Kingston Mines

09/30/08

if you want to see the blues, this is the place

by dinnersready at Citysearch

went on a saturday nite and it was rocking, very crowded. went back on sunday and it was quiet and got to sit. the music was awesome, on sudays if you pay a small cover at B.L.U.E.S across the street they let you in here for free. i caught a set at BLUES and then went into Kingston Mines and saw a band, when they were done i went to the other stage and saw another band. then i went back to BLUES for one more set before heading home. and these guys on Sunday were awesome bands, very well know blues men. three bands in one nite. would love to go back soon. THE BEST! staff at both places were very nice too!

11/20/06

Amazing Blues

by okichich at Citysearch

I was there on a sunday evening (around 9:00 pm) and not very impressed at first. However as the night went on, more and more people came and the club truly started swinging. This is a great late-night venue and a must for any blues enthusiast.

• Pros: great blues for a small cover
• Cons: the decor and layout take some getting used to

09/25/06

Atmosphere you will not experience anywhere else!

by carebear16 at Citysearch

If you love blues this the place for you. The place is has fun atmosphere, if you are looking for sophisticated this not the place for you. The seating is pinic benches and you float from one room to the next to hear the various different artists.

09/17/06

A must!!!!!!!!!

by cat1981 at Citysearch

This is just a fun great place!!! Every time I go I have a blast. Friendly crowd and staff. Not expensive at all. Not sure how much the cover charge is, but with student id's you get a discount. Try it you won't be disappointed.

• Pros: music, people, service
• Cons: parking

09/02/06

Great service and the pulled pork was great.

by faaewr at Citysearch

My wife and I were there on 8/19. We saw Joanna Connor and her band. This girl can play her LP like no one I've seen before. The only problem I had,,,,,, she had to take a break for the other band to play. So we suffered til she came back.

• Pros: Reminds me of Nawlin's.

08/15/06

Great Live Music and good times open late on weekends.

by criticalyettruthful at Citysearch

Great talent, fun times, and even offer bbq ribs in the back. I stongly suggest it as a go to if you enjoy talented blues musicians live. They have two stages that the band will rotate on so sit tight and the band will be back in front of you in no time.

• Pros: Best live blues music in Chicago
• Cons: cover charge on weekend but well worth every penny

09/20/05

detroitmike

by byrmike at Citysearch

We make this one of our stops when ever we go to Chicago. Great music and atmophere. Two bands gives you something to choose from or chase them both.

• Pros: two bands, good service

08/02/05

Unearthing the Blues at "Mines"

by kdt at Citysearch

Tuesday July 26th, 2005.

Two bars, great seating, the warm-up band and Joanna Connor played jointly until after 2:00 a.m. She was incredible. The place was fairly clean, the bartenders were a bit on the arrogant side but mixed agreeable cocktails, wait staff were cordial and receptive. Crowd was 20-somethings mostly. If you step into "Kingston Mines" with little or no knowledge of the bands playing that evening, you should be more than pleasantly surprised.

• Pros: Talented Musicians, Two Bands/One Venue, Location
• Cons: Staff, Condition, Cost

12/02/04

No Chicago blues excursion is complete without a last blast at this Lakeview spot--any night of the week.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
Kingston Mines humbly bills itself as the "Playground of the Stars," and it's a safe bet that many of those celebs drop by the spacious joint because of its late-night license. The Mines is the only North Side blues club open until at least 4am every night, so blues artists with other gigs parade through in search of cool libations and music as soon as they're off-duty.

The Draw
Owner Doc Pellegrino employs local musicians almost exclusively. On weekends, the place brings in the likes of guitarist Eddy Clearwater, harpist Billy Branch and sax man A.C. Reed. Having two bands on two stages in two rooms occasionally leads to the house's own version of musical chairs, as customers scurry from one room to the other in a futile search for seating.

08/01/02

Thanks Kingston Mines!

by bpoelman at Citysearch

Just when we were in the mood for some good Chicago Blues we hit upon this place. Thank God we did. We entered around 9:30 to find the Chicago R and B Kings in mid set. The place was packed and rockin, but we were led directly to available seats up front. The music was dead on Chicago style R&B, the beer was varied and cold, and everyone was in a great mood! Although things died out sooner than we expected for a Friday night we still got our fill and enjoyed a small chat with the band between sets. Thanks guys!

• Pros: Music, Music, Music
• Cons: Price