PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

This is a spot that definitely has its ups and downs, depending on your perspective. The bar has really earned its name due to its small capacity, and the upstairs verses the downstairs seem to be two completely different bars altogether.

As you come in, you'll immediately notice the blessed amount of bench seating available, which is great when you come in a pack. Also, since most people go there to see a show, seating is fairly ample, even on Friday and Saturday nights. The bar staff up there are pretty friendly, accommodating and know a thing or two about making a mixer, and the prices are fair, though nothing to write home about. The bathrooms however are pretty dingy and strewn with graffiti, but hey – that just makes for good bowl reading! Just be sure to hover and squat!

Yes, the Elbo Room brings in its fair share of decent local bands, and yes, it's in a fair location when it comes to finding parking considering the area, but that downstairs stage really doesn't do a whole lot of favors for anyone. The stairway can make you feel claustrophobic with those loose, winding steps, the stage is small and on the floor, the sound is pretty bad, it's more like hanging out in your mom's low ceiling basement than at any kind of real venue and wow does it get HOT down there, even in the middle of a frigid Chicago winter! And because of the layout, set changes take an awful long time, since there just isn't enough room for bands to set up and tear down in the same amount of space. However, places like this do allow fans to get up close and personal with their favorite bands, which can be a big positive under the right set of circumstances. Also, its strange, angular layout has plenty of little nooks to hide out in, though the bar stools are rickety, not at all comfortable and are in very short supply.

Overall, the Elbo Room is probably a good place to go if your friend's band is playing, so go ahead and support them! If you stay upstairs, it also serves well for finding a place in the neighborhood to bring a group of friends. Other than that though, the place really doesn't have much to stand on its own.