Here's an up and comer hangout the south side is taking full advantage of! It's blessedly free of self righteousness, sells a full line of beer and liquors, has a great juke box and even has it's own little pub grub restaurant inside that sells pretty good food at decent prices! Those driving down there at night might miss it on the first swing, as it's situated within a strip mall on a four lane street, across from Sprawl*Mart. There's plenty of parking along the south side, so there's no need to fight over the few spots up front.
Bands are just starting to get booked here, so for right now, it's still a bit of a word of mouth deal. Even so, word of good places to hang out and catch a show catches on fast, and this place is definitely getting the recognition it deserves. It seems the bands booked are pretty varied, though they seem to rotate within the rock and metal genres, as well as host their fair share of 80s cover bands.
There are two stages, thanks to its banquet hall adjacent to the main entrance, with the main stage opposite the large bar. The sound and lighting are pretty good and carries well, even into the bathrooms way in the back, which are somewhat clean. Merch booths for large show cases form just about anyplace that has room, though are mindful to keep the fronts of the stage areas open for the fans.
When the place gets busy, the one gripe is that there really should be more than a single server behind the bar. Even so, the girl I've seen back there seems to handle herself fairly well under the circumstances, though the wait can be rather annoying.
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The Vitals
Address
10139 S. Harlem Ave.
Chicago Ridge, IL 60415
708-424-3884
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 3pm-2am
Saturday and Sunday: 12pm-2am