Spy Bar in Downtown Chicago

Spy Bar is located in the same buildnig and right below my favorite bar in Chicago, Hop Haus. And as much as I like Hop Haus, Spy Bar is just not my type of place. Even though I very much enjoy going to other clubs (such as Crescendo, Le Passage, Sound Bar, Crobar, etc.). Here are some positives and negatives I can share about Spy Bar.

Pros

Spy Bar has a real underground feel to it - like you are at a hidden party that only cool people know about.

Cons

SPy Bar has a real underground feel to it - like you are in a crammed basement of an industrial building.

This club feels like a a hallway - it is long with the entrance on one side, though there is a wider area at first, where the main bar is located, it still is always severly overcrowded (at least it feels that way). I understand that some people like the crowded feel of clubs, but I don't - at least not that much. The situation is made worse by the fact that it is very hard to walk around the club due to its narrow walkways. This club feels like the biggest safety hazard to its patrons - crowded, narrow, exit all the way on one side, small stairway leading to the exit... I'm sure there are additional exits (as required), but I just don't know about them, thats why I'm saying that it only "feels" unsafe.

Summary

Music is great (to my likes), there are two bars, lighting on dancefloor is appealing, the confetti that they sometimes rain on people is fun, crowd is nice, though I saw fights there 2 times out of 3 or 4 times I've been there. But, this place just feels like... small! I didn't think that I was claustrophobic, but the ceilings, the "narrowness" and darkness (its dark in the rather long hallways connecting main bar and the "dancefloor") of 70% of the club. It just takes away from this place for me. If I remember correctly, Spy Bar is more of an afterparty place for many people - perhaps thats why people enjoy it more. I was rather sober there, maybe when you are drunk it doesn't seem as gloomy and small.

I know that my thoughts about this place are rather negative, but I definitely don't hate it. The thing is - I Like venues with higher volume, with high ceilings, wide walkways. I don't really like small college type bars and other small crowded places. I think that small cafes and sushi bars are great, there are no drunk people standing around, and the small space makes them feel nice and cozy. If there Are drunk people standing around - I want the venue to be large. Though I know that there are a ton of people who do not share this opinion with me (why else would college bars be so damn popular).

If you haven't been to Spy Bar - go check it out yourself!