Hunter's on Halsted — Restaurant in Lake View Township

A classic venue that's been around for a long time. Parking is a hassle on a weekend, the physical space inside is very small. But you'll notice how I still give it 5 stars. Know why? Because if you're in the city, those parking and space issues are just part of life. Let's get onto the meat & potatoes.

This venue isn't anything special; but their philosophy and mission of having live music IS something special. They provide a stage for bands and performers to create magic. It's not a big stage, but it's about the opportunity.

I just recently saw The Mudmen, a Chicago-based Pink Floyd cover band. To call them a cover band is kind of an insult though, because their musical aptitudes and technical proficiencies were precise enough for them to be the touring band for David Gilmour. The show was incredible because of the band, but also the sound guy at the Tonic Room was on point! I moved around the room frequently, enjoying the show while I was analyzing the sound mix. It was pretty good from all locations.

Sometimes a space doesn't have to be huge or beautiful. It just needs to be in the right place and offer opportunities. The Tonic Room is about exposure for bands, and that's what...

Came for a concert as my first time at the venue - overall a solid dive bar concert experience with a band I was really happy to see in Chicago.

Only negative was the bouncer/ticket checker. No one was outside when I got there, so I walked in. He wasn't standing right inside the door either , so I walked further into the bar. At which point he came rushing at me from the back of the bar, hustled me outside again, and was overall gruff and rude about checking me in as though it was my fault he hadn't been outside or right by the door. I saw him do this to a few more folks throughout...

Surprisingly, many night spots in Chicago are closed on Mondays. So doing a little web search, I found out about this place having an open mic night. I decided to check it out. The gathering was a bit young for me -- most people were in their 20's. But the artists performing, who outnumbered the non-performing clientele, were quite good.

No table service, but the service at the bar is good. No food, except for bags of chips. This place can be hard to find because of a nearby intersection which joins five...