Best Bars To Celebrate Your Birthday In Chicago

By Megan Horst-Hatch

Feel like celebrating your next birthday with more than just cake and ice cream? Whether you're planning a birthday celebration for you and 50 of your closest friends or just want to celebrate becoming another year older in a tropical-themed location, the Chicagoland area offers numerous bars for you and your crew to have fun. From karaoke to an extensive party package, a birthday party thrown at a bar in Chicago can be a memorable event for all. This is also a stress-free way to plan for a night out on the town, as many bars have party rooms that can be reserved for a more private event. The following bars are great places to plan your next birthday party.

Duffy's Tavern & Grille
420½ W. Diversey Parkway
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 549-9090
www.bar1events.com/duffys

If your birthday plans include getting drinks in Chicago, then make reservations at Duffy's Tavern & Grille. Duffy's offers two private rooms and has a number of packages for a three-hour party ranging from $15 to $30 per person. If you want to grab a bite to eat, Duffy's also has a kitchen that serves appetizers like tacos, quesadillas, calamari and chicken wings. The bar is located in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, making it the perfect meeting spot for a soiree after work. If you plan to kick off your festivities with brunch, then definitely keep Duffy's in mind; the bar offers brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

Pinstripes
1150 Willow Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 480-2323
www.pinstripes.com

For those who want to include games in the birthday festivities, Pinstripes offers a grown-up version of the traditional bowling party. While it's not a bar, its well-stocked wine cellar and its menu featuring Italian and American specialties show that Pinstripes is more than your typical bowling alley. Its exhaustive wine list spans the globe. Pinstripes also offers domestic and imported beer and handcrafted cocktails. Plush leather couches, an indoor bocce ball area and live music on Friday and Saturday liven up the place while giving you and your friends a fun time. Pinstripes can also accommodate private parties of up to 600 people if you wish to book in advance. Additional Pinstripes facilities are located in South Barrington and Oak Brook.

Emerald Isle Chicago
6686 N. Northwest Highway
Chicago, IL 60631
(773) 775-2848
www.emeraldislebarandgrill.com

If you're looking for a fun bar to start or end your night on the town for your birthday, then add Emerald Isle to your list. Located within an easy walking distance of the Edison Park Metra station, the bar is situated in the lively Edison Park neighborhood of Chicago and also offers free parking across the street. Its drinks menu includes domestic beers, including Miller Lite, Coors Light, Sharp's, Old Style and Budweiser, and imported beers like Harp, Guinness, Fat Tire and Smithwick's. The kitchen serves up traditional pub fare, including burgers, tacos and wings, perfect fuel for a long night. Emerald Isle offers party packages for three hours for those celebrating with a crowd; call in advance to make a reservation.

Blue Frog Bar & Grill
22 E. Hubbard St.
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-1200
www.bluefrogbarandgrill.com

Want to warble away to Madonna's "Like a Virgin" on your birthday? Then plan your next party at Blue Frog Bar & Grill. Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. on Friday and at 10 p.m. on Saturday until the bar closes. The bar also offers more than 100 board and trivia games, including Jenga and Chutes and Ladders. Sandwiches, soups, salads, burgers and wraps are all available on the bar's menu. If possible, make a reservation in advance and notify the server that it is for a birthday party. Blue Frog has a second location in the Near North neighborhood at 676 North La Salle Drive.

Hala Kahiki Lounge
2834 River Road
River Grove, IL 60171
(708) 456-3222
www.hala-kahiki.com

For the guest of honor who wants something a bit more tropical, head out to River Grove's Hala Kahiki Lounge (coconut bras are not mandatory). The tiki bar offers a bit of kitsch and features tropical influences, including straw and bamboo shoots on the walls. But enough about the interior; let's talk drinks. The bar's drinks menu stretches far and wide and includes hot tea and coffee with shots of rum or brandy, ice cream floats and martinis. The menu continues the lounge's tiki theme, with most menu items named for islands in the Pacific Ocean. Nonalocoholic drinks are also available, including virgin daiquiris. Want to deck the birthday boy or girl in tropical gear? The bar's store features leis, floral shirts and other souvenirs. If it's your birthday, you can receive a free lei from the bar.

Trader Todd's
3216 N. Sheffield Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 348-3250
www.tradertodd.com

If you want to sing the night away, give Trader Todd's a look. The bar has more than 10,000 songs available for karaoke, including hits by Tupac Shakur, Ashlee Simpson, Carly Simon and Macy Gray. The bar plays up the tiki theme and many of its drinks, including the Stormy Dog, Shark Attack and the Black Pearl, are inspired by tropical locations. If you want to start your party off on the right foot, arrange to have Todd's Transit Authority pick up you and your crew in a fun pink bus. Sandwiches, soups, salads and popcorn shrimp are among the food items available at Trader Todd's.

Megan Horst-Hatch is a mother, runner, baker, gardener, knitter, and other words that end in "-er." She loves nothing more than a great cupcake, and writes at I'm a Trader Joe's Fan. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.