Le Passage - Chicago

Does anyone else have experience with the place? Is it still around?

I was there in Sept 2002. A pretty cool nightclub with awesome interior designs - not Tiki, but alchemical/astrological themes done in gold in one area for example. In a back area called "The Yow Bar," they had a decent number of Tiki and tropical drinks which came in a rather generic mug. Not bad drinks either. The downside was the 20$ cover after 10PM, but it was a pretty fun place. General DJ-'ed dance music, btw.

I have seen several on-line reviews criticizing the attitude of the place, but have to say that despite my Tiki bowling shirt not really belonging, we experienced none of it and had a good time.

Le Passage 937 N. Rush St. Chicago 312-255-0022

A.

This place is awful.

It is an expensive, trendy, snooty, velvet-rope sort of place.

The only reason it deserves any sort of mention in Tiki circles (or in TRT) is the fact that a tiny side-bar in the back of the place serves drinks designed my Mr. Yow, a long-time ex-Trader Vics bartender (hence the name Yow Bar).

Braving the $20 parking fee in the neighborhood, the wait in line to get in, the cover charge, the trek through the too-cool-for-you parts of the club to the back area just to pay way too much for a quasi-Tiki drink isn't worth it, when Trader Vics is almost in walking distance.

Your opinion is rather reflective of what I have seen on-line and heard from a couple of people. Our experience was totally different. Despite my bowling shirt and my friend's less-than-trendy couture, we were not treated ill and the line was trivial even on a Friday night. The staff was way more friendly than I would expect from a chi-chi nightclub and other patrons were very interested in the whole Tiki-drink thing - we told numerous people in the main area where they could go to get the drinks. The whole experience was rather fun even though this type of club is not something I go to even occasionally. We actually walked from Trader Vic's to there and at least the patrons at LP were alive! As ground-zero Tiki as TV is, the atmosphere at the Chicago one is downright graveyard!

At any rate, I thought I would add at least one positive experience there.

A.

On 2003-12-29 15:08, tikibars wrote:
This place is awful.

It is an expensive, trendy, snooty, velvet-rope sort of place.

The only reason it deserves any sort of mention in Tiki circles (or in TRT) is the fact that a tiny side-bar in the back of the place serves drinks designed my Mr. Yow, a long-time ex-Trader Vics bartender (hence the name Yow Bar).

Braving the $20 parking fee in the neighborhood, the wait in line to get in, the cover charge, the trek through the too-cool-for-you parts of the club to the back area just to pay way too much for a quasi-Tiki drink isn't worth it, when Trader Vics is almost in walking distance.