If you’re young, fun, and like to shake your bum, you’ll probably find yourself dancing the night away at Roscoe’s.
Once you get past the occasionally haughty bouncer at the door, you’ll be greeted by a labyrinth of a bar and, on the weekends, wall-to-wall crowds. The front section contains a bar island which fills the room, surrounded by a few stools where you can sit, chat, and watch music videos. If you can, grab a stool in the side bar’s front window, where you can do some prime Halsted-Street-people watching. A crowded hallway leads to the washrooms (which could use some updating) and a bar mini-island which serves sweaty shirtless gay men (and their female tag-alongs) fresh off the adjacent dance floor. There, the high-energy collection of dance mixes keeps the bass thumping for hours.
But it isn’t just the music that keeps the boys coming back for more. Across the street from Sidetrack, Roscoe’s has a multitude of weekly events and specials. A number of guest hosts present affairs like Tuesday’s Drag Race, Wednesday’s You’re the Star karaoke, and Thursday’s bingo, the latter of which is nothing like your grandmother’s. CD and DVD releases are held here every week, and the infamous “Wet Boxers Contest” is held on the last Thursday of every month.
Individual cocktails are usually a bit pricey, but Roscoe’s has a pitcher special for every day of the week. On the weekends, it’s not uncommon for intoxicated partygoers to ditch the serving glasses altogether and just dunk their straws straight into the pitcher of Stoli pink lemonade, Smirnoff apple martini, or one of four flavors of Long Island iced tea.
If you need some help the next day recuperating, you can head right back to the scene of the crime. No, not for more alcohol, but for traditional American dishes at their sidewalk cafe. Burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, and a variety of appetizers all hit the spot. Of course, with daily drink and pitcher specials, you may be tempted to try the hair of the dog that bit you.
The crowd is generally made up of 20-something gym regulars, so take from that what you will. For some, it’s a fickle crowd of fashion judgments. For others, it is an incredible collection of eye candy. Whatever the case, after a few drinks and some thumping beats, the rest of the world may just fade away.