This review is mostly for the mini bar that is open till ate downstairs by the Riverwalk. After some activities in the downtown area we walked by this spot and decided to grab some drinks. The line was long and they said they were going to stop serving drinks after me. I was also give the awful duty of telling others that line dup behind me that I was the last person. Great area to hang out with a mostly full bar, open late. Food looked great too. Bartender was quick and friendly. Thanks and cheers! read more

Came here to see Point North on a Saturday night. It was a sold out show, very small place, but I had plenty of space to move and dance around. We ordered the chicken tacos and they were good. The women's bathroom was what can be expected at a dive bar I guess.. but it was bad. Just very small, no soap or paper towels, the door knob was coming off of the door. It just felt very dirty and unkempt. Also, even though Chicago has lifted their vaccine mandate, they still require proof of vax here. Overall, I enjoyed my night here. read more

Beat Kitchen - a plate of tacos and a glass of beer - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Oh how I missed the Thai pizza. Just as good as I remember. The chicken quesadillas and Cobb salad were also delicious. Take out was quick and painless! Yay! My only reason for 4 stars is that the Buffalo wings need work 1. Sauce sucked -- use Franks hot sauce -- the only original wing sauce! Whatever sauce was used tasted terrible and was a strange color. 2. Overcooked/ dried out wings are highly disappointing. So, will avoid wings next order and maybe add some tator tots ! read more

Steak and Eggs for brunch tasted great! I liked the mango chimichurri! Good food and a great show with live bluegrass music courtesy of the parsnip factory! This was fun! Service was good too, Thank you so much! Wish you all the best! read more

Beat Kitchen - Steak and Eggs ! Good food and a great show! This was fun! Thank you so much! - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I got severe food poisoning from Beat Kitchen's mac and cheese on 7/16. The food was served to me room temperature-- it was not hot at all. Who knows how long they're letting their food sit out before serving to poor unsuspecting people. You should be ashamed of yourselves for poisoning people!! read more

Just saw my first show here last night. I've been to most music venues in Chicago but hasn't been this one yet because they book lesser known acts. There is a bar & seating for food up front & stage in a separate room in the back. Think schubas. There were about 7-8 booths for food service up front but also plenty of outdoor seating. Restrooms were in the basement, 3 stalls for ladies & clean. The menu offered several vegetarian options such as crostini, veggie burger, veggie tacos, salads & a portabello sandwich which was nice for me. I decided to eat light & order the crostini. Menu describes it as on a French baguette but it was made from a hoagie roll which was a let down. The spinach pesto was thick and not as flavorful as a typical pesto. They serve tator tots, slaw, potatoes or side salad with burgers & sandwiches. Service was basic. I was told the chicken sandwich was good. The room for music is small making this an intimate venue. Think schubas again. The view was pretty good from anywhere on the floor due to the small size. The sound could have been good I think except they had it turned too loud which caused some distortion. There was a lot of rain that week & the ceiling was dripping. They had a garbage bin collecting drops & cones around the wet area. By the time we were done eating this was the only area to stand by & I did feel drops of water falling on me throughout show. All in all it was a decent experience though this wouldn't be my favorite venue in the city. I love small venues for the intimacy of the show & would not hesitate to return to see someone I liked if they played there. read more

Beat Kitchen - Jaymes Young 7/22/17. Water was dripping in me from leaky ceiling but worth it. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is a hipster paradise..and today (Sunday) when I came for dinner, wow, the people here are having fun. Lots of young hipsters drinking and having fun, and also some middle age folks, trying to relive their youth...quite funny. Menus are unique in that they are albums with the menu in the center. This is a cool concept, but pretty fitting for a bar in the area. Waitress, was sporadic and took about 10 minutes to get a menu, but other than the initial slowness, not bad for service. She wasn't the warmest, but efficient nonetheless. Order the pizza. Lots of cheese and little toppings. Tasted a little like a frozen pizza, even though I know it isn't. Next time I'll try something else. As I stated, could have been better, but could have been worse. read more

Beat Kitchen - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went for a show and lasted there five minutes. The space was packed and no one was wearing masks, despite their insistence that people would be required to wear masks. I hope the cover I paid went to the bands. read more

We've been coming to Beat Kitchen for the Sunday "Concerts for Kids" series for a while now. Since our kids (1yo, 4yo) always love the concerts, we decided to host our daughter's 4th birthday during a show. The setup was really great - we had the party room upstairs (to the left, right when you walk in the front door) from 11-1. Guests arrived at 11am and headed upstairs where we had a bunch of food, buffet style - quesadillas, tater tots, fruit salad. The party room has tables to sit at, a bar, its own bathroom, coat hooks - it's great. We also had our bartender put out a case of beer in an ice bucket, and told folks if they wanted more drinks they could buy them downstairs. We brought in our own cake, which we served around 11:30. Around 11:45 we announced that everyone could head down to the concert when they're done eating. The concerts are open to the public and can get a little crowded, but most of the time the parents are pretty cool about standing back and letting the kids swarm the front stage area. And the great thing about having a party was that we could all leave our coats and diaper bags and such up in the party room and just enjoy the show. Overall it was a ton of fun, and I would definitely recommend the concerts in general, and the party venue! read more

This is a great neighborhood bar. Many people go there for the music but we went there for the FOOD! We tried their empanadas at the Taste of Chicago and decided to go check out the SOURCE. Haha Everything was delicious! I had the Manny burger and my husband had the southwest chicken sandwich and they were both SO GOOD! Man, it is worth the visit. The burger was juicy and the flavors really mash well together and the Southwest sandwich had a hint of maple bacon sweet flavor. We went there on a Sunday around 5pm and it was very calm with great background music. I'd go back! read more

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Ordered the tacos off of the Benny's Tacos menu tonight, the steak tacos with mango pico de gallo and the jerk pork with pineapple pico de Gallo were both amazing! read more

Beat Kitchen - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We attended an all ages show at Beat Kitchen. From the moment we lined up outside, it was a great experience. The check-in process was efficient and the bouncers were very clear with the kids what the rules were. There was plenty of parking and the area felt safe to walk around after dark. It was a crazy hot day and they kept the water and ice station filled constantly. The show was about 30% parents and I was not concerned about the kids safety at the front of the stage. Great job Beat Kitchen! Great experience for many first time concert goers. I can imagine it would be a great place to watch an over 21 show too, small intimate venue with great sound. read more

I haven't been here since pre-COVID. I loved this venue. I came tonight for bouncing souls and I was also there to help with load out with Blind Adam, the opening band. The security guard with the bright yellow beanie was unnecessarily aggressive. He told me to stop interrupting him when I told him I wasn't trying to get past and wanted to respect the rules but was only standing there to watch gear. I used to work venue security for 930 club and I understand the strictness of passes and being on top of things. But to be rude about it is a whole other thing. I felt rather uncomfortable after that while i stood at the barricade and watched the show. I didn't enjoy myself. I should have left after that interaction. If you're on the autism spectrum like I am, go attend a show with someone so you don't experience anxiety like I did. read more

Food in the front. Party in the back. Beat Kitchen is a split bar, with great beer and food in the front (with limited seating if you don't count a summer patio), and music in the back. I'm a musician, so I hate split rooms at music bars. Why not just charge everyone a smaller cover and be done with it? I digress- musicians- it's still a good place to play. It has a funky vibe, the back room is dark, it's pretty loud- but you're up close and personal, and sometimes they get some great bands! They really do have good food and great beer- on my last visit I ordered Lakefront Brewery's "New Grist", which I've never seen elsewhere. It's not always my first thought when looking for music in Chicago, but pretty solid choice for food, drinks and music. read more

My review is only for the bar/restaurant part of Beat Kitchen since I've yet to attend a concert here. My friend was going to a show and invited me out for dinner without mentioning the other option. I'd never been before, so I had no idea. It looked like it would have been a good time if I'd had the money for the second portion of the evening. Our server was pretty busy, but she kept checking back with us to see if we were ready to order. I took some time to look over the menu and went with their Lamb Burger and a side of Tater Tots. The Lamb Burger was superb and large. I was only able to eat about half of it, so I think it was totally worth the price. I took the other half home and my husband enjoyed the leftovers. It came time to pay the bill. My change was dropped off and I think it was short by $1. I wanted to double check, but a good amount of time went by and the server didn't return. It was time for my friends to head to the back and I was ready to head home, so I didn't pursue it. It was kind of annoying, but it was only $1. read more

This place is so fun! So I came here only because my husband's friend has a bluegrass band and he was playing here. My husband hadn't seen him in a long time so we decided to come. So this isn't exactly my husband and my type of crowd (no offense hipsters of Chicago, still got mad love for ya). We kind of stuck out like sore thumbs. However, we still had a blast. The only thing I can say that I agree with about this place, that I also see other people have noticed as well, is that the bar tenders tend to be a little lackluster. The night that we came our bar tender in the front reminded me very much April from the show Parks and Recreation. She was super cute but everything that came out of her mouth was very weird and kinda mono toned. I'm a very hyper and happy person. I'm not sure me and her mix well. But whatever The stage area is nice! They had this little battle of the bands at the end of the night where the members of the various bands would split up and make new bands and played bluegrass songs they created in 10 minutes. Very neat! Had a lot of fun. Made some hipster friends. Date nice success. Oh yea before I forget, the cover at the door was $13!!! I don't think I've ever paid that much to get into a bar ever. So I take a star away for that. Pretty steep for $26 for two people before I even start drinking.... read more

Beat Kitchen - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Admittedly, my first visit to Beat Kitchen was for a private party, so my review is related to that. We visited last weekend for a party in the upstairs. Unlike other parties I've been to at bars where there's mass confusion at the door, this was easy... 'we're here for the party' and then we got a wristband - super! Upstairs, there are bathrooms (nice, so you don't have to go through the bar), coat racks and a nice open space. There's also a bar. I don't know exactly how the party worked in terms of food/drinks, but the setup was great - food along one wall in an open space and then some high and low tables (but still plenty of room to walk) in the front area. The bar also had seats and a very friendly bartender who was busy since the party was crowded but didn't seem stressed out. I think the space was pretty and it had a good layout with windows to give some light and view outside but plenty of space to walk around and chat. Bathrooms were clean and easily accessible. Very friendly staff really made it as well. Definitely a great spot for a party!!! read more

I would say...Think Schuba's. Yes, while Beat Kitchen doesn't drag in the same mid 30's crowd as Schuba's, it totally reminds me of being at Schuba's. You got your room with stage where there's your friend's band playing and then you got your area where people don't want to listen to music and are trying to kick back some beers. I'll give it to Beat Kitchen that they have more beers and food, but I should pay a second visit to check out the menu before I reserve final judgment. Service is slow here, but everyone is deaf so what does it matter? read more

I've watched a couple of concerts here. Sound system is great. Drinks are standard- beer, wine, hard liquors. If you go you need to try the food. Everything is vibrant and tasteful. You need to try the: Crostini: spinach pesto w/ fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil. It's light and refreshing. I;ve also tried their Beat Burger. It was good, with the grilled Cajun potatoes. read more

Beat Kitchen - Crostini: spinach pesto w/ fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wait--how have I never reviewd the Beat Kitchen? Seems impossible! While I have never seen a show here, I have eaten here several times & attended my friend's annual Christmas party every year for 7 years now. The food is actually quite good. Great apps, burgers, & pizza, and vegertarian friendly. The hummus was a let down, though. It was intensely hot but without a good flavor. Everything else I've ever had has been delish, though. The service is also very good. In particular, we have always had a spectacular bartender at my friend's parties. It's not always the same person, but they are always terrific. read more

This is a dark, red tinged dive bar-slash-music venue in the heart of Roscoe Village. Wouldn't you know it, they also have great food. It's funny, we don't truck up to the north side a ton, and we don't go to a ton of concerts, but a perfect confluence of events led us here for an early dinner and Pale Waves show on a Sunday night. So yeah. It's divey and dark. The beer selection is solid and the food is great, with a nice variety of sandwiches, pizza, burgers etc. My husband had a burger and I tried the fish tacos. Plus the garlic tater tots I just couldn't pass up. Everything was delicious. Then we headed back to the music venue in the back. It's basically just a big room with a stage in front. Not too big... Maybe holds 300? No seats. But there are coat hooks on the walls which I found clever. For small indie shows I think this is great but know that you'll be on your feet and fighting some crowding. Bathrooms are in the basement and a bit cramped. Free self serve water at the bar. I'm not sure if we'll have reason to come back, but I definitely would, even if just for the food! read more

They had Bluegrass music in the bar during brunch and the steak tacos were great. Bartender and manager were nice and professional

I went to Beat Kitchen for the Last Dinosaurs concert and I listened to music from the opening band French Police. Both of the bands were great and French Police is my new favorite band, I liked listening to the music and singing along to all the Last Dinosaurs songs. I also liked the food, I ordered a veggie pizza and everyone was so nice. I hope to come back to Beat Kitchen again in the near future whenever I'm in Chicago. read more

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I haven't been inside this place for many years. It was always good to great. I ordered delivery and it was a mixed bag so to speak. The order was packaged very well and came in a stapled paper bag. They give a great amount of tots and they are cooked quite well. The Reuben sandwich left a bit to be desired though. The corned beef was very fatty, not very tasty, and skimpy. One piece of the bread on the sandwich was crispy and the other piece was soogy and fell apart to the touch. It is almost like the sandwich was cooked first and the kraut added after uncooked. I will chalk it up as an off night, but I am not thrilled about possibly ordering delivery again. read more

The Beat Kitchen is a super small music venue with a bar and a kitchen. I've been here twice for shows and it's a decent venue. The stage is slightly raised and in order for the bands to get to the stage, they have to walk through the crowd. Which is pretty cool. The burger is tasty. So are the potato skins. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here but if you're here for a show, you might as well grab a bite. Only reason I give it 3 stars is because the restaurant staff is incredibly rude. Our waitress completely ignored until we would flag her. Then she'd get all frustrated when we ordered. We eventually ordered beer from the bar because she took forever to come back with anything. Guess what. The moment I'm paying for my beer, the waitress appears at the table and complains to the rest of the table about how we should've ordered from her. The kicker is I would've but she took forever to do anything. So don't come to the restaurant expecting much. read more

We came here to see a Charlene Kaye's show on a Sunday night. The audience was mostly young kids which made me feel a bit old. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the show and this venue The parking was not bad as I thought. We parked on the street side which is like one block away. Beatkitchen is on the corner with a small door. The guard or whoever at the door was a little bit intimidating to me when he checked my ID. The eating area is small with maybe 7-8 booths. The bartender was really cool and nice. The drinks are great. Didn't try any food this time. The show is in the back and the room is small. Everyone is like 3 steps form the stage. The sound was pretty incredible. you felt like the drum was directly beating to your body. The young crowd was energized and crazy. Oh there was not seats in the room. We were standing and dancing to the music. I could see myself go back here again when the right show is up. read more

I've always loved this place. From the days when there was still smoking allowed in bars, this place never felt smoky. To last week when I saw WALRUS ATTACK (check them OUT!) on stage. Great acoustics, great room. A lot of history here. And the food! The beer and drink selection has always been tops. Now I'm a fan of their GIANT Cobb salad, that is really enough for two. Keep on rocking, Beat Kitchen!! read more

A little underwhelming for me... went in expecting a good jazz show after what was advertised... however the music was not very good (very experimental so if that is your scene, go for it) and it was fairly empty... Can't speak too much about their food or drinks (they looked good on the menu!) but as for the jazz night, I did not particularly enjoy it and left early. read more

Went here on the 20th of March for three bands that were coming. Amazing show! They sounded incredible and I truly loved it. It was my first time at a show like that. The place is amazing. It is small, but very unique in it's own style. It gave me that antique kind of vibe. My mom didn't like the show lol so she went to go eat something. She ordered a veggie pizza I believe and she fell in LOVE. We also met an elderly woman named Bess. She says that she's always there and that she loves the place. Such a wonderful night that I will always remember. :) read more

Beat Kitchen - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely phenomenal staff and service. Outdoor seating only, spaced appropriately and partitions dividing tables. Waitstaff is nothing but kind and accommodating, absolutely doing their best work. So appreciative of the entire team and keeping the kitchen/bar open to keep this wonderful music space viable to the neighborhood for the long term. read more

I've been to a million awesome shows here, always a good time! Wednesdays they have 1/2 prices pizza which is pretty good for thin crust! read more

**Bluegrass Brunch** What a disappointment. We were hoping for a live bluegrass vibe, but it wasn't. 2 guys playing acoustics (not bluegrass) for a few minutes then music on the speakers (not bluegrass) Their food is never good, but we thought they might level up for a ticketed brunch. Nope. Also, you get one plastic fork and that is all. Plus the whole place smells like sewage from the basement. So, Bluegrass bruch failed on both the bluegrass and the brunch. Total bummer. read more

Great spot to see a show, but this review is for the garlic tots. Oh my gosh, sooooo good! If you're there, order these. Definitely order these. read more

I've never seen a show here but Beat Kitchen on Belmont is the closest restaurant to my house. We used to order this amazing nacho salad all the time but since it came off the menu, the only vegetarian option is the veggie burger. Not sure why they would eliminate such a fabulous nacho plate. The tuna salad is quite good but they were out of the dressing it came with the last two times we ordered it. It's a nice local hang out and the service is always friendly. read more

in an effort to support a local business, we had a great carry out meal at Beat Kitchen. Lamb Quesadillas, Garlic Tater Tots and Beet Salad, all three items were very tasty, we would re-order all of them again. The tots were slightly soggy, that's to be expected in carry out. The next day we heated up them remaining in a skillet, they were just as good. read more

I've been to this place quite a few times, but my last experience was horrible. I'm not a person who throw around race stuff, but I definitely think the staff, or at least a couple people there were a bit racist. At one point, I was walking down the stairs and slipped because beer was spilled. Then later, I tried to walk out the wrong door. They didn't say I was over served and not let me buy beer. They didn't come talk to me. No, they had a guy come and physically throw me out. I wasn't causing a scene. I wasn't being difficult. But they decided to get rough with me for no reason. There were 100% more drunk white people there, but me, being the only black person in the bar, they felt the need to do that and embarrass me. I'm done with this place read more

i went to this establishment to see my roommate in perform and was absolutely accosted by the bouncer. my friend had a sip of my drink and you would have thought i had a bomb strapped to my chest by the way he acted. underage drinking is cool!!!!!! anyway...he tried to grab the drink but i was too fast and he missed. at this point i still believed i was not getting kicked out but i quickly realized and handed him the drink so he wouldn't face another failed attempt. he chased me out. i told him i needed my jacket, to which he said we will get it. girl. HOW? you don't know me. we went back and forth on this issue for a while and he ended the interaction by calling me ma'am. i will not be uploading a pic of myself by i don't read as ma'am. maybe miss? cunt? bitch? i would have picked something else. anyway i left at this point because i had reached the acceptance stage and i'm not gonna be difficult. they take 85% of ticket sales by the way. i will not be returning and wouldn't recommend. the vodka cran was yummy tho. read more

Bouncer was incredibly rude and it was completely unwarranted. It is really unfortunate when staff ruin an establishment. Hire better people. read more

We saw a good early all-ages show here last night. The drinks were fine, the patio was nice, I heard the food was good. But the bartender seemed to get upset with me for some reason partway through my visit here. My first two drink orders, he seemed very nice and helpful. The third time up to the bar, I asked him if he knew where a "cigarette store" was. He looked miffed and without making eye contact, said "I don't know" in a gruff voice. The next and last time I went up, he stayed standing at the back of the bar looking at me while I had to stand behind chairs next to people eating. I thought "maybe he remembers my drinks" and just held up two fingers, hoping that would work, since we were too far away from each other to really talk. He just kept looking at me. So I said "Should I order from you?" to which he replied, looking very frustrated while finally moving forward towards me, "You can order wherever you want, what can I get you?". I had to yell next to some guy's ear my drink order, and when I was almost done he walked off, literally shaking his head. Why? I don't know. Maybe I upset him when asking about cigarettes, like he can no longer talk to a smoker. Too bad I was asking for a friend... This probably sounds so one-sided that you're tempted to assume there's more to it that I'm not mentioning, but I swear, if there is I'm unaware of it. read more

The Beat Kitchen comes in 3rd place on my Favorite Chicago Music Venues list. It is a great place to catch a show! BK is easy to get to via the Belmont bus and, if you're driving, parking is usually pretty easy. They book awesome bands here. From local to national acts, there's a lot of variety in what they book. There is a focus on Punk, Indie Rock and some Metal. Which is a-okay with me! It's a small place, which is one of my favorite things about it. There's a restaurant and bar up front. In in all the times I've been, I have never eaten at BK. One of these days I finally will, the food looks great. Drink prices are very reasonable and it seems like there are specials every night of the week. I never spend more than $3 on a beer, even on weekends. Beyond the front bar is the back room, where shows are held. It's tiny and I love it. As soon as you enter you can see the stage. Sightlines are great and it really is intimate. Capacity is under 300, I cannot stress how small and awesome it is! It's so small that you can often run into band members before and after the show. That's pretty cool. The sound is good, but it can be loud. I usually rock my ear plugs here. The only downfall is no coat check. There are hooks on the walls, but I don't feel very comfortable leaving my jacket unattended. But that's just me. Don't forget to buy your tickets early, this place sells out fast. If you get the chance to see one of your favorite bands at BK - you must go! You'll kick yourself if you don't! read more