BestTime
Quick answer
We analysed 103 Chicago bars and clubs. Saturday is the busiest night, peaking at 10 PM, and Thursday is the busiest weeknight. Monday is the quietest night. The standout finding: the average venue peaks at 10 PM on Saturday and has dropped to 10% by 2 AM.
- Sat
- the big night out, busiest around 10 PM
- Thursday
- liveliest weeknight
- 103
- bars and clubs compared
When Chicago nightlife gets busy, night by night. BestTime forecasts.
Night by night
Busyness is shown as a % of the venue's own weekly peak (100%), and the peak hour shows when the average venue is fullest.
| Night | Average busyness (% of weekly peak, 6 PM to 4 AM) | Peak hour | Share of venues lively (70%+ of their peak) | Share of venues whose busiest night it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 15% | 6 PM to 9 PM (25%) | 9% | 1% |
| Tuesday | 20% | 6 PM to 9 PM (30%) | 10% | 1% |
| Wednesday | 20% | 6 PM to 9 PM (35%) | 17% | 5% |
| Thursday | 25% | 7 PM to 9 PM (40%) | 21% | 4% |
| Friday | 40% | 9 PM and 10 PM (65%) | 72% | 23% |
| Saturday | 50% | 10 PM (75%) | 87% | 65% |
| Sunday | 20% | 6 PM to 8 PM (30%) | 18% | 1% |
Chicago fills up in the evening and empties early. On Saturday the average venue is at 50% at 6 PM, at 70% by 9 PM and at its 75% peak at 10 PM. By midnight it is at 45%, and by 2 AM it is at 10%.
On Friday the average venue peaks at 65% at 9 PM and 10 PM, then falls to 35% at midnight and 5% at 2 AM. Saturday is the main night: 65% of venues have their busiest night on Saturday, and 23% on Friday.
Weeknights are short and early. Monday to Wednesday all peak from 6 PM to 9 PM. Thursday starts its peak an hour later, at 7 PM, and holds it until 9 PM. Sunday's peak runs from 6 PM to 8 PM, ending earliest.
Neighborhoods
River North
River North is Chicago's best-known downtown area for clubs and bars. Its 20 venues are busiest on Saturday and quietest on Monday. Friday and Saturday both peak at 9 PM and 10 PM. Every River North venue is lively on a Saturday, and 85% are lively on a Friday.
Andy's Jazz Club & Restaurant, on East Hubbard Street since 1977, peaks on Saturday at 9 PM. Howl at the Moon Chicago, a dueling piano bar, peaks on Saturday at 10 PM. Fado Irish Pub on West Grand Avenue peaks on Friday at 9 PM and is at 95% at 11 PM on a Saturday.
Fado Irish Pub:
Quietest: Friday 11 AM (10%)Busiest: Friday 9 PM (100%)
Celeste peaks on Saturday at 11 PM and is at 70% at 11 PM on a Friday.
Celeste:
Quietest: Thursday 5 PM (5%)Busiest: Saturday 11 PM (100%)
West Loop
The West Loop's Randolph Street and Fulton Market are known for upscale cocktail bars and restaurants. Its 11 venues are busiest on Saturday and quietest on Monday. Friday peaks at 10 PM, and Saturday at 10 PM and 11 PM. On a Saturday, 91% of venues are lively.
The Aviary, a Fulton Market cocktail bar from the Alinea Group, peaks on Saturday at 9 PM. It is at 85% at 11 PM on a Friday. Good Night John Boy peaks on Saturday at 11 PM and is at 90% at the same hour on Friday.
The Aviary:
Quietest: Thursday 5 PM (25%)Busiest: Saturday 9 PM (100%)
Good Night John Boy:
Quietest: Thursday 5 PM (5%)Busiest: Saturday 11 PM (100%)
Wicker Park
Wicker Park is known for its dive bars and live music venues along Milwaukee Avenue. Its 6 venues are busiest on Saturday and equally quiet on Wednesday and Sunday, both averaging 15%. Its busiest weeknight is Monday. Friday and Saturday both peak at 9 PM and 10 PM.
Emporium Arcade Bar on North Milwaukee Avenue peaks on Saturday at 9 PM. Phyllis' Musical Inn, a live music bar family-run since 1954, peaks on Friday at 10 PM. It is at 85% at 11 PM on both Friday and Saturday.
Emporium Arcade Bar:
Quietest: Sunday 1 AM (5%)Busiest: Saturday 9 PM (100%)
Phyllis' Musical Inn:
Quietest: Wednesday 4 PM (5%)Busiest: Friday 10 PM (100%)
Ukrainian Village
Dive bars and breweries line Chicago Avenue here. Ukrainian Village has 5 venues, busiest on Saturday and equally quiet on Monday, Tuesday and Sunday, all averaging 10%. Friday peaks at 9 PM and 10 PM, Saturday at 10 PM.
Beauty Bar Chicago, a beauty-salon-themed bar and dance club, peaks on Saturday at 11 PM. Chipp Inn, a small neighborhood tavern, peaks on Saturday at 10 PM. Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery runs earlier, peaking on Saturday at 6 PM.
Beauty Bar Chicago:
Quietest: Thursday 7 PM (5%)Busiest: Saturday 11 PM (100%)
Chipp Inn:
Quietest: Monday 1 PM (15%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
Humboldt Park
Humboldt Park has 5 venues. Friday and Saturday are equally busy, both averaging 50%. Both peak at 10 PM, and every venue is lively on both nights. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday are equally quiet, all averaging 25%. Wednesday is the busiest weeknight.
The California Clipper, a vintage cocktail lounge on North California Avenue, peaks on Saturday at 11 PM. Rootstock Wine & Beer Bar peaks on Saturday at 7 PM. Continental Lounge peaks at 2 AM on Friday night.
The California Clipper:
Quietest: Tuesday 6 PM (5%)Busiest: Saturday 11 PM (100%)
Continental Lounge:
Quietest: Tuesday 5 PM (10%)Busiest: Friday 2 AM (100%)
Lively on a weeknight
The number here is how close a venue gets to its own peak late on Monday to Thursday, on average.
Andy's Jazz Club & Restaurant leads with 60%. It peaks on Saturday at 9 PM and is at 75% at 11 PM on a Saturday.
Andy's Jazz Club & Restaurant:
Quietest: Monday 10 PM (25%)Busiest: Saturday 9 PM (100%)
Flight Club Chicago, a social darts bar on West Wacker Drive, also reaches 60%. Its busiest hour of the week is Tuesday at 7 PM.
Flight Club Chicago:
Quietest: Sunday 11 AM (15%)Busiest: Tuesday 7 PM (100%)
Shamrock Club reaches 60% too and peaks on Friday at 11 PM.
Shamrock Club:
Quietest: Tuesday 1 AM (20%)Busiest: Friday 11 PM (100%)
Fado Irish Pub reaches 55%, and Soho House Chicago 50%. Fatpour Wicker Park, a self-pour sports bar on West Division Street, also reaches 50%. Its busiest hour is Monday at 8 PM.
Fatpour Wicker Park:
Quietest: Saturday 2 AM (10%)Busiest: Monday 8 PM (100%)
Busiest at 11 PM on a Friday
By 11 PM on Friday the average venue has dropped to 55%. Four venues are at 100% of their own peak at that hour: Soho House Chicago, Parlay River North, Shamrock Club and Caminos de Michoacan.
Soho House Chicago, a members' club and hotel on North Green Street, peaks on Friday at 11 PM.
Soho House Chicago:
Quietest: Monday 7 AM (10%)Busiest: Friday 11 PM (100%)
Parlay River North, a sports bar on West Hubbard Street, also peaks on Friday at 11 PM. It drops to 70% at 11 PM on a Saturday.
Parlay River North:
Quietest: Tuesday 9 PM (20%)Busiest: Friday 11 PM (100%)
Good Night John Boy is at 90% at 11 PM on a Friday and reaches 100% at the same hour on Saturday.
Clubs
We analysed 23 venues listed as clubs. They peak later than the average bar. On Saturday they peak at 11 PM, and on Friday at 10 PM and 11 PM. Saturday averages 50% and every one of them is lively. Friday averages 35% with 65% lively.
Saturday is the clear night: 83% of these venues have their busiest night on Saturday, 17% on Friday, and none on another night. Monday is their quietest, averaging 5%.
Howl at the Moon Chicago peaks on Saturday at 10 PM. It is at 95% at 11 PM on a Saturday and 80% at 11 PM on a Friday.
Howl at the Moon Chicago:
Quietest: Tuesday 7 PM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
Buddy Guy's Legends also peaks on Saturday at 10 PM, and is at 90% at 11 PM on a Saturday. Moe's Cantina - River North peaks on Saturday at 11 PM.
Tips
- Arrive by 9 PM on a Saturday. The average venue is at 70% by then, and the night peaks only an hour later.
- Plan the night to end early. By midnight on Friday the average venue is at 35%, and by 2 AM it is at 5%.
- On a weeknight, go straight after work. Monday to Wednesday peak from 6 PM to 9 PM.
- For a later peak, head to clubs. They hit their Saturday peak at 11 PM, an hour after the average bar.
- In Humboldt Park, Friday works as well as Saturday: both average 50% with every venue lively.
- In Wicker Park, Monday is the area's busiest weeknight.
How we measured
These numbers are BestTime forecasts, built from anonymized, aggregated phone location data combined with real-world signals such as weather, events and holidays. Busyness is shown as a percentage of each venue's own busiest hour of the week (100%), so it is not a head count or a capacity figure. Nights follow a 6 AM to 5 AM window, so 1 AM on Saturday morning counts as Friday night. The forecasts describe a typical week and do not cover seasons, holidays, special events or door queues. Read more about how the forecasts work.
Next steps
- Find busy bars tonight in the free Chicago bar guide.
- Check when clubs fill up in the free Chicago nightclub guide.
- Learn how to see if a bar or club is busy before you go.
- Browse all busy times guides.
Questions
What day to go out in Chicago?
Saturday. Across 103 Chicago bars and clubs it averages 50% of each venue's weekly peak, peaks at 10 PM (75%), and 87% of venues are lively. Thursday is the best weeknight, peaking at 40% from 7 PM to 9 PM.
What time do bars get busy in Chicago?
Early in the evening. The average venue peaks at 9 PM and 10 PM on Friday (65%) and at 10 PM on Saturday (75%). From Monday to Thursday the peak comes between 6 PM and 9 PM.
What is the best weeknight to go out in Chicago?
Thursday. It averages 25%, peaks at 40% from 7 PM to 9 PM, and 21% of venues are lively that night.
When do clubs get busy in Chicago?
Venues listed as clubs peak at 11 PM on Saturday and at 10 PM and 11 PM on Friday. Every one of them is lively on a Saturday, and 83% have Saturday as their busiest night.
Is Chicago nightlife busy on a Tuesday?
Not very. Tuesday averages 20% and peaks at 30% from 6 PM to 9 PM. Only 10% of venues are lively, and 1% have Tuesday as their busiest night.
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