Category: Live Music

Meet your friends at the Red Line Tap in Rogers Park for plenty of good beer, all kinds of music, and good food from the Heartland Cafe. The Red Line Tap shares a building with the Heartland Café; look for the broken missile on the roof next to the Morse Red Line El stop.

At first glance the Red Line looks ordinary with a small stage, concrete floors and one pool table. The selection of beer and music, both modestly priced, sets the Red Line apart from other bars. On a Saturday night I saw three bands there for only $5, including rock, folk and jazz. Many types of bands play here including the regular features: country and rock with Poverty Tax on Sundays, jazz, jam and funk with Project 99 on Mondays, the much-loved bluegrass band Sexfist on Tuesdays, punk rock and metal acts on Wednesdays and an open mic on Thursdays. No matter what your friends’ musical tastes, you can find something they like at the Red Line. Covers are $5 and entertainment is free on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Bring your instruments and vocals to the long-running Thursday night open mic. Sign-up is at 8pm with the music starting at 9. Miki Croisant from Funk to Punk hosts and visiting bands can use the house drum kit. Performers each get one free drink, which your musician friends will love.

With over two dozen beers on tap, the Red Line serves a mix of local and domestic beers from Goose Island 312 to New Holland’s Mad Hatter to Sapporo and Fransiskaner Weiss. The $2.50 or $3 nightly beer specials always offer a good domestic or import like German Jever, and never wuss out and give you an overpriced can of corporate beer. You can also order cocktails and wine from the bar.

When you get hungry at Red Line, order quesadillas, nachos or other food from the Heartland Café kitchen, which also serves a smaller menu here. You could make a night of it, meeting up at the Heartland for dinner first, then moving to the Red Line to enjoy the music. The Heartland Café has been a cornerstone of Rogers Park for over 30 years. Since 1996, the Red Line has served drinks in this location, which housed Roy Kawaguchi’s bar before that. All types and ages of people feel welcome here and the small bar offers great music, beer and food for you and your friends.

If you are really trying to make a good first impression or want to celebrate a mile stone, this is the ultimate place to take that special someone. Fondue is fun, communal and slow paced – a great way to get to really know and spend time with each other! With the very dark setting, soft candle lighting and gentle guitar strumming, it really sets up the night for all that is romance. And yes, there is just something so sexy and seductive about watching your date slowly ease a hot and decadent morsel of food off a skewer with his or her mouth, perhaps dripping a bit of melted cheese onto the corner and licking it ever so gently.

Now when I say dark, I mean it! In fact, I suggest going later in the evening so that your eyes will be better suited for adjusting when coming in from the outside. And while the food is certainly not for the health conscious, since anything this sinful usually carries extra calories along for the ride, there is no mistaking its absolute deliciousness. And for those who don't quite have their fancy table etiquette down pat, this formal dining style takes all the worry out of the bag. It's little wonder why fondue is making such a big come back!

To make the most out of the overall experience, go with one of their premier fondue dinners. The salad is pretty slim but fresh, but everything else brought out to you is very well deserving of its price tag. That, and all those wonderful dipping sauces for the high grade meats and seafood are simply superb! Appetizers and dessert are included, so it helps to take the stress out of what to order as well. The only thing left to choose is from their ample wine list, of which the servers are more than helpful and knowledgeable on.

Geja's is so popular and sought after with couples that they begin booking Valentine's Day a month ahead. However, I suggest going on a week night, since the place really books up on weekends and seating can be a little tight. Also, parking in the area is notoriously painful, so it's a good idea to take them up on their $8 valet service offer. Mondays offer half bottle wine specials, which is good for couples who choose to load up on the food instead of the alcohol, and it's also the easiest night to score a secluded booth.

More of a café earlier in the evening, more of a night club later on, Cafe Lura is one of those places you just look forward to seeing a show at, because while the stage area itself might be on the tight side, it’s the side rooms themselves people really enjoy. And ladies – this place is thankfully not a meat market!

If you’ve come for good, authentic Polish food, then you’re in for surprise and are better off hitting one of the many Polish restaurants in the neighborhood. While they do boast a pretty darn good pierogi in either its boiled or fried state, the small menu is pretty much focused on standard Americanized fare. However, they do offer blintzes and potato pancakes as well, alongside some decent sandwiches – enough to keep your tummy from rumbling and tasty enough to satisfy a craving.

Now, if you’ve come for the night club aspect, then you’re REALLY in for a surprise, because this place is fun, fun FUN! The center stage is pretty tiny, where 20 people make the place look crammed. However, the bar area is where most of the action is, where regulars will find themselves permanently shackled to the stools for the rest of the night. If you wander past the stage area, you will find what is probably one of Lura’s best kept secrets: that absolutely charming lounge area. No matter what the weather is outside, in this room you will be transported to a medieval European garden under a perpetual night time sky. You can still hear the music just fine, but at a decibel level that allows you to actually talk and get to know people!

Past the bar area is another tucked away nook, where this room is more reminiscent of a European hunting lodge. This is also where most folks choose to dine, and where you are most likely to find the Polish speaking regulars. While not as stunning as the other room, this is also a nice place to sneak away from the rest of the party!

Behind the establishment is a small parking area, with the door leading right into the bar area. However, most people opt to park on the street so that the bands can utilize this space for loading and unloading their gear. After 9pm, metered parking is free anyway! Also, buses in the area are plentiful and run all night, though cabs are a little harder to come by. If you want one, have the bar staff call one up for you.

For a good date in Wrigleyville, pass up the noisy sports bars and meet at Uncommon Ground on Clark Street. The restaurant has two bars, a big one in the front and a smaller one in the back. It offers coffee drinks as well as beer, wine and cocktails and a menu from breakfast to desserts from Bittersweet Bakery. Your date may be impressed with the organic, seasonal menu and both meat-eaters and vegetarians can find tasty dishes here.

In summer, grab an outdoor table on the sidewalk. In winter, settle into some cozy leather chairs near one of the two fireplaces. Enjoy the local art on the walls, all of which is for sale. Even the restrooms are decorated with paintings; I liked the big tree on the ladies’ room wall. The front room tends to be brighter and louder, while the lights and sounds are lower in the side room. Enjoy local bands here or the sounds of the Monday night open mic.

Share a plate of Spanish tapas with Manchego cheese, Serrano ham, Marcona almonds, quince paste and olives. The menu ranges from pizza, pasta, and burgers (including a veggie burger), to duck, salmon and even buffalo. The distinctive, healthy Sunshine Salad combines seasonal farmers’ market vegetables with sprouts, sunflower seeds and avocado in organic cider vinaigrette. For a breakfast date, try the Uncommon Huevos with eggs over easy on a black bean corn cake topped with ancho chili sauce and Chihuahua cheese.

Uncommon Ground prides itself on one-of-a-kind cocktails. Two of the most promising are the Frida Kahlo with dark chocolate liquor, vanilla vodka, cinnamon and cayenne pepper, and the Cold and Flu Buster, a whole pot of chamomile tea spiked with ginger vodka, honey liqueur and a lemon slice. Local beer, a good selection of wine and Uncommon Gound’s famous coffee offer enough variety for any date to drink what he or she enjoys.

As a coffee shop, bar, restaurant, and music venue, Uncommon Ground stands out in a crowd and makes you feel welcome. The Clark Street restaurant opened in 1991 and a new Uncommon Ground coffee shop opened recently at 1401 W. Devon. Check them out for a great and uncommon date.

Have you been noticing the same trend I have lately - that “Dive Bars” are in, but the places springing up are really more like a commercialized Crabby Ole Mondays than a genuine hole in the wall? Well, for those of you who are fed up with the wanna be’s can rejoice, because The Mutiny truly IS a dive! It’s dark, dank and really rank, where the pool is free, the drinks are cheap, there’s never a cover and the guy’s can claim the dubious distinction of relieving themselves in what is quite possibly the world’s largest urinal… one of which us rubber necking ladies feel the need to get a sneaky peek of!

This is a place where you can shackle yourself to the bar and get loaded from a mere twenty, thanks to the frosty half pitchers! At the same time, you can get acquainted with the regulars, some of which are really past the expiration date, all while admiring a dizzying array of local art on the drop ceiling tiles overhead - some of it is really impressive! Add to that a fun juke box that caters to just about every rockin’ taste and live bands that pass a pitcher around for tips (since they don’t charge at the door). How much fun can a group have when they really do want to slum it?

The bands that play here are usually of the Punkish persuasion, though 80s cover bands and metal acts do find their way inside. The tie that binds is the acts are all pretty much starving artists looking to get a little stage time, so don’t expect too many up and comers or bands traveling from anywhere further than the south side. However, just like the prizes in a Cracker Jack box, you never know what you’re going to get: probably nothing with much pizzazz but plenty of moxie to make up for it.

Now of course, that make shift stage in back looks like it’s ready to collapse at any second, the sound is pretty bad, there aren’t a whole lot of places to cop a squat, there’s a weird smell you can’t quite put a finger on and Fire Marshall Bill might have something to say about the crowds. But personally, I think it just adds to the charm. The people are genuinely nice and easy going, and the bands play their hearts out, hoping to rattle a few wallets in order to scrape up some gas money home. Really, this place is a whole package, and singling out all it’s ills and woes does not do it justice. Needless to say, elitists, germaphobics and A-List bands would probably rather find someplace else to go.

If you want to see a big rock or metal show that has that arena look to it but not the feel, then taking a drive out to far suburban Mokena to the Pearl Room is the thing to do. The sound is beyond excellent in the main stage area, parking is free and ample, the bar is well stocked and well tended (though expensive), and there are a number of places to munch at afterwards. On top of that, this place really does a great job of taking on only the best local acts for openers, so no set features a “beer line band”, making it an excellent place to support your local bands.

Even though many A List bands perform here, the Pearl Room's policy allows fans to come in with their cameras and snap some pictures! Some shows even allow video cameras! Also, those who really want to meet their favorite artists can usually walk around back where the tour buses are located in hopes the bands will be gracious enough to pose for pics and sign autographs. After the show, you may even be allowed to go upstairs and party with them up in the green rooms! How cool is that? Those in the know are aware the folks running the merch booths are usually good friends with the bands, so buying at-shirt or CD and hanging out a while can also stand you the chance of meeting the artists in person!

The layout is very unique, as the Pearl Room is part of a big complex that is interconnected to a couple other clubs and even some strip mall type shops. The parking lot itself is also connected to a couple chain restaurants, giving folks time to sober up and chow on some pancakes before getting behind the wheel. People fortunate enough to get upstairs can actually look down through glass windows into the club connected below.

The one caveat to the place is there is no in and out allowed, so if you plan on buying up a lot of merch from the booths, you may want to ask if the vendors would be kind enough to hold onto your purchases. Don't wait until the end of the night, because just like everyplace else, e good stuff always goes first, as well as the most popular t-shirt sizes.

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.

Now here is a place you can go to any night of the week and, even if all the bands were worse than disappointing, you can guarantee you will have a good time. There are so many pluses to the Bottle that the few negatives that is has can be far out weighed.

First off, there is that no cover Monday night deal, where while the bands can be varied and inherently hit or miss, the drink prices are more than fair, and there's a little tucked away game room nook that allows you to escape from the occasional suckiness. When the bands are good, the place can get really crowded. Either way, take advantage of the game room to catch a breather, and don't forget to buy some merch! Also, not many places can boast of being able to offer change back for a fin, including tip, of which the servers more than deserve.

Since the bands booked at the Bottle can swing from one direction to another, it's a good idea to check ahead for their lineup. Quite a few great bands have played here right before they struck it big, so if you have even an inkling of wanting to check something out, you really should!

Parking and public trans are definite issues, and people not from the area can find the neighborhood to be a little on the scary side. The mirror in the women's bathroom is kind of a non point, since the graffiti all but covers it, rendering it useless. Then again, who really goes to a place like this to powder their noses? And yes, the Bottle has its fair share of douche bags, but they're at least the kind that regular folks can associate with, just as long as they don't talk over the bands performing.

Be sure to bring cash to this cardless bar, as the cash machine bears a sign warning users it is truly the World's Slowest ATM, if it's even working that night. There's a pool table, classic arcade games and a photo booth too, which are a whole lotta fun! Then there's that black cat people sometimes come across by the merch booths, though I personally have yet to see it. Non human residents are cool, okay, and trying to spy such a mythical creature makes for a fabulous, drunken quest between sets!

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.

Whiskey lovers unite! Even if you're not particularly fond of the overall punk scene, there really is no place like Delilah's when it comes to getting schooled from their massive selection of whiskey, neatly categorized on its own menu by type, country of origin and year. The bizarre, morbid artwork gracing the walls spiral in your head faster than the libations that go down oh so smoothly, and the edgy music in the darkened rooms add to that overall effect of transporting your hum drum life into something a little more rebellious.

This is a bar lover's bar, make no mistake, which is surprisingly unpretentious in comparison to just about every other bar in the area. Finally, a place where everyone can feel just as welcome as their money is! Big kudos for that alone. Many a liver has been replaced due to this place, but yet no one seems to care. The punkiness has calmed down somewhat from its heyday, but Delilah's still has its overall FTW attitude that very few places in town can claim. The juke box has a great selection of music, but if the staff don't like what you picked, they do have a tendency to knock down the volume while your selection is playing and kick it back up when they approve.

Every section of Delilah's is the place to be: the bar staff and the majority of the patrons are pretty cool, and even a wait in line for the surprisingly clean bathrooms can be a place to strike up a good conversation and make new friends. Even the bar stools are comfortable, and probably need to be! After all, there are just so many interesting conversation starters to choose from! Drink specials throughout the week keep people coming back for more, and even on its busiest nights, the place is big enough to support actual chit chat with your group, whether you came with them or formed your posse right there and then.

One special word of mention is that the proportions of liquor to mixer will vary, based on the particular server, but it can go for the better. Many times, that JB and 7 will be almost all JB, and when there's a special going on, a ten spot can really go a long way! Unless you go to a genuine “bum bar”, you're not going to be able to stretch your dollar like that, that's for sure!