Rosa’s Lounge

Chicago, United States

4.7

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 773-342-0452
Website:
www.rosaslounge.com
Address:
3420 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL, 60647
b/t Kimball Ave & St Louis Ave
Logan Square
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.5 miFullerton & Central Park EB
0.5 miFullerton & Central Park WB
0.6 miFullerton & Kedzie EB
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Loud
Music
Live
Good For Dancing
Yes
Alcohol
Full Bar
Happy Hour
Yes
Best Nights
Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check
No
Smoking
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Has TV
No
Has Pool Table
No

Today

Today 8:00 pm – 2:00 am
Closed now
Local time (Chicago) 18:49 Friday, 29 November 2024

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 8:00 pm – 2:00 am
Wednesday 8:00 pm – 1:00 am
Thursday 8:00 pm – 2:00 am
Friday 8:00 pm – 2:00 am
Saturday 8:00 pm – 3:00 am
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Rosa’s Lounge operates in the hallowed tradition of Chicago blues lounges, family owned and operated by an Italian immigrant who came to Chicago in 1978 after meeting Jr. Wells and Buddy Guy in Milan.

Tony found the true spirit of the blues at South side lounges like the legendary Theresa’s Lounge, and he opened Rosa’s (1984) as a tribute to those cradles of blues tradition, and named it after his mother, Rosa, who had followed him here to help.

This is a blues haven that feels like home to both the novice and the seasoned blues fan, «Chicago’s Friendliest Blues Lounge», and Rosa’s was named «Chicago’s best blues club» by the New York Times and ” …a blues mecca for true believers” by Rolling Stone.

We are presently celebrating our 31th Anniversary, and we invite you to share in the festivities.

History

Established in 1984.

Rosa’s Lounge operates in the hallowed tradition of Chicago blues lounges, family owned and operated by an Italian immigrant who came to Chicago in 1978 after meeting Jr. Wells and Buddy Guy in Milan.

Tony found the true spirit of the blues at South side lounges like the legendary Theresa’s Lounge, and he opened Rosa’s (1984) as a tribute to those cradles of blues tradition, and named it after his mother, Rosa, who had followed him here to help.

This is a blues haven that feels like home to both the novice and the seasoned blues fan, «Chicago’s Friendliest Blues Lounge», and Rosa’s was named «Chicago’s best blues club» by the New York Times and ” …a blues mecca for true believers” by Rolling Stone.

We are presently celebrating our 31th Anniversary, and we invite you to share in the festivities.

Meet the Business Owner

Tony M.

Business Owner

Rosa’s Lounge operates in the hallowed tradition of Chicago blues lounges, family owned and operated by an Italian immigrant who came to Chicago in 1978 after meeting Jr. Wells and Buddy Guy in Milan.

Tony found the true spirit of the blues at South side lounges like the legendary Theresa’s Lounge, and he opened Rosa’s (1984) as a tribute to those cradles of blues tradition, and named it after his mother, Rosa, who had followed him here to help.

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20 reviews of Rosa’s Lounge

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Deerfield, IL
You are looking for a great place to hear the best musicians. This is it. Very modest place, stick to the beer and wine. This place is family run and has so much personality.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
If you want to jam to some real blues, definitely check out Rosa’s. Everyone is very friendly too and the cover charge is very reasonable.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
This place is great– definitely the friendliest blues club in Chicago. The music is a little funkier than I generally enjoy, but Tony and the bartenders make it a great place to hang out. Every time we’ve come in Tony has managed to make the experience personal and worth remembering for our crew. It’s worth the cover charge, you’re guaranteed a fun night here!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Very authentic place, friendly staff and affordable beers. There is even a small area in front of the stage where people dance. I was on Halloween night and I did not want to have the frantic booze night. The band was awesome and I had a wonderful time. The cover was not expensive ($ 15).
Place rating: 5
Rohnert Park, CA
I’ve been to Blue Chicago. I’ve been to Kingston Mines. I’ve been to Buddy Guys. They are all great venues and offer a different blues experience. But after visiting Rosa’s last night with my wife Jessica I have to say that Rosa’s takes the cake.
Let’s start with the people who run the place. Within twenty minutes of getting there around 10:30 we were outside smoking and began chatting up Tony — Rosas’ son — and he quite simply could not have been nicer or more welcoming. An Italian by birth, he came to Chicago in the 1980’s and is not only an accomplished player but a font of knowledge.
The bartenders are amazing as well. Jessica spent several ten minute or so periods talking with them as they recommended tasty drinks and generally entertained her as I was fixated on the music.
Which brings me to the star of the night: Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials. There’s no doubt these guys are the real deal. If high energy West Side Blues is your thing then Lil’ Ed will fill your cup. And what is perhaps even more impressive than his playing (which I expected to be good) is the fact that during intermissions he’s walking around the club, signing CD’s, having a smoke outside with the patrons, cracking jokes, posing for pictures and just generally being an ambassador of his band, his music and this club. As Jess put it: «he made me feel like I was a part of it all.» I can’t put it better than that.
This place is a must visit for locals and tourists alike.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Great Blues Joint that gets some amazing artists on a regular basis! I hadn’t been in many years so I was expecting that it had changed quite a bit. It didn’t thank God. Hole in the wall style with a great stage in the back, amazing sound, bar and cocktail tables. They put the cover charge on the chalkboard where you walk in and it’s usually very reasonable/​beer & drink prices also very fair! The good thing is it never seems to be totally crowded prob because it’s kinda off the beaten path in what once was a bad neighborhood. My recommendation would be dinner at Osteria Langhe/​Live Blues at Rosa’s/ Nightcap at Scofflaw! I’m Fuckin’ ParTyiN’
Place rating: 5
Oak Park, IL
I’ll admit that I’m a bit lax with my Unilocal reviews but a recent trip to Rosa’s has spurred me into action. This place is my number one live blues venue in all of Chicago. It’s got a friendly vibe, consistently great music and a true «bluesy» atmosphere that puts me in mind of my very favorite spots down in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
If you’re looking for tired retreads of «Sweet Home Chicago» and busloads of loud-​talking tourists, then don’t make the trek to this blues institution in Logan Square. Rosa’s is the spot for real blues lovers who appreciate top-​notch music. Rosa’s has been in business for over 30 years and there’s a reason for its longevity. It’s a home for blues lovers and a great place for musicians to both play and even hang out on their off days.
Another thing I love about this club is that fact that they truly care about the musicians who play there. When Eddie C. Campbell had a stroke, they hosted a benefit to help with his health expenses. And when Eric «Guitar» Davis was tragically murdered, Rosa’s put on a benefit to raise money for his children. Rosa’s is a family business who treats its artists like «famiglia» and has definitely earned the title of «Chicago’s Friendliest Blues Lounge!»
With summer winding down, it’s time to take a gander at Rosa’s September calendar where you’ll find everyone from Jimmy Burns and Sugar Blue to Mike Wheeler, Melvin Taylor and other great artists on the docket.
So whether you’re in town for a few days or a died-​in-​the-​wool Chicagoan, I would highly recommend Rosa’s as THE place to hear authentic, true blues music.
Place rating: 5
Machesney Park, IL
Rosa’s is the perfect place to catch a fantastic blues show. People are always friendly, service is exceptional and the manager, Amberly, always makes sure everyone is having a great time. The atmosphere is filled with a warm feeling the minute you walk in and it feels like home. Even the bathrooms are homey and we’ll kept. It’s a must go if you’re in the Chicago area!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Rosa’s Lounge is a part of Chicago’s music legacy and an iconic blues club with a national reputation. The negative, one-​star review posted awhile back in April is completely groundless and dishonest. After all these years, Rosa’s is still booking the very best of American Blues and is still the most hospitable and well-​run venue in the city.
Place rating: 5
Lakeview, Chicago, IL
This place goes friggin HAM sammiches.
Place rating: 5
Manhattan Beach, CA
Saw Tad. Great place and great artist, and the most legit blues club in Chicago. I hear the food is good too but I’ve only consumed the music and drink.
Place rating: 4
Addison, IL
Rosa’s Blues Bar at 3420 West Armitage Avenue Chicago. Eric Clapton has dropped in to this place as well as Eric Burdon and many other famous artists. This place is a fun time full of friendly people. In my opinion it’s one of the best Blues Bars in the City. Make sure you visit when Melvin Taylor is performing there, you won’t regret it.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
Great music! Good prices. Less tourists. This place is chill with lots of quirky décor and a good sound system. You can pay admission with a credit card if you don’t have cash.
Place rating: 5
Bloomington, IN
I love this place. It has a «hole in the wall» sort of charming quality. You don’t come here for fancy décor and fancy drinks, you come here for the music.
Blues lovers, this is the place. The people here are nice, love music, and are out to have a great time.
May not seem to be in the greatest neighborhood, but I’ve never experienced any issues.
The service is quick, although it can get pretty busy. The bathroom is always clean and stocked (and gets cleaned if something happens in the middle of the night)
Good time, good music, good people.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
My favorite blues club in Chicago! Great tunes, good drinks, friendly staff and cozy, just the right size for a night of blues! Can’t wait to go back!
Place rating: 5
Heerlen, The Netherlands
What couldn’t you ask for a more perfect blues night in Chicago? A shady bar, good beers, an enthusiastic crowd and great artists who perform with their heart and soul! If you want to experience a great night of blues in Chicago, you want to head this way.
Corey Dennison performed on Friday night and the crowd + personnel had an amazing evening. We came in around 20:45 which gave us enough time to find a great spot with good views. Most folk seemed to be regulars which only attributed to the entire experience. The place is quite dark which sets the mood perfectly. We will definitely come back here for some more blues!
Place rating: 1
Chicago, IL
I have been coming here for almost 20 years, even before I lived in Chicago, and am very disappointed to how it is now being managed. I have never had any problems in all the years I have been going there until recently in the last year, when the management changed and now there is a high school mentality running the place. Surly bartenders allowed to roughshod over guests and treat people rudely and with no respect, especially women. (And yes, I’m a great tipper too). You can wait forever to get a beer (and if a bartender doesn’t like you, you won’t get served at all). They have also escalated the cover charge to $ 20.00 for most artists, but yet the bathrooms haven’t been remodeled (or cleaned) in over 20 years. Dirt hangs off the old decorations and they have recently removed half of the tables in front of the stage for a «dance floor» (4×4) which leaves even LESS room to be seated and ruins the view for others… the tables and chairs are in horrible disrepair (and it’s not charming, it’s dangerous). There is just a narrow pathway to get to the bathrooms and you can bet if you are standing in the way of the over zealous and aggressive bartender/​waitress, you will be knocked out of the way. And if you complain, the fire eating manager comes after you! Very disappointed to see the changes and the lack of cleanliness. You will get more bang out of your blues buck if you go to Kingston Mines, Smokedaddy’s on Division, (no cover and the BEST staff ever and so clean in there too!!!), Nick’s Beergarden (no cover), or B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted, which are all in better, safer neighborhoods too. That’s where you will find me, sipping some craft beer, enjoying the blues music and watching my bluesician friends and, tipping the wonderful and kind staff that appreciates your business!
Don’t get me wrong, I love, love, love a good divey blues bar, but this one has submerged.
Place rating: 5
Oak Park, IL
Roses lounge is THE home of Chicago blues! If you’re looking for an authentic, off the beaten track blues experience in a city where «blues club» has often become synonymous with «tourist trap,» Rosa’s is somewhere you simply must go! It will restore your faith in the blues scene in Chicago.
The interior is as dark, slightly grungy, and eclectic as you could hope. The stage is small and the space is intimate. Often times, you’ll rub shoulders or brush elbows with the musicians at the bar. Speaking of the bar, the drink selection is simple but sufficient and relatively inexpensive.
Whether you show up on a Monday night or a Saturday, Rosa’s will give you a warm welcome and the music will not disappoint! You owe it to yourself to go check this place out!
Place rating: 5
Lake Mills, WI
Rosa’s is true blues bar, not the stuff created for tourist dollars.
My first visit was 21 years ago and I was a regular at that time. I have since left the area and have to admit that I had not been back in 16 years.
Finding ourselves open for New Year’s, and my wife never having been to a real blues bar I made the arrangements.
It was like seeing an old friend. You will find the owner on the property, in fact expect to be welcomed by him at the door if you arrive prior to the band. Tony wears many hats and is quite busy but still takes the time to be cordial with his costumers.
They are a full bar with beer in bottles and a limited selection on tap. They also have the popular liquors available. The music is loud so if this is a problem sit closer to the door.
You will not find any main stream performers here. It’s all about the blues and the feature Chicago blues bands.
Depending on the night, you will find different bands.
It’s a great place to enjoy some awesome music in an intimate setting.
My wife loved the place and experience. She can now say she has been to real blues bar!
Place rating: 5
Great Falls, MT
We think this is the best Blues Club in a Chicago! Truly a hidden gem. This is not a cookie cutter Hard Rock Café ‘esq blues club this is gritty and local.
The atmosphere is a local bar around the corner. They claim to be the friendliest blues club in Chicago and we’d give them that too. Just had a great time!