Looking for fun queer Chicago Meetup groups to join? Below we profile 7 such groups. Take a look. There’s a little bit of everything in these groups, from lesbian dating to queer sober events and travel and food events geared toward the LGBTQ+ community.
- Queer Sober Social
If you’d rather hang out without a drink in hand, Queer Sober Social is worth a look. Carly Novoselsky founded it, and the group was running in-person events before the pandemic shut things down.
These days you’ll find them at Eli Tea Bar in Andersonville on the third Sunday of every month. The group has also hosted virtual events in the past, so check the Meetup page for current online options.
Expect tea, games, name tags, and sometimes a tarot reader. Sober, sober-curious, or just tired of bar culture? You’re welcome.
- Single Lesbians in the City
Single Lesbians in the City has over 5,000 members. It’s been a go-to for queer women in Chicago who want to meet new people offline. The group runs mixers, social events, and casual hangouts aimed at single lesbians.
Some events have waitlists. RSVP early if you want a spot.
- Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago (BQAC)
Bi+ folks often get overlooked in LGBTQ spaces. BQAC is one of the groups working to change that.
The Meetup roots go back to 2008, and BQAC itself became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2014. It’s been a major bi-focused presence in the Midwest ever since, with around 4,000 members on Meetup today.
The calendar stays busy. You’ll find monthly Zoom discussion groups, a separate men’s bi/queer discussion, virtual movie nights, and sometimes in-person or hybrid community events.
Donations help keep most of the programming free or low-cost.
- Chicago Lesbians Do Coffee and More
Don’t let the name throw you off. The group does a lot more than coffee.
It’s a smaller crowd that meets up for casual outings around the city. The Meetup rating is 4.9. Events fill up fast, so check in often if you want a spot.
- LGBTQ Travel
The Chicago travel meetup connected to Globe Drifters isn’t queer-only, but LGBTQIA+ travelers are a regular part of the crowd.
Globe Drifters is a small-group tour company focused on solo travelers. About 90% of every trip is people traveling on their own, and group sizes cap at 12. Recent destinations have included Cuba, Tuscany, and Normandy.
If your friends keep flaking on travel plans, joining one of these trips is a way around that.
- LGBT Food, Fun, Travel, & Social Group
This Meetup has grown to more than 3,000 members. Events include restaurant dinners, brunches, neighborhood tours, museum visits, and longer travel.
There’s no formal program. You RSVP and show up.
The same organizer also runs the travel meetup above, so members often roll from a Friday dinner into signing up for a longer trip together.
- Chicago & Midwest Lesbian, Bi and Trans Dating
Little Gay Book, a national LGBTQ+ matchmaking and speed-dating service, runs structured speed dating events for lesbian, bi, trans, and queer singles. Most are online via Zoom, with some in-person events mixed in.
Matches are based on an algorithm that takes your age range and where you and your ideal date fall on the masc-femme spectrum. Events are designed for women and non-binary folks, and they’re explicitly trans-welcoming.
You’ll usually go on around ten 5-minute dates per session, with group conversation in between. Tickets are required, and prices climb as the event date gets closer.
Where to Start
Chicago’s queer scene is more than bars and Pride parades. The seven groups above are just a starting point. Pick whichever sounds like your speed and RSVP.
