“An original blend of fruit flavors”
A weekly Friday night shower contest is just a small part of what makes Spin nightclub at the northwest corner of Belmont & Halsted, unofficially serving as the gateway to Chicago’s Boystown neighborhood-a popular destination for not only the LGBT community but for their allies as well.
Spin has been a Boystown staple since it opened over a decade ago. Feelings about the club are pretty consistent in neighborhood; it’s a place you go when you want to dance, have a good time and have some drinks. The neighborhood may have changed over the years but Spin has stayed pretty much the same just adding a room here and there over the years in an effort to increase their diverse clientele and offer bar goers different options within the club, if you’re bored you just go to a different room.
Spin offers a variety of activities to keep its patrons busy all night long. There are pool tables for those who want to get their game on, big screen TVs for the anti social, a retro lounge for socializing and a dance floor for the bump and grinders. There’s definitely something to keep everyone occupied. Plus, there’s three full-service bars to help facilitate drink orders on busy nights. I will say that if you have to visit the restroom, you might want to hold it. Men and women use the same entrance and, although everyone gets separate sets of stalls and sinks, it’s not very private and the smell is so strong it will linger in the air after you leave. Needless to say, I have had to rescue some of my friends from the piss-and-puke filled room, reminiscent of a four-year-old birthday party when a Sit-and-Spin is introduced… Perhaps the origin of the club’s name?
My advice is to ignore the restrooms and focus on the decor of Spin instead. Each room is decorated differently and offers a different feel. The walls in the main room at the front entrance are blood red and adjourned with red curtains, and the red light fixtures add to the eerie dark colored theme. Music videos are constantly playing on the multiple TVs in the room. Spin pulls it off though and grabs your attention the minute you walk through the door. As you move on to the upper bar area, which is a quieter room and gives off more of a pick-me-up vibe. Most of the people in that room are either looking for good time or having one, if you know what I mean. Take the stairs from that room and you will be lead to the techno dance floor which also offers a full bar. The dance floor is huge, and the room has a little bit of a basement feel but it’s perfect for dancing or hanging out in the small lounge area to watch everyone make fools of themselves. You can’t help but want to stay at least for a little bit just to check out what each room has to offer and, better yet, who is in each room.
Spin has a very diverse crowd. It doesn’t give off a “LGBTQ+ only” vibe. There’s a mix of gay, straight, white, black, etc… I have many times brought my straight friends and they practically begged me to take them back to Spin. I wouldn’t categorize Spin as a bar with a certain age level. Depending on the night there could be a crowd of 40-year-old men or a crowd of twenty-somethings crowding the dance floor. Everyone in the club is friendly including the hardworking staff, as you never have to linger at the bar too long before you are served a drink. Better yet, everyone working there actually seemed to be enjoying themselves and looking like they wanted to be there.
Every night of the week Spin has a new theme and a new special. Wednesday is Spin’s most popular night, for a cover charge of $5, you can buy any draft beer or well drink for a dollar. Don’t forget the popular Friday night shower contest where winners take home cash prizes starting at $150, and there are also many drink specials including martinis for just $7. Martinis on Mondays are on special for $5. Saturday’s are also well known for the “Get on the dance floor and move” with $4 domestic bottles. Thursday’s are “Awesome 80s” and I’ve heard that, in addition to getting to listen to bands like REO Speedwagon and Journey all night long, you will occasionally spot a few people dressed in 80s attire. $5 Bacardi cocktails and bombs also gets people in the door on Thursdays. Tuesdays at Spin is Bingo Night from 10pm-1 am, with any cocktail, wine or beer for just $4 during the game. Although Spin isn’t known for their selection of tap beer, they do have a wide range of domestic, premium and imported bottle selections. The mixed drinks are typically strong and the bartender can make anything you desire.
Another great feature of Spin is the
private party room
. Spin is willing to host almost any event or party. Spin’s cover charge is typically $5 but there are at least a couple nights out of the week that there is no charge and they even have free WiFi. For more information, check out the
Spin Nightclub website.
