DePaul University
- Nightlife

Republic Nightclub

Republic has a very modern atmosphere and is a combination lounge/dance club. The music is good, if a little repetitive. Republic is open until 4 a.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m. on Saturdays, so if you’re not living nearby, be prepared to take a cab home.

Enclave Night Club

There is a cover charge, but most students say it is worth it. Enclave boasts some pretty high-profile DJs and great dancing. There is a valet, coat check, and full bar. Enclave is accessible by foot or by the El, but if you’re going to walk it, make sure you’re not going alone.

Berlin

Berlin is said to have the best dancing in the city. It's open until 4 a.m. and sports a fully stocked bar. This club usually caters to the gay community, but anybody looking for some amazing dancing is welcome. The DJs work on a rotating basis, so the music is never dull, and the sound system is amazing.

Lucille’s

Lucille’s offers a typical bar menu and a full bar. There are board games and video games available, as well as a jukebox and televisions. Lucille’s has a (usually) once-a-week open-mic night.

Lincoln Station

Lincoln Station is another favorite hangout of DePaul students and Lincoln Park yuppies. This bar has a very relaxed atmosphere, with lots of booths, pool tables, and HD televisions. If you need somewhere to watch the Cubs game, Lincoln Station is your place. This bar also offers different daily food and/or drink specials, which you will come to memorize pretty quickly.

Soiree Bar Lounge

Soiree definitely has more of a late-night lounge feel than a college-bar atmosphere. You’ll end up spending a lot more money here than you will at a lot of other places in Lincoln Park, which means this bar usually caters to an older crowd. However, you’ll probably find a handful of college students who are in the mood to dress up here on the weekends.

O’Malley’s West

O’Malley’s is a fun, if a bit on the pricey side, bar that is not quite as Irish as the name makes it sound. Even though it's a Michigan State bar, O’Malley’s is subtle about its “sports-bar atmosphere” and is far enough off DePaul’s campus to get away with it. The first floor has the main bar and a lot of seating, and the upstairs floor is darkly lit with very loud pop music.

Kelly’s Pub

Since Kelly’s Pub was founded in 1933, it has been the favorite of Lincoln Park locals and DePaul students. Kelly’s offers a different food and/or drink special every night of the week and offers a pretty wide variety of bottled and draft beers. Sporting a Blue Demon on one of its outside walls, Kelly’s will easily become a college students’ weekly tradition. The outside patio offers seating and games of bags.

Clarke’s Bar

Clarke's usually has some good drink specials.

Alive One

Alive One has two rooms—they both have full bars, but one has pool tables and the other often has live music. One of the cooler aspects of Alive One is that it boasts a huge collection of live concert bootlegs in the form of CDR and analog tape, which are displayed throughout the bar. It also has an “all-live” jukebox, which plays live recordings from a number of popular bands.

Irish Eyes

Irish Eyes is more of a local bar than a college bar, but it has an Irish-pub feel, which makes it a very mellow bar. There is live Irish music on Friday and Saturday nights, which sometimes results in a cover charge at the door.

Goodbar

Goodbar is one of the more expensive bars surrounding DePaul. The bar-goers here are usually split between a freshman crowd and a later-20s Lincoln Park yuppie crowd. There is an upstairs lounge and a rooftop lounge that is open when the weather is nice.

There are very few to zero nightlife options, beyond house parties, for underage students.