Progress Bar

I went here with a gay friend (kiki!) for his bday, and I returned for my 30^th because I had such a blast. When I came with my friend, let’s cal him Monsieur Kiki, we had a ball to the DJ’s diverse and hot cuts – acting out the back and forth of Trina’s «Nann nan,» sipping watermelon AMFs (the bartender knew what they were, I didn’t, it was the birthday boy’s request), getting down to Robyn and breaking out a backwards somersault, you name it When I swung by for my 30^th there was a little more shade from the bartenders – «a watermelon AMF? you mean a long island iced tea with watermelon?» but I still got my life dancing on the floor with people I did’n’t know and worked some fierce duck walks, suicide dips, etc with mi bredren. I love this placee!

SO FUN! Great Vibe, fun people, and music was awesome! Gay Smay! This is a dance bar… don’t get stuck on a label. If you’ve you want to have a good time this is a great spot!

straight guy in a gay bar…
never got any attitude for being a straight guy in a gay bar. trust me, I have at other places. came here with a big group of friends. Bartender was cool, I asked where the drunk straight girls were, he pointed them out and was really cool. Music is decent. people are friendly here, the group I was with was having a lot of fun.
Ugh everyone here was doing fireball shots… they are so gross.
Unisex bathroom… I don’t know, kind creepy. This woman was staring at men, it was awkward.

If you’re ready to dance and have a great time, Progress Bar is where you should be! Sure you can order a drink anywhere. But the crowd we experienced here was a blast! They played a fun mix of music and the bartenders were friendly.

So so soooo fun! I loved this place. Just walking in, you can automatically sense the fun environment. There’s plenty of space to dance and the bars are pretty big too. Bartenders are friendly and the music is very cool. There is one unisex bathroom which is fine but kind of dirty (as most places would be). Had a great time here and got my dance on!

Pretty space, okay service, mediocre crowd and atmosphere. I’ve never had a GREAT time there. And I always get yelled at by some guy while using the UNISEX bathroom. Sorry, guys, we don’t like it any more than you.

Progress is one of my favorite places to go whenever I’m in Boystown! The music is great, the drinks are yummy, bartenders are friendly. I’ve never had a problem there! And the first Thursday of the month there’s a Lesbifriends event which is always a blast.

Tries to be too many things at once and falls flat. Décor is modern and sleek which is probably the best part. No menu or drink specials which kind of sucks. Bartenders seem to always have stank face and don’t want to talk to you unless you have a certain «look.»

This was my group’s second stop before hitting up Roscoe’s around midnight. According to the pro gay bar hopping friends, Progress doesn’t have that great of a dance scene compared to Roscoe’s, which is located across the street. But if you are with a big crowd, I would suggest hitting up this place since it is less crowded and you won’t have to bump elbows for dance space.

This Bar is a good new vibe on the strip. With a good crowd on the weekends this spot is the place to be. Not to mention all the bar tenders and staff are all nice with the hottest door guy in town! This place is 5 star status.

This is easily the best bar in boystown right now. I absolutely had a blast here with my friends. The music was amazing. It was packed when we went in but their staff was still really fun and polite. The vide there was just awesome. I don’t think I’ve been to a place like that for a while. It’s like how Minibar used to feel like 3 – 4 years ago.
Super cute boys and girls everywhere. Bathrooms were clean. For being packed I never felt overwhelmed.
We will be back for sure!

I’ve been partying in Boystown for years. Scarlet used to be my SPOT until I discovered Progress last year, I believe. The BEST place if you’re looking for a diverse crowd with hip hop music, ample seating and it’s nice and spacey. No cover which is nice. However, it can get pretty crowded.

i like the décor and I really really really wanted to like this bar… if your over 25 your treated like crap and the music is just baaaaaaaaaaaad. I can see this place turning into a hot mess of a hip hop place. Stupid hipsters

Well, it’s a bar. They make drinks per your order & have a good selection of your standard ingredients. The bartenders were fine, never had an issue there. Prices are spot on for the neighborhood.
The lighting is definitely unique & makes the place stand out, even from outside.
Honestly, no issues here but no high points either, hence the A-​OK rating. Not my first choice for a place to go but nothing wrong with it either!
Personally, I like it more early in the evening when there’s places to sit & relax. At these times, it’s a classier place with a subdued atmosphere. Later in the evening it’s more of a standing room/​dancing room only type of place. No really dedicated dance floor so the amount of dancing just depends on the music & the crowd that night.

If you happen to get lost in the land of Boystown and decide you want to dance… Progress is the spot. Great music and enough space to dance your butt off while bumping into sweaty randoms (it gets hot up in here). Get here before 1130pm if you want to avoid the line.
Also, shout out to the great staff working here, especially Nic and Dexter. My two favorite bartenders in Chicago.

It was a great Bar. We had drinks the bartenders were an interesting mix of ages, races, and gender. It was a week day so the crowd was pretty light but that just made it that much more bar like and less clubish. We liked it. Walked by one weekend night and the line was out the door. So very different on the weekends. Great location will def be back.

Given the venue and the space, this place could have been amazing-«could have» being the very key phrase.
You walk in and you are greeted by some foul funky smell. It’s odd because it is not your expected sweaty men and alcohol scent. This is just… alien?!?
And then there is also the weird lighting. Of course, this could just be my overactive imagination, but the light installation looks like a larvae nest of giant wasps waiting to hatch and descend upon my head from above. Again, it feels alien.
Finally, the drinks are a joke. If I just wanted tonic with lime squeezed in it… actually, I wouldn’t want that ever. Hence, why I recommend adding the gin.
Overall, I find this place to be a let down. But they have people lined up outside on weekends so there must be something about it the masses enjoy.

Stopped in here for a quick drink as we were waiting to head to event next door. They opened at 5:00 and we were the first people in the joint. Clean and spacious with a great lighting fixture. The place seemed large, but maybe because it was empty.
Ordered a Blue Moon, and the bartender had a hard time pouring from the tap, all head. It took him a good 10 tries before he could get a good pour. The beer tasted fine though. Price point for 3 beers was $ 16.
My friend used the bathroom and came out saying he had black grease on his hand… then two more people said the same thing. No… not grease. They painted the bathroom door black, but didn’t have a sign on it or anything. Not cool.
Overall, decent place to stop for a drink, but nothing memorable about it.

Cute corner bar in the heart of boystown, Progress does not disappoint. I was in town for Market Days and there was a short line, but we got in fairly quickly. For being the weekend that it is, it certainly wasn’t too crowded inside. They have this awesome light cloud made of light bulbs above the bar.
The drinks were strong and delish and the people were very friendly. It’s not the biggest bar in boystown, but it’s definitely worth a stop. They also have a dance floor in the back with some seating.
Half-​way through my Progress Bar visit, something happened and I think it had to do with the alcohol, but my vision got a little bit blurry and so did my memory. But I THINK I had a great time here. Could be wrong, but most likely right. I slightly remember doing a couple of Wonder Woman twirls and freaking a drag queen.

Just in time for Pride month, Progress Bar has opened in the old space of Cocktail. This place is sleek, and you can still smell the fresh coats of paint and the new wooden seats as you wine with your friends. Also made to be a fun, low-​key date night for all kinds of couples.
Of note is the really cool light fixture made out of light bulbs that adorns most of the ceiling over the bar area. I found out later that the lighting changes depending on how noisy each section is. So I guess the noisier the bar, the better you see it from the outside through the windows. Awesome!
I hope business picks back up, Progress Bar was one of the few bars that was charging a cover during Pride. Perhaps I will be back!