Jackhammer

Another mostly fun bar away from the silly N Halsted bar strip. The Hole, in the basement, is where the sex parties happen. Very erotic playspace. Clothing check available. The Bear Naked party ever 4^th Wednesday of the month is well attended and you’re practically guaranteed to score!

Dakota the bartender with a lisp and thinks he is hot shit needs to check hith self! He is a fat queen with an attitude that McDonald’s wouldn’t employ! Get over your self queen! Ur not cute and just because you can open a beer bottle doesn’t make you a bartender! Learn how to be a decent human being! I hope they fire ur gay fat lisp ass! Hopefully jimmy knows when to cuts lose

They’ve done a remarkable job renovating this place over the years, top middle and bottom.
Lively, fun atmosphere with a younger crowd. The cover charge with drink coupon is added red tape and a nonsense feature. The upstairs bar, the drinks are weak and expensive in little glasses. Not good value for your Gay customers! :(
The pit downstairs is interesting, steamy and oh so male. Love it.

I f**king love this place. The set-​up. The diversity of men. The sleaze. The bartenders and staff. The multi-​levels, and different ways to have a good time!
I’m about options and this place gives you that! I’ve gone three times now, and will keep coming but alone, hehe.
The only thing questionable for me is the music. I’m a dancer more than a drinker. I went on a Friday night recently, and just hated the music. (I still danced for two hours though, because of the energy of those around me.) Of course it was the first time I stayed on the main floor, and focused on that.
Before my most recent visit, I was there Halloween night, which happened to be my birthday, and I was simply in heaven! Or Hell, depending on your perspective.
That night the music was dark/​industrial i.e., Nine Inch Nails, Revolting Colts, Front 242, etc. This is my genre of music! I’m not sure if it was because of that festive evening, or a Saturday thing, but it was hot. Well, at least in the basement it was!

Super safe a fantastically inviting crowd no matter what your «schtick» is: gay, straight, bi-​… you will be well received and accepted. Always a fun, fun time… Dan Downstairs is an AMAZING bartender… have him make you a «Smurf Queff» cocktail! Seriously: you hot ladies need to bring your lame boyfriend here and tell him to just «get over it»!! Cheers!

I went to the business next door leather 64ten and was planning to buy a few pieces of leather but Eric there was very rude and drunk so I changed my mind. He started screaming and cursing so I walked out and went to Jackhammer. Eric followed me there and continued screaming I was not welcome there. I am giving three stars because the employee at the door was very polite and apologized and said the manager was not there and he had no option. I also give them credit for maintaining close relationship with other local businesses. However, I think it is a very poor business model to refuse service to a client purely because the client did not wish to make a purchase at the business next door.

They steal your money once you check your stuff downstairs. Not even worth it to risk getting your stuff stolen. The underwear contest was okay if you’re drunk. Drinks are reasonable and not over priced but over all it’s a sex club pretty much and I won’t visit again.

For Jackhammer itself, a solid four stars. Good bar. But for Dan and the Hole — five stars!

What’s not to like really! Bartenders are all friendly. Customers are laid back. Not a pretentious place at all. The Hole downstairs is big time fun. Dan is a well known bartender in Chicago and one of the ones that work «The Hole» you’ll have a great time. .check out underwear night! Jimmy pops in sometimes very friendly also.

I know this divey bar isn’t a neighborhood «gem», but after our brief visit last weekend (June 2015) I can now say this place has deteriorated to a legitimate DUMP. We used to come here to play pool but now, the pool table is trashed and looks more like an autopsy had been performed there at some point. Shame on the management of this place for not keeping it at least tolerably clean. We won’t be back.

I was having a decent time, until I came across bolts that hold the stage together. They were sticking out and cut my leg. As I was gushing out with blood, non of the bartenders would take their precious time to grab me a bandaid. I had to practically go from bar to bar begging for a bandaid. One of them actually told me their was a line and I had to wait.
In the end, Kevin, a bar back knew it was the right thing to do and stop to render his assistance. I went to James to let him know what had happened. NOTHING!. NO RESPONSE… way to manage your bar! It totally ended my night and your bottom dollar! Highly disgusted… anyone know a good lawyer?

Go get your skank on. The place is best when is packed or completely dead. Fun venue, modern gay

My partner and I were visiting Chicago over the weekend decided to check out this bar. Living in Utah, we don’t have the opportunity to experience places like Jackhammer very often.
We got to Jackhammer a little before 11pm when the crowd was still pretty light, but within an hour things picked up. We spent most of the night in «The Hole» because what’s more fun than having drinks in your underwear? Despite the fact that we are both into our 30s, this was the first time either of us had been at a bar in our underwear — and we loved every minute of it!
We both commented on how welcome the staff made us feel as soon as we walked in and the crowd was open and friendly as well. We’re looking forward to our next visit to Chicago so we can visit Jackhammer again.

The upstairs bar is mediocre with overpriced drinks. I don’t like the cover charge – for what exactly? The «hole» (downstairs) smelled like poo the night i was there. but, when i was down there it was like i walked into a time warp. it was kind of magical and there were many attractive men around. it’s a good place to go if you’re sloppy drunk and looking to get lucky, though i don’t advise that.
i wish there were several star ratings for this bar:
drinks: 1.5 stars
sexy men: 5 stars
smell: 0 stars (unless you’re into that)
atmosphere, in general: 3.5 stars

I went in on a Monday night. I must say if the shenanigans were that entertaining on a Monday, this place must be good everyday of the week. The weekends must be out of control specially with a backroom. The bartender in his sparkle pants with the fur boots made good drinks.

Fun bar for the far north-​side crowd; decent prices and a lot of terrific, and easy-​on-​the-​eye bartenders; awesome music and the Sunday buffet by Roe is not to be missed. We love Tim, George, and of course, Jimmy. Oh, and the patio is great for our few months of summer.

Came here on an adventurous (drunken) Saturday night, and enjoyed myself here, but wasn’t really my scene. I was surprised it wasn’t too busy, but it at least had more people and diversity than their neighbor Touché next door. They had a live performer doing some guitar ballads… which is kind of a party killer so the main room emptied out.
I explored the infamous «Hole» downstairs. I guess we were there early because it wasn’t too busy and they even let us in without taking out shirts off. I could tell it gets raunchy down there though.
Anyway, I’d come back if a friend wanted to explore, but the farthest north I’d go on my own would be Big Chicks.

I like this place because it attracts a refreshingly diverse crowd compared to all of the people you run into in Boystown. They host various events throughout the week and the weekends I usually like to stop in for a drink or 10. The bartenders have always been friendly and nice.
Never really done it, but I imagine it is a good chill place to visit during the week if you are meeting friends for a quick drink & to catch up.
On the weekends if you are feeling bold and adventurous you can check out «The Hole», in the basement space of the club. It is a private club space, so if you have leather, you can walk in as is. Otherwise you must strip down to your underwear, OR you can just take off your shirt if you have descent sized upper body tattoos.
Even though this is a review for Jackhammer, it is kind of hard to leave out the fact that there is a leather & fetish type store next door if that tickles your fancy, as well as Touché, a darker and more raunchy bar/​club worth checking out.

This place is wild. Wild, untamed and unashamed. It’s also clean, with a well done interior. Filled with hot (albeit, gay) men. There’s a lot for a straight girl to look at here as well.
As long as you’re not with a screamy, annoying bachelorette party — which, I was not. No one is happy to see the idiot Trixies in places like this.
The bartenders are charming and adorable. Never too busy for a smile, even when working at lightning speed.
There’s a secret, special bar downtstairs called The Hole that has a dress code of sorts. Leather, fetish or nudity. Ladies you will be asked to remove your shirt. Wear a cute, black lace bra. .. if you dare to descend into the Hole.
Otherwise, I stay upstairs to drink, dance and dish with my fabulous gay brothers in Andersonville and around. This place is friendly to women, as long as you’re not an idiot, as mentioned above.
Which. .. I am not. :-)

Oh yeah: I love this place!
I first visited Jackhammer a few years back when somebody told me that the only bars in Chicago worth visiting were this one and the next door legend, Touché.
The Jackhammer has a little something for everybody. When you first walk in, you’re walking right into the middle of the dance floor. If you’re a twink and showing up with one of your fag hags, stay on the main floor or head upstairs for a good «stand and pose» bar experience.
Now, if you’re there for impure reasons (like me), then immediately skip the hype and head for the back stairs — go down to the Hole, boy! That’s where the REAL fun is.
At the bottom of the stairs you’ll be met with another bouncer who’s gonna make sure that 1) you have a penis (sorry ladies), 2) you take your shirt off (before 9) or have leather on (after 9) or take your pants off (after 9), and 3) that you’re not a giggly little cologne wearing kid — and if you are you’ll get a lecture on how your behavior is «disruptive».
You see, the Hole has a full bar downstairs. There’s also a bathtub there. Yes, that’s right, a bathtub. Can you guess what happens there? Wanna find out?
Also, the Hole has a back room/​hallway where men go to, um, play. And I ain’t talkin’ darts or pool, either. :)