this place keeps the beat of my heart going lub-lub-lub. it keeps my heart pumping with great food, drinks and music. it's everything you need for a good time off the belmont bus or taking a stroll down hoyne. beat kitchen brings out all the stops. beat kitchen is littered with tattoos, tight pants and people of all ages. since some of their shows are 18+ (which is usually a huge turn off for me), they are pretty strict with making people wear wrist bands and whatever....just trying to keep everyone safe! the cordial staff at beat kitchen, regardless of your age, makes you feel welcome and will feed you with pizza pizza pizza and beer until you can't eat and drink no more. REALLY! these hungry, hungry hipsters really know how to make their food! for 12 dollars, you can get a GOOD HOMEMADE PIZZA for you and your amigas y amigos to split. it's really nice, especially in the summer, because they have al fresco dining on the corner of belmont. it's the perfect little punk rock palace, for those of you bike riding, jar drinking types who if you feel like leaving wrigleyville/boystown area, and you don't want to take the trip all the way to logan square or wicker park, but you DO feel like drinking a 2.50$ pbr with a bunch of wide rim glasses, rockabilly postmodern comic book loving loving weirdos (whatever that means). the show really dictates the type of crowd you'll get each night, but you can always count on 100% genuine, gut busting good time here at beat kitchen. the shows are pretty cheap here, ~10ish dollars plus or minus a few. the venue itself is really medium size and has pretty good acoustics. what do i know about acoustics? well, not much, but it sounded good to me! read more

For starters, I like the staff here. Go figure. The guy at the door isn't a douche, the bartenders are cool, and they usually have good music. Obviously a lot depends on why you're there or who you're there to see but I've been there several times and I've always enjoyed myself. Parking is usually available within a block or two and the neighborhood's not bad. read more

The Beat Kitchen is the kind of funky venue I used to dream of frequenting as a teen. I'm jealous of the people who get to visit regularly! The people working the door were friendly and answered all the (probably stupid) questions I had about catching a cab in the area. I couldn't make my way to the front of the crowded bar to get a drink, but that was probably for the best since minutes later I was nodding off while sitting in a heavily graffitied booth. Whoever nudged me awake was really sweet about it, focusing more on me not missing the headliner instead of being rude or impatient. I even liked the teeny tiny bathroom (hey, it was clean!). My only complaint is that the sound system was particularly wonky that night. WOOF, I've seen the band in question on three other occasions, and not being able to make out the vocals is not a normal occurrence with them. Whatever, I still dig the place! read more

Great neighborhood hangout with some damn good shows at night. The staff here are laid back and friendly and the drinks were reasonably priced. My friends and I caught Shannon Curfman's show. It was a simply awesome performance made only better by tossing back a few drinks. I highly recommend this place over many of those closer to Wrigley. read more

I always have a good experience at the beat kitchen. Everyone is professional and nice for the most part. My only nugget of wisdom is don't get the veggie burger. The consistency is strange and it is more like a giant soft uncooked bean patty (mine literally fell apart, I could not eat it). If you are veg opt for the gourmet grilled cheese, big time yum. read more

At first glance, it may seem like a dark and dingy place but it's actually quite accommodating to different crowds. They have kid stuff on sundays and lots of different styles of shows including comedy nights. The patio in the summer is the perfect place to enjoy some food. The stage in the back seems small but is actually quite roomy for an enjoyable performance. Only knocking off one star because sometimes the bartenders can be a bit inattentive but overall a good neighborhood staple worth checking out. read more

I've been coming here with for about 4 years now. Most people think of music--and rightly so--when they think of the BK, but to me, it will always be the place that taught me the magic of combining turkey, cheese, avocado and apple-cider vinegarette together. Honestly, I've never had a bad meal there... OK, there's more to the menu than that, and I owe it to the joint to go on... In addition to the roast turkey salad, you really can't go wrong with the Cobb, steak or Beat salads. They make all their dressings from scratch and it really shows. I will say that if you aren't that hungry, you might want to consider splitting one of these salads--they're huge. (Just tip a little extra because two people sharing one $9 salad does not make a server happy. No, I don't work there--I just really, really want servers to not hate me when I go out.) I can't swear that that the soups are homemade, but I can vouch for the corn tortilla and the chili. Love it! I have a friend who's always dieting (you know the type) and even SHE usually gets a soup. The burgers are typical, but juicy, and again, something that the lighter appetite can share. They don't serve fries here, but do give you some yummy grilled potato slices. They also have crumbled bleu cheese available--a must if I'm ordering a burger. They lose a star for the restrooms. If you've read me before, I tend to place restrooms up there when ranking places. I drink a lot of water and while I've never met a restroom I wouldn't use, it makes me crazy when they're inconvenient or gross. This one is kinda both, it pains me to type. Service-wise, I have mostly had great experiences here. We go a lot on Wednesdays and one time sat at the bar and really liked the male bartender that works that night. It's refreshing to meet a cool, intelligent bartender that seems to enjoy what he does and is engaging with the customers. The servers are all knowledgeable and nice too, but he really stood out. read more

I love everything about this place--I love the big wooden booths. I love that they have a bunch of different reasonably priced beers (that aren't all Miller Lite and shit like that) on tap and serve barfood pretty late into the night. I know that Beat Kitchen has kind of settled on hosting mostly smaller and local bands and many of the larger bands that used to stop here on their way through town now play at the Subterranean, but I don't rememebr why---too bad, cuz it's a great place to see a show. I don't go here as often as I wished I did. read more

Great sound in a packed little back room that probably holds 200 or less. Sound is so good it is contained to the back room. Twice we did not realize the next band had started playing. When we arrived well in advance of a show, we sat down and a less than interested server dropped menus and did not return for 15 minutes. By that time we'd decided to walk elsewhere and return later for the show. Solid sound and nice, if a little firm, door staff. Don't know that I'd drive back to Chicago for a show here, especially with so mamy other music venues in the city. But for what we paid and saw it was worth it to see the farewell tour of one of my oldest favorite punk/hardcore bands. read more

Non-Smokers beware! This place is so smokey. I went just to grab a drink with a friend and after an hour, I had to leave. The smoke was terrible. I cannot speak to the atmosphere of a show because I went for a drink but I can tell you that you will smell like an ashtray. They do have a nice selection of beers but so do other less smokey places. I really cannot recommend this place. read more

I went to Beat Kitchen last night b/c my friend wanted to go for half price pizzas. I decided to sit at one of the booths without a working light(my fault) but I was close to the window so I thought "no big deal". We asked the incredibly friendly waiter if could put a bulb in the light. He said sure, so he grabbed a bulb from another booth and tried to put it in. He then dropped it and it broke, then turned around and said "fuck". He then said " we need to move you guys". We were like " its all good". We moved then I ordered a salad and my friends ordered the pizza. The pizzas came out perfectly fine, but the salad was wrong. They gave me a veggie salad, and then also got the dressing wrong. I honestly felt bad for the waiter, but he is definitely one of the worst servers I ever had. Side note they took nothing off the bill and I still tipped him the 20%. Just b/c I thought to myself, hopefully this is only a part time job for him. P.S. The salad was fricken horrible. read more

This place is a fine venue for artists who come and go, but the staff here are downright rude. You might get a chance to hear some good music, when security will sweep in and pull out the person next to you. It's like they take pleasure in being rude. I'd recommend only going if you have to see the band. read more

I have been in and out of this place for years, rented a room a couple of years ago for a party. I will not go there again. Today was Burger fest and my date and I went to sit and have a few beers. We are in our 50s and look it. Was carded by cop wanna be bouncer. As I was pulling out my ID i muttered that I shouldnt have to be carded in my 50s, dumb rule. Bouncer said I could move along as he did not like my attitude. I was sober, did not raise my voice and was getting my ID out when for whatever reason this dick decided he didn't need my business. Be careful if you choose to go there, he could decide he doesnt like your type and turn you away too. read more

i'm not sure how i feel about the beat kitchen. i liked it, but i didn't. saw northpilot play there this past thursday. loved that. didn't love how after two songs the sound guy said they had only two songs left (we talked to the sound guy and he graciously admitted his mistake and they were able to play longer). loved the fact that our waitress followed us into the other room and still brought us drinks in there. especially when you're listening to a band and you don't want to leave to get a drink. she handled this problem with precision. I was also absolutely SHOCKED at how amazing the veggie nachos were. fresh (or what seemed like it) guac and no chip left untouched by cheese... my palms are getting a little sweaty just thinking about it. I guess I liked it, but still something irked me. It's definitely a place I will give a second chance to, probably even a third, fourth, and fifth. read more

Last night I took a little trip the Beat Kitchen with a friend. She had gotten some concert tickets and I'm always down for some live music. My biggest complaint was the lack of seating that was provided. We decided to have dinner before the show started. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger simply because when I go to a new place I want to try something that you shouldn't be able to mess up. The burger was actually really good. It came with Cajun potatoes. I would have preferred just regular french fries. My friend ordered the grown up grilled cheese. She said it was good, but felt the same way I did about not having fries. I ordered two drinks that night and they came out to $10 total. So I wasn't really complaining since I'm not a beer drinker. However for those that are, they had $2 bottles. The concert area is very intimate. I will say they need better circulation in there. It got hot very quickly. It can get a little cramped. But all in all this wouldn't be my first choice to go back to, but I wouldn't mind returning. read more

When Slayer calls up the Dave Matthews Band and wants to have a beer in Chicago where do they go? The beat kitchen! I was there last night (I was the only guy with a tie on) and there was death metal coming out of the back room (so I totally fit in). I was scared but enjoyed it at the same time. Small venue, which is cool, and they play all sorts of music depending on the night. The waitress was great when she told me they had a $15 credit minimum but let me put her tip on the bill to cover the minimum. Great beers too. Go with good company, I did and had a good time. read more

Looking over the other reviews of this place I may have missed out on the main draw here. However, I will say that I very much enjoyed a quick stop over here on a Saturday afternoon where a comfortable patio afforded ample comfort for me and a few friends (and our bikes; this was an impulse stop). I didn't try any food but I love any place that will seat me outdoors and offer me a decent selection of ice cold beer with a smile. read more

Why don't more bands play here? Like Hideout, the music is always separate from the bar so you can drink during the opening acts. Food's really top shelf, and there's decent seating. I dig this place and wish they didn't route most of their bigger shows to Subterranean. read more

Went here for a punk show once , not a bad space. I spent most of the time in the outdoor patio before the show , patio furniture on the sidewalk, nothing special. The inside wasn't the newest or cleanest space, but within normal neighborhood bar standards. Drink prices were low average compared to trendier places , and the servers were efficient and friendly. I didn't eat there, but the band I was hanging with seemed to really enjoy the food , they practically ate the foil to-go containers. When the show started , the place was an average local venue, good sized room , not so good ventilation, and a huge bottleneck to get back to the bar or the bathrooms when the room is packed. The sound was solid , front to back , and the guy at the board seemed competent. Also for all you local bands , they pay pretty decent I hear. All in all , this is a good venue , decent drink prices , interesting looking menu , good staff , and nice neighborhood. read more

this place has its pros and its cons. i came here all the time in high school and now that i am of age, i was pleasantly surprised to find that they actually have cheap beers every day. the location is a bit out of the way, but the real problem is the confrontational, self-important, and generally negative attitude of the staff/bouncers. my friends' band was waiting after the show to get paid when the bouncers decided that they were going to clear everyone out, RIGHT NOW. we got told to leave because the back room was closed AT LEAST 5 times by some macho prick who would not leave us the fuck alone. any place that would try to shoo bands out the door while they are waiting to get paid is not to be trusted. also, the dude was old and wore a think lizzy shirt. he said that he had been moshing for 25 years and kids these days don't know how to mosh. while wearing a thin lizzy shirt. read more

All-around goodness. Great food. Good beers = Franziskaner! I almost married my pizza.

Keep your eye on the ads they place every week for this small club. Yes they do have a kitchen with decent food, but that's not what this joint is about. It's about live music. Local and national bands come thru here. Most of them have a sort of underground following, so it can get packed in here. Some are local bands with not much following, it depends on the night you show up. I tip my hat to them for support all these bands, many of which are considered indie. or alternative. read more

Great food and service by Courtney this past Sunday. The outdoor shaded seating cannot be beat. We will definitely be back!

God I love this place soo much. Best salad's in the city. Silly to say but salads suck everywhere! There food has a great flavor and the staff is hilarious. The crowd is always fun for people watching and my favorite is when the parents/grandparents of the bands that will play for the night come in and take a minute to adjust to the scene. Great place for everyone!!! read more

Kind of a dumpy place, feels more old bar that hasn't been updated than a restaurant. The upstairs space is a nice spot for a small event. The pizza was very average. The crust was to crunchy and reminded me a bit of a crust you would get from a frozen pizza or at a baseball game. The toppings on the thai pizza were actually really good, but the sauce was a killer. Too many better pizza options in Chicago, to even be remotely considered. read more

Do not ignore the food menu as I have the past many years of coming to play shows here. I only recently discovered the Chorizo/Goat Cheese pizza, and it is one of the greatest things I have ever tasted. I was so obsessed with it, I ordered it 2 days in a row. read more

The music venue in the back is great! Plenty of space but still intimate and comfortable. They have a great selection of food and drinks for good prices. I will definitely be going back! read more

Give it up for Tristen last night! This is a perfect venue to catch shows and hang out at the bar with the musicians before and after the show. I wish I had time to eat here last night (can we ever be on time?), but the bar selection was great and the drinks were reasonable. I'm definitely going again to try the food and catch more live music. read more

This place can be really fun!! I've been to many shows here but I only ate here once. The Chili I ordered was out of this world! Anyways in terms of a venue it is very intimate. You can get up close to the artists and they have some pretty good shows here. I saw Gym Class Heroes and Cobra Starship last year and it was great. The drink prices are way better than any of the bigger venues. The venue itself has no unique decor. It is the size and the quality shows that keep me coming back. read more

I really like this place, as a music fan. All sorts of acts play here so I wouldn't limit it by saying it's a "rock" bar per se. Decent beer selection, and good sound system depending on who's running it I suppose. For bar food, it really is excellent. Never had anything I didn't like here. I guess it is sorta smoky. read more

Fabulous venue. Great sound system on-stage and off. The food is really good and they have $2 Warstiner cans on a nightly basis. I am glad that they began booking good bands here (but a little sad to see MP Shows leave). read more

I went there on 08/2419 for the Off With Their Heads release party concert, which was awesome! I liked the beer selection, a nice mix of mainstream and craft/independent beers. I didn't eat but the food I saw people eating-pizza and burgers looked amazing. The music sounded good, unlike some other larger venues. I would definitely check out the Beat Kitchen for another show in the future. read more

I love this place! The food is always really good, the staff is super nice and they book great, affordable shows. This is probably my favorite small venue in the city... I just wish they had a photobooth. read more

Saw The Drowners here last weekend. Staff was friendly, beer list was ok, and the place has a huge outdoor seating area. As a venue, the size is perfect; not a bad place to stand, though some seats would be nice. The sound was solid. Maybe a little loud... or maybe I'm just showing my age. I look forward to more shows here. read more

The best! Two of my favorite bartenders work here. Great food, decent beer selection, live music in back (which is great if you would like to just hang out and not listen or watch the live band) and a really cool bar up front. read more

I've never seen a show here or come at night to hang out, so I'll revise my review later if need be. However, I've had brunch and lunch at Beat Kitchen. I have to say that the food is surprisingly good. Especially, the pizzas. Try the spinach and pesto number and you'll be happy. read more

We came in for dinner at 6:30PM on a Friday night. The place was mostly empty.. too early for the music crowd. It has a little bit of a divey bar feel - in a cool way. We both had salads and they were GREAT. The bartender was our server and did a great job. I dunno about you guys but its not easy to find a good salad.. seriously. Especially at a bar. read more

Nice place to see some local bands perform. Huge floor to provide a bunch of fans, and the sound guy does a great job letting the performing artist shine on stage. Can't say much about the food in this joint (because I've never tried it there) but the drinks were...meh. Seems a bit watered down so I was left a bit disappointed. I've seen some great bands here (Circle Takes The Square, finally can cross that off my bucket list) and I hope to catch some more in the near future. read more

driving by with girlfriend looking for a local place to eat. we spotted this place and clicked both menu links and we're disappointed they opened dead sites. you guys should fix this. 4 star rating so not to effect your rating. read more

Much has been said about the music -- however I think most reviewers have over looked the food and service at this little club. We had a great bowl of gumbo and the house hamburger with grilled potatoes. Both were outstanding and very reasonably priced. Our waitress was Naomi who said she was 31 and had been going to Beat Kitchen since she was 17 years old. She was VERY friendly and made our stay enjoyable as our daughter enjoyed the band in the other room (Lucky Boys Confusion). read more