Neighborhood Blues Venue
When visitors to Chicago ask me "what is a good blues club?" I take a moment to find out what their intent is. If they want to go to a nice bar, hear some good music, and be able to return home knowing that they heard some Chicago blues, I send them to Kingston Mines or B.L.U.E.S. on North Halsted.
But if they want to hear real Chicago blues in an authentic Chicago setting, I usually send them to Rosa's Lounge (3420 W. Armitage Ave. • 773.342.0452). Although it was only founded in the 1980s, it is the best example of the kind of neighborhood bar that nutured the likes of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf in the 1940s and 1950s. In fact, I heard Pinetop Perkins, longtime piano player for Waters, play there a few years back. Melvin Taylor and the Slack Band are the house band, often playing twice a week and they are great.
They are usually closed Sunday and Monday. They are off the beaten track a bit, there are not a lot of other bars or restaurants in the nearby vicinity, but it is only 10 minutes from downtown. Highly recommended for the music enthusiast.
