Sound-Bar

Horrible place! Strong-​arm, aggressive bouncers, exorbitant cover charges, over-​priced drinks, etc. Don’t come here! If you want to find a good dance club, check out Wicker Park – whatever you do, don’t settle for River North, and especially its worst bar, sound bar.

I have only been once to Sound-​Bar and that was in September of last year. My friends decided to get a party bus for their birthdays and this is the club they picked to get dropped at and picked up. I was very excited to try it because it a total of 25 people. I think its always good to pre-​game a little before going out to any club and we did of course on the party bus.

My friends got some sort of deal at the club that allowed each of us to have a wrist band for 10 free drinks (bottom shelf only) but I was not complaining I payed 25 bucks towards everything. We did not have to wait in line. Just said our friends names for their birthday and we got in right away so that was nice for anyone interested in celebrating birthdays here. I did see a line and im glad I did not have to wait lol. It did not look that long. I’m not sure if the is coverage charges. I do want to come back because it was so much fun!

First thing i had to do when I got their was use the bathroom! lol and they were very nice and no crazy long lines. They actually had quite a few bathrooms and they were spacey. They also have 2 floors. Top was more Elctronic, EDM musice. Bottom was hip-​hop and rap which I like more so we were downstairs most of the time. Their were also little bars everywhere to get drinks. I love the design of this club the had like see through glass separating rooms downstairs. We had such a fun time dancing the club was super LIT!!! We really ended up shutting it down. Lights came on and everything lol! So yes I will be returning when it gets warmer out here in these streets of Chicago.

So confused after going to this place. A lot of locals have recommended this place. We got excited because the line was long outside. It seemed to be the only place popping in the area that night. The dress code seemed casual for a place considered to be uppity per locals. The dance floor on the main level was small and the bars took forever to serve. The drinks were mediocre as well. EDM music was outdated. The dance floor downstairs, although bigger, had horrible music as well. Not sure if we were just used to hollywood or vegas standards but common it’s chi-​town. Least we got to try it and know what to expect next time we’re in town!

Thought this was a cool place. Two floors of music. However I was really disappointed by the staff. 1 Bartender at each crowded bar were not able to serve the guests. I went back on several occasions, still only one person.
The bouncers were extremely obnoxious. I thought it was maybe because I was a male, but two women that I was with were verbally assaulted by a guy «guarding» the stairs, told to «Clear the stairs!» It was extremely unprofessional and rude.
No interest in returning, especially not for a $ 20 cover.

Came for the 9:30−11 pre-​NYE party put on by hard rock, they didn’t open doors until 9:50. Tickets weren’t at the door at that point, so we didn’t receive tickets for our pre-​paid free drinks until around 10:15 (until we were already inside) and at that point, the bouncer refused to give any to anyone else in our party already inside. Excuse me? Not our fault the businesses were running late? Print a guest list if necessary!
So we spread our six tickets among eight people and I paid $ 9 for a vodka cranberry that was all cranberry (original bartender was rude, I didn’t even realize I was ducked over until other members in my party told me so.) Asked for more vodka from another bartender, was told to pay $ 6 more. Some BS.
Basically, SKIP THIS PLACE.

It’s been almost 18 months since I have moved to Chicago but I have never been to any clubs here though I have been to clubs in Nashville, SFO, Vegas, LA, Atlantic City, NYC and other cities. My friends flew from SFO to spend their Thanksgiving weekend and they found about sound bar from some of their friends as one of the best clubs in Chicago. As I didn’t had any idea about this place, I tagged along with my friends.
We did the RSVP and the entry was free if you get to the door before 11:30 PM. If you reach between 11:30 to 12:30, then you have to pay $ 10 per person and later its $ 20. We all suited up for the bar expecting it to be a high posh place but as soon as I reached the place. Wow, it was a ghetto. The entrance of the club was so dirty, no cleanliness. God, I was like «where in the fresh hell am I in».
At the entrance, they don’t accept credit or debit cards. You have to carry cash with you to pay. We are already in the age of using Apple, Android pay NFC technologies and these people are expecting us to carry cash when you are getting into a club making you vulnerable to the pickpocketers (I don’t mean that there are people like that, but who knows. A person can definitely take an advantage of your drunk situation!).
Anyways, the bar is of 2 floors. Full of loud music and lot of crowd. Good varieties of alcohol. I don’t think the alcohol is much expensive here. Not sure, why the bar is rated $$$. One of the bar tender was so damn hot ;) ;) The 2^nd floor of the bar has the classic DJ mix music and the 1^st floor has the latest trending pop music which I loved it.
Overall, the club was okay. Not so great. Don’t think that «this is the best club in the town». Maybe it used to be before but its no more. The club has lost it’s charm! 2 stars it is.

While I was visiting Chicago, I decided to check out this club.
Go on their website to RSVP to get in free. Like most people mentioned, it’s the best of both worlds, if you like hip hop and EDM. The two dance floors are huge so you don’t have worry about people bumping into you. The staff here are friendly too and you don’t have to wait too long at the bar. I definitely would want to come dance here when I visit again!

Not many places where you can dance your face off is open till 5 am especially in Chicago.
This is one of them.
EDM though in reality much more deep house the night I was here at the top level and hip hop at the bottom. Best of both worlds in one big space.
Just make sure to come with a group of friends as the crowd tends to float between boring and ratchet.

I think they should close this place down for so many reason: rude and uptight bouncer, terrible DJs upstairs, and worse of all: prejudice against some customers.
I even saw them throw out a guy that was defending his friend and attempting to call on security on a girl who is causing trouble in the club!!!
Terrible place to go

Came here with friends while visiting and I really loved it! The place is massive, with two floors, one hip-​hop and one EDM. Usually I prefer EDM scenes but the hip-​hop floor here (underground level) was way better. MUSIC WAS SO GOOD. Lots of dancing and the regular to creep ratio was surprisingly high! They really weren’t lying when they said Chicago was a chill place that doesn’t discriminate. Good and bad. But there was this insanely chill old dude who was KILLIN IT. He was at least 80 years old and he made my night, oh my god. EDM floor was that stereotypical scene where everyone was bobbing like robots – kinda creepy. Large place and something for everyone. I’d recommend it. But the line outside is really, really long.

Before we got to the place, we called to find out if they would let us in if we show an Indian drivers license as a valid ID. They said its fine as long as there’s a picture and DOB on it. But when we got there, the guy who checks the IDs wasn’t convinced my friend was the same person on her ID because she looked «fatter» in that picture than she is right now. He asked her to recite her own DOB to see if she could get it right (she obviously did) but wouldn’t let her in anyway. When we asked why they’d give us false information when we contacted them in the first place, he says he doesn’t care about that as he’s in charge and he makes the rules.
I’m extremely disappointed at the way he behaved, particularly annoyed at the «fat» comment. I’m never going back to this place and will never suggest it to any of my friends.

Here is part of the email I wrote to sound bar:
However, I cannot say the same for the service at sound bar last night. I typically am not one to complain, but it is unfortunate that your great service is overshadowed by the rest of the staff I dealt with last night. When arriving at Sound Bar, I told them I had a table under my name. My party was then rudely herded over to the side, uninformed of what was going on and neglected. When entering, my whole party was not allowed in even when I said I understood the bottle minimum. Five people in my party had to pay cover. I then returned to retrieve two of my friends. They had to wait in line, even when telling the bouncer they had a table under my name.
I was able to talk to my waitress, who informed me a bit of the process. From what I am able to to understand, there is a host for each table and that host has to physically retrieve my friend from the line. Even after last night, I am not even sure how to go about it. Also, I don’t even know how to reach my host, who I don’t know his name and don’t even know how he looks.
I have been to sound bar many times and have always had an amazing time there. This is why I chose to get a table at sound bar for my birthday. Unfortunately, the night fell short because of bad service and unprofessionalism. I have gotten bottle service before at Paris Club, Cuvee, Shay, and Mid and have never been treated this poorly. I felt like I was treated worse than just a normal individual who is paying cover to get in.
Overall, I thought the process was inefficient and that I was treated unprofessionally. I expected better service and more value based on the price I paid and the reputation of the business.

Sound-​Bar has progressively become worse and worse in my opinion. I spent my 22^nd birthday here and I booked through some sort of Asian Network service (no, you don have to be Asian to book, haha). They offered free cover for my entire party or whoever mentioned my name if they arrived before 11pm, as well as 3 free drink tickets per person.
I enjoyed that Sound-​Bar has two levels. The bottom features mostly hip-​hop, while the top features house/​EDM. I like both! The top floor also has an area for VIP parties – one of my friends had her bachelorette party there.
Bathrooms/​seating/​bars are well placed and easily accessible. Their staff is also attentive and every time I’ve seen someone drop a glass, they’re there to clean it up within seconds. What I didn’t enjoy was the massive amounts of creepy, smelly guys lurking around the club. And every time I’ve gone, it’s gotten progressively packed and uncomfortable.

My first time at what I would consider a nicer, kind of expensive, inner-​city nightclub.
A friend promotes for Sound-​Bar among other places, and he offered to take us down there and show us what was up.
We got there before 10 and there was little to no line on a Saturday, which seemed like we got lucky.
The inside of the place is, in my opinion, exquisite. They have a number of different bars, levels, rooms, seating areas, bathrooms, etc, that are all a little bit different in terms of appearance. I liked how there were several different types of music, atmospheres, etc in the place, it’s nice to have a choice like that.
We stayed mostly on the lower level near the hip-​hop/​top 40 type stage and near the orange-​glitter colored bar. The DJ played most of the club classics you have to expect as well as the new standard stuff, albeit at a really loud (to me) volume. «Trap Queen» was heard several times, but that’s more than okay with me, I secretly love that song…
The bartenders were very nice and poured us fairly stiff drinks, the other staff members treated us with respect, and most of the other club-​goers didn’t seem to be too stuck up or pushy-​shovey, which I was totally expecting before I walked in.
However, due to my friend being a promoter, we were able to take advantage of a few benefits that most probably don’t have access to. I managed to spend very little money and have a great time at a venue that is clearly a money pit if you pay cover, buy any normal amount of drinks, or god forbid order bottle service. I definitely wouldn’t be as happy with my experience if I spent a typical amount of money.

It is a meat market filled with unsophisticated and horny men and skin tight dressed women. The music is super loud, perfect for gliding and one night stand. $ 20 cover charge. It is perfect for younger crowd who needs to release their «energy»
There are dance floors on upstairs and downstairs. The lounge areas are in cornered rooms.

I went here for the first time yesterday and had such a blast! First we contacted Sarah E manI (see tip) and it was the best Idea ever! We got to Soundbar at 10 30.
The actual club is 2 floors. The top floor was playing house music I believe and had mist and lights which was super cool but we stayed mostly on the bottom floor which seems like a mix of everything and a little more top 40. We didn’t have a problem with any staff member, it was packed by 12 30 am and we all had a lot of fun. The only thing I could say was there were some rowdy people that would constantly try to dance with girls and wouldn’t go away, but you can’t really blame that on the club. It was a great night overall!

I heard this was one of the places to be at nowadays…
But I heard the crowd isn’t that pleasant looking (unfortunately.)
My friend from the area chose this place. We had no problem getting into the club. Well, only our one friend did. For some reason, he walked behind all the girls while the other guy friend went in first before all the girls. So he was the only one charged since he thought he had to pay cover –_​–
The night was a blur. It was a packed house though. My friends had fun. The music was good. We thought it would suck actually. Thank goodness it didn’t. I drank too much that I fell on my ass 2x and I was wearing flat boots. I never fall, etc too lol Got to hangout with some friends from the area and then called it a night. What a forgettable night!

Sound Bar is what it is. No matter how early you get there, there is always a line (especially if you are trying to get free cover before 11). Thankfully, it was only about 15 minutes at around 10:30PM. Hip hop area is downstairs with a large dance floor. DJ was good though he played «Get Low» about four times. Perhaps that was a sign I was there too long.
With a group that got table service which is probably a good thing if you are going to be there a while. The dance floor smelled like sweat/​BO before the end of the night and it’s always nice having a couch to sit on and relax. The servers did a nice job of refilling ice/​mixers throughout the night.

This is like the frat party of clubs. It’s packed, stuffy, sweaty, full of college students /​recent graduates, but you just might have some fun if you get adequately trashed first and stop caring about the sub-​par environment and even worse music. I’ve been here several times and it seems consistently that way.
At the door, the bouncers are usually friendly to me (presumably because I am a girl who always goes out with a pack of other girls). They also have female staff at the door however, who are much meaner. I was especially pissed off once when I actually called the promoter to make sure my party can get in for free before midnight, but the lady at the door insisted on my group paying cover since it’s past 11:30, their usual cut off time for no cover. We ended up leaving, which is honestly their loss since it was a group of attractive girls on a pretty empty night.
Going in, I don’t know what else to say other than «it’s a typical club». There’re bars, there’re booths, there are a couple levels of dance floors. Nothing too spectacular or unique. There’s supposed to be different music on different floors, but usually just all ends up to be not very well DJed EDM (and I’m an EDM fanatic who has seen several top DJs live, so I know it when these people just don’t really know how to spin it properly).
The crowd like I said is usually pretty young. I don’t really pay much attention to the girls, but I’d say the guys are generally socially awkward and not that attractive (sorry, gents). Most of them don’t dance and just creepily stare at the girls, or even worse, inch up to them and try to touch them uninvited. Multiple times my bestie and I had to tell them no, we are not interested, no sorry we are each other’s date, please leave us alone, blah blah blah, but most of them just won’t listen so we had to move to somewhere else.
Thank god I never had to pay cover for this place (they have an unlimited guest list anyone can get on), otherwise I’d be so pissed if I had to pay something like $ 20 to just go in.

Before I review Soundbar I should mention I’m not a club-​going gal. I’m not an avid dancer, I think it’s odd that people stand in a cramped room uniformly bobbing their heads, and guys step on your feet all the time ! That’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed my share of clubs. And with that begins my review…
Soundbar was pretty bad. I’ve been once and hopefully for the last for a friend’s birthday party one November eve. Even though my friends had made arrangements with the staff I stood outside in the cold for 20 minutes with no outside heater. I paid a $ 20 cover although registered guests shouldn’t have had to. Which is fine! Club staff can be disorganized. Once I walked in, I saw the DJ standing in front of a screen where unicorns flew around (see attached photograph), playing a lackluster set.
My least favorite aspect of Soundbar was the crowd it attracts. The birthday girl and I stepped outside to have a private conversation and these rowdy Asian guys kept interjecting and asking us if we wanted to talk to them. It was more than obnoxious. Three times I politely asked him to leave us alone to talk, but he persisted, joking with his friends that we didn’t want to talk to him.