Kathy and I never fail to take in some jazz when we come to Chicago. Usually, it’s at the venerable Jazz Showcase in the South Loop or the much older Green Mill in Uptown, way north, sometimes Andy’s in the Near North. Tonight it was Jazz Showcase to experience the irrepressible trumpeter Victor Garcia in a quartet that featured a tiny girl singer from Barcelona with an unpronounceable name. The fun the group was having percolated to the audience and a good time was had by all.

I don’t think Kathy and I have ever had a bad time at a Chicago jazz club so we always come back for more.
Last year, realizing these Chicago trips were going to become a regular thing, I set out to see if we were covering all our bases on the jazz front. Don’t want to get into a rut. I sought out all the jazz clubs I could find and compiled a list. Seems there’s a few more. Some don’t do jazz all the time. A lot have been shut down, at least partially, by COVID, and are only beginning to emerge. Jazz Showcase, Green Mill, and Andy’s have been up and running for at least a month. But here’s the list:
Jazz Clubs in Chicago 3/10/20 (43)
Loop and near south
Jazz Showcase
806 S. Plymouth
60605
312-360-0234
Buddy Guy’s Legends
700 S. Wabash Ave
60605
312-427-1190
https://buddyguy.com/index.cfm
(blues)
Tortoise Supper Club
350 N. State
60654
312-755-1700
https://www.tortoisesupperclub.com/
M Lounge
1520 S. Wabash
312-447-0201
60605
https://www.mloungechicago.com/
The Bassment
353 W Hubbard St
60654
(312) 386-5778
https://www.thebassmentchicago.com/
Roof on the Wit
201 N. State St -27th floor
60611
312-239-9502
roof top bar
loop
Bottom Lounge
1375 W Lake St
b/t Loomis St & Ada St
60607
312-666-6775
Near West Side, West Loop
Jazzin’ at the Shedd
1200 S Lake Shore Dr
b/t Field Plaza Dr & Columbus Dr
Shedd Aquarium
60605
312-939-2438
https://www.sheddaquarium.org/programs-and-events/jazzin-at-the-shedd
every Wednesday night in the summer
Near North
Bandera Restaurant
535 N Michigan Ave
60611
(312) 644-3524
https://www.banderarestaurants.com/
Andy’s Jazz Club
11 E.Hubbard
60611
312-642-6805
Doc B’s Restaurant + Bar
100 E. Walton Street
60611
312-626-1300
Doc B’s Restaurant + Bar
55 E. Grand
60611
312-999-9300
https://www.docbsrestaurant.com/
The Signature Room at the 95th
875 N. Michigan Avenue
60611
312-787-9596
https://www.signatureroom.com/room/
top of the Hancock: high in the sky and what a view
Pops for Champagne
601 N. State
312-266-7677
(wine bar)
Winter’s Jazz Club
465 N. McClurg Court
60611-5144
https://www.wintersjazzclub.com/
Fremont
15 W Illinois St
60654
312-874-7270
Untitled Supper Club
111 W Kinzie St
60654
312-880-1511
River North, Near North Side
Blue Chicago
536 N. Clark Street
60654
312-661-0100
River North
The Back Room
http://www.backroomchicago.com/?fbclid=IwAR1n0IcDcOlgLoX2pSmJu7ndAd3NGms6XEehs2DFT1tgJN2uZsP-foP5I5Q
Long time high priced Rush Street tourist trap (which still featured good acts) is moving to River North. No address yet.
Howl at the Moon Chicago
26 W Hubbard St
60654
312-863-7427
Near North Side
Lincoln Park
Elbo Room
2871 N Lincoln Ave
60657-4201
(773) 549-5549
Lincoln Hall
2424 N. Lincoln Avenue
60614
773-525-2501
Lincoln Park
way North
Green Mill
4802 N. Broadway
60640
773-878-5552
come early and score a seat in Al Capone’s old booth
Schubas Tavern
3159 N. Southport Ave
60657
773-525-2508
https://www.schubastavern.com/
Le Piano
6970 N Glenwood Ave
60626
(773) 656-0456
https://www.lepianochicago.com/
Rogers Park
Serbian Village Restaurant
3144 W Irving Park Rd
b/t Troy St & Kedzie Ave
60618
773-478-2900
https://serbian-village-restaurant.business.site/
Irving Park
(not sure if it is still open)
Northwest
The Owl
2521 N. Milwaukee
60647
773-253-5300
The Whistler
221 N. Milwaukee Avenue
60647
773-227-3530
The Hideout
1354 Wabansia Ave
60642
773-227-4433
(great little dive. Been there many times to see Robbie Fulks)
Innjoy
2051 W. Division
773-394-2066
https://www.innjoywickerpark.com/
2200 N. Milwaukee
https://www.innjoylogansquare.com/
Hungry Brain
2319 W. Belmont Ave
773-687-8230
http://www.hungrybrainchicago.com/
The Kinetic Playground
1113 W Lawrence Ave
60640
773-769-5483
https://www.facebook.com/thekineticplayground
Elastic Arts
3429 W Diversey
#208
60647
Logan Square
California Clipper
1002 N California Ave
60622
773-384-2547
Humboldt Park
Constellation
3111 N. Western
60618
312-555-5555
https://www.constellation-chicago.com/
Roscoe Village
Davenport’s
1383 N Milwaukee Ave
773-278-1830
http://davenportspianobar.com/
Wicker Park
Rosa’s Lounge
3420 W. Armitage
773-342-0452
Logan Square
far west
FitzGerald’s
6615 W Roosevelt Rd
Berwyn
708-788-2118
http://www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com/
Oak Park
Occasional big bands
Chicago by Night
5600 W Belmont Ave
b/t Central Ave & Parkside Ave
60634
773-794-0300
https://www.chicagobynight.net/
Empty Bottle
1035 N. Western Ave. (1050N, 2400W)
60622
773-276-3600
Dive bar in a dark part of town with mainly alt acts. 20s crowd. Occasional jazz. Cheap beer, they say.
Ukranian Village
south
(Jimmy’s) Woodlawn Tap
1172 E. 55th
773-643-5516
(Sunday nights)
Famous Hyde Park hangout, moved from its original location
Hyde Park Jazz Society
at The Promontory
5311 S Lake Park Ave
60615
312-801-2100 (Promontory)
http://hydeparkjazzsociety.com/
https://www.promontorychicago.com/
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
University of Chicago
915 E 60th St
773-702-2787
https://arts.uchicago.edu/explore/reva-and-david-logan-center-arts
Woodlawn
The Quarry Event Center
2423 E 75th St
b/t Phillips Ave & Yates Blvd
60649
312-259-1143
South Shore
(don’t write off South Shore. Looks pretty c
Wish my parents were still with us. They both grew up in Chi Town and dad loved jazz.
Some of these names of clubs are familiar, but don’t remember if my folks ever went to any of these clubs.
Sent from my iPad
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Jazz Showcase in the South Loop and Green Mill in Uptown are the main ones. Your dad might have gone to some that are no longer around, maybe where you had to whisper a password through the slot on the door to get in. Those were the best, I’ll bet.
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What a list! How do you ever decide? Sounds like a great time, & I know you’re enjoying it all.Mrs.Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
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We stick w/Jazz Showcase and Green Mill. I pick around the others but haven’t been swayed
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