Centerstage Chicago says…

Sure, being a member of the Rat Pack sounds like fun for the whole family, but then you start thinking about all the work that would go along with it. It’s not easy constantly keeping up appearances and pretending not to be jealous of one another, hence the reason subsequent ‘Rat Packs’ like the Brat Pack and the Frat Pack were much less successful. But that’s why the Holiday Club, aptly dubbed the Swinger’s Mecca (as well as “the most hard-to-miss bar in town” due to the gigantic, shimmering sequins on the sign outside), was created—now you can enjoy all of the benefits of being in a Rat Pack without any of the negatives! Speak of the devils, you’ll notice (unless you’re blind) the enormous photographic, black-and-white wallpaper of the 1960s Rat Pack on the wall behind the bar, including all your favorites: Frank, Dean, Sammy, Joey and Peter (sort of sounds like a religious boy band when you put it like that).

There are two very separate and very different areas of Holiday Club. The main bar offers a more “traditional” experience, one that harkens back to yesteryear—expect the kind of swingin’ stylings you’ve seen in movies like, um, “Swingers” (star Vince Vaughn has been known to stop by). The back bar offers a more modern experience, one that’s trendy and hipster-appropriate (come on Friday nights for the new-wave ’80s music, not to mention the crazy, vibrant ambiance provided by the DJ). Like to take picture after picture after picture of yourself? The Club accommodates your narcissistic needs with its never-out-of-style photo booth by the bathrooms.

And last but not least, food is bar food, if really pretty good bar food. Appetizers range from $3-$7, sandwiches range from $4.50-$8.50 and pizzas range from $8-$11. The surprisingly amazing wings come in chipotle or hot buffalo flavors. Everything tastes better when it’s “cool,” and the Holiday Club, above all else, is cool.

Centerstage Reviewer: Benjamin Andrew Moore