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How does a Far North Side taproom open during a recession-stressed economy and become an instant successs? Credit a neighborhood hungry for a low-key and friendly LGBT bar with an all-inclusive vibe, solid DJs and indie queer performances to keep things interesting.
Time Out Chicago
Steve Hnilicka, aka D’Juana Cyber, co-host of Northern Lights at Parlour, featured in Time Out
Time Out Chicago
Atom Basham art opening at Parlour, featured in Time Out
Time Out Chicago
Parlour the host bar for the official Chicago chapter of Dykes on Bikes
Windy City Media Group
I Hate Tommy Finch by Tello Films at Parlour!
Reviewed by The L Stop
Parlour raises $10,000
for Howard Brown Health Center
Learn more!
Best alt queer party 2010
Time Out Chicago, on Northern Lights at Parlour, last Wednesday of every month
Shits and Giggles featured in the Chicago Sun-Times
... a new bar that recently opened called the Parlour. It is one of the nicest and most friendly neighborhood bars we have visited anywhere from coast to coast.
edgenewyork.com
Recently opened Parlour on Clark breathes new life into the Edgewater nightlife scene.
For residents of the far North Side, this new night spot is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Somehow the bar's owners, Jennifer Murphy and Nikki Calhoun, have managed to do the impossible: create a stylish bar with a hip, urban feel that doesn't come off as stuffy or exclusive. In fact, that's what the name Parlour is all about. "We wanted something that felt homey and inviting," says Murphy. So far, the approach seems to be working.
CitysBest
Pulsating house and electronic beats, a sea of vodka cocktails, guys gyrating on the dance floor: At first glance, the scene in Edgewater’s recently opened gay bar Parlour is standard fare for an LGBT nightspot. But looking more closely at its diverse array of patrons, men and women of a wide range of ages and ethnicities exuberantly chatting with one another, it’s clear this eclectic mix represents something unexpected: a gayborhood on the rise.
With touches like a sleek bar painted with whimsical designs by local artist Joshua Thissell, modern artwork and plush accents (velvet drapes over exposed brick), out owners Jennifer Murphy and Nikki Calhoun have created a warm, inviting space. “We wanted to come up with a name that felt like a place that you could come home to,” Murphy says. “I thought, How cool would it be to invite people to the parlor?”
Time Out
LGBT cocktailing in Edgewater now shines with a little electric Parisian chic, as its latest addition, Parlour on Clark, opens its doors.
Mini-chandelier muted lighting, exposed brick, red velvet, gilt-waved textured walls and sparks of illuminated cobalt blue define its new intimate interior, hosting North Chicago hipsters.
Pink Mag
Parlour on Clark a welcome addition in Edgewater
In typical Chicago fashion this far North bar seems seeped in tradition and change at the same time. The exposed brick and venting in the long, narrow bar reminded me of a typical Chicago sports bar. Yet, in concert with the Edgewater neighborhood as a whole, everything in Parlour on Clark is renewed,
refreshed and upgraded.
From the beautiful bar top to the gilded antique mirrors, an attention to detail permeated the air. A line of chandeliers led the eye with contemporary elegance to the focal point of the bar, a wall covered in textured aluminum like waves on the sea. While there is still work to be done in the back, the space is coming together nicely.
The bar full of smiling faces laughed, drank and spontaneously danced into the night. For a neighborhood with an ever-growing LGBT population, Parlour on Clark seems to fill a void the community needed. I see potential in it and will watch closely to see what the future holds.
Chicago Pride
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"The impact a place like Parlour has on the gay community, on the community in general, is such a powerful one in my mind. The vibe really is – everyone is welcome – everyone is a friend – everyone has a place to meet and hang and to just be who they are – without judgment or discrimination. But what moved me the most, as I was centering on the impact Parlour might have on the lesbian community specifically – was something that Jennifer said. She stated,'I feel like we are not only making an impact on the lesbian community but the GLBT community as a whole. It has been our intention not to create boundaries within genders and sexuality, Parlour is here to explore and open minds to new and exciting experiences.' Wow – I could not have said it better if I tried..." 
