I don't know what hole I've been living in, but I just finally came here for a Fountains of Wayne acoustic show a couple weeks back and the place blew me away! I already knew I *HATED* the Metro for live shows. The place is smelly, dirty, old and hot as heck! But I had no idea that just a hop skip and a jump away lay this AWESOME venue. The ambiance is super cool! They even have a disco ball hanging in the ceiling! The place was clean as a whistle. It looked brand new (especially compared to scuzzy venues as the Metro). They pulled out floor seating for the show I attended. There were even waiters walking the floor to bring drinks to us, rather than having to schlep my lazy self over to the bar for a drink refill. Overall I was totally impressed and I would def attend another show here. LOVED IT! read more

I just got back from a concert here which was originally scheduled at the Vic. The place is still intimate and you can get up very close to the action. Audio-wise there is no bad spot. For me the best place to be is on the floor. No funny smells here like the Vic either and that's always a plus. The restrooms are clean and the staff is friendly. I parked a third of a mile away on Armitage and hoofed it. That turned out to be a good thing as I managed to walk off a bit of my dinner first! read more

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One of my new favorite concert venues in Chicago. Actually, probably my favorite indoor venue in Chicago! I saw Michael Kiwanuka here in September 2012. The venue reminded me a lot of a comedy show, almost. Tables and chairs set up on the main floor with servers that come around and wait on you. It wasn't easy for my roommate and I to find seats together, but after a little bit of searching, we were able to pull 2 stools together. We definitely should have gotten there earlier - doors opened at 6, we left at 7, and got there closer to 8pm. The good news was that we still saw one of the opening bands and didn't have to wait too long for Michael to come out and play. Downside: Credit card minimum is $20. Be prepared to have a few drinks if you open a tab! read more

I was here for the Chicago Innovation Awards Nominee reception. The theatre was awesome and the bar and table set-up was stylish and modern. There was wait staff taking orders at table as well as novelty human wine dispensers walking about. The venue was great. I'd love to be here for a show or concert sometimes in the future. read more

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I've seen some great artists here, but I always seem to miss out on the energy of the performance, either because tickets for good seats are never available if you're not an insider or scalper, and the booths make it feel like some sort of goddang dinner theatre rather than a rock show. It's often oversold and too crowded to get close. Wilco, John Cale, Sigur Ros, DJ Shadow, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds -- I would have enjoyed them all better elsewhere, like Metro or the Vic. And the bathroom attendants creep me out, though at least you know you'll never run out of bog rolls. Nice place -- maybe they should seriously consider doing dinner theatre. read more

Park West - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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An unexpectedly gorgeous venue with great acoustics. Saw Mike Ness (of Social Distortion) and had an awesome view with perfect sound from the front, the middle, and the very back of the place. I have a bad knee, so I enjoyed the ample seating for a general admin show. The waitstaff was friendly, and when I asked for a bottle of water (for $4?!!?), she offered up a large cup of tap water with ice for free. I tipped well, of course, because it was so unexpected The prices for mixed drinks were out of control -- $7 for a teensy 7 & 7 that was mostly ice... I'll pass. Not sure how I feel about having the merch area by the doors -- it got way tight after the show, and the bathroom situation is grim. For an attended bathroom, I shouldn't have to flush it before I get in there, and if that was the only bathroom in the place (the only one I could find) it's WAY too small for a venue of that size. I'll look forward to more shows at the Park West, though. I had a great experience overall. read more

Great concert venue. Very small and intimate - all seats have a good view of the stage. It is first come, first served. When we went, it was all seating (chairs and booths), though I think this is different depending on the show. The booth we were in was very comfortable and a waitress comes rigth to your table for drinks! The one downside, bathroom attendants! I hate that - so uncomfortable. But otherwise, great venue to see a show! 257/365 read more

Probably the classiest place that you're going to see a show in the city. I remember my first time coming here in high school to see Fantomas- went to the bathroom and was handed a stick of gum by a bathroom attendant. It was a pretty big 180 degree turn from the Fireside's bathroom. Another cool thing about this place is that if you get here early enough, you can grab a seat for the opening band(s)- came in helpful last time I was here when the opening act for Lupe Fiasco happened to be a DJ who for the last hour wanted to spin through his whole reggaeton music collection while everyone up front stood still. Odd thing was the amount of bars they had..I think may have counted 4 last time. And it's really not that large of a place. Not sure if it's like that every time, but seems kind of inane. Anyways, nice place. Ticket prices always seem to be relatively cheap too. read more

I have mixed feelings about Park West. I was there last night for The Black Crows concert and although the band was incredible, I wish they had played at a different venue. I am a huge Black Crows fan so I like everything to be perfect. I like that Park West is so intimate. You can really get up close to the artists and see the expressions on their faces as they play. I was in the very long bathroom line and the band including Cris R. walked right past me as they made there way to the dressing rooms. Security is very lax and they do not boss you around and tell you where you can and can not stand. What is bad about that is that it is really hard to move around because all the aisles are blocked by dancing fans. If you are like me and have a tendency to drink a lot it is important to be able to have a clear path to the bar, as well as the restroom. I found it difficult to navigate the crowd and sometimes people would be rude about you pushing through. All and all I like the Park West and think it is a great place to see a show. Parking is metered and difficult to get so I recommend the pay lot north on Clark. read more

This place just absolutely is not my scene. Sitting down through a show that isn't at the Chicago Theatre? This is where I would send my mom and dad to see a show. It had a very, very middle-aged date night vibe (okay I went to see Joan Osborne but seriously? Am I honestly her youngest fan?) The drink service is nice. Mainly because my waiter was kind of cute and flirty. Ha. read more

3 stars for great sound. It's a bit too swanky for my tastes so the vibe left me feeling a bit less comfortable than I normally do when going out to see bands play. I think capacity is around 850 or so. Plenty of seats in the back that go up on a slight incline so the views are probably pretty good up there, and an open floor closer to the stage. It's all General Admission. One of the strangest dichotomies ever was when Jeff Tweedy played a couple shows here right after Lounge Ax close. Talk about night & day ambiance... read more

One of my favorite places to see a show. The dance floor is pretty small but a lot of people end up scattered throughout the seats so it shouldn't matter too much. Security is fairly laid back, although it may depend on the show. It kind of has a 70s/80s club vibe, what with the white exterior, but the disco ball is tethered to a beautiful ceiling dome. The best part about it is the good sound quality and the fact that if you're in front you could probably hold a conversation with your favorite performers. It could be called small, but in this case that's not a bad thing. It's the perfect place to see great bands before they move to bigger venues. read more

Gorgeous. I recently shot the Stage Door Johnnies at PW and was blown away by the lighting design, the beauty of the space itself and the kindness of the staff. read more

Park West - Photo taken at the Park West - Kriss Abigail - Music Venues Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went to see Imelda May last night at Park a West. Unfortunately it was a disappointing experience. I could forgive the stingy drinks- a "Double" Bullet Bourbon that would be a single in a decent bar, in a plastic cup, paying an extra $40 for an uncomfortable 4 person booth that you have to turn sideways in to see the show all night- if I could've heard the star singing. Not because of Imelda May who is a wonderful and engaging performer, but the sound quality in the venue was awful. During songs with minimal instrumentation it was fine. But when her band kicked into gear we could barely make out the words she sang. The drums & bass in particular were so loud they distorted. All the instruments were too loud, drowning out Imelda- who is why we came to the show. Everyone around us was saying the same thing. My wife heard Park West employees in the lobby also saying it was bad. Turned what was supposed to be a special evening for us into a disappointing waste of money. We used to go to Park West in the 80's a lot- and enjoyed it. I can't imagine wasting my time or money there again. read more

I've seen quite a few shows at Park West. I just recently saw a show there last week (Colin Meloy). If you get there early enough you can grab a comfy seat with your own table near the front right by the dance floor. It's a great venue to see a show, very intimate, great lighting and sound. The wait staff is so on point it's like their robots. As soon as my drink was finished our server would be right there asking me if I'd like another, then no quicker than a blink of an eye a new drink was before me! The servers have these cool hand held gadget things they put the order it at the table head to the bar and it's already done. The people that work at Park West are spectacular and have always taken great care of us. This is one of my favorite places in Chicago to see a show. I always get extremely excited when I see an artist I like will be playing at Park West! read more

Love Park West xoxo Intimate, clean, easy in and out. Fine shows from the Undiscovered to Dylan. May this place always be vital and available. read more

I had a chance to see a New Deal concert here the other night. I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about this venue. It seemed like it might be too stuffy for some House music. I was pleasantly surprised. The theater is pretty intimate. Its not much bigger than the Metro. However its a much more modern and rehabbed design. I liked the reserved seating area. I didn't reserve seating, bud had I, it would have been nice. The "general admission" area in front was a good size and setup well to preserve sight lines for all. Security was good and effective but not too much up everyone's you know what that it ruined everyone's time. This meant it was a good time to see a show for all. A well behaved crowd didn't push security over the edge, unlike some situations I've seen at other, competing venues. The biggest negative I can give the theater was the drinks. I paid about $10 for a double mixed drink that was about as big as a single. Also some waitresses were more concerned with talking to their friends than watching me, who was ready to go to the bar myself for my next drink. Good thing there are multiple bars close to seating. Overall a very good time that night. I would definitely consider seeing another show at the Park West. read more

Great sound system. Nice clean venue inside. Not ghetto inside. BIgnacio room with takes n chairs and booths. Con is only serves drinks and no food. Only if they had food it'd be best. read more

This is a great performance venue. The last time I went here was to hear and see Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the great South African group Paul Simon brought here. The way the place is set up, you have good sight lines and can hear well anywhere you sit. And it is not so big either. It is not quite small enough to be called intimate, but pretty close. I also remember hearing and seeing Odetta perform here. She was close enough to practically touch. As she stuck her trademark stick of burning incense in the neck of her guitar, you could really get lost in her presence. read more

Acoustically, this is my favorite venue in Chicago. No matter the artist, their sound is catapulted in this environment, and the true nature of the artist comes out. The full bar is reasonably priced. Come early for the best seats. Not the easiest venue to get to from the El, but well worth it. You MUST see a concert here! read more

I have no idea how anyone can not give this venue a great review, at least if you went to a concert here. It is nicer than any venue of its type in Chicago! In the interest of full disclosure a lot of the bands I see go to the Congress, so this is a huge step up. But regardless of that, Park West in VERY well maintained, there is a lot of lounge seating, table seating, and standing room in the back, as well as by the stage. It is the perfect mix of everything. The sound is also very good. Bartenders and waitresses are very attentive and friendly. I would 100% recommend this venue, and this is coming from someone who has been to A LOT of shows all around Chicago. (*edit) One bad thing about this venue, as others have noted, is parking/getting to the venue. I would NOT recomend driving. CTA it by bus and you will be very happy you did so. Sidenote: After reading some of the reviews, I realized that most people just like to find something to complain about. I'd love to see these people who complain about Park West go to the Congress and use the bathrooms there. read more

Just saw M Doughty here, first time ever at PW. Great venue, didn't realize ahead of time it is really easy to get Reserved Seating-which is great, lot of options right off the main floor. Drinks were pricey for the amount they poured...kinda of like being at a baseball game. Overall, I would absolutely come see a show here again! read more

I have been to this venue a number of times and I must say that it is by far my favorite place to watch concerts. I like the size of it (since I am now at an age where extremely large places gets to be too overwhelming) and it feels intimate. Drinks are available which is a treat and they are "ok" for the most part but since I am not a big drinker, it doesn't affect my rating. I always keep an eye on their site just to see if there is an interesting show that I might want to see while I am in town. read more

Best venue in Chicago, hands down! Seriously, the best... Sound is perfect, lighting is great, and there is enough space for everyone to enjoy the show no matter where you are standing. Friendliest staff you'll get at a venue in this town. I've heard people complain about the drink prices, but to be honest, I've not noticed. I prefer to pay a premium to be served politely and quickly. Plus, they pour well enough for my taste. I always look forward to getting to see a band I like here. read more

Very nice theater. When you walk in, it is confusing because all the tables have a reserved sign on them and you have to find someone to seat you. It was a little chaotic while everyone was trying to get seated. Service was great. read more

Great place to see a show. Drinks are a bit pricey but that is expected. Sound is excellent and staff is always awesome.

I didn't know what to expect at the Park West Theater about the seating available. I read reviews from numerous sites and never saw this one coming. There were hundreds of people standing in front of the stage where no seating was available. The there was a row of booth seating, but all were reserved. We decided to go up to the balcony to see what type of seating was available there. Bar stools! I kid you not; they had two rows of bar stools. The front row had a ledge protruding so that you could rest your elbows on or set your drink down. I was fully expecting stadium style seating downstairs and in the balcony. I suppose as long as people buy the tickets, there won't be any changes made. As for the band and the acoustics in the joint - top notch! We were there the first night that Marillion was playing there. The mixture of songs they chose, from 30 years as a band, was fantastic. The acoustics were so good that the band didn't have to "up the volume" just to be heard. In fact, the lead singer, at one point, said something to the crowd without this microphone on. Even upstairs and in the back row - we heard what he said. Park West - please consider doing some type of renovation to improve the seating available. Want a template? Visit the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee and you'll see what I'm referring to. read more

I came to see a comedian. I had an nice enough time and I thought the venue was nice and intimate. This review is about the security staff. Their bartenders and everyone else was pretty nice. The woman who pat me down at the door was extremely aggressive and seemed angry. But the men checking the tickets were extremely nice when I couldn't pull up a code. When the show was over one of the security women screamed at me twice over something so small. If you don't know how to deal with customers in a calm manner then why work there? The woman was too aggressive. The venue needs to address the few rude staff they have. read more

This was my first concert at Park West. It's a great little venue. The venue itself was built in the 1920's and has some cool architectural details from the vaudeville and movie theater it was originally, such as the ceiling in my photo. The venue seats 900 but there isn't a bad seat in the house. The sound is good, I missed my ears ringing afterward, that to me is the sign of great sound! There is a main bar and additional "beverage" stations set up closer to the stage with a small open space in front of the stage. We saw "Gang of Four" and they put on a great show. Public Access TV opened and played a good long set. Ticket prices are reasonable, drinks on the other hand are a bit pricey and there is a $20.00 minimum for credit cards... So you can't order just one drink, unless you pay cash. Servers are a little slow, a trip to the bar is much faster. A double Jack and Coke and a Blue Moon will set you back $19.00. So have a few before you arrive! There is a parking garage north of the venue and its $20.00 to park for the night. Definitely would go back for more shows! read more

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I've come to Park West twice so far. Once for Two Door Cinema Club and the second time for Krewella. Love the intimate size of the venue--felt so close to the stage! The concert for Krewella was hosted by Pandora where free drinks/wristbands/backpacks/portable chargers were provided. Love it here and can't wait to come back! read more

Love this place! I have been pleased with the sound and the surroundings each of the times I've been here, whether it's for a Steve Howe acoustic guitar show or a hard-rocking band like Asia or King Crimson. The place looks small form the street, but is pretty good-sized once inside. Othe than parking, which is a problem in Lincoln Park in general, there are no negatives about this place. For most shows, I'd get there early to avoid the open standing room only area in front of the stage. The seats along the edge are usually available for early arrivals. Or you can reserve yourself a table and have an even better view. read more

Saw The Moth Grand Slam earlier this week. Great show! Unfortunately, discovered this morning that Park West has a policy of charging your card $50 when you use it to make sure you can pay for your drinks. I was not told this would occur. My bill was $18 total, with tip. That $50 charge put me into overdraft and now I have two $35 overdraft fees. I called twice yesterday and left voicemail messages with their accountant. No response! Called back this morning and left another message. Thanks, Park West! If I knew it was going to cost me so much, I would have sipped my drink more slowly. read more

Came here for a show a little over a year ago. The venue is beautiful, the show was great. However. The waitress never once mentioned the fact that purchasing a drink on a debit card would place a $100 hold on my bank account. I purchased ONE $6 glass of wine. That's a $94 difference in my account balance for over 24 hours. My bank (which I have now left for this and many other reasons) proceeded to charge me a slew of fees until I could get the money back. I had to contact my bank's headquarters and beg them to release the hold and forgive the fees. So, the time at the venue was good, but not at all worth the headache they put me through with my bank account. If you plan on going to Park West, take a lot of cash, or make sure you have more than $100 in your account that you don't need to use for a few days... read more

I have seen probably only a handful of Artists. I like that Park West has such an intimate feel and even from the back you can see everything. I think that the people that go there for the most part are pretty courteous with it getting so crowded. Like another yelper I was waiting in line for the bathroom and a couple of band members from the opening band and a bassists for Brett Dennen were in front of me. Long story short I almost got into a fight with the bassists all because he got mad at me because I didn't understand how he didn't know who Wilco was (Now you have to know I really am not a big fan of Wilco but I at least I know who they are). The other band broke it up, it was stupid and we probably had too much to drink. What is kind of cool too, is that most bands hang in the area after their show. That's how I did the most embarrassing thing ever....... I actually screamed "Hey Aqualung (cause it was all of them)" as I was getting into a cab leaving. I did say great show too and they said thanks but I think that will forever haunt me. Anyways back to the venue, I think it has great acoustics for bands that would thrive in that kind of environment. Tip: The sound guy is really cool if you ask him to, he will tell you all about the sound board and how it effects everything. I would get there early if you want a table but I can never manage to get there early and the standing doesn't bother me. I also think it is a nice area to walk around after a show. Enjoy read more

I came here to see Christmas with the Queens, a drag show featuring six of my favorite queens from RuPaul's Drag Race. Doors were at 8 and show at 9, but because we had VIP tickets, we didn't show up till about 8:50. No line, easy entrance, helpful staff who ushered us right to the VIP area. I didn't drink because it was a weeknight, which also turned out to be a blessing because the drink prices are exorbitant. The VIP section is just a series of tables right next to the stage with accompanying chairs. The rest of the venue looked comfortable enough with booths and chairs, just further away and higher up. The sounds/lights were great and the show was incredibly fun. Afterward the meet and greet was well-organized but quick. We'd found street parking right outside so we easily came and went. I'd been here one time before for a storytelling competition and had a similarly pleasant experience. While I wasn't sure about a drag show translating well in this cozy, lounge-esque venue, it worked really well, and I would definitely go back. read more

Went here to see Imogen Heap recently, and it was amazing. We got here early and found a parking spot about a block away on a side street. The sound was amazing. The space was intimate. I love how the Park West is set up. Can't wait to see more shows here. read more

Went here for a show last night. It was my first time here and I was excited because I have heard mixed reviews. Upon arrival they had a very unorganized security line where everyone basically just funneled in. Luckily the guests were all polite and no one was fighting to be first through. They used metal detector wands to search which I am a fan of because it's quicker and I don't have anyone touching me. The coat check situation was not so great. The window for coat check is in the corridor which caused a lot of traffic and confusion because that's where the searching was going down as well. While the price for coat check was very reasonable, $3, they ran out of hangers pretty early and stopped letting guests check their coats, pretty sucky for anyone who came a little later. The worst part about this venue though is the bathrooms. You have probably at least a thousand people in here and there's 1 bathroom with 6 stalls, lines were out the door and down the hallway all night. I don't pay to go to a show to have to waste a half hour waiting in line. The bar was also not a high point for this venue. The drinks were really overpriced and the bartenders were so rude. They were heckling customers about not tipping them well, who does that!? I've worked as a server and a bartender for 10 years and rule #1- never insult someone for giving you a bad tip, you chose to work in the service industry and you have to take the good with the bad. The reason I'm giving 2 starts instead of 1 is because the place was very nice looking. I read another review saying it reminded them of a strip club which I totally agree with, but like a classy one. It's set up pretty well as far as there being a floor and then a back area that's raised, and then a balcony, which makes it a lot easier to see the stage from any location. They also have seating which is nice for when you want to give you legs a rest. Overall, I don't think I would return here for a show in the future. read more

I've attended many functions here in the past and it's been great. A friend of mine also got married here not too long ago and it was such a beautiful wedding- I would recommend it to anyone looking for a venue! read more

i only see shows here. yes, that means i miss out on a lot but i like sitting down and being served a drink. i'm too old and get too cranky to stand for hours at the back of some frakking crowd! (hear that House of Blues? too old!) i've been to 3 shows here (the last one on new year's eve) and it's just been great each time: comfortable, great sight lines, big sound and you don't worry about much when you're there. fantastic. (and, sometimes, if you go to the little sushi place next door, you might find yourself eating with the guys in the band.) read more

This venue is nice because of its intimacy. The only major problem I have with this venue is that I ordered drinks from the bar and asked them to close my tab instantly. My tab was $20 with tip which was the minimum but they still charged my card $50 (twice on accident) which held $80 out of my account for several days. If I had paid all my regular bills not knowing these people "accidentally" or overcharged my account I would have been very angry. If I am closing my tab of $20 immediately, why was my card charged $50 twice? This place is terribly inconvenient with this from what I heard in the past. I don't plan on returning to this venue. There are far better venues in the city that won't "hold" money I didn't spend. read more