Kingston Mines
Kingston Mines
4.5
7:00 PM - 5:00 AM
Thursday
6:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Friday
7:00 PM - 4:00 AM
Saturday
7:00 PM - 5:00 AM
Sunday
5:30 PM - 2:00 AM
About
Kingston Mines is a blues music nightclub with 2 rooms, 2 stages and 2 bands & live music all night. We're the home of Doc's Kitchen with catfish, wings, burgers & more right in the heart of beautiful Lincoln Park, on Chicago's North Side. Kingston Mines is the perfect venue for large or small groups alike!
Duration: More than 3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: North Side
How to get there
- Fullerton • 7 min walk
- Diversey • 8 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
851 reviews
Excellent
595
Very good
207
Average
29
Poor
13
Terrible
8
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emmalewissinger
London, UK50 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Kingston Mines is a cool bar to the north of Chicago. There are 2 large rooms which have alternating jazz bands playing hour sets.
I was blown away by the calibre of the musicians - especially the bass player of the Mike Wheeler band. These guys really know their stuff and it was thrilling to see them perform up close.
There are 2 bars serving the usual drinks plus some cocktails. There is also a food kiosk where you can get nachos, fried shrimp, fries, wings etc. Cover charge was $12 (2020).
I would come back here next time I am in Chicago - money well spent supporting local talent.
I was blown away by the calibre of the musicians - especially the bass player of the Mike Wheeler band. These guys really know their stuff and it was thrilling to see them perform up close.
There are 2 bars serving the usual drinks plus some cocktails. There is also a food kiosk where you can get nachos, fried shrimp, fries, wings etc. Cover charge was $12 (2020).
I would come back here next time I am in Chicago - money well spent supporting local talent.
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taylor B
Chicago, IL8,458 contributions
Feb 2020
Truth be told, I can't tell jazz from blues from rock 'n roll from Mozart from Sousa. It's all music to me, all of it, anytime, anywhere. For blues, the place to be is Kingston Mines, the oldest and largest continuously operating blues nightclub in Chicago. Located at 2548 North Halsted Street, in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, it has been showcasing the most celebrated blues musicians since 1982...nonstop blues action seven nights a week, 365 days a year, two separate bands every night on two stages, from Delta blues to Memphis blues to Chicago blues. Over the years, it has hosted such blues legends as Koko Taylor, Otis Rush, Carl Weathersby, Magic Slim, Junior Wells, Sugar Blue, Billy Branch, Ronnie Hicks, Mike Wheeler, Peaches Staten, Eddie Shaw, Linsey Alexander and Joanna Connor. If you have a taste for some Southern-style food, you can indulge in some ribs, buffalo wings, Caribbean-style jerk wings, catfish, red beans and rice, home-made nachos, Po'boy sandwiches, shrimp, chicken, bread pudding or pecan pie at Doc's Rib Joint, located in the back of the room and open right up to the last call at 3 a.m. Sunday through Friday and 4:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
abroadwithashley
Minneapolis, MN1,742 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Storied blues club that we felt we needed to see after all our blues experiences in the delta. The club has a $15 cover and music starts at 7:30. We went on a Thursday night and it was fairly full by 11:00. There are two stages, so music is pretty much constant. Overall, the vibe is easy with lots of people from out of town. The music is a wide selection of blues so you’ll get a bit of everything (not just Chicago style). Recommended for heavy fans of the blues, but more for the history than anything else. If you decide to grab a souvenir, know that the person behind the counter may not be the most helpful or cheerful you’ve ever experienced.
Written October 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gidons51
Herzliya, Israel4,756 contributions
May 2023 • Friends
Great Blues bar , very good performances , one begins at 2100 the second 2230 . Very big place with foil bar . Food available self service. The place is very crowded and tables very small .Admission 20 USDLRS. Very recommended
Written May 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert W
San Diego, CA146 contributions
May 2022
We arrived just before eight when the music was about to commence and were able to find good seats. My first time here, but the vibe very much reminded me of blues clubs in Atlanta and DC back in the seventies. The ambiance is gritty as one would certainly hope for such an establishment. They have two stages and rooms, with performances alternating stages.
We acoustics were OK and some of the bands really blew us away, particularly Joanna Connor. Beer was cold (bars in both rooms) and the service attentive.
Highly recommended if you enjoy live music! Cannot wait to return.
We acoustics were OK and some of the bands really blew us away, particularly Joanna Connor. Beer was cold (bars in both rooms) and the service attentive.
Highly recommended if you enjoy live music! Cannot wait to return.
Written May 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lise B
59 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
My husband and I went on a Sunday night and they were having a Blues Jam, which meant people would show up with their instruments, sign up to play, and then play along with some of the professionals. Really great way to showcase emerging talent and see how they develop the skill to "jam". Afterwards, on stage #2 we saw another group which was really rockin', and a good segueway to the Mike Wheeler band again on stage #1. We loved seeing the variety of talent.
Food was available although we didn't have any. Drinks were plentiful on two bars. Great crowd of people like my husband and me just listening, a blues club from Scotland, and talent (some of whom we recognized from other blues clubs).
We took a Lyft from the loop to this venue and it was a bit of a ride, but definitely worth the trip!
Food was available although we didn't have any. Drinks were plentiful on two bars. Great crowd of people like my husband and me just listening, a blues club from Scotland, and talent (some of whom we recognized from other blues clubs).
We took a Lyft from the loop to this venue and it was a bit of a ride, but definitely worth the trip!
Written May 31, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Prudence65
Porto-Vecchio, France91 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
Friday 22 August. Coming to listen to blues we were treated to much more energetic music! So much so that a large number of people started dancing on the front stage: impossible in this situation to see the musicians playing.
The waitress is very efficient. The food is quite acceptable, but we came out very disappointed.
The waitress is very efficient. The food is quite acceptable, but we came out very disappointed.
Automatically translated
Written August 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
frequenttraveler949
Olathe, KS6 contributions
Apr 2023
Is there room for dancing? Kinda. Very small areas around both stage areas. We just found an area between chairs and ‘made it work.’
One thing that surprised us - we felt safe inside. Credit to the “no bs” bouncers keeping a tight eye on everyone - thank you - it means a lot.
Good clean fun!
One thing that surprised us - we felt safe inside. Credit to the “no bs” bouncers keeping a tight eye on everyone - thank you - it means a lot.
Good clean fun!
Written April 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Louise Masin Sattler
Los Angeles, CA1,613 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
This place was a surprise space to visit. All in our party expected a "dungy" club, but we were surprised at the interior, the excellent musical acts we heard, the food, and the service. A complete 180-degree turn from our expectations and well worth returning! Loved the choice of artist - bravo to Joanne Connor and her band!
Written July 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vikki C
3 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
Outstanding music/artists. Nice authentic blues vibe atmosphere. Great staff all the way around. Food and drinks were great and very reasonable priced. We stayed very late and it got pretty crowded, however, it was well managed and didnt take away from the wonderful night we had. I highly recommend for some good old down home, Chicago Blues.
Written July 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi. I have two questions. Is there handicapped parking available? And second, I see that firefighters, police, and "service industry" workers get in free every night. Are nurses considered service industry workers? Thanks!
Written October 30, 2024
Hello! A group of my friends and I will be traveling to Chicago and we want to check out the Kingston Mines! Some of the individuals in our group are 19, however others are 21 and older. If accompanied by an adult of legal drinking age will they be allowed in? I have seen where many places will put an X on individuals hand who cannot have alcohol. Thanks!
Written February 27, 2024
I'm not 100% sure, but my understanding was that anyone in the club had to be 21 years of age.
Written February 27, 2024
Yes, we do take reservations but can only hold seats for a certain amount of time after opening. You may call the club at 773-477-4646 or the Event Planner at 773-544-5442.
Written May 31, 2019
Hello Linda! We will not be taking reservations for seating on New Year's Eve, so seating is first come, first served. You can purchase tickets via Ticket Web.
Written December 12, 2018
Hello, I would like to make a reservation on december 23 but I don´t know how. Another question is that my son has 18 I saw that under 21 he can get in with his parents.
Thank You!!
Written November 12, 2017
We got our tickets on Groupon, they still have the deal running for half price tickets. Just search for Kingston Mines in Chicago to see the deal. So we had tickets in advance and got in no trouble. I don't think otherwise it's necessary to buy advance tickets, you can just get them at the door. I am pretty sure you can't get in though, even with parents, if under 21. But I'd call the place and ask them personally.
Written November 13, 2017
My partner and I will be coming straight from a cubs day game in July and this seems like such a cool place to see out our first full night in Chicago. Im Scottish so any daytime weather above 20 degrees requires shorts 😓. Is there a dress code? Will I be shunned for the shorts?
Written June 14, 2017
Casual for sure! You'll fit right in.
Written June 19, 2017
Should we still buy tickets in advance even if we wont be at the venue until 10pm or so?
Written May 1, 2017
Hi, I haven't bought tickets in advance for all the times that I have been there, so I don't think it is necessary. It is always pretty full, so you may not immediately find somewhere to sit, however as there are two stages, everybody moves from one to the other, so seating becomes available.
Written May 2, 2017
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