This was my first visit to The Second City and I can't wait to go back!…read more WHAT IS IT: This Chi town staple is a creative and fun theater that offers a rotation of improv and sketch comedy shows. The roster of well known Second City alumni includes greats like Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Amy Poehler, Chris Farley, Bill Murray and more. We saw Improv Supernova and what's great about this show is that no two performances are ever the same. WHERE IS IT: The Chicago location is in the historic Old Town neighborhood which has cute shops, cafes, and restaurants in the surrounding blocks. They also have locations in Toronto and NYC. PARKING and ACCESSIBILITY: There is a garage attached to Piper's Alley. They do not validate. There is also metered street parking which can be limited depending on the day and time. The building has elevators and escalators and the theater has wheelchair accessible seating. FOOD, DRINK, and MERCH: They offer fun cocktails, mocktails, wine, food items, and a selection of candy and snacks. You can also pick up cute merch such as mugs, glasses, shirts, sweaters, and hats.

First time at an improv show, Second City was a recommendation from a friend…read more The place is really big & well decorated. We got reasonably priced tickets and headed up to the 3rd floor. The space was small and intimate but it was great being so close to the stage. Very cute little spot and fun activity with friends or a date.

Super great time at the comedy show. Exclusively on Wednesdays. we got to see up and coming…read morecomedians along with some on netflix and other shows. Food was good, got the birria bowl & honey shrimp bowl!

Best live stand-up I've been to. Each and every person was amazing. I highly suggest watching and…read morethe $20 is more than well spent.

We came here as something to do while in town for the evening with no plans and we didn't have a…read morelot of hope for the event, but thought it would be fun... We didn't know it would be GREAT!!! We decided to buy stage-side seats and we were seated right next to the area where the king & queen would sit and watch. This play is absolutely incredible! The actors and staff were all great and hilarious! I don't want to give too much of it away, but we did it all and had a great experience. Definitely worth visiting!

I'm going to be the dissenter and call in Fentanyl Shakespeare. My wife are fun people, dance to…read morethe music in public when no one else is and love comedy not dependent upon shock and gutter talk but on hilarity and well executed timing. I think if you are 21 ish you will love it and all of the jokes that require you are up to date on the latest pop stars back stories. We endured. We smiled. We looked at our watches, smiled and sighed with the others in the room who had that why am I here look. People who had the most fun arrived hammered in my humble opinion. I while I am on the topic of pain, and those pew benches. Omg folks what's the cost of a long ? $300? Wow. That was equally painful. Some of have firm booties Staff was nice. Bar set up worked like a charm.

Zanies has been around for a long time; I've been only once, though, and had a good time. Mostly…read morethat's due to location and my aversion to the CTA. It's an intimate club, and of course if you arrive on the early side there will be more seats open for them to seat you. There is a two-drink minimum, which is standard in this industry and is made quite clear when you purchase your ticket, yet I heard someone complaining about being required to purchase a drink--don't be that person. I haven't been here for one of their regular performers but would like to come back for that sometime. There are quite a few restaurants in this area of Old Town, so you'll have plenty from which to choose. No parking, so you'll rely on the CTA/taxi/rideshare or drive and find a SpotHero space or something.

We arrived right at show time, it was a sold out show but they managed to seat up together! This…read morewas a great experience. We had no idea what to expect and it exceeded all expectations. Only note would be do not sit on the sides not facing the stage because your neck will kill you the next day.

This is a small, intimate theater and honestly a really unique experience. The space itself is…read moresuper interesting, I think it used to be some sort of old water or industrial facility, though I'm not totally sure. It adds a lot to the atmosphere. We saw White Rooster and thought it was really good. Because of how the space is set up, you feel like you're part of the show instead of just watching it, which made it way more engaging than a typical theater.

We saw a production of Moby Dick here that we will never forget. Amazing production design- so…read moreimpactful and nuanced. Just great.

Beautiful building, been here for several performances. Friendly staff. Usually use SpotHero to…read morefind a decent priced parking nearby. Holds about 3,500 people I believe, so the lines for drinks etc can get very crowded. The trick for entry is to use the side entrance which has 3 security lines and moves fairly quickly.

The Chicago Theater is a beautiful landmark to see a show. The inside is inspired by French…read morearchitecture with crystal chandelier, several murals and a grand staircase. 5/5 stars for the entry process! Security and bag check moved incredibly fast and were very well-organized. We had seats on the main floor and they were surprisingly roomy, and even from the side, the view of the stage was great. This is a great venue to see a show.

(Kari's Rating 8.5/10)…read more Stopped in for a quick drink before dinner before Gus' Sip N Dip. We didn't have much time, but it was of course dead as it was 7 PM on a Monday. I ordered the lemon drop martini and it came with a beautiful sugar rim and a curly lemon slice which made the drink look very aesthetically pleasing. It is relatively loud because it is a semi-karaoke bar. The bartender was really sweet and made our drink relatively strong. I loved coming here when it's super busy for a happy hour or a late night piano session.

BEWARE: Cover Charge ... these clowns charge a $12 cover charge for the privilege of buying their…read moreoverpriced drinks and tipping their piano players. NOPE, we walked out.

If you're looking for a great night out in River North, Redhead Piano Bar is always a solid choice…read more Kaleen Dolan and Michelle have this place moving like a well oiled machine between the music and keeping drinks moving! It has that classic Chicago piano bar feel -- lively but comfortable, energetic without being overwhelming. From the moment you walk in, you can feel the fun atmosphere. The lighting, the music, and the mix of people all come together to create a really welcoming vibe. The staff truly adds to the experience. Everyone is friendly and attentive, and you never feel overlooked. A special shoutout to Michelle, who goes above and beyond to make sure guests are taken care of. She's warm, professional, and genuinely makes you feel welcome, which makes a big difference on a busy night. Of course, the highlight is the live music. The performers are incredibly talented and know how to read the room, keeping the energy up while still creating moments where you can sit back and enjoy the music. Kaleen Dolan is especially impressive -- an amazing musician with a great voice and presence. She connects with the crowd effortlessly and makes every set feel personal and engaging. Whether you're out with friends, on a date, or just stopping in for a drink and some live music, Redhead Piano Bar consistently delivers a fun, memorable experience. Take it from the #1 Steve - this place is TOP SHELF fun!!

Terrible service, rude employees, worst music. Why anyone would want to frequent this place is…read morebeyond me.

This theatre is a welcome alternative to its larger-scale counterparts in the Loop. It is smaller…read moreand newer, so it has modern amenities, for whatever it lacks in old-school grandeur. Location is excellent, right next to/under Water Tower Place. Please be aware that parking underneath this building is feasible, but only a few doors are open at Water Tower Place after hours, and there are no signs or pieces of helpful info to alert you to this. It gets a bit crowded, nothing serious, but I think I went to a show on a night when few people had any spatial awareness...you say "excuse me" and nobody sees fit to move...weird! The bar lines seemed pretty long, but the bathroom lines were quick. There are multiple entrances to the women's bathroom, so it was a bit of an awkward "zipper merge" that we all laughed about, but this could've been planned better. None of that is enough to take stars away, because the overall experience is amazing. While watching Titanique (a hilarious, unhinged, brilliant parody-style musical), my friend and I found our seats comfortable and with easy sight lines. We are both very short, but our view was not blocked one bit! The stadium seating here is very intentionally done, so it's hard have a bad view. When you're short, it is rare to have this, so I really appreciated it. Also, the theatre is small enough, so even from "far away," you still feel close to the action!

Fabulous theatre we discovered quite by accident. We had a few hours to spare and discovered this…read moretheatre had a few seats for its showing of Titanique. This is not a huge theatre, but we found it the perfect size with all seats accessible and modern. The full bar up front and the welcoming staff here were also much appreciated. Highly recommend this theater for all.

Great comedy show!…read more Went to She the People (an all-women comedy show by Second City), and it was fantastic. Wait service was attentive as well. Upon arrival, IDs and vaccination cards were checked. At the entrance to the theater, the host checks your tickets and determines where you will be sitting. She asked for my party's preferences on how close we wanted to sit (the closer to the front, the greater chance you'll be asked to interact). Menu isn't super big (one page, drinks on one side and food on the other). I didn't eat a full meal here; just had some curly fries ($5) that came with ketchup and was just the right size for a snack. Fries were tasty and salty, although I ALWAYS wish I had more fries. Seating is pretty close together; multiple parties end up sharing tables since seats are positioned in rows with the occasional table in the middle of some rows. That being said, although I was sharing my table with two other parties (one on the other side of the table to my right and another behind diagonally from me), I didn't feel overly crowded at this venue. As per their website, I brought a jacket to the venue and was the most comfortable wearing it based on the temperature. The show itself was fantastic; as expected, it incorporated feminist themes into the comedy. Pretty funny show! Bathrooms were also open, clean, and had plenty of stalls.

This review is based on a recent Sunday Brunch at the UP Comedy Club…read more The building complex which includes this club, Second City Club, a fitness center and has an attached parking garage. The building is located on the corner of North Avenue & Wells Street so this place is very convenient for it's patrons. Take the escalator to the second floor and then we had to present our brunch ticket. From there, we were taken into our seating area. The table is basically the railing and the chairs are very close together. Which has it's pluses and minuses. The buffet area is well planned out and has a wide variety of options. This buffet is pretty descent for the venue. The staff was very pleasant and would check in with us for any drinks / clearing of the plates. After, the brunch, there was about an improv show. The show was about 60 minutes. I give the comedians two thumbs up. Let's face it... it's hard to stand up there and give a great show. I would recommend this brunch and show option.