Come for Thursday night jazz! We arrived early for a solo guitarist who took requests and played…read morethem on the spot--it was incredibly impressive. We stayed through the final act, a full band that had the place packed, with everyone dancing and enjoying the lively atmosphere. We also loved that servers came around to take drink orders, so you didn't have to keep getting up to go to the bar. I'd definitely recommend coming early to grab a seat and staying for the whole night. But get food before, they do not sell food. We had an early dinner out before coming. Regardless, we've never experienced a place quite like this and had such a fabulous evening!

How anyone could rank this amazing preserved piece of Chicago history below 4 or 5 stars is beyond…read moreme. Seriously ... this was the best thing I did while visiting Chicago. It took 20 minutes and $25 each way to Uber there from my hotel in downtown Chicago, as it is 6 miles away. However, totally worth it. Yes ... it's cash only. That's a bit of a bummer. I'd rather pay a surcharge than trust the sketchy little ATM in the bar. Yes ... It's 'lived in'. I wouldn't call it dirty as much as it is worn. To me, this was part of the charm. It's been around since the 1920's and probably looks very similar to how it did in the 1940's. Dark, dingy and fun. Most of the mafia in Chicago didn't hang out downtown. This area is where their HQ was and where most of them congregated in the same way NY's mafia hung out in Bensonhurst instead of Manhattan. The area has a lot of vintage architecture and history, despite being a little more run down and 'authentic' than the more touristy downtown. I went on a Friday around 3:30 p.m. Already, the back seating area was full of people, however there were a few bar seats left in the front. An hour later, it was packed. They start charging a $20 (cash only) cover at 7 p.m. for the live band. Before that was a jazz organist, who was pretty good and a master at working the crowd. They have draft beer ($6 - $10) ... bottled beer ... and booze. My Old Fashioned was made with muddled orange and cherries and only cost $12. A gin and tonic was $9. It can be tough to get a drink because the one bartender works the entire bar. Nice guy though. Don't come here expecting anything other than a dive bar ... there is nothing modern about this place. However, it has one of the best vintage vibes I've honestly ever encountered in a jazz bar. Don't miss out on seeing this bar and hearing some music, even if it means having to Uber or drive. It will be worth the trip. There aren't many places around like this anymore.

It's been a while since I have stopped in here and it is high time I did a review. I met The Queen…read morefor a drink at the Uptown Lounge one sunny Saturday afternoon this summer. I am happy to report that the place has not changed: still a chill vibe and an impressive beer/cider list if that is your jam, plus bubbles for me. Uptown opens from 4 pm to 4 am, so this was the place I use to hang out before shows at the Aragon and the Rivera before and after shows. The lounge still has the booths and tables as options if you don't want to sit at the bar, but me and The Queen sat at the bar. Uptown sort of reminds me of a TARDIS, it is bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside when you are just strolling by. spread out around its surprisingly spacious interior. The Queen ordered the Raspberry Beret and said it was great, followed by a Blakes's El Chavo cider (Habanero and Mango). She is big lover of ciders and according to her they have a decent list to select from. They also serve coffee in the morning, which is new for me. Not sure how that work in terms of the place being open and I don't know if they allow you to bring food into the place or not, I didn't think to ask. I do remember back in the day you could order from Papa Ray's (which closed some time ago), I will have to inquire about this as it would be nice to spend a leisurely nosh over drinks while sitting at the bar. Service was good. There were two ladies behind the bar. I think one was in training. Both were talkative but in a good way, and they took care of us. Because we were there at 4ish, it was pretty quiet and I did not mind that. The Doctor ended up joining us after completing his errands and we had a great time. We definitely will be adding this to our rotation of places to chill and have a drink.

This is a nice bar just off the Lawrence Red Line stop and close to Aragon and Riveria, so perfect…read morefor a drink before or after a show. I stopped in here once before meeting friends and enjoyed the vibes. Prices were reasonable and staff is very friendly. It can get packed with a cover but still a good time

As a resident of Uptown, I could not be more convenienced to attend concerts and see some of my…read morefavorite acts within walking distance to my home. However, I feel like the crowds are very over-sold and croweded, to say the least. On top of that, it is blazing hot inside. This is the kind of space where you will be dripping sweat and standing with little to no space between the others around you. Travel lightly, and wear lose/comfy clothing. Some favorites include: Hayley Williams, Young the Giant, The 1975, CHVRCHES, Lizzo, and Haim.

Probably one of my least favorite venues I've been to. It was extremely hot and crowded, and sight…read morelines weren't great. Entry was actually pretty smooth, they separated bags vs no bags. But exiting was ATROCIOUS. I'm not claustrophobic but it seriously sketched me out. The bottleneck at the stairs felt very not safe. Show felt oversold. That being said, Hayley Williams was great and the sound seemed decent!

My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025!…read moreRestaurant: 59/50 Month tried: October Favorite dish: Fried Pickles We've heard so much about the legendary Carol's Pub and were happy to finally swing by for drinks and music. I can't really rate it as a full restaurant yet because we only had fried pickles, but the menu is small and simple and smelled delicious. The serving of pickles was HUGE! Fit for like six people, not just the two of us. And they were yummy. The artist playing when we went was great. I've heard the music lineup is always reliably good, as are the events. It's high on my 2026 goal list to come back for karaoke, bingo, and drag brunch.

Staple in the Andersonville area for the good old classic bar experience in Chicago. Great draft…read moreselection, good food options - though I will say their idea of tater tots is maybe a little unique (but still good!). Go if you want to catch the local game, go if you want somewhere low key and straightforward, go if you just want to experience local Chicago.

I love that it's still around, but this is the worst venue in Chicago for seeing a crowded show. If…read moreyou're not in the front 25 or 30%, and under the balcony overhang or in the back, this place is the worst! If they elevated the stage 2 feet it would solve a lot of visual problems

I would give this place a 0 if i could. I wasn't let in because I had a hydration pack. A…read morelollapalooza aftershow, where lollapalooza DOES allow hydration packs, doesn't allow hydration packs inside. Don't be an aftershow venue if you don't have the same policies as the actual show. This cost me an extra $65 for a show i couldn't attend. I'm so pissed. Don't come here for lollapalooza aftershows.

One of the worst venues I've ever been to. They over sold tickets and crammed people inside. The…read moreservers were few and far between (i did feel bad for them though since they had to go through the crowd to give drinks) the main stage is elevated, but the viewing area is barely sloped so if you are not in the front three rows you can't see anything! They didn't even have screens showing the stage so people in the back could see. Overall terrible set up. Plus they had a second elevated surface with poor signage that people kept tripping over all night. The women's bathroom is all the way on the top floor and very inaccessible. They have a coat check which is nice for a few bucks, $5 maybe? Parking is spot hero and like $20. Overall a bad venue

Staff is exceptionally rude and inconsistent, using the designated smoking area results in being…read moreunable to reentry and told to leave. Strange for paid events. Also cash only bar in some areas, but digital bar in some areas. Why?

I've come for drinks a few times and they have good deals and despite packed bars each time service…read moreis quick!! Its hole in the wall energy and they have a couple tvs for watching. I've had some apps and really like them! I want to come back for a full meal though

I attended Will Anderson's show and poetry reading on Thursday, November 13, 2025…read more My 37 year old ankles were so happy to see the venue had set up rows of white seats for the 90 minute show. The white seats + the ambient Christmas lighting matched the content of the show perfectly. The acoustics were good and I was only pulled out of the show mentally a couple of times by the roar of an emergency vehicle siren. The sound system was crystal clear. My friend went to go purchase us Waterloo Sparkling Water for $2 per the wall, but the bartender gave it to her for free from the soda gun--I wasn't mad at that. Due to trekking from the suburbs to Wrigleyville, the timing was off to try the restaurant, but I appreciate the venue and look forward to the next show that piques my interest there!

Just the right size to see a band. Whether on the floor or in the balcony, the site lines are good…read moreand despite being an old theatre, the sound is pretty good. Most shows are general admission, so if you want a good balcony seat or a spot near the stage, arrive early.

I visited The Vic for the first time in years to see comedian Janelle James. For whatever reason,…read moreshe chose to film her Netflix special there instead of a nicer venue. We arrived 30 minutes before the doors opened and found a line wrapped around the block. We had tickets for the second show, so we had to wait for the first show to let out. It was a little chilly so standing outside sucked. But the line moved quickly and finding a seat was painless. I found the venue and seating underwhelming. The seats are cheap folding chairs. They're packed tightly so good luck if you get stuck next to someone that's on the heavy side. During the show, a patron fell out of his seat twice and Janelle James ended up mentioning it in her act. He fell because the chairs were terrible!! Poorly constructed doesn't even begin to cover it. The acoustics were good though. I had no problem hearing Janelle James. I could barely see her though. The seating isn't elevated or sloped, so if you're short and surrounded by taller people, then you'll be staring at the back of their heads all night. That sucked, but what can you do? I caught glimpses of her sporadically, which ended up being fine. I didn't buy any food or alcohol, so i have no opinion on that. We exited the venue as quickly as we entered, which was a plus. I think it helped that we were seated towards the back. We got to the brown line in no time and were home soon after. The show was entertaining and I had a good time. Overall, the experience was satisfactory, but, I doubt I'd visit this venue again anytime soon.