", and I stand by that. I also stand by people who are uglier than me so I look prettier.
OH! And in the summer they have outdoor seating. It probably is wheel chair accessible, but I probably wouldn't try going up the front steps, or maneuvering through this place in a wheel chair. Or one of those "Scoot About" carts that they advertise during reruns of Murder, She Wrote.
The music is OK, and the dance floor is kinda crowded, as any dance floor should be. What I dislike is the few guys that decide to take off their shirts, pull their A&F baseball cap down low, and climb up on a box and dance "for my entertainment". If I wanted to see that, I could dance in front of a mirror at home, with the lights turned down low.
Not that I've tried that for effect, or photographed myself that way for my http://gay.com profile picture.
The bathrooms are clean. The floors aren't sticky. It's easy to score a phone number from an out of state gay boy who never went to a gay bar before. It's also easy to make out with random people here, but remember, you can't see cold sores in that kind of lighting.
Head to spin. At least your cover is worth something...and its right up the street.
So there I am, 10:30 on a Friday night, looking to party. I mean PARTY, right? I'm talking "I want to wake up in someone's topiary garden in a pair of women's panties" PARTY.
I'm kidding. I hate the term "party" as a verb and I do enough of the topiary garden thing on an average Tuesday that it hardly counts as exceptional when it happens on a weekend. I was going to meet a friend of a friend for her friend's girlfriend's birthday (go on, I'll wait). Being that this girlfriend of the friend of the friend of a friend's significant other is also a woman, that makes them lesbians, and because they're young we end up in Boystown instead of Andersonville. Give them time. They'll learn.
I stand outside for a few minutes drinking my coffee, waiting for everyone to arrive, staring at the sign that reads Roscoe's Dancing Cafe, growing slightly nervous. It doesn't look like a cafe. It looks like a fucking BAR, overflowing with colorful characters and sass and skin-tight shirts made of stretchy material. Finishing my wake-up juice, I bravely enter.
Here's the thing: Part of me LOVES Roscoe's. It's a freakish maze, and every corner reveals something new to ogle or avoid. There is an inexplicable patio on which you cannot smoke. It has like, nine separate bars. The dance floor is on some mini-Babylon shit and there is a significant amount of blatant grabassing, which I find amusing (even when I am the grabassed). If I were drunk, I would probably just wander the perimeter, grinning like an idiot, slowly getting lost in its labyrinthine guts.
Unfortunately, this happened:
I get there around 11. I walk to the nearest bartender, glance around to see what the cheaper-looking patrons are drinking and order myself two delicious, nutritious, watery Miller Lights (in cases of extreme overcrowding, I merrily double-fist to save myself the return trip to the bar). These two garbage beers somehow costs $10. "That's Boystown" I sighed. "Keep it open," I shouted, handing the bartendress my debit card. "Open?" she shouts back. "Yeah," I reply, and wander off to be fondled by some gays. I mean check out the dance floor.
When my friend (of a friend and her friend and her friend's girlfriend) arrive they send me to the bar for their drinks because I'm "a cute guy" and I will get served faster. Fair enough. That's good logic. I order another two Miller Lights for me, one for my friend, a Guinness for the girlfriend and a long island just to have as backup because despite my terribly good outfit and the aquiline nose centered perfectly beneath my baby hazels, it took an extremely long time to get service. My bartender is handsome, if a bit frazzled, and spills a drink or two before getting around to making mine.
there are three registers behind the bar, and three bartenders scrabbling like fiends to service the 250 milling patrons clamoring for booze. I have taken the liberty of using one of their free pencils and business cards (for giving your number to some hotties) to write HAVE TAB UNDER JUSTIN VALMASSOI, thus saving myself and them the time it takes to shout "What?!" and "With a V!" etc. I have done this because I am nice and I know bartenders have a very demanding job. What i can do to make it easier, I usually do. I receive my drinks, hand them to their respective drinkers and show the barman my little card.
"What?" he shouts, giving me what is supposed to be a withering look. "Oh no, you have a card open? You have to go to the register you opened it at. You can't just go wherever."
I am, at this point, looking at the register I did order from, which is within arm's reach of this guy. There is no sign stating anything of the sort, and it's asinine anyway since there are literally a couple hundred people milling around this particular bar area. "It was that one right there," I say, pointing to it, "And her," pointing to the bartendress, who is no more than two feet from him.
He keeps yelling at me, and I just stare with a baffled expression.
"How was I supposed to know that?" I ask.
He throws his hands up and goes to get the bartendress. He goes 1.5 feet. She looks over and throws her hands up as well. I am now getting both embarrassed and pissed off.
When she makes her way over she informs me that they don't keep tabs open on DEBIT cards, and that they run it each time you order a drink.
"How was I supposed to know THAT either?" I ask, after asking why she didn't tell me that 45 minutes ago when I said "Keep it open."
"I tried to tell you but you walked off."
"I walked off because you took my card and left. Pardon me for thinking that meant I was good to go."
"Look, we're really busy. Hurry up. I'm going to run your card again for these."
Oh. Oh really, Roscoe's dick? Try putting up a sign to explain your retarded rule system regarding article 246, chapter 7 of the Roscoe's bar etiquette code so I know next time. Then drop some more drinks in the ice and don't change it out.
I always have a FABULOUS time at Roscoe's. One of the only places I will stay at 'til last call, Roscoe's is the kind of place that is crowded but meant to be crowded. As in, part of the allure is being forced to get sandwiched between sweaty gay men (and the occasional lovely lesbian) on the dance floor. Great music, great company, no cover (unless it's the parade or market days or it's really late or there's some special event), and for some reason I only order Amstel when I'm here - despite the fact that they are known for their blended drinks (Maybe that's why I always have a good time. Amstel's like drinking 3-2 beer, so I'm never drunk - but everyone else is.) If you're in Boystown, at least stop in for a drink or two. Or sit in the outdoor patio. The food is surprisingly decent.
The more I come here for drinks, lunch, the music etc. the more I get disappointed.
I guess it's because I'm not a desperate gay man who's trolling the bars for young prey 'cause every time I'm here at night, there's nothing but the male equivalent of "cougars" prowling the area. Especially around the holidays! I'm not a holier than thou kind of girl, but on some night, I have to turn my head to avoid seeing the asses against the glass. There's bar seating against that glass so you tell me how it's possible to see that kind of crap.
The drinks are cheap, the booze is equally cheap and lunch here is no better. They have a small limited menu with mediocre waitstaff. I'd rather go to Halsted's for lunch and Hydrate for drinks and Spin for the dancing. At least at all these places, I have something better to look at. At least they have pink Hi-C lemonade. But other than that, Meh.
P.S. They're open Christmas Day for all you man whores out there. And I say that lovingly of course. Bring out the leather chaps for Santa!
This is my favorite of the big, obnoxious, loud gay bars. My first experience with the gays in Chicago was here, for NYE 2008.
- The boys are cute. Aren't all gay boys cute, though? Well, no, but most of them are. And they ALL are at Roscoe's. And pretty much any of them will make out with you, if you ask politely. Not that I have ever, but I've seen it. More than once.
- The drinks are swell. I don't know how much they are- the gays pay my way when I am with them. I'm that cool. I do know that the vodka lemonade pitchers always seem to be $12, which seems very cheap. Blackout cheap.
- Dance floor. They have one in the back- they had a fire (a real one, not like a Tilli's fire *read Tilli's review*) and had to remodel, I think they may still be in the midst of it. But they have a decent sized dance floor in the back. The music is a little more trance/house/euro than I would like, but not bad. The music in the front is better, and no one ever seems to have a problem with me busting a move out there.
- There is a cover, sometimes. I'm not sure when. I don't really care, because, again, the gays pay my way.
- The decor is fabulous. They always have it nice and decorated for whatever holiday is going on. The other night, they had switched up the holiday-ish flare for winter-ish flare. They are so smart, the gays.
It is very busy here. Very busy. Lots of guys, not a lot of room; you will be fondled (guys and girls), brushed up against, grabbed, squeezed, kissed, fawned over, etc. But it's great. No complaints on my end.
It's an institution. Best place in town for making 3-hour "ZOMG I LOVE YOU CALLL MEH" drunkie friendships, as I do every. Single. Time. There's nothing like having fevered identity-politics discussions with strangers over an unidentifiable Schnapps-y pitcher of drink. You think you're having the most important conversation ever, with your newest bestest friend, taking yourselves way too seriously for folks slurring their politics over a Justin Timberlake track. High drama.
But a visit once every 6 months is great for perspective.
Let's see what I can piece together.
Sunday afternoon with the girls, after several rounds of…
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My assessment after 5 minutes:
--I'm in Boystown, the gay version of a gentrified America.
--Jeans and propped-up collar shirts...in the Midwest, fashion trends die hard.
--Yet another Celine Dion ballad the gays turned into a dance song.
--Beer drinkers and cosmo wannabees.
--A latina drag queen doing Britney better than Britney
--Aaah, what a sausage fest! Where are the dykes?
--Isn't this Chicago? Where are the brown folks?
My assessment after 1 hour:
--The cosmo I'm drinking now tastes great!
--All the blond boys are originally from Minneapolis...how shocking.
--To the bartender: Please tell me how to get to Spin. Please.
I don't get it. Why do people always insist on meeting here or at Hydrate? Packed, expensive, full of unfriendly people and there is only one toilet for the ladies. Ummm, there are a lot of ladies here, so this actually a big issue. Don't go here unless you're trashed and nothing else is open. And then good luck.
First of all TOO gay. We get it you're queer, get over it, there doesn't need to constantly be a dick being shoved into your face to get the vibe that its homo friendly. My experience with gay bars in my short time of being able to go to bars has done little more than validate my preconceived notions about most gay bars and clubs and how the guys act there. If your into being surrounded by a bunch of twinks, trashed fag hags that can't handle their shit, and creepy forty-plus year olds in muscle shirts then this is the place for you. The music is the same Lady Gaga, Brittany Spears, post Madonna esc bubble gum, eighties revamp bullshit that further degrades our people and brings rise to negative stereotypes. Aren't there any gay friendly bars in the area that aren't obsessed with being gay, getting laid, or vanity?
For some reason I've been to Roscoe's for karaoke night on three occasions this month. It's been the same gauntlet of people singing the same dramatic songs each time, but that's beside the point. Everytime I've gone, my group of peeps has meshed with another group of peeps and we have a damn good time. I'm as shocked as you are that I had fun at a karaoke night (three times!) but the bottom line is that the people here, especially on the weeknights, are nice and approachable. The bartenders are fantastic, the crowd is equally fantastic.
If you're young, fun, and like to shake your bum, you'll probably find yourself dancing the night away at Roscoe's.
Once you get past the occasionally haughty bouncer at the door, you'll be greeted by a labyrinth of a bar and, on the weekends, wall-to-wall crowds. The front section contains a bar island which fills the room, surrounded by a few stools where you can sit, chat, and watch music videos. If you can, grab a stool in the side bar's front window, where you can do some prime Halsted-Street-people watching. A crowded hallway leads to the washrooms (which could use some updating) and a bar mini-island which serves sweaty shirtless gay men (and their female tag-alongs) fresh off the adjacent dance floor. There, the high-energy collection of dance mixes keeps the bass thumping for hours.
But it isn't just the music that keeps the boys coming back for more. Roscoe's has a multitude of weekly events and specials. A number of guest hosts present affairs like Tuesday's Drag Race, Wednesday's You're the Star karaoke, and Thursday's bingo. CD and DVD releases are held here every week, and the infamous "Wet Boxers Contest" is held on the last Thursday of every month.
Individual cocktails are usually a bit pricey, but Roscoe's has a pitcher special for every day of the week. On the weekends, it's not uncommon for intoxicated partygoers to ditch the serving glasses altogether and just dunk their straws straight into the pitcher of Stoli pink lemonade, Smirnoff apple martini, or one of four flavors of Long Island iced tea.
If you need some help the next day recuperating, you can head right back to the scene of the crime. No, not for more alcohol, but for traditional American dishes at their sidewalk cafe. Burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, and a variety of appetizers all hit the spot. Of course, with daily drink and pitcher specials, you may be tempted to try the hair of the dog that bit you.
The crowd is generally made up of 20-something gym regulars, so take from that what you will. For some, it's a fickle crowd of fashion judgments. For others, it is an incredible collection of eye candy.
We stopped here mid-Sunday afternoon for some lunch and took advantage of the outdoor seating. The host was very receptive and helpful. We were seated right away. There were quite a few servers for a fairly small crowd, so we had no trouble getting either food or drink. Took advantage of pitcher beer-always welcome after a 3-4 mile lake front hike.
I had a tuna filet sandwich which was done perfectly and medium rare, as requested, and Doug had the curried chicken salad sandwich, which was delish, but he de-constructed it and ate it as a salad on the premise that "It was too good to eat as a sandwich". Okaaay. The sandwiches seemed a little pricey, but what with the summer day, a festive and friendly environment, and a stranger who sent over bloody Mary's to our table, it was all a good experience in what was for us a new lunch spot.
Definitely a good Lakeview option for lunch al fresco if you are out and about in that neighborhood. And a great spot to hear sibilant s's in s-s-s-stereo :-)
Ah Roscoe's...good cheesy fun. Gotta love it. I think this might have been the very first bar I went to in Chicago when we first moved here. Couldn't stand being indoors at the time b/c the smoke was so bad so you always caught me out back. The dance floor is tiny and full of more straight chicks than guys. Sometimes decent music though not consistent!
Door guys have attitudes and let some in for free and others pay. That's aggravating. The bartenders are a hit and miss.
Pretty much this place is the definition of 3-stars. Some good, some bad things but a must stop on the tour of Boystown! My fav time to go? Early afternoon. Pool tables are free and it's easy to get your drink!
I will begin with my favorite quote from Stranger's With Candy, delivered in Geoffrey Jellineck's nonchalant, almost chipper voice; "Most gay people are retarded!"
Oh Roscoe's, Roscoe's, Roscoe's.... Do I love you? Do I hate you? (Can one seriously hate a retard?)
There are a lot of very nice people working here. The guys at the door and elsewhere can be a little bitchy, but only when people get out of hand, or get smart with them. Do NOT get smart with a Roscoe's employee. You WILL get kicked out. None of the staff has EVER been rude to ME, actually. It's always only varied from extremely pleasant, to passively polite.
I guess the drinks are a tad overpriced, but that's normal for gay bars, as far as I can tell.
The washrooms need to be expanded, THAT's for sure.
Sometimes, it's nice to sit outside with my best pal and have drinks before heading somewhere else.
The music is bearable. There's pounding, shitty dance stuff in the back, and Gay re-Top 40's in the front (re for retarded).
It's not my first choice. I only go 'cause my friends will sometimes ask me to come with.
I'd sum it up by saying, it's a'ight.
Roscoe's is another one of these giant Chicago gay bars... several rooms (4?), including a dance floor in the back. It's a little more divey and relaxed that the other bars around, and the drinks are also a little cheaper. The crowd is pretty mixed and friendly. Yet for some reason I never seem to have a whole lot of fun there. I suppose it's a good place to go for a drinks with some friends, and probably not the best for making new friends or meeting new people. Also, what is up with the $5 cover on weekends? Seriously... the place is not a club and closes early: not worth it. (If you want to spend $5 on cover on a weekend night, better go to Berlin a few blocks away).
On weekends, they also serve food outside (they have tables on the sidewalk). Cool location, and pleasant way to spend a few hours on a sunny day. They have drink specials ($10 pitcher of stoli lemonade... pretty good deal if you ask me!). The food is ok, but not the best, and service is friendly but a bit slow.
The first gay bar I ever patronized.
Gotta give it up for nostalgia's sake.
God, I love me some North Halsted!
Four Words: Wet Boxer Short Contest.
I've only been here twice, mostly because they charge cover and I'm sort of anti-cover.
But one time involved a wet boxer short contest and it was fab and worth every penny the doorman was charging. The other time did not and it was just sort of okay. I guess.
I missed the wet boxer shorts.
Like a handsome man with herpes. Nice atmosphere (Could be time to update the 80's Bennigan's look?), but they hire jerk after jerk Everything from blatant racist remarks, to just plain dead on your ass service. Too many rude bartender stories to tell here. OK one..lol! A bartender told me they did not make real "Hurricanes" on Mardi Gras because they did not have the ingredients. No attempt to try to make it, no suggestion of another drink, and certainly no apology . Open your bartending book moron! So I went to Cocktail and got one---to be fair I had to guide the bartender there through it. But at least he tried. And got a huge tip.
The crowd is young, dumb and full of .. rhymes with dumb.. Maybe this is why the bartenders have attitude. Not to mention the people who bring in their own liquor.... or are they just avoiding the bar staff?
I have to say out of the plethora (yes I used the word plethora) of gay bars that line boystown/lakeview/andersonville. Roscoes is definitely one of my favorites. It has something for every occasion.
-A decent dance floor for when you just gotta do some wigglin' (or standing if you're one of the people who only stand and watch people have a good time).
-Several bars to wet your whistle....or to give you proper motivation to wet your partners whistle. BA-ZING!
-Occasionally you will find a nice event going on hosted by one of Chicago's drag queens.
However........
.....along with every other gay bar in boystown, I feel compelled to deduct one star. Why you ask? Mostly the fact that the "regulars" are not always the nicest people, usually more than slightly elitist/pretentious, and inevitably make things pretty unwelcoming for out of towners. I know someone is going to read this and say well he's just mad, or something along those lines. Well yes, I am. The fact that I've been to gay bars in plenty of large cities and still find chicago's to be the least welcoming (after living here a year), thats pretty good reason in my book to be judgemental of things. Go to a gay bar in the south, you will feel right at home, talking/having a great time with everyone from the people you'd swear should be gracing magazine covers, to the people not so aesthetically gifted.
Anyways, enough of my rant. Go to Roscoe's, its one of the better ones! Just don't expect to leave with more new friends than you can count.....that will take some time.
Went on a Tuesday night, that night we saw what was called the 'Drag Race 2008'. Trannies prancing around on stage doing their best Britney and Shania impersonations.
The crowd was mixed (mixed types of gay): business / queen-y / foreign / etc. Made for good people watching.
We hit a few other spots that evening and Roscoe's was definitely the most on and poppin'. Make sure to check it out, but not only that - I hear that they have an amazing brunch on the weekends...
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Gay Bars
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