Double Door Bar / Club / Live Music Venue

Wicker Park / Bucktown, Chicago –

Named for its two separate entrances – one for the fans and one for the bands – Double Door is a simple club where music undeniably takes center stage.

With its single long bar the only element that takes away from the open wooden dance space and a standing room capacity of only five hundred, it seems incredible that the intimate venue has hosted rock legends like The Smashing Pumpkins and The Rolling Stones.

Overhead lights behind the stage reinforce the grungy underground feel, while the joint’s revolving themes might bring in leather clad rockers one night and scantily-clad ravers or fedora-wearing hipsters the next.

A spiraling staircase leads to a small balcony in the back, where first-comers snag an elevated view of the show, while premium ticket holders enjoy the prime barstool seating right behind the bar.

Yet another staircase leads down to the subfloor Dirt Room, a dark basement filled with candlelit tables, dingy chairs and sofas, and a second bar. Although second acts occasionally play in the space, it’s generally used as an area for rambunctious patrons to get away from the intensity on the ground floor while still downing shots and toasting the bands above.

Both avid fans of big stars and music enthusiasts looking to discover new sounds will find what they want at Double Door, the premier spot for great music with an underground vibe.