Speed dating for Chicago singles.

Meet Chicago singles this week

Speed dating, done right, from the Loop to the suburbs.

Looking to meet quality Chicago singles? Chicago First Dates has run speed dating in the city since 2008, drawing locals from every neighborhood and suburb who are ready to meet someone in person. Most of our nights run in River North, Streeterville and the West Loop, with regular events on the North Side and in Schaumburg and the western suburbs — and every one is organized by age range, so the room fits where you are in life.

Quality Chicago singles

Our events draw driven, fun, relationship-minded people from all over Chicagoland. Lawyers and consultants from the Loop, nurses and residents from the medical district, teachers, tradespeople, grad students from Hyde Park and Evanston, and transplants who have not yet found their people. You’ll meet singles who are serious about finding a real connection — not collecting matches.

What to expect at a Chicago event

Plan on about two hours at a hand-picked bar, lounge or restaurant with a reserved area for the group. You’ll enjoy ten to fifteen five-minute mini-dates, with a relaxed break in the middle to grab a drink and mingle. Our host keeps the rotation on time and the room easygoing, so it never feels awkward — even if you come alone.

How it works

At each event you’ll have a series of mini-dates lasting about five minutes each — just enough time to feel a spark and see if there’s chemistry. Afterward, log into your account to select the people you’d like to see again. When it’s mutual, we send you each other’s contact details, usually within 24 hours. Read how speed dating works for the full walk-through.

Chicago speed dating FAQ

How much does an event cost? Most of our events run $35 to $45. That includes all of your mini-dates on the night, plus our online matching afterward, so you keep making connections once the evening is over. See our Chicago speed dating FAQ for the rest.

What ages attend? Every event is organized by age band — 20s & 30s, 30s & 40s, 40s & 50s, and themed nights — so you’ll always be meeting singles close to your own stage of life rather than a random mix.

Where in Chicago are events held? Downtown is the anchor: River North, Streeterville, the Gold Coast and the West Loop, all minutes from the L and the Metra. We also host on the North Side and in Schaumburg, Rolling Meadows and the western suburbs, and we add neighborhoods and towns as demand fills them. Browse every place on our speed dating locations around Chicago page.

A great city to be single in

With River North’s cocktail lounges, the restaurant row on Randolph, neighborhood bars from Lincoln Park to Logan Square, the lakefront, the Riverwalk and a summer of street festivals, Chicago is a fantastic place to be single — the hard part is meeting the right person in a city of three million. One relaxed evening of real conversations solves that. Come see who’s in the room.