Double Door is an important venue in the Chicago music scene. Everybody's got to go there at some point. They have a great range of bands who play there, they always have a great line-up for New Year's Eve, and they have a nice space with a unique architecture. Sometimes the staff here can be a bit on the curt side, but it's just their style...don't take it personally! It's a landmark in the sense that it is right at the Damen, North & Milwaukee intersection and it's impossible to ignore. read more

Like a giant basement, good music but it is stark and crowded...I think I saw a hippie too!

This is a great place to watch a show, cause the music sounds wonderful. I have been there numerous times to see the awesome band Flameshark. It can get hot when people start busting a move. The beer prices seem to be average for the area's bar scene. read more

Always a really good time here. Caught a couple of great shows here. Love it. Always gets fairly packed, but for a concert, what else would you want? Decent brews, good atmosphere. Usually pretty nice people. I always seem to strike up a conversation with someone when I go here. About anything. Can't wait for another show here. read more

This venue is awesome. It is a small and intimate venue to see a band play. I went to see The Toadies on a Tuesday night, and I can't remember the last time I went to a show where the headliner goes on at 11pm and plays until the end of the night. It seems that most clubs will have the band on early, then close out the night with dancing. I thought the sounds was really good, but I was also wearing ear plugs. The drinks seemed moderately priced for a club, but $5.00 for PBR did seem like a little too much. read more

Good venue.. Big bar not many crafts though, lots of space and also cabaret room!! Good bands play here! Nice area in wicker park

I actually really enjoyed double door! Went with a couple of friends for Soul Summit. We didn't have to pay cover which was a plus. Also didn't have to walk far from the blue line since it's directly across the street which was another plus! Didn't look like much on the outside but once we got in the atmosphere was great, the music was great, and the drinks were great. Diverse crowd & friendly bartenders, but the line at the bar upstairs can get a little long so go to the bar on the lower level. The lower level was surprisingly chill and is good for when you wanna get away from the crowd to have a drink in peace. read more

This place is awesome! Drinks are cheap, service is fast, and the bartenders aren't rude.

Overpriced dive. What you save on drinks you sacrifice up front at the door. Staff is RUDE RUDE RUDE.

Went here for a Lollapalooza After-party to see The Devil Makes Three and Trampled by Turtles. We had a GREAT time. The main bar is large with quick service and there is even a second bar upstairs that essentially had no wait. Downstairs had plenty of room to stand and watch while the upstairs provided a seat if you were getting tired. The staff were accommodating and seemed to actually like their jobs. read more

Great music venue! I have seen several bands perform here. They have reasonably-priced drinks as well. A total blast!

Great for live music. Great for cheap drinks, not beer. And Great for just having a good laid back time, if your into that kind of thing. I liked it when I went, but I haven't been in a while. A better review to come for the next time that I go! I did really like it though and it was good times and memories that you can actually remember! Not just one big drunken blur, whoa! read more

I've always heard of this place but never been. I received and invite for the Mardi Gras Event.. so me and my friends decided to go.. First off I must say it's very easy to get to by public trans, car, cab, which is pretty good considering that was how we all arrived to the club.. LOL.. The door staff was pretty cool, not arrogant and swarmy like some clubs who I"m sure I'll review in the VERY near future (HINT HINT).. the place itself was bigger than I expected (bonus) the bar staff was ok.. nothing FANTASTIC, just ok, I"m sure being a sponsored event they figured everyone will be getting free drinks but not tipping, so the service was sorta uneven.. and I've been bartending for over 10 years so I know what I speak of.. but continuing, the upstairs balcony area was small, cute and private, with a pool table (another bonus) BUT yet again with the service.. nice female bartender, but a little on the weak pour side, (bartender here, don't forget), which probably explained why only 5 people were up there in the first hour of the event.. tsk tsk tsk.. Now all this is happening while there are acrobats, jugglers, stilt walkers, belly dancers, hula hoop dancers, YEA it was a LOT going on.. it really added to the Mardi Gras theme.. moving on we ran into some event buddies, (Ya know people you see out at events on a regular basis.. we all got'em. LOL) who told us there was a basement area, so we went and check it out... WOW.. NICE SPACE, lots of seating and tables, GREAT bar staff.. and they were ROCKING all night.. KUDOS! ! ! ! Overall, it was a great night, great times, great people, I definitely recommend coming to check out this place.. and if you're looking for a private area, my sources tell me that the downstairs is available and can hold from 50-75 people... hmmmm, I know where I'll be throwing a few soiree's this year.. read more

great place to see a live act. The sound is top-shelf, the sight lines are great from almost everywhere in the venue. Drinks are a bit pricey, but there are deals to be had now and then. One of the best venues in the city. read more

Very fun, great show, great sound. Sticky floors for sure, but checking in got me a free draft and the band sounds great. Very nice staff, the guys working the door were helpful and nice. read more

Great spot! Can get crowded and fool of idiots at many shows.. but thats just Chicago in general

Liked the spot a lot. I was there to see one a friend's band. The place is huge. It's pretty low key, chill place. The only thing I was annoyed by is the bouncers. They think they're too cool and are pretty inappropriate. read more

this was always a great site, for all sorts of different acts, from the Mekons to Dead Prez. havent been in a while, but ill always have fond things to say about double door. except all those scares about it closing. i liked the atmosphere, and it was way more manageable than a lot of other spots, like the Metro. they ought to let activits table at political shows more often, tho. read more

Went to a show here last night for the waka winter classic. This place has always been up and down for me. It was 8 degrees last night and they had no heat. They "claimed" it was broken. The overpriced drinks, weak pours and outright shitty attitude from the staff made me wonder why I came back. They should take some of that money they're robbing their customers blind from in shitty drinks and bad service and pay their stupid heat bill! Cheap assholes! read more

Probably my favorite place to see a concert in Chicago (except maybe for the old Fireside Bowl). Memorable moments include Secret Cheifs 3 and Estradasphere (they had fire juggling women and the opening band played an encore set with sc3, probably the best show I've seen, and that's saying a lot), the Melvins w/Jello Biafra (shock and awe!), Venomous Concept, Nebula (one of the coolest bands on earth), Orange Goblin (the loudest band I've ever seen!), Battles, High On Fire w/Yakuza, and, well, tons more. I do get out to see a lot of shows I must say. The Double Door takes the cake because of a good sound system, decent acoustics, and huge bar, an intimate setting to see a band, nice pool tables in the basement if you need a breather, a balcony area with its own bar, cool staff, etc etc etc. This place also has a wide variety, although it's primarily rock so be ready to rock out with yr, you know. It also has a coat check area with cds for sale, etc. I've also seen members of the bands roaming around in the audience area such as John Stanier (drummer Helmet, Battles, Tomahawk) and Matt Pike from High On Fire. Prices on beer are also very amicable so drink up! read more

Saw Helmet here last night. Nice they now allow reentry for smokers. Great time. My ears r still ringing!

So I walk down to your Lounge, your basement bar and I get followed around by your door man? I'm a mild mannered man with my wife and I have to put up with this kind of intimidation? You cats need to wake up and think about how you want to treat your home town folks. It was ridiculous. read more

My wife and I visited the Double Door recently after winning tickets to a show. We had both been to the Double door multiple times in the past to see various bands but after this experience I can safely say we will never return. We arrived at the club just as one of the bands we were excited to see was taking the stage. Following the band's 3rd or 4th song my wife was pelted in the back with a full can of beer, leaving her soaked and quite upset. She was shocked and completely bewildered by what had just happened because we had not had any previous altercations or negative encounters withe anyone in the audience since our arrival. She quickly turned around to see what was going on but the few audience members that were behind us (we were near the back of the crowd) acted like they had seen nothing. We informed the staff and bouncers but were told nothing could be done because we had not seen who threw the can of beer. Absolutely nothing was done or offered to my wife to help rectify the situation. Because of this we left the Double Door immediately. We were in the cub for about a total of 30 minutes and I'm absolutely positive these will be the last 30 minutes that I ever spend at the Double Door. The city is full of other great places that this kind of thing will never happen or be tolerated at. read more

great bands. great sounds. great beer, need i say more?

man. the double door always has a great lineup. they get a bunch of good shows that for the most part i dont mind paying to get in to hear. however....when there is someone i dont really know or like playing and i still wanna hang here, i hate paying 15 per person. the drinks are on the somewhat expensive side and they dont serve drinks in glassware...cant stand those silly little plastic cups. good venue for music, get drunk beforehand somewhere cheaper read more

Great for love music

i love coming to double door. it's not a huge venue, it's pretty small, but not uncomfortably small. it does get pretty crowded, which means it gets insanely hot, but its always a fun time [for me at least.] drinks are kind of pricey, but if you stop at any of the bars beforehand, or just pregame at home beforehand, you'll be okay and won't end up spending too much $. the sound is really good, and its just a great place! oh and they have a photo booth! read more

definately a chicago institution. the layout inside is nice, especially the bar downstairs with monitors of the stage if you need a little escape. read more

This place is the best mid-size rock venue in the city! Great bands and the beer is not too expensive.

Mediocre. Average music. This place's biggest liability may be its location.

What a great venue. I love that they have a downstairs area to get away from the crowd. The bar staff isn't the best for someone who isn't a regular, but that's what I expect. Overall it was great. read more

Easily one of the top venues in Chicago. Occasional free shows, always great local and national acts, great sound and vibe.

I don't normally write reviews, but the Double Door deserves a 5 star all the way. I went for a sold out show and the venue was not packed at all. This gives you room to dance, but also get away from the crowd if you need to. There is also a balcony area that anyone can sit at. Solid sound system and great staff. read more

Sweet man. I like watching these relatively unknown bands while slightly drunk. Some are indeed crap, but some will get your hand tapping or ass dancing if you drank enough. When I see people going through seizure like dance movements on the floor it's like life makes sense again. Can't explain it otherwise. People here are friendly, chill and easy to talk to it seems. There's a lovely photobooth too. read more

Let me start by saying that the venue is great for concerts. The space and the acoustics were great. I enjoyed my friends concert in July. Where they fell short was the bar service. My husband paid cash for our first 2 drinks. After that he started a tab on his credit card and he ordered 3 more drinks for each of us. Then I went to the bar once and ordered one round of drinks for both of us. The drinks were $5 each so the total should have been $40, but it was $50. I explained to the bartender that served us that the total should have been $40. She proceeded to say that we were lying and that she served my husband 3 times and me twice. I said you are mistaken I only came up here once. She said no I served you twice. Then got mad and said well if you don't want to pay it just don't tip me. Now why would she offer guilt and just say don't tip her? That didn't make any sense. I said it's not about $10 but I don't like being lied on. I can clearly pay the tab but I don't like that you're lying and saying that I came up here twice. She just got frustrated and left saying just don't tip her which again was weird. I personally do not like being lied on for $10 when I probably would have tipped more since she did actually make drinks. When you try to get over or have a case of mistaken identity that's your fault. If I ever decide to go back, which is highly unlikely, I will definitely take cash or not order from the bar. read more

Love Love the Double Door. It's all you can ask for of a bar that provides live music. I go here by myself to watch my favorite bands when they come to town. It's fun and people are friendly. read more

Sound for the musicians is decent. The beer selection is pretty minimal and there are only 3 beers on tap. The place is more of a bar with a stage than a concert venue with a bar. There are pillars that partially block the view of the performing band. The place is bordering on being a dive the floors are all worn and torn up in some places. The worst thing is that the beer prices here are more expensive than the prices in the bars in even nicer areas. Even the Bud, Old Style and PBR are expensive for what you get. Is way too beat up for a place that has only been ther a little over 15 years and was formerly a liquor store and bar. On the positive side it does have an intimate feel to it as you can get close to the stage. I prefer the Auditorium Theatre, Lincoln Hall or the Metro to this place, though. read more

All I can say is it is HOT in here. They need to get some AC stat. I really like the intimate setting, however, if the place is packed for me it is uncomfortably hot (even in the winter somehow). I literally have to prepare before going to a show here (bring a head band because sweat will be dripping down my face!). In fact, I was told by a bartender once that they keep the place hot because they sell more alcohol this way! Overall, I like the place, but for me this makes the experience much less enjoyable! read more

A HUUGGGEEE thank you to the boys at the double door for being so sweet to me and helping me find a comfortable place to relax. Not a lot of venues are kind or accommodating to the disabled, and the door dudes and bar staff did a great job of making me feel at ease so I could enjoy some awesome Norweigen Death Punk and some brews. The staff was also SUUPER helpful when my friend got hit in the head and couldn't stand and could barely form words. (crowd surfers, be careful of the people under you!!!) Amazing service. My first time, and I was very pleased. read more

Came once and my general thoughts were that it was not a great venue, especially on the weekends in Wicker Park. The staff is rude AF (not great to look at either), drinks are bad even for a dirty venue, and the prices are way too high for the shows. Even though I didn't plan on coming back or recommending this place to any other friends- I did come again and brought a friend from out of town. She was from the US and she showed her ID. Three bouncers looked at it (weird...) said it was fake, took it, and told her to call the cops if she wanted it back. It was obviously a real ID, she even showed her back up, expired under 21 ID, but my friend is a black woman, so they didn't care how many credit cards or verified IDs/passports she showed them. They told her to "get the f*ck out." What was especially weird is that even before the third bouncer finally took her (genuine) ID, they had already given me back my money, leading me to believe this is not only a crap establishment for any music or dancing, but that they are racist AF. Don't come here if you don't want your night ruined!!!!!! read more