Beat Kitchen

Not always the first place people think about when looking for live music in Chicago, Beat Kitchen deserves a mention because it books some great bands and the smallness of the venue makes it easy to get up close and personal with the musicians (capacity is under 300 and sight lines are terrific). The front part is a restaurant/bar with a great beer and solid food menu and the back is where the music happens in a dark room with a funky vibe. Enjoy a nice meal outdoors on its large patio area (arrive before 7pm if you don't want to wait). Plenty of street parking for cars and spots for bicycles, too.