Famous Chicago bar and music venue with a wide variety of local national acts that pass through. Nice stage and excellent sound system. The room is wide and not very deep, so sidelines can be a little challenging. I believe that years ago they had food, but is now primarily bar and music. Most recent experience with the door and bar staff was really quite good. If there's an act there that you want to see, it is absolutely worth the visit. read more

Martyrs is an absolutely great small local music venue in Chicago and I highly recommend that you check out Martyrs at your earliest opportunity. Small venue, intimate setting, up close and personal with your favorite band. read more

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Saw a great cover band! Older crowd which is perfect because there's no drama. We were all born in the 70s and rocked the 80s!

Cozy, unaffected familial feeling. Tables arranged with enough space so as not to feel crowded. Stage in perfect place.

Came here for a band that was supposed to be starting at 3:00. It's 3:20 and they're not starting even though the entire band is here. There's maybe 15 people here and someone said that they're waiting for more people to come see them before they start. Maybe it's just me but I don't believe in punishing people that are on time for an event. Would not do this again. read more

Martyrs' - This is a picture of the band not playing 20 minutes after they were supposed to start. - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very hard to contact someone. I bought tickets to see someone at another venue and now it got transferred to this place so I have no idea how this venue works and they don't answer the phone or return calls after voice messages. read more

Love this place for music. But bar staff and management handled a dispute with another patron very poorly last week at Second Hand News show. A random chick took one of our seats at the bar when one of us got up to take a quick photo. This extremely rude chick refused to give us our seat back and refused to even engage with us even though my friend's beer and purse were at the seat. We had arrived when doors opened to get a seat at the bar, had been served there for 3 hours before this happened and Martyr's staff and management did NOTHING to resolve the situation. We had been regular customers here but will rethink that in the future. read more

If I walk into a place and see John Lennon on the wall, I get good vibes instantly and have high hopes for a place to be awesome. I went to Martyrs' for a story slam reading and the place was completely full. Our server stayed speedy (for the most part) despite having about a thousand guests to tend to. I'm going to imagine Martyrs' is a great place for vegetarians because I ate quite a bit & non of it had meat. It was eat like a vegetarian night for me. My friend and I shared the~ +Kale, Spinach, Garlic, Balsamic Butter & Parmesan Grilled Pizza $12 - Individual size pizza that my friend and I ended up sharing. That along with a couple of empanadas should make a sufficient meal for 2. I really liked this pizza, it was way better than I expected. +Butternut squash & goat cheese empanada $4 - I wanted more! I needed more! I loved this empanada but I prob could have ate a hundred of them. One empanada comes out to you in a little baggie. +Hummus, veggies & pita $8 - Very good pita bread, came out a little toasty. I wanted a bit more pita as we ended up with a lot of unused hummus. Everything I had at Martyr's tasted great, service was good and it's a lovely place to see a show. Love Martyr's minus the seating which consists of long tables of uber hard chairs. When you're sitting for 4 hours, your booty will end up sore by the end up the night. Trust. They have some padded bar stools that looked a bit more comfortable and you best believe that's where I'll be sitting next time. read more

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Fun Saturday all ages country music (on this day) that anyone would enjoy. Lovely crowd, delicious beer, incredible music, and a generally unpretentious but a beautiful Sunday venue. Could not be a better place to spend a Sunday afternoon in the whole city. read more

I've only been to Martyrs' a few times in my life. Once as a performer on stage, and a couple times to watch my husband perform. If you're not familiar with this venue, they have some great shows pass through. From famous bands to local legends, they've hosted every type of musical genre. I was there on Saturday night, and the vibe was homey and the crowd was cool. There was seating for the majority of guests, and for those that had to stand, they had plenty of places to lean ;-) This venue has a great intimate vibe, and it was filled with friends of friends who came out to see a great show. They have two bars, the women's bathroom was decent and clean, and the staff working that night was really friendly. Our server in particular was a total sweetheart. Though I wasn't drinking, the friend I was with took advantage of their nice beer selection. Rumor has it they have a killer margarita. I sat off to the side of the stage a bit, so the sound was a little loud at times, but not awful. The space is small enough that the sight lines were great. The sound balance could use a bit of tweaking. Lots of street parking, and on a Saturday night where we parked a couple blocks away, the meter stopped at 10pm. I'll be back for sure! read more

Great small venue for seeing shows from Spoken Word to National Acts to first time bands on stage this venue offers a welcoming space to hang with friends and take in a show. read more

Good music, some talented live bands play here. But overpriced food and drinks. Get your food from of the wonderful restaurants outside. It's 2019 they wanted cash only for tickets. It's like I walked through a time portal. read more

Martyrs' - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were here for their annual Krampus Fest. The organization left a little to be desired. Vendors offered great wares, but were crowded together with an akward flow. The actual parade (if you can call it that) had seemingly no plan. Aside from the odd event, it is a decent event space. I could absolutely see coming here for a local show or a few beers. read more

There's a dancing Internet meme sweeping the world that apparently everybody knows about- The Harlem Shake. I don't know much about trends or dances but Martyrs is a good place to feel hip and get your dance on. They have very reasonable cover charges. I believe for the earlier shows it might be all ages with wristband for the over 21. The beer list isn't big but has some craft beers and good options. The cocktails are well made. My Cape Codders (cranberry vodkas) were big. There's not that many stools but we got lucky and found 2 and put our stuff down. I talked about dancing. There's eclectic talent and generally a bunch of different groups in a row. Some of them are really creative and good musicians. Even I got into the music and boogied for a few songs. It was fun! Two criticisms: the doorman was gruff and mangled my hands taking my bracelet from the left and stamping the right (I have a bruise) and we left our leftovers on the bar in front of our stools, beers, stuff, and they were gone when where gone when we got back (there was a sandwich in there!). read more

Martyrs' - Magners Cider and my delicious IPA - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been to Martyrs' more times than I can count on my fingers and toes- it's nice smaller music venue that doesn't feel small, and I give it a solid 3.5 Stars, A-Okay with Rock Signs. -Bring ID (they card hard) -Bring $10 for cover charge (Cover is usually close to $10, and the bands gots to gets paid, yo) -Bring an appetite (Black bean burger and other menu items are actually good!) -Bring $$ or pla$tic (like other rock clubs, drinks are slightly overpriced) -Bring your friends (there's lots of tables to grab, and plenty of space for people to Rock Out together) I like that there's two bar areas to order drinks, and service is attentive and friendly. Martyrs' lineups tend towards jam band, rootsy, so it's not a place that suits my musical tastes to a tee, but it's a solid well-run club that I don't hesitate to visit. read more

Come for the rock shows...well, stay for the rock shows. Do not factor food into the equation. The four-dollar empanada "special" was anything but--sad, tiny little fellas with hard shells and disappointing fillings. The beer list was pretty good, but a couple of selections on the printed menu were no longer available and two were cashed out during my stay and replaced with dissimilar styles. So...count on some decent beers generally but specific brews are basically a spin of the roulette wheel. But they sure can stage some exciting rock 'n' roll. Shout out to Tributosaurus for a sweet R.E.M. impersonation. Also, they usually put together an arse-kicking lineup on Saint Patrick's Day. read more

Ready? Melanie V's shamless plug #1: TONY LUCCA!!! Yes, he's from MMC fame - the same cast that featured JT, Britney, Ryan Gosling, Christina. And, you might have heard 'Devil's Town' from Friday Night Lights? The point is he is amazing. He's one artist whose voice/songs makes me want to laugh, smile and weep all at the same time. Seriously. And, "It's You" is probably one of my most favorite songs. EVER. When he's in Chicago, he's usually at Martry's and I really love the intimate setting here. My psycho friends (aka Ruth H.) snagged a front row table, so we had AWESOME seats. It was almost like being serenaded. Men with guitars? I swoon. But, this venue is so cute and friendly and small that you'll be able to enjoy the show from anywhere. I noticed couples tucked away in the back corners as well as fans hangin' out along the bar area. A place for everyone. Tickets were a STEAL at $10. Add in some yummy hummus ($7) and some ice cold beer ($5)...and you're on your way to one great night of music. Support the talent, ya'll! ;) read more

Martyrs' - tony lucca. *sigh* - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After moving to Chicago from NYC last year, I started looking for my new Brooklyn Bowl-Le Poisson Rouge-Garcia's-Nublu-like scene here, and I'm so glad that I found it at Martyrs'. It's a chill venue that books excellent bands, and we always have a great time there. The staff takes really good care of their guests and, no matter how crowded the bar is, Eric will quickly help you out without playing any of those silly "I'm the bartender and I'll serve you when I feel like it" games. The waitress, Valerie, is amazing. Even during a jam packed sold out show, she'll smoothly navigate the whole bar with a genuine smile and make sure you never go thirsty - whether you're standing towards the back or right up at the stage. I'm sure this is not new news for any of you locals and know this place is a Chicago classic...I'm just glad that I found it - and that I live so close to it! read more

This club features national and local bands. They can get some pretty big names in here once in a while. Their cover is usually reasonable. On Mondays it's free and they feature Irish bands or musicians. They have some decent food, Irish beers, domestics, etc... It's not fancy here so throw some jeans on and check out a good band. read more

Martyrs' - a brick building with a blue awning - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

On leg five of another Unstoppable Friday, I was on the final venue and finally made my way to Martyr's. Previously, I had only known Martyr's as the bar that was on the way to Goldie's with plenty of people smoking outside and always trucks and vans shuffling equipment in and out. On this occasion my friend's band was headlining Martyr's for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk and I was obliged to make it. The windows of Martyr's are blacked out or so I thought but actually I found Martyr's to be very dim inside. The darkness gives the venue a great degree of intimacy with candlelight inside and a stage emanating yellows. I found my friends all over the bar - some were sitting enjoying the music from a distance, others were on the dark side of the bar standing and sipping on their drinks. Still others were on stage performing while the crowd took in the music and the experience. Martyr's certainly is an experience and one of Chicago's more intimate venues where you can get up close without having to knock someone out or bowl over people to do so. I was able to get pictures at all angles and the sound guys did a good job unlike at other venues where it sounds as if someone's kid brother had to be the last minute replacement. read more

Martyrs' - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great place to see live music! Diverse group of people - nothing like Lincoln Park or the Viagra Triangle (good grief!). Never have experienced the Big C jamboree, but I will definitely check it out next time... read more

Deserving of another star! Martyrs has always been a great place to see live music, and when they host the greats and not so greats, the famous and the not so famous people who make up Chicago's World Music scene - what's not to love? And Funkadesi - mad mad love for Funkadesi. Great place to see music. Lots of room, sound is great bathrooms are clean. The front of the venue looks out on Lincoln Avenue, and I love the urban vibe that gives the whole place. read more

Went to Martyrs Friday night and sat outside in their patio/parking lot. Music was good but the drinks were priced like they were a downtown bar. Double Tito's with 2 limes served in a 6oz plastic cup $24, Tito's martini served in a 6oz plastic cup $14, Paddy's up served in a 6oz plastic cup $14. Lessen learned, beer and ciders only. Cocktail waitress was wanting. She never took an empty unless we asked her too. We started to build a pyramid and that didn't even catch her eye. If I could, I'd give them NO stars. read more

I have only attended a concert here and while I really enjoyed the concert itself, I found the venue a little depressing. The floors were too sticky from spilled drinks even before we started and the service/food was very A-OK. It is definitely an intimate setting in some ways, but I wish they would make the place a little more welcoming/warmer. read more

Great place to see a show. I saw Abigail Washburn there a few nights ago and it was a lovely and intimate setting. They had a good drink selection, and it seemed like a real nice crowd (no d-bags). Everyone was just enjoying themselves. I can't speak for the food, but the bartenders were nice, and the door guy was friendly. They do have seats and tables, but if you don't get there early, be prepared to stand throughout the show. Tickets were $15 which is very reasonable. I'd go back in a heartbeat. Oh, and they have burlesque shows from time to time. Awesome! read more

Looking for something new and ecletic divy, laid back bar to do on a random night? Add Martyr's to the list! I was here for a Rockabilly Night. People were actually doing real dancing - like Dancing With the Stars kind of moves. Seeing a crowd of all ages was a refreshing sight to see. I know that this place hosts of all sorts of fun, off beat events. Check it out. read more

Really just reviewing the awful sound man who thinks cranking the bass to about twice what it should be is a master stroke of sound balance. Been to martyrs 5x now and at least he's consistent. Note I'm a musician with some listening and playing experience. Could somebody please address this because this is getting to be a stopper for me and I otherwise do like this venue. read more

Stopped down for the Tributosaurus Neil Young show at 10p. The band was great, they did a nice selection of tunes. Maybe it was the weather but while the 7p show was sold-out, it wasn't too packed and was primarily older guys (like me!?) who were crushin on Neil. (Noted!) Cool neighborhood, dinner and tunes would make for a great date night. read more

I used to think this venue was really cool and supports live music but they should be ashamed of themselves over recent actions. Our company has rented out this venue for many shows over the last 3-5 years (and brought them new business) and then a few weeks ago we were scheduled to have an event and our employee flew into Chicago, some bands came as far as from Memphis to play. Everyone travelled far. 2 hours before doors were supposed to open, the owner Brendan calls me and says they can't do the show because a couple of employees have Covid - which is reasonable but very late in the game. They were obviously lying as they told us we can reschedule the date (and we were hoping it would be in the next few days) and instead they decided to not respond to us WHATSOEVER. They have not even been in touch at all. All in the meanwhile their venue is open and running now. Maybe they didn't feel like working that night - who knows but they screwed over all the acts on the show and our company. Really bad way to run your business. Communication is key and your venue made bands and our staff fly to Chicago for no reason and then lied to us about the rescheduled date. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS VENUE. I will happily take down this review when the venue follows thru on its promise and supplies us with dates for our event. read more

We threw a private party here for both adults and kids and I cannot say enough good things about how easy they are to work with, how much they contributed to the success of the event, the delicious food they made, and their cooperation with our DJ. This is the best private event space around, especially for including music and production. Highly recommend. read more

As far as a music venue, I give this place 5 stars. The set up is nice, the sound is good, and they book some great bands. Even the food is vegetarian friendly and pretty good. The bar has a great variety of beers on tap. This is where my problem starts. The last THREE times I've come to Martyr the tap beer has made multiple people in my group sick the following day. (this is after drinking 1-3 beers not 10) Recently, we went back and vowed only to touch bottled or canned beer. But, a bottle of Corona was the same price as some amazing drafts including Lagunitas, 3 FLoyds, and Daisy Cutter! We decided to go against the plan and order a Gumball Head, who can resist Gumball Head! After the first taste, we were both like THIS IS TERRIBLE! I drink a lot of Gumball Head and this tasted like mildew. We both tried to suck it up and just deal but it was too bad. I brought the beers back to the bartender and explained. He nicely traded our two beers out for a Lagunita and a Daisy Cutter. The bartender poured himself a shot of the Gumball HEad to try it. He says "it's not too bad....a little bitter... but not too bad." This man must have never had real Gumball Head in his life outside of Martyrs if he's going to say that beer was not too bad. I tried the Daisy Cutter and it wasn't as bad as the other beer but it was definitely off, tasted flat, old. The Lagunitas though was absolutely horrible, even worse. We went up to some friends and asked them to try them. One friend said "Do NOT drink that. It's horrible." My other friend was holding a Bells draft and said, "You think that's bad, try my Bells." What the hell? We didn't complain again, but ordered cans the rest of the night. This is really frustrating. My friend that drank the Lagunitas, had three beers the whole night, and had horrible stomach pains through the night. I noticed another Yelp Reviewer talked about the dirty taps as well. Hopefully this business fixes their tap issues because I really like the music venue as a whole. read more

**** Must Read **************** It's time to speak up!! No longer can I sit by and experience this atrocity. This affliction affecting good people, people that spend their hard earned money to support musicians and/or artists. Do you know what I'm talking about?!?!?! Have you ever gone to see a band and people in your general vicinity are TALKING, they are so LOUD that you can hear them over the band. Seriously do me and everyone else a favor SHUT THE F**K UP!!! I'm so sick of this happening and it's becoming more frequent. I don't understand why you feel the need to go to a show where people are trying to listen and enjoy themselves just so you can talk to each other... GO TO A REGULAR F**KING BAR!!!! *** When I say talking, really it's anything not relating to the band. Getting excited over the band or what their playing... now I see nothing wrong with that! Don't you understand how rude it is to the people around you, how ignorant and inconsiderate you are being!! It's not just to those people around but the band themselves can hear you too. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get certain bands to play in Chicago, let alone a smaller venue!?! Why would they want to come back if half the crowd is ignoring them?!?!? Think about the money that you're wasting not only for yourselves but the others around you. It's to the point that I don't' want to go to shows anymore because of you. You know what that means?? It means then that other hard working people lose out, like stage hands, audio techs, and maybe just the poor guy at the door checking f**king ids. Also don't' forget about the locations themselves, they allow these bands that we love so much to have a place to play at. I didn't want to say this but it seems to be a Generation thing. The older crowds don't seem to have this problem but it's just as much your fault. Teach your kids to be more respectful to others. I call on music lovers to unite, tell the people at shows to hush and when you hear somebody say hush, back them up!! Remember there is no need for violence but in unity (No not you Unity O.) we can get the point across!! As for you talkers, here is a solution how about whispering and/or not going into a whole f**king paragraph. Or just SHUT THE F**K UP we are trying to enjoy the show!! As for the show Lisa Hannigan will you marry me?!?!? The show was more then brilliant, you are one of my now favorite lyricists!! Everything was perfect, except for fact that we had to move to a different spot twice because stupid f**king people wouldn't shut the f**k up. *** Also let's dance a little more people, when did Chicago become such stiffs!??!?!??!? read more

Went here to the Tributosaurus show (70s One-Hit Wonders) on Saturday night. Simply put, Martyrs' is a fantastic place to see a show. The acoustics are great, the atmosphere is comfortable and inviting, and there is plenty of seating and room to stand. Parking is plentiful, it's close to public transportation, and the staff is friendly and efficient. I had a tab going for several hours and usually at the end of the night, I feel hopelessly overcharged. Not so at Martyr's; I had kept track of how many drinks we ordered and the bartender was right on the money. Extra points for having Smithwick's beer on tap and Magner's cider! read more

If you're up this way and completely clueless what to do with your evening, Martyrs' might be just what the doctor ordered. They've got a pretty wide variety of shows from art to cover acts and even more stuff that will make you say "sure, why not." I came for a pretty cool art/comedy/not sure-what-the-heck-it-was show out of Austin, Texas. Unlike anything I've ever been to before, but that's what I enjoyed about it. I didn't eat any food and the bar was a bit understaffed, but for a unique night of entertainment in a neighborhood not necessarily bustling with nightlife it's definitely worth a stop in. read more

So let's get this straight, Martyrs': I come here and get to see my heroes on stage in an intimate space with great acoustics for about $10? Yes. You are a Godsend. You book bands like Chica Libre out of Brooklyn and don't mind me screwing up the near-stage aesthetics with my silly, erratic dance 'moves'. Two beers set me back $10.50-- I'd say that's better than reasonable. No judging, just good music. With arms flailing wildly about. read more

I'm not sure if it is all Iowa State alumni or just the bunch of them that were attending a performance by The Nadas, but our experience at last night's concert leads me to believe being rude, inconsiderate, and loud is a requirement for under-40 Iowa State Cyclones. This was our first visit to Martyrs, which is described on most web pages we visited as a first as a Music or Concert Venue, and then as an American Bar. The stage is much larger than we expected for a bar. The appearance of interior is nothing to write home about - everything was dated and well-used. On-street parking was easy to find, the employees were absolutely wonderful, and the beer was reasonably priced. If you take away the dozen or two Iowa State alumni who came in just before the opening act and stood in front of the people who'd arrived early and gotten seats, the line-of-sight of the stage is very good. And, if you take away the 60 or 70 Iowa State alumni who talked loudly during every song (except the 5 or 6 they knew well enough to sing along with), the acoustics were good. Bottom line - great place to visit, but don't go to actually listen to the music on a night when a bunch of Millennials decide a performance by their favorite band from college is a great reason to get together and talk. And talk. And talk. read more

I didn't see a show here...I attended a movie screening. And it was a good set up. Ample amount of seating. Lots of beer. Attentive staff. Can't ask for more than that. I really want to see a show here sometime--it's an intimate venue with a neighborhood feel to it. **Added bonus: great location near lots of public transit routes. read more

Disclaimer: I'll be sure to update this review after seeing the show I bought tickets for, which I'm sure will be great, but I wanted to comment on/ask about the process of buying tickets online. I saw that The Ragbirds, a wonderful folk band, is playing at Martyrs soon, so I wanted to buy tickets online. There was also the incentive of tickets being $10 online rather than $12 at the door. Except--oh wait--they tack on a $4 "service fee" for buying the tickets online. REALLY? I'm giving you my money up-front because I for sure want to see the show and I'd like to ensure I have my tickets, so I'm penalized for that? I know it's not a lot of money, and obviously I still bought them, but I think maybe Martyrs should reconsider their online ticketing policy for added user-friendliness as well as plain old common courtesy for those of us who commit to coming to the show beforehand. read more

I have to second Melanie V's review. Yesterday evening was my third Tony Lucca concert; although, it was my first at Martyr's. Having not ventured to this intimate music venue in oh, onward of five years, I was surprised by how little it has changed. Pros: The acoustics in this place still rock. The music acts are still laid back and interact with audiences (for the most part) (older stalker lady trailing after Joey DeGraw is excluded from this part of the review). A wide(r) selection of beers on tap. (Hi, Summer Shandy. I'm pointing at you!) Plus the prices are so reasonable. $11 for two pints? My wallet isn't hiding in the deep recesses of my purse. Parking couldn't be easier. It's down the street from Brownstone. Variety of seating is available for those who don't want to spend two hours on their stiletto-shod feet after a full work day. Cons: Flagging a waitress becomes a team sport, although the bartenders almost make up for the waitress' deficiencies. The food, even on a pub comparison scale, is seriously lacking. Lesson to be learned? Don't come here hungry. Satisfy your hunger pains at one of the other spots within walking distance to Martyr's. read more

I went to Martyrs' at the end of February for the first time and I believe it'll definitely be my last unless they fix their security staff's attitude problem. First impression of the actual VENUE: nice wide open space. Dim lighting, very appropriate. A few tables in the corner, which were definitely being used. Clean bathrooms. Free water at the bar (LOVE it! Why don't more venues do this?). Nice, funny staff member taking tickets. So, again: the two stars for this review is for the security staff, NOT the venue as a whole. The show I went to on February 28 attracted primarily a crowd of teenagers, though not unruly kids. Apparently, Martyrs' is now enforcing a no-moshing rule. Okay, I understand that. A lot of local venues do this. However, to wait and let patrons know that only AFTER a pit starts is very wrong. Have clear signs. An acquaintance was suddenly kicked out because he arrived late and was not familiar with the rule that we had figured out. I went to talk to the two security guards, reassuring them that the acquaintance who got kicked out wouldn't be starting any problems. They then proceeded to lie to me and tell me that they warned him three times (there was only 1 previous pit). The acquaintance was stuck waiting out in the cold for HOURS. He is a high school student. I wanted to go back outside to give him my extra coat, but the staff had enforced the 'no re-entry' rule... of course. The whole interaction left me with a bitter taste. Please, Martyrs', educate your security team on how to better announce new rules and treat patrons of ALL ages with respect. Until then, I won't be coming back, and neither will many of my friends in local music. read more