An alternative bastion in the Wrigleyville sports bar scene, Smart Bar has been spinning club tracks since 1982. With an emphasis on breaking in new DJs while eschewing the bells and whistles, the club is dark, minimally decorated and located below Metro, a major Chicago concert venue. The focus is on the music, and SmartBar showcases techno and industrial artists. It also has its own "army" of crowd pleasing in-house DJs. Doors open at 10 and there is no cover Sunday to Tuesday. Cover charges later in the week rarely top $15 for popular DJs, and it is always free to get to the bar if you enter through Metro.
SmartBar
3730 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60613
773-549-0203
smartbarchicago.com
Berlin cultivates an art student/bohemian crowd and boasts a large, unencumbered dance floor meant for dancing. Expect a cocktail of innovative house-oriented spin work punctuated with some dance club favorites and a couple of retro disco hits thrown in for good measure. Berlin periodically hosts drag shows.
Berlin Nightclub
954 West Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657-4438
773-348-4975
berlinchicago.com
Neo has been pumping out a mix of alternative and dance music since 1979. The club's atmosphere is tailored to match its goth clientele. Medieval-inspired arches surround the dance floor and heavy industrial dance music upsets your equilibrium. Don a pair of khakis, and you are sure to feel out of place. Sunday night drink specials are $2 rail drinks and $1 pints of Pabst in honor of the weekly "Sanctuary" event
Neo
2350 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60614
773-528-2622
neo-chicago.com