In a town this marvelous, “Date Night” should never be stale. So give your streaming queue (and the couch) a break, and surprise yourselves with four of our picks for summertime sizzle.
Chicago Magic Lounge
When’s the last time you truly believed in magic? Once renowned for its abundance of magic clubs and bars, the minds behind the Chicago Magic Lounge aim to bring back “Chicago style” magic scene; intimate, table-side performances and larger scale spectacles onstage (and by the bar). Thirty local industry professionals have created just that, not to mention a stellar place to grab a cocktail and immerse yourself in a dazzling— if decidedly 21+— experience.
4707 N. Broadway, Chicago
Chicago Trolley Night Tour
Lest you think that playing tourist was just for, well, tourists, Chicago Trolley wants to help you reinvent date night (and, if you’re dreaming big, date afternoon)! With the ability to hop on and off at a number of locales, and with the option to have a one, two or three day pass, this is a beautiful— and completely stress-free— way to see the sights. Bonus: your daytime trolley pass includes a night tour, too, in case you want to make it a more intimate (read: fewer faces to wipe) kind of party. A GPS trolley locator will give you ample ability to time your next “hop on” so, if you happen to linger over a drink atop the Hancock Tower or dinner at the Hilton, who could really blame you?
Windy City Playhouse
The merging of theatrical performances with cozier-than-cozy seating and themed cocktails is something every patron of the arts can fully get behind. Windy City Playhouse knows exactly what they’re doing in terms of setting the stage for an utterly great date night; it helps that their current staging of “King Liz” is a lightning-fast tale of an NBA sports agent and a sharply performed evening of fun. (Kudos to star Lanise Shelley for driving the action like a fast break down the court.) The entire space is intimate and cool as heck, and we really, really hope that their signature “summer in a glass” rose sangria sticks around for a long time.
3014 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago
Adler’s After-Dark for August: Total Eclipse (of the Heart)
Trying to mix a little geeky euphoria in with your love affair of all things ‘80s? Have we got the date for you. The Adler Planetarium and their cosmically cool After-Dark events are always a sure bet— June’s “Aliens Among Us” and July’s “All Star” evenings look ridiculously fun— but the addition of August’s eclipse-themed projects (make your own viewer, anyone?) and big hair-happy music are sure to put stars in your eyes.
1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
