Ten first dates in one night. In person, in Chicago.
Chicago First Dates runs speed dating and singles events at great bars and restaurants across the city and the suburbs. Five minutes across a table is enough to tell whether there’s chemistry — and you’ll get about ten chances to find out.
- About ten five-minute dates
- Organized by age range
- Contact details only on a mutual match
One evening. Around ten people. Zero guesswork.
You already know within a few minutes whether you want a second conversation with someone. We just built a night around that.
Coming up in Chicago.
Good venues make good first dates.
Our singles events happen in places you’d pick for a night out anyway: cocktail lounges in River North, restaurant rooms in the West Loop, neighborhood bars on the North Side, and suburban spots in Schaumburg and the western suburbs with parking out front. The host keeps the evening sociable and on time, so it feels like a fun night with friends that happens to come with about ten introductions.
It started with five minutes.
Some of the people who came to a Chicago First Dates night and left with more than a match.
A friend of mine recommended your website to me after he met his fiancée back in June at one of your local speed dating events. I came to give it a try, and met someone that I truly hit it off with. The magic happened right away, and we’ve been dating steadily ever since.
It’s been 5 months since I attended your event, and this week I was just married to Harry, whom I met at one of your speed dating events. I also found out this week that I am pregnant! Life is beautiful! We owe it all to you!
My girlfriends and I went to your speed dating event at Pops for Champagne last year, and two of us are currently in serious relationships with men that we met at your event. Thanks Chicago First Dates!
Questions people ask before their first night.
What should I wear?
Dress like it’s a nice night out — what you’d wear to a good restaurant or a cocktail bar. Most people land somewhere between smart-casual and dressed up, and nobody has ever regretted being slightly overdressed. Comfort counts, because you’ll change tables every few minutes. In winter, every venue has somewhere to leave your coat.
Who will I meet?
Local singles in your age range. Every event is organized by age group — 20s & 30s, 30s & 40s, 40s & 50s, plus themed and community nights — so the room is people at a similar stage of life. Expect around ten people to meet, a mix of city and suburban singles, and a balanced ratio of men to women.
How often are events held?
Several times a month. Most nights run downtown on weeknights and weekends, with regular events in Schaumburg and the western suburbs and online nights in between. The events page is always current, and every age group comes around regularly — if yours isn’t on the calendar this week, it will be soon.
What happens if I match with someone?
After the event you log in and select the people you’d like to see again. If someone you chose also chose you, that’s a mutual match, and we send you each other’s contact details — usually within 24 hours. Nobody you didn’t choose ever gets your information, and no one is told who didn’t pick them. From there it’s just a text and a second date.
More questions? Read the full Chicago speed dating FAQ or how speed dating works.
Your next first date is one evening away.
Pick a night, meet about ten Chicago singles, and find out who you click with.
Find your event