Park West

Came here with my cousin for the naked magic show… which was ok. I had bought tickets for the balcony but when we got there, the balcony was closed. My cousin is really short and would not have been able to see all the way in the back. I asked an employee if we could sit at the bar and watch and she said no until I reminded her that where we were sitting were not the seats that I bought. Then, you have to buy $ 20 worth of alcohol to use your credit card which again I thought was pretty tacky. Overall an alright venue but you can see from the picture that it was not sold out and there was no need for all these rules.

My family and myself visited Park West last Christmas time for a show. It was top notch and truly put us in the Christmas spirit. We did have to wait a bit before entering but it was so much worth it.

I’ve been attending shows regularly at Park West for years, typically loving the intimacy of the venue.
Last night I waited at the front of the line to be up close to a favorite artist and, for some reason, they’ve removed the seating /​tables on the main floor. Since I’m pregnant, I couldn’t stand in a pit and, (by sheer luck of knowing someone — NOT venue consideration), ended up seated at one of their «VIP» booths. This seemed like a wonderful score at first but, once the crowd filled, I could not see *at all*. The stage /​seating areas are both so low that even short people in front of me stood taller than I was, seated. Just a really inconsiderate, terrible change that left SO many people around us complaining they couldn’t see — those seated and standing. What’s more — I went to contact the venue, instead of Unilocaling, and there’s no customer service email. Real bummer.
Very important FYI — venue set up has totally changed and visibility is low unless you want to get there early and crowd the front. No consideration of pregnant woman. And defiantely not worth a booth «VIP experience» — as you REALLY can’t see from the booths in this new set-​up. Not a bit. I’ve attached a photo of my view.

Hi. I’m 30 years old. There is the full expectation that a venue is going to check your ID at the door, but the dude wouldn’t give me an alcohol wristband because I had an out-​of-​state ID and apparently he doesn’t know what they look like so he wouldn’t let me drink. You’re working at a venue in a big city. People are coming from all over. You can’t deny someone alcohol because their ID isn’t from Illinois.
Then, while checking my bag at the door, he pointed inside of it and said «prescription bottle». He then had me take it out and show it to him, which kiiiiiind of seems like a personal violation. What if I don’t want you to see what I’m taking? I have to show it to you so you can eyeball it without any training as to what different pills look like? I mean, I assume that you don’t have any training because they obviously didn’t give you any training about what out-​of-​state IDs look like either.
After getting in, I ordered a soda water (since I couldn’t be served) which was $ 5. We’re not at Bulls game. Don’t play that, Park West.
At one point during the show, the host made some off-​hand remark about how he’s glad no one had complaints about Park West and about 20 people started yelling about how they had a bad experience with the venue tonight. Not a great sign.
Officially replaced Concord Music Hall as my worst venue experience in Chicago.

This venue is nice because of its intimacy. The only major problem I have with this venue is that I ordered drinks from the bar and asked them to close my tab instantly. My tab was $ 20 with tip which was the minimum but they still charged my card $ 50 (twice on accident) which held $ 80 out of my account for several days. If I had paid all my regular bills not knowing these people «accidentally» or overcharged my account I would have been very angry. If I am closing my tab of $ 20 immediately, why was my card charged $ 50 twice? This place is terribly inconvenient with this from what I heard in the past. I don’t plan on returning to this venue. There are far better venues in the city that won’t «hold» money I didn’t spend.

I came here to see Christmas with the Queens, a drag show featuring six of my favorite queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Doors were at 8 and show at 9, but because we had VIP tickets, we didn’t show up till about 8:50. No line, easy entrance, helpful staff who ushered us right to the VIP area. I didn’t drink because it was a weeknight, which also turned out to be a blessing because the drink prices are exorbitant. The VIP section is just a series of tables right next to the stage with accompanying chairs. The rest of the venue looked comfortable enough with booths and chairs, just further away and higher up. The sounds/​lights were great and the show was incredibly fun. Afterward the meet and greet was well-​organized but quick. We’d found street parking right outside so we easily came and went.
I’d been here one time before for a storytelling competition and had a similarly pleasant experience. While I wasn’t sure about a drag show translating well in this cozy, lounge-​esque venue, it worked really well, and I would definitely go back.

This is a classic venue for Lincoln Park Area N Chicago. Used to go & dj at all ages parties here that would end at 9/​10pm on SATs. They popped off. then they’d kick all the kids out onto the streets and turned it into at 21+ respectable mega-​club. {DOn’t recall there being dope deep house night or dj legends playing there).
Now, The place is great in tradition.
Great Venue for shows and concert. Drinks were good. bathrooms clean. Sound great. Vantage points perfect.
I was a little perplexed at the angle mirrors above all the box room seats. Almost allowing everyone on the ground level to see what is happening on the table in the booths. Interesting methodology.
I still don’t know where the hell everybody parks at but it works as a good amount of transport method have to be NMT.

not a good place to see serious music. annoying waitstaff, contantly interrupting the music. and since it was general admission, you had drunks show up in the last minute that got lousy seats & decided they would try to just stand in front of people who had gotten there on time. The third time I had to tell the same drunk to get out of the way, I was tempted to just punch the loser in the back of the head since being polite was not working.
I have been to better small places in NYC, Minneapolis and even Green Bay.

This place sucks!
I saw a show here last week, and it’s officially my least favorite venue in the city (replacing the Vic).
Make sure you arrive drunk because they will empty your wallet with their drink prices ($ 8 for a Miller Lite?!?). Also the credit card minimum is $ 20.
There are seats/​tables in the middle of the floor where the boring people sit and judge your dance moves.
The vibe inside is sleazy looking and sort of looks like a bizarre strip club for Lincoln Park yuppies.
Also the front of house entrance is hideous.
Finally, there is a bathroom attendant in the men’s restroom. Case closed.

This venue is only ok to me. It is intimate, and we’ve been here for both concerts and comedy. Most recently we saw John Mulaney do a stand up comedy routine which was awesome. But the bar staff will only have very basic knowledge and prices are outrageous. ($ 15 for a single mid-​shelf liquor on the rocks.) this is Lincoln park, not downtown Manhattan.

I’ve come to Park West twice so far. Once for Two Door Cinema Club and the second time for Krewella. Love the intimate size of the venue – felt so close to the stage! The concert for Krewella was hosted by Pandora where free drinks/​wristbands/​backpacks/​portable chargers were provided. Love it here and can’t wait to come back!

I came here for a Lollapalooza after show. The entryway is small and becomes very crowded. The bathroom line is long, but it only took my friend about 10 minutes to get in and out. When you step into the venue, I feel like you have been transported to a ballroom. The high ceilings and chandeliers add to the décor and make the venue feel special.
I would expect a venue like this to get hot, but it stayed cool the entire time. I was in a crop top and shorts and I never got cold. There are tables in the back half of the first level. There are also spots upstairs where you can sit and stand if you want to watch the band from up above.
My friends and I were in the pit to see the show. The crowd that goes here is pretty relaxed and laid back. No one is too sloppy with his/​her drink. The sound quality is superb and I would definitely go see another show back at Park West.

Good venue. It’s intimate and if you get there not last minute you can get a pretty good seat. Great if you don’t like to be packed in a crowd. Excellent view of the band! Security is fairly relaxed… no one acted like a jerk or put out about being there. Sound was good. Lighting was good. Venue seemed clean, especially bathrooms.

Saw Beth Hart hear in March great show great venue. Lots of food options just a little tough parking but mostly a great night.

This was my first concert at Park West. It’s a great little venue. The venue itself was built in the 1920’s and has some cool architectural details from the vaudeville and movie theater it was originally, such as the ceiling in my photo. The venue seats 900 but there isn’t a bad seat in the house. The sound is good, I missed my ears ringing afterward, that to me is the sign of great sound! There is a main bar and additional «beverage» stations set up closer to the stage with a small open space in front of the stage. We saw «Gang of Four» and they put on a great show. Public Access TV opened and played a good long set. Ticket prices are reasonable, drinks on the other hand are a bit pricey and there is a $ 20.00 minimum for credit cards… So you can’t order just one drink, unless you pay cash. Servers are a little slow, a trip to the bar is much faster. A double Jack and Coke and a Blue Moon will set you back $ 19.00. So have a few before you arrive! There is a parking garage north of the venue and its $ 20.00 to park for the night. Definitely would go back for more shows!

Park West is an intimate venue which makes it almost seem like you’re friends with the people on stage! Nothing beats that. Well, great acoustics do, and Park West was a little off on that note (or maybe the sound guy was having an off day. who knows). The layout of the standing area is pretty good so that you won’t have to worry much about tall people with hats, and the surrounding tables/​seats also provide a good view. Drinks and coat check are both reasonably priced. The outside bar only takes cash, but you can use credit cards at the main bar ($ 20 minimum).

Saw The Moth Grand Slam earlier this week. Great show! Unfortunately, discovered this morning that Park West has a policy of charging your card $ 50 when you use it to make sure you can pay for your drinks. I was not told this would occur. My bill was $ 18 total, with tip. That $ 50 charge put me into overdraft and now I have two $ 35 overdraft fees. I called twice yesterday and left voicemail messages with their accountant. No response! Called back this morning and left another message. Thanks, Park West! If I knew it was going to cost me so much, I would have sipped my drink more slowly.

They will reep you off and cheat on the bar drinks. I will newer visit this place again. Every time I visit bar I got different prices for drinks. Please replace your bar Manager.

Small and intimate venue, I dig it! The sound was great.
Park West has got to be one of the better small venues in Chicago.

I’ve been going to the Park West for a long time. Each time I’m always thrilled with the intimate atmosphere. The only thing is waiting in line outside during colder weather. It’s fine for me, but when taking my parents who are getting up there in age it is more challenging. It would be nice if the Park West would consider who will be attending certain concerts and prepare accordingly. Maybe some heat lamps and chairs available for those who need it?
In any case, I still love this place!

I have a tendency to ignore things in my own backyard. That’s how I treated the Park West for many years; I’ve lived in the neighborhood for nearly a decade, but visited for the first time a few years ago.
I’ve been to Park West about four times now for a few Moth Grand Slams and most recently for a performance of The Piano Guys. The space is different than most of the other venues I’ve been to in Chicago; it’s a mix of cozy tables, booths and regular chairs or stools — it reminds of a place that could pull off dinner theater. The acoustics here are good and it’s nice that there are a few bars throughout the venue and servers walking the floor. Of course drinks are expensive, but that’s par for the course. The venue is really clean, the floor isn’t sticky and it doesn’t have the faint stink of stale cigarette smoke that will probably never disappear.
What I don’t like about the space is that it’s completely open seating (at least in my experience) and some of the seats kind of stink. If you don’t arrive early, you might be stuck craning to see past people in the row of stools in front of you or relying on the balcony mirror to get a decent view of the stage. Or, if you’re lucky enough to snag a table, you’ll get a nice view, provided you twist around to face the stage; for me, that gets old, fast. Maybe it’s different for get up and dance performances, but none of the shows I’ve seen have been like that.
Street parking options are limited, but Park West is transit-​friendly (near 22, 36, 151, and walking distance from Armitage or Sedgewick Brown) and in close proximity to a few pay lots.
Bottom line: It’s a nice mid-​sized venue to see a show.

I reminded myself of why I used to love Ben Harper in college at this venue a few days ago and Park West was the perfect place to do it. The venue is so small and intimate it literally felt like he was just there hanging out. People would yell out songs and he would play them.
Such a badass music experience because of the sound, the several bars, and insignificance of getting there. Park West has got to be one of the better small venues in the city.

Five of us came here for a concert (The Weepies) for like $ 30. Score! We arrived early and didn’t have to wait too long in the line. A guy checked IDs while we waited, and wasn’t very thorough, FYI. The place filled up really quickly, and we were lucky enough to get a seat at a booth with a table in the front.
THE GOOD:
–The sound is really great! Zero complaints in that department. The vocals were crisp and clear; the instrumentalists did not overpower the singers.
–I love the intimate environment of this venue, but it’s still adequately spacious, too. I never felt cramped, even though the place was totally packed.
–We got seats! It was nice to have the luxury of sitting down for the first half, but some of my friends ventured into the crowd of standing people toward the end, so we could be closer to the stage. It was great to have both options.
–The waitstaff were very attentive and promptly brought more drinks to my friends as soon as their glasses were empty.
THE BAD:
–Unless you live in the area, it’s kind of inconvenient to get to. I ended up having to wait outside the venue for like 45 minutes to get a ride back. That’s just a personal gripe though, and obviously doesn’t apply to everyone.
–Bathroom attendants. In general, I’m not particularly a fan of this concept except for in crowded nightclubs. I never carry cash on my person, so I couldn’t tip.
-$ 20 minimum if you open a tab for drinks. I didn’t drink anything, but my friends were a little annoyed. One of my friends wasn’t 21 (oops), so someone just ordered a drink for her on
The «bad» things about this venue really aren’t a big deal and are just me nitpicking. Overall, this is a great venue and I look forward to seeing other artists perform here in the future.

I was at the Park West tonight for my 2^nd. Richard Marx Concert.
The first time I saw Richard was in 1987 at the U.I.C.Pavillion
and in regards to these 2 venues the Park West wins hands down!
I love smaller, more intimate theaters and the Park West is just that.
They have a main floor area with row seating and they also have
great little cozy booths. as long as you have 4 people in your party!
They have an upper level as well where you sit on barstools.
And. as you are waiting in line to enter they will come around and
tell you if you intend to drink alchohol you must show your I.D.
and get a wristband.
They are very organized and everyone working tonight was
just alot of fun.:)
And, for the record. this venue is so perfectly sized that I
honestly think there is not a bad seat in the house!
And. waiting in line tonight. the coolest thing. the guy in front
of us was in the great cover band High Infidelity. you really can meet
some great people waiting in line!
So. I loved the Park West. the atmosphere is so great there.
It was a great night and Richard Marx still kicks ass after all these years!
Glad I got to see Richard again.
Thrilled I saw him at the Park West.:)