Part of the Gay Chicago Guide — bars, events & things to do.
Chicago, Illinois
A Northalsted dance bar driven by resident DJs and themed pop nights.
Scarlet opened in 2007 on Halsted Street in Northalsted, in the former Gentry piano bar space, and rebuilt after a major two-alarm fire tore through the building in February 2009. What rose back was a sleeker room: exposed brick, five resident DJs, and a signature 13-foot re-upholstered couch sitting under a disco ball, with a roughly 150-person capacity. The programming is built around high-energy pop, from 'Throwback Thursdays' to monthly pop-star takeover nights dedicated to icons like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. It's been voted Best Gay Bar by Chicago Magazine, and it lands as the dance-pop counterpoint to the piano bars and sports-leaning rooms nearby. Come for a loud, sing-along night rather than a quiet drink.
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