# Small Music Venues in Chicago, IL

As of November 2026, No Stairs Please tracks 42 open small music venues and clubs under 500 capacity in Chicago, Illinois. These local stages include 25 rooms with known capacity under 500, 22 venues with verified talent-booking contacts, and 32 rooms with active 90-day show schedules out of 83 total venues in town.

## Directory coverage

- Canonical URL: https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/chicago/small-music-venues
- Open venues matching this hub: 42
- Rooms up to 500 capacity: 25
- Bars and breweries with live music: 9
- Venues with researched talent booking contacts: 22
- Venues with dated shows in the 90-day window: 32

## Featured venues

| Venue | City | Category | Capacity | 90-day show days |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [The Green Mill](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/the-green-mill-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | n/a | 48 |
| [Old Town School of Folk Music - Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/old-town-school-of-folk-music-gary-and-laura-maurer-concert-hall-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 430 | 31 |
| [Reggies Chicago](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/reggies-chicago-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | n/a | 27 |
| [Aragon Ballroom](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/aragon-ballroom-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 4,873 | 23 |
| [The Checkout](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/the-checkout-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 60 | 22 |
| [Gallery Cabaret](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/gallery-cabaret-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 70 | 19 |
| [Avondale Music Hall](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/avondale-music-hall-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | n/a | 18 |
| [United Center](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/united-center-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 23,500 | 18 |
| [Epiphany Center for the Arts](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/epiphany-center-for-the-arts-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Hall & arts center | 460 | 17 |
| [Chop Shop Chicago](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/chop-shop-chicago-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | n/a | 16 |
| [Concord Music Hall](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/concord-music-hall-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 1,490 | 16 |
| [Outset](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/outset-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 750 | 13 |
| [Fulton Street Collective](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/fulton-street-collective-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Hall & arts center | 100 | 12 |
| [Schubas Tavern](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/schubas-tavern-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Bar & pub | 200 | 12 |
| [Andy's Jazz Club](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/andy-s-jazz-club-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | n/a | 9 |
| [Apothecary Cocktail Lounge](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/apothecary-cocktail-lounge-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Venue | 60 | 8 |
| [Bourbon on Division](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/bourbon-on-division-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Bar & pub | 150 | 8 |
| [Bridgeport Music Collective](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/bridgeport-music-collective-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | n/a | 7 |
| [Jazz Showcase](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/jazz-showcase-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 170 | 7 |
| [Cole's Bar](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/cole-s-bar-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Bar & pub | 99 | 6 |
| [Honky Tonk BBQ](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/honky-tonk-bbq-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Restaurant | 120 | 6 |
| [The Burlington](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/the-burlington-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | n/a | 6 |
| [The Empty Bottle](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/the-empty-bottle-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Bar & pub | 400 | 6 |
| [Beat Kitchen](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/beat-kitchen-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Restaurant | 300 | 5 |
| [Bottom Lounge](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/bottom-lounge-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Bar & pub | 330 | 5 |
| [Beverly Arts Center](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/beverly-arts-center-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Hall & arts center | 400 | 4 |
| [Cary's Lounge](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/cary-s-lounge-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Bar & pub | 60 | 3 |
| [Howl at the Moon Chicago](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/howl-at-the-moon-chicago-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 400 | 3 |
| [Wintrust Arena](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/wintrust-arena-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | 10,387 | 2 |
| [Lee's Unleaded Blues](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/lee-s-unleaded-blues-chicago-il) | Chicago, IL | Music venue | n/a | 1 |

## Category views

- [Small music venues](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/chicago/small-music-venues) with 42 venues
- [Bars with live music](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/chicago/bars-with-live-music) with 21 venues
- [Open mics](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/chicago/open-mics) with 9 venues

## Related locations

- [Evanston](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/evanston) with 3 venues
- [Brookfield](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/brookfield) with 4 venues
- [Rosemont](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/rosemont) with 5 venues
- [La Grange](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/la-grange) with 4 venues
- [Des Plaines](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/des-plaines) with 4 venues
- [Northbrook](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/northbrook) with 3 venues
- [West Chicago](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/west-chicago) with 4 venues
- [Addison](https://nostairsplease.com/venues/il/addison) with 4 venues