The Elbo Room

Amazing staff. Upstairs is a great cocktail lounge to hear mostly acoustic guitar players. The venue downstairs has a cool feel and great sound system. If you’re looking strictly music, be sure to check out the bands on their site before. Pretty wide range of music down there.

One of, if not my favorite, bars in Chicago. Dave and Jake are great company (both work there) and there’s always good tunes playing. If you’re looking for a good time at a quality bar with history, this is the spot.

What does a single 30 something year old dad do when he’s got nothing to lose? He’s starts a band. haha. And he names it GOOD FOOD. GOOD FOOD practices and they sound like crap, but then they realize that they need to just play live somewhere — anywhere. So the single 30 something year old dad starts making phone calls and sends out emails to all these places that they could play potentially play at. The Elbo Room contacted him and they played their first show there.

I’ve been here to see some bands play, and I hate it every time.
The upstairs area is extremely loud, even when there aren’t any bands playing. The door people are extremely rude. Drinks and cover fees are a bit pricey for being a dive bar.
The owner and service are the only things going well for this bar.

I had the pleasure of visiting the elbo room for a show a couple of months ago. I just want to say that the service here is absolutely second to none. The bartender in the downstairs area made it a point to remember both my name and drink, and always smiled. Despite how busy it was he never seemed overwhelmed. He also genuinely enjoyed his job which is rare at a lot of concert venues in the city. I ended up leaving my debt card and ID behind by accident. Living in the burbs I called the next day and a very polite girl answered. She had my ID and card mailed out the next day right to my house, I couldnt believe it. I figured id go pick it up but no need to. I was shocked and just plain impressed by this level of hospitality in this day and age. I cant wait to go back and enjoy some more shows!

The Elbo Room is a gem. We recently had an event planned at the venue and I couldn’t say more positive and kind things about the staff, especially Shelby! Everyone was so welcoming and helpful.
The atmosphere of the place is great and from what can see from other reviews, they really do bring in some amazing bands/​performers.
I can’t wait to come back with some friends for a night out!

Been here multiple times. Who hasn’t? This time though the bartender Dave worked his ass off kept people happy. Shook hands with guests, introduced himself, and was awesome all around. Go here.

I like the vibes here but people kept trying to sneak in alcohol… upstairs is a good vibe but you can hear the band playing downstairs

Spacious, good music, decent prices.

The Elbo Room is a dive bar with good acoustics. It’s dark, dirty and has little ambiance. That being said, if you appreciate this bar for what it is, you’ll likely have a good time.
There are two levels in here, the downstairs being the larger space where the main acts play. There are a couple of tables upstairs with a small stage and a larger stage with more seating in the basement. There’s only one bar with a couple of bartenders on each level, but I didn’t wait an unusually long time. The drink selection and prices are standard.
The crowd is usually people who know each other, and/​or know the band. I wouldn’t necessarily go to this place looking to meet new people, but then again, once the music starts you’re not going to be able to converse with the person next to you anyway. The sound is good and the space is small, so if you’re there for the music you’ll have a good time.
One thing I’d love to see The Elbo Room add is a modest coat check. It’s hot in the basement, so you won’t want to be wearing heavy layers, but there’s no good place to put down a coat without fear of it getting lost, stolen or dirty.

I have only been here once, and although its not quite my scene, it seemed like a nice enough place.
There was a live music everyone seemed to really enjoy, ample seating, and the bartenders were giving my friends and I free shots left and right
So all in all it was a good time

I don’t understand how the fire marshal has not shut this place down yet. As I watched my friend’s band play one night in the basement packed with people, I was watching patrons climb the stairs to return to the upper level, and realized the door at the top of the stairs only opens in, instead of out, meaning that if there was a fire or some other emergency requiring fast evacuation of the basement, everyone would die due to the fact that they would all be crushed against the door at the top of the stairs. Visions of the Great White concert fire and E2 Nightclub stampede immediately came to mind and I got the hell out of there. Way too scary for me.

My first visit here was last weekend to see my husband’s friend’s band The Nubile Thangs who were doing a reunion show. My husband warned me that the place would be small and we likely would not have a place to sit. He warns me of this because he knows I am a diva and do not like to stand for extended periods of time especially in close quarters with other sweaty individuals.
We were able to get parking really easily (and FREE) across the street a block down. But then again, it was Sunday. Fridays or Saturdays might be a different deal. The first floor (street level) has a tiny bar, a very tiny stage and a few booths. The place was dead and I think the guy playing his guitar only had his friend at one booth to play to.
The larger bands play downstairs and after climbing down a rather narrow staircase, we got to the basement. The downstairs bar is pretty much the first thing you run into when you get down there. I did not notice if there was anywhay to get downstairs easily if you were in a wheelchair or mobility challenged. Going down these rickity stairs if you’re seriously visually impared may be a problem. The place was not crowded and playing was a group I didn’t know.
The floor capacity (if people were shoulder to shoulder) appears to be about a couple hundred people. Fortunately, we did get a place to sit at a couch right off of the main floor.
Service is pretty much non-​existant, from what I could tell by the other patrons (we did not drink anything). If you want something, you need to get it yerself at the bar. Even when my husband’s friend’s band was playing, surprisingly it was not too loud at all. Congrats to the sound person for now blaring it beyond what is acceptable for the space. The group sounded great and the mix was really really good.
A downside is that there is a very large load bearing (presumably, because I can’t imaging the owner wanting it there on purpose) pole directly in front of the stage, dead center. Its really awkward and blocks your view if you’re standing anywhere behind it. Since it was not a packed house, this was not a problem as you could move out of its path.
The stage lights on the stage are really nice and from what I hear, this has been a new addition to the venue. If you are a small band looking to get a gig here, besides the awkward pole in front of the stage, it appears to be a great venue to get booked at.
The bathrooms were typical dive bar bathrooms. There was a problem with the woman’s room stall door not closing securely. That was a problem. I had to try to keep one hand on the door at all times during my excursion there to prevent someone accidentally opening it on me. So if there is any improvements, I would say this.
I would visit here again for sure.

The music is the big draw-​in and it’s usually the bomb (they get the occasional bad ones, but who doesn’t). The drinks are cheap and of variety and are the bomb. The bartenders are friendly and the bomb.
There’s an upstairs area (where you first walk in) but also a downstairs if you keep walking to the door in the back, left side. Downstairs is where the «big» shows are.
Yeah, it’s hipster, but at least here, you’ll know for sure that these hipsters are all at least 21.

I’ve played lots of shows at the Elbo Room, and been to even more. Its a staple on the local music scene, and playing the Elbo Room is a rite of passage for up and coming musicians in Chicago. They book good music, hire real sound engineers that manage to make even that little, odd shaped room sound great and they keep the place in good order.
But what distinguishes the Elbo from so many other venues in the city has always been the staff. They are hands down the best rock club in town when it comes to friendly, helpful and generally good-​vibe people. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad experience with anyone there, from the door, sound or serving staff. On the contrary, I have a lot of good memories with the people there. I can’t say that about the double door, the (former) note, subT or even Martyr’s. They may have bands up on the stage, but the real rock stars are behind the bar and at the door.

I always have a great time at Elbo Room. Actually, I don’t know why I don’t come even more. I have seen a couple crappy bands that I don’t think deserve stage space, but in general the music is hoppin and the atmosphere is fun. It’s a weird basementy vibe, but once you get used to it, it really feels like a secret special place :)
Cover is not too bad and the drinks are priced well. The crowd is always cool, too. Lots of normal, nice people. (normal as in functioning members of society, not normal as in boring. Hey, lots of people are not functioning members of society.)
Anywayyyy, highly recommend. Any night of the week something will be going on at Elbo. Come see your friends play, or come out just to hang.
Oh! And they have pac man upstairs! I get so terrified whenever I play pac man, but it’s awesome.

This has always been a great venue, I’ve seen so much music here over the years. From the acid jazz (back in the day) of SUMO to many friend’s bands — it’s always a great time.
I particularly like the layout. Upstairs is a regular bar, to take a break from the loud bands downstairs. Downstairs. .. get down and dig with some live music!

The Elbo Room is known for supporting local up-​and-​coming bands. Sure, they charge a cover… but how else are the bands supposed to get paid?
The draft beer selection is pretty extensive, and the PacMan table is a can’t-miss! Just be careful where you set your glass on that table… I was 2 seconds away from a ‘whoopsie!’ after downing a couple stronger brews.
Downstairs, the room is a bit small but the sound is great! I really like the intimate feel.
Just a damn good rock club.

Came with a group of Unilocalers to see ODE and had a great night. The place is inviting. I like that there are two levels. The stairs aren’t so fun to go up and down after a few drinks, but it gives you a chance to regain your hearing upstairs.
You have to love a place that will serve alcohol and let you play Pacman at your table. Room to sit, or stand, or dance. Nothing pretentious about this. Everyone was fun and friendly, staff and guests.
All of the bands we saw that night were good. At least I enjoyed all of them. I also found myself entertained between bathroom breaks by reading the walls in the restrooms and seeing all of the posters and stickers. It just felt so much like the places I used to go to in Minneapolis, so I felt at home and couldn’t have asked for much more.
Oh, and four words — SWEET TEA VODKA LEMONADE!

recently visited Elbo Room on Sunday night to watch my boyfriend play. Not hard to find parking right outside on a Sunday night for free. Awesome! My friend and I entered and it seemed like a pretty laid back place. It was empty, though, and that was weird. I mean, I know Sunday isn’t a huge drinking night (at least not in my life) but to be the only patrons in the place plus the weird door guy and a bartender is just a little creepy.
The door guy descended on us to get our cover to see my boyfriend play. I know they need to charge cover, but we were alone in there. He didn’t need to walk toward us from the bar and get our IDs and money — it’s not like we would have slipped by him or something. The draft beer was good but they charged too much, especially for Goose Island. Everything was $ 5 minimum and the PBR cans were $ 2 (no way am I paying to drink beer from a can at a bar). They had a nice bottled section but, again, super expensive (a bottle of Bell’s Oberon was $ 5 — I paid the same for a pint at The Yard). I did really enjoy that they had Lambic on tap (pêche et framboise) but the small glasses were $ 9 and not really worth getting.
I did enjoy that one of the booths had a Pacman table so that we could play at our leisure. However, it did nto seem to be working in two-​player mode so that was a bust. Bo-​ring. We wanted to go downstairs to hang out with the performers before they started at 9 and the doorman wouldn’t let us. I’m sure this is a normal policy when they’re setting up for bigger shows and what have you, but my boyfriend and the other acoustic performer were literally just sitting in the creepy basement stage area alone because we weren’t allowed to come down. It was really bizarre. Just let us down there, man. We were allowed in promptly at performance time, so I guess that’s cool, but there were about six total patrons in the whole establishment. Weird.
I guess I just wasn’t feeling this place. The performance area is nice (but cramped if you’re seeing something large) and there’s a bar down there so you don’t have to keep going up and down to get drinks. The bathrooms were nice and clean but I’m sure tehy’re a madhouse when there’s a lot of people down there (there were only two women’s toilets). Plenty of seating around the perimiter of the room in case you don’t want to awkwardly stand in the middle.
Maybe I need to go back on a different night, but my first experience left me feeling like this wasn’t a place I’d like to hang out when I go out with my friends. I think I just need to go back on a different night and try it out again since a lot of people give it great reviews. Sorry, Elbo Room, you just didn’t impress me the first time around.