Hydrate

Seriously the best show I’ve ever been to!!! The ladies were gorgeous and it the hosts were sooooo funny! We got a groupon so we had a table right up front waiting for us. It was fantastic. Go here. you won’t regret it!

Made reservations in march over a month ago got here told there were no reservations. No standing in the aisles force to stand behind a brick wall. Had to sneak to the front to get pictures… Maybe reservations should be made the day before so they don’t forget. They cancelled the 11 show so reservations were cancelled get here n there is a show. Well that’s what we were told. I guess it would b a good show if I were able to see I would suggest arrive early or call to ensure reservations are still available although that should be there job

My confirmed bachelor friend lived to love for this place Boys only. So I tucked my hair in my hat smudged a moustache and had a ball. Great deep dance music. I had the best brandy Alexander ever. Girls don’t go there for your parties be respectful.

Bought two groupon tickets to go see the drag show here! When I got there, the drag show wasn’t showing, instead they had a much earlier comedy show going on. I was very disappointed as I was bringing my girlfriend here for her birthday. I wish they advertised which days the drag shows weren’t happening during the holiday season!

Walter Best is not the best. He put his hands on me in the bathroom and called me an asshole. I don’t care who you are you do not out your hands on someone unless they are a threat. He needs to go back to D.S. tequila. Liability if you ask me as the girl at the door Pattie said she heard same reviews. One thing to clear the glasses and make sure the space is clean. It’s another to be a complete douchebag and make patrons feel unwanted. Wally or Walter needs to go. Never had such service at an establishment. He’s lucky he didn’t get punched.

So I remember going here a lot when I was 21 and then stopped… recently starting going again and I must say… it’s a pretty diverse crowd and love that! All the bartenders are friendly and drinks are pretty good. It gets pretty crazy after 230am in the back but if that’s your cup of tea (it is for me), then go to it. If you love tribal beats… you’ll love this place!

Very nice club but the staff is rude. Probably the wrist in boys towns. There was as dumb bartender by the name of Amy who is by far the worst bartender in America

I’ve been coming to Hydrate since I was 21. Anytime I would visit Chicago from STL. It’s my number one. The music is ridiculously on point with the kind of vibe I expect from a LGBT dance club. The staff has always been friendly to me. If they are not friendly to you, there must be a reason. Let’s face it, it’s an late night/​after hours club and people can get out of control. Aside from that, it’s an awesome venue with nice aesthetics, sick music and beautiful people. So if you didn’t have a great experience, grab a strong drink and hit the dance floor.

I always have a good time at hydrate! The vibes are so positive! If your looking for a good time and want to drink, stop in! I love boystown!

Too many idiot drunk straight girls in here thinking they could actually make gay boys turn straight. Hilarious. And the music blows. Same old same old. Bartenders with attitude. They had the doors and windows wide open on an unusually chilly April evening. This was a waste of time (and money).

Visiting from Phoenix wit a pre-​purchased «VIP» ticket that stated stage side seating… Upon arrival, we were seated in front of the DJ booth… This place oversold tickets which meant people standing between us and the stage. The bartenders barely gave a crap when asked if there was any crowd control… Long story short– we requested and received a refund before the show even started… Many postings in here are accurate… Out of control drunks and many who want to gawk and be very disruptive. Went to BitchFest the night before and had an amazing time. Too bad there isn’t as much effort placed into the drag shows as well.1 star for our great bartender. 1 star for the nice space. I can’t rate the drag as I didn’t even have the opportunity to see it., even with a prepaid ticket. Not a very impressive event for this visitor.

Horrible place! I was in this club for maybe 5 minutes. After being in this club for 5 minutes I got punched in the face by a man. I still am unsure why he punched me. Security came over and did NOT kick him out. It has resulted in me having a black eye. Mind you I am a woman. They only asked us to seperate. I then obviously left because I was outraged with how the security handled the situation. I don’t drink at all what so ever so that should mean enough. I will be filing a lawsuit because a friend got everything on camera, thank god. Do not go here, horrible horrible horrible experience!!!

One of my favorite bars in boystown. Great music and atmosphere. I always have a blast. It’s open later than most bars which is cool.

A couple of girlfriends and I decided to try this place out with a groupon, & had a blast. Our server was great, the drinks were good, the music was pumping, & the energy was high. We saw the Beauties & Beaus show, which runs Sat nights (bring singles!) Mocha was the most memorable performer of the night, but everyone did a nice job. The girls were so sweet to come out and take pictures and chat after the show too. I was impressed with how well the co-​host handled some SERIOUSLY drunk girls celebrating a 21^st.
If you are going to see a show, it is worthwhile to go early and sit right by the front of the stage or to the immediate left of front. Best seats in the house. Avoid the curtained off area to the right.
PROS:
— able to find street parking
— friendly staff
— strong drinks
— high energy fun
CONS:
— a little too much on-​stage action by non-​performers
— tight area around stage makes it difficult for performers to work the room

Super for a fun night out if you’re an out-​of-​towner. My sister and I ended up here after she found a Groupon for a drag show which they host in their back bar area. We made reservations, which were confirmed. When we got there, we weren’t listed though! Fortunately they were able to make some accommodations and we were given a table (yay!). Plus, for our troubles, we were given free drinks :)
The only negative is that a person who works there was not the most professional (kept trying to chat/​exchange numbers). Not exactly something I expected, and so my sister and I felt the need to leave immediately to avoid him.

Last night I celebrated my birthday at Hydrate, and I had the most amazing time and all thanks to Jon O’Brien!
I had been trying to reserve a table probably two weeks before my birthday and the person I had been emailing with would never get back to me with the information that I wanted. So last night when I showed up to the club, I was directed to Jon and he understood my situation and immediately helped me out with my table. My friends and I had an amazing time last night and I will book any future events with Jon! Thanks again Jon and to the rest of your fantastic staff! I can’t wait to go back to Hydrate! –NS

I found out about this place while i was conversating with a couple of ladies I met at a bar restaurant. My sister and I were visiting and didn’t know any fun clubs to go to and they mentioned this. Then I went to our hotel bar and our bartender said it is always a good time so I got really excited about it and I really wanted to like this place.
When we got to the show, we were late, so didn’t have to pay cover for the show and stood at the side of the stage where you can still enjoy the show.
Pros: 1 HOT male partial strip tease dancer for the show we saw and HOT bartenders (note con).
Cons: Bartenders are prob gay. .great for those who can benefit. .not so much for a straight gal. Performance was horrible. .sorry!!! Drinks were weak.
I was hoping for a fun drag show. Maybe I’ll check out the club part another time.

A fun location in Boystown, with strong drinks, nice bouncers and hot bartenders — what more could you ask for? Our party of people was pretty chill since we had just come from an event that had lasted for several hours where the booze flowed. We were happy to find a table in the front room, away from the bachelorette parties that crowded the drag show on a Saturday night — seriously, the place was packed with 25 year-​old ladies out for a fun night to celebrate a friends’ wedding.
All in, we were just along for the ride since we were celebrating my brother and his husband’s wedding anniversary, but we were pleased to post up at a table: it was quiet enough we could talk and get caught up, but not boring and there was plenty of people watching. My verdict: worth a trip.

You know it was a good time if it’s Tuesday and I’m still thinking about the fun we had. We went to Hydrate Saturday night (haven’t been here in ages since my partner and I don’t leave Roscoe Village much anymore).
We were celebrating a friend’s birthday and there to see «Snow White and the 7 Drag Queens.» Now, normally, you’ll see me running where drag queens are concerned. But, this was really entertaining. For 15 bucks, you heard some really great voices, and got some genuine laughs (the one scene with the pork chop had me in stitches). They can’t solve the visibility part, I understand due to the columns but they sure should be able to address the sound issues. Poor Snow White’s mic went in and out.
Overall, a great value for a night of entertainment. Unexpectedly well done!

Check out the NEWLY remodeled Hydrate! Finally the Front Bar has ‘flow’ and the new open windows & front entry are a welcomed change!
The dance floor remains similar to before with a more logical layout for staged performances, upgrades to lighting and lounge layout.
Let’s not overlook the remodeled bathrooms. Kudos on a job well done!