Meeting new people in any city can be tough, and it’s especially challenging if you’ve just moved to a new area and don’t have any established social networks.
A 22-year-old under the username Debecka relocated from Wisconsin to Naperville, Illinois, and had difficulty making friends outside of work. “I’m a very outgoing, upbeat individual,” Debecka said in a local discussion forum. “I typically make friends very easily but just haven’t been able to do so here.”
It doesn’t matter how outgoing you are. If you don’t know where to go to meet people, you’re likely going to be sitting alone on Saturday nights. You have to figure out where local singles hang out in your area and start going out of your way to make conversation with people. We’ve compiled a bunch of dating resources in Naperville to help you get started.
Naperville Dating Sites
According to a 2015 survey, about 30% of never-married Americans have tried online dating, and 5% of Americans in committed relationships or marriages met their partners online. As online dating becomes more mainstream, today’s singles have more resources at their disposal when seeking a date. Instead of prowling the bar or club, Naperville singles can join a site for free and scope out local dates within minutes.
Best Singles Site
Match launched in 1995 when most people still didn’t really know what the internet was or what it could do. But that didn’t stop them from trying to use it to pick up dates. Match.com has been the #1 dating site for relationship-minded singles for decades now, and its active singles network currently reaches 24 countries worldwide.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review. Our Review »
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Over 50 & Senior Sites
Once you’ve reached your golden years, it can be difficult to meet, much less date, someone new. Senior singles can feel intimidated by general dating sites, but OurTime has built a community that caters to their unique interests and preferences. This dating site is powered by People Media and has a vast over-50 network stretching from coast to coast.
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout. Our Review »
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For Black Men & Women Only
Only 4.7% of Naperville residents identify as African-American, so black and biracial singles have a better chance of meeting one another on a black dating site. BlackPeopleMeet is a popular option for black singles in North America. Thousands of people have created a free dating profile in hopes of diversifying their date prospects, and BlackPeopleMeet has not disappointed them.
- Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
- Match System: Search by location, age, more
- Our Experts Say: BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month. Our Review »
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Hookup & Sex Site
Adult Friend Finder offers a romantic shortcut for hotties who aren’t interested in “taking things slow” or “seeing where things go.” The singles and swingers on this hookup site want to get laid, and they don’t have to hide their naughty intentions here. This sexually charged atmosphere is perfect for adults in the mood for casual sex.
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about finding hookups and casual encounters. No adult site has a larger or more active user base of those seeking discreet fun. Our Review »
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Popular Dating Apps
Dating apps have turned the online dating process into a convenient matching and chatting game that honestly can be quite addictive. The average single millennial spends 10+ hours a week on dating apps, which boils down to about 90 minutes a day. You can get swiping and matching in no time with an effective, location-based dating app in your corner.
Match.com
- Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
- Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
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About the App:
Available via the App Store and Google Play, Match is a fantastic app for dates and relationships. With a user base of 30 million singles, Match is where you’ll have a high chance of success. It’s free to download, create a profile, search for date prospects, and receive compatible matches based on personalized preferences. Free members can also chat with select members and send unlimited likes.
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eharmony
- Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
- Match System: Get daily match suggestions
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About the App:
Responsible for 4% of marriages in the U.S., eharmony is among our top picks for relationship-minded heterosexual singles. To become a member, add the app to your phone (iOS or Android) and then take its 29 Dimensions® of Compatibility Matching Quiz. It’s absolutely free to do both these things — as well as receive matches and communicate during other special events.
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OurTime.com
- Relationships: Dating and Relationships
- Match System: Search by age as well as zip, gender, more
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About the App:
Made just for single seniors, OurTime is one of the most well-known niche dating apps. It’s a fun and straightforward app with simple swiping features. Once two people swipe right on each other, they can communicate. For more match options, visit the ConnectMe and I’m Interested pages.
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Naperville Singles Bars
Not everyone enjoys meeting love interests online. It can be hard to judge chemistry in brief chats, and sometimes online daters lie about what they look like or how old they are. There’s a lot of room for uncertainty online, so a good number of singles prefer going to local bars and meeting potential dates in person. The Naperville bar scene has quite a few singles-friendly joints where you can grab a burger, play a game of pool, and share a round of drinks with attractive people.
Quigley's Irish Pub
Quigley's Irish Pub has been on Jefferson Hill since 1998, and many people stop in for a pint of cold beer or some old-fashioned pub grub. The bar stays open until 1 a.m. on weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends, serving boneless wings, cucumber sandwiches, and Irish chips on its late-night menu. Quigley's also hosts trivia nights and live music performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and it's a great place to watch a soccer match or football game with a bunch of fans.
Bar Louie
Bar Louie invites people to join a gastrobar revolution while savoring juicy burgers and craft cocktails on their nights off. There is always something fun happening here from $5 burger nights on Tuesdays to live DJs and bands performing on Saturdays. The menu is full of delicious treats, including flash-fried calamari, buffalo chicken flatbread, pulled pork sandwiches, and specialty burgers dripping with sauce and cheese. Bar Louie is the perfect hangout for free-spirited singles looking for a quality meal.
Crosstown Pub & Grill
As soon as you walk into Crosstown Pub & Grill, you're surrounded by TV screens and the savory smells of hot wings. This is among the most popular sports bars in town with shareable plates and triple-decker sandwiches to fuel patrons as they cheer on their favorite teams. This bar tends to get packed on the weekends, so get there early if you want to get a good seat in the middle of the action. Keep an eye on Crosstown's calendar because the bar hosts fun parties and events all year round.
SixtyFour
Wine lovers can sit back and enjoy a high-class atmosphere at SixtyFour. This waterfront wine bar and kitchen has rows upon rows of quality wines ready to pour. The menu has over 16 wines and 64 beers available by the glass, and the kitchen whips up tasty sandwiches, salads, and other bites that pair well with reds and whites. SixtyFour lets people try a lot of different wines with its tastings, and the knowledgeable bartenders are always happy to make a recommendation. Drinking and dining at SixtyFour is an unforgettable experience meant to be shared with someone special.
Jackson Avenue Pub
Jackson Avenue Pub creates a fun and relaxed space where foodies can enjoy a rich meal. The kitchen makes fried food feel fancy and puts a fresh twist on American pub grub. Every month, the chefs add something new to the menu to tempt adventurous eaters in the area. Since it opened in July 2012, Jackson Avenue has won awards in Naperville for its gourmet cuisine and friendly service, and many people say it serves the best burgers you'll find downtown.
Empire Burgers & Brew
Empire Burgers & Brew promises to delight the taste buds with its elevated comfort food and ingenious cocktails. The roof deck is a popular place to chill with friends and listen to live music on the weekends. The Empire's calendar also features trivia nights on Wednesdays and open mic nights on Tuesdays. Regulars can join the Empire Locker Club to purchase full bottles of whiskeys and wines stored in a personal locker on the premise. Empire has a lot of quality libations to keep people laughing and talking all night long.
Naperville Speed Dating
Speed dating offers one of the fastest ways to fill your date card and attract new love interests. Locals show up dressed to impress and have less than five minutes to make a good impression on one another. You can go on 10-15 mini dates in a single evening, and the event organizers will help participants follow-up and exchange contact information. Naperville speed dating events may not come around all that often, but it’s worth jumping on them when you see them on the calendar.
Naperville Singles Events
Want to take the pressure off your meet-cutes? Then try attending a local singles event or meetup. Singles don’t have time limits, match requirements, or any other outside pressure to make a date. They can simply enjoy themselves and see what happens. You can attend bowling clubs, costume parties, or hiking groups to get active in the local dating scene. Some singles groups meet weekly or monthly and allow participants to build relationships in a more organic and meaningful way.
Naperville Singles Clubs
Dancing at the club can be a fun way to get Naperville singles to notice you. If you play your cards right on the dance floor, you could end up with a hottie on your arm and a phone number in your contacts list. You never know what could happen at a popular nightclub or dance hall, and that’s what many singles love about it. You can let go of your stress and party all night long in a highly energetic and flirtatious environment. Check out Yelp reviews to find the hottest clubs in the area.
Naperville Chat Rooms
Chat rooms offer singles a safe and anonymous forum where they can feel comfortable being themselves. It’s free to join a local chat room, and you can log on anytime you’re feeling talkative and flirty. People often cut right to the chase in chat rooms and share their experiences, hopes, and fantasies with the people they meet. If the conversation goes well, you may want to exchange contact information and arrange a date IRL. At the very least, you can work on your moves in this open forum.
Naperville Personals
Unlike traditional dating sites, dating personals sites don’t have complex matching systems or algorithms standing between singles. They offer free communication between anyone who wants to make a date. You can create an ad (aka dating profile) by filling out a few simple drop-downs about yourself and writing a sentence or two about what you want. Most singles get pretty explicit when soliciting dates on personals sites, so you don’t have to play coy here.
Attend Music, Film, and Food Festivals
Naperville holds over 90 major festivals throughout the year, and its calendar includes parades, food truck rallies, cultural events, and community fundraisers.
Oktoberfest is an annual event geared toward people who love German beer and cuisine.
These public (and often free) events are great opportunities for locals to come out of their shells and meet new people who share common interests.
Oktoberfest is among the most highly anticipated festivals held in Naperville. The event entertains people with live music, fun games and prizes, and lots and lots of German beers.
Since 2008, the Naperville International Film Festival has supported the local arts community. This event encourages filmmakers to create thought-provoking and beautiful works of art. This festival is an eight-day event involving over 53 screenings and an awards ceremony.
Singles can hobnob with movie lovers, film students, and industry professionals at this prestigious event.
Meet Single Napervillians by Going Outside Your Comfort Zone
Meeting date prospects isn’t always easy, and it definitely takes more effort as you get older. However, you can step up your dating game by using local resources, events, and sites to your advantage.
The good news is there isn’t just one way to meet singles in Naperville. We’ve come up with nine ways to build chemistry and make something happen, and we’ve only scratched the surface of Naperville. The city is full of opportunities to mingle with worthwhile men and women. You just have to follow your interests and get out there.
One Napervillian answered Debecka’s discussion post by saying, “Getting involved in your community builds the strongest bonds with people. Tons of clubs and organizations to get involved in Naperville.”
