Some of the staff bartender/dj are rather snobby, like come on dude you are in your 30s! I am in my late 20s and I dont act all snobby. I did enjoy my time here when I was in my early 20s, but now I just realized that this staff that has been working here for 6+ years will never change their attitude. Place is tiny, I know theyve expanded since covid to use their patio.

The environment is great, everything is reasonably priced, its always entertaining and the staff is AMAZING!

Absolutely my new go to while visiting Chicago, the environment is a small hole in the wall with I believe, one bar? The drinks a tad, just a tad stronger then the other bars (I’m unsure if it’s a Illinois thing). There isn’t much space but there was a drag show in the path to the bar, which was a great surprise but I found it difficult to get another drink during that time. It wasnt long nor to short, it was just the perfect amount of time. It was so worth coming here as a visitor.

Great mix of people. It was really fun. The bathroom was on the interesting side. You basically are separated by a curtain from the guys urinals and everyone is in there at the same time using it lol

Small space, but was a fun time. Younger crowd in general and some great music. Went with friends and had an amazing time. Very friendly bartenders

Went here on a Sunday eve for hip hop night and was pleasantly surprised. It was great to see such a diverse crowd in boystown. Music was pretty good, lots of people dancing and having fun.

Great place. love the music and the people . I would recommend going early as it gets packed very fast. The place itself is small and it gets very hot once it’s to capacity but its always a good time . Great place to start the night

I LOVE SCARLETT! AMAZING PLACE TO DANCE. Best music in boystown. More hip hop and they also have themes throughout the week!

The person who helped us outside when my friend was having an asthma attack was so kind I can’t ever repay them and honestly they may have saved a life. It’s always a good time too and I danced my butt off

I simply love Scarlet bar, it is my favorite place to go dancing in boystown!I love the bartenders and the front staff is really kind. At one point the front staff at the door was difficult and seemed discriminatory, but everything is much better in recent years.

Great drinks, even better music, and the staff is amazing!!

Pretty cool place to come and kick it. Its pretty small so it can get crowded on a typical weekend in boystown but the crowd is pretty cool. Majority of the time the music is pretty good as well

Had a ton of fun here! Loved the music and the atmosphere!

Just seeing everyone enjoy watching a movie and BEING ABLE TO TALK WHILE Watching. Is the best

Very Fun, nice size and great drinks!! Entry fee.

Ive been here many times and always have a good experience but the last time i came an employee named Josh made this visit even better! He is definitely the reason i will keep on coming back!

Every time I walk in to Scarlet Josh is there with a positive attitude to talk to me. He totally got me over my anxiety about going out alone. Scarlet is easily the best bar to have a good time at.

Great bar to dance the night away at! Drinks were great! Atmosphere was great , just got beyond crowded and literally couldnt move without having to push your way through to get anywhere.

Good drinks... drag show is a drag......... its all fun until you make it annoying... they know how to do that

I absolutely love this place!!! The music is ALL THE WAY LIVE and the drag show is EVERYTHING!!! Prepare to be entertained!

Nice bar with good music, there was a $5 cover and a free mystery shot but you had to buy a drink. Our shot was fireballs!It was very busy and no space to move and dance on a Saturday night! Didn’t stay there too long!

I was unexpectedly out in Boystown on the 4th of July and ended up at Scarlet. So glad I stumbled in because everyone there was so awesome, especially Josh @ the front bar! He took wonderful care of us all night and had amazing energy. Dancing, drinks, vibes all great. Can’t wait to go back for brunch!!!

Fun bar but the music tends to be a tad bit too ghetto.

The atmosphere and drinks are great ! Music definitely varies depending on the night.

One of the best places to go dancing.

Fun place to go dance! Music is fun! A little crowded but still great!

Very nice place

I really love the music, but the Space is to small

My new favorite hangout. The crowd was live and the music was lit.

I had an amazing time the bartender was hospitable and the music was great as well as the neon lights everything was spectacular

I went on a Sunday night. It was definitely jumpin and that part was fun. It was Rihanna night but they kept playing Nikki Minaj *blows raspberries* the drag queens were super rude and pushy except the one in the big pink outfit, sort of a mix between Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga. The drinks were a great price, I had a tower pitcher or something, it was like 9$.I understand that the talent is supposed to be the most important people in the room but theres no reason to be nasty and push people around. Have some grace and decency. I wont be returning.

I’ve never been so offended in my life. We searched online for a spot that was having a Halloween party with some nice dance music. We arrived a little early to beat the crowd. Since it was a Halloween Party I expected a large crowd therefore I didn’t want to take any chances with my card so when I ordered the first round of drinks I paid with my card, signed, and walked away. Mind you, it’s only around 9pm. We planned to be there all night.The DJ was good but the crowd did get way too thick for the size of the place.About 30 min later, I went back to the SAME BAR that is located in the back of the club. I stood there for a few minutes and noticed that I was the only person not being served. Then I asked the guy that was helping the bartender for 3 Heineken’s and he said that he was not working. Mind you, I watched him for at least three minutes WORK the bar. Then I turned to the bartender that gave me the first round and he said YOU DON’T TIP. I said to him how do you know? We plan to be here all night and I’m using a Corporate card (in which If I was using penny’s it shouldn’t matter). I tip at the end. He said well how was he suppose too know.First of all!! No where in history have I ever heard of a bar, restaurant, etc refusing customers based on a TIP. Wonder if the owner knows that the bartender is refusing to sell their products because he ASSUMES he will not get a cut. I’m sure it’s happened to others.At that point I realized that there was no need for me to stay at a bar that will turn down a round of drinks based on a ‘TIP” Now that’s Petty!!Needless to say, I extended my hand to offer a handshake. During the handshake I told him he should never prejudge nor assume.. Then I gathered my crew and went to this spot that was right next door to the Taco Burrito Palace. I think it was Big Jim. The kitchen was closed however the bar was opened. The service was excellent. We had a few rounds and listened to some music. I can assure you that everyone was pleased with their tip AT THE END!!I WILL NEVER, EVER go to that PETTY place again!!

Not much room to dance but it is a cool place.

Some of the best music Ive danced to at a club! Bartenders are nice and friendly and they help make the night even better.

Whenever I come here I always have a really nice time. The people are always friendly and so are the bartenders. The music is good and they have great drag shows. The only thing is I brought a very small black purse in with me to the bar, and the bouncer/security/ id check guy (or whatever) at the door asked to see inside of my purse and then proceeded to dig through it and touch all of my stuff and ask me what everything is. I understand that asking to see inside of my purse is standard for safety reasons, but I’ve never had anyone actually dig through my bag, touch all of my stuff, and ask what all of it was. It was a very small black purse too! Only a little larger than a wristlet. It just bothered me is all. It’s just invasive and leaves a bad taste in your patrons mouths.

It’s a fun bar for top 40/rap/hip hop but very jarring when you’re in the groove and then Jock Jams Rick Roll’s you. Very smoky for a dark atmosphere which is great for trying to make out on the dance floor but not for seeing in front of you. Sunday afternoons are better as are the Rihanna/Selena/theme nights. Cheap drinks, pretty diverse crowd, wheelchair friendly as they finally removed the steps from inside. Polite and fun staff that aren’t stuck up but focused also on dancing and having fun.

Decided to go here after leaving Roscoes just a block away. The music was AMAZING and the drinks were strong af! This is the type of place you go when you want to listen to a mix of urban music and pop. We literally danced the entire night away! The Drag Queen was a blast as well. Great vibes and cheap prices. I recommend here 100% plus no cover charge

They host some good drag shows and event nights like frat night. Drinks are a little pricey compared to other places nearby.

Just celebrated my 22nd birthday here over the weekedn. Had a group of 15 people. Although it was packed as hell when we came in we had such a great night. Who wants an empty club/bar? Borrrrrring. Anyway, drinks were great, bar tenders were very persistent (nothing like what other comments on here say) and music was excellent. We stayed all the way til closing. No one wanted to leave the dance floor! Would come here again and again! Excellent place for night life ! HIGHLY recommended!

Great music friendly staff !!

I went for a friends birthday and we really enjoyed ourselves. The drinks and music were good. There was a decent crowd. Drinks and coat check were cheap.

Great club to go dancing, the only place i found in Chicago that actually play real POP music. I love it! Staff is sweet and nice.

Great DJ on Saturday nights. Not pretentious, just fun

Fun atmosphere, lots of cute college guys, perfect for a Daddy! Music is great, workers are great eye candy. Always specials on drinks. Frat night is the best.

Great music, standing area doubles as the dance floor..alway packed.

Manager angel is a flaming pos

Uhhh one of THE BEST places to dance in Chicago if youre into letting it all out ariana grande Beyonce type hits. World class :*

With how everything is going in the world today and how unsafe everything is I just assumed I would rarely ,if ever, go to a club or a bar. And then one night a friend took me to Scarlet and I didnt know what to expect. And as a result three months later Im still comingI dont say this about many places on the North side but honestly Scarlet makes me feel safe. Its a no judgement zone and anybody thats been to popular Clubs in Chicago knows that it can be really catty or people try to fight you or be rude and none of that happens at Scarlet. Which is why I keep coming and giving them all my money for the wonderful pitchers they make. Long story short I love scarlet and if you come youll love Scarlet too

Good time, good drinks, great music, excellent dj! Plus I loved the constant light show

Although a small location. this place has a great fun atmosphere! Cover was like $3. Pretty young crowd, can get a little ratchet but ayy thats where the real fun is

Great music! Great drinks! Great service!

My go-to in Boystown. Best music in Chicago.

I usually dont like to write bad reviews but this experience was just so wrong that I had to share.THE BADThe place smells like feet and sweat, it is way over crowded and too small, there seems to be no air conditioning... the biggest deal breaker for me was that when started getting dizzy and nauseous from the heat and drinking, the bartender refused to give me water when I asked for some. He said they were not allowed to giveaway water. I was so shocked as no other bar in boys town has ever done that to me. I felt so dizzy and nauseous, that I had to leave.I looked it up after and an establishment like that selling alcohol is required by law to provide free water to patrons.I dont I know if it was the bartender just being an ass so he could actually focus on making money from paying customers or if it was a management decision... Either way I hope if you go there you dont have the same experience.I think sooner or later they might get sued if someone gets hurt from overheating or overintoxication. All of which water could help avoid.THE GOODOne the other hand the music was good... Not good enough to come back on my own free will though.

This place has much potential. The crowd is hot and the drinks are good. But the music is too damn loud!! I tried to ask the DJ to lower the volume once, but they refused. However, Thurs nights are awesome, if you are into beer pong

My partner had his credit card information stolen

I love the music. It gets crowd but overall nice experience.

Great Music...Good Djs

One of the best bars in a hood with great bars

Great place but you have to pay $7 for entry fee

This is the place to go if you want to dance. It does get very crowded. They have a DJ spinning each night as well as drink specials. Popular events are Dance with your pants off and Sunday Liquid Brunch. They offer bottle service as well.

Really fun atmosphere! The place is a bit small but its still a great place to dance the night away.

Great environment and staff

This is the greatest bar Ive ever been to. The music is always great! The staff is the nice bar staff Ive ever encountered. If I could live in Scarlet I would. The Cherry on top is the first weWednesd of ever month its Disney night and Ive been to almost evrev one since I moved here and will continue to go. Friday night they have the best DJ. I would recommend this bar to random people on the street. (I have recommended this bar to random people of the street) All of my friend iveI brought here love it and you will too!!!

I went to Scarlet last night and it was one of the worst experiences I had in boystown. The Manager is rude and does not believe that the customer is right. Bryyce and Eric, the bartenders were rude to me as well. I used to love Scarlet, but Im not sure if they are under new management but it has definitely gone down for me. I will not be going to Scarlet anymore. Very watery drinks, if I could give this review 0 stars I would.

Great vibes

This place really knows how to turn up on Thursday-Sunday. Every night is a packed house by 10:30ish. Very reasonable drinks and a very energetic and fun staff. Always the best music on the whole strip.

Always have an awesome time here. Its small but the music is great to dance to, and drinks are good too.

Eric, as a bartender, is awful. No customer service at all. Seemed irritated with my simple drink order. Would not recommend this bar at all because of him. Better service anywhere else.

Drinks are so weak by gay standards. 2 or 2.25 count.

Ive been going to bars in Boys Town for years. Ive never really cared for Scarlet, simply based on how jam packed and crowded it is (its long a long narrow hallway) but I havent been opposed to grabbing a quick drink when out with friends at their location from time to time. However, after last night, Ill never go back. Long story short, a bartender was dancing on the bar. He was trying to get the attrition of a few patrons, but nobody was really having it or interested (or they were too consumed in what they were doing). Im unsure if this deflated his ego as he danced in his underwear on the bar or what the issue was, but he proceeds to jump off the bar. As he jumps off the bar, he has a full vodka drink in his hand and throws it in my direction. The drink lands all over my friends and I, as my drink (not cheap either) falls to the floor as well. I proceeded to try and confront the bartender as to what his issue was and why he would do that. What did he do? He smirked and proceeded to work. I asked MULTIPLE employees where their manager was and not one could point me to someone of authority. As I was leaving, I asked the door worker for assistance. A security manager came outside to talk to me and stated that bartender js one of the managers but could not point me in the direction of anyone else. He couldnt even tell me the owners names nor the name of the bartender. Ive been in the customer service industry for 10+yrs - and theres absolutely no reason when customers are spending good money to enjoy your establishment that they get treated with such disrespect. The rest of my night was ruined, money wasted, clothes stained from the mixer used in the drink and wet. Id highly advise spending your money at a place where they understand how to treat their customers. Now, I understand one bad seed can ruin things for the bunch but when not even ONE employee offered to guide me in the right direction, refund my drink costs / cover, or try to remedy the situation? That speaks volumes. A vast majority of us work hard for our money. Spend it at a place that values you not degrades you.

The management is very unprofessional and rude. This place of busniess needs new managers, If Manager Eric is working that day, I’d avise not to get served by him.

Great music every time Ive been here. Cheap prices on drinks. Frat night on Thursdays us where its at.

Yes for this spot. Oh my god if youre wanting to get your groove on in boystown this is the spot. Always crowded and filled and never a dull moment. I go here once I a while when I want to get my dance fix and I recommend it to all that are wanting to get away foe those stand up models and really let your hair down and let your freak flag fly.

Its too crowded in that place for them to be charging a cover and the drinks are garbage. If over crowded bars and watered down drinks are what youre looking for then look no further

Small bar with great music to dance to. Fun!

I love going to scarlet they really have a great bar. the boys are cute and the service is always on point. jack the bartender is very friendly and always hooks u up

Music. Dance. Cute boys. All the things a majority of visitors in Boystown are looking for. I go back and forth with my love of Scarlet; the music is always so good, but the bar so overcrowded. I might even suggest to avoid it on the weekends or just be prepared to be shoulder to shoulder. I keep coming back though :)

I hate that its so tiny in there.

If I were meeting friends up in Boystown, this wouldnt be at the top of my list. Im sure its fun to some people but its super tiny and always packed. Not to mention too dark to see anyones face around you and so loud that you cant talk to anyone.

This bar has the best music in Boystown. I always want to dance when i go to Scarlet. With a bar in the front and a bar in the back its not to hard to get a drink. Also the $5 Long Island Iced Teas on frat night will do get the job done. My only complaint is that its too small!!! I wish Scarlet had 5 times more space then they do because after 1130 it gets to crowded. So if you are going to scarlet, get there early!!!

Scarlet is my favorite bar in Boystown! Staff is friendly and the music is always great. You never know what theme they are going to have or whos going to show up (Jesus on Easter; Big Bird). Watch out for the fireworks in the Stoli bottles!This is definitely a must stop into on Thursdays or for a weekend dance party. Sundays also tend to attract crowds throughout the day for mimosa specials.

My favorite bar on the strip. best music, decent drink prices, great staff, and always a good time

Great place to dance. Saturday night is the place to be if you want to get your grind on. Trannika is the BEST hostess for sure.

Cool dive with a vintage feel and good vibe. Great music and crowd, last time I went.

Great little bar but gets crowded as hell to the point where you cant even move. Not sure if they are violating fire code, but wouldnt be surprised.

Way too crowded. Music is okay and drinks arent bad.

Best gay bar in Chicago. Consistent and friendly staff. Best music on Halsted.

Small but cute.

I Love Scarlet, because on thursdasys nights are frat nights, $5 pitchers, ask for a Long Beach Pitcher. Its the best drink on thrusdasys. Friendly Bartenders. and Great bottle services.

Never a bad time!! Fun crowd, amazing music and stiff... drinks!

Everything is is fun and amazing. i always have to stop here when im in boystown! Always have a good time here!!

Awesome bartenders. Give them all your money.

This one is for the younger crowd. They OK though!

There a very friendy bar. i know all the bar tenders they are very nice to there costumers and are great

I had my 28th birthday party here, among many long Friday nights here, and I have never been happier! Great drinks, great music and always a fun time!

Honeslty, I loved Scarlett until they wouldnt let me in one night and based it on my pants being too big better bars in boystown. Not worth it. Drinks expensive, and not worth it.. Go to spin or Roscoes.

So much fun!

Scarlet is my Favorite Bar in Lakeview, great music, the bartender are super nice. They have the best vodka. Best night to go on the week days is thursday- Frat night. with 5dls blue mother pirchers and 40oz beer..

Nice and a great place to meet people and have a good time the music will get you going on that dance floor

Selena night is everything