Editor's Review
One of the oldest leather bars in Chicago, Touché has occupied a number of locations over the years. Currently, it can be found in Rogers Park, the northernmost neighborhood in Chicago, on N. Clark St. Though it is a bit of a hike from the main strip of gay bars down in Lakeview, it is next door to Jackhammer and only a short cab ride from several other bars along Clark St, including the Eagle. Because of this, Touché tends to draw a mixed crowd, and at times can feel more like a neighborhood bar then a leather bar. It is also the home of the wildly popular Great Lakes Bears bar night, held on the first Saturday of the month. A definite must for anyone who likes his men big and beefy.
Touché is divided into two main sections, a front bar and a back bar. The front bar is a fairly large, open space, with a bar running along one wall and a video poker machine, a dart machine, and a pinball machine along the other. There is an ATM located near the front door, and towards the back of the room is a pool table. Though the bar primarily plays dance music, there is no dance floor.
Down a short hallway, you'll find the back bar. Open every night except Monday and Wednesday, the back bar is close in size to the front bar, but it's dimmer lighting and more cluttered layout, including a steel cage that is several feet from the door, make it seem like a smaller space. Towards the back of the room is a small bar, and throughout you'll find benches and bar stools for seating. The crowd in the back bar tends to be more "social", especially if you venture behind the wall of tires that can be found near the rear of the room.
We were visiting friends who lived in the area and decided to go to this bar with these friends. We wanted to check the bar in the back and the guy manning the bar in the back said they were enforcing a theme tonight which is leather or uniform theme. All four of us were disappointed because we wanted to check the place out. We stayed in the front bar and like most group of friends, we ordered drinks, talked and laughed. Our friend had an idea how one of us could get in. Somehow we had leather we could use to gain entry. As I approached the guy, he said he didn't care what I wore and accused our group of making fun of people in the bar and that he was offended. He told me I could not get in. I didn't say anything to him but got really surpirsed and upset about his accusation. First of all, how can he make that judgment when he could only see us from a distance and could not hear what we were saying. Second, my friends and I are all professionals and do not judge or make fun of people like how he was accusing us. I felt he was DISCRIMINATING us because he didn't like how we looked or how we didn't fit in the crowd for him. I asked the guy in the entrance about the other guy in the back manning the bar in the back. It turned out he was the manager named DAVID!!! I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO ANYONE!!! WE WILL DEFINITELY NOT COME BACK TO A PLACE WITH A MANAGER RUNNING THE PLACE LIKE THIS!!! VERY JUDGMENTAL WITHOUT VALID FACTS!!! - User57609
We were visiting friends who lived in the area and decided to go to this bar with these friends. We wanted to check the bar in the back and the guy manning the bar in the back said they were enforcing a theme tonight which is leather or uniform theme. All four of us were disappointed because we wanted to check the place out. We stayed in the front bar and like most group of friends, we ordered drinks, talked and laughed. Our friend had an idea how one of us could get in. Somehow we had leather we could use to gain entry. As I approached the guy, he said he didn't care what I wore and accused our group of making fun of people in the bar and that he was offended. He told me I could not get in. I didn't say anything to him but got really surpirsed and upset about his accusation. First of all, how can he make that judgment when he could only see us from a distance and could not hear what we were saying. Second, my friends and I are all professionals and do not judge or make fun of people like how he was accusing us. I felt he was DISCRIMINATING us because he didn't like how we looked or how we didn't fit in the crowd for him. I asked the guy in the entrance about the other guy in the back manning the bar in the back. It turned out he was the manager named DAVID!!! I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO ANYONE!!! WE WILL DEFINITELY NOT COME BACK TO A PLACE WITH A MANAGER RUNNING THE PLACE LIKE THIS!!! VERY JUDGMENTAL WITHOUT VALID FACTS!!! - User57609
I luv it! that steel cage has my attnetion everytime i go there, im going to crawl in it one of these nites to see what happens. I was warned a couple times that i will get locked in if i do. The bar tender on wek nites is great, the week end guy was ok, but he was to busy to chat. Dark dirty cheap atspohere is a major turn on. - ItsTooFun
Hot!!! The place smelled a little funky, but as soon as i got to the back room, i understood why. With all the hot sweaty boys up in my grill, i wished i had brought my leather whip. There's always next time ;) - gayluvrxs
Friendly Staff Friendly Crowd Notorious Backroom - TimH
I've only been there on Bear Night, the 1st sat of the month. but it was hot.. lots of muscle beefy hairy men.. wooof. friendly crowd. - VersTopJoliet