Harlem Avenue Lounge, Illinois, United States

4Ed B 5:00 PM Nov 8, 2016

Quintessential blues bar
Come have a beer and enjoy this beautiful dive bar for what it is. I love it. Real people. Real music. Cold beer

4webdiva-Chicago 5:00 PM Aug 3, 2014

Be forewarned: this is a blues bar, not an eatery
As blues bars go, the Harlem Avenue Lounge has history and great acts on its side. But it's not a restaurant, so I don't know why it's listed as such. Nobody comes here to eat; if you're hungry, grab some fried chicken across the street at the White Fence Farm take-out shack. If you want to hear great blues, come here instead. The last time I was here, I heard Barrelhouse Chuck, a great piano player in the boogie-woogie stride tradition. The lounge is what you'd expect from a traditional blues venue: a little seedy, a little loud, the liquor isn't always top flight (but neither are the bar prices), and the bathrooms aren't the best, but the music is generally fantastic. And that's why people come here. The closest competition is several miles away at Fitzgerald's, and that's an entirely different kind of place. This place is gritty and real and books the good acts, which is what I want from a blues bar. Anything more would be gravy. If you want the real thing, this is as good a place as any in the Chicago area and a lot cheaper than the House of Blues. Try it and see.