Le Passage is located at 937 N Rush Street, just a little south of the intersection of Rush and Division and Level Nightclub. It is rather hidden from street view without a flashy entrance and a huge crowd. Yet, it looks like a very cool place with a high-class, somewhat underground feel.
Inside Le Passage
When you arrive at Chicago's Le Passage dance club, you pass by the bouncers on Rush Street, and follow an alley with a red carpet for almost 100 feet. It’s an alley, but it’s well lit and clean... and it has a red carpet (small thing that is almost pointless, yet makes you feel nice). There is a smoking area to the side from the entrance, and the nice thing about it is the fact that it is in a pocket between tall buildings - making it free of wind and not as cold during winter.
As you enter through a small door of La Passage at the end of the red carpet, you have to go down a rather narrow flight of stairs, then through some more corridors... then you start seeing people behind white draped curtains (so the high-class feel adds to the cool underground vibe). This club has a bunch of cozy vip "rooms" that are separated by the white curtains from each other. Thus, this place appears to have more seating than any other downtown Chicago nightclub. And they feel much much nicer than most vip areas in other clubs – not too modern with uncomfortable couches, yet, not too retro with couches that you would see in an old-school British mansion. Cozy. The lighting is also just right – that seems like a small thing, but actually is important as some places make seating areas really dark.
Dance floor, bar and DJ at Le Passage
The dance area is not very large, but I think they are going more for a dance-lounge feel for Le Passage and not a super dance club. If I remember correctly, there is only one bar, which seems like not enough. But the bartenders were quick and it took me only 1-2 minutes to get my drinks every time I went up there. DJ was pretty good – played both hip hop and house music. I heard some older hip hop, too. Overall, I really liked the music – it was fun, not only electro, but also something that people were singing along to a little bit, yet not like some bars that play almost county that drunk people yell along to non-stop (I actually like some country, just not in a club/bar).
Drinks are somewhat expensive – a jack and coke plus red bull vodka added up to $21. Though it seems the same as most other Chicago nightclubs.
Overall thoughts
I loved this place last Saturday night. The crowd appeared friendly and nice, place has a really cool feel to it. I’m sure I’ll be going there again in a few weeks.
