The Empty Bottle is a beloved dive bar and indie music venue in Chicago, offering intimate shows, cheap drinks, and a welcoming vibe, complete with a resident cat.
"Thanks to affordable beer and its charmingly grungy space, The Empty Bottle is one of the best dive-bar-performance-venue combos in the city. But don’t let its low-key look fool you. This bar has been graced with early performances from The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The White Stripes, so it’s a great place to catch someone before they start charging $100 at United Center. Plus, you can also grab some fantastic pizza from Pizza Friendly Pizza, which has a takeout window inside the venue." - john ringor, nick allen
"The Empty Bottle is known as a West Town music venue, but it feels like a dive bar that happens to have a stage for bands and DJs in the back. On any given night, you might catch people dancing to punk, metal, or soul performances. And from 5:30-7pm every Friday, you can practice your country two-step and swing moves during Empty Bottle’s Hard Country Honky Tonk happy hour." - sam faye, veda kilaru, nick allen
"One of Chicago’s most iconic spots for independent music, Empty Bottle is a long and narrow dive that’s great for the shot and beer crowd. Fans will see a variety of rock. They can also nosh on tasty square slices from Pizza Friendly Pizza next door." - Ashok Selvam, Naomi Waxman
"A live music institution in Ukrainian Village, Empty Bottle is a favorite among dog-toting drinkers. Despite the prevalence of pooches, the bar and venue’s most famous furry face belongs to feline proprietor Peg, adopted in June 2021 from the Animal Care League in Oak Park." - Naomi Waxman, Eater Staff
"The Empty Bottle isn’t technically in Wicker Park as it’s slightly south in Ukranian Village. But as one of the neighborhood’s last surviving venues from the early 1990s, when bands like The Smashing Pumpkins were coming up in the neighborhood, it deserves a spot on this list. The dive-bar setting is classic Chicago, and it books great acts from all different genres. It’s the type of small venue where mega-acts like Alt-J will pop into for a set after playing a major concert elsewhere in the city.Where: 1035 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622" - MATADOR_NETWORK
