I've lived in the area for a bit and FINALLY made my way to the Laugh Factory. My friends and I…read morecame for a late night stand-up show. Tickets were free!! Honestly a great show, I've been to some really bad stand up before and I was impressed by each of the comedians. There is a two drink minimum per person - alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Not a big deal to us since we were in the mood for a drink and didn't pay for tickets, but something to note if you're coming to a paid show. There's a lot of open seating as well, and all were in great view of the stage. The venue is fairly large while still feeling pretty intimate. If you're a fan of comedy I'd definitely recommend a stand-up show, and I'll probably be back to check out one of the paid ones!

3-4 out of the 7 comedians were decent or better. Tickets were cheap at $25/piece but the 2 drink…read moreminimum is stupid. Just include it in the price of the ticket. My wife and I don't drink but we ended up spending $50+ on mocktails which was about the same as the tickets and was an unexpected surprise. Stupid policy. The chairs are also very uncomfortable. Try to get a booth - they looked comfier.

Good times! Here Is Your Alibi is conveniently located at the Frontier Theater, a storefront…read morevenue literally steps away from the Thorndale red line stop. It's very small, or do you say intimate, with limited seating so consider getting there a bit early. The comics were seriously funny, no oxymoron intended. There's no admission, but they ask that you consider giving a donation after the show. After seeing the show you'll want to fork over that donation, as it's split among the performers who were all really talented, funny wordsmiths. The humor was witty, edgy and sometimes, I blush, a bit blue. It's also a BYOB so you can bring in your favorite bottle or can and enjoy the show. There are tons of good eateries in the area so make it a night. I haven't laughed this much in ages.

From the owner: Here Is Your Alibi is a free, monthly comedy showcase in Chicago…read more Shows are every first Friday of the month at 8PM.

This was so much fun! It's been on my list forever, and I'm glad we got a group to go. I did my…read moreresearch and wanted to check out the performance bar beforehand - PSA you do not need a ticket for this and can go enjoy drinks and tricks any time! This was so cool but intimate and small so not much space and fills up quickly. The speakeasy door is also so cool though a line will likely form outside right before shows so be prepared for that. The show itself was so impressive, as were the magicians that came up to your table to do tricks beforehand. Drinks were also great. The vip performance after the show was also nice and intimate. Everything was great and so much fun!

My husband and I bought Magic show tickets to celebrate a recent college grad in the family…read more We bought the front row tickets, which also gets you access to the VIP after show (30 minutes)! I thought the tickets were worth that perk alone in addition to being front and center. The talents were superb! I truly enjoyed every act. I loved the pre-show magic tricks at each table. It made the experience very intimate and engaging. I loved that the MC called out each and every celebration that night! There were food and drinks available for order, but kind of pricey (for example, ~$20+ for a shrimp cocktail). I ordered the earl grey non alcoholic drink, which was good!

Ever since I came back from a trip to NOLA a couple years ago (and subsequently moved to Chicago),…read moreI've been looking for a place like Green Mill. A spot where someone could walk in, maybe order a drink, and listen to some music without first opening Ticketmaster and shelling out half your paycheck to their junk fees. Some of their performances are free, and some have a reasonable cover of $10-20. There are also performances every night, sometimes even in the afternoon. The vibe inside is dimly lit and very old-timey. Even the bathroom had a bar of soap! I haven't seen a bar outside of a private residence! For sure, the vibe fits the history. Green Mill used to be a spot visited by Big Al himself. Yes, there are still connected tunnels used by the mob, no, you cannot see them. In terms of the bar, do not expect anything special. Their menu is limited to the beers, wines, and champagnes they have. They have spirits, but no cocktail menu - while they *might* be able to mix something simple like a Manhattan, be prepared for basic drinks along the lines of a gin & tonic. The service was fine, but a little abrupt. Not the best welcoming or inviting, but gruff and surly in a way that is probably cute to regulars, but less so to newcomers like myself. Final verdict: Green Mill is a place one comes for the music and the vibe and to get away from life for a little bit. It appears to be a third place for many regulars. It's worth giving a shot, as long as one is ready for an experience that's a little rough around the edges, arguably by design.

I'm just a tourist who is not biased and is generally easy on the authentic, hole in a wall type of…read moreestablishments that deserve high praise for staying afloat. It's rare for me to say much negative comments since the world is full of criticism without constructive merits. However, this bar once frequented by the worst gangster in Chicago history needs some decent criticism. First: the place is dirty Second: entire staffs are rude Third: the manager lady is the rudest one of all Fourth: cash only-highly suspicious for the tax evasion that Al Capone was incarcerated for life-don't mess with Treasury Agents Fifth: poor population control-various people come in with different cover charges Sixth: unsafe due to no emergency exits and only very small entrance Seven: expensive drinks for small servings Eight: poor acoustics-small stage behind the angled bar counter Nine: poor bathrooms upkeep Ten: extremely poor decor and lightings Compliments One: Best Jazz Performance and amazing Musicians Two: Surprise guest performance by probably one of the best crooner Three: Historic place rarely preserved Four: Cool, old decor Overall Historic Place with excellent Virtuoso Jazz Club. Just don't mind the insane Matriarch who just can't shut up.

I have been going to shows at The Annoyance for over ten years, and I have yet to see a bad one…read more The bar staff is always awesome, and hanging out before or after a show in the bar area is always a great time. I regularly bring visitors to The Annoyance, as it's a great way to spend a small amount of money to showcase great Chicago comedy. Their ticket prices are not a hit on the wallet at all, even if one is hosting many people. I love it for a random date night as well.

One of the more underrated theatrical experiences in Chicago, the Annoyance Theatre bodes a fun…read moreatmosphere with a full bar and great comedy shows. My friends and I came here on a Friday evening for a show and had such a fun time. Our tickets were super affordable, and the bar tending staff was very nice. We ordered a few beers, but we didn't get a chance to try any of their food. I definitely would suggest if you're looking for a fun activity in the Lakeview Area venturing here for a great time. I will definitely be back!

Came this past Friday for the Eric Roberson concert and I had a great time. Nice and spacious;…read morestanding room only, but they have an upstairs area with seating. The bar staff is great and fast. Had a couple of Effen Vodka and cranberry drinks, which crept up on me (made for a nice walk home). I see myself coming here for more shows I will return to the Double Door in May for the Tortured Soul show. Looking forward to it!

This place has a certain energy because of its size: smaller than the Metro, bigger than the Empty…read moreBottle. I've seen so many shows here at a reasonable price: Billy Bragg, Sparklehorse, Lemonheads. And so many local bands I couldn't name them all. Beers are a bit expensive, but cover charge is reasonable for what you get. If you're going to see a local band, go to their website and they'll most certainly have discount tix available. Sound is good almost anywhere in the House. Go upstairs and try to get on the couch that's facing the stage for a more private viewing experience (with small speakers too!). Or head to the newly remodeled downstairs for pool, low lighting, a private booth, extra bathrooms, and a chill vibe!

I love visiting this place with friends that come from out of town and because our friend Barbie…read moreworks there and is always so good to us when we visit. So we went this past Friday night with our group of friends visiting from Texas. Lizzie and her parents enjoyed the 9:30pm performance, and our friend David and Lisa joined us too. As always, the performance and experience performers were very intertwining. This is definitely a great place to celebrate birthdays, bachelor's, and Bachelorette parties. I was happy to say hello to the owner and our friend Barbie. Please come one night for the food and drinks and most of all for the show you won't be disappointed at all. Parking is a little hard, so plan ahead because there are other theaters nearby. We Uber here so that we can drink and be responsible and safe.

A friend and I went here last night…read more I wouldn't recommend it at all. The performers overall were just meh. It was entirely over-priced for what it is. $15 cover charge per person plus there's a 2 drink minimum ($12-15 per drink for weak rail drinks) with an 18% automatic gratuity. You're also expected to tip every single time a new performer comes around for each song. If it was top notch performers, I'd have no problem at all with this but overall, they were ok to meh to just not good. The worst thing about this place though and what really even prompted me to leave a review at all was our server. She was horrible and flat out rude! She came around after about 35 minutes and asked if we would like another drink. We replied "We're good for now. Thank you." And she snapped back, "You need to buy two drinks each. There's a 2 drink minimum." We were like, "Umm, ok. When we finish these drinks we'll order another one." And after she walked away my friend and I both looked at each other and were like, "WTF was her problem?" ZERO customer service skills. Uhh, maybe inform us of that fact without being a complete female dog? I have no problem with a two drink minimum and we planned on getting another drink anyway, but when we're not quite ready for our next drink, don't treat us like a misbehaved child and scold us. She could have simply stated, "Just to let you know, there is a two drink minimum per person. Just let me know when you're ready for your next round," or something similar that didn't scold or reprimand us. Her bad attitude just really pissed me off. When ordering our second round of drinks, I had ordered a long island iced tea. She brought me the wrong drink. So in addition to her attitude, her attention to detail also sucked. I said nothing and just drank it as it was a screwdriver, which I ordered the first round. But to be rude and bad at your job? Truly check yourself, lady. We're customers who did nothing wrong. Can you maybe put forth a single ounce of effort to not be such a See You Next Tuesday? The second star is for the effort that 4/5 of the queens at least put forth. Overall, save your money and go somewhere else or just stay home and use the money to order take out.