Touch

I visited 3 leather bars while here in Chicago. Touché was definitely the worst. The clothes check was located right by the door way under a bright light for all to see. Not the most comfortable place to be removing clothing. They charge you to check clothes...fine but don’t get an attitude when a few times during the night I need to retrieve something from my checked bag. I’m PAYING for a service. The clothes check guy just walked away saying he had to attend to something else. So who’s watching the bags??? I decided then to just take my clothing and leave.The door guys stoped me saying I can’t take my water bottle out the bar with me. It was a $3.50 bottle of water. They should’ve been giving them out for free! You should be encouraging your customers to drink water when needed, not confiscate it. I left the bottle right at the door way and they then threatened to ban me for life if I didn’t pick it up and go back inside to throw it away. Really? I left it right there cause I didn’t care. This was my first and LAST time coming there. Go to jackhammer next door. Much more professional. Cell block was good too.

Cozy wooden saloon bar with friendly bartenders and good drinks.You can see from the art and historical posters that this has been a true community asset since 1971. It’s important we hold our spaces to account while still protecting them for their history and for future generations.

This is an old-school bear/leather/backroom bar thats not changed much, which is kind of cool, and the bartenders are always friendly. Despite some recent controversy, they are extremely inclusive, as is historically and culturally consistent with the bear community

Was there on a Saturday afternoon for an event. It was so much fun, I went back at night. Became a very late night for me

I went to this place last night bout 130am. The bartender was this Black guy with broken eyeglasses and was probably drunk as well. He asked me for ID which I provided. He then tells me that the ID is not mine because I look too young to be born in the 70’s. At first I thought he was joking but he was serious. I’m 45 years old. I don’t need to sneak into any bar. Stay away from this place guys. They obviously don’t need customers.

This place hosted a bigoted show, helped the performer collect tips, and ignored patrons visibly made uncomfortable by the performance. A bartender quit. Then they said they wanted a town hall where everyone else tells them how to not host racist shows in 2022. It was cancelled and Ive heard nothing since.This was a fun place to go for curiosity and I live near here, but they clearly dont care about the rights and saftey of Black people, trans folks, and SA survivors. I would not recommend any Black or brown person come here, nor anyone who cares about them, until they have actually been held accountable. 👎🏽By the way, Ive still gotten no news about how they are working to get better, so this review is still very much up to date in 2023.

The most fun I had in a gay bar!

This bar used to be home to so many people, but this bar hosted a racist entertainer for their anniversary.They then promised a community town hall after our outrage which was cancelled and never rescheduled.The community wanted communication and accountability and this business provided neither. Spend your money elsewhere.

Its very obvious some people cant take a joke and should NOT be out in public so their feelings dont get hurt. Also, that same performer performed at IML and CLAW in the past. Wasnt a problem then. Why is it now? Who are the snow flakes who are so hurt by this?

Anyone who has gone to Touche on a regular basis knows that this bar is not racist in the slightest bit. They have been welcoming to all for years and in fact the cities African American Leather club ONYX got their start there and maintained regular club events at the bar until they had this unfortunate event with an outdated, out-of-touch performer. They apologized for it, but in todays culture they would rather see you burned to the ground than actually make an effort to try to move forward from this. Most people who are commenting have never even been to the bar more than once.

We had nothing like this on the South Side when I was young growing up so I am making up time and enjoying myself to the fullest every time I get the chance to stop by. This place is Heaven on Earth for people like me who like to experiment with new looks and smells.

Great little local leather bar that does so much for our community. Staff is very friendly, and the special events are a lot if fun. My partner and I have been coming here for almost 10 years for movie night and the Sunday beer bust. DJ Harry T plays so great music. Since our family is not close or doesnt do much for holidays like Labor Day, its become our tradition to come by for burgers and beers. Love this place.

Great bar and bartenders! However, the patronage leaves a lot to be desired. Through no fault of the management, the place is routinely filled with little to no leather, especially on weeknights. Cmon guys, its a leather bar, how you gonna give me a funny look cos Im dressed in all-leather and youre wearing gym shoes and shorts? I would recommend a dress code but that would just stifle the income of the bar. But all in all, a great and fun place to hang out.

I live nearby and its become my neighborhood bar out of convenience. Friendly and fun regular staff. An old-school leather bar with some rules/codes to follow on certain nights, and strict re COVID rules; but, generally low key.Except for weekends and some event nights, which can be quite wild!

We were visiting friends who lived in the area earlier and decided to go to this bar with these friends. We wanted to check the bar in the back and the guy manning the bar in the back said they were enforcing a theme tonight which is leather or uniform theme. All four of us were disappointed because we wanted to check the place out. We stayed in the front bar and like most group of friends, we ordered drinks, talked and laughed. Our friend had an idea how one of us could get in. Somehow we had leather we could use to gain entry. As I approached the guy, he said he didnt care what I wore and accused our group of making fun of people in the bar and that he was offended. He told me I could not get in. I didnt say anything to him but got really surpirsed and upset about his accusation. First of all, how can he make that judgment when he could only see us from a distance and could not hear what we were saying. Second, my friends and I are all professionals and do not judge or make fun of people like how he was accusing us. I felt he was DISCRIMINATING us because he didnt like how we looked or how we didnt fit in the crowd for him. I asked the guy in the entrance about the other guy in the back manning the bar in the back. It turned out he was the manager named DAVID!!! I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO ANYONE!!! WE WILL DEFINITELY NOT COME BACK TO A PLACE WITH A MANAGER RUNNING THE PLACE LIKE THIS!!! VERY JUDGMENTAL WITHOUT VALID FACTS!!!

I seen the racist sista girl puppet! I can’t believe the owners would allow this kind of blackface racism as a form of “entertainment “. If this is what this bar stands for I won’t want any part of it

The said they’d have the Super Bowl on tv but they didn’t pay for a bar license to play it, so it got shut off but they still told people at the door and over the phone it was on. They didn’t offer any compensation to people who came to watch the game. This bar needs to close and a new spot needs to open. What a joke.

Showed up at 4pm Sunday for beer blast advertised. Bar opens at 2pm but only serves on sidewalk until 6pm. 20 sq ft and 2 tables with 8 seats. Umm ok. Visitors from out of town Ubered all the way out there for that. Very disappointed and very misleading promotion. They advertise sidewalk service but never mention that’s all they are doing, no inside bar service. And yes I understand covid restrictions, we were all fully vaccinated and ready to provide proof.

Doesn’t care about people of color. They never rescheduled the town hall and they have the nerve to host events like the one down below. This is tone deaf and I just can’t believe David is still running the place.

This is not merely a bar but a true community cente!! Got my monkeypox vaccine there

Great neighborhood gay bar that caters to just about every fetish you could think of (within legal limits of course 😋). Conveniently connected to Jackhammer and the fetish and gear store, this establishment hosts events and demonstrations that cater to the overall fetish community. Ive never encountered a problem here everyone is always very respectful of each other and I really enjoy how they connect a lot of their awareness to other lgbtq nonprofits within the city.

Management is completely out of touch with the community and has yet to take any constructive action in response to the heinous racist and bigoted performance it put on in celebration of its 45th anniversary. The antithesis of a community center!

Always feel safe here and typically enjoy my time here always. Been a loyal customer since moving to chicago in 2019.

The front was polite and subdued. They are somewhat cold to new arrivals. Perhaps instead of talking to regulars they talk to new faces and see if they can become regulars.Back of the house:Seems clickish. For the rep of it being a little more dirty found it to be selective. The staff was polite and courteous.Was looking for an event calendar...

This place is rude as hell. I took a picture of a chair and they want to kick me out. All they had to say was you cant take a picture. I take pics to try to help people and their business this was no way to treat a person who took a picture of a chair

I have been going to Touche for over twenty years. They make people feel welcome no matter who you are. Say hi to my cousin Franke he bar tends on Tuesdays.

Hot Daddy bar! Friendly staff good drinks and a great sleazy back room.

Had a great time out with friends and the drinks were very nice. Bartender was great

Gay Leather bar. Lots of fun but not for the tame. Drinks are cheap and bartenders are very friendly.

Fantastic spot. great bartenders and staff and folks are super friendly

Was there Last? During IML 1999; And a CDA/M.A.F.I.A. Event; March of 2002. Good memories.

Tbh? I have a great! Experience and this is a great and friendly place to be with and is great thing to meet up new people to hang with!.

Havent been in a long while. Most definitely fun and raunchy times

Great location, great bar and the back bar, well, let’s just say ... let’s have some ffun!!

My last visit was very unpleasant because the staff was rude and very disrespectful to me as a customer. I refuse to give my money to a business that employs or endorsed rude employees.

Strange bar with an older crowd. Lots of action in the back though!

Whites are made to feel comfortable only here

Love this place. Guys here are friendly.

Not sure why not fully open yet..all tho slighty trashie location

Near my house. Too loud at the weekends!

Excellent! Excellent staff, excellent drinks, excellent atmosphere, excellent, excellent, excellent……..

Its a nice and friendly bar .

Cheap drinks. Only dislike is no credit cards accepted.

Dreams really do come true! Open until 4 am! HOLLA

Nothing new here. Better off next door at Jackhammer.

Dont fence me in! ...ok you can, just for a little bit

Great bartender, friendly and helpfull.

Stiff drinks, and nearly always since event going on

Awesome place, fun atmosphere!!

Great fun!

Best LEATHER bar in Chicago

Gil and Os new favorite place

Late night and gets dirty bar.

Love

Bad service

Good drinks

Place to have a beer

Beautiful place

Great place.

Leather bar

I wanna go

Brilliant