Chuck's Voodoo Lounge

I'm not an expert on sports bars -- which is what the Voodoo Lounge is during daylight and during playoff seasons, and the locals here enjoy that -- but I know my jazz and blues bars, and the Voodoo Lounge has been one of the best in the metro area for live blues.  Plus, it has a great late-night food menu from Chuck's BBQ restaurant next door, which you absolutely can't beat.  It's the best music venue for blues on the SW Side and SW 'burbs and rivals many of the (much more run down) blues bars on the South Side in Chicago.  Fortunately, every blues bar is a little different, and you'll get a good variety of sound over here.  Like live jazz, live blues needs support or it'll fade away -- and Chuck's makes it really easy to like this blues bar.  I've heard a variety of blues musicians here, and even one of my north side faves, the Special 20s, have made it down here regularly.

I don't know what the music schedule is like now that Chuck's is back after several months (they had a fire that destroyed a good part of the building, but they're open again now), so it pays to call ahead.  Before the fire, there was live blues music two to three nights a week, deejays and sports the rest of the time.  And the house background music in the restaurant is blues, too.

The tequila menu in the lounge is extensive (as might be expected, given Chuck's BBQ and Mexican-influenced food menu specials), and the microbrew menu is even longer.  You'll find plenty to like here, and they're more than competent at cocktails, too.  The proof is in being here, however.  Come for the live music or the big flat screens, if you like, but try the food, too.  You'll have a good time.