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Blue Chicago On Clark
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Near North Side
536 N Clark St
(between Grand Ave & Ohio St)
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 661-0100
536 N Clark St
(between Grand Ave & Ohio St)
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 661-0100
- Nearest Transit:
-
Grand (Red)
Merchandise Mart (Purple Express, Brown)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 8:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 8:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 8:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
10 reviews for Blue Chicago On Clark
Tuesday night, arrived after 10pm, $8 cover for live set that went until about 1:30am.
I was in Chicago - I had to go to a blues club! Especially since I didn't hit the Cubs game that night. Anyhoo -- random find via a non-blues knowing concierge at my hotel so I had no idea what to expect. Arrived between sets and got a spot at the bar. You walk into a long bar on the left with bar tables along the right, further back is an open dance area with a raised seating section on the left and bathroom in the back. Bartender and wait staff were super attentive and very friendly. Drink was good - a simple Jack and coke, nothing to write home about.
The best things were the band and the audience. I was only intending to go for a drink and no more than an hour since I had an early meeting the next day but the atmosphere was so much fun I just had to stay until the end! The crowd from from everywhere (Philly, Cali, Ireland, Spain, Kentucky), but mostly people were just looking for some fun and good music. No worries if you have no dance moves - the crowd gives love to any and all the brave the floor. The Men in Black (the band - drums, 2x guitar and bass) and their leading lady were excellent. Real crowd pleasers! I'd totally go back.
Been there got the t-shirt!
I can for sure say that I underestimated how touristy this place is. I'm not a blues expert, but the music was pretty great. But unfortunately, I have a longer lists of dislikes than likes.
First, there are two venues. The cover gets you into both clubs, which are two blocks apart. One has a tiny hole-in-the-wall feeling and the other is more like the Velvet Lounge - bigger with more tables and booths.
We were at the smaller space for the majority of the evening. Linsey Alexander and his band were playing with another female singer. The music was good, but the crowd and the atmosphere was just awful. Granted that it may be because BC is more of a tourist attraction because it is so close to hotels and other clubs downtown, it was still an aspect that kind of made my blues experience not so great.
Also, the bar/wait staff were really unfriendly and had no personality. It was pretty packed with people and the three of us were standing by the bar, and one of the waitresses told us that if weren't ordering drinks, that we should get out of her way and get away from the bar! Okay, well that would have been a fine request if there was actually space anywhere.
Also, the drinks are overpriced ($8 for a jack and coke? $4-5 for beer like Budweiser, Corona, and Stella?). Mixed drinks weren't consistently weak/strong. But again, it's probably because of BC's location (right on Clark).
Maybe we were being treated so poorly because we were probably the youngest patrons there. I don't know what the deal was, but at least the music was good. I don't know about the friends I was with, but I probably won't be back here anytime soon.
Went here upon a friend's recommendation, and it was just okay. The music had the potential to be really good, but the band playing that night wasn't my favorite. Oh well. Their sound system is pretty good.
The drinks were a little expensive for my taste ($5 for a Corona? Maybe I'm just cheap), and the drink menu was VERY limited.
I wouldn't mind coming back again for a better band. The cover charge was $8, which isn't too terrible, I guess.
Maybe it's because I went on a Sunday night, but the crowd is an interesting one. Think of your aunt and uncle in town from Kansas trying to get a feel for Chicago's Blues scene. This place looks like it could have been a sweet spot with riff raff a plenty many years ago. But as with most places in River North, it has become a place to cater to the tourists.
Having said all that, the music is fantastic. Not a place that I would frequent often, but certainly something to do that's a change of pace. If you can zone out the crowd and pay attention to the music, it's worth checking out.
There is a cover and a 2 drink minimum, so if you're looking to cheapskate out, this might not be your best option.
We went on a Thursday and the cover was $8, I think its $10 on the weekends? The venue is kind of small but there is plenty of seating. The stage is tiny but the sound in this tiny place is surprisingly great! This place is the cleanest dive I've been to. It feels a little geared towards tourists since they are really pushing the cd's of the house bands and the merch is all over the walls, that being said the musicians were really good! If you want a taste of Chicago blues I'd recommend this place, it was a good experience.
We ended up here purely by accident, and had such a great time! We wanted to see some blues during our short trip- and this was the perfect place to do it! The night that we went the band playing was lead by an amazing lady who has her portrait painted on the wall- so I can only imagine she is a chicago legend.
The music was great- it was not that packed and we got seats right at the bar. It was like pulling teeth to get service though, Granted we were there and closed the place down, but the bartender sat there counting her tips ignoring us instead of serving us alcohol- to make her more tips! It was so bad, that by our second round the other bartender came over and gave us a round for free- wooohoo!
I've only been a few blues clubs in Chicago, and this one is the best. This place is all about the music. No food, 2 drink minimum and has cover charge. The place looked and felt small at first, but changed to a cozy feel when the music started playing and the people started to pile in. The crowd was a mix of everyone, like graduate students, locals, and tourists (but that seems to be the norm here). The band was great, funny and interactive with the audience. The lead guitarist got off stage and walked around the club during one of the pieces he played. Nothin but the blues. Great place to wind down/start the night.
It was a Saturday afternoon, and my friends and I were only in Chicago for the weekend. On our way to lunch, we happened upon Blue Chicago and thought it would be nice to capture the flavor of the city by going to a blues club that night. The place seemed like a small hole-in-the-wall, so we thought this might offer some good music.
After doing the touristy thing for the rest of the day, we had dinner and headed over to Blue Chicago on Clark. Doors opened at 8 pm. For a $10 cover charge on a Saturday, we were told we could stay at this location or we could gain entrance at their sister location.
The place was indeed small, particularly for the patrons on a Saturday night. There is a narrow bar area that opens up to the stage in the back of the bar with a few more tables and seats. Since we got there close to 10 pm, the place was already pretty packed, so we were relegated to standing and trying to stay out of the way of the waitresses.
I was not thrilled with the facility, but really enjoyed the music. The Charlie Love Blues Band w/ Patricia Scott played and were great. Although I'm a blues newbie, the band definitely made up for the lack of venue by putting on a great performance. I left feeling like I had just soaked up some of Chicago's essence, leaving just a bit more cultured and wiser.
If you do not mind a hole-in-the-wall club and want some good blues music, then definitely check out Blue Chicago.
I liked Blue Chicago a lot. If you want to get a seat at a table, your best bet is to arrive early, before the first set at 9, otherwise you'll probably have to stand and wait until someone leaves to find a table. The cover is $10 and well worth it. The night I went, we saw John Primer Blues Band with Patricia Scott. They were very entertaining and John Primer was a great guitarist. The drinks were also pretty decent, and decently priced. I will definitely go back again when I'm next in town!
This was my very first Blues Club I visited in Chicago. What great experiences & memories I've had here. First I love the Blues, but nothing captures that feeling more so when your in Chi town and in a setting so humbling as Blues Chicago! This is one of those places that gives me goosebumps every time I walk in! From the music to the ambiance of this hole in the wall, raw Blues experience. It's a magical place for me, like no where on earth!
