Sonotheque

A world-class modern lounge where sound and vision rule.. The Scene
A strikingly minimal Chicago Avenue facade gives way to a large room done in greys and browns with a lengthy bar. Walls sport futuristic shapes to enhance acoustics; high and back-lit at both ends are unusual speakers, providing custom detailed sonics. This venture from Donnie Madia of Blackbird, Terry Alexander of Mod and Joe Bryl of Funky Buddha Lounge is a fresh and welcome option in Chicago nightlife.

The Draw
Sonotheque sets a high standard for clean looks (courtesy of designer Suhail), but the emphasis is actually on music. Adventurous local DJs and touring lounge heavies such as Thievery Corporation man the decks behind the glass. There's also no price-gouging; drinks ranging from bottles of British ales to select wines are very reasonable. The crowd tends to be sexy, but unpretentious. Come early to secure a low-slung lounge for your cool cadre.…

And What Else?. Nothing impressed me about the place. The interior does look like a music lounge/ club etc, but that's just about it. It's simply just another club. It was hard to enjoy the music when all I could hear (or feel) was the drumbeat which makes it impossible to even have a conversation. Of course the crowd consists of diverse race, etc, but almost all of them didn't stay that long. I can only see the club staying in business because it does cater to the type of crowd that lives around the neighborhood. I definitely WOULD NOT make a special trip simply to go there unless I am already about 5 minutes away. Even then, if I were passing by and heading somewhere else, I would easily move on along.

The only positive thing about it are the guys at the door who were quite friendly.…

get educated. Sonotheque is the place to go if you enjoy contemporary and older grooves. Different evenings feature different themes and I have particularly enjoyed their Africa HiFi nights. My experience of the crowd has always been fine, then again, I'm always with good company so that makes my evening nice. Perhaps what I like best about Sonotheque is its willingness to bring fresh sounds to Chicago. DJs that play broken-beat, boogaloo, funk, samba, and other underappreciated genres of music are in full effect at Sonotheque. Everyone I've invited to check it out has enjoyed the place tremendously. I can only imagine you won't have a good time if you insist on it. Or you are looking for comerical music.…

Horrible.. If you want to hang out with a bunch of unemployed kids from the suburbs with a lot of money, a grossly inflated sense of self-importance, and a vendetta against everyone because they were unpopular in high school, go to Sonotheque. This is a horrible bar experience, and anyone who doesn't think so is lying to themselves. Whenever I end up here due to the poor judgment of my friends, I have an awful time. I warned you.…