Alot to dig through, not on a budget for sure so the Barrington nites better get them deep pockets out! Expensive here overall for things you'd dig for at most other record stores, yet it's still okay to peruse and decent to see. Nothing really nearby though in this area read more

Great service. I picked up some first pressing of old Jazz albums. The person asked if unwanted to listen to them first. I didn't have time. He indicated if I had problems to bring them back. I will come back for sure. read more

Loved the location, lots & lots of hard to find 70's/80's 12" dance singles in Mint condition. The young gal behind the counter was pleasant and sweet to deal with. Will definitely buy from this place again next time i visit Chicago. read more

Great record store for genres including but not limited to: Jazz, rock, hip hop, dance / electronic, music from around the world, classical, blues, country, more. There are sections for new records, used records, 45s, more. There are also some cds and books. Owner is highly knowledgeable and friendly. This is a super well-curated store with high quality records that are priced fairly. read more

Good selection but the man and young lady (I guess they are the owners based on other reviews) are sullen and act like they don't want to be there, and don't really want customers there, either. I don't expect my butt kissed when I go shopping, but I also don't want to be treated like a bug. Most music lovers would be thrilled to own a record store. I assume that's why these people are in this particular business, they love music. Privilege at its finest? This was my second trip to this record store and both times I walked away empty-handed because I didn't want to give my hard-earned money to people that act like they could not care less if they get the business or not. Maybe online sales would suit these people's personalities better. Shout out to Metal Edge Records in Chicago. Those dudes truly love what they do and their attitudes show it! read more

What a collection of records!! We have been meaning to visit for quite some time and now plan to visit on a regular basis.

Great selection of vinyl and a good atmosphere. The owner knows his stuff and has a show on Harper College radio (short mans room) def worth a listen read more

The owner "John" was EXTREMELY OBNOXIOUS AND RUDE!!! I must have caught him on a bad day as I walked in and instantly greeted him w/a friendly hello. As I proceeded into his store his curt language and attitude continued. I couldn't understand the environment I walked into, and started to feel threatened for my safety. When he came uncomfortably too close to me, I quickly decided to leave his store. As I walked out, I looked back and he was giving me the finger. Nobody should be treated the way he treated me. I don't see his business surviving with his threatening and obnoxious customer service, not to mention I didn't see one quality record, as the other reviewers mentioned his pricing was too high for used vinyl. read more

Had a great time flipping through vinyl and CD's here today! Yes. CD's. It felt weird to buy one, but everybody could use more of The Cure, in any format. John (the owner) clearly loves what he does, and was a pleasure. Found some great albums, in great shape. read more

I agree with most of the positive ratings but, that stinky fish store next door needs to go. Maybe they should burn incense to offset the fish smell. Record stores and incense sticks go together anyway. read more

Seriously excellent record store. Specializing in vinyl, of course. Owner Jon is knowledgeable across a broad range of genres. The selection is really good in both new and used. The store is a great size where there's plenty of selection but small enough that it's like going to a friends shop. I like to ask for recommendations of stuff I've never heard of..haven't been disappointed yet! Service is excellent. Any quality issues are addressed and taken care of immediately. Also, added bonus is you can listen to a used disc before buying, there's a turntable set up specifically for that.. perfect. read more

Nice shop with a good selection of used classic rock and other vinyl but I miss Recycled Records in Barrington. They had a broader assortment, better pricing and more crates to explore than this new place. The pricing is high for used vinyl vs other places that provide a fairer starting point vs here. read more

As the other reviewer noted, this place has a lot of great VG records (vinyl records) priced to move. The selection is great for rock/pop and country, less good, but still pretty decent for jazz. Also has a very nice selection of cds in the same genres. The people that run the place are also very nice, extremely knowledgable, and record rating seems fair. Downsides are that some of the records are not always as clean as one might like (dusty) and less diverse selection of material beyond rock, country, and jazz. Prices on the stuff they do have make up for this though (no gouging like Kiss the Sky out in Geneva). Definitely worth checking out. read more

Great record store. Carries new and used vinyl. Very reasonably priced and a great selection of CD's. Not stocked with the same old CD's you can buy at best buy ether. Vinyl selection is more rock based, but has a good amount of Jazz and country. There is a TON of VG records priced to move. Also it should be noted that they recently moved to 421 N. Northwest Highway, Barrington, IL 60010 read more

Store was not open during advertised business hours. I drove 40 minutes to get here just to find out they are only open on Saturdays. If you're not going to keep your store open during business hours that are listed. Don't list hours. Or at least provide some kind of notice that you are changing your hours. Extremely disappointed. This is the only real record store even remotely close to where I live and their selection is great. But their selection doesn't matter if they're not open. read more

We recently cleaned out our basement and found a box of albums. We didn't have any way to use them and weren't sure what to do with them. Thanks to Yelp, we found this place. The owner couldn't have been nicer. He bought some of the albums and suggested we donate the others to charity. It's obvious he loves what he does and he's a pleasure to deal with. read more

A very nice record store. Owner was very nice and welcoming, and they have a good mix of vinyl, including a hefty amount of CDs. And almost all of the vinyl, including the cheaper racks, are in alphabetical order! Which is really nice. Like every independent record store, the prices are a little higher than what you'd spend at, say, FYE, but hey, if you want good quality and have shopped at independent stores before, you'll know what I mean by "a little more expensive". All in all, it was a very nice shop. I will be going back. Shop independent! read more

Excellent selection, awesome prices, John is very nice and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere is great in there. I hope Rainbow Records decides to upgrade from the plastic tables to something a little more permanent down the road. A nice oak display rack would look amazing in there, but I understand if he keeps his records in boxes because it's easier to transport to expos and conventions etc. 5/5 stars, highly recommend. read more

Just drove out there today (Saturday) at 11:15 am to check out the collection and nobody there, even though they open at 11:00 (posted online and on their door). Looking for elsewhere to go. read more

Great selection of vinyl even better prices. Wish they had a place to test and try out the vinyl. Nice area downtown by the river. Small shop with huge selection. read more

Great selection! Great vinyl old school vibe too. I am new to buying vinyl as I just got a turn table. I bought records from all genres too. Not too much hip hop (that I could find) but some good stuff nonetheless. Well organized too. read more

I came up here a couple years ago and keep meaning to go back. I was very impressed! This is definitely not your typical used record shop, where scratched-up rock albums that sold 4 million copies 35 years ago are priced at $15 because "ooh it's vinyl!" Rainbow Records gets it right. The prices here are very reasonable, and you can have a conversation with the very down-to-earth owner while you're shopping. Now I'll have to make some time to stop in this weekend! read more

Awesome local record store. Although I don't collect vinyl, I browse their CD collection and always find hidden gems that I can't find anywhere else. I found a Wishbone Ash CD there recently. John, the owner is very knowledgeable and it is so easy to get roped into a long conversation about music with him. He takes personal requests. I wish he would update his social media pages more as well as have more hours of availability. Overall though, I always have fun coming here. read more

This store does have a pretty decent selection but I nearly passed out when I saw his prices my god he charges more for used cd's then they costed brand new and please I'm not new at music I shop all over and Rainbow Records is by far the most over priced and the vast majority isn't even remastered and he charges more then other stores charge for a remastered better sounding cd ! To charge $ 9.99 to $ 11.99 for an old cd that Reckless Records would charge $ 4.99 for a remastered copy I'm just shocked I've never seen a store charge so much ! I was mad I wanted to buy so much stuff until I saw prices !!' read more

I have visited this store many times, and I must say I find something new every time. I love this store, and the owner, John, is a most knowledgeble man. He never stops in his efforts to find what what you are looking for. I have engaged in many conversations with him, and his wit is a welcome change from many other stores I have visited. He knows his inventory and is very helpful. I have no complaint about the prices, as I feel they are fair. I was actually in there today, looking for a Genesis album, Foxtrot, which he did not have, when I ran into the remastered Physical Graffitti album from Led Zeppelin. I had pre-ordered that one from Amazon. His price, with tax, was $4 less than what Amazon was charging me. I got on my I-pad, and cancelled the order and bought from John. Support your brick-and-mortar people, for if you dont, they soon will be gone. Jeff Prien read more

This is an awesome goddamn store. Owner is super cool and can basically talk about any band or musician. Have picked up some great records every time I go in. Loved when the shop was Rainbow Records, and Love it now. Also I was able to get Tom Waits' Small Change for $20 so and that is awesome. read more

Really just absolutely brilliant. My sister and I went here to find some good vinyl for her new record player. We could have spent hours browsing the collection of thousands of records and simply talking music with the owner. It's very rare to find someone with his knowledge of music. Budget some time--it isn't easy to leave. Found a rare American copy of a Beatles record produced only in Britain, in great condition. You come in, you talk, you find something you love. read more

I've been buying and selling records at Rainbow Records in Barrington for years. The owner really knows his stuff and is always accomodating. Great selection and very fair prices for buyers and sellers. Highly recommended. read more

Great selection of vinyl at fair prices. Owners is very friendly. If he does not have what you want he can most likely order it for you, as he has done for me with CDs and vinyl over the years. Do yourself a favor and go here and help support a local business. read more

This place is great for vinyl lovers. Boxes and boxes of records. Prices are decent and the owner is very friendly and helpful.

Awesome nice owner. Great selection of rare items! If you have not been here you need to check it out!

I bought 15 albums in the last year &1/2 from rainbow in the plastic sleeve & graded VG++ they were $5-10 not an outrageous amount.I found the time to go through them tonight,they have the plastic sleeves & the jackets are in really good shape,like really good shape.The only way to describe the lp's is just plain poor,I was just stunned at how bad they are, one after another.What ever was used to clean them left a thick haze,on top of crazy amounts of abrasions,scours,and deep slices.My fault entirely for not inspecting each & every one & completely uncharacteristic.Grading systems are as different as different gets but this ? *Good (G), Good Plus (G+) Generally worth 10-15 percent of the Near Mint value. Good does not mean Bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear (on a styrene record, the groove will be starting to turn white).* This Would a generous way to describe these. read more