Name:                 Danny’s

Age:                     34

Neighborhood:     Bucktown

Address:              1951 W. Dickens Ave

Type:                    Bar

For decades, this unassuming bar found on a Bucktown side street has become a watering hole for the counterculture and, for the past decade, home to Chicago’s hipster community. Danny’s was one of the few bars that housed a community. Not many bars can become a go-to spot to celebrate life events with friends, have a fantastic first date, or even an engagement. All was celebrated with drinks with your compatriots.

While you could walk in to get a drink with friends, the greater draw was always the music. Danny’s became a music destination in the 90s when a sound system was installed. A wide array of music genres and themed nights scattered across Danny’s calendar ensuring that their was an evening with your music no more than a couple of days away. Most notably was their regular Soul Party, which received national attention from Rolling Stones Magazine. The best evenings were when your friends would take over the dance floor while house music played.

But, what also added to the character was absolutely the feel of the space. When wandering off Damen Ave down Dickens, you would not have been faulted for thinking that you just wandered into a house party. With no shortage of smaller rooms squirreled away, it was easy to have a comfortable drink with a friend or a date. The space, the people, and the entertainment made Danny’s truly unparalleled. Chicago’s bar scene certainly won’t be the same without it.