Best Place to Party in Chicago For NYE (Paris, Royal: 2014, house)

[Teddybentherars]

Hey guys

So I will be going for Chicago for business and pleasure. I've bee checking places and YIKES talk about skinning the cat a lot of places have a $150 cover no doubt it's gonna be packed. I was wondering if anyone had recommendations on where to go? I prefer more of the Lounge type vibe you know "grown & Sexy" (think North Side) however I also Like it hipsterish.

I just wanna keep it economical with good dance music and fun diverse crowd

Thanks

Teddy

[Isotope-C14]

Originally Posted by Teddybentherars

Hey guys

So I will be going for Chicago for business and pleasure. I've bee checking places and YIKES talk about skinning the cat a lot of places have a $150 cover no doubt it's gonna be packed. I was wondering if anyone had recommendations on where to go? I prefer more of the Lounge type vibe you know "grown & Sexy" (think North Side) however I also Like it hipsterish.

I just wanna keep it economical with good dance music and fun diverse crowd

Thanks

Teddy

Lulz.

NYE is amateur night, the city gets flooded with suburbanites/tourists and ruins the day. Try and catch a cab around 2am, good luck!

You'd have a tough time finding any place that is going to have any good value on that night. I even checked:

Estelle's Chicago

for you, and they even say "book your party for NYE" and that no doubt will be connected to some kind of holiday/highway robbery.

Most of my friends have out of town plans that cover that day, and I expect that will be the norm. I'll probably check with some other friends if they are having house parties or anything like that. It's really what the locals have to do on these sorts of nights.

I'd rather pull my own teeth out than pay $100-$150 for a glass of crap sparkling wine and unlimited macro-brews/garbage well-mixed-drinks, just based on the day of the week.

Pro-Tip: Go out the days surrounding NYE, and have a blast on the surrounding days. If you are so hung over on the morning of the 31'st, you'll likely have had a better time with a better value than going out the following day.

[It'sAutomatic]

I'd definitely have a plan involving public transit for getting home, it's $.01 rides for the night and you will be among throngs of people outside trying to find cabs.

As for the "best" place, there is no such thing.

[Teddybentherars]

Originally Posted by Isotope-C14

Lulz.

NYE is amateur night, the city gets flooded with suburbanites/tourists and ruins the day. Try and catch a cab around 2am, good luck!

You'd have a tough time finding any place that is going to have any good value on that night. I even checked:

Estelle's Chicago

for you, and they even say "book your party for NYE" and that no doubt will be connected to some kind of holiday/highway robbery.

Most of my friends have out of town plans that cover that day, and I expect that will be the norm. I'll probably check with some other friends if they are having house parties or anything like that. It's really what the locals have to do on these sorts of nights.

I'd rather pull my own teeth out than pay $100-$150 for a glass of crap sparkling wine and unlimited macro-brews/garbage well-mixed-drinks, just based on the day of the week.

Pro-Tip: Go out the days surrounding NYE, and have a blast on the surrounding days. If you are so hung over on the morning of the 31'st, you'll likely have had a better time with a better value than going out the following day.

Thanks for this post, I do appreciate it tons.

Yeah I personally can't justify spending $165 (plus tax) just to be in a venue for 2-3 hours. In my city a $165 will get you bottle service and will pay for the Tip. The most I have spend on NYE was $45

Isotpe what spots to you recommend before NYE?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Isotope-C14

I'd rather pull my own teeth out than pay $100-$150 for a glass of crap sparkling wine and unlimited macro-brews/garbage well-mixed-drinks, just based on the day of the week.

I think perhaps your view of this is a little clouded. Last year I did it at a lounge in River North - paid $100 and it was an open bar for 4 or 5 hours with free food (beef tenderloin sliders, shrimp, etc) and of course champagne and cake after midnight. My exgf was the one who got this deal and I thought the crowd would suck, but it was a smaller place and everyone in there was fine. The DJ they brought in was also decent. The drinks I got were in no way macro brews or mixed drinks made of **** alcohol. Pretty much all "normal" alcohol was fair game at this place. If you wanted ketel one, grey goose, jack daniels, patron, etc in your drink, they didn't hesitate. If you wanted a straight shot of something semi expensive, you had to pay a few dollars extra, but other than that? You could pretty much get whatever you want.

You're right if you're thinking of ****ty places like John Barleycorn or Moe's Cantina, but my experience last year was the opposite of what you are describing. I see this year the same place I went last year has tickets available for $95 for 4 hours of open bar. I can't guarantee who will be there this time, but if you plan on drinking a lot, you can get your money's worth - I did last year

The key if you're going to do a package is knowing which places are normally OK and which are inhabited by amateur just out of college kids (i.e. John Barleycorn). Some are way too much and some are fine

[Vlajos]

In my younger years, we would party hop from friend to friends place. It was a blast.

[marothisu]

If you're looking at packages, here's a few that may be OK and actually probably (some of them do same it) give you more top shelf alcohol:

* Estate Ultra Bar ($60) - Estate Ultra Bar New Years Eve 2014 - Chicago - Estate Ultra Bar NYE 12/31
* Fedora Lounge ($70) - Fedora Lounge NYE 2014 Tickets - The Fedora Lounge on December 31 2013 in Chicago - ticketZone
* M-2 ($75) - NEW YEARS EVE AT M2 Tickets : ElectroStub
* Club Nikki ($79) - Royal NYE Tickets - The Royal (Private Event At The Old Crobar) on December 31 2013 in Chicago - ticketZone
* Epic ($90) - Epic New Years Eve 2014 - Chicago - Epic NYE 12/31
* NV Penthouse Lounge ($95, for early bird at least) - NV Penthouse Lounge New Years Eve 2014 - Chicago - NV Penthouse Lounge NYE 12/31


If you are more into music stuff you could find that too. Places like Subterranean (Local H playing), Reggie's, Bottom Lounge, Double Door, Jazz Showcase, etc will be more live music themed than dance/DJ themed and most of those will be cheaper, but not sure what's actually included in the package. I doubt there's a 4 hour open bar included in a $25 ticket at any of these places.

Or if you just want a few drinks and that's it, find a place probably outside of downtown that you can walk right into. It's true that downtown is flooded with tourists and suburbanites (and really, it's like that in some areas every weekend, you know), but not all places are crawling with the same crowd. Some places are more local than others and less annoying.

[Isotope-C14]

Originally Posted by Teddybentherars

Thanks for this post, I do appreciate it tons.

Yeah I personally can't justify spending $165 (plus tax) just to be in a venue for 2-3 hours. In my city a $165 will get you bottle service and will pay for the Tip. The most I have spend on NYE was $45

Isotpe what spots to you recommend before NYE?

The big question is what days are you here surrounding? How important is the lounge/hipster/dancing element? Where are you coming from? There *are* things to do every night of the week, and Monday specials can be pretty good. Do you plan on dining out prior to your nights? Will you be solo or will you have a guest/friends to go out with as well? Some places I'd suggest based on being solo, others if you had a group with you.

I mention Estelle's above, and thats kinda on the lounge/hipster side of things, and is a 4AM and they have a pretty impressive beer list. Not much for the dancing side of things though, just not much space. That could be a solo or group place.

I've been on an Emporium kick lately, cause they have all the cool old pinballs/video games and some of them aren't terribly rigged. Some of the games though have lost some action in their joysticks from how I remember them.

The Rainbow Room is pretty Hipster, and that can be a solo place as well.

I do like Wicker/UKV areas just cause you can walk around the area without too much trouble and if you don't like a place, you move on.

Marothisu: While the 4-5 hours of $100 might have been a value in "comparison" to some places, I'm actually kinda opposed to the whole concept of packages. I really think it encourages getting sloppy since many people tend to drink much faster since they want to get the most "bang for their buck". The food part though is nice to hear if it was good, that could make it good.

I do tend to worry about true amateur nights just due to the fact that there will be a higher % of knuckleheads driving.

[nikitakolata]

So, while it isn't a package, for a couple years my friends and I have gone to Gyu-Kaku for dinner before heading to someone's house for the countdown. It's very reasonably priced and a lot of fun.

Gyu-Kaku - Japanese BBQ Dining : Illinois

Personally, I hate crowds, so dinner and returning to someone's house is perfect for me. We haven't had trouble getting cabs back since we're returning to a house before midnight. My brother-in-law is a DJ so we just make our own dance party, even if that is a little lame.

[Teddybentherars]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I think perhaps your view of this is a little clouded. Last year I did it at a lounge in River North - paid $100 and it was an open bar for 4 or 5 hours with free food (beef tenderloin sliders, shrimp, etc) and of course champagne and cake after midnight. My exgf was the one who got this deal and I thought the crowd would suck, but it was a smaller place and everyone in there was fine. The DJ they brought in was also decent. The drinks I got were in no way macro brews or mixed drinks made of **** alcohol. Pretty much all "normal" alcohol was fair game at this place. If you wanted ketel one, grey goose, jack daniels, patron, etc in your drink, they didn't hesitate. If you wanted a straight shot of something semi expensive, you had to pay a few dollars extra, but other than that? You could pretty much get whatever you want.

You're right if you're thinking of ****ty places like John Barleycorn or Moe's Cantina, but my experience last year was the opposite of what you are describing. I see this year the same place I went last year has tickets available for $95 for 4 hours of open bar. I can't guarantee who will be there this time, but if you plan on drinking a lot, you can get your money's worth - I did last year

The key if you're going to do a package is knowing which places are normally OK and which are inhabited by amateur just out of college kids (i.e. John Barleycorn). Some are way too much and some are fine

And what is this place you speak of yet won't name

Originally Posted by Isotope-C14

The big question is what days are you here surrounding? How important is the lounge/hipster/dancing element? Where are you coming from? There *are* things to do every night of the week, and Monday specials can be pretty good. Do you plan on dining out prior to your nights? Will you be solo or will you have a guest/friends to go out with as well? Some places I'd suggest based on being solo, others if you had a group with you.

Coming from the 24 till the 1st. I'll be at The downtown hyatt. I like places where people dance and are diverse. I had pretinous places because those people don't know how to have fun I'll be here solo. I do plan on dining out but I also may dine out at the venues. I'll be Solo

I mention Estelle's above, and thats kinda on the lounge/hipster side of things, and is a 4AM and they have a pretty impressive beer list. Not much for the dancing side of things though, just not much space. That could be a solo or group place.

I've been on an Emporium kick lately, cause they have all the cool old pinballs/video games and some of them aren't terribly rigged. Some of the games though have lost some action in their joysticks from how I remember them.

The Rainbow Room is pretty Hipster, and that can be a solo place as well.

They got hot chicks there??

I do like Wicker/UKV areas just cause you can walk around the area without too much trouble and if you don't like a place, you move on.

Marothisu: While the 4-5 hours of $100 might have been a value in "comparison" to some places, I'm actually kinda opposed to the whole concept of packages. I really think it encourages getting sloppy since many people tend to drink much faster since they want to get the most "bang for their buck". The food part though is nice to hear if it was good, that could make it good.

I do tend to worry about true amateur nights just due to the fact that there will be a higher % of knuckleheads driving.

answers in bold

I WILL ALSO PLAN ON GOING OUT SUNDAY/MONDAY (29TH AND 30TH) IF YOU KNOW ANY PLACES THAT HAVE GREAT DEALS, GREAT MUSIC AND HOT CHICKS LET ME KNOW!!

I do appericate the input

whats the deal with "Funky Budda Lounge" (they cost only $30 which is more then reasonable) or "Studio Paris" any news on that?


any suggestions if I decide to stay in the River North area?

I do appericate all the answers guys

Teddy