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    Athenaeum Theatre

    3.2 (81 reviews)
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    Updated 2 months ago

    Services - Athenaeum Theatre

    Venue rental

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    Bernadette the Musical
    Em K.

    The Athenaeum Theatre is nicely located on Southport and I appreciate the quality of acts they bring in. We saw Bernadette the musical and enjoyed the show. Picking up tickets at the box office was easy and the service was good. However, the venue itself is showing its age. I was seated in the upper balcony and noticed ripped seats, cracking walls, and broken lamps. The theater needs some restoration work but still a great spot to catch a show!

    Nancy P.

    Came in to see the Talking Sopranos show. We had balcony seats and the view was perfectly fine! I had never been to the Athenaeum Theatre before today and was excited to visit. The theater is an older venue. The bathroom by the balcony only has two stalls and the sink to wash your hands was out of order. None of this took away from the great time I had at the theater. The staff was very helpful with getting us to our seats as well.

    Balcony view
    Sue L.

    I went to see a dancing performance. The acoustics and lighting were great. The balcony seats had a fabulous view of the stage. The bathrooms were on the second level. It's a nice vintage theater.

    Stage
    Ken O.

    Recently, I was able to enjoy seeing the play, "Who killed Joan Crawford" at this theater. I certainly did not know this theater complex was here in this part of Lakeview. The play was located on the second floor, in one of the smaller theaters. I felt the auditorium style seating was a little snug but the sound system was great. There was a concession stand located on the first floor with limited drinks and snacks. Overall, a great neighborhood theater.

    Theatre entrance
    Kawone H.

    Great space to see productions by a host of theatre companies. Wide stairs and slow elevator. Intimate spaces upstairs to see some good productions. The main stage is an example of "old school" theaters. You don't find these around much, except maybe Chicago. If you wanna catch CHICAGO theatre, look up the shows performing in this space.

    Tickets!
    Charleene R.

    Watched the Nutcracker here with my nieces. Prior to the show, while you wait, they have a large lobby area and an area where they sell drinks and snacks. Everyone was very friendly and helpful.. all the way to my seats! As you walk into the theater and get your ticket scanned there are people at every corner assisting you in finding your seat. My seats were in the balcony. As I made my way upstairs there was another small concession stand for drinks and snacks. I'm not sure if there is a bad seat in the house, not to mention they're pretty comfy. Although the place was a full house it didn't feel cramped or overcrowded at all. The show was great! (There is an elevator as well)

    Chelsea handler - not a bad spot in the house... this is the upper balcony. I actually really liked these seats.
    Todd G.

    We sat upstairs for Chelsea handler and there is pretty much not a bad seat in the house. Their are a few seat above the walkways into the upper balcony that the people next to us were complaining the had to lean forward to see over the ledge. I really like the sound ... it sounded great. Some good places to eat and have a Cocktail within walking distance .

    Exterior
    Steve A.

    This building can best be described as decrepit, with holes in the walls and stairwells that look like they haven't been mopped in fifty years. But the facility is very large, with different stages, rehearsal rooms and offices. Of course, what matters is the show, and the one I saw, in a small third floor theater, was very well produced, with good sets, lighting and excellent performers.

    Joani O.

    We kicked off my daughter's Spring Break tonight with a play here, and we had a great time. The theater itself is a huge old building with a main theater in the gorgeous lobby where the box office is, along with a bar/lounge that's really nice! It's a room around the corner from the box office where you can get very reasonable beer or wine and snacks, either before the show, or at intermission. It has tables, bar stools, and nice art that's for sale on the walls. Oh and they let you take your drinks in the theater! There are smaller theaters and other activities on the 2nd and 3rd levels, which are accessible either by stairs or by an elevator. The restrooms are on the 2nd floor. At first my daughter thought the building was "creepy" because it's old and creaky, but once we walked around and saw all of the various shows that they produce, along with acting and dance classes, she thought it was really neat. Our play was in the small (very small!) theater on the 3rd floor, where all the seats are good. The actors made the most of the also very small stage, and the show was very entertaining. We got street parking with no problem, although there is a reasonable lot next door that's shared with the church on the other side. Our tickets were inexpensive, as well, making it an all around nice outing. We look forward to coming here again!

    Main entrance

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    Comfortable theater seating. Drinks were good. Sound was excellent. Nearby free parking.

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    Review Highlights - Athenaeum Theatre

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    Indigo & Violet Studio - snapshot from a recent intro to embroidery workshop - guest is stitching their name in a script font!

    Indigo & Violet Studio

    (15 reviews)

    Lakeview

    I attended a friend's baby shower at Indigo & Violet and it was the perfect afternoon. The space is…read morebright and welcoming and bursting with crafty creations. We first gathered in the back where there is a bar and enjoyed some drinks, macaroons, and charcuterie. The space was able to hold about 20 of us comfortably. For our activity, we water color painted an alphabet book for the baby. Each page consisted of a letter and accompanying animal tracing, so our job was just to fill it in. I'm pretty sure the owner did all the outlines for us, which was incredibly impressive! The painting was so relaxing, therapeutic, and fun! I love that my friend will have this book to look back on to remember the fun day. They offer SO many fun and crafty classes here. Wreath building, calligraphy, embroidery, macrame, and that is truly just the tip of the iceberg. If you're interested in picking up a new hobby or exploring a craftier side, I think indigo + violet is the perfect place to look.

    I had my bridal shower at Indigo & Violet for ~20 guests and everything exceeded my expectations!…read moreLeigh, the owner of the studio, led us through a floral arrangement workshop and it was a beautiful, fun, and a unique event- everyone had so much fun. We brought our own snacks & bubbly, and saved extra time for presents/games. In total we used the space for 3.5 hours. The total price was very reasonable for a private event in Chicago and the studio set up was perfect! Leigh was very professional, responsive, and listened my vision - she provided the exact type of flowers/color scheme I asked for. It was a lovely event and I cannot recommend Indigo & Violet enough! Perfect for any bridal shower, baby shower, bachelorette party, birthday, or any special celebration!

    Ravenswood Event Center

    Ravenswood Event Center

    (99 reviews)

    Lakeview

    We can not speak highly enough of our experience with Ravenswood Event Center. Our wedding was in…read moreJanuary 2026, on the coldest weekend in Chicago in 7 years, and the entire event went off flawlessly. Maria, our venue coordinator, was phenomenally organized and knew the entire event back to front and so thoroughly that even our families were telling us how impressed they were with the amount of care she put into our wedding. We chose the REC because we wanted as all-inclusive of an experience as possible, and that was exactly what we got. They handled the food (we paid for them to do desserts as well), all dinnerware/tables/chairs, staff, decor setup, cleanup, and non-alcoholic beverages (including three different mocktail options), and having Maria meant we weren't in need of a wedding or day-of coordinator. We held our event in the atrium and loft and it was the perfect size for our 150 guests. The food was delicious, the schedule was on track, and the space was breathtaking during a snowstorm.

    This is a very nice event space that includes some pretty sweet automobiles around the perimeter,…read moreunique and yummy food vendor options, choice beverages, and a beau coup of artisans to peruse. Trash cans seemed to be lacking, had to dispose in the loo. Also, the main entrance/exit, does not seem conducive to the size of the venue space, i.e. awkward to enter, awkward to exit. I love Ravenswood and am glad to see this option included, please do consider for any events you have a need for.

    Greenhouse Loft

    Greenhouse Loft

    (92 reviews)

    Logan Square

    We booked the Greenhouse Loft for our 55 person wedding ceremony and reception in December 2022 and…read morecould not have been more pleased with the experience! The space was perfect for us and didn't need a lot of decoration to make the venue look incredible. Spencer was very helpful throughout the set-up process and event. We were also thrilled that we could use our own vendors, including using Binny's for the alcohol. For the reception, we combined 2 of the provided tables together to make wider tables and had 6 of those, a 7-piece band, and a dance floor that fit all our guests in the larger section of the main room. The Art Gallery space next to the main room was perfect for the cocktail hour and could have easily fit more than twice as many people. Our guests loved the photo booth, which printed out a strip of 4 photos. No props were provided, but we brought our own and it was great! We also appreciated the included outdoor parking for our guests that drove to the wedding. DJ Duke (provided by the venue) was great and kept us dancing after the band finished their set. We would absolutely recommend booking your wedding at Greenhouse Loft.

    The Doctor and I were invited to the wedding of a friend of ours that was held at this venue. When…read morewe pulled up, I was not sure what to expect as we went into an older building and had to take an escalator to get to the main event. However once we reached the top, there was no need to worry. What a lovely space this was to have an event. There was a reception area for drinks prior to the ceremony. The room was set up nicely with a combination of standing cocktail tables and seating to sit down in. The bar area was set up nicely and was well organized. I was so surprised to see the outdoor space next to the room where the ceremony was held. The room itself was beautiful, but seeing the outdoor greenery made it all the more magical. After the ceremony everyone retired back to the reception area for drinks. I kept trying to figure out where dinner was going to be served. While having drinks, the staff kept walking around with these amazing hors d'oeuvres! I had so many that I almost did not want to have dinner, they were that good. Well color me surprised as the same room we were in for the ceremony was transformed into a dining area, with a second room next to it set up for a band and dancing. The set up for dinner was nice and the food was actually pretty good, I mean clean your plate good. The staff did an excellent job of serving without getting in the way of things. And the speed at which they transformed the room was pretty quick. I am usually not much for wedding events but we had a great time here, in part to the lovely couple, but the venue had a big part to play in it. If I had known about this place and COVID had not been a thing, we could have had The Doctor's 60th here.

    Ravenswood Loft - Great for receptions with small ceremonies

    Ravenswood Loft

    (44 reviews)

    Ravenswood

    UNPROFESSIONAL OWNERSHIP Update: an indication of the lack…read moreof professionalism is the suggestion that I rallied my friends and family to leave low reviews in search of a refund. We already know we aren't getting a refund. The owner made that clear when we tried to remedy the situation with her over the phone. Nicolle was informed of the lack of AC during the event by a staffer who told me herself that she'd contacted Nicolle. Another indicator of her lacking professionalism is the angry emails she sent me regarding my Yelp review - no apology, just anger and threats to have my Yelp account blocked and shut down. She says we toured the venue 6 times... we saw it 3x. Finally, she dismissed the fact that her staffers were unprofessional and didn't know how to tap kegs/mix drinks just because my dad provided a generous tip. If you read the review my dad left (HJ), you'll see that his generous tip does not reflect his dissatisfaction with the service. He's just a generous tipper. I want to start by saying that I had an amazing wedding; definitely the wedding of my dreams thanks to my wedding parties and family. However, the service from the owner Nicolle was just terrible and so unprofessional. When it came to securing a contract or receiving payment, she was on top of the communication. It wasn't until after she met my now-husband and wedding parties that her friendly and responsive demeanor entirely changed. She was condescending and treated us like children. Prior to meeting my entourage, I asked about security and she said that we wouldn't need it unless we wanted it. After meeting my entourage, she told me that since my crowd is mostly younger (it wasn't) she would be contracting security for our event to ensure that we weren't serving alcohol to minors. What an assumption! Whatever age we are, we are paying her and deserve to be treated with respect. Her contract stated that a week prior to the event we would communicate any accommodations or other details for the event, including possible early drop off or arrival of decor. I called her twice and emailed her a follow up - never received a response from her except for her to tell me that she was unable to accommodate us any more - 6 days later & 2 days before my wedding. Her lack of attention to detail could have ruined my day. Bartenders who couldn't tap a keg (she knew we'd have kegs 6 weeks prior to event date) and refused to mix drinks, and her "industrial strength AC" that she promised didn't work throughout the entire 80 degree day and showed "service required." She refused to honor any of these mistakes and stated that there was an event the day after and everything was fine. Maybe a smaller crowd would have been fine but 80 people in suits and cocktail attire were drenched with sweat. Fortunately I had fantastic family and friends who made sure my day was magical. The space is cute but the professionalism is nonexistent and a HUGE headache.

    Lovely venue! Attended a dance event here many years ago, and selected this space for an offsite…read morework meeting. We had ample space for 15 of us, with different "work zones" for our meeting activities throughout the day -- and probably would have still felt this way with double the people. It was spacious enough for us to spread out, but still feels cozy with the mix-and-match decor. Appreciated the option to have some light catering to sustain us, without having to do all the legwork for that - and Nicolle was attentive to requests during the contracting/ setup phase. For a corporate meeting - we challenged the wi-fi capacity as we had a lot of folks joining video remotely; if A/V is your top need, this may not be your ideal spot without some additional technology brought in. For a fully or mostly in-person workshop or meeting in a unique space, go for it! Looking forward to hosting here again.

    Athenaeum Theatre - theater - Updated June 2026

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