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smartbar
An independent Chicago institution devoted to adventurous dance music, resident DJs and a focused basement dance floor.
Neighbourhood
Chicago
Energy
Lounge
Capacity
400
Price
$$
Age
21+ (local law)
Opened
1982
Indoor / outdoor
indoor
Dress code
Smart casual / stylish nightwear. Clean sneakers and collared shirts or neat tees permitted; no flip-flops or sportswear.
Inside smartbar
From the venue’s website.
About the venue
smartbar is an independent Chicago institution with four decades of dance-music history beneath Metro on North Clark Street. Its compact room keeps the booth and crowd close, giving resident DJs and visiting selectors space to build patient sets across house, techno, disco and electro rather than rush through festival peaks.
The weekly rhythm is clear—Friday and Sunday sessions run late, while Saturday extends into the city's 5 a.m. closing window. Long-running residents and parties such as Queen! connect the club to Chicago's house lineage and LGBTQ+ dance culture. It is a music-first room: intimate, unfussy and best experienced by staying for the arc of the whole set.
Entry & door policy
21+ with ID. Table and seating prioritized; quiet appreciation of sound and curated vinyl sets expected. No large rowdy groups.
We describe door policies as the venue states them. If you believe a policy here is discriminatory, report it and an editor will review it.
Music & atmosphere
A quick guide to the music and atmosphere you can expect.
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