Went here last night for the first time in many moons. Very mixed crowd and some very good karaoke singers ! I wasn't up to the challenge of public singing(trust me,it was better that way). My hubby and I were wiped out from a day with his parents,so we didn't stay very long. One thing I did notice was that I never paid the same amount for a drink-each time,same drink(which was NOT the "call brand" of vodka I ordered,either), it was a different price. Very odd, but I didn't mind, it wasn't outrageous.Kudos to all of you who were brave and rocked out!! read more

I love this place- coming from out of state was able to find this drive bar- so much space. Great place to just have some good food , sing your heart out. Will be back again of course , until next year. read more

This place is the most magical karaoke wonderland. You can expect smells reminiscent of your grandma's attic, at least one spotting of male mullet, and women with feathered hair and rhinestone bedazzled T-SHIRTS. You can also expect to hear the most passionate renditions of your favorite and most timeless 80s and 90s classics. If you like Alice's, you will LOVE sidekicks, unless you are just a basic bitch who only goes to karaoke bars when you're too drunk to remember. Be Brave....go to Sidekicks. But please don't if you can't appreciate the realness. Cash Only! read more

The second I walked through the doors at Sidekicks, I immediately thought that I went through some time portal and landed in a bar on the distant outskirts of Oklahoma City in 1974. The room just had a feel of being modern in 1972. There was an older guy dressed like Roy Orbison crooning on the mic. The other patrons looked like folks whose pontiac broke down on road trips and they are stuck in town waiting to have them fixed by the local mechanic. I felt out of place here, but those that were there were having fun. Drink and food prices were reasonable. I had to leave because I got a little worried that I was stuck in a Twilight Zone episode and if I stayed too long I'd be stuck in the 70's forever. I'll go back once I memorize some sports scores to make a killing at the casinos if I do get stuck back in time. Those that were there were having fun, so I guess if you are in the area and looking for karaoke, check it out. read more

Cash only although there is an ATM if you can get past the $3 fee. Diverse crowd. Casual. My family is in love with this place. Huge portions for food especially for the price. Awesome bartender. Each and every DJ has a kick ass voice so when no one else is up and singing the djs have got it still going on :) look out for john and jim(sings just like Sinatra) read more

This place is amazing. Like sociologically amazing. I don't even know how my friend Monica found it, but I'm so glad she did because I'm pretty sure the interior and the drink prices are exactly as they were in the 60s. Awesome, penultimate study-in-Chicago-characters DIVE. Weirdest range of people -- and no friggin' clue how they all got there, btw -- in this dark-wood, bouncer-protected, cash-only, strong-drink, late-night, KARAOKE ALL-NIGHT bar and bar-food joint. It doesn't seem like the safest place outside and sometimes the diversity of the people inside is a little rough, too, but everyone stays happy and drunk and singing until all hours, so that's the appeal. No good way to get here except the Montrose bus (which stops around 9:30) or a scary walk from the blue line, but the good news is that the never-busy, always-friendly bartender will call you a cab if you ask nicely. read more

Super fun dive bar. Late night karaoke fun. Great time when you've already been drinking and want to belt out some tunes. Surprisingly there were a lot of people who sang pretty well while I was there. If people get too rowdy, they do a good job at setting them straight. Decent amount of room in the bar and there are darts in the back. read more

I really like Sidekicks because they have karaoke and they turn the music loud enough to cover up any bad singing :) This place is open to everyone and anyone and is great for a large group. The shots are inexpensive and they do the job. read more

Its the "KICK". 5 am bar. Stiff drinks. Strange characters in this place all the time.

Have been here several times and liked it until someone on staff stopped my girlfriend as she was going into the ladies' room and told her she couldn't because she's a guy? He still insisted after she SHOWED HER DRIVER'S LICENSE proving that yes, she's female. I'm ashamed to have given this place my money and I won't be back. read more

It's kind of like a want to be Cheers that also wants to be a hardcore karaoke bar at the same time and it fails on all fronts. The decor is outdated, dirty, and honestly kind of creepy. I wouldn't go back unless it's 2 a.m. and it's the bar we stumble upon. read more

An exceptional choice when it comes to karaoke bars. Drinks are reasonably priced and the crowd is just out to cheer you on and have fun! So highly worth your time checking out. Peace... read more

ok place i guess. i went for a friends bday, and would probably not go in voluntarily. doesn't seem like a place that gets pretty filled, however. the person that was in charge of the karaoke that night wasn't very organized, nor did he get the crowd pumped for singing. meh. i've experienced better karaoke, bars, and karaoke bars. read more

Went here after seeing Audioslave, my buddies wanted to check it out. It's pretty fun, and we did get the pizza which was pretty good. They have a stage, lots of songs to choose from and a good bar. They card hard here. read more

Spent about 4 hours at Sidekicks for a bachelorette party on Saturday night. It was the best time I've ever had doing Karaoke. KJ was so friendly as were all the other singers. We really felt welcome at this bar and had such a great time! read more

Karaoke every day of the week. I always have a good time there, but it's not the best karaoke in the city. The location is nice because there is parking if you drive, and it's only about 3 blocks from the Montrose Blue Line stop if you take the CTA. The drinks prices are pretty average. There's also a window to order your typical bar food if you get the munchies. I hate that all the smokers crowd around the door because you have to walk through it to go in and out. There are A LOT of smokers at this bar. The song selection is pretty good, and the guy who runs it is nice. It gets so crowded late at night that you probably won't get to sing much, if at all, once it's busy. I've even tried tipping to get my songs played, but it didn't make a difference. read more

I love going to sidekicks. It's been a long time. I enjoy karaoke whether sober or not. Chrissy is the best waitress ever. She's a lot of fun and a sweet person. Most of the singers that pop on stage are decent singers so it's a lot of fun. There's a dance floor in case you like dancing, some video games, and darts in the back room. Open til 4am!! read more

What makes Sidekicks fun is that the booze is so cheap you can get drunk enough to be a karaoke superstar. What makes it stellar is that the crowd of mostly neighborhood regulars doesn't mock, they get up there and look just as bad. The food and the service here is great. The music catalog for the karaoke is sufficient. There isn't anything particularly trendy or pretentious about Sidekicks, which makes it a great place to relax with a group of friends. read more

Not my scene. Pretty trashy, in my opinion. Sure it's cheap, the bartender was nice, but everything else ... blah. I don't sing karaoke, so nothing has a pro for me about this place. I give it one star because it's cheap and the other star because my friend loves to sing karaoke here. I don't think he'll ever get me in to this place again though. read more

Also a good time. Mixed group of people having a great time on the weekend. It's always very busy on the weekend. read more

This place is fun but some of the "regulars" are rude and obnoxious. The shots are cheap and the karaoke is always entertaining. The DJ is pretty good and keeps the music going. Usually crowded on Thrus-Sat. Kind of a walk once you get off the train and the neighborhood can be a little "ify" after hours. This is a karaoke bar. There is always karaoke. Don't go if you want to converse one-on-one. Go with groups who want to belt out songs at the top of their lungs. read more

Nice place. Prices on drinks are reasonable. Good vibes

I went here with some friends on a pretty random weekday evening. Not many people there, which was a plus since my friends and I got to sing a lot and be a little weird. We even had a Lilith Fair moment. Huge and extensive karaoke book. Not bad prices for booze either. read more

I called to see when karaoke started. I was told 8pm. When we got there shortly before 8 no equipment was set up. No Karaoke DJ to be found and we were the ONLY people in the bar. Then we were told that it's "jam night." And the only people performing would be people with instruments. But I still don't see any participants. We hung out til about 8:20 and left. Very disappointing. I hope this place gets busy later because if it keeps going like this, a neighborhood dive in a very nice neighborhood will soon be in the history books. read more

Sidekicks popped my karaoke cherry...and I was sober...yep you read that right...sober. A bunch of work people and I decided to sing our little hearts out in celebration of 2 weeks off after our work holiday party. The bar itself is pretty tacky and has a lot of tacky patrons as well, I swear there was at least one prostitute. But prostitutes aside, we all had a great time! Our group was able to sing probably 4-5 songs and it was pretty crowded on a Friday night. Our waitress was so sweet and attentive, drink prices are cheap, food is pretty decent, and the song selection is amazing. You could easily spend two hours perusing the song book. Sidekicks was a great way to start off our holiday vacation! read more

Don't go here to sing new music, but if you want to have a good time singing the classics (50's to 90's) then this is your place. Always a wide array of people here, but the atmosphere is fun. Go on weekdays if you have stage fright because it's not too busy, plus the songs are free. If you go on Saturdays it's a dollar a song. read more

I really like this place. The staff are very nice and their karaoke is super fun. They used to have this jerk of a DJ do the karaoke but he is gone and has been replaced by a much nicer and more approachable guy. The establishment is clean and the drinks and food they serve are pretty decent. For me, the main draw is that they have karaoke every night. I would recommend this place to someone who wants to have a good time. read more

I don't think I've ever liked any karaoke bar like this one!! I loovvvveee this place!! The staff is personable and the drinks are cheap. Reminds me of being at a bar back home. :) Good stuff! The only thing I truthfully did not like was the staff in the kitchen. A friendly face brings more business. Just remember that!! read more

This place would just be a funky neighborhood bar if it didn't have a dirty little secret. When the sun goes down , and the freaks come out , and the stage lights come on ... you can rock your ass off. I am not fond of Karaoke bars , but I can appreciate the concept. I also enjoy the free entertainment , bad entertainment is still entertainment. You will always get the group of girls that will sing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" or "Your the One That I Want" , and the guys trying to score ,belting out their best "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" or "Unchained Melody". I was surprised by the amount of Country music "singers" in the area. All that said , I don't do many bars , too many a-holes. I actually have an alright time whenever the wife drags me here. There is also an OK food selection , mostly fried stuff , not great , but it beats pretzels , and takes a really long time. Make sure you order well in advance. It hasn't happened yet , but someday ,maybe, if I get drunk enough . You may , Just May , hear me belt out my infamous version of "Jesse's Girl" if you go to Sidekicks . Your odds are better seeing the Yeti though. read more

Not sure that this place is really all that good. Sound system is old and what is it with the duct tape holding the microphone to the Mic stand? I think they still use discs at this place! Look out for the regulars that are there on Tuesday nights, who sing Andy Williams and of course the guy who dresses in the Elvis costume! This is definitely for older crowds at this place. read more

I wish I could rate them lower. I went there with 0 alcohol in my system and they told me I couldn't come in because I didn't get my ID out fast enough. read more

I like this bar. Very interesting. I like their karaoke and their prices on their drinks are OK. I go occasionally, and I will continue to go to sidekicks. read more

Went there with friends when we were trying to find a bar that's open late night. It wasn't hopping but the cocktails were good and I was relatively impressed by the place. It was definitely old school but somehow didn't feel entirely like a dive bar. Maybe it's because the Sidekicks is so large. I'm relieved to have missed karaoke though. I'm still not understanding this trend on that side of town. read more

This is my favorite. Great waitstaff- friendly and efficient. Lots of cool people here, from neighborhood people, to hipsters looking for a late nightcap, to people here to karaoke. Lots of room, lots of seating. Decent jukebox, and there is a kitchen to (slowly) prepare some food for you. Great place to watch the game or stop by anytime. Captain Ted is the best! read more

In terms of Karaoke in Chicago it doesn't get much better than this. It is a large dive bar with dance floor and a small stage, friendly servers and decent bar food, usually exactly what you are craving at the time. You can go on a weekend and hang with lots of cool people or sometimes I like to go on an off night when I'll get to sing 8 songs because there's hardly anybody else there, it's a good time to perfect new material. And it's right off the Montrose Blue line. read more

I love this place! It is a bit of a hole in the wall--but that's what I love about it. We have friends that live right around the corner and sometimes we'll stop in. We have yet to have a bad time. The karaoke is always entertaining here too. read more

So at first to be completely honest I was a little pissed we were going here since I'm not a huge fan of karaoke. After my first beer though I was actually totally diggin the place. It was great. The crowd was so unbelievably random which is great and found at very few places in the city. The beers are pretty cheap and the bar food is well bar food but great if your drunk and need the greasiness :) While your never catch me up there singing I'll probably been seen there again. read more

OK, I guess it doesn't take much to impress me. I haven't been here for Karaoke (which sounds like the whole point); I usually go Friday or Saturday night, after 2 when other bars close. I do like that they're open til 4, have table service (quite unusual for late-night), and aren't usually super-crowded, unlike 4 a.m. spots in other 'hoods. The weird '80s decor (Ferrari-girl posters in the john, diagonal wood panelling EVERYWHERE) is fun; crowd is fairly youngish but diverse (at least weekends), staff very nice, parking usually easy, drinks are reasonable (I didn't say 'cheap'), they have to-go beers (expensive, but hey) and for the after-pigout, there's Suzy's practically next door. I'd go here over Joe E's most nights. read more

Generally, a place that thrives for its karaoke (before 2am) and its late hours (after 2am). Not being one to run with the karaoke crowd, it should be noted that they do have a separate room for steel-tipped darts which is very nicely set up and set apart from the rest of the craziness. I wouldn't call it a dive bar at all, it's a large place with plenty of things to do (except for playing pool). The drink prices are, well, just average, and magically increase after 2am. To agree with previous reviews, yes, there are no drink specials, and free drinks are an extreme rarity. It's a great place for meeting up with a group, as they have plenty of tables sprinkled around for hanging out. For food, it's pretty much all great bar food, and the pizza is top notch. If you have some money to spend, it's good, despite the time-warped decor. And I agree, Chrissy is a great waitress! read more

I went here for my 21st birthday because karaoke is my jam. Upon arrival the bouncer was extremely rude and wasn't going to let me in because I didn't have an updated ID (I had been 21 for 20 minutes so clearly that wasn't possible to have a brand new ID). After my friends and I had told him it was my bday and he let us in but had attitude. After that everything was pretty good. I wish I knew her name but our shots lady (older woman with blonde hair) was great to us and made us feel comfortable. There are a ton of songs to pick from and they have decent drink specials. read more