This place has a magical feel IF you're into jazz. If you aren't a jazz lover, you just may become…read moreone here. Well, I love jazz and it's a great place to be. I came here for the first time knowing my grandparents started coming here in the 50's for date night jazz. This place was founded in 1947 and you can see they've preserved this place to keep that same feel with all the greats from the past... Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Lonnie Liston Smith, Hugh Masekela, Dexter Gordon, etc. (those are my favorites!). I saw the Kyle Swan Quartet. They were absolutely amazing. You see young and seasoned musicians that are so talented. I usually go to Birdland in NYC but this place, Jazz Showcase, is better to me because it feels more welcoming and like home here versus a production at a theater. We interact with the artists here-- well, they interact with us and make us feel like we are at home and like we are supposed to be there with them, not a performance transaction. $25+ for a show and booking online was a breeze. It's comfortable here, chairs are good and there's sofas in reserved areas but the whole seating area has a great view of the stage no matter where you're sitting. The staff seems gracious and kind of everyone who visits and genuinely wants you to have a great time. They see very selective in their talent that performs here... but why wouldn't they when they've been here for so long and had the best artists perform here?! I came the night that The only downside that may be for some people is they don't have food... only drinks. Me personally, I ate before and don't come for food, I come for the jazz... but they've got beer, cocktails, and other spirits. Macallan and Laphroaig for those who need a good whiskey. Come here if you're ready to relax and listen to great jazz with artists who know their craft. I'm coming back with friends... or even alone. Yeah, it's cool like that. ***Side note: the GPS may take you to the Main Street and you may not see the sign right away and actually have to turn the corner on Plymouth and walk down that side street to get to the end of the block (where the dead end/no outlet is).

Great time! The performance was really good and the venue was huge! Random comfortable seats in the…read moreform of chairs, sofas, couches, and loveseats. A little on the expensive side for a one hour show! Shocked that a complementary drink was not included in the fee.

We had a great time, band was good, but the icing on the cake was Buddy Guy himself coming in to…read moreperform. We got to see the legend in action and he didn't disappoint!! Our waitress was attentive and refilled our drinks as necessary.

I always wanted to come and visit The Legendary Buddy Guy's for a night of Jazz. This particular…read morenight Toronzo Cannon was getting married at Buddy Guy's & after will be performing. I got there early to get a good seat close to the stage. It was a packed out night. Grown Vibes and some of the best performances. I enjoyed the atmosphere and show. The flip side is the service & food sucked. The server Katarzyna was rude and unprofessional. I understand it was crowded that night and service was slow. It was the attitude and demeanor and rudeness. The staff also seemed to be unorganized and unprepared on that night. I ordered the fish and chip and it was greasy and very salty. I did enjoy the performance of Toronzo. But, disappointed with the service and food.

We went to Winter's Jazz Club for a Sinatra show, and it was a great time. It's a super cool jazz…read moreclub, and everything that night was set up beautifully, the production, lighting, seating. The set itself was great and really fit the space. I ordered the Blackberry Jam Session, which was great and easy to drink. Service was magnificent throughout the night. Overall, the vibe was excellent, and it felt like a really cool spot. Definitely a great place to catch live jazz and enjoy a drink.

THE SHOW -- 5/5 stars! We saw Bryan Eng's show and it was…read morephenomenal. The vibes are great and 1.5 hours of jazz passed by so quickly. A great place to experience amazing musical talent! Great place to go for a date night! THE DRINKS -- 3/5 stars There is a $10 min per person during the shows. Both of the drinks we got were quite sour and don't think I'd get either again. Of the two, I liked the blackberry jam session cocktail more than the French 77. There's no food in the menu so eat before or after

We had a great time at Rosa's. Great venue for the blues. Brought a couple of slices of pizza and…read moretheir beer was cold. Cocktails looked good, the band was great.

Great intimate blues venue with street parking. A hidden gem, located on Armitage.....Think, dive…read morebar with live music. The bartenders and hostess were very friendly. We were meeting some people and since seating was limited, tables had to be reserved. We were all seated together, close to the stage at a table reserved for us. The bar was sufficient but they may or may not have your specific drink. But there were definitely enough adjacent choices to satisfy. They accepted all forms of payment, except checks........There was a sign that actually said it..........I thought it was funny. No food but you can have food delivered. The Stephen Hull experience was the show we attended. The show was phenomenal. We were sitting close to the stage, so the music may be too loud for some. There were people wearing earplugs but personally, I was fine without them. It was Stephen Hull's birthday, so staying consistent with that theme, he celebrated. We left at intermission but they live streamed the entire set on YouTube....Great time....We're looking forward to returning soon.

1st time in Chicago and Chess Records was my 1st point of interest to visit. Now, it's the Blues…read moreHeaven Foundation run by Willie Dixon's family. Our tour was run by Jacqueline Dixon, who did a great job. She presented its history with numerous facts and with great respect! Hearing all of her stories about Willie and his musician friends was absolutely fascinating. This is a must see and do...set up an appointment, get there on time and get a great history lesson about Chicago blues.

Saw a free Thursday night concert in the event garden. Was really nice little spot. 1.5 hours of…read moremusic. Would recommend dropping by and checking out a show.

Lovely spot for jazz. The customer service was amazing from start to finish. Everyone was genuinely…read morekind, from the moment you walk in and pay the cover charge to the server who went out of their way to make you feel comfortable and stayed very attentive throughout the night. The music itself was also really good and felt like the main focus of the whole experience. If you are solo, there are not always the best views of the stage depending on where you sit, but it still felt worth it because the performance is strong enough that you stay engaged no matter where you are seated. They ask that conversation volume be kept to a minimum for the performers. The food was decent and a little pricey, but for the overall experience it felt worth spending a bit more. Between the atmosphere, service, and music, it added to the night rather than taking away from it. Overall the combination of great customer service, good energy, and the location near the riverfront made it a really enjoyable experience! I was also able to walk from my accommodation to the venue and back, and it felt safe and easy to navigate.

Great spot to enjoy a night. Food was good too. We enjoyed…read morevisiting with others around us and it was just relaxing while filling our brains with jazz. I wished there was some swag to buy as my husband's name is Andy. But that's okay.

Came here for less than 10 minutes. Ordered a single drink that I took two sips of. I signed for…read more$20.91 for said ONE drink after their 18.88% surcharge that they allege (Bordel) keeps their business fully staffed, give healthcare benefits, and a livable wage. BUT somehow Chey S. Still decided to alter my receipt and give her a $10 tip. Which I did not give her. To which is also illegal. If this surcharge that they claim allows for them to take care of their employees - then why are they stealing from their customers? Anyone who comes here or has been here- take pictures of your receipts after you've signed and totaled them. I see in the reviews Chey S. Is a commonly denominator in bad reviews. Not sure why she's still employed here. Committing crimes and businesses letting it slide isn't a good look. Still waiting on my refund of $10 for that check 72 from Thursday the 23rd at 11:39pm that I have yet to receive! Idc to pay the $20 for one mediocre drink, but stealing is completely unacceptable. And it being excused even more so. Unfortunately I don't live in Chicago or I would've filed a police report, since this is FRAUD AND THEFT. Just beware of anyone who visits. I SIGNED to pay $20.91 not $30.91. There was a big fat ZERO tip for a reason. SO for check #72, I'll be waiting for that refund.

My friend and I stumbled upon this place while looking for something to eat. While they did not…read morehave any food, this place is absolutely a great time. We had no idea what we were walking into but I am so glad we decided to check it out. They play a vast variety of music and have live entertainment. Our bartender was so sweet and made sure everyone was able to place their drink orders despite having a packed bar. I will definitely be back and hopefully get a table the next time around to avoid awkwardly standing in front of the DJ lol

Some organizational issues but still had a great time…read more 1. No point in doing timed entry if the timed entry rules are the thing making everyone clump up and enter at once. Totally illogical. 2. No kids should be allowed at an adults event. They run the show every other day, give us a break from them. 3. Jazz band should have been outside. Sad that we barely heard any music the entire night. As usual the animals were amazing! Jubilee drink was yummy. Sunset was gorgeous.

The music and ambiance were both fantastic…read more Bumping down a star because there wasn't enough seating outside particularly as people were hogging seats in keeping their stuff on it. They would disappear for long periods of time but keep stuff unattended. There should be some paid seating that can be reserved. Or some active management of chairs so no one hogs tables. One of the most picturesque aquarium locations I've visited. Also, nice exhibits. The food was actually priced reasonably and good as well. It was a nice family friendly atmosphere to experience a jazz event. Particularly as most Chicago jazz venues appear to be 21+.