I always wanted to come and visit The Legendary Buddy Guy's for a night of Jazz. This particular night Toronzo Cannon was getting married at Buddy Guy's & after will be performing. I got there early to get a good seat close to the stage. It was a packed out night. Grown Vibes and some of the best performances. I enjoyed the atmosphere and show. The flip side is the service & food sucked. The server Katarzyna was rude and unprofessional. I understand it was crowded that night and service was slow. It was the attitude and demeanor and rudeness. The staff also seemed to be unorganized and unprepared on that night. I ordered the fish and chip and it was greasy and very salty. I did enjoy the performance of Toronzo. But, disappointed with the service and food. read more

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This was around the corner from Blackstone Hotel, Marriott Autograph Collection. They have good food so you can arrive before 7:30 and have dinner and enjoy live music. But for the main entertainer/event you have to pay for cover charge which is about $25 pp and so reasonable considering it starts at 8 and ended at 11 pm. We had dinner there and enjoyed Louisiana food. During break around 9 pm Buddy Guy, the living legend (pleasant surprise) sang the blues for about 30 minutes. The legend is 89 and he is so sharp, funny, and solid entertainer! Chicago is known for its jazz and blues and Buddy Guy is a must see/visit when in Chicago! read more

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This place is AMAZING! Had dinner and drinks at Buddy Guy's last night with a couple of co-workers. Arrived about 8p and caught the end of the free show. Paid the $15 cover and got to see Jimmy Burns and his band play for about an hour before the REAL SHOW started. Jimmy and his boys were great but Buddy Guy was in the house and they brought him up. Jammed for about 30min with Jimmy and his boys. What an amazing experience. Live music is always great but to see the legend live, just a great moment in life. Food was decent as the drinks were good. Service was great. Can't really even fully explain the experience but if you love live music (blues and rock in general) you should definitely stop into Buddy Guy's Legends! read more

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Had a great time listening to had a few drinks the people were fun. If you want yo listen to some good jazz you definitely should visit this place. They have great memorable on the walls a guitar signed by Tom Petty ,gloves signed by Mohammed Ali to pictures with him with the President. If nothing else it's definitely a place to stop to gab a drink and look at what they have displayed. But the band was awesome read more

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I had a wonderful time last night at this club. The music was fantastic and Buddy Guy made an appearance and was a delight! It's not often you get to meet and hear sing a legend in his time. I said Hi Sexy and he seemed to enjoy it, as he asked me to repeat it. That Buddy is a funny guy! read more

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An amazing time and a must do if you can see the legend before he retires. Good drinks, good music, and even better people. Service at this spot was top notch and the musicians were from all over the world and jammed together. Amazing time. read more

Buddy Guy's Legends - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing music and great food and drinks in a great little club, and a surprise set by Buddy Guy himself! Suddenly on a Sunday evening (Aug 2025) we were free to go clubbing! So we walked comfortably to our favorite music joint south of The Loop, Buddy Guy's Legends blues club, on S. Wabash at E. Balbo for 15 years, after 11-years one-block away. It's two blocks from The Harrison Red-Line station, and between the State and Wabash bus lines. It's an intimate-feeling space with two 15-seat bars in the corners, the stage in-between, probably 100 seats at four-seat tables spread in front of the stage, and maybe a dozen VIP double tables and single seats along the wall. We arrived around 7pm and got a great table just right of center stage. Our server approached right away, and quickly brought us bright homemade-tasting lemonade, and a strong cold Baton Rouge Manhattan of Woodinville port and Angostura bitters, with cherries and of course a sweet vermouth. Lovely. I had to have their catfish dinner and a variety of sides. The plate looks simple, fried fish and crispy piping hot fries. The large serving has two huge fish filets, and they were fresh-tasting and hot and crispy and perfectly juicy and tender. People had told me Buddy Guy's Legends is known their good cooking, and this was really "dinner-quality", not "fish-shack" (which I would have liked just fine :-). We filled out a light meal with "New Orleans" sides: perfect tender flavorful savory collards, excellent southern-style cornbread, and a bowl of satisfying black-beans-and-rice. We're fans of that southern cornbread, which not-very-sweet and not-dry but not-cakelike. This hit the mark, and you might not say wow about cornbread, but you ought to say yum. I think they offered red-beans too, but we were just in the mood for black-beans. Based especially on the excellent catfish and collards and cornbread, i highly recommend this kitchen! Our early arrival gave us a good selection of seating, which was totally filled up by the time the headline band came on. We enjoyed the jazz, r&b, and a little funk of the early-evening saxophone-led four-some, G Funk. They played some soulful tunes and some lively ones, some old standards and some popular. The house kept the lights up during their set, so it had a bright fun feeling. A little after 9pm, they turned down the lights, and the dynamic emcee introduced the headliner, Chris O'leary, leading a hard-driving and soulful 4-piece blues band with his harmonica. They immersed us in Chicago-style blues, and the room was theirs. We danced often on the center-floor which they keep clear. Around 10, the emcee took the stage and said he had an announcement. The entire room fell silent and hopeful, and it was the best we could have hoped for! Buddy Guy showed up unscheduled, he usually only performs during January, and he took the stage to sing with his amazing range and style. He engaged with the room, sometimes singing directly to (and even dancing with) one of the guests. You feel what he's giving you, and i don't mind telling you, he's one sexy man :-) We were already thrilled with the evening, and Buddy Guy made this a night to remember. He graciously signed a little something we bought and posed with us for a photo we will treasure. What a great club, warm and lively and soulful. Delicious food and drinks. And that chance you'll meet The Legend himself. A perfect evening. read more

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While on a work trip to Chicago, I had the chance to pop into Buddy Guy's. Since it was barely 5pm, there wasn't much of a crowd yet, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance, the music, and the food. The workers were all very friendly. I will definitely make time to stop by again the next time I'm in the city. read more

Buddy Guy's Legends - Dinner and the Blues - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Impromptu date night with the hubby and friends post dinner on a crazy lolapalooza weekend. I hadn't been back in years to listen to the blues . The cherry topping was Mr.buddy guy himself the legend. Had a fantastic time which I was younger and could have stayed longer to enjoy myself pst midnight . I highly recommend this experience to locals and tourists read more

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Enjoyed drinks, dinner, and music here recently and Buddy Guy's Legends is definitely a great option for music in downtown Chicago. We got there early - a bit before 7:30 PM on Saturday 7/5 and the initial musician was good but the music was largely sleepy until the "opening act" started at 9pm. Ambience in the club was fine, however service was attentive and food was quite good. We had a burger & fries which was good plus gumbo - which was heavy on file' and had too much rice but was generally quite flavorful (we like a good amount of rice in our gumbo but are somewhat picky after living/cooking in NOLA for 10+ years). Most importantly the music was GREAT and honestly the "opening" act at 9pm was maybe the best (in our opinion). I forget the band leader's name but the host called him "White Chocolate" which was a pretty true nickname plus the drummer (with a Dolphins #5 Finkle jersey) was almost equally excellent. Wow, they were worth the price of admission. I've been to a number of other Blues clubs in Chicago over the years plus MANY clubs in New Orleans (where the music is often a mix of Jazz/Blues/Funk/Soul/Gospel) as well as catching some great live Mississippi Delta Blues over the years. Buddy Guy's is a world class Blues venue and definitely one of the best options in Chicago which gets top notch talent and I look forward to returning. Bravo! read more

We had a great time, band was good, but the icing on the cake was Buddy Guy himself coming in to perform. We got to see the legend in action and he didn't disappoint!! Our waitress was attentive and refilled our drinks as necessary. read more

Buddy Guy's Legends - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here to show some friends around the city and give them a taste of true Chicago music. We had a blast. The drinks were strong, the staff was nice and Buddy even showed up to play. Definitely a great time. read more

Buddy Guy's Legends - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So the entertainment tonight was delightful but timid on a Jazz/Blues Geiger-counter measurement scale‍. I ate at Andy's on stop #1 of my Jazz club tour, but was hungry by the time I got here after the Jazz Showcase around the corner, so I asked my perfectly attentive and delightful waitress for what I recalled was spectacular vegetarian gumbo with cornbread and it was wonderful! read more

We counted down the New Year at Buddy Guys. My love orderd the catfish dinner. she LOVED IT. I had the burger which also was cooked to perfection. The house band was outstanding!!! Classic blues mixed with funk, Rock, and soul. If you're lucky as we were..you might also get to see Buddy Guy himself. This is a must do for any bucket list. read more

I had a great time. Truly. Buddy Guy is a living legend. The band tonight, Shaelyn Band, is AMAZING! Now, I've paid a lot of money to see Buddy live over the years, many times front row. I have many photos of him. So, you can imagine my surprise at being berated for taking Buddy's picture by someone who said he was Buddy's grandson because his "granddaddy gets paid to have his picture taken." Not a great first impression of this establishment. The service has been great--a barkeep by the name of Christian was the saving grace--the music phenomenal, but I didn't appreciate being treated like a freeloader. I gave the bartender some cash to give to Buddy for my "free" picture of him. Other than by Chris, I didn't feel welcome. That said, I'll probably give it another run the next time I'm in Chicago. read more

I've gone to the Chicago Blues festival for some sessions but last week was my first time ever inside Buddy Guys. As a whole Chicago hasn't done as great a job of like New Orleans as preserving historic music tied to the city. Some neat memorabilia like Buddy Guys Grammys and some guitars. They have food which I I didn't know!! I got the gumbo or jambalaya with rice. In addition to some wings and fries. Got 2 Miller high life's, and some Woodford reserve whiskey. The musician that night was really good!! read more

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I was genuinely excited to visit this legendary blues club. But the way they handle guests today is honestly disappointing. Their website says "tickets available at the door after 5 PM." I showed up at 6:30, only to be told (in a rather dismissive tone) that tickets weren't being sold, and to "come back after 9." No clear reason, no apology, no sign on the door. Just vague answers and staff who didn't seem to care. Meanwhile, I could clearly see people already inside. If there's a change in policy or technical issue, fine, communicate it properly. Don't make paying guests wander around downtown for hours in the cold. Legendary name, zero hospitality. Chicago blues deserves venues that treat visitors with the same respect as the music itself. read more

I didn't get to eat here or have any drinks we ran out of time. I was literally on a mission to go to every landmark I could before I left Chicago. Although I knew I would be back out here again I just wanted to see as much as I could. This particular spot was on my list because Buddy Guy was the man at the end of the movie Sinners and I wanted to see if the place liked like the bar at the end. Al as o Buddy Guy is a musical legend so that was a place as well! Although we didn't have time to eat or drink here. We will be back hopefully the next time we're in Chicago! read more

Great atmosphere smooth jazz jams must check out. Drinks are classic hits and service is excellent food is yummy. read more

Buddy Guy's Legends - Half rack of Pork Ribs - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

In town for training at local agency sounded like a fun outing going here so went along. Felt not right when we walked in very rude employees. At first thought place was one of those where employees are rude for entertainment! Nope Real Deal Rudeness abounds! Place was half full server had attitude food was borderline gross way over seasoned salty! Went up by bar get some pictures evidently crossed a line security was all over me! You'd think I was doing something horribly illegal! Made a big deal out of it needs more signage if venue feels that strongly about people moving about taking in their venue! Felt very racially off very uncomfortable! Went back to table cashed out. Won't be back here ever. Should have looked at reviews before going obvious there are long going issues here. read more

Buddy Guy's Legends - Blowing on us very annoying also! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The ambiance was comfortable yet lively. We were pleased to see Buddy Guy perform live, including entertaining quips, as he's quite funny and personable. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. Treat yourself to a visit to Buddy Guy's while in Chicago, or just downtown for an evening. read more

After a long day at work, as I'm walking in my apartment I get a text from a friend asking if I wanted to go to Buddy Guy's? Usually I'm so tired all I want to do is take a hot bath and go to bed, but for some reason I was like, "SLAP!" (Sounds Like a Plan) On our to way BGL, my friend explained that he had a couple of musician friends in town who were hoping to get in on a jam session...cool, sounds like it's gonna be a fun night. As we're entering this legendary club which has been around since 1989, I realized that I had never actually been there. Which is strange because I'm a music lover and my mama loved the blues. I struck up a conversation with one of the bouncers and he told us that Buddy Guy--the man, the Legend---would be making a rare appearance. I was like, "Fa real? How you know?" He said, "Cuz he's my father." Alrighty then, pimpin! Hookup a sister up with a photo opp later! He said no problem! We mosey on in and get comfortable at our table. The band was jammin, the crowd was groovin and I was starting to feel like I was a little girl again hangin out with my mom and her friends as they listened to the blues while drinkin, smokin and cussin'. Ahhh the god ol days.... I ordered a glass of wine and a bowl of gumbo and was pleasantly surprised. I'm real funny-acting when it comes to gumbo but this one was perfect. As I was about to shove another spoonful of gumbo into my mouth, they announce Buddy Guy! I jumped out of my seat and began dancing and screaming and taking pictures! Buddy Guy is 87 years old but his pipes are still strong! He moved slowly across the stage and didn't play the guitar, but his voice was golden. . Buddy only performed for 15 minutes, and as promised, his son found me and brought me over for a photo opp. My friend's buddies even got to jump in on the jam session and they definitely jammed! it was a great night. read more

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We arrived at 7pm to grab a quick dinner and catch a little bit of some live music. There were 6 of us. 3 came early to grab a table (in a nearly empty place) and the rest of us were 5min behind. I have a Service Dog in Training (SDiT). So, me, my husband and my father-in-law are walking in when these two guys who were chilling on the street start yelling at us that we can't go inside. What? Can't go have dinner? We motion that we're going to have dinner and leave us be. They shout that no, really, we can't go inside. Dad explains that the rest of our party is already inside and we're expected. The guy explains he the bouncer and no one goes inside without his approval. Well... why didn't you say that... or at least be labeled?? Even my dog is labeled! He then tells me he needs to see "proof of certification" for "the dog" (this is illegal btw). I hand him the ADA rights card and explain that she's in training for seizure and fall response. He asks, "but does she have paperwork?" And I say, "you're looking at it" He reluctantly lets us through. Inside there are half a dozen more muscle, just chillin... is this a place that needs such muscle at 7pm on a Thursday? I don't know, but I wasn't sure I wanted to find out. We were told by 5 people before sitting down that if we're in the building at 8pm we had to pay $15 each to "see the show". Ordered food. Food didn't arrive until 7:50, along with carts of everyone else's food... so nicely organized! The food was awful! I'll put aside that I was sick for two days from the shrimp po boy I had -- everything was tasteless and far under seasoned. The po boy was dry -- no sauce at all -- I ended up grabbing some Mayo from my husband's burger to give it something. My husband had a burger that was so over cooked it could have been used on a children's playground to pad their knees. A couple people got the gumbo -- no depth of flavor, tasted like it was from a can. And the people who got drinks -- all complained they were watered down or simply not what they asked for. If you like overpriced terrible food, bad drinks, being stared at while you eat, and the fun idea that if you don't get served fast enough or eat fast enough you'll get to pay extra -- then this place is for you! read more

Buddy Guy's Legends - Buddy's Blackened Blues Burger with Swiss cheese. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had not been here in years and last night my husband and I came here with our sister-in-law and a group of 7. We were able to get two tables together right in front and we had a great time! Drinks were flowing, several rounds of shots were had and the band was very entertaining. We closed the place down! Lots of fun for a Sunday night!! read more

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I selected this place for dinner while visiting Chicago and what a delight it was! There's a good beer selection and New Orleans inspired food. I tried the catfish po boy and it is large and delicious. The decor pays tribute to the blues greats of the past. Service was fast and friendly. But of course - the best part was the live blues music. I didn't realize I like blues until this very evening! Absolutely wonderful, can't wait to come again next time I'm in Chicago! read more

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Wow! Where to begin? A legendary, stomping ground for many a great blues musician this is a must for any music affectionato. A larger venue with plenty of seating. All seating is first come first serve so get there early if you want a great view of the show. Open mic goes on earlier in the evening as locals come in and play some wonderful music. Several nights a week there are performers booked that will just blow your mind. There is a limited food menu available of standard bar fare. Full bar offers any adult beverage you can think of. The acoustics are wonderful from any vantage point within the bar. Our server was wonderful and made rounds in short order to cover most of the seating area on her own. We were fortunate enough to see Jimmy Burns play an outstanding show. Check out the display of Grammys and fantastic memorabilia on display. Highly recommend this is a mandatory stop for anyone visiting Chicago. read more

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We had jambalaya, hamburger with coleslaw which were excellent. We were there when it opened and they had live music right away. The two on stage sounded great. Service was good. The security guy not so pleasant but whatever. This was a good stop; we had tickets for Mavis Staples concert otherwise we would have stayed. read more

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I love this place. It's a family run business where the music plays and the atmosphere is welcoming to all. Gotta check it out.

What's not to love? I have been a buddy guy fan for years and finally made it to his hometown bar. The staff was amazing even though we came at lunchtime. The even invited me back for the show later that evening, and it turned out. Bud was playing! They absolutely made my trip and I can't wait to go again. Bud was kind enough to sign all of my merchandise and even take a photo! read more

Buddy Guy's Legends - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came in here as a last min idea and man, what a great decision! The band was amazing, Nicholas Lil Hoochie Alexander performed and blew our mind!! The drinks were good and the food was good. If you're ever in the neighborhood you MUST check them out. And icing on the cake Buddy Guy performed and took pictures. What an amazing night!! read more

This was my second time ever going to Buddy Guy's Legends but my first time in this new location. I usually frown upon going to events downtown simply because of the parking, but on a Sunday night, I was able to find street parking with no problem. I went for the free jazz set. It was a nice crowd but not overcrowded at all. The show started on time which I really appreciate it! The artist was great, she interacted with the crowd, and her band was amazing. I ordered a Cosmo.. it was not the best Cosmo I ever had. I also ordered hot wings and fries and was underwhelmed. I wish they had a better menu. I believe in the past when I went there was a much more sophisticated menu. I would definitely go back for the live music, but I will probably go somewhere else before or after to eat. read more

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Love this place! We got to here some live blues prior to the main show for free. The musician played electric guitar to pre-recorded backing track, but still he was great to listen to while dining. The food here is also really good. We left before the cover charge kicked in at 9 pm. Wish we would have stayed. I found out later on social media that Buddy dropped in around that time. read more

We were in Chicago for the Rams & Bears game. We were walking around trying to figure out where to eat at. We came across Buddy Guy's Legends and it was a great place. The food and drinks were good, but the music was amazing. read more

Great music! Buddy even made a guest appearance. And the food was affordable and tasty. I would highly recommend.

Well, the blues performance here was amazing. Buddy guy doesn't always perform but the night I went he actually went on stage and sound exactly how an album track would sound with no errors.. I was amazed the food here was very good. I would definitely return and recommend. read more

In town for a medical conference, July 20, 2025 and a private venue was booked by my alumni organization at Buddy Guy. The individual at the entrance made a rude comment to my daughter and was aggressive with the search of her purse. I have reached out to management through the sponsor of the event but management has taken no responsibility and refused to respond. If this club has no respect for women regardless of the music I will not return nor will I give a positive recommendation. Would appreciate an apology. read more

Fire place great music great food great owner, one of the best places in Chicago and sinners was based off the owner why aren't you here already? read more

The food was good, we both had the jambalaya and 1 drink each. My drink of choose is gin & tonic $12 and my friend had some type of spiked lemonade $17. We walked out spending a total of $60, tip included. The place is big enough so they have two nice size bars in the restaurant. The service was good and the music was nice. We saw a jazz singer, Tracy Eileen perform and she did a phenomenal job! read more

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If you're into the Jazz or the Blueys, this place is for you. Chill vibe, great music, cold pints. What else do you need?

Always a great time listening to the BLUES here at Buddy Guys! Good drinks and service and great BLUES! read more

Buddy Guy's Legends - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois