Look, everyone knows that Halloween is all about showing off your mad costume skillz. And although you’re guaranted have plenty of competition from the human participants at your local costume contest this year, it turns out that some Chicago bars are looking to get in on the action as well.
Here are 5 bars dressing up for Halloween in Chicago.
Chicago Athletic Association
Photo Credit: Chicago Athletic Association
The Costume: The Twilight Zone
The Chicago Athletic Association is no stranger to throwing a bomb Halloween bash. For years now this Chicago haunt has been putting on some of the best – and spookiest – themed parties on the block, and this year is no exception.
As part of the CAA’s Haunted Tower event, the thirteenth floor of this veritable skyscraper of horror will transform into a space straight out of the vintage TV show – complete with creepy cocktails, an “intergalactic space travel” style and plenty of old school glam to go around. Someone call Rod Serling.
Beauty Bar
Photo Credit: Beauty Bar Facebook (post now removed)
The Costume: An Unnamed, Underage Bar From the Suburbs (aka Zero Gravity)
Beauty Bar truly upped their Halloween game this year when they announced they were dressing up as the now defunct, teenage dance club Zero Gravity. To the dismay of underage kids everywhere, the iconic 18+ joint closed it’s doors just last year, giving Beauty Bar the perfect opportunity to pay homage to this Naperville institution. Truly terrifying, imho.
In a not-at-all-funny (re: hilarious) turn of events, the actual owners of Zero Gravity vaguely threatened legal action against Beauty Bar for besmirching their good name over Facebook, and thus they were forced to rename their event after an ambiguous, suburban underage bar instead. Shame.
Replay Lincoln Park
Photo Credit: Replay Instagram
The Costume: Moe’s Tavern (from The Simpson’s)
For a limited time this October and November, Replay in Lincoln Park has transformed into Moe’s – the downtrodden cartoon bar from The Simpson’s. And boy, are they going all out.
From the art plastering the walls to the cans of Duff beer being sold behind the bar, Replay has truly become Moe’s. Be sure to swing by amidst your Halloween celebrations to catch a glimpse of this testament to a TV classic.
Moneygun
Photo Credit: Moneygun Instagram
The Costume: TGI Friday’s
For two nights only, Chicago’s Moneygun will become your friendly, neighborhood TGIF, complete with loaded potato skins, red suspenders, a chipper attitude and, yes, “whack” Daniel’s chicken.
It’ll be almost as if you’re 12 years-old again and out with your parents for grandma’s 70th birthday. Except with wayyyy more liquor. Thank God.
Emporium
Photo Credit: Emporium Pop Ups
The Costume: House of the Dead
Right off the heels of their incredibly successful and utterly hysterical Stranger Things pop-up, Emporium Logan Square is at it again with a haunted house themed blow out. Geared specifically to horror fans, this absolute maze of a bar will feature throwbacks to all your favorite flicks, including mixed drinks dedicated to both Candyman and Camp Crystal Lake and taps named after nearly every scary movie imaginable.
Now that’s what I call a costume.
Haunted bars not your thing? Don’t worry, we’re not judging you (too much). Head to our Ultimate Halloween Guide for info on other spooky Halloween events this year!
