North America / USA / Illinois / Chicago / Best Nightlife

Jazz Showcase

This is the oldest jazz club in town (since 1947), and it has hosted a who’s who of jazz greats: Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Stu Katz, and the list goes on. It also may be the most tidy of jazz clubs in town, putting on shows that feel like concerts, rather than bar sets. The place is huge, so you can usually count on scoring a seat (tickets are available to purchase online or at the door), and the well-coifed bartenders know how to mix a good cocktail. The club puts on a family-friendly 4pm Sunday matinee, and kids younger than 12 get in free.