After a misunderstanding about a ticket purchase, Jonathan was able to straighten it all out for us! We were able to enjoy the show, on our much needed girl's trip! We loved the show! read more

Great atmosphere and great music. The drinks were also affordable. Kindly note this establishment doesn't sell food.

Amazing! They are open during Covid. Safe practice and wearing masks! They are strict about it! No alcohol but there's pop sales. You can still bring in food from the outside. We caught Denise Thimes and I tell you! Must see! Must go! Her voice is sooo beautiful and at the end it keeps you wanting more! A great Jazz show especially during Covid! read more

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We came for a show on Friday night. Would consider coming again but I would recommend playing music when the doors open or having an opening band or set prior to the main event. Paying $30 for a band to only play 1 hour seems a bit high. The set stated it would be from 8pm to 9:30pm but they were late and it was more like 8:30 to 9:30pm. And the next set was starting at 10pm which meant you had to leave so that the next group of people could sit where you were sitting. It would be nice to stay and drink once you pay that charge. The inside of the venue is older and kind of homie feeling with older sofa's for parties of 3 or more. And then tight seating for parties of 2 or 3 some with a small table. Our server was kind and the drinks seem a little overpriced. read more

Great atmosphere. Very relaxing, comfy seats, parking available, all ages welcome, no pressure to buy a drink. Will definitely come back. read more

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LOVELY experience and I would 100% return. My boyfriend was coming in town just for 1 night (flights delayed/canceled for weather so the trip was cut a little short) and we wanted to do something relaxing and fun after having dinner at one of our favorites, Gilt Bar. I pre-purchased GA tickets for the Chico Freeman Quartet, I believe, and we got there at about 9:30 for the 10 PM show. The venue was still trickling out people from the 8 PM show, so we waited patiently. The man that was running the show at the door greeted us and showed us where to wait. He was extremely polite and cordial. When they began letting us in, he kindly guided us to some seating selections near the front and sat us down in a Reserved space. Though pretty busy, it was not a sold out show, so I am assuming they had the room to seat GA people at Reserved. The other reviews are true, there really is not a bad seat in the house. The primary difference, from what I could observe about the Reserved vs GA seating is that they are all interspersed in the same area, but Reserved seemed to be deep, cushiony velvet loveseats/couches. We were SO comfortable (almost too comfortable-- post dinner, dimly lit room, comfortable loveseat, calming music...zzz..... hehe). But it was SO pleasant. This place is no frills, definitely old, but that's what we loved about it. It has a certain quality/charm to it. The jazz quartet was brilliant- every instrument had a solo, each one more lovely than the last. I got a Southside (basically a mojito) and my boyfriend (sleepy) got a coffee. Our waitress was kind and attentive, and overall it was such a pleasant experience. I definitely enjoyed my night there and will be back!! :) Thank you Jazz Showcase for preserving quality music and creating an intimate, comfortable, relaxing environment for people to sway to good music! read more

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Showcase or listening room, this place is a great setting when you want to "listen" and "hear" jazz musicians create. It's just a great venue for your regular dose of jazz in Chicago. There's no bad seat in the house either. Parking is available next door. The location is fairly accessible by public transportation. Tickets to most shows, reviewable on their online calendar of events, are reasonably priced. Beverages are available from the bar or through the server read more

Great Jazz and ambiance! Most historic Chicago Jazz house in town. Fantastic customer service.

Yes totally worth your attention!! A must go to club for jazz. Great set up no such thing as a bad seat in the house. Staff works super hard to get your drinks while a fantastic performance happens. My very first time in Chicago and wanted a jazz experience like a local not tourist. This is the place! Saw Chuchito Jazz trio. Chu was a dynamite as I got goose bumps listening to his song choices. Great experience and so so kewl. read more

A great afternoon! We went to a matinée Billy Lewis Quintet & it was great! The service friendly and evenly paced through the show. The drinks were moderately priced. We went for the VIP tickets...was it worth the extra $15/ticket? We thought so - we got to pick front row or front side. The doors open pretty early and I suspect if you there 15/20 min before it starts you can get the seat you want (minus front row). The show didn't start until 4:15 (instead of 4) but went long, 5:45 (instead of 5:30) The facility was a little tired but kinda fits what we expected. Overall, good time! read more

Loved the show and the ambiance! It was a perfect way to spend an evening with my sisters!

I was really excited to find this place just down the street from my hotel. $20 admission for last nights concert. Darkly lit with candles on the table. Perfect for date night although I was solo. It's an old fashion authentic jazz place. No special frills just great jazz music. If you want to drink, you need to go to the bar and order for yourself. They didn't have anyone waitressing the entire venue area. If you ask me.. big mistake for the businesses bottom line. As I noticed practically everyone's cocktails were empty halfway thru the show. No one wants to get up during a performance out of respect. One bartender? Seriously? On a Friday night? If you like Jazz and are visiting Chicago.. it's a good place to spend some time. read more

Jazz Showcase - Look for the sign - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent show tonight! Isaiah Collier and the chosen few can play like you can't believe! High energy and amazing! The Jazz Showcase is a very comfortable lounge and perfect jazz atmosphere exactly what I was hoping for when I went looking for a great jazz club! We were seated by Johnny and we sat on a comfy couch right up front. Our waitress was there right away to get us drinks! I love this place if I lived here in Chicago, I would live here!! Lol read more

Jazz Showcase - Isaiah Collier and the chosen few. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The music is impeccable. The atmosphere is great, the servers very attentive and frequently checks that you have water and drinks. Love to go there for good entertainment and affordability , will not break your bank. Seats could be more comfortable, but overall an amazing nite for live entertainment. read more

Took my 11 year old son to the Sunday matinee. What an amazing show. Kids accounted for about 1/4 of the audience and you could tell everyone was genuinely happy to see the young faces. As hey said, this helps ensure jazz moves on to the next generation. Folks in the crowd talked to my son and the performers had guest from the Chicago area come in and perform as well. It was a great show that had a lot of heart and thought put into it. Drinks (and they had kid cocktails) were priced as expected. My son's "Shirley Temple" came with a kid-pleasing 4 cherries. I'm glad we came. My son and I will enjoy the memories for years to come. read more

My Bestie invite me out to see Robert Glasper in concert. Amazing very low key and mature atmosphere. The whole experience was grown sexy and relaxing. I felt so relaxed after a long week at work. Nice music wine and awesome ambience. Well be back for another concert. read more

Jazz Showcase - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The highlight of our trip to Chicago was our visit to Jazz Showcase. KT had asked if we would like to see some jazz while in town so we did a little investigation and ended up at Jazz Showcase based on its reputation and the artists playing that weekend. We happened to be there for the Ari Brown Quintet and found enough examples of his playing on YouTube to know what we would be hearing. This review is for Jazz Showcase and not for Ari Brown, but I must say I would go back to hear him and his group any time. At least on the night we were there they played great straight-ahead hard bop, it was perfect for our group. We all liked it. I would like to see him come down to St Louis to Jazz at the Bistro. I was surprised the place was not packed full for this local talent. I hope he is appreciated in Chicago. We are regulars at Jazz at the Bistro and found Jazz Showcase to be similar. It is a little larger, seating and viewing is still excellent and it remains an intimate venue. It is a listening room with drinks service, rather than a nightclub. I have bookmarked Jazz Showcase to watch the artists that they have coming. I would not rule out an occasional drive to Chicago for more. Places like this keep Jazz accessible to those of us who prefer the intimate places to the concert halls and who are not night club people. I also liked that they have Sunday afternoon family friendly matinees. This is a great place for jazz. read more

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We saw Freddie Cole and his set was fabulous! That's why it isn't two stars. But, in an effort for the establishment to maximize how many customers can buy tickets, they sit four people at tiny tables. I didn't like that. No privacy and too close to strangers. Next time, we'll just sit in the back, because you can still hear the music in the bar area. read more

Jazz Showcase - Freddie Cole..great set! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow!! Coworker and I wanted to celebrate our Christmas break. We wanted to go out to listen to some live jazz. Ive heard so much about the jazz showcase and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to see Rodger Glasper Trio. People came everywhere from out of town, south side, Wheaton and Highland Park. Show was sold out!! We were lucky enough to get standing tickets by the bar. Great music, Great view, Great environment and Wonderful staff. No matter where you seated it was a great seat. Drinks, the bartender allowed you sample couple of choices. Wow!! Never had a bartender do that before. I recommend this for a date night, meet up with friends and for the ones who just loves great music. The crowd was diverse in ages, race and sizes of people. Before or afterward you can dined at Bar Louie's. That located on the corner. read more

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The most authentic jazz club with excellent service and remarkably low prices on drinks.

TL;DR - Great date night spot and a great night of Jazz. The Jazz - 5/5 - Saw the Bobby Lewis Quintet. They played a 75 minute set and each piece was very enjoyable. He interacted with the crowd between songs and that created a very laid back, intimate setting. Had a wonderful time listening and ended up buying a CD after the show. The Venue - 4.5 / 5 - We bought general admission tickets in advance. The internet says they open at 8, but we were able to get seated around 7:30. We had great seats right behind the VIP seating section. There is not a bad seat in the house, so even if you're standing in back or have a table in the corner, I don't think it would diminish the experience. Would recommend VIP if you want to be close up but not arrive super early. Drinks - 3/5 - Simple drinks that aren't a little diluted, but not crazily so. Service - 3.5 / 5 - I only saw one server. She did a great job and we didn't really have to wait long, but seems like other people kept trying to get eye contact with her. No food here, but I believe you can bring your own. read more

Jazz Showcase - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Jazz Showcase is an excellent jazz club in the South Loop. Unlike that jazz venue in River North, this is a place where people who love great jazz go to listen to the music. The sound is great, the audience respectful, and the artists are top notch. This isn't, perhaps, the cleanest and poshest place around, but the Jazz Showcase has that lived-in feeling that all great music clubs have. It's a comfortable and terrific place to hear great music. Since the club isn't too large, there really isn't a bad seat in the house, but get there early to snatch a seat closer to the stage. If you ride the L, the club is no more than 500 feet from the Polk Street entrance to the Harrison station on the Red Line. read more

Jazz Showcase - Dee Alexander at the Jazz Showcase. Her entire performance was great, but her version of Whatever Lola Wants was the best I've ever heard! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was my first visit to the venue. My daughter loves Jazz, and I was her guest for the evening. The ambiance, music and drinks were great, but the performers were unfriendly. Christian Dillingham performed with a guitarist, saxophonist and drummer - the saxophonist, Gary Ward, is a great performer and was the most friendly of the bunch. After all of our applauses and shouts of support, the other band members each walked to and from the bar, past our table several times and spoke ONLY to the white patrons. Shouldn't musicians be friendly to all of the patrons? read more

Jazz Showcase - Waiting for Christian Dillingham to perform! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We enjoyed an amazing evening of Jazz last night. We were lucky to catch the show by the Chico Freeman Group. The atmosphere and the music were absolutely amazing. Great drinks and awesome service all around. read more

Had a lovely evening. We attended on a Sunday night not much of a crowd Im guessing because people have to work Monday and possibly Covid attendance went down . On Saturday and Friday nights it's harder to get tickets anywhere. Service was great and music was lovely. read more

Jazz Showcase - a group of musicians on stage - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I liked this little spot. It was very raw and organic but I didn't really appreciate the waitress. It's a $20 entry fee and then she hassles you to buy drinks. So I couldn't enjoy the experience and was feeling pressured to get a drink. For those who drink liquor that's cool, I don't drink liquor and told her twice and she still kept coming around. Their none alcoholic drinks were full of sugar, which I wasn't interested in. Maybe consider having sugar free options for people who are a bit more health aware. read more

Best jazz venue in the city. And tonight they sponsored a student jazz concert by the talented swinging musicians at the Chicago Academy of the Arts. They played straight ahead classics really well. Great music. Great student musicians. Great evening. read more

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By far my favorite place to enjoy jazz in the whole of Chicago. It is casual yet captures that moody essence of a jazz club. I always bring out-of-towners here to show them a quintessential Chicago night. The place has a fully stocked bar with some creative cocktails to pair with the music. What's even better is that Jazz Showcase allows BYOF (Bring Your Own Food). Nearby, there's three pizzeria that offers both NY and Chicago pizza options. A little bit of history: Jazz Showcase is the oldest jazz club in Chicago, having housed many performances from the greats, and was Dizzy Gillespie's personal favorite club. Today, it still house daily music performances ranging from vocals to full on orchestra. My favorite routine when friends visit Chicago is to call the nearby Lou Malnati's, pick up some piping hot deep dish, then head over to Jazz Showcase a little bit earlier to snag the comfy center couch and finish my pizza by the time the lights go dark. Then wash down a delicious dinner with some cocktails and sweet Jazz. Try it for yourself :) read more

We arrived at the venue and were given a small bistro table with 4 stools. My friend and I were the only people in our party. As the place became more crowded, we were told we had to allow 2 more people to sit at our table because they were sold out and every seat was reserved. My friend told the man who seated us that we did not feel comfortable sitting with strangers. The man rudely said "we are all strangers here". She then said no where on the website does it say you will have to share a table. He then said we had 2 choices- allow strangers to sit at our table or get a refund. We decided to stay but were not happy about it. Then the waitress took our drink order. When she came back, my friend asked for separate checks. She said she couldn't do that because we were "together". She said she already put the order in the computer and couldn't take it out and separate it. Fine, whatever. The drinks were brought and my friend was happy with hers but mine tasted watered down. At that point I was done. The music was fantastic. The venue... not so much. So if you want to hear good music in an overly crowded venue, sitting with strangers and drinking overpriced watered down drinks then this is the place for you. There are better jazz clubs in Chicago. read more

Wonderful jazz spot in the south loop. I would definitely come here again for a drink and a show. The atmosphere is very cozy, great service, and lively music. read more

Jazz Showcase - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of my favorite spots in the city! Very spacious and beautiful ambience, and most importantly good music!!

Have you ever met an artist that can just illustrate the essence of the moment? Well Jonathan did that for me. Every drink he's made for me tonight has matched the ambiance and rhythm of the artists performing tonight. Great work, man!! read more

One of my best kept secrets is that I am a HUGE jazz aficionado. I took a job in college at the campus jazz radio station to earn some extra dough and had no idea at the time how much that $4.25 an hour job was really worth. I learned about all the different styles of jazz---from classic to contemporary--and have a deep appreciation for all of them. I love expressing that appreciation at places such as the JS, which has featured many jazz greats over the years. I have to admit, I have been seriously slackin' on my jazz game as of late, so when my good friend invited me to the JS to check out the Dave Holland Quintet, I said yes without hesitation. The new venue is large but retains the same cozy, intimate feel of the other incarnations. The cast of characters which make up the staff at JS were in rare form, adding to the sultry energy of the night. We had prime seating in the front so we were able to vibe with the musicians on an almost ethereal level--just the way I like it. Listening to jazz played from the heart and soul is like phenomenal sex. Only those who TRULY connect with jazz know what I mean. This was one of those nights. I've seen many jazz legends over the years--Pharoah Sanders at the Michigan Avenue location, Christian McBride and Diana Krall at the Illinois Street location and most recently the Dave Holland Quintet at Dearborn Station--and I look forward to seeing many more. Gold Star for Jazz Showcase! read more

I stopped in to listen to a set during the Annual Jazz Pub Crawl.... It was love at first sight. I found it to be the perfect setting. Nice, clean, dimly lit, lots of windows, an actual stage and great acoustics. It's a nice spot for date night or have a cocktail or three after dinner. The place has both traditional tables and high tops. There is also seating at the bar. If I had to guess, the place comfortably holds 150 people. read more

As a jazz fan, it was only right that I finally try this place as I literally live a couple blocks away from it. I recently lived a few blocks away from the Green Mill in Uptown so its awesome that this is just as close as my beloved jazz joint Uptown. I came by recently on a date to see the Schneider/Mallinger Quintet and they played a very good show. Shout out to Stu Katz that was on keys and the brother on the drums. Very good set! Its sit where ever you want in this place just like the Green Mill and the space seems a bit bigger but maybe because of the way its setup. They have a lovely server going around taking drink orders and they accept credit cards unlike the Mill. Their beer list and specialty cocktail is a little limited for my liking but I guess its cool because they can make any drink you order. Had an old fashioned and it was pretty weak...me and my date both concurred. I then got one of their specialty drinks that included Hennessey and I had to force it down...not that good! Like I mentioned earlier, I am a lover of the jazz and will definitely spend countless Fri/Sat nites here! They charge a $20 cover FYI! read more

If you want to hear spectacular jazz in Chicago, you can't beat the Jazz Showcase. Any night of the week, you are going to hear some unbelievable musicians up on the stage. If you get there early enough, you can often get a deal on parking and a nice comfy sofa or lounge seat near the front. Wait/bar staff are always friendly and attentive. I've been to this venue 5 or 6 times and have not been disappointed, nor do I ever expect to be! read more

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Strolled in late (11pm) on a Friday to catch some jazz only to find out that there was maybe fifteen minutes of the final set left. Really? In Chicago? I was surprised to learn this. Either way the door guy was cool and let us catch the last little bit. The layout is pretty straight forward, bar in the back, tables and chairs, stage, bathrooms to either side of the stage. Tip - if your evening is still in progress after the Showcase is done, Buddy's is right around the corner and still going. read more

Super cool place that I had never been to before, even though this place has been here forever. Great music and comfy atmosphere for relaxing and listening to some beautiful music. We saw a 5 piece Jazz band with piano, trumpet, saxophone, upright bass, and drummer. Every player was super talented. Definitely buy tickets ahead of going to the show. We showed up for the 10pm show at 9:15. Understandably, they sat the folks with reservations first, then the walk ins. The 8pm show went a little long so we didn't sit until almost 10:30pm. Still a wonderful time. I didn't buy tickets ahead because we were not sure we would make it. I gave 4 stars only because the in/out procedures need some work. It's confusing and crowded. We will be back. read more

If you love jazz (and are over 21 or know people who will let you in) this place is just for you! I went with a few friends the other day and we just couldn't get enough. This is the only way to experience jazz in this city. You just walk in and can FEEL the history and passion for jazz. Absolutely great place. read more

Jazz Showcase - Great jazz, great place, great night. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sweet and funny doorman. $10 cover for a Monday night show. No pressure to buy drinks. Lots of small tables and chairs. New Standard Jazz Orchestra was awesome. read more

Jazz Showcase - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois