This is a review for the venue and not for the bar itself. I was there last Friday for a concert and was really surprised. This was my first visit to the Bottom Lounge and to be honest I wasn't expecting much. Seems most Chicago venues have gone downhill. Depending on who you are going to see you might want to get there early because if you're standing in the back you might not be able to see. The stage isn't very high at all. I really wasn't expecting much for the sound but it was really good. The beer selection surprised me. You don't find Half Acre, Three Floyds, or Dogfish Head at a venue. Sadly, I stuck to PBR because it was cheap. The craft beers were not that badly priced, trust me. But when it's festival season and you currently don't have a job, a tall boy PBR is the way you go. I thought the bathrooms were clean or maybe I have just been to the Congress or Riv one too many times. I marveled at how clean they were. Probably also helps when the venue wasn't even at 50% capacity. Overall Bottom Lounge is a nice, intimate venue. Also close CTA and there looked to be a lot of parking in the area. I did notice when leaving that it looked like a car on Lake St. had been broke into. Just something to keep in mind. read more

Wow. Not a lick of grunge in this place. Clean, industrial design. Very friendly staff and loads of street parking. Then why the three stars? Sight lines in the music room. The stage is set kind of low, and there are no lucky ledges (like at Empty Bottle) eagle eye vantage points (like at Double Door) or super slopes (like at Reggies's) with which to see the band if the room is packed. This means that for the more popular shows those of us who are short (and you know who you are, short people!) will be staring at some guy's back, yet again. The show I went to the other night was sparsely attended, so it was OK. But otherwise I'll probably avoid. Didn't have a chance to check out the upstairs area, but the outdoor deck looks really cool. read more

I saw Rusted Roost here last week. What a great place to see a show. The place is set up like Schubas. Bar in the front, venue in the back. And there is a rooftop deck to book! The icing on the cake? PINBALL. At least 5 machines I saw! If you ever see a band coming through you want to see, don't miss them herer! read more

We stopped here before the elite event and weren't really impressed. Nothing about it was bad, service was fast and competent, drinks were good if on the higher end pricewise ($5 for beer). The food looked tasty and was pretty cheap. It's probably different when it's used as a music venue, but for a casual drink the space just seems to cavernous. It wasn't very welcoming. I doubt I'd be back, given that it's in an area I rarely, if ever, have reason to venture to. read more

One of my favorite venues in Chicago. Easy to get to by the L, decent size stage. They always have good bands playing, also the beer prices are cheaper then other places I have been to for a concert. Also the bathrooms are decent, and this is saying much because most of the time at a concert they are nasty. I can't wait till my next concert here! It always feels like home. read more

I absolutely adored the old Bottom Lounge in Lakeview so imagine how stoked I was when I heard of the opening of the new location. Though I had planned to go earlier in the summer, I didn't end up going until the end when I attended a friend's going-away party. This place, as everyone before me has probably already mentioned, is absolutely, absolutely enormous! I don't know that I've ever been in a bigger bar actually! I couldn't even tell you how many bars there were for I seemed to lose track of everything going to the different floors with different folks. I think there were three? This is an awesome place to go during the summer as the outdoor terrace is large and fabulous and has a great view of the city. The place is so big that even with the show going on downstairs, one could easily forget that this was even a music venue! But it's actually one of the larger bar/music venues that I've ever been to. The staff is awesome, the music was great and I was so stoked to see the bean bag games set up in the super large space. Now if only they had table shuffleboard... It would be perfect. read more

Went to see Delta Rae tonight (April 2). Got here a bit early and ate before the show. Really good selection of beers and a really nice menu. I had the Schnitzelwich. A lot more food than I needed to eat, but I did anyway. Side of Tots to go with the sandwich. My wife had the Fish and Chips, again there was way more than she could eat. She said it was very good. My bro in law had the Bavarian Pretzel, which was huge, really huge! My sister had a salad and commented that the tomatoes were delicious. Cassie was our waitress, and was awesome. Se was on top of getting refills and checking on us to make sure things were good. After we ate and had a couple of drinks we headed to the concert and was pleasantly surprised to see a ton of beers offered up. Lots of 16 oz cans and 16 pours on tap. They have Schiltz on tap and well, it is the Beer that made Milwaukee famous, so we had to have a couple of those. Strongbow Cider was my wife's drink of choice. The venue is small, but big enough. Great sound and you get to be up close to bands you love. Delta Rae put on an awesome show, and was well worth the $20 ticket. Visit this place to see a show or just to stop in and have something to eat. read more

This review is for the restaurant part alone. Who would have ever thought I'd write a third review for Bottom Lounge? I was so happy with them before that I even had my after party for my 30th birthday party here. Well, I went here on Sunday night as a reward to myself and my buddy for selling at Renegade Craft Fair that weekend. Along with some menu additions, they changed the recipes for my two absolute favorites: belgian frites and chicken tenders. It was a complete letdown. Previously the frites were a slice of heaven: thin, garlicky, crispy, bites of heaven. The fries are now handcut, soggy, come in a paper cone in a pint glass, and where is the garlic!? They also changed the dipping sauce from the awesome herbed aioli. The chicken tenders are now not battered and are slathered in whatever sauce you order. The buffalo sauce remained the same, but it's just okay now. I told our waitress I wanted to make a complaint to the manager that I will never be back here again to eat, while I used to come a couple times a month before. Mega sad face. P.S. The mac and cheese was more like mac and breadcrumbs, since the dish was covered with a quarter inch of breadcrumbs. You could not even taste cheese. read more

Why have I not yet written a review of you, Bottom Lounge? Is it because I've been waxing nostalgic for the old one? Is it because the word "bottom" is in your name and it makes me feel a little dirty? Well, no matter, I'll get down to business right now. This place makes me feel like I'm in Mary Morello's basement, but it's only because the only two shows I've seen here, have involved Tom Morello (The Nightwatchman and Street Sweeper Social Club). Aside from that, though, the stage area is very intimate and it's not hard to get a good spot. I like that there are multiple bars, which take plastic and serve more than wimpy Miller Lites in plastic cups. They sell FULL plastic cups of better brews in the concert area (real glass in the regular bar, I believe). Is it dead cheap? No, but frankly I've paid much more for much less and the selection is pretty good. I'd be down to check out the patio (though I guess I might have to wait til spring for that) which I've seen from a distance. Other notes? The ladies room indeed clean and spacious and the merch area has blue lighting that could brighten any jaundiced baby's day. read more

Went to see a band of a friend of a friend. The venue was pretty cool for what I'll call a mid-size venue (definately not as small as other places, but not as big as say Aragon). I thought the soundsystem had great potential but I believe the guy working the board was doing a sub par job (i.e. could barely hear the bass and 2nd guitar, and when i tried to talk to him he was an ass). Lots of floor space though if your band can get a good number of people to show up. I didn't drink much beer but the hard liquor drinks were nice and strong. I thought the venue as a whole was pretty sweet, I would like to play there, and would defiantely go see another band play there. read more

Broke my 2nd revision bottom lounge hymen at a Jay Reatard show headlining for King Khan and the Shrines. Place is ENORMOUS. Bar is what it is, drink at home or hide it well, or walk down to the fancier bars on this strip and sit on Ferrari's to consume your portable 6-pack in 64 oz 7-Eleven Big Gulp cup. Excellent setup, catered to touring acts and the stage is a step above the old Bottom Lounge stage and hopefully (or not) there will be less bloody skirmishes after shows. Huge. Really huge. Intimidatingly so, but cleaner/posher than Reggies. read more

I went to a show here last night and I have to say I was fairly impressed. This was my second time at the bottom lounge, first timer for a show. What really stood out, which my friends noticed as well was how friendly the service was. The bouncer complimented my shirt. The will call staff was very friendly as well. When we entered the show, the bartenders were super cool and happy. Usually when you go to shows, everyone working the show usually seem angry or catatonic at times. This staff brings their A game. By buddy ordered a 312 bottle and the beer had been spoiled (It seemed all the alcohol had evaporated out of the bottle). So he went to exchange it and no hassles. The bartender was apologetic and exchanged the beer, no questions asked. Superb...Top Notch. What more can I say. Since this is a yelp review, I should add in a little story to go along. I should preface by saying the band on stage was Stereo Total. If you're not familiar, it's a European couple on stage (She's French and He's German I believe) and their show is reminiscent of a Michel Gondry flick. Colorful, theatrical, and 1st wave. Fun show to say the least. Anywho, so I make a pittstop to the bar during the show. As I stroll up, I order a PBR tallboy. As I order, out of the blue, a girl comes up next to me and says to the bartender, "that sounds good, better make it two." As I look over a girl, about 5'3" in stature has her face painted in army green with black stripes. Her hair was tied back in a hot mess as well. As I turn, she compliments my shirt (2nd time my shirt has been complimented). So I pay the bartender, we turn toward each other and cheers. Still taken back a bit, she made some comment about seeing the full stage from the back. While trying to understand the point she was making, she had already skipped away into the back of the room, almost vanishing. I never saw her again. It was like I imagined her or something. Oh well, I'll be back to the lounge for more shows and more WCR derby after parties! read more

Great intimate venue, and the perfect amount of space for the band, Slint. My Saturday night felt like a magic portal where I walked through and witnessed some serious period music, watching an opening act for Smashing Pumpkins or Nirvana. I'm sure my group of former hardcore musician friends would have strongly disagreed with me. Adding to my experience, my group might as well been a bunch of people I barely knew from high school. They were people I didn't know. How did I get here? When you walk into Bottom Lounge, there is a bar in the front, reminding you of any other sports bar with retro video games to play while you wait to see your show. If I remember correctly, there is a solitary flat screen over the bar itself, which can be viewed from almost anywhere you decide to sit. Security was organized and made sure everyone was ushered into the concert area as quickly as possible. The last time I saw so many older people at a concert, I was watching Moody Blues, 10th row center, with a full-string orchestra in the background. Go to a concert at Bottom Lounge, and you'll find it's standing room only. I noticed a potential VIP section in the back, where I suppose the luxury is not getting trampled by anxious people in search of a bathroom or a beer. My thought would be that the more adventurous concert fan would have muscled their way to the front of the stage. I have mixed feelings about standing-room-only venues, unless it's a band I like. Then it's the best thing in the world and no one is stopping me from getting to the front of the stage. On Tap, Bottom Lounge had a beer I had never come across, called Chillwave. The electronic music lover in me immediately had to try this brew. I had found an oasis in the middle of an outdated grunge pit. Be careful though, that stuff is strong! However, it tastes fantastic. If I had another one of those, I would have been drunk. I don't have much of a tolerance, but even the frequent drinker would have raised an eyebrow. I'd say the best part of Bottom Lounge would be that you have a fighting change to find free parking. If your parking turns into quite the walk to Bottom Lounge, fear not. I parked along the EL tracks and was able to discover restaurants and dancing schools that otherwise I would have never run across unless they got reviews in publications I find myself using to learn about the city. maybe I just need to check them on a more frequent basis. At the end of the concert, I was ready to leave. The 90's were calling. They wanted Slint back; along with my foggy high school memories. read more

Wow! What a huge open space! I mean it's huge! The "throwing a hot dog down a hallway" saying comes to mind here. I didn't get to experience the rooftop deck but I wonder how that would be with the el so close by? It gets pretty loud when it goes by. Our waitress was a gem. She was cool, calm and collected and had no problem dealing with picky me. First I didn't have anything to drink there. I was driving so I didn't want to but she was accommodating at gave me a Sprite. Then I wanted food but they didn't have the cesar salad wrap on the menu like they did online and what did I want? Yup you got it...the wrap! And sure enough the kitchen whipped it up. It could have had more lettuce but the chicken and salad dressing were really good. Oh and their cheese fries are f'ing amazing! So good! Oh so good! But nope they didn't come with my wrap. I got plain old chips with my wrap. But I did manage to scrounge some fries off of the others that did order them. I would go back for the fries alone! Yum! So good! And there prices seem reasonable to! For a wrap, chips and a soda my bill was just under $9.00. Works for me! I do want to experience the roof top deck so if I can manage to make it back down there I will! read more

I came here this past Saturday, not for a concert, but for the first ever Chicago Creator Camp, which was absolutely wonderful! The topics that really spoke to me were: "Blackmail Yourself Into Success", "Balance A Day Job and Creative Pursuits" and "The Art (and Beauty) of Screwing Up." The speakers were absolutely amazing, experienced, and knowledgable, plus they were available to ask questions, share experiences, and give practical advice. I hadn't been to Bottom Lounge since they were still at their old location on Belmont, where I got hit on by swingers much older than me on my way to see a riot grrrl band (who's name I can't remember now), but really enjoyed when I first moved to Chicago and are now defunct. Anyways, this new location isn't bad. I like that it has an upstairs (which is where our confrerence was held), it was quiet (except for train interruptions), had great acoustics (for the speakers), I could still get a bloody mary, and there was plenty of room to network with other inspiring artists, musicians, writers, etc. All in all, a good location for such an awesome camp. I hope they decide to do another one next year. read more

Caught The Dodos show this past Wednesday. Let me use this moment to make a disclaimer: I may or may not have been on a hallucinogen, so I may believe I can give a fair assessment of Bottom Lounge from both a sober and an interstellar perspective. I really liked this place. The lounge and venue are both very large respectively and as long as there is a band performing you'll never feel overcrowded in either room, which is good when you may or may not be tripping. There's a bar in each space. I drink beer pretty much exclusively and was happy to find the domestics costing only $4, including tall PBRs, plus a hefty selection of other beers for only a dollar extra. The staff is very nice. They tend to overdo the ID checks which is not welcomed when you may or may not be tripping. It would be nice to minimize such formal interactions. Heading into the back venue, I was pleased to find big, clean bathrooms. Lots of space to get a breather. The stage could be taller for the people watching in the back and I'm not sure if it was the band's responsibility or not but nothing was done with the stage lights. They were just pink and blue the whole time, no fading or anything like that, which can be disappointing when....you get the idea. All in all, I was pleased and am happy to return for the School of Seven Bells concert next month! read more

I feel really, really old for what I'm about to write, but it's the truth. This is my FAVORITE place to see live music now. 1. Great beer selection at fair prices 2. (here's where the foagie comments begin) You can leave the music area if the opening band sucks and/or it gets too loud. Then come back in. 3. At a sold out show, it felt crowded, but not squeezed in like sardines 4. Lots of bathrooms. And they are clean. In fact, I think this place opened after the smoking ban, so it just smells nice for a bar in general. Food is OK, but love seeing music here. love, closer to the grave than I care to admit. read more

The venue itself is great. Hardly a bad view in the place, great sound, pretty clean and big bathrooms for a music venue. Bar and merch tables are out of the way so you don't have to battle a crowd to get to them. And the bartenders are fantastic. No complaints there. The restaurant has great food. The falafel burger is my go to, and it never disappoints. The service, however is consistently terrible. You seat yourself, then have to wait ten to twenty minutes to get noticed or to be able to flag someone down. The servers usually seem confused as to which tables are their responsibility, so you often get overlooked. And after having your order taken, you rarely get checked on or asked if you need anything else. Love the music venue, love the food and beer selection, but the service is seriously lacking every time. I'll continue to come here, because a girl's gotta see a show, but I'll continue to stew about it. read more

Okay so I've only been to this place twice, one of them being tonight and from what I experienced this place sucks. Also I'm talking about the venue part since I've never drank at the bar. First off when you walk into the place the atmosphere is shit. It's this big dark empty pit. And I'm serious when I mean empty, it seems like no one goes to the Bottom Lounge for shows. Then the merch tables are in this dark scary corner where no one will ever go to buy a t-shirt. Basically this venue is for wannabe hipsters looking for a "grungy" experience. and p.s. to underagers they will kick you out if you drink...this is from personal experience. read more

I've been to at least four shows at Bottom Lounge and I can confidently say that this is a venue for real fans of the main act. It seems like everyone that goes to a show here actually knows the bands playing and are there to have a good time. The drink prices are not too bad considering it is a concert venue, bartenders are pretty attentive and I usually don't have to wait to0 long to grab their attention. The sound system is pretty damn great, I've seen electronic acts as well as rock bands and the sound has been pretty consistent for every show. Big plus for this place are the "Clean Restrooms". They must take pride in this because there's a huge neon sign that tells you where they're located. read more

Awesome venue for drinking, socializing, listening to/watching bands, playing pinball or checking out the Chicago skyline from the roof. My favorite part was the Rock Bus which runs on Blackhawk game nights and takes you to and from the arena for free. DO be sure to tip your driver though! They also have drink specials on game nights too. read more

I don't have much to say about Bottom Lounge because I was only here briefly before a Yelp event. It's a huge space. They have cider on tap, which made me happy. They have reasonably priced bar food that everyone seemed to enjoy. That's all I got. read more

I was really impressed with Bottom Lounge on Lake St in Chicago. The views from their rooftop deck are stunning, and the venue as a whole is really nice. I had some good drinks, they were well staffed and getting a cab at the end of the night was easy. Look forward to enjoying their rooftop deck again this summer! read more

All the door people and bartenders were so much nicer than these workers usually are at big venues. It was striking. They didn't act like they hate me for no reason. Yes, the drinks and cover are steep, but it's a big place with big overhead. I saw 4 bands including the always excellent Otter Petter and got my money's worth. read more

I just love the vibe in this place. It has a open loft feel, it's really laid back, clean, and really cool lighting and decor. There are about 90 beers to choose from including a nice variety of seasonal specials. Can't wait to return for more cheap shows or some brews. read more

WOW!!! Bottom Lounge made out Wedding Day THE BEST day!! Natalie walked us through the whole day months and months before! Where else do you get a personal wedding planner included in your venue!?! We had so many options for food and drink....Natalie helped us customize a menu that worked for us and our guest loved! High five to the chef!! :) Natalie even helped us find our DJ--TenTwelve Entertainment! The decor was great and the servers and bar tenders for our night...cannot say enough! I recommend booking this venue ASAP before Natalie is all booked up! read more

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It's Back! Sort of! Despite a listing of a number of pretty awesome shows coming up, they've ALL been relocated to other MP Production venues (http://www.mpshows.com/?venue_id=2). I guess there's some sort of delay going on... I don't know many other venues that lie directly west of the City, so it could be a hit. And, no doubt, if they open in time for the Pitchfork Music Fest at Union Park, they could host some pretty killer afterparties. So, here's a question... how do you give a place 5 stars if no one's ever been inside? Dan E.? Johan Z.? Christine S.? But yeah, I'll go ahead and keep that average up, based on it's Lakeview Legacy alone, -1 star for booking shows in May and not opening untill July. That's how I do. ------------------------- 6/5 Update: Bottom Lounge is opening tomorrow, 6/6, according to Thrillist. read more

Went here to see Wally Dogger play. The place was great! Huge front clean bar area. We went into the back room to see the show. It's a great show space! full bar, nice size stage, lots of space to dance around. The bathrooms were top notch too! They look brand new and clean. Upstairs I think there is some other music venue area, but we didn't go up there. I do wish that it would be easier for me to get to using CTA. I look forward to going back to see the Pietasters in November. read more

To be fair this relates to food only and service, it is still a great concert venue. Stopped in last night for some grub up on the patio. Waitress was great, although she brought my lady a beer that was only 3/4 full, seemed to be a trend on the patio. Not sure if they are trying to save cash or the bartender sucks. Food was suspect for sure. I got the Don Tiki and asked the waitress if it was good, got an enthusiastic yes. It was terrible. The lady's burger was definitely rare instead of Medium Well, not a huge deal. Time before that we sat downstairs for some late night drinks and food, I thought the waitress was going to take my drink and burger out of my hand so she could leave. It was well before closing time, I mean hours. Bottom Lounge you need to turn it around. read more

Listen! This place totally has a coat- check. Its also a lovely place with great selection of beers and nice people. read more

Intimate music venue, perfect acoustics no matter where you're standing. I loved it!

I went to the Bottom Lounge for the first time last night and it was a less than great experience. The biggest thing was the staff's attitude. In line to get into the building there was a man with a mustache who I saw yelling and kicking a patron out, not my business. When I got up to the front I forgot that I had an empty plastic water bottle sticking out of my bag. Without warning, the man grabbed my arm and started berating me about how I had to throw it out and pushing me towards the trash can. I understand they don't want water bottles in but putting your hands on someone is unacceptable. My second incident of the night was the man checking tickets. It was unclear of if he was planning on taking the ticket or what he was trying to do but my friend put the ticket on the desk and he says to her "take your ticket, I'm not your trash can." And rolled his eyes. Just overall it was a poor start to my night, the redeeming factor was the bar staff inside the concert venue, and the concert itself. I just don't understand how the Bottom Lounge has such a miserable staff and how these people are able to keep their jobs with this behavior. read more

This venue is good. One of my favorite places to see a show. The bar area has a lot of room. The venue area is spacious too.

Bottom Lounge is nice & close to Union Park, so the location makes it a great spot to eat after recreating. Too bad the service is so slow when you're salivating just thinking about food and dying for a beer! We've been twice, both early on weeknights. On our second visit, there were quite a few Hawks fans waiting to board the bus for the game at the United Center. I can understand they were probably busy closing out several tables at once, but NOBODY even bothered to bring water or menus the first 10 minutes we were there. When a server finally offered menus, she just disappeared. Poof! And that was after the bus had departed... The 2nd server was only slightly better. At least she managed to bring menus. But ordering was still nearly impossible even though the place had emptied out. There could not possibly have been so many other parties that our table was hard to get back to. She also didn't seem to be very familiar with the menu, so it took a while to get a question about anchovies in the Caesar dressing answered. Despite the service, we will likely return. The food is decent bar fare (big burgers, tasty pulled pork), the beer selection is big, and we will want to check out the outdoor space. Hopefully we just came on a bad night and service will be a little more attentive next time around. read more

I just came back from a show at the Bottom Lounge featuring Shellac and Mono. The sound crew did not disappoint! These loud abrasive sounding acts came out crisp and clear to my ears. The prices for drinks seemed a bit much to me but the floor was big enough to roam around trying to find the perfect spot to see some quality entertainment. The actual dining area looked quite nice too. read more

This place is great. They have really cool pinball machines upstairs, good drinks, nice bartenders. Its a great place to see bands. I like it quite a bit. I went to a wedding there and it was amazing. read more

Although I didn't come here to see a concert, I did bring my 17 year old nephew and his friend here to see Stick To Your Guns. While I waited, had the Stilton and bacon burger with hand cut fries. Delicious and the fries were perfectly cooked and seasoned for me. The waitresses seem to know we are waiting for the show to end to take our head angers back home. They kept me in coke and made sure I was doing ok throughout the evening. Parking was very limited next door but street parking in the hood was available. Easy place to find and get to. Pleasant, helpful staff. read more

I went here for The Internet show. It's a great venue. The sound was really great for a concert. The line and process to get in was really smooth and quick. I will definitely return. Oh, parking was also very easy to find and the show began on time which was a huge plus! read more

I saw the RX Bandits at Bottom Lounge last night, and I sweat so much I think I'm going to have to burn the clothes I was wearing. For some reason, they have the front bar/restaurant area air conditioned, but not the venue itself, despite the fact that they know they'll be packing hundreds of people in there shoulder to shoulder every other night. They only had 2 ceiling fans, and one of them didn't even work. It was easily over 100 degrees in there, even towards the back corners of the room. I can't even imagine what it felt like up towards the stage. It got so stupidly hot and humid in there that the band stopped playing and had their roadies pass out bottles of water in the middle of their set. Other than the heat, the venue still left a bit to be desired. The room was a decent size, but had a couple of big pillars supporting the ceiling that would block the view of the stage from a decent chunk of the floor. They also didn't have enough garbage cans, so there were plastic cups and beer bottles all over the floor by the end of the show. The bar was pretty good - I never waited more than 2 or 3 minutes, and their selection is great. They also had a water fountain near the bathrooms that could be used to refill the water bottles, which helped a lot, considering how hot it was. The sound was slightly below average compared to other venues of this size, but it wasn't bad enough to ruin the show or anything. Overall, it just doesn't measure up to other venues in Chicago, and I don't see myself returning - especially not in the summertime. read more

There are some things I really like about the Bottom Lounge and some things I really don't like. First, I love that there's parking everywhere. It's so nice to not have to worry about parking. Even if you don't drive, it's really walkable distance to the train. So thats perfect. It's a pretty big area considering mostly smaller bands & singers play here, at least the ones I have seen so far. They have a decent selection of beer, especially for a venue. And all of it's pretty well priced. I don't care much for the sound system. I don't know if thats the venue or the artist who handles it, but it's never been great. The bathrooms were large but they were dirty and dark. And I got there super early so there hadn't been a lot of people in and out yet. It's also very VERY easy to miss when driving past. Overall, I wouldn't mind coming back here. read more