Chicago · Jazz and blues
Chicago Jazz and Blues for Grown-Ups
Chicago's music rooms are some of the oldest in America, and they're still full every night. Here's how the four greats differ, and how to get the best seat in each.
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Jazz
The Green Mill
Broadway, Uptown
The legendary jazz lounge (Al Capone's booth is still there), with live music seven nights a week. Cash only, no reservations, and a serious listening room.
Tip: Arrive by 7:30 p.m. on weekends to get a booth.
Andy's Jazz Club
11 E. Hubbard St, River North
A jazz club since 1951 with dinner and several sets a night. Reservations are required and good for one show; the room clears between sets.
Blues
Buddy Guy's Legends
700 S. Wabash Ave, South Loop
The blues club Buddy Guy opened in 1989, with Cajun and soul food and live blues most nights. Buddy himself traditionally plays a run of shows each January.
Kingston Mines
2548 N. Halsted St, Lincoln Park
Chicago's oldest and largest continuously running blues club: two rooms, two stages and two bands every night of the year. It goes late.
Tips
- The Green Mill is cash only with no reservations: arrive by 7:30 p.m. on weekends for a booth.
- Andy's requires a reservation for each set, and the room clears between shows.
- Kingston Mines runs late; if you're an early riser, catch the first set.
Everything here was checked in September 2026. Club line-ups, cruise seasons and performance calendars change, so confirm before you go.
Questions people ask
What is the best jazz club in Chicago?
The Green Mill in Uptown for history and atmosphere (cash only, no reservations); Andy's Jazz Club in River North for dinner with a reserved set.
Where can you hear the blues in Chicago?
Buddy Guy's Legends in the South Loop and Kingston Mines in Lincoln Park, which has two stages and two bands every night.