Double door is a great venue. Large and plenty of good spots for us short people to gather into so we can see the stage area. The bar area is pretty large which means I am never waiting too long to be served my next drink. They also have a downstairs area which is usually closed off. The green room(s) for the bands are pretty cool, nothing too fancy, ; got to explore the downstairs area one time and read all the stuff people wrote on the walls. I like the bar in the downstairs area, seems real old timey from what I can remember. Good location being at Wicker Park's six corners so it's easy to get to. Bonus is Glazed and Infused AS WELL AS Stan's donuts are literally next to and across the street from Double Door. Yum. read more

UPDATE: Phil Kosch from Double Door wrote and let me know that AC was installed and offered me comps for the trouble. That's the way to run a business! Much appreciated. One more star until my next visit. read more

I really liked this venue. Upstairs it was big and airy and, as a short person, I was able to find an angle where I could see, even when it was crowded. It was kind of dark and divey, and upon closer examination I noticed murals of naked ladies on the walls. I liked that there was a downstairs lounge too, so I could escape the openers I did not care to see. The downstairs was red-lit with its own bar and a pool table, some booths, and some leather (pleather?) furniture. It is a "no in and out" type of place, but they DO allow you to go out for a smoke, so don't panic! One of my smoker friends did not realize this, and made up some elaborate story about how he was diabetic and left his insulin in the car... so I suppose you can try that if they change the policy. I apologize if you are diabetic and reading this and super pissed right now. read more

Went Thursday night to see Foreign Exchange. The event was sold out. The group was fantastic. It was a night of wonderful music. The venue is a good size and easy to get to on public transportation. This area is always poppin' so I would avoid going by car, if at all possible. Parking is a hot azz mess. Here's the run down: Chick at the door (will call) was sour as a lemon The bathrooms were HIDEOUS! Crowd was real kool The sound system was awesome! Much better than the Shrine. Bartenders (think there were only 2/3) were swamped, but not bad. I must admit we didn't have to get our drinks, but they always came promptly. Dance floor was a bit uneven, or something was going on with it. Nonetheless, we danced until our feet hurt. The layout is a bit awkward, but I guess that means you have to get their early to post up. read more

Was here for the Local H show on 5/5/2012. Still one of best places to catch a good concert/show. Plenty of liquor to go around...both upstairs and downstairs. People always are friendly here...maybe its 'cause of the liquor? THen go across the street to flash taco to cure the late night munchies. read more

I would give this place a few more stars for the vibe. It's not a bad place to see a concert. However, I'm currently waiting in line for will call tickets (as that's the only option here) to see a show. The doors opened at 9:30, it is now 11:00 pm and I have missed the opening band that I wanted to see. At this rate I will also miss the second band that I really wanted to see. So unless you're only looking to see the headlining band, and even then, I might say skip this place and wait for the next show. Some of the staff are REALLY unnecessarily rude too. Also, to the security guard who "can f**king read" the name on drivers licenses, no you can't. I know how to spell my boyfriend's last name. It's two T's not F's. read more

The Double Door is a great venue. Ranges from local up and coming bands to the falling once-mainstreamers. Like others have said, the layout is kinda strange, but as long as you are not buy a pillar it's straight. I prefer the walls or the bar. The side walls have a little ledge that gives you some height over the "mosh pit" rows right in front of the stage. There are usually some decent specials like PBR or OLD STYLE, which totally fit the mood of this place. read more

The Double Door is a nice venue to have in this part of town. I like the fact that there are 3 major music venues within a block of each other. I have seen shows and played here. It's fun from both perspectives. However, it is a good size room, and so when you are playing for 30-40 people or whatever, it can still seems kind of empty. I guess that's not the DD's problem then. For being in the crowd, it's nice to have the space to move around freely. I like the fact that they have green rooms for the bands downstairs. It's not much, but it's something. My only complaint is that their booking is usually subpar, especially compared to the Empty Bottle and Schubas. I almost never see a band that I want to see on bill here. Maybe they are filling a niche, but it's not mine. read more

How much fun did I have at the Double Door? TONS! This place is fantastic! I went with a bunch of friends on a Saturday night to see The Ryan Montbleau Band (my fav) and ALO. The place was packed and everyone was having a good time from what I could tell. There are only 2 stalls in the girl's bathroom which always sucks for a place like this, but whatever. From what I remember (foggy) they were pretty clean for the amount of use. It didn't take forever to get a drink - actually it was always pretty quick and it was a big bar (they might have had 2 or 3 bartenders) - Mark was my favorite of the night :-) It's nice because you can either be right up by the stage or hang a little further back and just chill in a not so crowded area. I'd definitely recommend going to a show here - great times had by all! read more

Fancy, the Double Door is not. However, they consistently have great bands (and some not so great) and stiff drinks that make up for it. If you ever have a chance to see a show at this Wicker Park standard, definitely go. The acoustics are wonderful, and they have an old-time photo machine. read more

Double Door - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It's fine place to see a live venue, bar service is as good as can be expected, usually they are swamped with yuppie/hipsters and trixie/biffs slumming there all waving money at them. The door staff can occasionally have an attitude, but it's the city and that's kinda how all the big night clubs roll. Easily accessible from the Blue line, it's Damen stop is literally across the street. Parking can be an issue here, but cabs are easy to get. I have been to umpteen shows here and will most likely go again. read more

I saw the band Barcelona here at benefit show for the Kyle Korver Foundation. Great turn out. The acoustics and lights were right on. The layout of the bar area to the stage was good. And the tickets prices didn't break my bank Plan and simple, I'd definitely go here again! read more

What a fun place. I have been here a couple times and have always had a great time. Bartenders are relatively fast in my experience, and they have to be, because this place is always packed! My friends and I usually hang out on the little elevated area close to the entrance because you have a little more breathing room there. Good draft list, typically awesome music, and a great spot for dancing. Definitely choose this spot over Flat Iron, Debonair, etc. read more

Double Door - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Double Door is a longtime iconic Chicago club that helped make Wicker Park a cool neighborhood. Today, it's still a fantastic club to go to to party, dance, or sing-along as you watch great bands. The bar is a great volume bar (beer + shots + simple drinks), and there are areas you can sit down and watch from a higher up at a distance if you don't want to battle the crowd. Everyone I've met at DD has been nice and they make sure to treat their customers nicely. Highly recommend. read more

Double Door - Live music at Double Door (Blood Red Boots) - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This i good indoor venue for music but I really only come here when Bob Schneider is in town. It's also convenient since its literally right off the Blue Line stop. Usually I'd be at the Empty Bottle or the Metro, or Mutiny. The place is pretty roomy and it's usually not to hard to maneuver around to the bar. Drawbacks and reason it loses some stars 1. Those damn poles. When the room fills or you arrive late to show you might get stuck behind one. It really sucks 2. Drinks: What the heck, the price of a beer here is ridiculous. I'm not looking get plastered but I'm not looking spend an arm and leg either. A couple of round of drinks and that's my limit after that I can wait to get one somewhere else or go home 3. Poor management of AC. More of a wimpy complain but because what else do you expect when whole bunch of people cram into one room. But they they shouldn't cut the fans on at the towards the end of the night. Not much of choice if your favorite band so what can you do. read more

Once you get past the horror of waiting in line (under the L, near a couple of dumpsters), the Double Door is amazing. Despite the unimposing exterior, there is a lot of room to move around and dance if you want to. You can even leave your friends behind. There's also an "upstairs" area (a small sitting area up a short flight of stairs) if you want to get away from the masses for a short while. It's a very narrow venue, so foot traffic flows pretty well. There are two bars, one immediately near the entrance and one near the stage, and then the stage. Jump to one of the bars and then move over to either the seats or stand near the stage. The music here is loud, especially if there's a live band playing, but if you're here for a live band then hopefully it's a group you like, or a group your potential sleeping buddy likes. Drinks are typical of music clubs: basic cocktails and beer. read more

For a true Wicker Park music experience I would definitely head to the Double Door. A true music institution in Chicago, this place packs them in for major acts or local musicians. Door and waitstaff are friendly. For larger shows, go early if you want a seat by the bar or a good place to stand. read more

Double Door - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Double Door is a solid venue, an ideal place with a good soundsystem to see bands too big for Empty Bottle, but not big enough for Metro or the Vic. I've seen countless bands here, and usually have a good time. One plus are the pool tables downstairs and the extra bar. When you don't want to blow your ears out over three opening bands, you can hide down there and still see what's going on onstage via the TV monitors. read more

Double Door - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cheap beer, open space, good acoustics - what more can you ask for? Saw my first show at the Double Door last night (Bob Schneider and Charlie Mars - awesome!) and had a great time. Beers are cheap and everyone behind the bars was cool and speedy, which is a plus. Artwork on the walls is... interesting... if you like big naked ladies, that is. The layout of the place is interesting. There are stairs that lead up to a balcony bar, there's the main stage area and then there are also stairs that lead to a downstairs lounge-y area with some tables, chairs, pool tables, and another bar. Having a lot of options makes it cooler. Sound was good but there was a lot of feedback for the Schneider set - couldn't tell if it was the DD's sound guys or something with Bob's band...? Tons of shows without a lot of unknown smaller bands which makes for an interesting lineup. Overall, thoroughly good time and we will be going back in October to see Hey Mercedes so yay! read more

Double Door rocks. (no pun intended) Geez, after reading some bad reviews, let's get real: ..sticky floors, beer not cheap? WTF? I've been going there for 7 years, so I'll voice my opinion. They have some cheap swill: bud cans were $3 and I've never noticed sticky floors. Umm...isn't that typical of most any rock club that has beer spillage? The sight lines are pretty good. Even crowded shows I can get close up. There are those annoying poles near the sound board that might block your site line bartenders are great, never have problems getting a drink. I like the candles and mirrors behind the bar. You gotta love a place that the movie high fidelity was filmed in too. A Chicago icon. This place has WAY more character the old sterile Schubas. Some good shows I've seen there: Bob Mould, Pete Yorn,Evan Dando, Pegboy, New Bomb Turks..etc Take the Blue line, get off at Damen, you are there. Go to Pennys across the street for a quick bite read more

there are lots of reasons to hate the double door: the sound is horrible, the amount of time between sets is egregious and clearly designed to make you buy more drinks that are already too expensive, you can't go outside to smoke despite the fact that they sell cigarettes at the bar, the staff isn't particularly pleasant or helpful, and the shows that get booked there are for the most part terrible, as are the crowds that go to see them. BUT, once in a while someone good plays and you can post up at the bar or shoot pool downstairs during the set breaks and just manage to forget that wicker park is no longer cool. read more

My favorite place to see live music in Chicago. I was gonna rate it a 4, and find little things to complain about, but I'll let those go. This place rocks and I've had great times here and seen some great bands. read more

A co-worker summed it best: "Carri, this is your people". Fact. I've seen a handful of shows here and have enjoyed the sound quality, the crowd, the staff, and of course the location. Plus, the bar has Shiner Bock (favorite!!) and there is a photobooth on the premises. A girl can't ask for anything more. read more

The place has a lot going for it, its on the corner of one of the busiest bar areas in the city, the space is intimate and regularly hosts good up and coming bands, and oh yeah, the Rolling Stones have played a show on their stage. However, they are nice enough not to overcharge you (too much) for the privilege of being in this historic and admittedly still pretty cool club (12 to 20 bucks most nights). The beer selection is pretty good and fairly priced, and the sound is as good as any other place I've been to. It was 65 and raining when I went in there, so I can't speak to the stuffiness, then again you are at a live music venue, what exactly were you expecting? leather chairs and climate control? Since Championship Vinyl doesn't actually exist (I checked), this is the best you can hope for High Fidelity nerds like me. And in case you were wondering, the Kinzie Street Bridge, the Music Box, and the Green Mill are the other Rob spots from the movie (its my favorite movie, cut me some slack) read more

Hangout? Good! Music? You kidding me! This used to be the best place to go for underground bands, but what happened to their taste of music? Went there two nights in a roll and only one band sounded alright. I'm not expecting they are as good as those bands you pay 40 dollars to see, but at least stay in tune people! read more

The Double Door, one of the best venues for local rock in Chicago. Never had a problem here, in fact usually enjoy it. It has two floors, the main floor with the stage and the basement area. The basement has a small bar usually staffed with one or two bartenders. It also has a couple of pool tables, booths and TV monitors so you can see (not hear) the band on stage. I wouldn't worry about the monitors not having sound, you can hear them rocking out easily from the floor above. The basement is also where the "green rooms" are. The door is on the left hand side of the stair case and is always staffed so there's slim to no chance of getting in during the show if you're not with the band or in the band. Once you go through the door there are 3 maybe 4 rooms with old furniture and a mini fridge. Sometimes drinks (beer/ water) is provided for the bands. The hallway that leads you to the different green rooms is littered with stickers and graffiti from all of the bands who have played there. it's pretty cool to read the walls and see who has shown up. In the back of the basement near the last pool is a staircase that leads you to the right hand side of the stage. I usually use this as a quick exit if I see someone coming down the main staircase that I want to avoid. The main floor has a super long bar (but usually understaffed). Seating is pratically nonexistent so be prepared to stand. The like most of the Northside the parking sucks. The Beer is way overpriced. (you can go across the street to Underdog and buy a hotdog w/ fries that's cheaper) But over all, it's the D.D so you gotta love it. read more

I have been to the Double Door and several occasions for shows and it was ALWAYS an awesome time (Moist Boyz and the Melvins x 3). They have cheap(ish) beer (you are in Chicago) and the sound will make your ears bleed - which is a good thing. Also, if you are short like me, there is this little ledge to the right of the stage that you can stand on and see everything and it is right by the bathroom. The biggest problem I have with the place is you will leave soaking wet. It gets SOOOOO hot in there and the floor gets slick as $hit. Also, there is no smoking in the state of IL, but people seem to forget that in there and it can get smoky (this may have changed in the past 2 years, though). All in all, this place is excellent to see live music and really see the band. read more

Great times here. I saw the Matt Skiba show two weeks ago, and have popped in a couple times here & there since living in Wicker Park. I love hanging out downstairs: you can play some ping pong, have an intimate conversation with a date/friend at the tables, or chill out in the small pool rooms. Meanwhile, Double Door's sound-system cranks out old punk gems left and right when a live show isn't playing...Dead Kennedys, Ramones, Descendents, Social D, etc...nice to go to a place that doesn't overplay the current hits. It's never expensive to see a show here, and OBVIOUSLY you're gonna go hit up Big Star for some killer tacos and pollo suckers afterwards! read more

Saw an amazing band here last week called Mighty Fox. The venue is pretty cool I will definitely come back, especially if mighty fox plays again (they better)! Free PBR at beginning of show. Not too shabby, thanks for the free beers. That was very cool. read more

The only time I've ever been here was for that weird secret show that Blonde Redhead played here this past summer during that Lollapalooza weekend. I was sort of surprised by how nice of a venue this is--really big with okay sound and pretty cheap drinks. Why don't they book better shows here? Does anyone ever go see all those tribute bands that play here??? Regardless, I guess I'm happy it's not a Gap now. read more

At what point does this place lose some clout? if they didn't have the reputation to get good bands in, no one would come to this place. I went to a sold out show with my husband last weekend and there were two bartenders working. TWO. I don't care how busy a place is, it shouldn't take fifteen minutes for someone with cash in their hand to get a beer. The sound was adequate at best. Go to the Subterranean, they might not have the most popular acts of 2015 or 1996, but they have an ambiance that the double door won't get back. read more

Fair prices, good enviornment. Very WickerPark (hipster) - Bring your flannel "Good" music scene on a Tuesday night. Slightly overpriced drinks considering the venue. I'll go back for my regular indy fix. read more

As far as a live music venue goes, Double Door is as good as it gets in Chicago! Legendary stage thats seen some amazing acts, such as: The Rolling Stones & The Smashing Pumpkins. Superb sound in this intimate club!! Great bands play the Double Door most nights out of the week & come from all over the world. My favorite shows are the annual St. Patrick's Day concerts w/The Beer Nuts. If you want a crazy fun time, come to Double Door on March 17th & get ready for a raucous rock show and to be drenched w/green beer! What a blast! I've been coming to the Double Door for more than 15 years for live music & friendly staff. read more

I love coming here. It's such a great, casual, somewhat grimey, and inspiring atmosphere. It's like the one real jem of sanity amisdt a neighborhood of drunken hipsters. Great bartenders, great drink pours. The sound is usually good, and songs between acts are entertaining. Downstairs is like a lair--dark and basementy. The pool table room makes you feel like you're hanging out in one of the dressing rooms. There are some TVs down there, a game thing on the bar, and an old time cigarette machine. I love the bathrooms, all the posters, writing, and a wall-sized mirror. The place can hold a lot of people, but it always feels intimate. I like that. My only complaints: would be that it's hard to get an even temp going on in there--super hot with a lot of people, super cold with not a lot of people. And get more electronic shows! The lights there demand it! Don't forget the slushy machine in the coat room! ;) read more

It's a fucking rock club, so you gonna get the people that the bands bring in. The whole neighborhood done gone to shit with affluent white fucks with their shirts tucked in and their high heels makin' 'em walk like cats with bum legs. If you don't like the bands they bring in, maybe you should boycott some of them weekly street festivals that hog all the touring acts. The rock club business in Chicago for clubs that size is gettin' tough with all the competition... and gas prices have a lot of bands off the road. It is, however, my favorite place to play hands down. I LIKE the mean door guys (who ain't so mean if you ain't so stupid). The sound is god damned excellent. If you don't think so, stand in the right place... I hear fools sayin the sound no good and they standing way off to the side. Best spot is right in front of the sound booth... right in front of Capt. Beardo, who don't never smile. Bartenders have never failed to get me crocked off my rock. Folks that think the drinks is expensive ought to wrap their mind 'round the fact that it ain't no bar... it's a rock club. Compare and contrast it. Unlike a lot of rock clubs, they gonna let you go outside and smoke your damn cigarette. I'll be outside hearin' fools bitchin' n' moanin' bout they got to hold a smokin' pass, but again... you ain't at no neighborhood bar... you at a world renowned rock club. Every club I played at around the country has staff that knows about this place. If you think you know somethin' that a damn professional don't know, you're one of two things... an idiot or an asshole. Could be both. They always been real good to me when we played there and they been just as good when I been in there watchin some other act. If you think it don't sound good, the drinks is too much, the staff is means or it's dirty... good luck finding what you lookin for, you ain't gonna. read more

I like this venue! Small, local spot. It gets crowded depending on who is performing, but I've never seen it uncomfortably so. There are colored dim lights everywhere and a decent amount of space on the stage for performers as well, so it doesn't seem like you're watching a show on a makeshift stage. There are funky seats in the back too! Covers are usually cheap, and drinks are pretty inexpensive as well. Recommend! read more

This is a great place to see a live show. The upstairs stage is fairly large and has a decent amount of standing room. The bar is close so you can go get a drink without having to miss anything. The drinks here I thought were kind of expensive although not outrageous. Props to Sam the bartender who was so dead pan she was actually hirlarious! I have to admit this is a little bit of a shameless plug on my part because I met my man here (he's one of the security dudes)..ahhhhhhh...But even before that I liked to come here to see Poi Dog, Gold Stars, et al... read more

I've always had a good time at the DD. Tickets were usually reasonably priced and the sound was pretty good.

This is a 3.5 but I'll round up. I like any smallish venue where I can grab a drink and potentially hear someone I really like whether it be a local band or someone more well known. The drinks are on the pricey side but it's not that shocking considering most concert venues jack the price up pretty badly. It can be hard to see if you're short like me, but in general Double Door is a fun time. read more

this place is one of my faves. great acts, good sound. large but still intimate. nothing like the roar of the blue line under a bass line. hope that they stay in that same ratty building until the end of the world! read more