The Harlem Avenue Lounge

Over the years of covering live blues music in and around Chicago, I have seen many venues come and go.  It seems to me that the openings have not kept pace with the closings.  Even with that attrition, the Chicago land area still has many vibrant blues venues, with more than enough great Chicago musicians to play at them.  Some of the venues are not particularly easy to get to, and yet they may still be the coolest spot in its own hood.  Some venues are restaurants with less than professional sound systems where the bluesmen must play their "dinner sets" before they can crank it up.  Some venues have stages for the musicians.  A stage could be a 4 x 6 area rug or an unused corner.  The music could be Chicago style blues or bluesy jazz and bluesy rock, or not blues at all.   Some venues feature live blues only on a weekend night, while precious few have live blues all week.  The clientele at a venue might be all white, or all black, but most are diversified.  Some places have earned themselves the title of tourist's traps and some venues' patrons are other musicians.  From this mix, I do have a Best Blues Bar in Chicagoland.

I think the best place to take in Chicago Blues is in a blues bar, especially a small one.  Some examples of this type of venue are B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted, Rosa's, Blues Island, Bill's Blues and the venue I think is the Best Blues Bar in the Chicago land Area:  The Harlem Avenue Lounge.  This is a shot and a beer joint, with no fruit or mixers in sight.  There is a large rectangular bar centered in the room so that literally every fan can have a seat at the bar, unless it's a standing room only night.  The stage is large and raised with excellent visibility.  The lighting and sound are very good.  The washrooms are clean, and the staff is friendly.  The stage is in the front where the musicians can load their gear from the curbside through a stage door.  Chicago's most famous blues club is Buddy Guy's Legends.  It is a club with a bar.  It features blues all week with national acts frequently appearing on weekends.  It certainly is a fun place to blues it, but my preference is still a smaller, more intimate bar.  Like B.L.U.E.S. and KIngston Mines, Legends is more expensive with both parking costs and higher cover charges.  The abundant parking at The Harlem Avenue Lounge is free.  When you go to the front door, which is in the back, the only secret pass you need is $6 (weekends only). 

Kenny Zimmerman 

The quantity and quality of the blues also helps define the venue.  All the above mentioned bars have top-notch Chicago Blues on three or more nights per week.  Kingston Mines and Legends probably have more blues than any other venue in the area, but three or four nights are good for me, and allow me to keep a real job.  The quality of blues in the entire Chicago land area is very good.  Chicago has the best of the best in blues musicians.  Harlem Avenue Lounge has the same players featured in the downtown venues.

Bill's Blues is far North in Evanston, while Blues Island is far South in Blue Island (duh).  Most of the city venues are, well in the city (read expense).  Being at 3701 South Harlem, The Harlem Avenue Lounge pretty much splits the North-South extremes.  It is just west of the city in Berwyn.  Near the corner of Ogden and Harlem it has the Eisenhower North of it and the Stevenson South of it. 

There are several other details that tipped the balance in favor of Harlem Avenue Lounge.  Kenny Zimmerman, the owner is quick to refer hungry patrons to his fine catering department, which is the White Castle immediately next door.  Kenny's place does offer small pizzas, and popcorn.  They have the popcorn just right with no burnt corn and no dud kernels.  As I sit here typing, I'm thinking of the popcorn smell wafting over the patrons waiting for the third set.  The faithful who stay for the third set are often treated to a Chicago Blues jam, as other players stop in to pay their respects after their respective gigs.  The crowd is diverse and very very friendly.  There is a pool table and several arcade games, but my favorite game is asking Kenny how many patrons are in the house.  He typically does a fast 360 degree turn that ends with the amazingly accurate head count. 

Eric Davis plays outside 

There are no bad shows at The Harlem Avenue Lounge.  Kenny Zimmerman publishes his entertainment schedule are in advance.  This is personally helpful to me as I try to provide you with the most comprehensive blues calendar in town.  It is sometimes difficult as many venues list TBD (to be determined) on a regular basis.  Some others don't even list their acts, which would seem like bad business in 2008.  Tuesday evenings at The Harlem Avenue Lounge is free and usually is a solo or small acoustic band.  One of the best and longest running pro-am blues jams in Chicago is the free Thursday night offering at Harlem.  The jam starts with the house band doing the first set.  The house band is a collection of some of Chicago's absolute finest blues players.  Kenny will get you on the signup sheet and when he asks what level you're at do not say you played with so-and-so.  He will remind you that it doesn't matter who you played with, and pick a number between one and ten.  Oh, and by the way, Eric Clapton is a 6.

Friday and Saturday nights of course are the big ones for live Chicago blues.  Kenny has been bringing us the finest in Chicago Blues music for over seventeen years.  He plays good music between sets, and Harlem also has a library.  You can ask to see it. 

This certainly wasn't an easy choice, which is why I had to invoke so many preferences.  For example, if the criteria demanded a venue inside the city limits, my choice would be Rosa's Blues Lounge, the friendliest blues lounge in Chicago.  The venue where you would be most likely to catch a touring act would be Legends.  The most fun you can have after the other bars close is Kingston Mines.  That being said the Best Blues Bar in Chicagoland is The Harlem Avenue Lounge.

Blues architecture