Chicago businesses, people ranked among tops on Grindr awards

Grindr, an all-male geo-social network app, has taken a look back at what made 2012 a year for the record books with their Best of 2012 Awards that includes some Chicago favorites.

With more than 4.5 million users in 192 countries across the globe, Grindr guys everywhere sounded off on everything from their favorite television show to the biggest gay icon of the year.

In addition to the national awards, Grindr surveyed users in ten cities - including Chicago - to find the best local hotspots and trendsetters, including the best bar, best DJ and most influential local LGBT advocate.

According to Grindr users, FFC Fitness in East Lakeview, 3657 N. Pine Grove Ave. is the "gym with the hottest guys" and Chicago Male Salon & Spa, 3418 N. Halsted, is the "best place to get a haircut."

Once you find that special someone on Grindr and are ready to experience a date, Wood, 3335 N. Halsted, was voted as the "best place to take a first date."

In nightlife categories, Chicago mainstay Roscoe's Tavern, 3356 N. Halsted, was selected as "favorite gay bar" and Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted, offers the "best Sunday funday" according to Grindr users. Linda Little was picked as Chicago's "favorite bartender."

Northalsted Market Days took the "best gay night" category.

Several Chicago personalities stood out, including Phil DaBeatz for "best DJ" and Frida Lay as "fiercest drag queen/personality." ChicagoPride.com's Bill Pritchard was voted "best local hero/community advocate of the year."

And Grindr users selected the Windy City Times as "best local gay news outlet" for Chicago.

Here's the complete local and national list.

Gym with the hottest guys:
Fitness SF (San Francisco)
Vida Fitness (Washington, D.C.)
David Barton Gym, Chelsea (New York)
24 Hour Fitness (Denver)
Boston Sports Club (Boston)
FFC Fitness (Chicago)
Equinox (Los Angeles)
24 Hour Fitness (Houston)
Club Fitness (St. Louis)
24 Hour Fitness (Dallas)

Best place to get a haircut:
Salon Baobao (San Francisco)
Bang Salon (Washington, D.C.)
Astor Place Barber Shop (New York)
Floyd's 99 Barber Shop (Denver)
Barbershop Deluxe (Boston)
Chicago Male (Chicago)
Shorty's Barber Shop (Los Angeles)
Sports Clips (Houston)
Paul Mitchell Salon (St. Louis)
Supercuts on Lemmon (Dallas)

Best place to take a first date:
Castro (San Francisco)
Lauriol Plaza (Washington, D.C.)
Central Park (New York)
TIE: Red Rocks and Linger (Denver)
Club Cafe (Boston)
Wood (Chicago)
The Grove (Los Angeles)
Boheme Café and Wine Bar(Houston)
Forest Park (St. Louis)
West Village (Dallas)

Best Sunday funday:
Jock Sundays at the Lookout (San Francisco)
Drag Brunch at Nellie's Sports Bar (Washington, D.C.)
Griffin Sundays at the Griffin (New York)
Legendary Beer Bust at Wrangler (Denver)
Fritz (Boston)
Sidetrack (Chicago)
The Abbey (Los Angeles)
Crocker (Houston)
Just John's (St. Louis)
The Grapevine (Dallas)

Favorite gay bar/club:
Badlands (San Francisco)
Town Dance Boutique (Washington, D.C.)
Therapy (New York)
X Bar (Denver)
Club Cafe (Boston)
Roscoe's (Chicago)
The Abbey (Los Angeles)
F Bar (Houston)
Just John (St. Louis)
The Round-Up Saloon (Dallas)

Favorite bartender:
Mike at Lookout (San Francisco)
Carlos at JR's (Washington, D.C.)
Jacob at G (New York)
Kurt at Tracks (Denver)
Joe Jovelle (Boston)
Linda Little (Chicago)
Anthony Saldana (Los Angeles)
Leo at South Beach (Houston)
Christian Lucas (St. Louis)
Dylan Brown (Dallas)

Best gay night/party:
Beatbox (San Francisco)
Bear Happy Hour at Town (Washington, D.C.)
Alegria (New York)
Thursdays at Tracks (Denver)
Epic Saturdays at the House of Blues (Boston)
Northalsted Market Days (Chicago)
Rasputin (Sat., Los Angeles) / Stripper Circus at Here Lounge (Wed.,
Los Angeles)
Saturday Nights at South Beach (Houston)
Attitudes Nightclub (St. Louis)
Purple Party (Dallas)

Best DJ:
Haute Toddy (San Francisco)
TIE: Matt Bailer and Shea Van Horn (Washington, D.C.)
Corey Craig (New York)
Sean O'Grady (Denver)
Richie LaDue (Boston)
Phil DaBeatz (Chicago)
Josh Peace (Los Angeles)
Joe Ross (Houston)
Charlie Buttons (St. Louis)
Brandon Moses (Dallas)

Fiercest drag queen/nightlife personality:
Pollo Del Mar (San Francisco)
Shaquita Lee (Washington, D.C.)
Bianca Del Rio (New York)
Nina Flowers (Denver)
Katya Zamolodchikova (Boston)
Frida Lay (Chicago)
Raven (Los Angeles)
Kofi Cakes (Houston)
Dieta Pepsi (St. Louis)
Krystal Summers (Dallas)

Local hero/community advocate of the year:
Scott Wiener (San Francisco)
Barack Obama (Washington, D.C.)
Anderson Cooper (New York)
Corky Blankenship (Denver)
Elizabeth Warren (Boston)
Bill Pritchard (Chicago)
John Duran (Los Angeles)
Annise Parker (Houston)
Leon Braxton (St. Louis)
James Doyle (Dallas)

Best local gay news outlet:
The Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco)
Metro Weekly (Washington, D.C.)
Next Magazine (New York)
OutFront Colorado (Denver)
EdgeBoston.com (online, Boston) / Bay Windows (print, Boston)
Windy City Times (Chicago)
Frontiers (Los Angeles)
OutSmart Magazine (Houston)
The Vital Voice (St. Louis)
Dallas Voice (Dallas)

Nearly 1 million Grindr users log on to the app every day and transmit 7 million chat messages and 2 million photos to one another.