Howl at the Moon Bar / Piano Bar / Restaurant

River North, Chicago –

For those who rock out in the shower but are too embarrassed to try karaoke, the pianists at Howl at the Moon offer an introvert’s alternative, playing crowd-pleasers late into the night to a packed and raucous crowd always ready to sing along.

Both an after-work hangout for business people and a late-night hotspot for birthday groups and bachelorettes, this dueling piano bar somehow gets finance types to belt out Journey and frat boys to preen through Pat Benatar tunes – albeit, often fueled by a free buffet or a few too many eighty-six-ounce buckets of something bright and blue.

Weekday evenings tend to be lower key, with an older clientele of nearby office types sharing a few beers or groups of women taking a martini break before continuing their shopping. Once Friday and Saturday roll around, however, the line of party girls and closeted 80s fans snaking down the street by 9pm gives testament to the venue’s popularity.

A small elevated stage is home to the two pianists and back-up instrumentalists, who perform audience requests till the wee hours as groups of girls kick off their heels to dance on the main bar and the audience does its best to overpower the professional singers.

For relaxing post-work drinks or a night of revelry out on the town, Howl at the Moon is an excellent spot to kick back and let loose with a couple hundred new friends, at least two of which won’t be tone deaf.