Ahh, Lake View - there's always a ton to do. It's got Wrigley Field, the Belmont Theater District, and of course the queer spaces of Boystown on Halsted street.
The community is young, and the nightlife options are vast, but there are just three spots we've found so far that tick the speakeasy box. If we find more, we'll add them to the list below.
Hush Money
First off, we have Hush Money. It's not incredibly hidden, but it's not obvious by any means. If you go upstairs from the "Mordecai" bar, you'll find it.
It's not overwhelmingly different than Mordecai itself, but not everyone knows about it, and sometimes they host seasonal popups there.
You can also reach it from the second floor in the Hotel Zachary, and on the opposite side you'll find another swanky bar inside the hotel itself.
They've got an impressive collection of rare and vintage spirits, if that's something you're looking for.
To be honest, we knew about more hidden spots in the area, this might not have made the list - but it's still worth being on your radar.
You can check out our page on Hush Money here for more information.
Room 13
Now this might be a little controversial of us, but we haven't heard great things about Room 13. It's one of the very few actually private speakeasies in town - you need a legit paid membership to join, and you can get one from the Old Chicago Inn next to it.
It's a shame too, because the entryway is perfectly hidden down a dramatic little alley, and they check your membership through a slat in the door.
On the inside, the decorations aren't anything special, and while we would love to be proven wrong, it seems like this spot might just be trying to cash in on the prohibition vibe some people are seeking in town.
Regardless of what we think, if you're interested, we always recommend you give a new spot a fair shake!
You can check out our page on Room 13 here for more information.
Baby Atlas
Lastly, we've got Baby Atlas. It's nothing special, but we LOVE it here. It's a tiny nightclub hidden underneath the bar "Matilda" down an especially vertical staircase at the back of the establishment.
On weekends it gets especially packed, and the decor is a blend of fun grungy disco and big neon signs.
If you want a neat little dance night out it's the perfect spot. The bar up top is an especially chill neighborhood spot, and when we visited Baby Atlas we found ourselves relaxing up top afterwards to catch our breath.
We're big fans of the name, too.
You can check out our page on Baby Atlas here for more information.
Lakeview is a super fun neighborhood, so we're shocked there aren't more speakeasies in the area - and if we find any more we'll be sure to update this list. If you know of any hidden / secret bars or clubs in the Lakeview area, feel free to reach out and let us know!