University of Illinois - Nightlife

C Street is a popular dance club and gay bar, mostly frequented by upperclassmen and graduate students. It is cleaner and more upscale than most of the campus bars with dance floors, making it a favorite for private parties. C Street hosts occasional holiday parties and drag shows and plays mostly top-40 hits during the week. Cover is generally cheap. Ages 19-and-up, and they always check IDs.

Cowboy Monkey is a 19-and-up restaurant/club. There is live music almost every night, and the cover is generally never more than five dollars. Cowboy Monkey caters to an older crowd, and students often run into their TAs here. Wednesday night Salsa Night is popular, for experienced and novice dancers alike. They have occasional live music, from rock to reggae to hip-hop. Metered parking.

Elmer’s is host to live music and dancing. It is not as close to campus as other bars, but it’s still fun. However, it is generally not popular with the younger, mainstream set.

The Canopy Club is host to live music almost every day of the week, including some relatively big-name artists. Murals on the wall give it a “rainforest” feel. Ages 18 and up, making it one of the few bars/clubs accessible to 18-year-olds. They have 15 different beers on tap. If you are looking for a good place to check out new bands, or just to hear music and chill, this is the place for you.

The Highdive is one of the most popular off-campus clubs. It is 19-and-up, and there is a dress code, which prohibits hats for men. There is a huge dance floor and they generally host a variety of live music. There is a DJ every Friday and Saturday night. The cover ranges from five to ten dollars, depending on the event. Metered parking.

C.O. Daniels is a smaller bar, with only one big room and little dance space. Most people stand around—there are few places to sit—or dance; the music is generally too loud for good conversation. There is a mechanical bull, and contests are common. Wednesday night Bomb Night, with $3 (huge) Ice Bombs, is a favorite. Cover is generally cheap, and it is sometimes crowded on weekends. 19-and-up.

Clybourne is legendary on campus for its Tuesday Wine Night. Nearly everyone that goes out on Tuesday inevitably stops by Clybourne for a bottle of wine. However, even though it stays busy on the weekends, it is not one of the most popular dance spots. There is no dance floor, as it is more of a bar/grill. They do have a DJ, and some night the line goes down the street. 19-and-up, and you may have to wait to get in, especially on Tuesday.

It’s Brothers, called simply “Brothers,” is a popular campus bar, usually pretty crowded on weekends and notorious for lines that sometimes stretch to the end of the block down Green Street. 19-and-up. They serve great wings, so people often stop by just for that. Brothers is one of the few bars on campus that is popular with all of the students but never gets too crazy. There are tables to sit and chill, as well as a dance floor upstairs; bar-goers go up and downstairs depending on whether they want to dance like crazy or take a break.

Joe’s is really two bars in one. The front rooms are very laid-back with pool tables and lounges. Joe's has three floors, but most of the action happens on the main level. The back room is darker and used almost exclusively as a dance floor. There is also a large outdoor patio perfect for escaping the hot, steamy back room. 19-and-up. There are usually a wide variety of ages and people here, and the music ranges from techno to hip-hop. There is generally a DJ on the weekends. Tuesday night is 90’s night, a favorite for all ages.

Kam’s is one of the most popular bars on campus, and one of the most laid-back. It has two floors, a beer garden, and a dance floor. It is almost always packed on the weekends. Ages 19-and-up. Kam’s is host to events like “CatFights,” and they generally have MTV celebrities from Real World and Road rules stop by throughout the year. A karaoke machine also makes appearances.

Located right in the heart of Green Street, Legends is one of the more popular campus bars. There is a beer garden and an inside area with pool tables where you can lounge. Ages 19-and-up. This is not much of a place to dance; it is more a place to chill, like Murphy’s, also on Green. Thursday night is Logo Night, when bar patrons get to bring home the cup that their favorite beer was served in.

Murphy’s is popular with the older crowd, primarily because it offers an easy-going atmosphere. There are darts, pool tables and a jukebox. Little to no dancing goes on; people generally sit at the big wooden tables and order beers with friends. You can also get a meal until 10 p.m. So if you want to avoid the insanity that inevitably comes with dance clubs and Justin Timberlake music, check out Murphy’s. No cover any day of the week.

Rose Bowl is host to frequent live music, typically country. It’s a fun place to escape the never-ending hip-hop club music, not to mention it is one of the few excellent country music bars in the area.

Station 211 is a favorite hangout of the young and single crowd, especially freshmen. It is sometimes thought of as a Greek bar. It is essentially one huge bar in the center of a huge floor for dancing with an adjoining beer garden. Actually, there is no real dance floor; it is essentially a cement floor that is often covered in little shot cups and coated in beer.

The Barfly has a large beer garden and inside lounge. There is also generally a DJ. It's not a hot bar with the younger crowd, but it is still fun and popular. They generally play hip-hop music.

The Iron Post is located in Downtown Urbana, and it is not very popular with most University students. It is more of a community bar.

White Horse, or “White Ho,” is a popular spot to sit and hang out. Occasional live music. White Horse is moderately busy throughout the weekend. 19-and-up.

If you are not 21, you can still have fun at U of I. If you are looking for a bar/club atmosphere, most are 19-and-up. Frat parties are always popular, as are apartment parties. If you are looking to escape the drinking scene, there is always something happening.