The best nightclubs and dance clubs in Chicago

Between its oversize dance floor, massive LED wall, 30-foot bar and craft cocktail program, Primary is sure to become the envy of its Gold Coast neighbors, and fast. Owned by a posse of nightlife veterans with their ears to the sound of now, it's a hip alternative to clubs near the "triangle" that have been coasting with the same formula. Look for some of the city's top up-and-coming DJs spinning house, electro, dubstep, underground disco and indie dance alongside the occasional global talent. What do real clubbers crave? An intimate, music-focused but still stylish night out free of bullshit. This NKOTB puts it all on a top soundsystem. We think this basement club fills the void left by Sonotheque.

One of the most versatile venues in town, the Mid combines traditional venue options with the bottle-popping club world. Two stories allow for dancing and drinking on weekends, but smaller nights see just the main floor used for everything from indie bands to up-and-coming DJ talent. Brought to us by some of Chicago's biggest promoters, this Fulton Market area upstart only took a few years to rise to the top. It now nabs many of the big name bookings swinging through town—which can mean huge lines to get in.

This freak-friendly dance destination in Lakeview built its reputation back in the mid-’80s with a mix of German new-wave music, art installations and weekly parties. These days, it’s still quirky but more retro, with Prince-tribute, disco and ’80s nostalgia nights. Goths and gays are extra welcome, but the scene here is made up of almost everyone. Thursday night's Stardust a major locus of creativity in nightlife.

With outposts in New York, San Francisco, Austin and Portland, Chicago seemed like the next logical location for the kitsch-happy Beauty Bar concept. Retrofitted into the old Sonotheque, the bar carried over the sound system but otherwise got a complete face-lift. Sparkling glitter paint adorns the walls, '60s beauty salon furniture acts as seating, and the backroom dance floor is completed with a shimmering disco ball. The music stays obscure and mostly dusty during the week, but DJs turn it into an electro dance party most weekends.

This spot may have changed names more than any other venue in the 'hood, but it’s become an unlikely young hipster hangout thanks to long-standing weekend dance parties hosted by local jocks Zebo, Marco Morales, Johnny Walker, and the Porn and Chicken posse. It's making serious inroads on our weekdays as well thanks to the over-the-top exploits of Monday throwdown Porn and Chicken and Thursday's Let's Get Weird. No one really loved the Evil Olive space, but through sheer force of party will and audacity (and porn, and fried chicken) it's the joint.

This slick, modern, multilevel Euro-style club in River North opened to much fanfare in 2004 and has kept clubbers busy ever since, hosting big-name touring progressive house and techno DJs on a regular basis. With a solid lineup of resident DJs, costumed dancers and a powerful sound system, this multiroom venue always seems to boast a spectacular scene.