We attended Trickery on Saturday 04/18/26. Aaron was adept at working with a diverse audience to…read moreinclude them and maintain control of his performance in a very intimate setting. Because it's BYOB you'll get the 20-somethings that feel they have to get loaded beforehand and then act the fool while attending (do you hear that "Neil"? No one wants the focus on you acting like it was your first experience with alcohol) but Aaron was skilled at bypassing them without causing tension or escalating bad behavior. Aaron's attitude is one of someone who has worked hard to make this little venture work, and he deserves respect and recognition for his obvious commitment and work ethic. His act included variations of tricks performed by other magicians, with his own twists. He is an expert at sleight of hand and distraction, which is considerably more difficult in a room about the size of an average residential living-room. He had an appropriate sense of humor aligned with an audience coming to Boystown, an overtly gay neighborhood in Chicago (if you're not familiar). However he wasn't garish, flaming, flamboyant, or offensive; he managed a perfect balance of innuendo humor and audience engagement without being cheap or ingenuine. The snarky one-liners will likely go over your young kids' heads (although bring them to an early show, your 9 year old doesn't belong in Boystown at 10 pm on a weekend), and he carries himself with class avoiding the use of profanity or graphic terms. Again, I can't overstate that his tricks were amazing, impressive, and captivating - as magic should be. You leave the show shaking your head and wondering how it's done - which truly makes it "magic". You would be hard-pressed to spend $36.36/person for an hour of live entertainment that can match Aaron's performance. Pro-tip: If you're driving there you will need to use an app to reserve parking, as there aren't garages like downtown Chicago and every street is filled with so many signs there's no way you will return and find your car not-towed or not-ticketed. Chicago does this on purpose to generate revenue; you'll see "street cleaning" on Tuesday from xx hour to xx hour, no parking when snow is over 2 inches OR any time from Dec 1 through April 1, loading zone, 15 minute stopping/standing with flashers, no parking, residential permit zone only, bike lanes, bus stop restrictions, etc. If you find street parking and think you've beaten the system, think again. Nobel Prize Laureates, Rhodes Scholars, Ivy League PhDs, Mensa members - you can meet them all at Chicago Central Auto Pound retrieving their vehicles. Stephen Hawking couldn't drive, but if he could and he parked in that neighborhood all the quantum mechanics in the world wouldn't make his towed car reappear from the Chicago Parking space-time continuum. The nice thing is if you do reserve parking and give yourself enough time you can walk to many, many restaurants and bars in the area that are open even after the 10 pm show ends. Thank you Aaron for a wonderful experience, you made my wife's birthday memorable for both of us.

We were at The Trickery last weekend for a magic show - our age group ranged from teens to senior…read morecitizens and we all had a blast. The highlight of our weekend in Chicago. Aaron and Steve are truly amazing magicians and performers - highly recommend!

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.

Didn't get to try the food but had a cocktail and it was delicious. Can I remember the name of it…read morenope lol but I would have it again. Service is great very attentive even if you sit in the second floor. I love the close up magic performances during cocktail hour. I would say if you are on the first floor especially in the front row you get more magicians performing. So that is definitely one thing I would change when I go next time. I will buy tickets for the first floor preferably in the front. I enjoy the performance it was great and entertaining it definitely flew by but afterwards you can go back to the main bar and see the show. Overall it it's very entertaining and a magical spot worth exploring

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!

Come for Thursday night jazz! We arrived early for a solo guitarist who took requests and played…read morethem on the spot--it was incredibly impressive. We stayed through the final act, a full band that had the place packed, with everyone dancing and enjoying the lively atmosphere. We also loved that servers came around to take drink orders, so you didn't have to keep getting up to go to the bar. I'd definitely recommend coming early to grab a seat and staying for the whole night. But get food before, they do not sell food. We had an early dinner out before coming. Regardless, we've never experienced a place quite like this and had such a fabulous evening!

How anyone could rank this amazing preserved piece of Chicago history below 4 or 5 stars is beyond…read moreme. Seriously ... this was the best thing I did while visiting Chicago. It took 20 minutes and $25 each way to Uber there from my hotel in downtown Chicago, as it is 6 miles away. However, totally worth it. Yes ... it's cash only. That's a bit of a bummer. I'd rather pay a surcharge than trust the sketchy little ATM in the bar. Yes ... It's 'lived in'. I wouldn't call it dirty as much as it is worn. To me, this was part of the charm. It's been around since the 1920's and probably looks very similar to how it did in the 1940's. Dark, dingy and fun. Most of the mafia in Chicago didn't hang out downtown. This area is where their HQ was and where most of them congregated in the same way NY's mafia hung out in Bensonhurst instead of Manhattan. The area has a lot of vintage architecture and history, despite being a little more run down and 'authentic' than the more touristy downtown. I went on a Friday around 3:30 p.m. Already, the back seating area was full of people, however there were a few bar seats left in the front. An hour later, it was packed. They start charging a $20 (cash only) cover at 7 p.m. for the live band. Before that was a jazz organist, who was pretty good and a master at working the crowd. They have draft beer ($6 - $10) ... bottled beer ... and booze. My Old Fashioned was made with muddled orange and cherries and only cost $12. A gin and tonic was $9. It can be tough to get a drink because the one bartender works the entire bar. Nice guy though. Don't come here expecting anything other than a dive bar ... there is nothing modern about this place. However, it has one of the best vintage vibes I've honestly ever encountered in a jazz bar. Don't miss out on seeing this bar and hearing some music, even if it means having to Uber or drive. It will be worth the trip. There aren't many places around like this anymore.

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!

I've been to Double Door for some small local shows, and I've sung here as well at a packed Latin…read moremusic event. When the crowd is sparse, I like it a lot. Good views, cool vibe, decent sound. Performing here is okay, too. There's actually a lot of green room space downstairs, but it's serious grungy. Like many venues in Chicago, I guess. The stage is a decent size. When it gets crowded, it gets crowded! They let it get so full that you can really only stand in one spot and hold your ground. Sad that they'll be closing though. I hope they move to a nice location.

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 is so unique. It's an elegant theatre style lounge with great entertainment. I attended…read morefor the drag brunch & bottomless mimosas. They had a plethora of breakfast and lunch style items buffet style and a chef making pancakes, omelette and French toast upon request. Everything was very tasty there was everything from wings, charcuterie items, fish, classic breakfast items, rice, fajitas you name it! The server was fast with the mimosas refills and miss Danika was an amazing host/performer. You will get your moneys worth and more from this experience. The queens were beautiful and had great style.

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.

As you enter the theater , you are transported to a fantasy world of Witches and Wizards, Alchemy…read moreand Fortune Telling where reality is bent, and nothing seems impossible. Visit the apothecary lab before, during intermission, or after the show and have a specialty drink while enjoying the environment. This is real theatre in the raw. If you want to support live Theatre, make sure you go see it at The Other World Theatre

From the moment you enter the building, you know you are about to enter a world of wonder!…read more Enjoy the environment, it's so ecclectic! They even have a tardis here! You most definitely need to visit the apothecary bar, where the drinks are on parallel with the decor . It's a unique theater, quaint and intimate, where you decide to play the audience. .