Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Green Mill, Chicago, IL

Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

NightlifeDate NightLocal GemHistory Buff

Green Mill

4802 N Broadway · Chicago, IL

Why you should go…

The Green Mill traces its roots to an 1898 roadhouse, and its current room on Broadway opened in 1935. Sets range from small combos and vocalists to swing orchestras, with late-night jam sessions on weekends, and the room asks for quiet during shows. A curved booth by the bar is known as Al Capone's booth, and the Uptown Poetry Slam, started here in 1986, still runs on Sunday afternoons. It is cash only and 21 and over.

  • #jazz club
  • #live music
  • #cocktail lounge
  • #uptown
  • #poetry slam

Good to know

General nightlife guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Doors, showtime, last call

    Three different times, and only one of them is usually on the poster. Check all three.

  • Covers and minimums are normal

    Weekend nights often carry a door charge or a per-person minimum, especially for table seating.

  • Bring ID either way

    Age policies shift by night and by room, so carry it even if you have not been asked in years.

  • Weeknights show the room properly

    Quieter nights are the ones where you can actually hear the band and find a seat.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Green Mill, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Iconic

    Wrigley Field Tours

    $25–$50

    Go behind the ivy at the Cubs' 1914 ballpark, dugout, press box, bleachers, and a walk on the field itself.

    1.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Lincoln Park Zoo

    Free

    One of America's last free zoos, lions, gorillas, and gardens minutes from downtown.

    3.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    The Second City

    $25–$50

    The legendary Old Town comedy theater that launched Bill Murray, Tina Fey, and Stephen Colbert. Sketch and improv nightly.

    4.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Chicago History Museum

    Under $25

    You trace Chicago's story through restored dioramas, a vintage L car and hands-on galleries at Clark Street and North Avenue in Lincoln Park.

    4.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    History Buff

    International Museum of Surgical Science

    $25–$50

    The only North American museum devoted to the history of surgery, set in a Gold Coast mansion on Lake Shore Drive.

    4.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Nightlife
    Iconic

    Buddy Guy's Legends

    Under $25

    Hear live Chicago blues in Buddy Guy's own South Loop club, where guitars given by blues and rock greats hang behind the bar.

    6.9 mi awayMore like this