I first became aware of the House of Blues as a tender youth watching the movie “Freaky Friday” (the 2003 one, of course). Imagine my surprise years later finding out it was a nation-wide chain of venues and not just a fictional creation. The Chicago location happens to be one of the coolest iterations, and often the host of music acts I enjoy.

The House of Blues was founded by one cofounder of the Hard Rock Cafe, and one Blues Brother (Elwood, not John Belushi). The first location was opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1992, and there are now eleven locations. It is now under the jurisdiction of Live Nation. The Chicago location opened in 1996 and has a healthy capacity of 1800. It is snugly situated under famous icons of the Chicago skyline, the Marina Towers, affectionately known as the corn cob buildings. You understand why. Fun fact about one of the corn cobs (and yes, only one): it’s haunted as fuck! A slew of murders and suicides have plagued the east Marina Tower since its construction in the 1960s, but only the east tower. The HOB is pretty smackdab between the two, but keep this in mind when you walk by that tower on your way to the entrance. Personally, this gains 3 vibe points from me. I hope the ghosts get to enjoy the music and people watching. 7 more points for having an interesting history and mid-size capacity.

The venue is located in the bougie River North neighborhood, surrounded by skyscrapers and people in tailored suits commuting back to the suburbs after their tedious corporate day jobs. Very few of Chicago’s music venues are actually downtown. It makes the HOB both easy and hard to get to: easy, in that it is near almost every L train line and multiple bus lines, but hard in that parking prices are a nightmare. Love yourself, take the CTA. Food in the part of town can also be quite expensive if you go to any of the pretentious restaurants lining the nearby Magnificent Mile, but it’s also close to a few beloved Chicago chains, like Lou Malnati’s for deep dish pizza and Portillo’s for Chicago style hot dogs and italian beef. I usually go to the Billy Goat Tavern for a quick burger and beer before or after a show for around $13. Overall, as someone who does not go downtown very often, I like when the HOB forces me to walk amongst the tourists for a little while. 8 points for the surrounding area and public transportation options.

When you enter the HOB, you immediately face a restaurant framed by the words, “In Blues We Trust.” I have never eaten at the restaurant myself, but for some shows, if you eat there before the show and spend over $25, you’ll be granted a “skip the line” pass and be able to enter the venue from the restaurant. A nifty deal for an amount that you would normally spend on a single sandwich at any nearby downtown restaurant. Proceed through security and up the staircase, and the GA area is just ahead. The wooden floor is strangely bouncy, in a way that alarms visiting bands. Don’t worry, that’s normal! Probably! Either way, it’s a great little GA area, surrounded by bars and a few seats. 7 points for the standing room vibes.

Food inside is abundant, but expensive. Forget getting two beers for $20, you can hardly get one beer for that price. Minus 5 points for food prices usually only seen in major arenas. I’m still going to get a beer, though. It’s nice that the food itself is so good, and that there are multiple places to grab it.

The interior is a winding labyrinth of hallways and staircases, some leading to a multi-tiered balcony that includes VIP boxes. The balconies are a lovely place to watch the chaos of the floor below while sipping your beverage or eating nachos. It’s also a great vantage point to see the banner and symbols above the stage, declaring “UNITY IN DIVERSITY”. A bit of a “COEXIST” bumper sticker, but still, can’t argue with that, House of Blues! 7 points for aesthetic, positive vibes, and height. I like to be tall.

With a score of 27 points, the Chicago House of Blues ranks in at a healthy Impeccable. While certainly not the oldest Chicago institute, and arguably one of the most tourist-centric, it is still beloved by bands and fans alike. I look forward to the next time I am moshing on its bouncy floor.

If you’re in the area, be sure to check out the upcoming show schedule here, and follow the HOB Chicago on Instagram!