Wang’s

Wang’s is a men’s bar. On most nights it welcomes everyone but bear in mind it is a bar meant for men. With that said the most women I have ever seen in there are two. This isn’t to say women are not welcome but it’s definitely a man’s bar. Queens and their fag hags may be better suited at a centrally located Boystown bar rather than Wang’s.
The space is small, dark. Enter and you’re transported to an opium den during the Rape of Nanking. Seduction is laced into the walls and the smell of nag champa and fresh cut veggies mask the delightful smell of shameless sex.
On occasion there is a private party held called Men’s Room with resident DJs Harry Cross & J-​PEG and hosted be aCe. The two play a range of underground house and techno while topless (or bottomless) men dance in a dark and foggy room illuminated in red. The party is a very well kept secret in Chicago and is not for everyone — primarily straight men, women and uptight homos. To get into the party, since it is private, you have to know someone or get on the mailing list. Be mindful, this party is NOT for everyone. It is an amazing party but if you are uptight stay at home. If you throw shade at the door, expect to be rejected. This party is a revival of underground Stonewall era gay intensity where the lines of lust are blurred in the mists of fog and desire.
Wang’s also holds a few other themed parties. From highlighting the drag and gender-​benders, to focusing on local house music sounds, they do their best to welcome all gays, regardless of their affinities to masculinity or femininity.
The bartenders are not the friendliest until you establish a reputation with them. It’s important to make a good first impression with a decent tip unless you want to be snubbed or made to wait. Such is the way with any bar it seems but the shade is on here, we are in a dark room after all.
The biggest highlight of Wang’s is the bathroom. Enter the one of the south side (right) and prepare yourself for a great laugh and possibly a healthy wank.

This place is sort of bizarre, but I really like it. It definitely has ‘character.’ It kind of reminds me of a movie studio’s rendition of a Chinese brothel. But that is not a bad thing.
The cocktails are not ‘mixologized,’ but they are solid. I don’t think (?) there are any TVs, which I appreciate.
The only thing I really have bad to say about it is that it is drafty in the winter.

Great drinks and atmosphere. I recommend the house manhattan or pear martini. The DJ is always on point and usually varies from week to week.

I have always enjoyed this bar, but I had a very bad experience recently. After having some drinks, I paid my tab but left behind my credit card by accident. I didn’t need to use the card again for a few days and only noticed it was gone then. The first thing I did then was check the transaction history, and someone had waited until that very day to use the card. Whether it had been bar staff or a customer who stole it does not matter much, but the fact the person waited so long to use it is very suspicious. I would not go back here again. Sorry Wang’s and Wakamono, but this is it. I will tell everyone I know not to go back either.

DARK! really there is not much more to say. I was here for a few beers the other night and the bartenders were great, it looked like they were making all different types of fancy drinks but I stuck to boring beer. But the place really is super dark, if you can’t tell from all the pictures. It’s a cool ambiance.

I like this place, especially for an after dinner drink and conversation. Me and some buddies went there this past Friday and we had a blast.
ATMOSPHERE
The space is small and intimate, we loved the atmosphere and asian-​themed/​tongue-​n-​cheek décor. I really like that Wang’s has a lounge feel in a bar setting, which makes it perfect for chilling and chatting. There is a main bar, a dance floor (that opens around 1130pm-​ish) and a few bistro tables/​chairs.
DRINKS
Unlike a lot of places, I found the cocktails to be delicious and reasonably priced. On this particular night, it wasn’t too crowded we didn’t have to wait long for the bartender or for the cocktails to be made. Here’s the breakdown:
My friend and I arrived first…
1^st: Gin (Bombay) and Tonic (I had two) = $ 8 & French 77 = $ 8 (my buddy had two).
2^nd: We both tried the Cucumber Sake Martini = $ 9 (delicious)
Two of our other friends joined and…
3^rd: Fireball shots (my other friend paid and I forgot to ask how much)
4^th: Back to Gin & Tonic (me and 2 friends) and Cucumber Sake Martini (friend)
NOISE LEVEL
We originally arrived around 930pm — there was music pumping but it didn’t overpower our conversation. Around 11pm, the music volume increased so it was a bit harder to hear and «chat» you had to yell and stain to hear the person next or across from you. We didn’t mind this though, because by this time more people had arrived and it was more lively (which is expected for a friday night).
PS, the music was great! Energetic, fun and flavorful house music… without being annoying.
OVERALL
Wang’s is a really cool space, with great drinks and a lively atmosphere. I’d say its ideal for groups of 2 – 4 people.

UPDATE: They now take credit cards!!!
Be wary though, they hold an event once a month called «Mens’ Room» and it is not for the light hearted. Check their online calendar or call to learn more.

Fun place. At first, given the name of this place, I thought it would be a gay bar, LOL. Wrong! But still a fun place and a delightful two hours spent here!

NN-​TSS NN-​TSS NN-​TSS
«WHAAAT??»
NN-​TSS NN-​TSS NN-​TSS
*sips on drink* ooooh deliciousss
NN-​TSS NN-​TSS NN-​TSS
*goes to bathroom* ooooh penises everywhere
and that about sums up my experience there.

Awesome spot. Moody and mysterious, but not too scene-​y. Everyone’s just there for a good time. Had a great DJ (I think he was Norwegian) spinning the night I went. Sadly, the dance floor didn’t fill up as much as I’d hoped. Strong cocktails – gin wins.
No girls restroom, so make due with the boys’.

Wang’s seems to have an identity problem. The bar advertises and promotes itself as this muscle-​bear, quasi bear /​leather, über masculine men’s bar (think an upscale Touché /​Manhandler? :) but every-​time I go in there it is full of girls. what’s up with that? There is nothing wrong with girls being at a bar but then the bar shouldn’t promote itself as Men’s Bar. On a recent Saturday Night over half the customers were these well dressed, Lakeview /​Lincoln Parkish 20 some YO girl’s that I don’t see them on the bars Facebook page (the bar has a great Facebook page :). Some guys walked in Wangs when I was there last night and left after seeing the girls everywhere (I am sure they don’t dislike women it just wasn’t what they were expecting…).
Besides the marketing /​branding disconnection the drinks are good, strong and really, really expensive, at $ 15 a drink you might need to take a line of credit out before you go to this place but at least they are awesome.
The space is cool, Small intimate, lot’s of cool stuff on the walls etc. Service is generally speedy and the bar tenders while not overly chatty are nice.
A great to place to grab a drink but if you are looking for a leather /​muscle-​bear /​hyper masculine vibe you might want to keep looking.

Wang’s is interesting. It’s small and on the «Broadway» part of Boystown (Halsted being the «main» drag). So it’s one street east and an obscure little spot denoted with an ornate Chinese door and windows covered in newspaper.
Needless to say when I walked in the gravity of the situation became immediately apparent because I, as always, had to pee. I walked through the bar (about the size of a studio apartment) and felt along the wall for the door knob. Once inside the bathroom it hit me — WANGS.
No, literally — I was visually barraged with image after image of dicks. They are plastered on all the walls, the door, the ceilings. It was dick for days and I had no idea why until halfway through my personal undertakings I saw the hook:
«Send cock pics to:
«
I was standing in a restroom covered in the genitalia of decades of former patrons. I stood in awe, thinking of how many men, like myself, were confused, curious, and then compelled to submit their dirty favorites so as to be immortalized on this… this wall of wieners!
Then I wondered what all the women thought when they walked in there.
The bar resembles an opium den — deep woods, ornate bar, it’s pretty much totally red. There are a few small tables hidden in dark corners and, I can only assume, a lot of secrets hidden in the back-​room. One of those joints that makes you feel like its midnight even when it’s 3pm.
Needless to say I did not walk out with a Mogwai like I was hoping but I did have a great Karma martini. It was gin and Asian treats. There is no tap (*tear* for beer drinkers) and the cocktails are moderately priced ($ 8-​$ 12), Asian-​inspired, and incorporate lotus, ginger, etc etc.
I’d go back. In fact, I have to go back… Otherwise I’ll never see if I made the cut.
Or uncut.

This bar DISCRIMINATES AGAINST WOMEN. Not okay.
I went here for post dinner drinks for a friend’s birthday party. Our group included both gay and straight men and women. After ordering a bottle of champagne, around 11pm, they announced the bar was «closing» at 11:30pm– which seemed odd since a DJ had just showed up.
I thought it was odd to close at 11:30pm on a Saturday. Turns out, they were just trying to kick us out because we were women. I confirmed this blatant discrimination by asking the bouncer if they usually close at this time. He claimed the place was closed for a private party. When my male gay friend asked the same question he was invited in…
Never going to this place again or Ping Pong’s or Wakamono (owned by the same people).

I like Wangs!
(That’s what she said) Actually I did say it! And Wangs is secksy as hickory heck!
I’ve come several times in less than a week and that’s saying something!
The atmosphere has been compared to an opium den. It reminds me of an old school speakeasy in the far east with a dash of bordello. Just classic, exotic, sexy. It’s truly a unique lounge that can’t be compared to others. Tons of Asian touches, dark, lanterns and candles galore, fog, incense, ambiant music that mixed jazz influences with house or trance (very cool), high ceilings, lots of art, lots of carvings, gilt touches, marble and dark wood, and sedate and stylish patrons. We like the music isn’t so loud it drowns out intimate conversation. Adult and trendy in every way without being pretentious. And did I mention it’s secksy? Well, it is.
The service has generally been good.
Cash only.
No sign outside. Which is just another sign (pun optional) how low key and unique it is.
They have dj sometimes.
It’s small; but that just adds to the cozy vibe.
One menu for the bar that you read and return which is a cute touch. The pictures of nudy rudy statues of men showing wangs really fit the theme and made me blush.
When I’ve gone I’ve ordered The Geisha. No idea what’s in it but it’s with fresh fruit and not cloying and yummy. My partner gets beers or Manhattans. We both enjoy. I do wish they still gave the orchids with the foo foo drinks. Everyone likes a flower.
If you wanna end your night with a bang, try Wangs.

Exotic. Extra. Enigmatic. I do like my Wang’s!
When I decide a sure hangover is worth the pain, the ginger martini is my deadly cocktail of choice. The ginger is real and the warm-​cheeked buzz comes swiftly. Well-​made, smooth and elegant… because let’s be real, a martini should look just as good as you!
The room is really cool with smart + interesting artwork and white Christmas lights to gracefully break up the dark, delicious insides… this is a two consecutive check-​ins kind-​of-​place, people.
You’re so f*cking special… and I’m gonna keep creeping you.

Cozy. Unique. Dark. Smoky (dry ice). Hot. Intimate. Inspiring.
Wang’s is where you go if you like your martinis so dirty you’ll blush while drinking them. (To paraphrase an afficionado). The black Oriental wallpaper with birds on it makes the room feel even smaller, and like one is in San Francisco or Bangkok. Decorative Ornithology is totally hot.
The bathroom is plastered with old porn, and even though at times I was crimson with comparison, it reminded me of one of my favorite unique bars in Austin (Beer Land).
Cash only is the only drawback at Wang’s. If I could lay my credit card down on the bar, chances are, my stays would be longer. But then again, the atmosphere is such that one hopes to be inspired to make an early night of it, and head for more intimate quarters. Hot.

I like Wang’s. I like the charm and character of all the odds and ends on the walls, the string of lights haphazardly hung behind the bar, and the low lighting.
I’d be totally in love with this place if they had some more comfortable seating for getting cozy with your drinking companion. It’s an intimate bar and good for your last drink of the night before heading home… hopefully not alone.

LOVED IT. LOVED.
We stumbled upon Wang’s after dining on sushi next door. I was very relieved to see that I was carrying cash for once in my life, as that’s all they take. My roomie and I scanned the (original, quirky, interesting) martini list and both settled on green tea martinis.
I walked up to the bar and the bartender worked his magic. We even got a cute little flower in our martinis. I personally thought these babies were worth the $ 10 a piece. Good size (none of that slimmed-​down martini glass crap here), good ingredients, ample amount of booze.
As everyone else has said, décor is intensely Asian but that makes it fun. The crowd was intensely gay, but what do you expect in the neighborhood? The DJ was great… good music without being too blaringly loud as you might think would happen in a smaller, more intimate space.
Were I to live anywhere near Wang’s, I’d be a regular. No question.

If Wakamono is the prim and proper son, than Wangs is his crazy, schizophrenic sister.
I had plans to meet friends at Wakamono for dinner last night, and since I arrived about 20 minutes early, I decided to stop into Wang’s for decompression and a cocktail. Although Maggie R. told me she’d cut me if I went to Wang’s without her, it was a risk I was willing to take. Mama needed a cocktail last night.
For those not in the know, Wang’s is the bar that’s attached to Wakamono. They may be attached, and you can order booze from Wang’s and drink it at Wakamono, but that’s really where the similarities cease.
Wang’s is itsy bitsy. Seriously, it’s about the size of my work office, which isn’t saying much. But what it lacks in size, it makes up in décor. What kind of bat-​shit crazy person decorated this place, I’d like to know! Nutty old-​lady flowered wallpaper, Chinese lanterns, tons of crazy posters, knick-​knacks and chotchkies adorn Wang’s. Definitely a departure from the serene Wakamono.
Can we now talk about the drinks? I ordered a pomegranate martini, which was expertly crafted by the very cute bartender. It was sweet, but not too sweet and adorned with an orchid, which was a nice touch. And at $ 8, not a bad deal, either.

2009 is turning out to be festive and glamorous! Wangs is no exception. Utterly cute bar that looks like the inside of an 85 year old Chinese woman’s jewelry box. If that Chinese woman happens to have gay porn-​ish flyers stuck inside said box.
That said, this place is a gem. The «martinis» (there is only ONE drink that can rightly be called a «martini», but I’ll indulge) here seemed like a bargain at $ 8 — they were expertly mixed and artistically garnished. My Ginger martini had a long, springy lemon twist and a couple of chunks of ginger — besides being delicious. And — bonus — ginger aids digestion! The Pomegranate martini, enjoyed by others in my party, had a gorgeous orchid and lime slice to offset the red color — beautiful! I’ll try that next time.
It got a little crowded with diners from the restaurant next door, but once it cleared out, it was really nice.
I could imagine myself in a tight-​fitting satin cheongsam here, dagger-​like red nails clicking my glass. Sitting at the bar nursing a cocktail, and waiting for Tony Leung, like something out of a Marguerite Duras novel. Hm. I’d have to dye my hair black, but you get the picture.