With offerings and specials as diverse as its crowd, Parlour on Clark manages to stand out as a weekend destination. Fridays are a trip back to the 80s, and who better to host the event than Dave Medusa, famed Chicago DJ and nightclub owner. Saturdays mark the bar's dance party night, complete with scantily clad and muscle-bound male dancers. Parlour on Clark continues their high-energy antics right through the rest of the week with sports Sundays, speakeasy themes, guest DJs and a ladies' night.
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.
Although Parlour on Clark is happy to be labeled an LGBT bar, it attracts a more diverse group of patrons than some of the standard Boystown haunts. "Our focus is the gay and lesbian community, but we've had a really wide variety of people so far," Murphy says.
From the excellent décor to the affordably priced drinks and upbeat atmosphere, it's worth the short trip up north to give this bar a try. And fortunately, at the end of the night, you'll find it's just a few block stumble to the bus stop or red line.
