A defining part of Chicago’s queer nightlife in the 1980s and 1990s, Bistro Too was a dance club upstairs from the legendary Man's Country Chicago bathhouse and nightlife complex, giving the city a space where music, community, and visibility met across generations. It opened in late 1987 at 5015 N. Clark Street, expanding on the legacy of Dugan’s Bistro, the city’s hottest gay disco of the 1970s and early 80s.
Bistro Too became known for its dynamic DJ sets, diverse crowd, and reputation as Chicago’s premier dance destination before club culture splintered into many scenes. It drew regulars from Uptown and beyond and hosted performances from disco, house, and pop artists; it also counted drag acts and community events among its nightlife moments.
