I love that Martyrs in right in my neighborhood, and I don't know why I haven't been here more. It's a great place to watch live music. They have a great stage with great sound and the acts that come through are so different- from your up-and-comers to your established groups, its a great place in the city to have a beer and catch some tunes. read more

I've only been here on a Thursday and I absolutely loved it! Skirts were twirling everywhere - guys were showing their moves... it was so fun!! I love the Rockabilly crowd - they all look so hot! Everyone was friendly and welcoming... I didn't get any of that snooty "I'm too good for you" attitude. And the burgers... OMG!!! *sigh* I fell inlove... I downed it with a Woodchuck beer... yum! The only reason I gave it a four and not a five is because I haven't been there on other nights - but so far I'm a fan... ;o) read more

Martyrs' is such a great venue for music. It spacious and yet has an intimacy. I have enjoyed a broad array of acts at Martyrs', and when you include Tributosaurus , I have seen many more and some HUGE name acts at that. (smile) There is a plethora of coat hooks on the back wall by the second bar, which is much appreciated! I ate there once before a show and the food was good. Street parking is generally easy. read more

Great place to see a show! Stage can be seen from all the vantage points, is large enough to hold 7 or 8 people performing at once, and the space is open enough that all the Ten from Tenn were able to step offstage to the middle of the floor and jam a Dylan song with everyone singing around them. I don't usually like b.d., but last night may have made me change my mind! Minus stars for semi-high drink prices, although I know that's to be expected at a bar/venue ...and.... lack of seating. Not sure how they can remedy that without clogging the viewing floor, but 30-40 barstools probably aren't gonna cut it. read more

Nice place for live music. Depending on who is playing there might be swing dancing. I saw El Mezcal Bros. there once- great show. I danced with a great gal, just missed asking for her number. D'oh! Still, one of the more fun nights I've had in a long time. The hummus was pretty good. read more

Love "Louder than a Mom" readings held here. Great ambiance & friendly service and friendly, conversation at the bar. Always a pleasure to visit. read more

Went for Rockabilly night. Cover is $1 donation, I could afford that. Walked in to a Burlesque show, don't know if that will ever happen again but pleasantly surprised. The music/band was good, nice crowd . . . lots of people but there were still comfortable places to stand or sit so that you could see or talk with your friends. Also drinks seemed reasonable, I didn't see any specials but not out of the range of what you would expect. I will definitely be back. 1st thursdays for rockabilly :D read more

I'm not sure if you can find a better bar in which to see a band. The place is perfectly set up for that...kinda like a mini Metro. Add to that a good beer selection and location and you've got yourself a winner. read more

One of my very favorite music venues in Chicago: dark, wooden, intimate. The sound is fan-freakin-tastic, the drinks are pretty reasonably priced, and the only bad seat in the house is the one at the bar where you're behind the pole (you'll know the one I'm talking about). read more

I could not believe the acoustics in this place. I came here to see my favorite singer, so I was obviously in a good frame of mind but out of the dozens of times I have seen him, this was one of the best shows. The venue is small but it's comfortable and worth the trip. The food that we tried was a bit overpriced but it was decent. Overall, I rate the sound and the venue and 5 and the food a 2 or 3. read more

Like all have said, this place is a great place to see a show. Sound was great, pretty good sight lines all around (there are some pillars but even in a sold out crowd you can find a place to stand, even for a shorty like myself). There are two bars and getting a drink was a sinch. I thought the beer was priced fair, $5.50 for a Blue Moon- though they served it in plastic cups which were technically smaller than a pint. I guess that is my only gripe with the place- oh, that and the women's room is pretty scuzzy. Someone vom'd in the sink (classy) and it was there for at least an hour. I saw a show on a Saturday night and it cleared out as soon as it was over so plan on kicking on somewhere else after the show. read more

I've seen several shows there and I've really enjoyed myself. The acoustics are great for a smaller venue. I think the sound during the shows is good. You can make out the instruments easily. It can definitely fit a decent amount of people inside too. It is a great place to go to sit back and enjoy a few drinks. You do have the option to stand up near the stage and witness everything up close. Another positive is that parking is easy to find! Definitely highly recommended. read more

Great place to have a few drinks and let the music take you away. A wide range of great bands are regularly booked. Size of space lends itself to good acoustics and sight lines. Crowds are laid-back and typically older, with few posers. Food isn't great. Plenty of pre- or post-dining options in the neighborhood (Sola, Murphy's, Brownstone). Check out Tributosaurus. They're a wildly fun group of great musicians who do a tribute to a different band each month. read more

The best night at Martyr's is C-Jamboree Rockabilly Jam Night. - the 1st Thursday of the month. Once a month, Martyr's becomes the place to go, to dance to the driving rythms of rockabilly. Ken Mottet announces each act with a style only Ken has. The event is the brainchild of Garbrielle & Jimmy Sutton - a host band starts off with a set, then the jammers get to do 3 songs. Usually, the host band is well-known and the jam bands are excellent with a few newbies in the mix. Come dressed in style and ready to rock. Free - no door charge. The food is good too! read more

Martyrs' - Krazy Eddie and Ken Mottet - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place rocks! I love the bands that they book (especially when my friends are in them), the drinks are reasonably priced, plenty of folks staffing the bar so that the wait for your thirst quencher isn't too long and there is plenty of room for dancing/rocking out. I plan on continuing to hit this place up-- lots of fun! read more

We were very excited to celebrate John Lennon's birthday, my son's birthday, my birthday & our in-laws' anniversary. Loved the venue & sound system but the bands other than the first one were so disappointing. The first band, wish I knew their name as they were fabulous & the lead singer sounded exactly like John Lennon, was the only act worth celebrating. The MC was just terrible. He actually spoke about diarrhea! Oh, the staff was fabulous. read more

I went here a couple weeks ago for a show and realized the following morning that the waitress had given me the wrong credit card back and in effect, given mine to someone else. I called Martyr's that night to alert them of my situation and the woman who answered was extremely unhelpful and aloof. She claimed she would take down my info and the owner would get back to me as soon as possible. Guess what? No one did. I checked my bank account the following day and it turns out that on top of everything, they also charged me for the other person's meal. I called again to speak with the owner about getting someone else's card and being charged the incorrect amount and another person told me they would "pass along my info". The ownder never called me back or offered any assistance so I called the bank and filed a chargeback. Thanks for the excellent customer service, Martyr's! Beware of this place. read more

great place to see a show. very chill vibe. i've seen bob schneider (from austin, tx) here a couple times and it's a very great show for either a solo perfomer or a band (bob does both!) check it out. read more

I've only been here for the Big C Jamboree, which is a fun monthly showcase for Rockabilly bands. Tons of people come in vintage attire and you can always see some very talented swing dancers out on the dancefloor. Drinks are affordable here, and its pretty chill atmosphere, so I'd come back for another Big C Jamboree or try it out for another show. read more

I went to see a band at Martyrs' and paid my $12 to get in. The band was great and then they brought me the bill for 4 Makers Marks on the rocks totaling $55! You can get a bottle from Binny's for $25 so it seems a little ridiculous for them to be charging $13.75 for an embarrassingly tiny glass. read more

I went there for the first time for The Moth StorySLAM the other day. I really liked the event! Martyr's has a great stage for bands & events, and the lighting and stage crew more than held their own. The door guys were also really cool and the cover charge was totally acceptable. The experience was muddled by the fact that Martyr's was completely understaffed to handle such an event. We got there at 6:45 (event started at 8pm), and all the tables, barstools, and chairs were completely filled and there was already a substantial wait time to get a beer. By the time we were ready for round 2, it was nearly impossible to get a drink. I'm pretty experienced in figuring out how to wiggle in and get the bartender's attention - but even attempting my famous Swim Move was impossible. There were only 2 bartenders on duty (one at the front bar, one at the back), and they were responsible for taking food orders, serving food, and also drinks. The wait was so ridiculous that after about 15 minutes, I figured I'd just order two rounds at once for both me and my date. Oh - we had anticipated eating dinner there too, but obviously getting food was completely out of the question. After some people left early (maybe because of the wait times, maybe because of the fact it was a Tuesday night), things got more reasonable. But still, the understaffing might make me think twice about attending that event there in the future. If I do....I'm going early. read more

awesome place for a concert - the room has great sound! also nice because you can see some smaller bands and it won't be too crowded. great location, in case you've had a few too many margaritas at brownstone and have to walk over, after the evil evil evil chicago police have given your car a $50 parking ticket because it has no front license plate - don't they know a front license plate would just look dumb on a mini?!?!?! anyhow... stop in, take in some good tunes. read more

Good intimate venue to see small bands and performances. Pretty open area to be able to have groups of friends. However, their sound system is loud! Be prepared and bring small discrete ear plugs. For the bar, its a standard one. I would stick with simple drinks. read more

This is an excellent place to see a show! It's small and intimate -- when I've gone I've been able to sit down and still see. The food is good, and the staff is pretty friendly. It's definitely worth it to come early and eat before the show or grab a bite if you're in the neighborhood, but not a destination in itself for a meal. (Although the black bean burger and the pizzas are mighty tasty!) read more

BEWARE of how much change your getting back. The girl behind the bar either doesn't know how to count or is scamming customers out of their change. The first time it happened, I assumed it was a mistake. The second time..... As for the venue, it's a small venue which is nice. No problems with getting tickets at will call. Drinks were really strong. read more

Super fun place, very spacious, and reasonably priced. Great to see shows, as every spot had a decent view of the stage.

Great place for shows! Nice and big stage with great beers on tap! Good location.

The owner really cares about music and he books all sorts of acts that are worth checking out. They have a long running Monday night Irish Music jam session that is worth stopping in for one or two Guinness's. Good friendly service and a good crowd. read more

I'm not a huge fan of most of the bands they book (usually some sort of Dave Matthews/Radiohead hybrid cover band), but the room has a great vibe. The drinks are reasonably priced, and there are usually interesting people to chat with if the music isn't doing it for you. Come back in the morning for brunch! They've got a great Irish/American menu that features soda breads and potatoes paired with roasted veggies, carmalized apples, poached eggs, etc. If I recall, they even offer up some blood pudding for the crazy folk out there. read more

Like this venue. Great place to see a show. I'm a big fan of small, live music venues......

I've seen some good shows here and I love the close knit environment. They do have good beer and the music is always unique! It's always gonna be a fun time going to martyrs read more

I've been here many more times for their excellent Sunday brunch (not available during the summer months) than for evening shows, though they have a decent selection of bar-style dinner choices. My strategy if I'm seeing a PM event is usually to come in for a light dinner so I can have a comfortable table spot when the show begins. read more

Um, this place smells. We were looking to have a nice bar meal when we walked in and didn't get any farther than the lobby. It seriously smells worse than a public toilet facility. Not my kind of place to eat, and enjoy a few pints. Someone needs to take a can of Febreeze to the fixtures, and splash a jug of Pine Sol on the floor. read more

this is my favorite venue in the city for live music. it fits all of my criteria. a) they have food that's yummy b) they have GOOD & CRAPPY beer (suit yourself) c) they have a dance floor d) it's got a great vibe e) it has a visable stage f) the bathroom is: clean, roomy and all of the stalls have doors g) the waitresses are attentive h) the sound isn't deafening g) seating the vibe here is my favorite. i't's got that feel of a place that has seen a lot of great musical acts and fun. i personally have seen so many different acts here from Moxy Fruvous to a few of the boyfriend's gigs. LOVE it! read more

I always have a great time at Martyrs'. I like that they book international and world beat bands. The Bombino show was especially amazing. Age-wise the crowd is perfect for me (30s, 40s, 50s) and the location is convenient (easy to reach with the #50 Damen bus). I also like that they have a lavender collins on the cocktail menu. I'm a sucker for anything lavender. I either get that or a fernet and coke. Self-service ice water! read more

Good place to hear cheap live music. Not a bad seat in the house. Bands are usually fairly decent.

This is definitely one of the best places to hear live music in the city. They specialize in jazz, rock, blues, and all types of creative music. You're pretty much guaranteed to get a good show any night of the week, and the sound is great. The food is also good and they have a quality selection of beers on tap. And, now there's no smoking! read more

Went here for a show tonight (Jacob Jeffries Band) and had a good time! The band before them was good and they were great! The sound quality was really good and the bartenders were great! I couldn't find a bad place to sit or stand in the house! Bathrooms were clean and that says a lot about a place! Prices were fair as well! Can't beat that with a stick! read more

This is a great little venue to hear live music and enjoy a few drinks. Check out whose playing: http://www.martyrslive.com/

This is my very first yelp review,and I just HAD to leave the WORST review of Martyrs possible. Let me start by saying that ive been going to martyrs for years to see one if my favorite band play "Cornmeal",well early in the bands first set the security came over and said ill have to kick you out if you continue to do that..."that" meaning using my electronic nicotine VAPORIZER(thats the same water based vaper that comes from concert fog machines)...he thought I was smoking marijuana. After he looked it over,smelled it,then walked away like everything was ok. When the second set started I was taking a couple "drags" off my ecig,and some guy FORCEFULLY grabs me and tells me im kicked out....I asked for what,he said for smoking,I said I WASNT smoking,it was an ecig which is NOT illegal. I also already had told him that the secuirity already approached me earlier and said it was ok...he continued to start yanking me towards the front door saying,"this is my place,and if I say yer out of here,yer gone". In all the shuffle between the owner,the bouncer,and me...my $75 ecig vaporizer flew out of my hand. I said ill leave(even tho I wasnt in the wrong),all I want is my vaporizer back...they responded,"you gotta leave now,and WE'LL look for it in the morning and get it to you"..."WRONG",I said "if i dont leave with it now,itll be gone by morning"...they let me look on the ground for approximately 15.seconds before they started to forcefully start dragging me out towards the front door again. Suffice to say,I DIDNT leave without a fight..I pushed the owner off of me who was latched onto my arm trying to get me to the front door,then I pushed the bouncer off me too. I finally went outside.to wait for my friends to come out while they settled their bar tab,and tried to find my nicotine vaporizer..when they told me they would call the cops on me if I didnt leave..I said "my friends are inside looking for my ecig vaporizer,and ill leave when they come out." I then started getting into with the bouncer again who was just the biggest @$$hole ive ever met,because this boss was reaming him out for letting me use my NON-ILLEGAL ecig inside,of which the bouncer denied that he said we were allowed to use them while he was getting reamed out,gee I wonder why he recanted and said he never said that(btw my friend standing next to me was using his ecig too,they just grabbed me) In the end,since I wouldnt leave the outside premises,cause not only was my $70 vaporizer in there,but my friends were still inside(my ride home) so they called the cops on me. I spoke to the police,and they totally sided with me,they just said that it was HIS establishment and he can ask me to leave whenever he wants to. My response to the police was "there was no intitial ASKING for me to leave,it was a GRAB AND YANK this guy towards the exit and throw him out for doing something WE think hes doing wrong"...im a 40 year old hippy jam band loving person,"make love,not war" has always my motto,but when somebody grabs me like he did for doing nothing wrong,yer gonna get a piece of my evil side,and I WILL fight back,I dont care who you are. If he would of approached me nicely and said you cant do that,and then let me explain what I was doing,and if he still didnt want me to do it,I would of either put it away,or left..I wasnt given that chance. By the way,im a non-alcoholic drinker,i had 2 glasses of ice water the whole time i was there..i just wanted to clear up that I wasnt some drunk guy starting a bar brawl. So in the end,even after all the years ive been giving Martyrs my business,not only will I NEVER step foot in there,but I will make sure all my friends know what kind of jerk owns that establishment,and to save their money and go elsewhere. In this economy,none of us have to spend our money at places that dont give any respect to their loyal customers,and not treat them like a piece of $hit. I will boycott Martyrs from this day forward...biggest jerks ive ever dealt with when seeing a band play in ANY chicago live music club. Oh btw,the ONLY reason I didnt retaliate from them putting their hands on me like they did(for doing nothing illegal in their establishment),by physically knocking out the owner and bouncer,which I was basically ready to do after having been assulted by the owner and bouncer,was cause I was a bouncer on Division Street for about 3 years,and I know the cops always side with the business owners,and I probably would of ended up in jail..I didnt want to go to jail tonight all for something that stemmed from doing something thats 100% legal to do,and even tho tbey assalted me first..a non intoxicated loyal paying customer. Smart move Martyrs...and if I can file a complaint with the better business bureau for tbeir conduct,I will after im done writing this review. So just a heads up for anybody THINKING of going to martyrs...dont be suprised if some lil putz(the owner) grabs u by yer arm and u get kicked out for doing nothing wrong. read more