Historic BYOB Club With a Laid-Back Vibe

I visited the Admiral Theatre in the Albany Park neighborhood recently while in Chicago, and it’s one of the more unique gentlemen’s clubs in the city simply because of its BYOB policy — you can bring your own alcohol inside, which instantly sets it apart from most places that serve drinks themselves. The building itself has a quirky history: it originally opened in 1927 as a vaudeville and movie house, and although the interior’s been transformed into a strip club, you can still sense that old-theater vibe in the high ceilings and stage setup. Inside, the vibe was a bit of a mixed bag — the main performance areas felt lively with colored lighting and a classic stage-and-stalls layout, but some parts of the seating areas were tighter than I expected. Music was loud enough to keep the energy up without drowning out conversation, and the overall environment felt more relaxed than rowdy even on a weekend night.

The dancers at Admiral run the gamut from seasoned performers to newer entertainers, so you get variety across different sets throughout the evening. A number of the performers interacted well with the crowd and knew how to work the stage, which definitely boosted the overall experience. Staff — from security at the door to the hosts guiding you to a seat — were mostly polite and kept things moving smoothly without hovering. Because they don’t serve alcohol themselves, the crowd tended to feel a bit more mellow and less loud than at clubs with full service bars, though opinions in online reviews vary widely on this point.

One of the perks of Admiral is that since you bring your own beverage, you’re in control of what you’re drinking and when — though they do sell chasers inside if you need something sodalike to follow a drink. Cover charges typically run around what you’d expect for Chicago (often around $30 on busier nights), and lap dances start around $30 per song, with options to upgrade to more private experiences if you’re looking to go that route. Because they don’t sell alcohol, there isn’t the typical drink pricing to think about, but bringing your own adds a fun twist that some visitors really appreciate.