House of Blues

Like the Venue, great live music, food was good, a little overpriced, especially if you have drinks. Portabello Sliders were amazing. Casual and right downtown, easy access, public parking, but just take a cab 5 bucks from about any hotel downtown.

I always have a good time when I come here. I’ve attended many concerts and events here. I love live music and meeting new people which I always do when I come to the House of Blues. Last night I attended «Hopped Up», an event by Revolution beer. This was the first time I’ve had a chance to test out their whole selection. There was live music provided by the band Blind Staggers. They did a great job and I had a chance to meet and have drinks with them. Laura from the band was very friendly and fun to talk to. She has a great voice as well. I look forward to the next event here.

Haven’t been to the House of Blues in years, but a husband of one of my wife’s friends wanted us all to join them at HOB for his wife’s birthday for the Super Diamond show (they are a Neil Diamond tribute band, and oh so much more), so we went and were happy we did.
Getting the tickets bugged the crap out of me. $ 22 tickets with an $ 11 service fee. Pisses me off. And there was no way to buy the tickets without paying the fee. Seriously folks, when the hell will you learn to just put the service fee into the price of the ticket? Had I paid $ 33 per ticket and had no service fee, I would have been fine. But seeing that $ 11 service fee just hacks me off. What the hell am I paying for with that. NOTHING. Just someone gouging me.
Rant over.
If you have never been to the HOB in Marina Towers, you have to see a show in the main ballroom. Spectacular space. Seriously, spectacular space. Good enough to very good acoustics, and the show we saw was plenty entertaining and enjoyable. We love live music, but sometimes shy away from the big crowds. This experience reminded me that HOB is a wonderful place to see a live show, and now that the kids are a little older, we gotta get back here again to see a show or two a year, it is a wonderful venue for live music, and it is a Chicago gem of a performance space. Until you go, there is no way to explain it, but trust me, you will be happy you experienced the place.

Website barely functions in IE, doesnt work well in Chrome. This is 2016.

Amazing food the juicy Lucy is sooooo great and the bacon wrapped meatloaf to kill for. A must any time you are close.

I always loved coming to the HOB. I seriously love the acoustics in this venue. I also love the way it looks inside and out. It’s like old Chicago or something special.
The staff is pretty nice and accommodating. It’s a bit pricey but it’s to be expected based on the location.
It’s a good time. If you get a chance to see a band, go for it. It’s worth it.
We only had drinks so I can’t really comment with any of the food choices from my recent visit. I can say that I have eaten in their restaurant in the past and it was decent. Don’t know how they are now but I do plan on returning for dinner or the brunch that I’ve heard so much about.

No idea what went wrong with the other Unilocalers, but our experience here has been great.
Great service, great drinks, great fun people, and first of everything some of the best music in town.
Don’t always trust the average complain, give this place a try. You won’t regret

One of my favorite venues to go to live-​music events. Pro-​tip: Buy the early admission/​skip the line pass. It’s $ 20, and you get a $ 20 credit to the restaurant inside. So basically if you buy lunch there, you get free early admission, which is nice, especially if you want to be as close as possible to the stage.
Other than that, a lot of history here and it’s always a good time.

This is a review for only the House of Blues, as a venue. I have not eaten at the restaurant so I cannot comment on that.
I went to see Minus The Bear here a month ago. The location of the House of Blues is a great amazing location on the Chicago River. We had Über drop us off so we had no problem getting there and didn’t have to worry about parking. We didn’t have any problems getting into the venue.
The House of Blues has the floor/​pit area, a level right above that and then two balconies. With this much space, you would think there wouldn’t be a problem finding a good spot. However, the only place that didn’t have «Reserved» signs on it was the pit, and the second balcony and only a part of it. This is more annoying than anything I have ever experienced at any music venue before. It’s very clear that the House of Blues is only about making money, and not about their guests having a great experience and enjoy the show. We ended up on the second balcony, it was a good view, but it made me feel dizzy and nauseous. I don’t know if it was the height, or a contact high from all the pot floating from the floor to the ceiling.
The prices at the bar are ridiculous. My boyfriend got a mixed drink and myself a Shirley Temple and he spent like $ 18. That is insane.
The only good things I can really say about the music venue, besides the location, are. The employees working here were really helpful, from the door people to the security everyone was really nice and helpful. I felt comfortable and safe and that’s not how I felt going into the show a couple days after the Paris attacks.
The sound system and the stage were pretty nice. Minus The Bear sounded awesome, and I’ve been to a lot of venues where the monitors are sound guy both don’t help the band out and makes everything sound horrible.
The venue is a really cool and unique concept, but I don’t think that I would go back to the House of Blues in Chicago again.

The Gospel Brunch. Yes Yes YES LAWD! Bottomless mimosas, chicken and waffles, mac and cheese quite possibly made by the Son of God hisself. Meat station, omelet bar, and so much more.
The entertainment was engaging and especially more fun if your with a healthy group of friends.
Four stars because the chicken tenders definitely could’ve used a bit more of that souther style seasoning. C’mom HOB, it’s Gospel Brunch! All in all they were still yummy. Also, somewhere toward the middle of the show a few of the service staff vanished from the stations — what about the food enthusiast who like to indulge in seconds?

Our party of four stopped in for a weekday lunch, and discovered that the restaurant end of the operation has been rebranded as Crossroads at House of Blues at some point in the last couple of years. Still the same Southern-​roadhouse atmosphere, with the walls, ceilings, and just about every other surface encrusted with folk/​outsider art – though the ceilings also include some fine bas-​reliefs, from a very different artistic tradition, of blues notables. There’s a stage at the front of the room, though it was not in use at lunch; the main concert venue is a separate space, upstairs. Lightly patronized and quiet at lunchtime; doubtless much livelier in the evening.
The menu still emphasizes Cajun, Creole, and Southern items. All four of us ordered the chicken and andouille jambalaya: $ 17.99, with shrimp a $ 6.00 extra. An excellent rendition of the Louisiana classic, with the flavor strong on filé powder rather than heat.
In keeping with the Louisiana theme, we ordered hurricanes, a bit pricey ($ 16? I lost my notes), but including a souvenir glass. The beer list now includes about ten craft taps, as well as more common stuff on tap or in bottles.
In the Marina City complex; very transit-​accessible. Two blocks from the State/​Lake station (Red Line) and Clark/​Lake (Blue, Green, Orange, Pink, Brown, and Purple Express). On the 22-​Clark, 36-​Broadway, and 62-​Archer bus lines; three blocks from Michigan Avenue, via a riverside walk alongside the Trump Tower. Valet Parking available; also a city parking structure a block away. Street parking can occasionally be found by those who have led blameless lives.

Food wasn’t bad. Three of us went all got different burgers. The service was really good and the band playing was great. It was an easy burger blues joint to get to from our hotel if that’s what you’re looking for but I personally don’t think I’m going to go again. Chicago has so much more to offer.

Fenomenal para quem gosta de uma boa música! Fantástico, atendimento nota mil, comida então, nem se fala, sensacional! Adorei!

HOB is almost impossible not to like from an aesthetic standpoint. One of the most uniquely and intricately designed interiors you’ll find at a music venue.
Admission was efficient and non intrusive, drinks moderately priced and the show, Owl City, pretty damn good from a kid pop standpoint.

An acquaintance and I had a 2 night concert here for the first time. There was a mishap — she was certain the box office had assured her one barcode /​one ticket was enough for the both nights when she had called ahead, but that wasn’t the case, and we nearly got screwed out of the second night (her sister had bought the tickets from a 3^rd party vendor, and all they sent was one nights’ tickets for 2 people for the full 2-​night price).
My acquaintance is a die-​hard fan, and this was her first concert of this band ever. When I finally told her we couldn’t wait anymore for her sister to figure it out (at this point we were waiting downstairs for 2 hours and the opening act started) and I inquired at the box office as to purchasing seats, we found out there were only a couple left, in the balcony, for $ 55 each. She had a full-​blown panic attack to have lost her reserved seat (her leg was injured) and have to pay extra for what was already purchased.
Joe came to the rescue, bless him. I told him the circumstances and he managed to get her a VIP seat up in the balcony, and one for myself (which I gave up) though I assured him all I needed was a standing spot near a bar. Well — he came through!
Excellent venue: I enjoyed the loaded fries, the drinks were good, prices were reasonable, and all the staff was very friendly. I have zero complaints and would definitely see another concert there again.

I have been here more than once for concerts and it’s a nice venue and beautiful decorated. I dined in and the service I received was excellent! Our servers name was Samantha, she was great. The food came fast didn’t have to wait long. The only thing that would be nice if they had more of a selection for food. I learned that you spend 20 per person in the restaurant or at the merchandise store you are able to «jump the line» and don’t have to wait outside with everyone else! The parking is expensive but it’s chicago and at the house of blues. Other than that I had a great experience and I know I will be returning soon!

Forgot to use our check in 10.00 off offer Dagnabbit!!! Their Pecan pie is better than my home made, and I make an amazing Pecan pie! Music both nights we were there was off the charts! From now on show me the way to the nearest house of blues when ever I travel! By the way, they have amazing Pecan Pie! Andrew know anything you want to know about HoB! Waitress Tammy promised sitting up front would NOT subject us to front row flying smashed watermelon debris or any other manner of embarrassing or messy audience involvement occurences! Well Tammy is industrious! But that tray of water glasses got the better of her! Amazingly enough the fluid and ice trajectory bypassed us completely. The sloppy wet wash rag of a vigorous table wash down from behind us did not! Yuck! By the way when the iced water tsunami happened the blues duo never missed a beat! BRAVO!
All in all… The personable staff, the Music and the venue delighted us! Yes we ate dinner. Did I mention how glorious their Pecan Pie was???

My friend and I came here for the Tokio Hotel concert last night. They have a deal that if you each spend $ 20.00, you can get a pass to skip the line in front of general admission. We were there for lunch and really didn’t need a reservation. Lunch was really expensive. My French Dip was $ 14.00 for lunch. My friends southwest chicken sandwich was the same price. We also had the cornbread. I hate to see what the dinner prices are! The theming was pretty cool with a eclectic feel.
By the time we made it outside to wait for our concert, there was a line for our and we decided to stay put for the 2 hour wait before the doors opened at 6PM. Bummer! You either had to lean against the wall or sit on he gum stained pavement. We chose to lean.
The concert was held in the ballroom upstairs which looked really cool. I was sandwiched by a railing close to the stage. I don’t care to be jumped on or trampled on at concerts. I think it should be a rule that tall people stay towards the side or back. There were many talls at this event. In the age of smart phones, everyone had them out to record what they could be watching live. I preferred to watch the concert in front of me. I did take some pics but after a while, it became really annoying. We did have a fantastic view though, close to the stage. All in all a good concert and a new experience.

Came here for a business dinner. The service was ok. I had southwest chicken sandwich and fries. I asked for sweet potato fries, but I got regular ones. It is ok, as the regular fries were so good. I normally donot eat much fries, but I finished them all. The sandwich itself was standard.

Went here for Gospel Brunch with a friend – great food (all you can eat), unlimited mimosas, plus the show. Definitely «event» dining – perfect for your mom’s birthday or if your Aunt Kathy is in from out of town. She’ll have a great time waving her napkin!
Added bonus – so much cool stuff to look at. Tons of folk art!

Cool little venue! Well… Not little.
House of Blues is tucked away behind the Smith & Wollensky’s Steakhouse. There’s 5 floors to this venue and so many hidden rooms! I was here for a company event and they rented out the whole venue for a private event. Entertainment was The Blooz Brothers and they played some pretty old school tunes. The stage is cool and there’s also a dance floor right in front of the stage.
If you get a chance, explore the venue up and down the stairs. The very top floor is a little quieter and secluded. It overlooks the stage and the dance floor. There’s also lots of little balcony seats that overlook the stage on the second and third floors.
The first floor has tons of seating (booth tables) and THERE’S A BAR on pretty much EVERY FLOOR!

Located right next to the Chicago River downtown, House of Blues was a two block walk from my hotel. The often entertaining, creative and eclectic décor is amazing! The front porch scene that welcomes you is the perfect place for group photos! The Sunday Gospel brunch (only$ 40) is the best I’ve ever seen! From large chilled shrimp to quinoa salad, chicken n waffles, jambalaya and the carving station to made to order omelettes; the endless mimosa was icing on the cake! Did I mention there was also a dessert bar with banana nut bread pudding and peach cobbler to die for??? The gospel choir entertainment was a top notch local choir led by Frank Smith, Jr. The emcee who’s name I don’t remember was engaging, talented and high energy! The whole experience, which is also a Kirk Franklin fundraiser for youth was well worth the time spent! I will do it again and again!!!

I have been to multiple House of Blues locations and the Chicago location did not disappoint. We were there to see a Ministry show which is a whole other story.
The venue is very intimate… you can get very close to the bands for great photos. The bouncers are vigilant with watching the crowd. They were determined to stop everyone from engaging in a mosh pit. We saw many people escorted out the secret side door. Also, since we were close to the speakers the bouncers were polite enough to provide us with ear plugs.
Here are a few pointers if you see a show there:
1) Be prepared to stand unless you want to pay $ 75 for a bar stool. Tickets were pricey enough so I didn’t want to double my cost for the courtesy of taking a seat.
2) Once you are in there is no re-​entry. All of my smoker friends weren’t pleased but not my problem :)
3) If you want to get in before every one else than eat at the restaurant. If you spend $ 40 (which is very easy) you get skip the line tickets to get in before the rest of the crowd.
4) Yes, they have those creepy washroom attendants that make you feel dirty for not leaving a tip.
5) Balcony seats at this show again were an extra cost. So be prepared to stand in general admission and fight your way to the bar and bathrooms.
6) A tall boy beer will cost you $ 11 so bring your credit card and take out a home equity loan before you come. Seriously, have beers in the restaurant before you head up because drinks are much cheaper downstairs.

This was the first time I’ve been to Gospel Brunch at HOB in Chicago; I’ve been to the one in Orlando also and they both were awesome.
We went to the 10:00 am show and promptly went inside right on time. One thing I really like about HOB is that you can select your seats ahead of time if you book online. We sat in the pit which has long tables. There is PLENTY of room to navigate around, so don’t worry about that. I do suggest that if you’re in a group of two, then book seats next to each other so it’s easier to interact with each other. We took seats at the end of the row and that worked pretty nice.
The food is fantastic… delicious and authentic southern cooking. I’m from Florida and I can tell you all about some Southern cookin ;) Chicken & waffles were fantastic. The chicken breast they served had an amazing flavored breading, the waffles were freshly cooked right there, plus there was maple butter, hot syrup and buffalo sauce (which sounds so weird, but I tried it on my chick on round two and it was fantastic w/​the waffles). They include all the mimosa you want to drink and use fresh squeezed juice for the mix… you can tell. There was a macaroni and cheese «station» where you could make your own custom mix… add in pulled pork, bacon, spinach dip… you name it. The pulled pork and bacon added in was really tasty. Also, carved prime rib, turkey, omelet station, fish, salads and of course… desserts galore.
So…you’re all fat and sassy with this great food… feeling good from the mimosa and the show starts. There are rotating acts that come through, but they’re always great. Our show was a local youth group and their pastor… good lord this guy was a hoot. He brought down the house and put on such a fun show. The kids were unbelievable singers… they put a gospel spin on a bunch of well known songs. I got put on stage since we were celebrating my birthday. We sang and danced with the group; if you’re celebrating something this is a great place to go.
For $ 40 you get food, drinks, the show, tax and tip included. You can’t go wrong. You won’t find a brunch where you get all that with a fantastic show included

De la vraie bullshit. $ 10 de cover pour un drink au bar où on me voit rien et les gens parle fort en se foutant du spectacle. 1000 fois mieux d’aller au Blue Chicago sur Clark street à deux pas de là.

The perfect venue for 2014 Dita Von Teese Final US Tour. 2 more shows to go! Even though SOLD OUT, it wasn’t cramp. No bad view except when you have to stand for 2.5 hours.
MC Murray Hill — he grabs and insinuates a lot while giving laughs to audience in a slight PG manner.
Dirty Martini — she can twirl! In the end, the pasties comes off in the end for a brief hoorah.
Catherine D’Lish — what a split! Acrobatics and Athleticism.
Pearle Noire — such momentum! A good enough substitute for Josephine Baker. :-)
Lada Nololska — wait… are those her lips?
Monsieur Romeo — what a man! Such confidence in wearing female garter belt and stockings. Amazing no Velcro pants. Voila.
Dita Von Teese — 4 15 – 20 minute sets. Swarovski sparkles. Beautiful costumes and props. Successful in evoking the intent of the theme. Ballet and Pilates are evident in performance.
Audience Integration — a surprise that Dita is giving out merchandise to audience performers with a meet and greet to the hard working straight booty shaker. Corset ribbons were given to some of front row tables.
* * *
HOB staff — nice and great at keeping order, and policing seat poachers.