Saw a comedy show here recently. Process of getting in and getting drinks was easy, even though a vodka soda with double shots is $20.....also there was a older staff member who just seemed very put out when we asked her to explain something to us and her demeanor wasn't the nicest. overall a fun and nice experience! read more

Great show but needed more people at the door to explain the admission you reserved\etc. Line moved decently around the building. Drink service staff was prompt and friendly read more

I attended a Grace Vanderwaal concert here in November of 2017 and I have no complaints! It was a GA concert, so we arrived between 4-5 hours before the concert started and ended up being about 10th in line. The line formed right by the door, with the help of some metal barricades, and looped around the side of the building. Once inside, we got right up next to the stage! It was incredibly nice because there were no barriers, creating a very intimate show. The building itself was in nice condition and the bathrooms were well maintained. I'd say the acoustics were great, but we were also right in front of the performer... We had no bad experiences seeing Grace Vanderwaal, as all the fans (although extremely excited young girls) and staff were friendly and helpful to one another. The event itself was well organized and prepared for. All in all, our experience was great and we would definitely catch another concert here! read more

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A referee, drunk soldier, and Sandy & Danny (from Grease) made their way to a party at the Park West last night. If it seems like an odd group to be hanging out on a Saturday night I should probably clue you in that it was Halloween. I've been to many events at the Park West and think it's a fabulous venue to throw a par-tay. There were approximately 1000 people at the party last night and although it was a bit crowded there was still room to move around and getting a drink from the 2 bars was not a problem. However, the bathroom with only 5 stalls is a problem (especially when people are taking extra long because of their costumes). I haven't seen any musicians at the Park West yet, but I do think it would be the perfect venue for that as well. My friend also attended a wedding here last weekend and said it was absolutely beautiful. read more

I double checked the address and photos ~ yup, this is where I was. What am I missing? First, this is NOT an easy venue to reach unless you live walking distance in Lincoln Park. Second, no reserved seats, you buy your ticket which gets you seating, first come, first served. Hence, people were lining up, in the rain, waiting for the doors to open. Third, and I would have to think there must be a city code on this, the line for the ladies "comfort station" was about equal to the line to get in the doors. 6 stalls to service hundreds of people. Why not add a few port-a-potties ~ oh wait, once you exit you can't get back in the doors (except those who went out to smoke at the intermission). Fourth, the chairs are very uncomfortable, the booths are positioned so that at least one person has to turn at a funny angle to see the stage. Yes, the servers were very efficient and checked if you needed a drink. I would have to think twice about ever visiting this venue again. read more

I've been going to the Park West for a long time. Each time I'm always thrilled with the intimate atmosphere. The only thing is waiting in line outside during colder weather. It's fine for me, but when taking my parents who are getting up there in age it is more challenging. It would be nice if the Park West would consider who will be attending certain concerts and prepare accordingly. Maybe some heat lamps and chairs available for those who need it? In any case, I still love this place! read more

I have a tendency to ignore things in my own backyard. That's how I treated the Park West for many years; I've lived in the neighborhood for nearly a decade, but visited for the first time a few years ago. I've been to Park West about four times now for a few Moth Grand Slams and most recently for a performance of The Piano Guys. The space is different than most of the other venues I've been to in Chicago; it's a mix of cozy tables, booths and regular chairs or stools - it reminds of a place that could pull off dinner theater. The acoustics here are good and it's nice that there are a few bars throughout the venue and servers walking the floor. Of course drinks are expensive, but that's par for the course. The venue is really clean, the floor isn't sticky and it doesn't have the faint stink of stale cigarette smoke that will probably never disappear. What I don't like about the space is that it's completely open seating (at least in my experience) and some of the seats kind of stink. If you don't arrive early, you might be stuck craning to see past people in the row of stools in front of you or relying on the balcony mirror to get a decent view of the stage. Or, if you're lucky enough to snag a table, you'll get a nice view, provided you twist around to face the stage; for me, that gets old, fast. Maybe it's different for get up and dance performances, but none of the shows I've seen have been like that. Street parking options are limited, but Park West is transit-friendly (near 22, 36, 151, and walking distance from Armitage or Sedgewick Brown) and in close proximity to a few pay lots. Bottom line: It's a nice mid-sized venue to see a show. read more

I have seen so many shows and events here over the years. It's still, I think, one of the best places to see a live act in Chicago. There's not a bad vantage point in the house, the acoustics are great, and it's easy to get to. They book COOL acts and events here as well. read more

I give them an extra star for being within a easy half-mile walking distance from the Brown Line's Sedgwick Station. Since parking in this area is a complete pain in the butt I was relieved to discover this fact. A nice medium sized venue with several bars and servers who come around. The sound and lighting was perfect. The only 2 gripes I have are: -Bathroom attendants. Really? I'm coming to a comedy show not a night out at a swanky steakhouse. Sure it creates a job but an unnecessary one that makes most people uncomfortable in my opinion. I don't normally carry any cash, either, so I had nothing to tip the lady. Had I any inkling there would be a bathroom attendant I would have brought a couple of bucks with me. -The seating closest to the stage, at least for this comedy show, is a bit awkward. They have the tables radiating vertically out from the stage (think of your crayon drawing sun as the stage and the rays of the sun as the tables). This wouldn't be too bad if they didn't cram as many as possible up there and then put at least 3 chairs too many on each side of the table. Once this place fills up the servers have a heck of a time getting up and down between the tables for drink orders. And if one person needs to get up and move several other people need to dislodge themselves first. It is my understanding you can call ahead to reserve one of the more comfy booths, ranging from seating just 2 to a group. I'm not sure if this cost any extra or not but it would be worth it. The seating otherwise is first come first serve so COME EARLY. Couples DO NOT show up 10 min before the show and expect you and your sweetie will get to sit together. You won't. read more

This is a great venue for a medium-sized show. There are no bad seats, as many have said. Whether you are on the floor or on the balcony or have to stand on the stairs or aisle, you can always see without being in someone else's line of sight. The acoustics are great. I've heard Josh Ritter both solo/acoustic and with full band, plus Neko Case solo/acoustic, and they all sounded great. Also, the staff are friendly and seem to be familiar with the artists. It's true that the parking is tough by 7 pm, and there are few drinking and dining options in the immediate vicinity. But if you want to hoof up Lincoln a half-mile there is plenty to do. One other quibble is that the lobby is small, and they set up the merchandise table there, leading to a significant traffic jam at the end of the show. read more

I was lucky enough to attend a recent benefit here, A Night With Oscar, benefitting Center of Halstead. The benefit itself was wonderful, but of course this review is for the venue. I loved this venue. Apparently, it's been around for over a hundred years under various names, but it seemed state of the art to me. There were so many people here, and yet it never seemed too crowded. There were two huge bars, and the tiered seating was really cool, with little four tops ringing the front part of the second tier. We were lucky enough to be seated there, where we could see everything. The party was an Oscar party, and there was a pretty complicated A/V setup, and it was perfect! The restrooms were spotless, but that was perhaps due to the fact that this event was about 80% gay men and the ladies rooms were very lightly used compared to other events, lol! I loved this venue and this party! read more

Disgustingly loud. Door security groped me just a little too much on my nether regions. Regular security guards were judgemental and unhelpful. Light beers are $9. When asking the price of drinks, I was told "You probably can't afford it anyway." Still reading? Go somewhere else. This place is nothing more than a B-grade disco cesspool of white-privilege soccer-mom spawns and their hellish attitudes. I'm sorry, what? Did you say something? Can't hear you, still need ear drum surgery after attending a show here. What? Say that again? Bad. Avoid. read more

Great venue to see an intimate concert. We saw The Proclaimers. Wonderful show! The seating is comfortable. Tables for this concert. Waitstaff patrolling and taking orders. We went to the bar and the two bartenders we had were great! The hostess was also very helpful. If you get the chance, see a show here! read more

Laid back, cool place to see a show. It's nice since if you want to get real close to the stage it's wide enough for you to be able to do so. If you prefer to lounge a bit and sit in one of the booths you'll still have a great view. The acoustics are great. And overall the vibe is relaxed and friendly. read more

Park West - K'NAAN - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a classic venue for Lincoln Park Area N Chicago. Used to go & dj at all ages parties here that would end at 9/10pm on SATs. They popped off. then they'd kick all the kids out onto the streets and turned it into at 21+ respectable mega-club. {DOn't recall there being dope deep house night or dj legends playing there). Now, The place is great in tradition. Great Venue for shows and concert. Drinks were good. bathrooms clean.Sound great. Vantage points perfect. I was a little perplexed at the angle mirrors above all the box room seats. Almost allowing everyone on the ground level to see what is happening on the table in the booths. Interesting methodology. I still don't know where the hell everybody parks at but it works as a good amount of transport method have to be NMT. read more

Park West - Used to dj da Disco House in dis Joint - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this venue. It's swanky, yet laid back. There are plenty of seats/booths/tables at the outer perimeter of the venue, and open standing room towards the stage. I saw Gabe Dixon Band and Marc Broussard here this past week. Parking around the area is a pain in the ass though. The last couple times I've been to Park West, I've resorted to dishing out $20 at the public parking garage around the corner. read more

The venue is nice and intimate, but the staff does nothing to control crowds. I was at a concert there recently and my girlfriend I had blocked views the entire time because large crowds gather on walkways. This does not happen at the other venues I have gone to, and the staff typically make people clear from this area. One member of the staff was actually quite rude too. The person behind me was barked at for taking a picture and the man threatened to kick her out in an extremely harsh tone; accidents happen, relax. I wanted to really like this venue, but I doubt I will go back. Especially when you pay a lot of money for a blocked view majority of the time. read more

This a nice theater. It's clean and has a nice large stage and I have visited this theater every year for the past 10 years for an event. They need to do some updates. The reason I'm giving 3 stars is because of the staff and the prices for drinks. The wait staff is atrocious and the prices are outrageous. Between the two of us we each had four drinks and our tab was over 100 dollars. I understand Chicago isn't the cheepest city but the prices here far exceed other venues like this in the area. read more

I have visited this area for many years because of the zoo, the museum and other shops around here. Many years ago I saw the Band, not a band The Band have a reuniun concert here minus Robbie Robertson. I have seen a few other shows here as well, but this one was a standout. They have some tables in the front and their is a long bar(s) on the side(s). One of the nicer looking concert venues in town. read more

Park West - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This has always been one of my favorite spots to come see a show. It's small and intimate with wonderful acoustics. I recommend after you purchase your tickets calling and reserving a booth for the event. Yah it costs extra (about $10 per person more) but you also can show up as the event begins and have your booth waiting for you....not to mention table service. The last event I attended for trombone shorty was over-sold though... people everywhere, filling every hallway and inch of free space and kind of ruined the intimate experience. It's been a while since I have been to the theater so hopefully this isn't a new trend. In the past it hasn't been a problem. Parking isn't easy in the area either so there is that. The last time I visited I hit the restaurants 1/2 mile west on halsted valet my car and then you can walk or jump in a Uber. Defiantly a great opportunity to see a band in this smaller venue and still one of my favorites in Chicago. read more

Park West - Trombone shorty - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came to visit for a first time and enjoyed the Chromeo show. We were waiting for an Uber and one of the trash bag bouncers named Melody told us we couldn't wait in the empty inside area for a ride but had to wait outside in the rain. Super disappointed with Melody and I really hope the management figured this out. Been to many of bars/concerts and that was a first. read more

"If you want a burrito you can have another bite of mine" This is not an open invitation to share my next Mexican 'caloria bomba' of a meal but the first Pete Yorn line's I ever memorized. You have to admit - it's pretty catchy. On the same level (maybe) with : "I am walking around your closet, I want you to say my name again", which inevitably makes me think of my cat mewing for attention among my shoes....but that's another story. So as you guessed it - I went to Park West to watch/listen to Pete Yorn and I enjoyed every single bit of it. (For those of you who don't know him - please don't judge of the quality of his music by the aforementioned lines. He's actually pretty talented, and quite hot, ladies. So much so in fact that a female fan had gone through the trouble of creating a sign "I want your burrito, Pete" and actually hand-delivered it on stage. It was qualified as "classy" by the person involved...) Such a nice change from the Vic and its moldy atmosphere. It's modern, nice, clean, dare I say it? classy.....yet intimate. The layout is really well-thought and you have different options - standing by the stage (which seems easy enough), sitting at tables on the first floor (with waiter service) or climbing to the second. Not a bad seat in the house. And numerous, numerous watering holes!!! You never have to walk more than 10 yards to quench your thirst... Great acoustics. Easy parking situation on Clark, just West of the Park (hehe...) Buses all around. A few steps away from the Brown Line. A real winner. With or without burrito. read more

The Park West and I are old friends. Over the years, I've seen many shows here, from huge acts to indie darlings and everything in between. I've always enjoyed this venue. It's been a while since I've made my way to the Park West, but recently I was lucky enough to catch a Tributosaurus show here and remembered just how great the Park West is. As others have mentioned, it's not too big, and not too small, and the acoustics are fantastic. I had forgotten that the seat assignments are basically meaningless so when we arrived and asked where our seats where, we were told to sit wherever we wanted. Hello, front row, don't mind if we do! Drinks were expensive but our server, Nick, kept 'em flowing...a little too well for some of us (well, me). Park West is one of the best places to see any show - not a bad seat to be had, decent acoustics, and very comfortable. I look forward to catching many more shows here. read more

Here's another dad live music junkie story. On Monday, I went to see a Drive By Truckers concert with my dad and bf here. When we entered the venue, I noticed the lounge setup and thought that it was pretty cool. We found a tiny booth space near the bartender close to the floor. Between the three of us, we occupied the floor and the booth throughout the concert. My dad's first comment about the place and crowd was that he was the oldest guy there among the many hipsters and scenesters. There were some old looking guys, but my dad was pretty convinced that he was the oldest. He also kept on telling us to come into the "mosh pit." I had to laugh at his use of the word because it was a subdued crowd. In the "mosh pit," the view was great and the music was awesome. My dad and I had a father daughter moment of passing back and forth his MGD. Always good times. Just as I have a dad live music junkie story, I have a hipster story or two out of the experience. One of the funniest things we noticed was a guy wearing a Farm Aid shirt trying to be cool much like the other people trying to be cool in their Pabst shirts. Also, while standing on the floor, a hipster next to me kept on pointing and laughing at a woman with a mullet who was clearly a devoted fan of the band. Ahh, those crazy hipsters trying to be cool. The concert was awesome and the crowd was really managable. When I went to the bathroom, I really got to enjoy the lounge aspect of the venue because you could see everything perfectly. This is hands down my favorite music venue in Chicago now. It's a great setup and puts a bunch of other Chicago music places to shame. I'm keeping my eye for some more concerts there because it's such an awesome venue. read more

I reminded myself of why I used to love Ben Harper in college at this venue a few days ago and Park West was the perfect place to do it. The venue is so small and intimate it literally felt like he was just there hanging out. People would yell out songs and he would play them. Such a badass music experience because of the sound, the several bars, and insignificance of getting there. Park West has got to be one of the better small venues in the city. read more

Five of us came here for a concert (The Weepies) for like $30. Score! We arrived early and didn't have to wait too long in the line. A guy checked IDs while we waited, and wasn't very thorough, FYI. The place filled up really quickly, and we were lucky enough to get a seat at a booth with a table in the front. THE GOOD: -The sound is really great! Zero complaints in that department. The vocals were crisp and clear; the instrumentalists did not overpower the singers. -I love the intimate environment of this venue, but it's still adequately spacious, too. I never felt cramped, even though the place was totally packed. -We got seats! It was nice to have the luxury of sitting down for the first half, but some of my friends ventured into the crowd of standing people toward the end, so we could be closer to the stage. It was great to have both options. -The waitstaff were very attentive and promptly brought more drinks to my friends as soon as their glasses were empty. THE BAD: -Unless you live in the area, it's kind of inconvenient to get to. I ended up having to wait outside the venue for like 45 minutes to get a ride back. That's just a personal gripe though, and obviously doesn't apply to everyone. -Bathroom attendants. In general, I'm not particularly a fan of this concept except for in crowded nightclubs. I never carry cash on my person, so I couldn't tip. -$20 minimum if you open a tab for drinks. I didn't drink anything, but my friends were a little annoyed. One of my friends wasn't 21 (oops), so someone just ordered a drink for her on The "bad" things about this venue really aren't a big deal and are just me nitpicking. Overall, this is a great venue and I look forward to seeing other artists perform here in the future. read more

Parking wasn't THAT much of a hassle. I arrived for a Tuesday night show and parked about a half mile down the street (around Howe and Armitage). Finding a spot was easy, and the stroll was pleasant. Granted, I had a Coke can full of rum. Park West charges an assload for drinks (beers start at $5 and mix drinks are around $7), so drink beforehand. The venue itself is ultra-clean and gorgeous - with a huge balcony and plenty of floor-level seating. You can stand in the front, sit in the back, stand at the bar - lots of freedom. A word of warning: Park West sometimes does all-ages shows, and they MUST end by 10 p.m. So if you're going to an all-ages show, there, arrive on time. The show won't go late. Also, about the booths facing the wrong way: The booths have low walls that are easily seen over. All you have to do is turn around. It's not that hard. Just scoot your butt in a circular motion until your eyes face the stage. read more

I had never been here before, so I was definitely impressed when I came to see Phoenix - so awesome!! My friend and I arrived early enough to actually get a great spot very close to the stage - maybe like three rows back. It was super easy to just squeeze up there, especially on the sides. I will say that this is better than seeing a show at the Metro or something because once those people are packed in up at the front, it's impossible to get by. I liked the layout of this place - very classy. I have never been to a concert venue that had places to actually sit and get a drink. There were servers actually coming around to the tables so that was cool if you could manage to seat yourself somewhere. A lot of the tables were reserved and I'm not sure how you do that, so get on it if you've got the hook up. I liked that we happened to stand right by a small bar. Beer is expensive ($5 for a Miller Lite Bottle) but I guess that's to be expected. It seemed as though everyone could see the stage from wherever they were standing (near the stage, at the tables, upper level, whatever) and you could definitely hear everything. The sound was great and it was definitely a good place to see a concert. However, could you get more bathrooms, Park West? I don't like that your only bathrooms are all the way across the seating area and out in the lobby. I also don't like that I make my way through a crazy crowd of people and I have to wait in a crazy line just to pee. Oh, and get rid of the bathroom attendant. Bathroom attendants make me want to give places one star only because I do not need someone to hand me a paper towel - I can dry my own hands, thanks. Bathroom attendants just make my life super uncomfortable and I don't like feeling obligated to tip a woman whose job is to just hand out towels and offer drunk women hairspray. Seriously, get with it Park West. Get rid of the attendant and get with the real world. read more

I saw a great show last Friday - Tributosaurus if you must know - and the retro vibe was perfectamente in Park West. The marquee outside is right out of Tron, and inside, the black and white floors and walls sort of made me feel like doing some cocaine with Simon LeBon. I can vouch that there are no bad seats. We started in the balcony but then caught sight of Melanie S. rockin' out, so we joined her on the main floor. That said, the tickets we bought did have seat assignments, and I would have made different plans if I'd known it was a free-for-all. We got lucky to find seats where we wanted, is what I'm saying. The bathroom is your garden-variety concert venue bathroom. There was a line out the door, and an attendant who will hand you a paper towel for a dollar tip. The first stall on the right has a door that does not stay closed. Word. To. The. Wise. Can we get on that, Simon LeBon? Since I live in the land of ample parking and know how lucky I am, I anticipated a huge hassle near the venue. We found a spot on Clark at Armitage and paid a couple dollars because we arrived early enough for dinner. So, pleasantly surprised on that count. read more

As an employee of the venue, I have to say... I've had a blast working and running into the menagerie of people that come in there. We do rock shows, Bar Mitzvahs, The Gay Porn Awards, weddings, hip hop, special events (Miller, Bailey's, etc)... This isn't your average venue, but there's not a bad seat in the house and you've got yourself friendly waitstaff to serve you if you don't want to wait in line at the bar! Not the cheapest drinks in the world and pretty weak, yes... (the alcohol is measured, not free-poured (nothing we can do about it), but if you stick to beer or wine, you're guaranteed an excellent time in an excellent, historical room. My favorite shows so far? The Nightwatchman... which turned into a big reunion show with Perry Farrell, Shooter Jennings, The Coup, Ben Harper...Tom morello and his parents. I was stunned and officially rocked and felt very lucky to experience... KRS-One popping in last minute? Priceless. Give it a try. Parking's not as bad as you think. If you get there by 6, there is plenty of parking on Clark and the meters are done by 6. So there you go. **Also, please be aware that for any show hosted by Jam Productions, there's no in and outs for smoking anymore. Total Bummer and just a heads up. read more

Much different atmosphere than shows I've been to at Metro, Vic, Doubledoor, etc. Park West gives off that newer venue vibe, and to be honest, I kind of enjoyed it. The sound was great, and it seems like every seat in the house is a good one. I was standing up by the stage at first and sitting at a table later on, and despite the roaring crowd in front of me, I could still see even sitting down. AND, this nice man all dressed in black continued to bring watered-down vodka sodas to my table. Which was great. It's one thing to stand in line and wait amidst a crowd of people who think personal hygiene is merely a suggestion, just to get a crappy, watery, overpriced drink, but if you will bring it right to me, I can totally deal. 2 shots of whiskey (3/4 of an ounce each, jigger-poured) and a brown water. . ahem. . . coke-back was $21, but I guess I expected that from the moment I saw the giant disco ball hovering above black leather booths filled with canoodling couples. I kept thinking to myself, "Are we at the right show? Mike Ness is playing HERE? But this place has clean bathrooms!" Who knew. read more

Hi. I'm 30 years old. There is the full expectation that a venue is going to check your ID at the door, but the dude wouldn't give me an alcohol wristband because I had an out-of-state ID and apparently he doesn't know what they look like so he wouldn't let me drink. You're working at a venue in a big city. People are coming from all over. You can't deny someone alcohol because their ID isn't from Illinois. Then, while checking my bag at the door, he pointed inside of it and said "prescription bottle". He then had me take it out and show it to him, which kiiiiiind of seems like a personal violation. What if I don't want you to see what I'm taking? I have to show it to you so you can eyeball it without any training as to what different pills look like? I mean, I assume that you don't have any training because they obviously didn't give you any training about what out-of-state IDs look like either. After getting in, I ordered a soda water (since I couldn't be served) which was $5. We're not at Bulls game. Don't play that, Park West. At one point during the show, the host made some off-hand remark about how he's glad no one had complaints about Park West and about 20 people started yelling about how they had a bad experience with the venue tonight. Not a great sign. Officially replaced Concord Music Hall as my worst venue experience in Chicago. read more

I've been attending shows regularly at Park West for years, typically loving the intimacy of the venue. Last night I waited at the front of the line to be up close to a favorite artist and, for some reason, they've removed the seating / tables on the main floor. Since I'm pregnant, I couldn't stand in a pit and, (by sheer luck of knowing someone -- NOT venue consideration), ended up seated at one of their "VIP" booths. This seemed like a wonderful score at first but, once the crowd filled, I could not see *at all*. The stage / seating areas are both so low that even short people in front of me stood taller than I was, seated. Just a really inconsiderate, terrible change that left SO many people around us complaining they couldn't see -- those seated and standing. What's more -- I went to contact the venue, instead of yelping, and there's no customer service email. Real bummer. Very important FYI -- venue set up has totally changed and visibility is low unless you want to get there early and crowd the front. No consideration of pregnant woman. And defiantely not worth a booth "VIP experience" -- as you REALLY can't see from the booths in this new set-up. Not a bit. I've attached a photo of my view. read more

Park West - Due to new venue set-up, removal of main floor seating, this was my view at last night's show. And I was at the front of the line. Terrible. - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here with my cousin for the naked magic show...which was ok. I had bought tickets for the balcony but when we got there, the balcony was closed. My cousin is really short and would not have been able to see all the way in the back. I asked an employee if we could sit at the bar and watch and she said no until I reminded her that where we were sitting were not the seats that I bought. Then, you have to buy $20 worth of alcohol to use your credit card which again I thought was pretty tacky. Overall an alright venue but you can see from the picture that it was not sold out and there was no need for all these rules. read more

Park West - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Park West is a great-sounding, intimate venue that has a lot going for it. It's really nicely laid out and most areas have a great view. You'll have a server getting you drinks, and they've got comfy seats. I'd give it a 5 star review, but there's two things going against it - for starters, the booth seats don't face the stage! A party of 4 will be facing each other, but you'll have to turn your head at a 90* angle to see what's going on. Pretty lame, especially for those of us with creaky necks! Secondly, they've got bathroom attendants. Granted, they're the hipster variety usually doing crossword puzzles, but really - why should I feel pressured into tipping a dude to hand me a paper towel? These minor nits aside, the Park West is fantastic. I saw The Cornelius Group here, and it was probably one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen. They took full advantage of the A/V capabilities of the venue and really put on a spectacular show. read more

Small and intimate venue, I dig it! The sound was great. Park West has got to be one of the better small venues in Chicago. read more

This place sucks! I saw a show here last week, and it's officially my least favorite venue in the city (replacing the Vic). Make sure you arrive drunk because they will empty your wallet with their drink prices ($8 for a Miller Lite?!?). Also the credit card minimum is $20. There are seats/tables in the middle of the floor where the boring people sit and judge your dance moves. The vibe inside is sleazy looking and sort of looks like a bizarre strip club for Lincoln Park yuppies. Also the front of house entrance is hideous. Finally, there is a bathroom attendant in the men's restroom. Case closed. read more

Ive went to the Park West 2 times, and Ive enjoyed my visit on the second time . The seating is limited, so most of the venue is standing room only. The entertainers sound good, and they are easy to see in most locations so the layout is good. I did not enjoy standing outside the venue because it was unorganized. There wad limited instruction given to the attendees in line and it was a very slow-moving process. read more

There are at least four or five bars in this place! Get there early to get a seat right next to one or to go stand up front by the stage. Not much room up there to stand. Sounded and looked great! read more

Park West - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Of all my favorite venues in Chicago to catch a show, Park West is the classiest. I've been there to see Lindsey Buckingham and Editors in the past year, and the mix of booths, seats, and standing-room floor give the venue a very open feel. It's easy to get right up close to the stage, but just as easy to hang back more and still have a fantastic view. On the other hand, the mixed layout does make it difficult to navigate the room once the lights go down. But the sound is great and they attract a wide variety of bands and artists. My only real complaint is that the drinks--like at so many a live music venue--are overpriced and filled with ice (although the wait-staff was pretty speedy). read more