4. Restaurants

Howl At The Moon

26 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL, 60654
  • (312) 863-7427
  • Store is closed

Howl At The Moon Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Bobbi G.

    So disappointed, I was in town for a bachelorette party and we thought it would be fun to try a piano bar. One of the girls we were with had recently broken her ankle and had to use a scooter to get around. When we got there, the place was absolutely packed. The staff quickly accommodated our friend and helped her up the stairs. Not 10 minutes after we all paid $10 cover and got our drinks, one of the managers approached us and told us they wouldn't be able to accommodate our friend and she wouldn't be able to sit down. She was very rude and not understanding at all. We left immediately and will never ever go back there.

    (1)

  • Johanna G.

    The night we went there were 4 people on the stage. 3 men and 1 woman and they rotated all evening between pianos, bass, guitar and drums. They did a great job and we had a lot of fun.

    (4)

  • Barbara D.

    Ok, yeah dueling pianos rock. But not in this atmosphere. TOO FU*KING CROWDED! Everything else was great...the music & the cool illusion of a mirror behind the pianos (or maybe that's cuz the dueling pianos bar in New Orleans has a mirror....I still can't figure it out....my imagination running wild again...damn it slow down, will ya?) Stage singing or dancing for 15 bucks, cool...why not? American Idol someone said...But... I CANNOT GET OVER THE CROWD. I am too old to be dancing in a 2" x 2" area. I wanna get down baby and need room to do it! 10 bucks for a cover charge...ummm better than 20, I guess, but geez suck out all our money, won't ya?

    (2)

  • Daisy S.

    Came once again last week. Chicken Fingers are still BOMB!! And Tried The Bahama Mama drink this time but Still ordered the Sex On the Moon. I realized my taste buds cared more for the Sex On the Moon. My husband ordered a Chicken Sandwich and our friend ordered a cheeseburger. Food is delicious here. Also the Pretzel is very good. We went in for free this time since we got there before 8pm. and were able to get seats.

    (4)

  • Hoang L.

    I'd have to say this is the best piano bar I've ever been to. The people playing the piano are so talented! Get the fishbowl and they sound even better. Not exactly the classiest people, but expect a lot of drunk people having a good time, singing along, and probably trying to dance. It's actually pretty entertaining. You'll find a lot of bachelorette parties, Cubbie fans, and cougars here. Parking difficult. But it's a good location with some other bars on the same block.

    (4)

  • Colin E.

    This is never happening again. I love music. I love drinking. I love improvisational performance. How could things go wrong? Very easily, let me tell you. Combine draconian "party"/cover rules with mediocre food, crowds like whoa, poor piano playing, and you've got yourself a veritable recipe for disaster. We couldn't even bear staying long enough to use all our drink tickets before we got there hell out of there. There's a time and a place for everything...I declare myself unable to find appropriate solutions for either quandary at Howl at the Moon.

    (2)

  • Michael C.

    Awesome live piano bar. The pianist is fantastic. It was my first experience at the venue and I had a blast. Such a fun, lively place to be. Great place to stop after dinner or if you're just looking to have a good time. The service was excellent as well.

    (5)

  • Polly W.

    Joel, the waiter, made our 8 hr visit extremely pleasant and memorable. We nominate him for a management position!

    (5)

  • Rika K.

    I'm gonna be honest. If Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer had a piano bar I'd probably show up, get drunk, and have a good time. That's just me and piano bars. This one is downtown close to a lot of restaurants. Actually, the first time I came here I thought it was just a bar and was getting a drink while waiting for a table at Ruth's Chris. It was early enough and I pleaded my case so I didn't pay a cover. After between 2 and 5 drinks I decided to skip dinner and stayed for hours and had a blast. Now, its a great alternative for something to do on a Friday/Saturday night when you're tired of movies or regular bars. Just make sure you get there early, because this place gets packed by 9:30 usually. Great atmosphere, fun customers, and the bartenders and waitresses really are good. The drinks are strong and they serve food in case you want it (I have never gotten any). Plan on going with a group and making some new friends.

    (5)

  • Tom B.

    OMG this place is so much fun. I mean a great bar, dueling pianos and packed on a Sunday. $10 cover but was worth it. Door guys are a bit over zelius at first but a fun time had by all.

    (4)

  • Julie B.

    Let me give a couple disclosures: 1. I went here about six years ago for a work function and I was pregnant at the time 2. I am not a prude, do not have a stick up my ass, nothing has flown up it and died. That out of the way, I have no idea what all the fuss is about. I walked into HATM with a group of clients to "It's hard to talk to you when you're sitting on my face" I guess that's where it turned bad. I was not drunk like the rest of the bar and had no interest in shaking my pregnant ass for the creepy old men that were out in force. I have not been back since because the whole night was right up with getting a double root canal. If I were to return I would make sure I was already several sheets to the wind and brought my best friend who wouldn't judge me for setting foot inside.

    (1)

  • Caroline L.

    Okay, so in my city, there is a piano bar. And whenever I go to this piano bar, there are TONS of tourists in that place. I must say that this probably goes for other towns as well, such as Chicago, because this is where I found myself the night after the Cubs/Giants game. Actually, I found myself on this block bar hopping everywhere. It seems that this block is a hot spot! Anyway, although I like the piano bar in San Francisco, I like this one a whole lot, maybe even more. Maybe it's because of the full band backing these dueling pianos, I don't really know. But I did like the energy of this band and just the fun atmosphere of the whole place. Everybody up and out of their seats dancing around having a good time, as well as the chill crowd who want to take it all in. It was a great place to just chill and relax. Also, making this place a whole lot better, I met Mike Krukow (ex-Giant and now KNBR announcer) at this place, and he seemed to like it too. If you're bar hopping on this block, this is the place to go! Not to mention that we got in for free due to a yelp deal for free admission... amazing!

    (4)

  • Dawn D.

    Went here for a bachelorette party last night (why else anyone would come here is completely beyond my comprehension). We got there EARLY (like 7 pm) and still had to pay the $10 cover...whatever. Since it was so early, we had no trouble getting a couple of tables for the party. We ordered food and it was not bad for bar food - I got a pizza, it was fine and our waitress actually asked me how I wanted it cooked - ?? - turns out they come out cooked just to melty cheese, and some people like their crust crispier. I went with the normal golden brown and it was fine. So the food was the best part of the evening and I gave them an extra star for that. As far as the overall experience, I pretty much hate piano bars. There were at least 25 bachelorette parties there last night and about every 10 minutes they would call them up onstage for display. Boring. Music: lame, terrible songs requested by drunk patrons using money, but very talented musicians. I wish they could make more money playing something worthwhile. At some point they did this weird thing when they started playing all these college fight songs, which apparently is routine. Lame. I texted my hubby at some point in the evening saying "If I ever express a desire to come back to this place, you have permission to smack me across the face."

    (2)

  • Sidu C.

    If you are thrifty and don't go hungry, this is the place to go. They are so busy the waiters take forever to come to your table. Their food menu is scarce so we recommend not going there hungry. If you want the musicians to play your songs arrive in early. Some of them make it very entertaining and they engage the audience well. Others are not so good at singing, but they all are good at playing the music. We saw several bachelor/ette parties and they seem to have fun. I loved that you could put messages on a black board by giving them a dollar or two. I was surprised that they even knew country songs and if you had a request they didn't know they did the best to sing another song from the same singer or with the same words as the title you requested. We'll definitely go back whenever we are in Chicago (of course, we'll eat first elsewhere).

    (5)

  • Cherisse G.

    Came here on St. Patrick's Day...drunk people galore! But it was fun to sing along and have a drink or two. Their renditions of hip-hop and rap songs were fun(ny). There was one girl who amazed me on the piano, her singing, drums, bass, and violin...all at the the same time. Kidding! But she really stood out. The place was smaller than I thought, and cover was $10.00 but we waited in line outside for maybe 10-15 minutes. There were people crawling everywhere on the streets that night. Definitely would come back again.

    (4)

  • Rachel W.

    Totally fun place! Went on a pretty crowded night, but no one spilled anything on me so that was okay. Loved the dancing and singing servers with their routines, they seemed to really like each other and it was cute and made the crowd get more into everything. Crowd definitely seemed more "tourist" than locals....but I was a tourist :). Plenty of bar space and bartenders, the only sucky thing was the bathrooms being downstairs and crowwwwded. A girl can pee her pants in that kind of situation. Had a great night. Thanks, Howl

    (4)

  • Paul C.

    Howl at the Moon can be fun if you've got a huge group of people with you and somebody else has dealt with all the organizing. I was here a couple times with large groups of law students and had decent times on both visits, but that could be due to the fact that they serve giant buckets full of booze. Howl features dueling pianos, which is kind of amusing for a little while but eventually gets stale. The crowd is also pretty touristy/bachelorette party heavy, so that could be good or bad depending on what your goals are for the evening. I find pretty much all of the Hubbard area bars to be loathsome, soul-less affairs. Howl isn't really much different but at least the crowd tends to be a little friendlier and less like the pretentious schmohawks you'll find in the hipper places nearby. A lot of yelpers are complaining about the price here, but considering the neighborhood and the fact that there's live entertainment, I think the prices are pretty fair. I give Howl 2 stars, one for each time you'll hear somebody play "Piano Man."

    (2)

  • Katie S.

    My boyfriend and I went here for a friend's birthday party last Saturday night. We got there pretty early, not early enough to waive cover charge though. They had a deal going with foursuqare.com that covered the cover charged so we used that to avoid paying 10 bucks. Out table was in the back corner and it was a little hard to hear the actual dualing pianos but it was good enough. Prices werent bad, 24 oz bone drink is 10 bucks, food wasnt that pricey. They made my bf's sandwich wrong but he dealt. I would go back but woudl try to get a seat closer to the front.

    (4)

  • Joanne L.

    I feel that I probably would have liked this place a lot more if I had gotten in earlier than 9 PM, not paid for cover, and had a lot more to drink. I walked in with a couple of girlfriends, and the place is packed... many of which I'm sure had been there since happy hour. I had never seen so many oblivious, drunk people in such a condensed space. I'm not sure what their maximum occupancy was, but it sure seemed like they were over the limit. We could barely walk through. This being my first experience at a dueling pianos place, I enjoyed the live music, singalongs, and improv from the musicians. There was an abundance of bachelorettes and cougars trying to bumrush the stage for their chance in the spotlight. I watched two homely women in their fifties reenact the lyrics of Blondie's, "I Touch Myself" as it was played. ::Shudders:: No thanks! Overall it was an interesting experience. I might be convinced to come again on a different night, but I'm not planning on it any time soon.

    (2)

  • Heather P.

    You can't help but have fun here. It's a great location for groups, special occasions, and bringing out-of-town guests. Dueling pianos and an upbeat crowd equals hours of debauchery and unrehearsed sing-alongs. Be prepared for a cover charge of between $5 and $10. Drinks are your run of the mill options and prices. Tables aren't easy to come by so the earlier you get there, the better your chances.

    (4)

  • Vivian W.

    This place is sick! I've been to a few live music bars but nothing like this before. There are about 5 musicians who take turns playing different instruments and singing live from a queue of song requests. They are all so talented and have a way of pumping up the crowd. Great for drinking and dancing with a group of friends. Tip: there's a $5 cover

    (5)

  • Marilynn P.

    The first time I came, I had a really terrible experience. I was charged cover (wtfish?), bought 1 drink at the bar which made me incredibly sick (my guess was it was because of the cheap alcohol), and thus I didn't enjoy my experience. However, my cousin ended up winning a party at HatM so I went for that. The second time around was MUCH better. Because I was there with a group there was no cover. I ordered one drink and it didn't make me sick! And I was able to actually enjoy the performers. The individuals that performed that night were simply amazing. I'd probably come back, but it will probably only be if someone I know wins a party.

    (4)

  • Robin O.

    So much fun! The artists are quite talented, not only singing and playing the piano, but drums and guitars as well! At one point in the evening there were 5 people on stage playing instruments amd singing. For a donation they do shout outs for birthdays and other events going on, last night someone was having a hysterectomy!! At times people hopped up on stage to sing and dance...I can't explain how hysterical it was! People of all ages come here..a great place to sing and dance.

    (5)

  • Asenath N.

    Came here for a happy hour party on a Sunday with $1 drinks and complimentary appetizers( pulled pork, Mac and cheese, hot dog, cheese tray and fresh fruit. This place is great!! Plenty of tables for sitting if you get there early. More like a piano bar- They have live music every night and you can sing along if you like. They take song requests, I was really impressed with some of the songs they were able to play. It was a really good time. We ordered the drink bucket $28 and it was pretty good. Come early to avoid a long line.

    (4)

  • Jennifer M.

    Great place to have a really fun birthday! Lots of dancing, singing, and drinking! Always a great time when your at Howl at the Moon!

    (5)

  • Joseluis A.

    this place kicks ass. the musicians kick ass. the bartenders kick ass. the drunks kick ass. the uptight people kick ass. its a bit wicked yes but in fun way. the band really goes all over the place performing awesome interpretations of song requested by the crowd. all genres which could turn any given song into something hilarious. ive been here a few times and charged cover only once. 5$ which for the talent these guys have is a great deal. people must not forget that in music, the performer is the one who actually works.

    (4)

  • Shaun S.

    Been here a few times. It's hard to not have a good time here but with that being said, it's gone a little overboard on prices. $14 for a vodka redbull! Come on, this isn't a strip club in Vegas. Ok, I get it, some places charge $3-$4 for the redbull but it's $12.50 just for a jack and coke. $5.50 for a coors light.... Come on! $10 for cover on a Sunday is ridiculous. Frankly you should be encouraging anyone to come to your place on a Sunday..

    (2)

  • Allison F.

    Enjoy a night out at Howl At The Moon if you like to... -drink out of buckets with extra large straws -hit on ladies celebrating their friend's bachelorette party -watch dueling pianos amongst a crowd of jolly people -pop up on stage pretending that you're the actual performer -sing your heart out alongside some talented performers All in all, a super fun night out.

    (4)

  • Emily K.

    Went here on a Friday night and the place was packed. I have been to a different Howel At the Moons (MN) and this one is the best. I really enjoyed the female singers they are super talented.

    (5)

  • Sarah S.

    My friends and I went to Howl at the Moon as part of a bachelorette party. Shocking, I know. I think Howl at the Moon was 50% bachelorette parties, 25% creepy guys creeping on the parties, and 25% everything else. Of course I did partake in a beverage or two so my numbers may be slightly askew. We walked in with no reservation right when they opened. Due to having no reservation on a Saturday night, we didn't get a table right smack dab in the front & center stage. However, those tables come with wristbands and hefty price tags attached. We were just fine with sitting in our big ol' side table. When we arrived right at the 5pm opening, it was completely empty. The dueling pianos don't start until 7pm so for the first couple of hours they just play popular DJ music. Our server was so nice & accommodating, checking on us constantly, bringing everything out promptly. We had fabulous service during our entire time. She even snapped a few lopsided pictures for us! $10 cover is kind of rough for this kind of venue however if some of that is going towards those fabulous piano players, then it's totally worth it. I had wished the piano players got more duely (is that a word!?), but it was more like taking turns back & forth on songs. If you go to Howl at the Moon, you kinda sorta halfta get the Bucket of Booze! It's not super strong but it's mighty fun to snuggle up with some of your closest friends and all be sharing the same drink out of colorful bendy straws. My friends and I tried Adios Mofo which was my personal favorite and the Sex on The Moon. 86 ozs of mix and liquor made for a sloshy, fun night! Worst part about Howl at the Moon is it's a 10 mile trek to the flippin' bathroom! It's a journey upstairs so prepare yourself mentally when the time comes.

    (4)

  • Violet P.

    Got there at about 8:30PM on a Friday night and it was already packed. Although the music was entertaining the amount of people inside the place was crazy. One of the waiters said that it was actually a slow night :/. $10 cover??? Ridiculous!!! They get their money though so maybe I'm just getting old. The place is packed with birthday and bachelorette parties. Disappointed after going to the Louisville Howl but Great people watching.

    (3)

  • Kevin M.

    The place is actually alright but the staff/service is terrible. From the door man to the servers, staff here is outright rude. I wouldn't recommend, there are plenty of other places in River North

    (1)

  • Katherine K.

    They never played my song that I put $20 on

    (1)

  • Susie C.

    My friends and I came here for some fun on a Saturday evening. We read reviews that they get really packed after 7pm so we came especially early...like 5:45pm. When my friend called to make reservation they told him that it'll be $225 per table for 4 people at 8pm. We felt that was pretty expensive. The price would cover the standard $10 admission, drinks, and snacks. Instead of paying for the reservation we came early. When we got there at 5:45pm it was really dead, oops we came a bit too early. It was $10 cover per person. We easily got any tables we wanted. Ordered drinks and just hung out. The piano bar started a little after 7pm and people started rolling in. By 8:30pm it was already a full house and people waiting around for a table. Drinks were decent. We ordered couple orders of cheese fries and nachos. My friends felt the nachos were really good. The live music was great! They take requests from the audience with slips to fill out. People tip for each song request. The bigger the tip the likely your song will be played. Bill and Rachel were the singer/pianist when we were there. Each hour they add an additional person to stage. A drummer started to rock and roll at 8pm, then an extra singer showed up at 9pm. We left right at 9pm and it was a lively house! Couldn't believe we stayed there for 3 hours but it was really fun! Will come back again but prolly a little after 7pm! When we left the bar, we could hear the music jamming across the street. We stayed around river north for dinner and around 1030pm there was a line of people waiting outside of howl at the moon for entrance. It was also a cold cold night but people still came out. Good business.

    (4)

  • Cassie P.

    It's what you'd expect from a Howl At the Moon- dueling pianos and a fun time! Came here on a Sunday night was surprised that the crowd was as big as it was! Service was actually really good- our waitress was very attentive. Drink prices were reasonable- not outrageous but not cheap either. There's a $5 cover but that's pretty standard too. Overall a good time!

    (3)

  • Julie T.

    We love love love this place. Took a friend and she loved it! We had such a great time! It is defiantly THE place to go when your in Chicago!

    (5)

  • Jennifer P.

    Not impressed. I am a music snob and a bar filled with a bunch of hired music students who were unable to land jobs somewhere else, assigned to cover pop songs with a piano and drums, will not entertain me in the least. You get that sense from them too. You can see that they would much rather be professors or rockstars. I even heard one of the guys pass comment that he went to music school and it was within the context of "yeah, the least I can do is whore my talent out by playing other peoples' songs." Why anyone would want to come here for a bachelor party is beyond me. Oh yeah, I forgot to stop and consider the individuals that frequent and/or live in this neighborhood. My work won a sales contest and we ended up here at the mercy of the business rep that organized it. No doubt he chose this location as an excuse to be able to get his company to cover the cost of a hotel downtown for the weekend. It was free booze, so I'm not going to complain in that regard. I didn't realize that my coworkers were ready to tear one off. I didn't stay long. The musicians were annoying to listen to, along with their song selections. They didn't even play my request: "Blue Savannah Song" by Erasure. I have to admit, I was being difficult by requesting it. I knew it was out of this guy's vocal range. I'm not entirely sure he could have banged out the piano part either. He deserved that request for gloating about his experience into the microphone. Sports bars drive me nuts. I think Howl At The Moon also serves as part sports bar. Large flatscreen TV's can be found surrounding the bar area. Everyone is right when you read about how it is a buzz kill trying to find your way to the bathroom. The food is more like a giant appetizer menu. The chicken fingers were excellent and you got a lot of food for the cost. Be on the lookout for tourists from the country who don't know how to behave themselves in public. We did end up having to watch an older couple make out in front of the band. They must not get out much. I will not be back here unless I know the bill is covered again.

    (1)

  • Katerina B.

    This is so amazing place! You have to pay $10 to get in but life music starts at 7pm, you can wish to play whatever you like, pay some tips for that, have some drinks and have a great night with piano!!!

    (5)

  • Kelly S.

    What a fun place this is! Live music was amazing, so talented! They really get the packed house into, requesting songs and interacting. Drinks were priced normal, a few house specials were really good.

    (4)

  • Nicole C.

    Great time! Went her with friends a few months back and had Jamie as our server - she is fantastic! Friendly and very attentive to us and all of her tables, even though it was a completely packed Friday night. The artists were very talented and it's a great atmosphere. We all live in the city and love coming here for a fun night out.

    (5)

  • Andre P.

    So much fun!! Drinks were expensive but only a $5 entry and the band was extremely talented. I have never seen a band where all members could switch to any position seamlessly and sing just about any song. Great time

    (5)

  • Christine L.

    We love piano bars and this place didn't disappoint. We had been to Howl Chicago nearly a decade prior and things had only changed for the best. We entered after cover charges concluded so we only had to show an ID. We stood by the bar as the upper area was not yet available but soon after the cable was lowered and the crowd could enter. Not more than a couple songs later, we noticed a VERY drunk man hovering over our neighbors' tables and falling asleep standing up. The waitstaff wasn't seeing this for another few songs so we eventually flagged a young woman who called the bouncers to assist him out. Swift handling of what I imagine is a rather common issue. Songs were great and the band was an impressive size with both male and female performers. -1 star for the forever-long walk to the bathroom and the bathroom attendant. PLEASE do-away with this unfortunate service. It's awkward, I never have small bills in hand, and it just makes the place feel dated.

    (4)

  • Richie R.

    Having lived in New York and Miami nothing will ever truly compare to those two cities. but considering we're in a big town this was kind of cute to go to. Music was okay, couldn't really hear the singing over the loud crowd. Friday night from 5 to 9 is more of a young college crowd due to the inexpensive drinks. After 10 not as crowded but very touristy. Saturday night slammed, line goes down the block. How do I know this? Cuz I could see from my hotel room. Drinks were okay, bartenders were cool. Lots of white people.

    (3)

  • Alyssa J P.

    A pretty cool bar in the southern portion of River North. The pianists playing last night when I went were really talented and did an amazing job. The $10 cover didn't seem bad in the context of supporting those musicians (who I hope see the bulk of that money, as the bar certainly makes more than enough $$ for everyone else in drinks and tips). Really, I like it. But I'm not a bar person. They're loud, give me a headache, are filed with drunk people, and I can't drink alcohol these days. So... of all the bars I could go to with friends, at least this one is very entertaining for sober people who don't really like going out late at night. Also, it helped that the bathrooms were relatively clean. Convenient to both the red and brown lines. So if it's your last stop before heading back to Union Station and the 'burbs, it's really not that out of the way.

    (4)

  • Alex R.

    If I could give less than one star, I would. Manager and "bouncers" (I could name them other things, but I'm classier than that) terrible people. They get away with assault on patrons who are 30 something professionals with a lot to lose and have no interest of causing issues. If you look at them the wrong way, watch out. Police won't help either.

    (1)

  • Kelly C.

    Such a fun place! The scene is much different then the river north scene which in my eyes is great. The dueling pianos is so fun, with a great classics and new tunes. Great place for a girls night or a date. Will defiantly be back.

    (4)

  • Amy H.

    It was definitely a nice experience. The bar was packed and a lot of people were up and dancing. We got mixed drinks and shots and I got buzzed really fast. There is a live band playing in the center of the room. When I went, the band was doing covers if well- known songs. They were really talented. It's different.

    (4)

  • Kari H.

    I came here for a party tonight with some friends from 6:30pm-8pm and enjoyed it! The bouncer at the door checked our IDs and didn't smile -- just looked at the ID picture and back at us, and checked the reflection of the graphics on the cards. I think that's probably part of his job. We went to the hostesses inside to get our wristbands as part of a party and they were nice to us. We got an orange paper wristband and 2 tickets to get $1 drinks. I went straight to the food table in the back because I was hungry. :3 The food was yummy -- especially the hot dogs (simple: a warmed hot dog bun and sausage... not sure what kind of meat) at the party food table. There was also cantaloupe, cheese cubes (mostly pepper jack because cheddar seemed to be all gone by the time I got to the table at 6:40pm), pulled BBQ pork sandwiches, mac and cheese, and hot dogs with pickled jalapenos, onions, and tomatoes (which ran out by the time I got there) on the side. The server at the food table had a fun mustache and was very polite and speedy. It was a comfortable temperature inside and the music was enjoyable. I like how they had drums and bass and piano. They played popular songs that the audience could sing and dance to. The musicians seemed to enjoy themselves and the audience loved them, too. A man went up to the stage and gave them a hug while they were performing and they were so sweet about it without interrupting their own performance. I saw people dancing and some of the servers were dancing as well. It was a fun environment. There seemed to be a diverse range of people, too. The other patrons there were polite to each other, which was good. The server at our table was very cheery and nice. She had a very expressive face, which is necessary for a loud environment. She was very attentive to all of the tables around me and took notes for our drinks and returned with them in a timely manner. The live music is loud, so we had to raise our voices to talk. I like how there was a game (maybe basketball?) on the TV near our table, too. As for the lighting, it's dark but there's enough lighting at many of the tables. I saw another couple using a tiny pocket flashlight to look at their menu. I like how there was a board that named whose birthday it was (first names only) and they gave shout-outs to the birthday people, too, which was nice. I'm not a big drinker at all but I noticed that many of the parties had buckets of drinks! They had fun straws in them and looked colorful so I'd like to try that some time. When we left, a different guy at the door said something like "Have a good night!" and had a pleasant face (not sad or angry or rude). I don't remember if he made eye contact but I like his nice comment and polite acknowledgement of us leaving. He was swinging his arms back and forth, I think. He had an easygoing aura, which I appreciated, especially with the first bouncer who was super duper serious and stern (which, again, is probably his job).

    (4)

  • Lisa T.

    So much fun. The musicians are very talented. It is great for a group. The drinks are a little light however the environment and fun makes up for it.

    (5)

  • David S.

    Great music, great drinks, the crowd is literally all age groups and people you could think of. Only drawback were the bouncers who have apparently never seen a Minnesota ID before. They took it and played around with it for a few minutes then shrugged their shoulders and let us in.

    (4)

  • Lisa F.

    Fantastic music. The. Entertainers switch and take on new rolls all evening and they are all very talented !! Some of the servers were not so nice but the great entertainment made up for it ! Fun night !!

    (5)

  • Daniel B.

    Great piano bar. The format is a little different than I was used to. Less crowd interaction. They had piles of requests and it didn't seem as if too many people were tipping for them. They also had drums and guitar, so it was more like a whole band. The drinks were good and strong. Waitstaff was attentive. We were fortunate to get a table immediately. A lot of people stood for a long time.

    (4)

  • Lily Z.

    During my first visit, I wasn't impressed. It was dead on a Thursday night. The music was too loud. I just wasn't feeling it. However, I came last week at the behest of a couple friends and my experience was so much better. The place was practically packed. Free appetizer station until 7PM. Discounted drinks until 9PM with a wristband. Such a different experience! Howl at the Moon is like a little oasis from the clubs, lounges and expensive restaurants in River North. Basic. Dark. But simple!

    (3)

  • Ashley M.

    Very talented people playing music, great beer selection, and good service. Joey was a cool waiter! My only complaint is that I gave the piano players a list of 12 songs to choose from and they didn't play any of them.

    (4)

  • Amanda K.

    A quintessential destination for a bachelorette party! The drinks are overpriced, but singing along with the dueling pianos is great fun. I also like that if you plan ahead, you can skip the cover here. All you have to do is sign up for their e-mail list and BAM! no cover for you.

    (3)

  • Aaron C.

    Dueling pianos are interesting. Solid entertainment. However, the drinks are WEAK. If you want a bucket of juice and some live entertainment then this is the place for you.

    (3)

  • Patrick R.

    Scammers. This place is cool to hang out at but it is pretty over priced and gets crazy crowded on weekends. Like can't move crowded and waiting 20 minutes for a drink. Plus they scam on credit cards. A $6 dollar tip on a credit card was changed to $10 by the time the transaction went thru. Staff was rude when the bar was called about it a few days later. If you go, pay in cash and bring a lot of it. We won't be going back.

    (1)

  • Sean C.

    First, let me disclaim that I normally don't go to places that are like this...that is, dark and so loud that you can't hear a damn thing said by anybody who isn't a featured performer. This is a good place if you: - are from Arlington Heights and you tell people you're from Chicago. - like to go to bars that do not have any draft beers. - like to listen to female singers that have that squeaky '90s Broadway voice - are one of those drunk douchebags from the suburbs that goes to Cubs games - like to hear "The Gambler" done about seven times faster than the actual recording This place was obviously built for people who aren't locals and who just want to go to the city for some cheap thrills. But hey, when I went the place was jam packed, and I guess you can't argue against success.

    (1)

  • Kevin B.

    Probably the most popular piano bar in downtown Chicago. Seems to be the place to go to celebrate birthdays, weddings, engagements, etc. Best thing about Howl on the Moon is their party packages. You can literally get a package for 50-100 people to come to your event and it usually includes a free buffet and drink tickets for $1. And for the most part, every time I've been here the band/pianist has been very good. Food is basically dive bar food and the drinks are fairly reasonable in price, especially for that area. The negative about this place is its popularity. On a Friday night, its packed and its hardly any room to move around. And unless you have a reservation or table, finding seating is almost impossible and getting to the bar is rough as well. So if you can manage to go on a weekday with some friends, I'd recommend that. Its a great spot to start your weekend off and head somewhere else afterwards.

    (3)

  • Chanel G.

    I had so much fun here! I came on a Saturday night and this place was jumping! There was a $10 cover to get in but I didn't mind paying it at all. Howl at the Moon is a piano bar where they play requested songs. They 2-3 people playing are really talented. They can play and sing ANYTHING. And I do mean anything, miley cyrus, hiphop, frank sinatra, you request it, they'll play it. All they ask for is a tip. This is also a hot spot for bachelorette parties. I think there were up to 4 different ones that night. They have a bunch of really yummy shots. Particularly the pineapple upside down one -- delicious! Like I said, this place was packed so the service was kind of awful but she did as best as she could. I will def head back.

    (4)

  • Ernie A.

    Prime location, really geared more towards middle aged than 20 somethings. Dont order the fish bowl its expensive and basically you're getting fruit punch. And forget about service you won't get that there either.

    (3)

  • Jazzy J.

    Came out on a Wednesday night not expecting much, but I was so wrong. Drinks are reasonably priced but the entertainment is exceptional. The employees seem to love their job, especially the door guy Jason who had me cracking up all night. Definitely will be back soon!!!

    (5)

  • Kristen L.

    Definitely a lot better when you're able to grab a seat. Went back to Howl after management was kind enough to send me a $25 gift card and a free admissions pass for me and a friend. Went on a Saturday even around 5:30pm before having dinner with a couple of girlfriends and the place was pretty empty. But hey, whatever. I'm glad I was able to get a table this time around. We ordered a bucket of the margarita, and this thing was huge. For $25/bucket, this thing is definitely more than enough for at least 4-5 people. We managed to catch the beginning of the dueling pianos, and they were great--played a few request songs that almost everyone in the bar sang along to. Kinda sad I was only able to stay for about an hour, but glad I was able to give Howl a t the Moon a second chance!

    (4)

  • Lise S.

    If you are looking for a fun evening packed in shoulder to shoulder singing songs you will know by heart - then you will love Howl at the Moon! I've been to this franchise in other cities and they had dueling pianos, but the Chicago location has a variety of piano players, drums, guitar player at times, etc to vary the entertainment. These music venues are favorite places for bachelor and bachelorette parties, so you've been warned. :-). Fun place, so join in the songs and sway to the beat. It's a lot of fun

    (3)

  • Toni S.

    Being our first time in Chicago, we asked for recommendations on where to go! This was highly recommended and this place did not disappoint! We had such a great time! Only lost a star for the dirty bathrooms!

    (4)

  • Deborah C.

    Positives: Went here with some friends from out of town and another person they knew in Chicago. Amazing music with a bunch of variety. The musicians are super talented and able to play any kind of instrument. I heard a keyboard guitar, bass guitar, piano, violin, and drums (both on a real drumset and on some buckets). Two separate people in my group put in song requests, but we never heard them played within the 3 hours we were there, probably because others requested songs with $20 attached. Had a great time listening to the music, watching guys trying to pick up girls (amusing), and drinking my first AMF (one of the bucket drinks with a ton of colorful, bendable straws). Would go again :) Negatives: $10 charge to get in. Some creepy guys shuffling around, but that's everywhere.

    (4)

  • Maggie R.

    Daughter and future son in law had their combined pre wedding party here as most guests are from out of town. We secured the section behind the band which was perfect for the gathering. Given our location it was a bit loud but the band was great . Orders multiple drinks and appetizers and all were tasty and strong. Everyone including the guys out in front were very friendly - great place to enjoy some music and relax - dual pianos fun too!

    (4)

  • Mike R.

    I enjoy my music of course - I'm a musician. This place can be fun if you're with the right people, but it reminds me too much of a kitschy bar in Florida - like the TGI Friday's of Piano Bars. Not to mention you have bouncers who act as if it's the hottest nightclub in town sometimes (which is extremely funny when you think about it). There's better piano bars/lounges in town in my opinion, but if you want to be around a bunch of small town tourists or tourists from the south drinking and singing at the top of their lungs, then it's completely adequate.

    (2)

  • Karolina T.

    I love piano bars and this one had amazing music. The only down side was how packed the place was. There was literally NO room to move anywhere. We went on a Saturday and I'm pretty sure half of the place was filled with bachlorette parties and slightly older crowd. There was a $10 cover per person.

    (3)

  • Mercedes M.

    Not sure why the average is 3 stars. Sure it's a bit cheesy, but it's a piano bar, so go somewhere else if you wanna hang out where everyone thinks they're too cool to dance and sing or be nice to other patrons. The musicians were on point and so talented. They played nearly every every request and rocked it. Drinks were decently priced, and the buckets were surprisingly affordable and hilarious. As with any bar - if you go with good people, you'll have a good time, and we did. Danced and sang all night! Service was impeccable. The bachelorette VIP party package was worth every penny. I would definitely come here again!

    (5)

  • Gina C.

    OMG I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this place!!! Every time I've gone here when I've been in Chicago this place has always been crazy packed! My friends & I always have a great time! Drinks are a little pricey though....I almost felt like I was home out in Vegas! lol This night was a blast! One girl had a kick, ass voice & was amazing!!!! I don't know what her name was but she was young looking & pretty!! I was blown away when it was her turn on the piano & she started singing. We had a cool waiter too who's name was Victor. He was very attentive & kept checking on us & making sure we were good with our drinks! My friend & I actually got lucky & got a table as soon as we headed to the seating area due to people leaving. The bathrooms are a little bit of a hike up several stairs, I'm glad I never have high heels on when I'm here! lol One thing that was a bonus was me finding a free entrance coupon @ the airport. Saved my friend & I $10 each! This place is very loud & the crowd can get rowdy, in a good way so definitely not a good place for a first date or to catch up with friend(s), but definitely a blast to go with your friend(s) if you don't mind it noisy, fun & a blast!!!!

    (5)

  • Andrew E.

    Gimmicky tourist trap

    (1)

  • Annie L.

    Cover charge of $10.00 is a little much since the drinks are pricey. Two drinks costs $18. For a Friday night it was very busy at 9pm... I was surprised how early it was & how the location was packed. The entertainment was good. The entertainers were very talented. All of them being able to switch from playing the piano & singing, to the drums & playing bass. It was a good experience & different from my imagination. It seemed to be more of karaoke than having pianos dueling for tips, etc. Otherwise it was good to watch & dance, if you had room. People ranged from 20-50's, some even 70's. Everyone seemed to have a great time.

    (3)

  • Flor D.

    You need to pay 10$ to get into....be sure you go early in the night so then you can stay all night long.....otherwise, you will need to queue. Food is cheap and pretty good. It has happy hours and drinks are not expensive. They have live performances every night and the music selection is extremely good that you can dance. There are no many tables but after all it's has a really good setting. Only problem: only 2 bathroom for women.... :S

    (4)

  • Jenny K.

    Everything was great!!! The music was awesome, however when we pay a $10 We don't want to watch drunk people dancing on the stage for the entire night. I understand a special occasion moment, but not the whole evening. The women's bathroom was also not very well attended even though there was an women attendant sitting in the bathroom.

    (3)

  • Robert J.

    I wouldn't recommend this as a regular hang out bar, but all of its energetic, quirky version of music, alcohol and happiness is a fun getaway. Our group makes a stop in every year on our annual trip to Chicago. It's a place that everyone can enjoy, and it's good for large groups. Music: Don't come here for the good music. Come here to be impressed by the multi-talented performers who can often play several instruments. Be amazed by the depth of songs that they know how to play. You'll hear some current pop songs, but probably also some oldies/randoms. Drinks: Full bar w/ all the fixin's. They also have a few specialty mixed drink options and other specials, like the 'bucket o beers' and the 'tub of pink drink'. Both of those names I just made up. Ambiance: Everyone is there to have fun. You might get a large group of mellow school teachers, some party-hard dentists, or an alumni chapter from some school, but the tips & music requests are flowing all night. And so is the alcohol. If you're lucky, some people will start a dance floor in front of the stage. If you're not, go start it yourself :)

    (4)

  • Danielle L.

    After my review, a rep from HATM contacted me and asked me to give them another chance. I did, twice actually, and I am very pleased. This time there was no "unifying song" played and... The bar food was definitely better (pulled pork and mac n cheese--I didn't eat it but others did). The crowd and service is (has always been) nice and friendly, even when it is late and everyone is tipsy. The musicians are consistently INCREDIBLE. And they get better as the night goes on (and its not the alcohol, I swear). The key is to go with a large group of friends who are into dancing and requesting songs (with tips). You will hear the music you like more often. The crowd tends to be white and a good portion are older (35+) so that of course affects the music played (since it is by request). A good amount of rock n roll and country will be played by default. However, Fridays seem to attract the most diverse crowd so for me that is the best night to go. You hear a wider variety of music and see a wider variety of people (age and race). I will definitely return.

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    HAPPY HOUR parties with $1 drinks and complimentary appetizers. I've tried both days, Thursday and Friday. Which one tops it? FRIDAY! Thursday: The complimentary appetizers consisted of chips, salsa, cheese, and fruits. It was quite lacking but freebies are good regardless. The crowd is a lot smaller and it was mostly professionals from nearby offices. The dueling pianists and singers did a good job of taking requests and singing the songs. Friday: The complimentary appetizers were more fulfilling. Pasta, sausages, salad, and sliders were served. By 6pm, a huge crowd had already formed but the service kept up with the pace. There were jello shots, alcohol buckets, and an old man dressed like a sea captain dancing from woman to woman. Hugh Hefner in disguise? Perhaps. I would rather not confirm. The dueling pianists and singers had a pile of requests to complete. I think they left a lot of our songs untouched despite us giving them a tip hoping it would eventually be played. Note: i discovered apple ale aka spiked apple juice with 5% alcohol. Quite tasty. I would say it's a good alternative to the traditional Budweiser.

    (3)

  • Brittany M.

    Howl at the moon has a special place in my heart because this is where my husband and I first came on a date. They play wonderful music and there is a lot of space. My only complaint is that we came here to celebrate our two year anniversary and the bouncers at the door were very rude . I gave them my ID and they said it wasn't me (even though I'm 26, well over 21) and wouldn't give me my ID unless I provided a credit card with my name or flagged down a cop. I didn't have my credit cards with me since I was dressed up so I had to find a police officer just to get my ID. It was embarrassing and wasted a lot of time on our anniversary and prevented me from going anywhere else. I feel they did it just as an ego trip. We love the place but not the service . Recommended for the piano not for the people who work there .

    (1)

  • Britta M.

    Went here for a bachelorette party and absolutely loved it. They play all kinds of music from Bastille to Eminem, Miley Cyrus (boo) to the Beatles. Their musicians were incredible in that their voices were phenomenal, their violinist girl was adorable and very talented, and they were a blast! This place is very loud.. Do not go here if you're hoping for a nice quiet night of conversation haha you'll probably be singing along too loudly to want to converse anyways. Their drinks are strong! Which is definitely not a complaint by me. $26 fishbowls and they're awesome. We happily downed a few of them. I cannot wait to go back here. It's a fun date night if you're feeling adventurous and lots of good looking people here if you're searching. ;)

    (5)

  • Raji V.

    Great environment for girls night out! The crowd varies from young to slightly older. The music is different but great. They have an assortment of drinks, the fish bowls are serve 4-6!

    (4)

  • Shereene M.

    I get why they charge cover but it still annoys me. I'm glad I checked it out but I honestly won't be back. I don't think it's worth $10 a person for cover. Just charge a little extra for drinks and then you can pay the musicians that way.

    (3)

  • Lance K.

    Great atmosphere. This place is oozing with talent. In addition to pianos they had a bass and drums. All the performers could sing and play all instruments. The real deal.

    (5)

  • Rod C.

    Great place for Tourists! The house band is really good, better than your average piano bar. They dont let you play the tambourine! Pricey of course, it is near the viagra triangle!

    (4)

  • Michelle S.

    First night in Chicago and what a great recommendation!! Dueling pianos, great set list, a packed house...all the ingredients for a great time. People dancing, people laughing- awesome time. Bathrooms were gross.

    (4)

  • Maria N.

    Rude bouncer, manager or event person not willing to cater to our party and guests. Even though we brought in at least 30 people if not more. I left along with most of my guests. Not willing to give our money to a place who got it wrong and although was their fault still rude and disrespectful about the situation.

    (1)

  • Mike W.

    This place never fails to provide a good time. The music is always great and the musicians put on a awesome show. 10$ cover is definitely worth it Great place to take friends from out of town Drinks can get a bit pricey, but look out they usually have a beer bucket deal that is reasonable even for the area

    (4)

  • Michael H.

    All I can say is I pretty much had the time of my life at this place. I hope any other piano bar I go to can come close to this. We came here from the suburbs on a Friday night and had a reserved table for my daughter's 21st birthday. My wife and I were surprised that they play pretty much anything. I mean anything. They played music ranging from the classic journey and billy joel songs to the radio songs that are popular today. The staff was extremely friendly, as were the musicians. We were sitting in the raised area of the bar (I would definitely recommend it), and had plenty of room for our large party to dance and socialize. We had a tall, skinny blonde server that was nothing but an energetic blast. Despite the jam packed crowds and rude surrounding customers she brought our drinks quickly and maintained a great attitude while keeping us laughing and entertained all night long. Drinks were pricey, but that's expected in downtown Chicago. We will definitely be back for the next big family celebration.

    (4)

  • Lucy C.

    I'm baffled at how many free parties Howl at the Moon gives away. I went on a Friday after work because a friend of a friend had won a party after going to the party won by the first friend. At this party, we all filled out a form to win a free party and of my three friends, two of us won. Then, I was invited to two more Howl parties from other people with free parties. So either we're really lucky or they really like to party. If it wasn't for all the parties and the specials that come with it (2 tickets for $1 drinks, then $3.50 until 9pm + complimentary app buffet until 7pm), I probably wouldn't come back. The food in the buffet line was surprisingly good (for free buffet food) and the drinks weren't as watered down as I feared. The concept of dueling pianos is really cool, but they mostly played covers of bad country songs all night. It's like I went back to the suburbs...

    (3)

  • Samantha M.

    Several of my friends won a free party at Howl At the Moon. It wasn't particularly special for a bar, but the piano dueling was really fun to listen to! They had a small pasta bar until 7pm with really mediocre food (I know it's a bar, but the food was seriously worse than dining hall food). I probably wouldn't choose to go to Howl At The Moon unless more of my friends won free parties.

    (2)

  • Danika C.

    Great place to hang out, drink, sing along and dance the night away. Live music can be a hit or miss, but the band has an impressive range of music and song knowledge. Buckets are great, $26 for 84 oz of fruity alky and drink prices are downtown standard. Crowd is mixed, college aged, almost married, mid-aged and older. All have something to bop along to. Have been here multiple times and always left having a great time. Music gets better as the night wears on and all is dancing If you're in town, do come visit.

    (4)

  • Roxanne D.

    A bunch of my girlfriends and I (all 20-somethings) went to Howl at the Moon on a late Saturday night in June for a bachelorette party and it was a heck of a good time. We arrived later in the evening and there was a $10 cover. We didn't reserve a table or anything, but we got lucky and scored some seats and a small round table near the stage. We sang our hearts out to all kinds of music. They played all types of songs from Guns and Roses to Taylor Swift to Biggie. There were people of all ages, which I think is really neat. It was really cool to hear the entire place singing along. Would definitely have to come here again! If you haven't sign up for emails and promotions on their website. They send you a complimentary admission pass. You may also enter for your chance to win a free party. for you and 100 of your friends. I just entered myself and I'm not sure how likely I am to win, but regardless, I would totally come back!

    (4)

  • Delightful D.

    This place is cheesy but fun. Def enjoyed all the corny songs that were played here. Jus a place to sing your heart out just because. Drinks definitely overpriced but I would def come back to start off a night out. Cant stay here all night cuz it does get old after awhile.

    (3)

  • Jose C.

    This is a good place to go on a random night out. The place is usually pretty packed but is always a fun time. Their rewards system is what makes it more affordable.

    (4)

  • Edward D.

    The Friday evening happy hour was crowded as F, but that's understandable. At least you get two $1 drinks without paying a cover and then $4 limited menu drinks until 9pm. The live music thing they have going is awesome with the several multi-talented musicians that play. It seems they all play piano, guitar, and drums and sing if I'm not mistaken. What got my goat is that when everyone was putting $1 on the piano with one song request, I put three songs for them to choose from (I have no idea their range) along with $5. Now, I wasn't looking to move to the head of the line with a "bribe", but one hour went by and then two and then...didn't get any of my songs played. Apparently, giving MORE than everyone else, gets you no song played.

    (1)

  • Donnacha K.

    I was in Howl at the Moon New Years weekend and the place was packed. I immediately checked my coat when I got in and proceeded to have a blast of a night in a great bar. Unfortunately, my experience with Howl at the moon deteriorated when I left the bar without collecting my jacket. I called the bar first thing the next day as my jacket was expensive and I wanted to call into retrieve it from the coat check. I was told after describing my jacket that it was no longer in the coat check? Hmm...in the space of 12 hours my jacket had disappeared without a trace behind? Very suspicious I think? Really disappointing that after such a quality experience that what I believe was a mixture of my own negligence and the incompetence of this bar to actually take care of someones property led to this review. Would love to have my coat back and go drink in Howl again sometime :)

    (1)

  • Elizabeth L.

    Bachelorettes and housewives of Naperville unite! Howl is a rowdy good time for all - cheap, strong drinks (punchbowl for extra fun), loud classic tunes on the keys. Fun staff, fun crowd. Protip: Cougars roaming wild and free. Hello safari!

    (3)

  • Jeff M.

    I first went to this place about ten years ago. Was in town on business and happened to stumble in. My girlfriend probably wants to get in a Delorean and prevent this from ever happening. I try to stop in every time I'm in Chicago because I can't stop smiling once I enter. This last visit, the place was packed on a Friday (lots of bachelorettes and birthdays) but the guys were nice enough to give Caribbean Queen a go.

    (5)

  • Bianca T.

    Had such a great time here on Sunday night! Came with a bunch of friends for a going away bar crawl. We ordered the Hurricane bucket, and it took us 5 people to finish it! We definitely felt it afterwards. The music is the best part. What other bar has dueling pianos? They leave song request slips and little pencils on the table to encourage you to suggest a song. They were playing great covers. We will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Angie E.

    My favorite place to come to when I'm in Chicago. The drinks are price fairly & the food is good. The musicians amaze me with their talent & knowledge of almost ALL music!!!

    (5)

  • Amanda W.

    My credit card was charged twice for different amounts, one of which I did not authorize. Also, the bathrooms are disgusting. The girls have to walk up two flights of stairs and share 2 stalls. The men have 8 stalls and have bathrooms on both lower floors. The toliet seat was one of the most disgusting seats I have ever seen in the United States, it looked like it hadn't been replaced in years. They should use their $10 cover to get a new toliet seat.

    (1)

  • David M.

    The drinks are kind of pricey and there is cover, but the performers are so talented and so much fun. They play a wide variety of songs from all eras and it's just in general a great atmosphere. And I thought the waffle fries were delicious! Anyway, will definitely be back. ...on the other hand, the second time I was there, they kicked me out for leaning on a chair for two seconds.

    (4)

  • Amanda F.

    This is the second Howl that I have visited. I must say, Indianapolis is much more on their game. The musicians are significantly better, and that's the whole reason we are there, right?! The space also could use a redesign to flow much better, on a Saturday night it was packed and the logistics just don't do the bar any justice.

    (3)

  • Yailyn B.

    Fantastic musicians, delicious drinks and a great atmosphere! Band takes requests, and played both my husband and my songs. Great for date night and hanging out with your friends. Overall a fantastic night.

    (5)

  • Vince V.

    I wandered into the place feeling a little lost. It's always loud here, I couldn't find any of my friends. I was here for my friend's little birthday shindig. I made my way around the stage and back a couple of times with no luck. It was just too packed, too chaotic, too dark for anyone to hear my phone calls or hear a text message coming through. I decided to make one more pass looking for them before I gave up. That last pass found me being pushed onto the stage along with a hapless fellow patron, in this case an attractive and nervous blonde woman whose name I couldn't hear. We were instructed to face away from the crowd and get down to their rendition of "Baby Got Back". My stage partner and I totally got into the moment, putting on a show with the silliest butt dance we each could come up with. I heard my name being yelled through the singing and cheering. I couldn't find my friends, but they sure as hell couldn't miss me.

    (4)

  • Katrina D.

    I came here for my birthday a few weeks ago and had a great time! We got there around 8:30 on a Friday night and the place was packed! I had been there once before with my mom, my friend, and her mom. There is a slightly older crowd but honestly there is a wide range of ages. We (a group of early 20-somethings) ended up getting a table from a group of 60-somethings when they left. Trust me, they were by far the oldest people there. The drinks are somewhat expensive, but you're downtown, so they're going to cost that much. They sell buckets of drinks for $25 a piece, which is the way to go. They're 86 ounces so they're great to split. We split four between four girls and we all had a great time and kept the cost fairly low. A bucket of five beers was $20. I'm not sure how much a single drink would be. Tips: 1. Get there early! Doors opened at 5:00, the show started at 6:00. If you get there early enough, you can get a table no problem. 2. If you sign up for their e-mails you get an e-mail within 48 hours for free admission for two people. 3. Sign up to win a free party. Everyone wins and the party includes free admission for you and 100 of your closest friends from 5-7 p.m., a free appetizer buffet from 5-7 p.m. and discounted drinks. If you liked your experience and plan on coming back, I suggest doing this.

    (4)

  • Joey F.

    You get people of all ages here. Piano bars can be fun. Not really into crowded places with loud music anymore and this place gets pretty crazy. This place charges cover as well. They do have great customer service though.

    (4)

  • Andrew H.

    This place freaking rocks. Especially good on nights that typically aren't busy - we did Monday and Tuesday and they rocked out both days. The pianists could play almost anything. Let it go from Frozen was a highlight and we loved the long island buckets. Alllllll good yo. Regards and respect from New Zealand

    (5)

  • Kris U.

    I don't know how this place is only averaging a 3 star we went here on a random whim while in Chicago and had a magnificent time! Equipped with a full band of pianists/performers....they seemed to have an endless roster of members to keep the party going, their combined repertoire of songs rivals that of my 1TB external hard drive...excessive. Animated, fun, engaging, they knew how to play to and control the crowd with a trill or a guitar lick. I really loved the eclectic age range here...from college kids up to moms and dads on date night all out with groups of friends, everyone looking to have a great time. And of course by a great time I mean that literally everyone was 3 sheets to the wind DRUNK... smiling, dancing and singing along to the music. A totally great vibe! BUCKETS! Hot DAYYYUUMMMMMM.... a gift from god and the devil all at the same time! 86oz of drink...served literally in a bucket with a handle and 4 LONG bendy straws. It's meant for 4 people but we Canadians can handle our girly liquor with the best of the them so this was suffice for 2 of us. I would wager that after two of these you could easily be persuaded to do just about anything. Great time and will definitely return for another fun filled evening when in the Windy City!

    (4)

  • Vanessa S.

    I was in the area when Howl was opening up for the day. My cousin and I went to check it out. Being so early, there were only a few people there and no dueling pianos. I was bummed about that because that's why we came here. That aside, they have cheap drinks and some very interesting cocktails. By that, it seems like it's a "party" bar. I can see this being a fun place to go to with a group of friends. I just wish I was able to see some piano battles!

    (3)

  • Ed H.

    Kinda divey bar with fun music....IF you have good performers. Came here on a Tues night, and the two guys performing were high energy that made the crowd get involved. Then there was this guy and a girl that were good, but nowhere near as fun and energetic as the two guys. Drink prices aren't bad. If you want to talk though, just stay away from the stage!

    (3)

  • John K.

    The musicians working the nights we were there were awesome! Better on Saturday than Sunday but still awesome. Very talented! Normal bar food. Very busy on Saturday night! Tons of bachelorette party's and standing room only! If you are drinking a beer, they're expensive, but it is Chicago. Don't waste your money on a mixed drink, glass of wine or shot! Everything is watered down. When I say watered down, I mean you can see a ring of water separate at the top of a glass of wine after letting it sit for a minute. Mixed double of Captain and Coke, double shot, not double Coke, tasted like a flat diet. Absolutely save your money and don't drink here if you are looking for alcohol in your drink. If you like live music, played to the request of guests and watered down drinks, you'll love this place. The girl who played the guitar, piano, electric fiddle, bass, drums and sings was amazing! Awesome talent!!

    (2)

  • Jeffrey B.

    When I lived in Chicago I somehow never made it to this place. Last night we attempted to go there with old friends during a visit to Chicago. Now I can gladly maintain I have never been there. Never made it through the front door. There was no line but as we were getting out our id's and cover charge a short line of 3 people formed. We were literally already in the doorway. The "bouncer", a bearded napoleonic mighty mouse, chose this moment to assert some rarely found machismo and without even looking in our eyes giving us some canned aggressive retort about going to the back of the line . The 3 people in line behind us even told him it was ok, we were there first. Worse, he kept it up and attempted to threaten me personally. Would have been entertaining to stick around and let that one play out but alas I chose to walk away with my group. This level of douche-baggery is pathetic and I am appalled by the way we were spoken to by this fool. He clearly has no idea he is in the customer service business and I have no intentions to ever step through the door and find out if anyone inside does . My advice is to steer clear...

    (1)

  • Angie M.

    The door guy at Howl is a complete asshole. A total dick. Rude to the nth degree. Management should seriously consider replacing him. My group of gals stopped here for a friend's bachelorette party and did the whole "Jump the Line" deal where you shell out $30, don't wait in line, don't pay cover and get a free drink. It's actually kind of worth it since the line for Howl is always obscene. The door guy couldn't have been worse. Despite our name clearly being on his list (which we found after he threw his clipboard at us... it was the first one on the list, dumb ass), he said he couldn't find us, gave us a hard time, and was a snobby jerk. It didn't rub me the right way at all. I'm just sayin'. Inside, I have to give props to the folks that work here. The male bartenders are game to do ridiculous body shots and blowjob shots. The dueling pianoers put on a great show and totally play to the audience. They make it a reasonably good time... for what it is, which is a fairly lame crowd in what I can only describe as the New Rush & Division area of town. Despite some serious obstacles to overcome (questionable clientele, horrible door staff), Howl really is one of the only spots you can take a herd of girls out for a bachelorette party, right?

    (2)

  • Aaron Jae M.

    Had a blast. The musicians were all so talented and played 2/3 of the songs I requested. The drinks were tasty and the service was friendly although a little slow (but to be fair they were busy) They do not have a lot of seating which was difficult since we had a party of 25 and had a table that sat four so a lot of us were awkwardly crowded around this tiny table.

    (4)

  • Alford S.

    I really love this place! I went here because I got invited about a week ago from a friend for her party! I'm really glad she invited me! Its a really nice place! Great lighting, music, food, people, drinks and more! And on top of all that I entered for my birthday party and I won through a drawing! It made me so happy! This place is a must come to place! Go check it out!

    (5)

  • Joe P.

    First time going...$10 cover, music was good for the first 10 minutes. However, they started playing college fight songs and kept asking for money to change the song. This went on for about 15 minutes until the mood of the whole room was dull and bored. This is when we left and they were still playing college fight songs when we left.. It was very annoying. I would not go back again. Follow up: I was contacted by Howl at the Moon staff and they offered us to come back. The music was a lot better and the service was great. I appreciate the company valuing people's opinions and reaching out to right a wrong.

    (4)

  • Toni B.

    Not a huge Howl at the Moon Fan...If I got there at 5pm and got a table or was there for a party, I think it would be an absolute blast! Ive seen bachelorette and birthday parties there, so I would highly recommend this place for an event like that! Be prepared for a $10-$20 cover...no matter the day or time! The food is pricey and the drinks are pretty average downtown Chi pricing. The music is great of course! We tried to go this past weekend and went aroudn 6 pm (they open at 5) and all the tables were full :( Get there early if you want a table or reserve one! If you are visiting the area..you do HAVE to go at least...just because it is Howl at the Moon.

    (2)

  • Scott P.

    A dueling piano bar is a dueling piano bar, so if that's your thing... However, I would like to take a moment to point out what makes this particular piano bar a VERY special piano bar: INCREDIBLY BAD SERVICE AND CONTEMPT FOR CUSTOMERS. In the interest of time, I'll focus on a couple issues, among many, of this place: 1. A major selling point for HATM to groups is the opportunity to have celebrants (in our case, two people celebrating their 40th birthdays) come on stage and make fools of themselves by dancing about. Despite bringing a party of about 25 people, reserving a number of tables and spending alot of money on drinks, seats, etc., it took FOUR requests to get our people called up on stage. Finally, after midnight, by which time most of our party had already left (we got there at 8pm), our people were finally called up on stage. As a follow-on, we've sent a complaint to our contact at HATM earlier this week and still have not heard back yet. At least their customer service is consistently abysmal. 2. About an hour into the evening, some Barney Fyfe-type manager approached me and TOLD me to move from a spot on the floor where myself and others had been standing all evening, exercising his vested authority to bully patrons. When I explained this to him, he actually tried to grab/push (think Barney Fyfe here) me from my spot. Having spent a considerable amount of money on crappy over-priced drinks/service for our entire party, I quickly calculated that I might not have enough bail money on me if I were to teach Barney something he should have learned in the first grade (keep your hands to yourself) and I let it go. In summary, if you feel compelled to spend an evening at HATM, do so with low expectations and at your own peril.

    (1)

  • Brian M.

    It's really sad to ever have to go out in our great city of Chicago and have a bad experience. Chicago is the friendly city. But that's not true at Howl at the moon They will happily take your money for last call beers at 2:30 and then close the bar and throw you out at 2:40 even though they say they will stay open until 3. When my girl refused to leave and waste her $5 beer the little tough guy ripped it out of her hand. He actually hurt her hand but we will let her lawyer go after the bar for her medical bills. Funny how karma will make him wish he had not. All he does is loose money for the owner by chasing away customers. We will never go back.

    (1)

  • Al P.

    Fun place, packed on Fridays and Saturdays. Good drink selection and friendly servers. Prices are OK. The piano dueling band is good and makes you have a really good time. Bouncers at the door should smile a little and not be so rude, but you get this almost everywhere. Would go back on my next trip to Chicago.

    (4)

  • Ajibade A.

    Fun place, would like more upbeat songs to be requested to enable some dancing. Besides that, fun atmoshpere, cool piano drummer and trumpet players..coming back with my crew for sure to request more songs

    (4)

  • DeeMarie W.

    Had so much fun!!! The musicians were all very talented! Playing all those classic and current songs to keep you singing and dancing all night long!!!!! $10 cover charge. Place was jammed! Line outside at 9:00 at night on a Friday! Worth it because they entertain you all night long, the musicians rotate playing guitars, drums, pianos and all of them singing! It is continuous music, NO BREAKS!! Order a bucket, $25. We got the hurricane, not at all top shelf booze, but very potent. We nursed that thing most of the night between my husband and I!

    (4)

  • Laura P.

    I beg you please listen to the bad reviews, don't make the same mistake I did! My sister wanted to come to this place for her birthday. I have been to the Howl in Indianapolis, so I thought why not its a fun place and you will have a good time.......... I had reserved tables. Yeah they were expensive but I thought as long we have fun I don't mind spending the money. They make you get there by 8, which kind of sucks, but isn't the worst thing about this place. The drinks they give you are absolutely terrible and you could probably fit the amount in to a dixie cup or two (seriously this is not an exaggeration)! I cannot even tell you how awful the drinks here are. Definitely not worth your money. Our waitress was pretty rude and inattentive. She brought us some drinks we never ordered and then insisted that we did (I think she may have been high) The bouncers are pretty rude too, very much on a power trip This Howl compared to Indy sucks!!!!! In Indy, it really is more of a show and about the entertainment. So much more comedy and jokes as opposed to just nonstop awful 80s music. The talented level and skill is sooo much better in Indy. Here, its basically how many songs can we get through to make the most money....not about quality at all. By about 9 pm the place is so packed its hard to move. I really have no idea why its so packed eiher.... If I could do it again, I would have spent my money at Paris Club instead. I am pretty sad they ruined our night out. This place was definitely not worth my money!!! BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.S. Check out the rating details over time, they have been dropping since this last March.....

    (1)

  • Dan D.

    Any time you have the world renowned "Rachel Cerrone" on the piano nothing but magic happens! The establishment is non stop entertainment..Big shout out to Samantha Greer & her engagement! I wish you both success & nothing less!

    (5)

  • Kathleen M.

    This. Was. Special? The go to spot for bachelorette parties and creepy old men, we had just wrapped up dinner around the corner and figured this would be a good spot to grab a drink. Totally normal. The dueling pianos are fun, but on my visit they weren't especially talented. The majority of the crowd didn't seem to notice as even at the relatively early hour (around 9:30 on a Friday) the place was packed full of serious revelers. Do these people have jobs? +1 star for the people watching entertainment provided by the skeezy old men, middle aged women "out on the town," twenty somethings who couldn't hold their liquor, and international folks aiming to squeeze an entire country of fun in one night.

    (3)

  • Kison P.

    A great venue for live music in the loop. Inviting atmosphere, solid drink options. One thing I noticed is the ladies are excellent on service and seem to really enjoy working there while nearly all the guys I encountered aside from busboys are complete dicks with no manners. I think there could be an opportunity to increase revenues and repeat customers at this place by restructuring the staff a bit and encouraging a customer service focused culture.

    (3)

  • Annie C.

    I must say the music is really awesome here! They're such great performers, this is probably why I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2. The music made up for the rest of the night. Super super super crowded. The crowd is mixed ages, a lot of older women letting loose. Their happy hour drinks were unimpressive. Don't get the margarita! It was disgusting and we couldn't even finish them!

    (3)

  • Rawl R.

    OUTSTANDING musical ensemble with incredible energy! My fiancé and I chose this place spontaneously after a long Saturday of sightseeing while in town for a long weekend and found this fun place. Sure the large super sized drink was rather weak but it still was tasty enough to wet our whistles while resting our feet. This is a must see for high energy musical talent - not a quiet piano bar, but really a mini-concert with rotating and talented musician who provide a non-stop medley of tunes requested by the audience.

    (4)

  • Karen C.

    My tip o' the day: DON'T come here with the sole purpose of getting drunk. DO get drunk FIRST, if you for some reason feel the need to come here. If I was Forever 21, maybe I'd love Howl at the Moon. But I'm not. I'm more like Forever being annoyed by drunk bachelorettes & tourists wobbling in their ridiculous heels & then puking in very visible locations around the bar. No room to move, sweaty out-of-town dudes, annoying out-of-town ladies grinding on said dudes & wayyyyyy overpriced & undersized drinks, no thank you. I happened to be one of the ladies with a bachelorette party recently, and after about 30 minutes, the bachelorette herself said "I want to go home"... that pretty much says it all. Now that I think about it, even at 21, this was not my scene.

    (2)

  • Jessica B.

    Got sucker punched here too...I don't know why chicago has so many men that think it's acceptable to try to slap or punch a lady for attention but whatever. Came here Saturday night for Bachelorette Party. $10 cover. I have been to the Big Bang in STL so I guess I had different expectations for this place based on that. Got a big ole bucket of drinks and 7 of us slurpped that down pretty quick. Place was absolutely packed, it was very hard to navigate or stand anywhere. Tried to navigate to the minuscule dance floor area and they had almost an entire circle of tables blocking any way in there. I think this is kinda silly and they should rearrange that so there could be more dancing/easier access to request songs. $8 for a TINY rum and coke which was kind of ridiculous to me, but it's Chicago so I guess that price makes sense...but still. Dance floor was absolutely packed, the entire time it was just people shoving each other around. Bouncer's would let some people on stage and not others. Only really came over when people put their glasses on the stage. Didn't break up any shoving or etc in the dance floor area. Thing that annoyed me the most, at Big Bang you request a song on the slip and they play it if it's a good one. Here at Howl, it's all about how much money you throw down. They were ALL about getting money. At one point were trying to make a competition of colleges by saying whoever paid the most was the "winning" college. I mean come on, we're here to party and dance not sit around while you try to make money off drunken college kids... If you submit a song without cash, they just look at it and throw it away. Just seemed like it was all about money with them and not about the crowd having a good time. The spacing was silly, you know you are going to be packed why wouldn't you make your bar more accessible?? 3 stars because we did have a good time. But still.

    (3)

  • Katie A.

    Howl at the Moon is a great place to hear some good live music, sing at the top of your lungs, and get your dance on. It is REALLY loud, so bring earplugs just in case. The performers are all top-notch musicians. They all play a variety of instruments and take turns singing, and can play anything and everything you request (they even did an eminem song while reading lyrics off an iphone!) However, you can't be someone that takes themselves too seriously and expect to have a good time there. HATM is full of drunk fratboys, but if you go in a group and just let yourself have a good time they can be ignored.. at least until the end of the night when they start skulking for some easy ass to take home. I recommend leaving by 1:30 to avoid the desperate boys. Cover is only $5 on Thursday and it is easier to find a table, especially if you show up early or late. The food is terrible and drinks are expensive, so eat before you get there.

    (4)

  • Bryce B.

    If you've been here once, the show doesn't really change all that much. The only thing that may vary is how drunk (usually quite) the crowds may be. The performers are very talented musicians and can all pound the keys and sing. The tunes they play are all sing along friendly. Some are piano-centric reworks of songs one wouldn't think would work in this format (think "Baby Got Back" or "Baby One More Time"), but oddly do. You can definitely count on a rendition of "Don't Stop Believing" or "We Are the Champions", both of which tend to get the crowd into a full throated lather. The drinks are strong and pretty cheap, but be prepared to wait on a busy night. Howl at the Moon is dependable for a fun night out, but not a place you'd go regularly.

    (3)

  • Joy E.

    Perfect place for a bachelor/bachelorette party, or ANY party!! What a blast, it's kindav a wild joint! So much fun with the sing along band....they charge so much and make such a killing off of all the tipsy folk....But no regrets, We had smiles the whole time! Buckets are your best bet... {skip the lap-dance jello shots, our friend spit his all over the place}

    (5)

  • Frida G.

    This was a pretty cool happy hour spot to hit on a Friday evening right after work. I haven't been there recently, but the last time and only time I went it was $5 free dinner (taco buffet) plus 2 drinks. Then additional drinks were just 50 cents each or something close to that. I was there for a bday and it was pretty entertaining to hear/watch these guys on the piano taking requests from everyone in the crowd. It definitely was a crowd... the seating between tables were too tight and it was hard to hear the person next to you. I think they need a bigger venue.

    (4)

  • Keith B.

    There's not much bad to say about this place. As far as a dueling piano bar goes, it's going to have its share of tools and chodes, and people getting way too drunk and getting in the way a bit. It's going to lose a star for that, albeit it can't really be avoided at a place this crowded. It does, however, fall on the responsibility of the bartender, to, ya know, cut 'em off. The piano music is great for a bar. I can appreciate quality music when I hear it, and I'll give credit where credit is due. Love the buckets of booze and despite the crowd, there's usually a spot to park, drink and enjoy the show. Service is relatively quick and friendly. Would definitely come back here. Had a great time the couple nights I went.

    (4)

  • Stephen F.

    Howl at the Moon is a hoot. You might have fun, you might not (I have had both experiences) and you'll definitely leave with your wallet much emptier. So go here if: -You have already eaten -You enjoy drinks in test tubes -You like piano covers of 80s rock anthems (and who doesn't?) -You are interested in very white, very midwesternly women -You have the ability to hit on said white midwesterners when they can't hear a word you are saying -You own a cowboy hat, but don't know what "spurs" are. Actually, if this is you, I hear Howl is hiring.

    (3)

  • Ellen S.

    If I wanted to be around 300 white people singing along to Journey at a combo frat/bachelorette party, I'd have murdered a puppy. It'd be a far more efficient route to Hell; and at least Hell doesn't charge cover.

    (1)

  • Jacob J.

    Find.. many women here usually. You.. guy, be able to sing in front of a crowd and or dance with that lady in front of that same crowd. Maybe you get laid. Mostly a white time. I'm a person that would put myself out there and talk to people. There have been more times where I didn't have a great time. I would take tourists here they may have a great time. Never a place I would roll out too just for the fuck of it. Unless I was going with a big group of women. Chicks find this place awesome. Dudes, not really. Sometimes there is a bullshit cover. Bartenders have never done a great job of pouring.

    (2)

  • Swati B.

    Went here on a Monday night after a dinner with some friends from out of town and had sooo much fun. The ambiance is really low key, chill and fun, everyone at the bar was just looking to relax yet have a great time. The musicians are amazing, to think they know all these great songs on piano and the lyrics too...it was really impressive. When we got there it was pretty empty, so when they asked for requests you pretty much got to hear what you wanted, as it filled up, it became harder for your requests to get in, so you never know what you're going to really hear....we heard everything from Kings of Leon, Beastie Boys, to Kid Rock to Elton John, The Who, and Foreigner. I think this could be a great place to suggest for a group of friends, or even a fun date place if your date is laid back!

    (4)

  • Kerry S.

    Great spot- enjoyed the music and people watching. The musicians really know how to keep the crowd entertained and they even played a song or two those we were with requested.

    (4)

  • Tita P.

    Cheesy piano players...cheesier customers..strong drinks! Yes I am a fan!! I love that they play songs that I haven't heard...hmmm since the 80s. Overall, you can go in sad but you will leave very happy... Guaranteed fun!!

    (4)

  • Shana M.

    I enjoyed my experience here a lot more than I expected to. Ok, I'll admit I was going in with the a lame "too cool" high school skepticism, but it was an after work happy hour on the near north side: just not my typical enjoyable scene, ya know? Well! I had a great time! The parties are easy to win (2 of 5 co-workers won one). The players are super fun (Jennifer is hot and rocks that piano and vocals). The free buffet food is perfect to prime you up for the cheap party drinks. It's super duper loud in here, but that's because we're all having such a great time howling Bohemian Rhapsody or Shot Through The Heart in our business casuals. I'll be back again (for another party winner) and I'll have A Time I'm sure! (Be aware there's a $15 card minimum).

    (3)

  • Stephanie E.

    We went here for a birthday last Sunday and boy was it a blast. Loved the bucket drink and the music. We were sad we got there so late but pleased that they were so packed.

    (4)

  • Jamie G.

    We had an absolute ball at Howl at the Moon! We got there nice and early so were able to grab a table and not pay cover. The musicians were amazing, so talented and really engaged with the crowd. Such a fun night!

    (5)

  • Irene G.

    This place is okay, but there are definitely better bars to check out in the nearby area. I only stayed for an hour on a Friday evening to keep a friend company since he was there for a birthday party and knew only one person. If not for that bday party, I would not have gone because there is a cover charge which is only $5, but to me too much to pay for this place. I got two domestic beers for only $1 which was a deal that came with the bday girl's package. The dueling piano was slightly entertaining, but the crowd seemed too touristy and suburban. I watched a very old wobbly man dance with a woman in her 20s, which was both amusing and kind of creepy at the same time. The man might have been her grandpa -who knows. It definitely is a "tourist trap" as one friend told me. Been curious about this place for years, so I'm just glad I got to see what it's all about. Don't know if i'll go here again, though.

    (2)

  • AJ W.

    "Where music majors go to die" Meh, I doubt I will be back. It wasn't bad...not my scene. I dodged the cover and hit the 2 drinks for $1 thing. The drinks were teeny...but they were a buck...so I shouldn't complain. The music was not good. We wound up leaving for a karaoke bar because if I was going to hear bad singing...I wanted to be the cause of it and not feeling like I had to tip for it.

    (3)

  • Jennifer C.

    After going to Pete's in Dallas last weekend this just doesn't compare. Thank goodness my hubby and I had free passes to get in because at 5:45 pm today they were charging $10 to get in. Is it worth $10 since the pianos don't even start until 6, absolutely not. The pianists are not quite as involved as I've seen, the drinks are way more expensive than Pete's which may make it a little less fun because the people in general are less drunk. :) I enjoy it but I wouldn't rush back there like other piano bars of been to. I did, however, enjoy the free happy hour buffet. For being free the pasta salad, tacos, and hot dogs were great.

    (3)

  • Susan G.

    Not sure what the allure to this place is, but we were invited here for a birthday party. We arrived before they started charging a $10 cover and got 2 drink tickets which entitled us to a select group of drinks for $1. Well, I went with the pinot grigio which wasn't too bad. The place was packed and it was impossible to really get near the tables reserved for the birthday party we were attending. It was so noisy that conversation was impossible. The appetizer buffet was completely unappetizing -- chunks of what looked like government-issue cheese, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and what looked like pulled pork. I took a pass on it all. The piano players were okay, but their singing was really off key. The valet parking is $12 for 3 hours which is about par for the area. I certainly would not return to this place.

    (2)

  • Joel W.

    It's dueling pianos=amazing piano players. Any song, just request and they'll do it. Party in the USA, Friday, Sexy And I Know It.

    (4)

  • Meredith G.

    What a fun place! Again, didn't know we'd wind up here after dinner at RockIt, but glad we did. It was a Sunday night around 9 and the place was hopping. There was a big private group up front, but every seat and standing area was taken. I don't go to piano bars often, but in my opinion the musicians playing on this trip were great. There were 3 guys & a girl and they rotated between the 2 pianos, drums & guitars. Very fun spot. Not sure what time they start charging at the door, but we got in for free. They do advertise free entry coupons in some of the tourist booklets.

    (4)

  • Alex L.

    One of my prefered places downtown Chicago. I had the opportunity to be there several time for Halloween, the atmospher was awesome. A small cover for the musicians, but then, once inside it was crazy.

    (5)

  • Jonathan C.

    Its a PIANO BAR. Does anyone know what that mean? No Fratastic Freddy it is not going to have club music that goes 'dudadu-du dudadu-du...' its not going to have flashy lights and lots of t-bags with the same haircut as you (aka search "My New Haircut" on youtube) Its going to have....(drum roll please).... pianos. Its a dueling piano bar and they play any request.

    (4)

  • Anna P.

    I really enjoyed this place, with the caveat that I was at one of the free after-work parties that they host, which includes: - A free buffet of hot dogs and tacos (yum!) - $1 well drinks - YES, ONE DOLLAR! So really I couldn't lose, but I still thought it was a cool place and is definitely a bit different than your average bar. It's in a great area with other bars in case you get bored, and is pretty loud with the music but it's also fun because everyone is always prepared to sing a long with the music and they play pretty good stuff. However, I don't want to be cruel, but the singers the night I was there really sucked. Not that I could do much better, and I'd understand if it were karoake, but this isn't a place I'd pay to get into ;-) In sum - definitely worth checking out without paying cover, but is better for larger groups or people who don't need to talk to each other a lot. I wouldn't bring a date here because it's so hard to chat, unless you just want to listen to the music!

    (3)

  • Diana R.

    Win a free party (thanks Rhonda) and debauchery ensues! Thats the motto here at Howl at the Moon. This dueling piano bar was packed at 5pm on a Friday. I guess everybody was ready for the weekend. The tables are EXTREMELY close to one another (expect to make friends, not by choice) and there are tourists, college students, 'just turned 21ers who still look 18', and old...er people. I saw bucket guy, he had about 10 straws in that bucket, he offered me some drink but I'm trying to keep my swine flu chances to a minimum along with other things. Review of the piano people: Hmmm, well they rushed threw a few songs, waited til someone from the band knew "bad touch' by bloodhound gang (i mean c'mon, how do you NOT know that song) and if they didnt like your choice, they would shout out "$1 to stop playing this song".... But I think they are supposed to be super sarcastic. Loved it! They had the party going here, people were dancing onstage and off and I saw more old people grinding than I ever thought I would. The real treat was having a girl drummer join in some of the songs. Overall, a good time and can't wait for the next happy hour.

    (4)

  • Bella J.

    I went to this bar with couple of my friends some time ago. I remember it took a while to get a table because the bar was very crowded. I don't know was it because it is so popular or was it because of the band that was performing there. So there were around five guys on the stage playing songs by the request. Ther were rotating every couple songs between playing piano, guitar, drums and singing. Relly impressive. Also, you cauld write you favorite song on a piece of paper, leave it ont the piano with a tip and hope that it will get selected. Of course the bigger tip you'd put with it the bigger the chances of it to get selected. They don't have drafted beers there but I was completely fine with the blu moons i ordered. Didn't have a chance to taste their coctails or snacks so no comments on that.

    (4)

  • Lauren H.

    I stopped in here on the way home for the free party Rhonda G "won". We all got 2 drink-for-a-dollar tickets, so I got a whiskey and diet and a whiskey and ginger. Eh. The free pulled pork wasn't bad, but the pasta salad was drowned in oil. I didn't taste the weiners but Andre liked them. Johnny got a baby beer for his buck (seriously, I didn't even know Bud made bottles that size, it was amusing) and a whiskey and coke. Something was really off about the latter so I made him go back to the bartender to remake it, but it was still pretty bad, so I guess their soda is funky or something, but it was undrinkable. My one taste of the nachos someone in our party bought was enough for me, I thought they were pretty vile. The place seemed filled with cougars, tourists, or the just out of college crowd, and didn't work for me. And I usually enjoy cheesey loungey piano bar entertainment, but here every song sounded speeded up and bouncy and I wish I had had the $$ to pay them to stop playing. I have come to the point in my life I would rather pay a few bucks for a drink and enjoy where I go. Some free/discount places aren't worth it. This place made me howl, but not at the moon....not in a positive way at least...

    (1)

  • talia r.

    I dock points because were had to wait in the super long line. We were here for a birthday party, table already set up for us, friends inside and three girls still had to wait in line. A little ridiculous if you ask me. This place is a lot more hopping than the usual piano bars I have been to. It made for an interesting night. Especially with the mix of young and old and five bachelorette parties that were there. The best part of the night were the buckets o booze. Long straws dive into a cotton candy like bucket where you can sit and slurp till your heart's content-- or until you start getting nothing but ice, which can happen sooner than you would think with 3 girls. The bar itself is forgettable, definitely the cougar/tourist place but a fun night can be had with the right group of people, mocking all the sequins in the crowd and a bucket of the hurricane.

    (2)

  • Jeff H.

    I'm just going to free flow here. Just gonna let stream of consciousness take over. Here goes.... -Poop sandwich- Woah, how long was I out? Must've blacked out. What'd I write? Ohhh. Hmm, yeah, I'll stand by that.

    (1)

  • Jackie P.

    I like free stuff, I like happy hour and I like Rhonda. Put that all together and you get a free happy hour with Rhonda at Howl. That's about all I can say about this place. I think a good time is all about who you are with. I could probably have a great time in a brown paper bag if I was with the right people and thank goodness I was with the right people on Friday. They made Howl a...ummm...scream. I was a wee bit disappointed with the tiny drinks for $1. But hey they were a $1 so imagine my surprise when I started paying $4 for the same small drink! Yikes! Like Rhonda said you can buy a tall drink but it won't get you anymore alcohol. The "buffet" was not really a buffet but it was free and I was hungry and no one said anything about me putting ketchup on my dog. Yum! They had some taquitos on the buffet that made me happy to but I would suggest staying away from the pasta salad. That is unless you like crappy pasta salad.

    (3)

  • Adam T.

    This place is a blast if you go at the right time! I'm 22 and if you're looking for a wild-younger crowd, this is not the place to be on a Friday/Saturday night. I went on a Sunday night and had a great time! We got in around 8 or 9 got an awesome table right up front in the middle and rocked out to some great music by some great performers. The songs got more intense and the place got a bit more crowded as the night went on. It's generally a little bit of an older crowd but you can't go wrong bringing a good group of friends. I thought the alcohol was priced pretty fairly as well. I went on a saturday night one time and it was too crowded to even stand comfortably and the singers' voices were all shot from the night before! They sounded terrible! I'm sure it's always better during the week, try to think of a couple really good songs before you go in (for them to play) they know everything and they perform extremely well.

    (4)

  • CATHERINE C.

    Now let me say this... while I didn't think this place was the WORST in the world.. I don't think it deserved simply a Meh... 2 stars. Arrived with a group for a Bachelorette Party around 8pm on a Saturday night. We had reserved 3 tables (4 people at a table/2 drinks a piece) and then had others in our group that didn't want to pay for the tables. All in all there were around 20-25 in our group. Getting in was no biggie. The place was slightly crowded but I expected that. I first noticed that the tables and chairs were SO tightly squeezed together (even though at that time they were not filled).. After 9pm? Be prepared for a line around the block.. that was constant.. all. night. long. PARTIES Someone else organized the event and I was just a guest. Apparently, you don't get drink tickets or anything. The waitress just said "you have a tab with 24 drinks on it.. once they are gone.. you're tab starts running".. I am sorry but this is ridiculous. I can see if the place wasn't as busy as it gets but who the F can keep track of that. I was especially mad because I don't house drinks.. so someone who pounds them could have taken my 2nd while I was still on my first. Apparently, the tab ran out and the organizer got a bill for 2 beers and it was for $19. WHAT???? When asked what the heck was going on the waitress said she added herself $7 for tip. Unreal. Once the place gets filled? NIGHTMARE. It is so unbelievably packed its a frightening. For those of you that are from Chicago, all I kept thinking was E2 (club fire/serious injuries/fatalities). Seriously. We had a pregnant bridesmaid with us (drinking agua of course) and I was actually worried for her if something happened. There is no way to get out. People are packed in like sardines and then people that haven't reserved tables are spewing all over the place in every aisle and every walkway. Scary. They have a small little dance floor in front of the first row of tables and some jackass launched some dumb girl across the floor and head first into the tables. Beer flew everywhere and no apologies were given. Drunken morons. Its was nice to sit in front of the stage and see the dueling pianos. It was even a nicer treat to get the extended crotch shot from another drunk bachelorette as she gyrated a random stranger. I am sure her husband-to-be and NO ONE in the front row were pleased. The woman's bathrooms (I am not sure about the mens) are located upstairs. 2 steep flights of stairs. You practically pee all over yourself before you even get there. The drinks??? Gross!! I ordered a vodka soda and it tasted horrible. Thinking they used cheap vodka I asked for them to replace it with another. THE 2ND TASTE WORSE. I went directly to the bar and complained and the bartender told me that "since the flooding.. all of the well drinks tasted awful". He gave me a pepsi and it tasted disgusting. Thanks for the double vodka cran buddy but SERIOUSLY??? Take some of that money you guys charge and fix you shhh... The idea of the place is fun. But the overcrowding and awful drinks/service take away from what could really be a gem. Unless I have another bachelorette that wants her party there, I will do anything to keep myself from returning.

    (1)

  • Ian M.

    I have to start off by saying that "California Gurls" was requested and performed on the fly for probably the first time there. For the musician to have enough knowledge to pull it off was a crowd pleaser. Anyways, I think piano bars are like karaoke bars, but you request others to sing the songs you'll eventually sing along to, saving you potential embarrassment of singing by yourself on stage. You can actually sing on stage with the band if you want, but you better be good at it. But if you stay in the crowd all night, at least show some enthusiasm because the musicians are playing the songs you'll been dying to sing along to. Oh yeah, they've got those crazy buckets of sweet alcoholic concoctions but I'm not going to review those - you can try them four yourself.

    (4)

  • M P.

    I would love to give negative stars to this place. The drinks are tiny and nasty and the service is the worst! Extremely rude. They tried to charge us for drinks that we didn't order. The most concerning part is that my friend was roofied here. We took her to the bathroom and this skinny rude little bouncer actually followed us into the women's washroom to tell us that we had to leave. She was so sick and he was just throwing us out on the street. Of course we were leaving, but he was unbelievably rude to us. I would recommend you go somewhere else for a fun night out. Unless you want to get roofied.

    (1)

  • Clarissa D.

    I went to Howl At the Moon on a Thursday night. It was decently crowded, but not really my scene: a lot of old people (like, 40's, 50's) as well as visitors/tourists. Drinks are on the expensive side ($8-9), and even though the dueling pianists - and their accompanying band - are quite talented, the music is all country and classic rock (blech). I challenged them to play 'Just Dance,' but apparently Lady Gaga is not in their repertoire. Icing on the cake was how the guys I went with were intent on "cougar hunting," and they were actually quite successful. There was an abundance of intoxicated older women who were touchy, sloppy and blind to my scorn. I mean, more power to them (and to the 20-something guys who want to take advantage), but again... not my scene. However, I discovered one of their featured concoctions: Blue Moon with a shot of Bacardi-O for $8. After a few of those, I found myself among the uncoordinated, dancing masses, yelling the lyrics to endless Bon Jovi and Elton John. The night ended in a blur and I'm pretty sure I was laughing deliriously when I left. Put simply, before copious amounts of alcohol, Howl At the Moon was a level of HELL for the hip-hop-loving-hipster in me.

    (2)

  • Natalie T.

    I've won a hosting party for this place twice and each time was fantastic. With the party, my guests get two $1 drinks until 7pm and $3.50 drinks until 9pm. There is also free admission and a free buffet for guests until 7pm. The pianist play songs of all different types of genres and in the later hours, they really get the crowds going. The music is so much fun and it has you dancing, even when the space is limited. The place does have the tendency to get really crowed and if you want a table, you have to arrive around 5pm. I've heard that normal cover is pretty expensive and after 9pm, the drinks are pretty pricey as well.

    (4)

  • kelly c.

    Not the worst bachelorette party experience to be had, obviously, because there might have been forty other ones there besides the one I was with. Not my steeze at all, though I was slightly impressed that these dueling pianos knew pretty much every pop song written in the last 70 years. (Was there even 'pop' music before this time frame?) And each of the musicians rotated and played all the instruments. Here, even more than most bars, drunkenness is the goal, and the entertainers aren't afraid to acknowledge that. "Hey drunk people,..." "You drunk enough yet?" ect. Waiting in line for a half hour, then paying a $10 cover did not please me. Drink prices are expensive, but no more than any other place in this area. Booze buckets are abound, and short, shirtless men to sexily squirt a cherry concoction into your mouth (Most girls that did this had a look of disgust when the squirt hit, and I'm told it was not so tasty). Bathroom attendant for a pretty scummy bathroom makes me wonder. Song requests that came with $20 tips were announced and played immediately. This seemed to be the norm. IMO, there's no song I need to pay $20 to hear hacked out by a live 'covers everything' band. But patrons of HatM were not of my opinion. Plastic light up penises and bar cards do not excite me one bit, but if I am to endure such an event, this place alright for it.

    (2)

  • Jackie O.

    I'm forwarding this review with two things. One, it was my first time going here. Two, I went on a Thursday night and not a weekend. I wanted to check this place out after a buddy of mine came home raving about the one in Vegas. I've seen plenty of bad reviews, but still, it sounded like this place could be a good time. Cover was $5, nothing outrageous. As a hard liquor drinker, I had sticker shock when I walked away from the bar with my tiny little drink and I recommend hitting this bar after you've already had a few (somewhere else for a lot cheaper). The music variety was all over the place, and somehow Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas are a lot less annoying to hear as a piano arrangement than blaring from a juke box. Most of the crowd still hadn't switched out of their business attire, and had no problem attempting to dance to anything the dueling pianos played. It was fun people watching, but I'm glad the seat I snagged was far enough away from the band where I wasn't getting elbowed and bumped by the drunk 40-somethings on the 3' dance area. When the crowd started to die down for the night, I just started shouting requests at the band, and they were happy to play Jerry Lee Louis and just about anything I wanted to hear. The entertainment was great, and this seems like a great weekday spot. I'll continue to avoid it on weekends to stay away from that bachelor(ette) nightmare crowd so many other people encountered.

    (3)

  • K C.

    No. aucun. nicht. . . no The best I could in 6 Languages.

    (1)

  • Erin V.

    Howl At the Moon - You may be an expensive and glorified jukebox, but I still love you. How can I not with your talented musicians and your fun variety of beverage containers? (tubes and buckets!) Always a great time when I make my way to this local. However, I personally wouldn't make this a regular spot for fear it would lose a bit of its luster. Plus my wallet and dignity can't handle paying for Justin Beiber on a regular basis.

    (4)

  • Christyn K.

    Two words: COUGAR BAR. We did a bit of a social experiment while here and sent a 20-something guy to deliberately "get lost" in the cougar den in the back of the bar. Sure enough, the poor guy was attacked. As a married woman with my husband there with me, I felt a little out of place. Though WE were dressed to kill, some of the cougars were either wearing Forever 21 clothes they must have borrowed from their daughters, or they were wearing sweat pants and t-shirts (no lie). Came here as part of one of their many "win a VIP party with your friends!" promos and was anxious to indulge in the "free food and cheap drink" offers. Though I know that beggars shouldn't he choosers, the food was kind of gross, though the drinks specials were decent (and watching grown men drink $1 pony beers was more entertaining than the piano music). Had they not opened their windows we may have stayed longer - we were freezing and had a hard time focusing on each other with the cougars on the prowl.

    (3)

  • Mikey U.

    This place is near the top of my list for reasons to visit Chicago again!!! After getting primed with drinks at Mother Hubbard's across the street, we found ourselves here at Howl At The Moon. Now, by previous experiences, I'm not particularly enthused by dueling piano bars, but this place has quickly changed my outlook. I can't fully describe the venue (being three drinks to the wind already at the time) but I'll do my best... The square 3-sided bar at the front was efficiently tended by 2, sometimes three, bartenders. There was another (smaller?) bar at the far end of the room, but I didn't make it that far. Also, there was a separate "beers in a tub of ice" bar located near the front bar. Also on hand, and busy-busy-busy, were approximately 8-10 wait-persons who tended to both tabled customers as well as those of us standing (it was a packed house!) And of course... what every dueling piano bar needs... there were the two (then three, then four, then dozen) entertainers on stage keeping the place in either grooves or giggles and sometimes both. In addition to the dueling pianists, sometimes requests are sang by requester (so drunkenly bad that it's good!) and there are ensemble pieces where all the waitstaff get on stage for pieces like a Grease-medley (hand jive included). And on the night that we went, there happened to be 7 (yes, seven) bachelorette parties there, so at many points through out the night, there would be big singalongs by brides-to-be and their bridal parties. But even aside from this, the audience seems to be made up primarily of women (YAY!), and since its not a dance club, and the focus of attention is on the entertainers, the vibe here is very NOT meat-marketish... The dueling pianists here have a good gig and are really good about interjecting lots of humor and personality into the requests. There's plenty of back and forth between the two as well as banter with audience members. And these two have quite a repertoire of what they can play. And what they can't play or might not be too familiar with?? There's LISA.... sigh... Lisa. [NOTE: You might not be so lucky as to see Lisa, I believe I heard that she was just visiting(?) from San Diego.] This girl was AWESOME (& cute) and TALENTED (& cute) and CUTE (& cute)! I mean, she played bass guitar, then violin, then jumped down on the piano and mic and played and sang the bejeesus out of our requests for EWF's September and Stevie Wonder's For Once In My Life. Ah, the two friends with me teased that I had a crush on her... you're damn right I did! She was dope!! 1 Star for very lively and fun atmosphere. 1 Star for audience, people, vibe 1 Star for the dueling pianist 1 Star for Lisa

    (4)

  • Kate T.

    Is it possible to give negative stars? While I don't dislike the piano bar concept in theory, in reality, I despise HATM. I do not enjoy waiting in line, I do not enjoy paying cover, I do not enjoy schmoozing with cougars, and certainly do not enjoy when the bartender fudges my credit card receipt and gives herself an $11 tip instead of the $1 I originally wrote. To be avoided at all costs. Unless of course, you enjoy paying hefty prices for weak drinks while rocking out to a decent piano accompanying a room full of howling 40 year olds from the suburbs who come to HATM for a "city" experience. Gross.

    (1)

  • Jen K.

    FUN!! Great service, awesome musicians that were incredibly talented. Our waitress was such a doll - she was dealing with 30 of our staff and gave fantastic service with a huge smile. This is an entertaining little hole in the wall that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to have fun in Chicago. The piano players really worked the audience and got to as many requests as possible given the tons of people who kept submitting them. Drink prices were reasonable and they had some fun beverage options. We all had a total blast!

    (5)

  • Bridget J.

    I love music and I used to play piano, but I'm going to be a jerk and admit I thought this place was super cheesy. It's worth checking out once but I wouldn't go back anytime soon. I think if you want the whole piano bar experience you can go off the beaten path and check out the Zebra Lounge or somewhere else. While you can really let your hair down at this place, the coolness level is equal to The Olive Garden. The two stars is for the waitstaff who were was prompt and efficient.

    (2)

  • Tuesday D.

    I am a BIG fan of piano bars. It's a guaranteed way to have a great night. This piano bar gets a big thumbs down. Not because of the line, or the cover charge, or the crowd, or all of the bachorette parties. Because of the band on stage with the pianos. Horrible. Idea. Not that we had a bad time, but you don't go to a piano bar to hear a band.

    (2)

  • Erin C.

    In general, I try to stay away from this place - mostly because it's full of out of towners and bachelorette parties which is really not my scene. But after searching for a bar near work with decent drink specials, my coworkers and I wound up here. We knew what we were getting ourselves into so we wound up having a decent time. Decent because our service? Was AWFUL. When we first sat down, we moved the two tables so we could all sit a little closer together. Shortly after, we were reprimanded for moving the tables and had to put them back as they had been before. Lame. Our waiter took his sweet time getting our drinks (2 buckets of beer and 2 cocktails - not difficult and we almost walked out of the bar) and then finally returned with menus. Don't plan on eating here. There are like 5 things on the menu. And they aren't tasty. At one point after we'd gotten our food, our waiter came by to let us know that he was only going to be working our table and he'd be around more. Umm....too late buddy. Once the music got started, we had a good time (the musicians are awesome), but that's about the only good thing here.

    (2)

  • Diane H.

    I came here on a Thursday after work because a friend actually won the a free "party" that you can put your name in for so I luckily didn't have to pay the admission fee (but would have gladly paid as it would have been worth it). All the guys (maybe there are girls on other nights, but it was all male that night) who played were great. They played a full range of genres and had great audience interactions. My friends and I arrived around 6:30 and there weren't too many people there, but the musicians were still lively and great. The place started to fill up including a birthday party of about 15 people and was pretty full by 8pm. The musicians were great; there were five or so guys that rotated between the pianos, guitars, drums, even trump! I was truly amazed that one guy played each of the instruments and sang while I was there - impressive. They switched between just the two pianos and the full band and it was a great show! I was disappointed that they didn't play any of my song requests (I even included a $5 tip!) in the few hours I was there but perhaps they just couldn't work it into their idea of the song order in the time I was there. Hopefully next time I'll have more luck!

    (4)

  • Kevin R.

    happened upon this place because other club we went to was closed for private function and am glad it was this place was great

    (5)

  • Shana S.

    We have a Howl at the Moon in Kansas, so when we visited the Chicago HatM we thought it would be similar. We were not so lucky. The only reason we went, after seeing not so great Yelp reviews, was because we got in for free due to a Yelp promotion. It seemed like every song sung was the remix version of the actual song. Too much drums, I thought it was a piano bar... Singing was not that great, so we only stayed for 30 minutes or less. No wonder there were empty tables. I can never get a freaking table at the HatM in KC, we should have known something was up.

    (2)

  • Ryan Y.

    Alright, be prepared, this place is practically tourist HQ. Now you have no excuse to show up here, run into a few hundred bachelorette parties and conventioneers. That being said, this place is a blast. Howl at the Moon is a great place to go and partake in some truly guilty pleasure music. The entertainers are remarkably impressive musicians with minds like vaults for music and lyrics. It's a place where you can go and not worry about having a few too many and singing way too loud, because everyone is. Definitely not a regular place, but a great place when you have folks in from out of town or just feel like getting a little stupid.

    (4)

  • Steve L.

    The cover band is pretty neat. I went there last night with a couple of friends. Definitely had a good time, but that's because I love shouting "Sweet Child of Mine" at the top of my lungs. The band does a great job of doing each of the songs. I really don't know what happens when someone requests a song and they don't know it....what happens to the money they put down? Crowd is questionable though. I saw a lot of old white women trying to get their kicks and more than a couple balding guys. I think a lot of the music reflected this too. I grew up listening to Nirvana, GNR, Westside Connection, 2pac. There were a ton of songs I just did not know. Either way though, if you just like randomly shouting like me, this can be a great time.

    (3)

  • Lauren R.

    Super fun! This place is usually always pact. I wish it was bigger so everyone can sit and enjoy the music all night. I'm not a big fan of that $10 cover on Saturdays but o well. Keep up the good work!

    (4)

  • Mark P.

    I wish I saw some of the reviews before coming here and would have avoided doing a review at all. Yes, I am younger... but not really a hipster. I do prefer more of a rock club atmosphere, and should not have let my friends talk me into going! But, I am not judging it on personal preferences, but rather for what it is. First off, charging a cover charge PLUS sky high drink prices is outrageous for what this place is. For live entertainment I could see one or the other, but not both in a venue like this. I could predict each song they would do, and most of it was so corny I wanted to laugh at them not with them. To dovetail with some of the other comments stay away if you are younger and sober. I could see having fun laughing at most of the other people if I was trashed already, but at the drink prices listed I could not afford to get trashed at this place. 20 minute and I was out... which was still 4 predictable songs too long.

    (1)

  • Janet L.

    What a fun place! My classmates won free happy hours, so I came here with a bunch of people. It was a great deal - free buffet and no cover before 7pm, and two $1 drink tickets. The musicians were so talented and fun - I was really impressed. HATM got really crowded at the height of happy hour and emptied out a little bit around 10ish, which is when we left to check out another place. All in all, I had a great time. Dinner, music, and two drinks all for just $2 + tips. When we left, a few of the waitstaff had changed into cheesy costumes (skank versions of cowgirl, nurse, sailor) - I'm sure some people would appreciate that. Get here early if you want good seats!

    (4)

  • Geovanny N.

    In small description this place has.... Two piano players face each other and take turns singing time-tested tunes like "Sweet Caroline" and "Devil Went Down to Georgia". Talented musicians add to the fun of the dueling pianos with instruments like the bass, drums and even the electric violin. Requests are encouraged, and singing along is a must. When groups can agree on the same sipper, they go for 86-ounce buckets of booze bliss, like the ever-popular Long Island Iced Tea. I can't say it was the best place I have ever been but I still had a good night out. Everything from the food to the drinks are just okay. I do not recommend this place for a first date type of thing. Since it does tend to get rowdy with all the different events going on at the same time. Still Howl at the Moon is a good place to go in a group to unwind and just have fun.

    (3)

  • Jennifer D.

    $1 Busch can specials? We saw that almost everyone was drinking Busch cans and we were wondering why. Well, $1 explains it. You don't see things like that in Boston. Anyways, it is really like any other dueling piano bar that I have been to. The seating is really very close to each table so you are squeezed in there. It was an ok diversion after a long day of immersion computer training.

    (3)

  • Giggly C.

    Fun alternative to a bar. Although there were 2 pianos, friday night was more live music, and not dueling pianos, like I was thinking. Large variety of people, with a 2 to 1 ratio girls to guys. I think there were 3 bacholorette parties going on that night. Lively music, not much room for dancing, tiny bathroom with long lines at end of night.

    (4)

  • Matt N.

    Before I start I am biased, I could tell as soon as I walked in that this was not my kind of place. Luckily I drank enough across the street first so that it didn't really matter. This is your typical 21 year old (or kids with fake ID's) place, I am sure I was surrounded by DePaul students and tourists from Schaumburg. I am all for the piano bar place, and actually have been to a good one but this attempt at music was greatly unfounded in my opinion. This place featured sticky floors, no tables, everyone hammered to oblivion, and was complete with giant ice and alcohol bucket with fifty straws. Even if this was my kind of place it would not be my kind of place! Save the unwarranted ten dollar cover for another beer across the street.

    (1)

  • Melissa W.

    I am embarrassed to admit what a good time i had here. I was in Chicago with a friend who had visited before. At first I was turned off by the sort of trashy looking, very drunk crowd of a strangely wide range of ages... and it was painfully obvious how the bar is set up to rid drunk people of even more of their money than regular bars. It was loud and crowded, not my cup of tea. We got there around 9, so we managed to get a table after just 20 minutes or so. And then I got to sit and watch the show. I was blown away by the entertainers. They traded instruments constantly, sang very well, had excellent stage banter and really knew how to keep the energy flowing. I think they must drink a gallon of coffee before going on... or maybe it's a huge performance rush, but how do they do it night after night? The female entertainer, Elisa (but I'm not sure how to spell it) was our favorite, she played piano, base, drums, and by the end of the night she was sitting on a piano fiddling The Devil Went Down to Georgia and we decided there was pretty much nothing she couldn't do. She's my hero. This is not a classy joint, I wouldn't have waited to get in (we didn't the night before when we had walked by), but on a night when I didn't feel like taking myself so seriously I had a really, really great time.

    (4)

  • Jessica O.

    Ok people!!! If you are a guy, this is the ULTIMATE place to pick up a chick! If you are a girl, this is the ULTIMATE place to sing at the top of your lungs and have a "I don't really give a crap what I look like I'm having fun" type of time with your buddies. This is a very busy place around 10-12 am on Fridays and Saturdays. I would recommend getting a table or showing up after a few drinks at a different establishment to avoid the lines. I would recommend this place to any bachelor/bachelorette parties, birthday gatherings, or any type of loud obnoxious gathering. This isn't the let's go out and have a quiet night of jazz piano, this is a "raise your glass and sing/yell" type of place! Rock on... and request the "Devil went down to Georgia" it rocks.

    (4)

  • Jeffrey E.

    This joint is about as cheesy as it gets, so it's a big hit with the just turned 21 from Schaumburg crowd and clueless midwest tourists. Basically, it's a couple dudes that play awful requests from idiot patrons ... so, it's like the Top Gun soundtrack on repeat. Somehow they charge a premium for drinks too, which makes the place even more awful on every level. I wanted to leave immediately after entering.

    (1)

  • Dave C.

    right off the bat, this place lost points with me for a $10 cover. i'm not rich. and the economy...oh, you know! how much fun you'll have here is probably largely a function of what crowd you run with. let's say that Howl looks exactly like what would happen if you found a secret passage into the world of a J. Crew catalog in your linen closet. the premise here is that there are two pianists who know, more or less, every hit pop song ever and they play along with the band while the room sings along and gets up on the stage to drunkenly dance like a buffoon. makes for good peoplewatching. points were regained by 'Sweet Child O' Mine' and a few other decent tunes. bottom line is, if you like karaoke singalongs, then you'll probably love this place provided you're wearing a button-up shirt (i'm looking at you, dudes in the club). so i'll say that i'd like 5 out of my $10 back. please.

    (3)

  • Sam C.

    I've heard of dueling pianos from my roommate, and I'm a big fan of piano bars in general, but I suppose my expectations were too high. I went this past Friday for a friend's birthday and walked in very hopeful. I walked in and got a couple tickets for $1 drinks, and there was tacos/nachos for free to my left. The evening was looking up, but leveled off when I ordered my drink at the bar and got a weak drink. It's disappointing but expected that a bar would serve a weak drink for $1. The pianos were great, but I question whether a repeat visit would get repetitive. The one really great thing about my evening, is that it validates for the Self-Park on Kinzie and I think State ($5 after validation.) Overall, a place for special events but not a repeater for me.

    (3)

  • Matthew E.

    Howl at the Moon seems an appropriate name for this bar. It does seem like two dogs are on pianos howling instead of actually singing. My friend enjoys piano bars and this one has been talked up greatly. There was nothing I liked here. Not the overcrowded space, or the overall music. The song requests were lame and at times the two guys playing piano had the banter of 8th graders talking about boobs and giggling. Cover was $10, which felt like someone kicked me in the stomach and then robbed me after the experience I had. Definitely wont return here. As my one friend put it, he now knows somewhere to take his girlfriend if he wants her to break up with him.

    (2)

  • Justin M.

    Jesus, I am way too old for this place. Visited about 5 months ago, had a friend in town and somehow we wound up meeting here. Could not even get close to the bar because of the high-volume of assholes in my way. Had to settle on bottles of beer being served from the tubs. The bathroom lines were insane, and everyone that walked by me literally bumped into me. At first I was pissed, but then I got so used to it...it became strange when someone wasn't falling into me. Their only saving grace is the dueling pianos, which more and more bars are copying now. I will give them that, they do entertainment very well at Howl.

    (3)

  • Matt W.

    Howl At The Moon, stay away from this bar. I want to preface this entirely over-ranty review by saying that if the review was based solely on the two pianists that make up the dueling pianos I would be far more lenient. The two performers are doing their absolute best to make this place fun and original. But they can't save the experience or make the crowd any better. My company chose Howl At The Moon for our company party this year. A little research unveiled that the place is actually a chain bar. Much like TGI Fridays, Chilis and the like Howl At The Moon is just one of a couple dozen like-designed bars in the US. I'm glad I knew this going in as otherwise I would've been expecting a whole lot more out of the place. A friend of ours swears by Howl At The Moon so we had mixed feelings going in. We got together around 8pm with a chunk of the first two rows reserved for us. I noticed there was a $10 cover which we thankfully didn't have to pay as the company bought a group package. If I had to pay $10 to get in I strongly suspect I would've stayed out. When we walked in, the male performer was doing a medley of what he confessed to be overdone rap songs. Ice Ice Baby, Baby Got Back and Gin 'n Juice. My hopes were artificially raised because of this but subsequent audience requests dashed those straight out and culminated in the college fight song-off that others have described. People will include a tip with their request and so the school with the largest tip got playtime. We started with the Illini, went to Notre Dame and Iowa and Texas A&M and god knows where else. It lasted about half an hour and the winning bid was $50. I didn't go to college, I didn't care about college and all I learned was there are too many people who are far too old to care about the glory days that have passed them by. But hey, that's just me. The food we ended up ordering was overpriced and way under quality . The buffalo wings smacked of too much vinegar and not enough spice, requiring a healthy bath in ranch to make edible. The drinks were over average quality, of note was the fact that I switched to regular Coke after a bit and was served in something resembling a dixie cup. I shudder to think how much they would've charged us for it had we not been on an open bar. I don't recommend Howl At The Moon. Not even a little. If I knew where I could hear the dueling pianists without the rest of the surrounding garbage then I'd be there in a flash. But as it stands, there's nothing worth howling about.

    (2)

  • Amanda Z.

    I've had great times at this place, but generally after a couple of drinks. Overpriced? Totally. But it does get fun! Who doesn't like singing and being silly?! Especially when everyone is doing it!!! The musicians are talented, I was even moreso impressed when I went there this past weekend. All in all, they cater to a specific kind of crowd, it IS expensive ($10 cover, are you KIDDING ME?!), but it is fun once in awhile!

    (3)

  • Laurel D.

    Dueling pianos and people dancing/singing their hearts out on stage = plus. Creepy old men = negative. This place has decent drink prices for a Friday night, but it takes a while to get to the bar. II tried making my way to the restroom once and only once, and I had to squeeze through large and small groups of writhing bodies. If you want your own space, do not come here on a weekend!

    (3)

  • Law S.

    Absolutely had to be dragged here, but it was a blast! Great place to go with parents, (they love it).

    (4)

  • Jen H.

    SO fun. Can you ever have a bad time here? The piano players are great and do a wonderful time of keeping the crowd entertained... even the people who don't want to sing and dance with the rest of us. I wish they had some more food options- drinking those buckets on an empty stomach is never a good idea. I highly suggest this for all age groups- especially if you are with a group or party.

    (4)

  • Mike K.

    Its such a tourist trap, which is fine. Its for people who really wanna get drunk, stand in an over-crowded bar, and pay 10 bucks to see drunken ladies sing along to a silly piano-based cover band. They did play Ben Folds, which is why they get the extra star.

    (4)

  • J. N.

    There is no reason to set foot in this place, or any other dueling pianos/pianos places, unless the following is applicable to your situation: You are a tourist and didn't know any better You are hosting out of town guests who want to go You are dragged (drug??) there by a stupid Bride You are dragged (drug??) there by someone for a birthday You have never witnessed the tom foolery that is a piano bar You and your significant other have just broken up and you want to act the fool in an anonymous environment I visited Howl at the Moon last night with my roommate and two German women we are hosting. My roommate couldn't think of anything more American. (Yes, yes. Jazz! Of course - the only real, original American art form. We saw that at Mil Park first - so boyah.) Now, I didn't go into this blind. I have been to piano bars before. Elton John, Bill Joel, and every other sing-a-long-song you can imagine. Of the two others I have been to, Howl at the Moon comes in second. These two women in a bar in Las Vegas were hot MILFS and very, very talented... plus the vibe was different, no drunken birthday girls or brides in the crowd. That said, I did have an okay time at this place... An unbelievably hot bartender, an awesome KEYTAR solo, and a very talented female musician who whores her talent to Howl were its saving graces. The bartender? Talk, muscly, competent, humble, sexy, man. He was beautiful. I wanted to take him home with me. I think I even told him he was hot. The KEYTAR? Sweet Child of Mine will never be the same for me without a live KEYTAR solo. I have never actually seen one in person, let alone witness someone rocking out on one. The talented female performer? She must make a shit load of money at this place, and I can't be mad at that. She was excellent, played the violin and drums in addition to the piano. Her hands moved so fast I was duly impressed. She has a great personality and even admitted she was going to ruin Johnny Cash.... which she did. All in all, I had an okay time... Mostly spent making fun of people... But, whatever. That isn't what this is about... this is about pianos bars. Piano bars that are hokey and ridiculous. Really, I prefer my beer in peace - stop singing fat girls!

    (2)

  • Tom T.

    I went to Howl at the Moon and had a wonderful time. A very lively bar with fun for everyone. I was out in Chicago and decided to see a piano bar. Googled "piano Bar-Chicago" and headed out on the Blue Line and taxis. Had a great time. Very lively and loud. Young crowd.

    (4)

  • Marina M.

    I've had some great times the Howl in Indianapolis so I was expecting a similar experience here. Yeah, not so much. Much older crowd and odd setup. Also, the 'musicians' were a big disappointment. Not very good singers and butchered a lot of songs. Plus no personality. The guys in Indy have a great rapport with each other and the crowd which was totally lacking here.

    (2)

  • Ang R.

    You know, it's a bar. With a gimmick. It's also a chain, which is weird, and also breaking my rule of never reviewing chains. I don't know, I don't like bars. My step-brother won a party, so we went as an experiment, and I can see why people like it, and I can see why people might hate it. I personally don't care about it one way or the other, except for the fact that the minute I walked in and took a sip of my ($1) drink (which was heavy on the vodka and not so much on the OJ), a headache began pounding in my left temple. It was either the alcohol or the banging piano, and for what else would you go to a bar like this? Moral of story: don't take my word on the bar. If you'll notice, this is my first bar review ever on Yelp, and there's absolutely a reason for this. So yeah, make up your own mind on Howl at the Moon.

    (3)

  • Yiyu Z.

    Someone at my summer job had won a party to howl, so I checked it out around happy hour time. The live pianos were quite entertaining, and surprisingly talented. The sheer variety/volume of songs that these guys know and can play (and play reasonably well) off the cuff is probably the most impressive thing about HATM. The crowd skews old (read: 40s), at least on the night I went. Also, regular drink prices are somewhat expensive, though if you go with a party the specials before 10 are not quite as bad. Overall an interesting idea (and based on the reviews here it might be worth checking out later at night), but I probably would not come back.

    (2)

  • Sarah-jayne M.

    Howl at the Moon is a good destination if you are looking to have a drunken good time. The place is always packed and the clientele are of the bachorlorette variety but it is what it is. It's loud, it's cramped, the drinks are pricey. However, you can go here with a bunch of friends and sing along to all your fav tunes. I wouldn't go here on a regular basis but when I have gone I have had a good time.

    (3)

  • Melissa K.

    I'm not a singer, just a phobia I have and I love this place. The dueling piano's are so awesome and the crowd is just so into it that I sing away. It's so fun and unique. I know they have Howl at the Moon in other cities and that's great because I'm sure those are fun too. Howl at the Moon is a great place for either a girls night out, a birthday party or just to have some fun with friends. The only downside is that it's so much fun and popular, getting a seat and/or table can be difficult. But you're singing and enjoying yourself so much does it really matter?

    (4)

  • Meredith H.

    5 stars alone bc one of the piano men allowed me to play the tambourine so long and so hard i woke up with a very bruised hand the next day.... so we did the cliche "end a bachelorette party at howl at the moon" thing, so sue us. we're not typically this trashy or this willing to follow trends, but we thought it would be the perfect ending to our barcrawl. we had arranged a deal where we didn't have to pay cover or wait in line, which is really the only way to play at HATM honestly. call ahead ladies. the nearly blacked-out bride had a lovely time, there was much dancing and drinking and singing and fun had by all!!!

    (5)

  • jason m.

    Other than the cover charge at 8pm the place was great. Very fun environment and entertaining. Drinks were a little pricey though $6 for a Blue Moon beer. It was already pretty packed at 8pm which added to the entertainment. They play whatever songs you request which is cool. Also it has a huge variety of ages from 21 to someone who looked old enough to be my grandparents. All in all I would recommend for you to check it out.

    (4)

  • Rahul S.

    Went here last night. Let's just say it's the WHITEST BAR ever. The ground tends to be white chicks aged 27 celebrating a bachelorette party or chicks just celebrating a birthday. The only minorities there were me, 4 filipinos, and the staff. However, regardless of race, this place is fun. So there musicians who play on the piano (famous songs). These songs are usually from the 80's and some present songs. I loved their rendition of OMG by Usher. That was fanatastic. I'd just go here again to listen to their music. I did see a few ladies by themselves, but I didn't feel like talking to them. One was standing by herself, and we awkwardly kept on looking at each other. I didn't feel like talking since she seemed a few years older. I think she wanted me to go and talk to her. IDK. Well, if you're into white chicks and are musically inclined, COME HERE. I'd still go here even though it's not so diverse.

    (4)

  • Katie W.

    SO MUCH FREAKING FUN!! I came here for my bday last year with a group of friends and I know we all had the most fun, hilarious night. Definitely not the type of place I would go for just any old night out, but if you have friends in town and want to do something different or if it's for a special occasion, I really don't think you can go wrong. A lot of people mentioned the tourist factor, and I'm sure there are a lot of tourists, but are you really paying attention to that anyways? I know I wasn't, but maybe that had something to do with the constant flow of shooters people were sending my way. The crowd is lively and out to have a really good time. We ended up talking and hanging out with pretty much everyone around us. I definitely recommend getting one of the buckets (yes, buckets) of drinks to share with friends. Before you know it, guys and gals alike will be singing along with wild abandon to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".

    (5)

  • D J.

    fun and they have a full band with 2 pianos. check in on foursquare and you don't have to pay a cover.

    (4)

  • Greektwn Gal l.

    We had an event here recently and had so much fun!!! They really get it right! The drinks were good, the dueling pianos were good and somehow I ended up on stage??? Good times!

    (5)

  • Monika G.

    Oh, this place is fun! We went there for a going away party. Although there is a $10 cover, and they stamp your hand. The way they goof off on the piano is hilarious. Only downside was, it was packed!! There was a bridal(bacholaretter) party that night. You couldn't move. Prices are reasonable, but trying to get them can be problem. I'd go back, but when it's not so packed. I'm sure I'd enjoy it more.

    (3)

  • Stacey A.

    1) The musicians are fantastic. Last time I was there, they played everything from the "Growing Pains" theme song to "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." And ANY place that plays ANY kind of Meat Loaf music is absolutely wonderful as far as I'm concerned. 2) Drinks are not cheap, but the bartenders are attentive and it's easy to get their attention. You're not standing at the bar for 10 minutes, hoping to flag someone down. 3) This is an awesome place to take a big group of people. Cover is a bitch, and the line gets long, but getting inside is 100% worth it. If you don't have a good time, it's probably because you're dead.

    (5)

  • Princess B.

    Ok. Last night. Howl at the Moon. Mother of God. This place rocks so hard. It's unbelievable. GREAT vibe. Go early so you can get seats up front, where the view of the stage is fabulous. This place gets packed, so get there before 9. It seems to be an older crowd, but I tell ya, do they know how to have a good time. EVERYONE was singing and clapping and rockin' out. It's so nice to see the married couples making out and dirty dancing, haha. I just think it's sweet. SUCH fun musicians on stage, man, and so talented. There's this woman with wavy blonde hair up there whose voice is out of control. Beautiful singing. Then there's her partner, the dude with the reddish hair. HILAR-Y! Makes the most random comments. Oh, yeah, and he plays the piano awesome, too. Maybe he and I can have some fun on his piano some day. You know, like play tic-tac-toe or something. :) Great service. I was surprised that our server always had our drinks flowin, since it was really busy. Ok, one thing is that the drinks are a little weak. But that worked out quite perfectly for me, as I am a lightweight, so I was grateful to be enjoying glass-to-mouth action all night and not puking all over the bathroom. Ok, these are the songs you should request when you go to Howl: Jack and Diane (They do this awesome beatboxing for it, haha) Something to Talk About You Oughta Know Uptown Girl Tainted Love Sweet Child of Mine Shout Santaria Don't Stop Believin' The Middle Follow me to the Moon, for sure!

    (5)

  • Amy R.

    I'll give this 4 stars because I think this is a place everyone in Chicago should visit once, even though it may be considered a tourist trap. The singers are awesome with improv, have a lot of pep, and are usually great at getting the crowd pumped up. It's fun to sing-along and try to get them to sing ridiculous songs (during the Illini's Final Four run in 2005, Big 10 fans started waging a school song contest). All in all, the setting makes for an entertainable evening. However, going there once is enough. I've now been there for 3 bachelorette parties, 1 birthday, and 2 other times for no special reason, and EVERY SINGLE TIME, I've heard the exact same songs and jokes. It got old on my second trip. Also, if you want to be able to talk to your friends in your group, good luck - it's too loud (captain obvious: it's a sing-along piano bar). Plus, cover is usually $10.

    (4)

  • Rachelle G.

    Celebrated a friend's birthday here recently. Pretty enjoyable for the most part, although I have to admit, it's a bit strange at first to bop around to piano/guitar renditions of your fave pop songs. Drinks were average in price for the neighborhood, leaning more towards the lower end. They did have a free buffet when I arrived but I didn't taste it as it didn't appeal all that much to me (tacos, spanish rice, nachos). We ordered a few appetizers from the bar, not bad for bar food, but it was steaming hot! The place was packed and had a diverse crowd, both in age and ethnicity. It was a bit hard to maneuver your way around. One of my few annoyances throughout the night (and I was there for a few hours) was when they were doing the battle of college fight songs. While it was nice for a bit, it went on entirely too long. Overall, a fun night. I don't necessarily think this is the place for everyone, but as with anything, the group you are with helps determine your enjoyment factor.

    (4)

  • Felix C.

    Best place for an office Happy Hour. I work a few blocks away, so it is very convenient for me. I usually stay there until 10PM and then go somewhere else. Te crowd is very lively and the Piano shows are entertaining. I wouldn't make HATM a night out, but is def. a good start.

    (4)

  • Cassie B.

    umm ... so the concept of a piano bar is OK, two piano players play and sing and take requests. I like a little entertainment with my alcoholism. But given the location this place is extremely touristy, meaning annoying clientele (influx of old, loud Ohio State fans this past weekend requesting the fight song) and the drinks are so expensive and weak. On Fridays they have a weird special - from 5-7 there is a free nacho/taco bar and you get two tickets, giving you two opportunities to purchase a (very, very tiny) drink for $.50. After your tickets drinks are regular price. cover starts at 6. Whhhaaaaa? fifty cents, why even bother? how bizarre.

    (2)

  • CHERiE Y.

    Oh, Howl at the Moon Chicago, you were my introductory to the uber fun world of DUELING PIANOS!! For that, I will always be grateful. :) I was here around New Years ('05) and had a blast!! Talented piano players playing requested songs of all kinds, awesome servers, a fun crowd, what more could you ask for? Oh! Food & Drinks??! Well, to make things even better, there was a free buffet (with hot dogs, pasta salad, and other random foods), and champagne (at midnight) that night! I'm not sure how it is on regular nights, this may have been a special New Years party... but still!!! HIGHLY recommended!!!

    (5)

  • Nathan W.

    Dueling Pianos. Why are you still reading? That's all you need to know. OK. Ok. How many places have you drunkenly murmured the lyrics to Sweet Caroline while locking arms with the stranger next to you and swaying? Get there early if at all possibleif you want a good seat. If you're with a date, 20 bucks will get your pianist to play a tune right away for your someone special.

    (5)

  • T K.

    I don't know what it is about this bar that people like. I found the dueling pianists to be horribly cheesy. Maybe it is a place you have to be in the right mood for, but for my friends and I's tastes we had our few drinks and bailed. I gave it two stars because they did have free food the night I was there and it was decent for bar-food that was free. If you can find a night that they are having specials its not a bad place. Otherwise, save it for when mom and dad come to town...

    (2)

  • Ben M.

    When I think piano bar, I think dark, Irish pub type place with some wooden tables and good music to catalyze drunken sing a longs. The music and 86 oz. tubs of mixed drinks were there but the overall atmosphere wasn't there like a Pat O'Briens in New Orleans. I would recommend for a good time, but couldn't frequent often.

    (3)

  • Andrew F.

    If you've never been to a bar before this place could be okay. A friend on mine and I met up with a friend from out of town, and his coworkers there. The three of us agreed that this was the worst bar we had ever been to. His co-workers seemed to approve of expensive drinks, cheesy decorations hanging from the ceiling and overweight dudes in golf shirts trying their best to dance to kids' songs being played really loudly on the piano. So the three of us guzzled our drinks and got out of there as fast as we could. I think we forgot to say bye to the co-workers. The doorman saw that I had a student ID in my wallet so he gave me a break on the cover, that was nice of him.

    (1)

  • Christina N.

    I'm always thrilled that we can usually find seats, and the drink specials aren't bad either. The first time I went, I filled out a card to win a party, and I ended up winning. Brought about 25 people here a few weeks later and we had a ton of fun. I love the atmosphere and the drinks. The only weird part is their weekly "cougar night" which we were unfortunately unaware of. Friday and Saturday this place is packed (like most bars) which was a bit uncomfortable, but for the most part, I'd happily go back! I have to follow a gluten free diet and they have a hard apple cider which was good and didn't get me sick. Also, for all of my friends, they really appreciated the occasional food buffet included with entry.

    (4)

  • Johanna R.

    This is a happening place for out of towners to check out. My cousin took us there and it was pretty crazy. Lots of brides to be having their last bit of single fun. The drinks were a little pricey..so we went across the street. The other reason we went there was to chat...because we definitely could not hear each other over the craziness of the pianists. Fun place to check out!!

    (3)

  • Carmen K.

    Fun place with live music, full bar, dance floor if you want to, booths, tables if you want to sit. The huge crowd made it difficult to see the performers and get space on the mini-dance floor. The performers played piano as well as guitar, bass, and drums. They took turns playing different instruments which was pretty cool to see. The band members seemed tired and overworked; they didn't smile much and were very sarcastic when playing the billy joel classics. I don't think I'd come back here just b/c it was too crowded for my taste, but it was fun to visit and see what all the hype is all about.

    (4)

  • Elliott H.

    Don't pay the band to sit in or even tip them for that matter. I talked to a server to find out how it works to sit it, followed the rules and dropped $20 bucks early in the night to sit in. Later on, they played the song I requested to sit in on without me. So I went up to politely ask what was up and if I could play on another song since they never called me up for mine. The drummer was a total dick and rudely blew me off. I talked to another girl later on that night who tried to sing and song and they had done the same thing to her a few weeks back. Overall, drink were fine, bartenders were nice but the band was a bunch of pricks.

    (1)

  • Erika G.

    I went here with a bachelorette party once, and had a WAY better time than I thought I would. The snacks were good, and it was really fun singing along after all! Recommended for big groups.

    (4)

  • Rebecca L.

    I came here on night because I'd heard so much about it, and I was so excited! I had such a blast, the pianists are awesome, everyone was singing, it was such a happy place!! I loved it. I will definitely go back!!!

    (5)

  • Samantha F.

    Get there early if you can, otherwise even on weekdays it is so packed by 9pm that you can't even breathe and I'm only 110lbs soaking wet! otherwise the Gin and tons are great!!!! and they have beer buckets!

    (3)

  • Jenie T.

    First time in Chicago, second day in the city and I happen to come across this place. If you want to hangout with 40and up crowd this the place for you. White older people galore and we an asian girl and black dude were sitting in the corner trying to make the best of the night. Only come to this joint if you want to see old women and old men drunk and flirting with each other. Overall its was interesting.

    (2)

  • Trinidad F.

    OMG! Loved this place!! I went last week with some friends who won a party there. It was great! Music was amazing!! Props to Jennifer! Beautiful and she can sing her ass off!! Kept me entertained. The drinks were yummy and not overpriced. And our waitress was super nice and cute! lol. Total hottie!! But over all the experience was great and Im definately going to return! Although I did lose my voice a bit from singing so much that nite...hehehe.

    (5)

  • Andrea R.

    It can get a little on the crowded side, but Howl at the Moon is always a guaranteed good time. Everyone there is in very good spirits (usually celebrating a bachelorette party or someone's birthday)...it's the ideal place to host a group event. I wouldn't recommend it for a Friday or Saturday night because the line gets pretty long, but I've been to many group outings here and they are always a blast!

    (4)

  • Chris C.

    Howl at the moon is a fantastic place! The moment my party and I walked in we felt instantly welcome. The crowd is diverse and friendly, everyone is having a fun time. The drinks are reasonably priced and the music is wonderful! My friend requested 'Dick in a box' from a SNL skit and they played it to much avail from the audience. The band is amazing and all of their songs are upbeat and put me in a fun mood! I'll definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Sandi B.

    We had a Happy Hour Party on a Friday night and had a blast!!! The place fills up quick too! The musicians were awesome and played all of our requests! Very entertaining!! Cannot wait to go back soon!!!

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    Don't even bother. If I wanted to hang out with people my parents age I'd hang out with my parents and not have to pay a $10 cover.

    (1)

  • Kelly K.

    This place makes me get stupid drunk, and I'm not much of a drinker! My mind apparently is distracted by the great performers and fun crowd, so much that I just keep ordering drinks while belting out parts of "I'm very woman" or "It's raining men". Don't go here if you want to impress people - you will make a complete idiot out of yourself with the rest of the crowd. Which is what is so fun. So you definitely have to be in the mood for this place or you won't like it. Show up by 9:30pm, as the lines get crazy afterwards and inside you'll feel like you're in a cattle herd. The goal is to get a seat/table, or else you're going to get bumped into by crazy dancing drunk girls or rubbed against by big sweaty men. Sadly, the acts are a bit "cleaner" now - they don't sing dirty songs anymore to bachelorettes or moms there for their 50th birthday.

    (5)

  • Mike P.

    Gosh, drinking is awesome! And at few places in the city is it more awesome that at Howl at the Moon. I have never walked out of here completely sober, there were a few times back in the day that I didn't walk out at all. Those gigantic drinks in buckets, yeah that's a great idea. You know what else is fun? Taking your folks here when they're in town and getting loaded on their dime, then having one of your fiance (now wife's) man-buddy grind on your little sister, then you have to beat him up, then for some reason, you're the jerk....Wait, what was I saying? Oh yeah, Howl at the Moon is a great time, as most dueling piano bars are (e.g. Rum Runners in East Lansing). The staff is great and does everything they can, considering that the place is packed to the gills most nights. As previously mentioned order a few of the gigantic drinks and go to town. I recommend the Long Island.

    (4)

  • George K.

    Live music from duel piano players! I went back and forth requesting songs all night. John Mellencamp (you know who you are! hehe), Madonna (who was this?) and Bon Jovi, and sorry they didn't play some of other ones that Yelp crew requested. I tried though. It got crowded very quickly but waiters were swift about brining our order of drinks. I had really good time meeting people from Yelp. I especially had the hotness for Mrs. Ellen M. too bad she had a ring on :) Looking forward to end of this month. Thanks again to Andrea and Elizabeth!

    (4)

  • Michelle W.

    Okay for a fun group outing but definitely not the end all be all for going out in Chicago. The dueling pianos are pretty fun to watch and they take requests, if you sack up the change/bills to get their attention. The waitstaff is quick and helpful. I guess they figure if you have a drink in your hand you won't think of going elsewhere, which is what you should probably do.

    (2)

  • Diana S.

    This place is a ton of laughs. I went Thursday night and there was a $10 cover. The place was pretty packed. The crowd is diverse. There are some out of towners, some birthdays, locals, etc. Overall it's a great place. People are singing along and happy. The pianists are a lot of fun. I had a great time. :)

    (4)

  • Audra S.

    This piano bar is fun for group events and special nights out on the town (i.e. bachelorette parties, etc.), but it's not my favorite location for just a random night out on the town. Very much a party atmosphere, the bar staff is quick to get drinks out. As far as a place to meet new people...most people are there in large groups, so it's not your best bet.

    (3)

  • Jason P.

    I've been to better piano bars than this one. This place gets overly packed and the service is hit or miss. It's tough to get a seat in here, but if you can manage, you'll have a pretty good time. The tunes you will hear them play are no different from any other duling piano bar though. Great place for bachelorette parties...i think there were 4 here the night we went.

    (3)

  • Ren H.

    Great frozen drinks here and friendly and awesome atmosphere! We went on a Monday night so it was a good amount of people, not too crowded and not dead... on the weekends I see the line all the way around the corner! You gotta go here at least once!

    (4)

  • Sheila C.

    I have to say I was very disappointed with this place. I have been to three now, in different cities, and this location was the worst! The acoustics of the building were horrible, the bathrooms were hard to get to and the piano players did not look like they wanted to be there. I could barely understand what they were singing; the backup instruments drowned out the pianos and the singer's voices. The service was sub-par. No one seemed to care to be there. I won't be back, if I am ever in the area!

    (1)

  • Sally Y.

    Howl at the Moon is always such an experience. I absolutely love the concept of dueling piano bars, and the music was awesome. Loved it! Overall, it's a great place to people watch and go crazy with a big group of friends. Plenty of space, lots of room to dance, and loud and fun music. The crowd is definitely more toward the crazy/party end vs. a chill/have a few beers side, so keep that in mind when deciding on where you want to go and what kind of night you want to have. Other details: The staff was quick and timely. The floors are sticky and gross.

    (4)

  • Amanda G.

    I would give them zero stara but that is not an option. There are 2 stalls for the womens bathroom and 50 girls in line. I watched the piano payers pick up a song request with tip, crumple the paper abd money to theow it in the bucket, and never play or eveb address the request. This place was overcrowded with an older crowd and inconvenient for the clientele. I would never come back and i will recommebd all my friends stay far the fuck away from this hole.

    (1)

  • Nicole J.

    At this point I have been to 2 more Howl happy hour parties--and I am going to another next week. Last time, the "appetizer"/meal was: mostaccioli with optional Italian sausage, bread, and grated Parmesan cheese. Delicious! With my $1 drink tickets I ordered a strawberry margarita and a Chardonnay. Both decent. Slurped down the margarita in a couple of minutes. Sipped on the Chardonnay for the rest of the night. This time, the host was able to snag a couple of tables with a great view of the stage! The singers did a great job and the show gets even better as they switch out each hour. I was impressed with their catalog of music. I was singing along--and I am usually not the type. A consistently fun time at Howl!

    (5)

  • Kimberley M.

    This place is out of this world! A couple friends who've been here before made sure I came along with them this time, and not only will you not know what to expect, but you will be thrilled with what meets the eye. The musicians are outstanding - hilarious, engaging, and so talented. They'll have you gaping at their ability to mimic current Top 40 hits, pull out oldies like they are not rusty at all, or play obsure things like college fight songs. (There was quite a battle the night I was there over a few different colleges who kept out bidding each other). All in all, a must-see in Chicago.

    (5)

  • La Tonya G.

    I have enjoyed this place since I first walked through the door! The crowd was fun and lively! I danced, I sang and I acted a plum fool and that's the best part of this place the interaction between the "band" and the audience! The reason I knocked off a few stars is because the drinks are weak weak weak, I mean a couple of us got that big bucket which looks pretty but you would think after having that you would need to get a cab home, uh no!!! We ended up going some place else where they served real drinks!!! You should feel a little buzz but even my friends that are lightweights said "Where's the alcohol?" A few of us have won a party here and it is not one of those places that I say you have to go to once a week or even once a month because you will get burned out to quickly but if you go every other month you will be ready for all the fun antics that take place! Oh side note: Winning a party is fab because you get in free before 7 and so do your guest, you get to park for free if you park in the lot assigned, they have 2 one dollar drinks(that has as much alcohol as a dollar would give you) and some food!!! They also serve food from a menu and I got the Hot Wings...whew they were big and they were Hot, a little to Hot but I still ate every bite...lol I really do enjoy Howl at the Moon and I will be back!

    (3)

  • Lindsay T.

    Best place to go when family is in town! Musicians are great and very talented! Drinks were fun! Jessica was our server, one of the best service I've had in a long time, very attentive and knowledgable; and had great recommendations! Thank you for the good time!!

    (5)

  • Maggie C.

    Do NOT reserve a table at Howl at the Moon! I entered into a contract and paid for reservations for 3 tables at Howl at the Moon for my birthday earlier this year. Periodically throughout the night one of my tables would be empty (people out smoking or gathered around the other 2 tables) and a group of women repeatedly took over the table. I explained to them that I paid over $100 to reserve that table for the night but they refused to move so we alerted our server who called the bouncer. It took a while for the bouncer to actually get them to move. This happened numerous time and after a couple of times of calling the bouncer over to kick them off the table we talked to the manager on duty. He said there was nothing he could do (how about telling them if they do it one more time that they would have to leave?) and to call the person I signed the reservation contract with to discuss a refund for that table since we could not sit at it for half the night. Well, to make a long story short I called and got the run around. I had a lawyer send corporate a letter regarding their breach of contract (not honoring the reservation of all 3 tables that I paid for) at which time they quickly responded with a refund. The one star is for the server. She was very efficient and responsive.

    (1)

  • K J.

    I was tasked with planning a bachelorette party on short notice. The bride isn't into the typical "get very drunk and obsess over penis' " party but did want a very good time. I immediately thought of places for entertainment between dinner and the bar. I emailed Howl at the Moon and April Wolcott responded immediately. She was very easy to work with and super accommodating to last minute changes. This was the only part of the evening I knew I didn't have to stress about because April totally took care of everything. She set us up with a package that fit our needs (and she didn't up sell), she responded very promptly, and allowed me to change my reservation number the day before at no charge (it was after the deadline). The crowd there is perfect for bachelorette parties, the music is very easy to dance to and sign along with, they called the bachelorette up on the stage to a song we requested, the bar was crowded, but not so bad we couldn't dance. And the crowd was very friendly. We actually decided to skip the next bar and stay at Howl all night.

    (5)

  • David I.

    Howl at the Moon is one of my favorite night spots. I took family there at 5:00p and we were still there at 11:00pm. Why you may ask.....because it is great fun, good music (no metal crap, rap, etc.) just good R & R. The musicians are outstanding and interact with the crowd. It is one happy place in this distorted world. The food is by no means gourmet but good....but that is not the reason to go. You can have a special event there such as a fundraiser, etc. Ask for April who is one gorgous woman!!!!!!! Love you darling.. I highly recommend a night at Howl at the Moon David

    (5)

  • Kathryn M.

    I've never not had a good time here. Yes, okay, it's cheesy and touristy but that doesn't mean it can't be fun. It's a great place to go with your friends, drink, and sing your heart out without the embarrassment of anyone actually hearing your horrible singing. It's usually crowded on the weekends, but it's a fun atmosphere. I'm not sure about cover, once I paid cover and one time I didn't, so I'm not sure. But I don't think it was more then $5. If you want the piano players to play a request, it usually helps to tip them with your song request. Last time I was there I was with a bachelorette party, and there were 3 or 4 other bachelorette parties there as well.

    (4)

  • Jennifer K.

    Just...don't.

    (1)

  • Pickle P.

    Great place, what fun! Caters to all audiences, all ages, just people looking to have a good time. The performers are phenomenal and very entertaining - which is what Howl at the Moon is all about. Drinks are a little pricey, but I don't really go to this place for the drinks - it's all about the requesting old favorites and jamming out with your friends. A little difficult to get to - as it is in River North - and that is always difficult to get to if you live where many of us do in the city (which is not River North), but, it's so entirely worth it!

    (5)

  • Kyle P.

    People put down crazy amounts of money for the musicians to play their songs. When that happens there is bound to be repeats especially with the college school songs. Food is free if you make it to happy hour on a Friday. Drinks are watered down except the giant buckets of booze. The whole atmosphere with the singing is fun for a while but get quickly.

    (3)

  • Angie J.

    I visited Chicago for the first time last weekend with a friend and we found on club on Yelp and Myspace to check out on Friday night. When we got out of the cab, there was no crowd, no line or anything so we looked at the surrounding venues and saw a huge line outside of Howl At The Moon. So we skipped across the street and got in line. My first thought was, uh live music, dueling pianos, what is this cowboy barnyard hootinanny? But it was sooo not what I expected. The cover charge was only $10 and the minute we walked in the door every single person in the bar was on some sort of drunk level. We waited for awhile to be served at the bar, only to look up at the stage and find the wait staff and barhands performing! It was pretty cool, we didn't mind the wait at all. The drinks were OK priced - well worth it for a joint with live entertainment. Everyone was really nice and friendly. Definitely a tourist attraction. You can smoke inside - good for us smokers, although I still found myself going outside for a stog. All in all, it was fun, comfortable and we had a great time - wonderful Chicago experience.

    (4)

  • liam B.

    Gummie bear shots.

    (3)

  • Nick D.

    Just know what you're in for before you go, and you'll definitely not be let down! What to expect: 1) bachelorette parties 2) suburbanite birthday parties 3) middle aged out-of-towners What not to expect: 1) overpriced drinks 2) a date home from the bar 3) cute staff Overall, Howl at the Moon provides a fun, great atmosphere for a big group of friends to get together, get drunk, and sing their lungs out (and dance/gyrate) to the "classic" songs one would expect to be belting out at a friend's house party at 3am. The bartenders were always friendly and quick, never had to wait for drinks, and the prices were very reasonable. As for the other people there, well...I think all of Schaumburg had driven in (and the Hoosiers too), so it wasn't your typical "downtown" crowd (no Trixies from LP, either...very odd!).

    (4)

  • Alice L.

    Every once in a while, this place can be really fun. It gets pretty crowded, but If you come early enough, you can get a table to sit at, and you could avoid the cover charge. The pianists are amazing and almost always play all of your requests. They also are great at getting the crowd involved. The only problem I've had are the bathroom waits (but isn't that always the case for women at crowded bars?!). In general, I've enjoyed myself every time.

    (4)

  • mary b.

    this place blows. went there for $1 beers to find out that the only $1 beet was Bush cans and then my friends got the $1 burgers which apparently were horrible. we also could push two tables together to accomodate out group due to a fire hazard but then the section blocked off for an alleged private party had tons of tables pushed together to accomodate larger groups. it made no sense. the pianos were so loud you could not even hear a single thing so basically cannot talk or have a conversation inside this bar. the menu sucked, i am a vegetarian and the only option was an overpriced pizza. after hearing how much the burgers sucked i decided to take a pass. we ducked out early and went next door to rockit which has terrific food and a decent atmosphere.

    (1)

  • Stephen H.

    This place is a great place to have a few and then attempt to sing along with dueling pianos. They can play almost anything and sometimes will change the words of the songs to embarrass someone on their birthday or just to get a laugh. This is a great place for a party or a change from the typical bar and club scene.

    (5)

  • Bill C.

    How at the Moon is a really fun place to hang out, especially if you have friends from out of town visiting. It is usually packed on the weekends, so get there before 10:00PM if you want a seat or even a wall to lean against.

    (4)

  • Lori C.

    I think Howl at the Moon is overrated. I really like the idea of it, but going there is another story. Out of towners seem to always want to go here so that's when I end up going, but it's so crowded, really hot, and it really isn't all that it's cracked up to be! There are many other places visitors to Chicago should go and I don't think I'm going to go anymore!

    (3)

  • ali a.

    This is a great piano bar if you are in the mood to sing along and dance. They have alot of great fun drinks. I often time see bachelorette parties and other occasions. I would definitely pick it for a birthday or any other fun outing!

    (5)

  • Jeff R.

    Pay attention here folks, this is not really difficult but some people seem to have a problem grasping the concept of what this place is. First of all this is a ROCK & ROLL PIANO BAR so before you even enter the door don't expect a nice, quiet evening of conversation with your best friend. If that's what you want head to Starbucks and sip some coffee all night. Sure, you can find something not to like about this place but show me one that you can't! Probably the biggest issue is the bathrooms, which due to expansion, are now on different floors. I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant the first time my wife wanted to go to Howl. She had been here for a bachelorette party and thought I would like the place. We're not clubbers but nor do we have one foot in the grave yet. This place appeals to most all ages, from 21 to 70, although the mainstay is probably the 30 somethings. You won't feel out of place here regardless. The evenings start slowly but build fast and by 9PM on the weekends it's pretty crowded. By 10PM there is a long line to get in. By constantly rotating performers it never gets old and the crowds control the show with requests. We have been back many times and no two nights are exactly alike. The entertainment.......great! They do more than just play piano and sing. Drums, guitars, everything. I can't sing nor play any instruments as good as they can so I certainly cannot mock them. The food..........well, it's bar food. Somewhat limited menu but everything is edible, burgers are very good. Again, remember this is a PIANO BAR, not Sullivans. The drinks.......they have them all priced pretty much like most other Chicago locations. There are no $3.00 Coronas anywhere in Chicago and you will not find them here either! The service....... we are regulars and know our servers as they know us, it's great. It gets very crowded and you may have to attract your server once in a while, or you can head to one of the two bars. Is this place for you???? Well, depends on what you are looking for. We look for an evening of entertainment and are pretty open to most ideas. Howl offers you the chance to get interactive or just sit back and enjoy the show. A typical 5-6 hour night for the two of us is about $130 or so.........including tip and parking. Not bad considering we're talking downtown Chicago on a weekend. If you think you know of a better place then by all means please tell us and we'll check it out. IF you think you can do better than HATM then by all means open a business and call us. We'll be your best repeat customers. If you go here and don't have fun it's your own fault. The Corona couple!

    (5)

  • Alex F.

    On a recent trip to Chicago, I checked this spot out one of the nights. It was the first piano bar I've ever been to and it was awesome. Such a great atmosphere and theme and it was amazing how the piano players were able to play so many random songs. They even did Outkast. Its a great time, and SF really needs something like this!

    (5)

  • elizabeth n.

    Great piano bar with great music and good drinks. The place does get very crowded and I'm usually not a fan of paying cover charges, but every once in a while this is a good place to go. It's a great place for parties or for a group of people out for a good time.

    (4)

  • Molly F.

    I avoid downtown like the plague due to the constraints of a student bank account; however, a friend won a promotional party, so I was down for a discount. I throughly enjoyed myself here as I love great piano favorites such as "Only the Good Die Young" and "Tiny Dancer." Come on, who doesn't? However, Howl at the Moon is a well-oiled machine that capitalizes on contrived fun. There was nothing spontaneous about this place. For that, it loses a star in my book. I am pretty sure that if I go back, the same bawdy joke bit will be re-enacted by the very charismatic piano players, and the same reaction of amused indignity will be returned by the crowd. If you have people from out of town that are ready to get rowdy and scream out piano tune favorites, this is the place. But for native Chicagoans, stay away.

    (3)

  • Julia C.

    Fun piano bar, great for a party/group outing. The frozen drinks delicious and staff is very friendly. Sometimes the music can be a bit loud but everyone gets into the singing. The line can be long but it is always a fun night!

    (4)

  • Alisa N.

    Well, I think this place gets the prize for attracting the most drunk-off-their-ass bachelorettes. Dear God, I really hope that these girls really are not as skanky in real life!!!! Honestly, lose the cheap tiaras and beauty queen wannabe sashes... On the upside, this is a great place for all of us karaoke-phobic citizens of the world who want to sing at the top of their lungs to 80's pop tunes. AND you get to shake it a little while you are in the middle of the big, goofy singalong. Very talented pianists, and super friendly bartenders redeem this place. I guess good for a big group outing, if you are in a silly kind of mood! $10 dollar cover the night I went, $7-8 for mixed drinks at the bar...

    (3)

  • Abby L.

    Pretty decent place if it's not too crowded, if it is too crowded- stay away. It's so hot and sticky in there that it gets uncomfortable. If you go early enough to get a table and claim your space you won't have a problem and will hopefully find it fun. It's a good time if you have the patience.

    (3)

  • Vanessa P.

    The one and only time that I was at Howl At The Moon, it was a few years ago on my 23rd birthday. It was loud and very crowded. The pianists were good, playing recognizable tunes. They have these buckets. The buckets are filled with your favorite kind of alcoholic beverage: hurricane, mai tai, margarita, etc. I don't recommend them unless there are more than 3 people partaking in them. That's why I give Howl At The Moon 3 stars: they should know better than to give a 23 year old girl more alcohol on her birthday...

    (3)

  • Ian S.

    The piano players don't really get the crowd into the action like I've seen during college. I would not recommend this place for a small group as people said earlier, since there are always lots of parties going on at this bar. Unless waiting in line to pay $10 cover then $9 for a weak drink is high your list, should probably pass this place up.

    (2)

  • Erin B.

    While I hate the idea of paying a cover, and I don't like crowds all that much, this place always gets me in the mood to have a great time. No matter what's going on, I always have a fun time here. It's a great way to just let loose and have a fun time, and it doesn't matter how big of a geek you look like, we're all having a blast!

    (5)

  • Shannon S.

    While I am definitely not a fan of waiting in long lines and paying a cover, I definitely always have a good time at Howl at the Moon. It seems to be the hot spot for birthday's and bachelorette parties. We went for my friend's birthday and had a blast. If you are going to go, I suggest getting there early. Definitely check it out, you are bound to have a good time.

    (4)

  • daniel w.

    I was here for the last Yelp happy hour. I've been to Howl in the Moon in many cities and this one was no different. Fun drinks, crazy crowd, and loud music.

    (3)

  • Nicola C.

    What a fun place to go. Awesome for Bachelorette party or b-day party. It has two pianos, and the players take requests and everyone joins in singing. The only downside is how expensive it is, there is a pretty hefty cover charge. Great for special occasions though.

    (4)

  • Doug p.

    I can never understand why there's always a huge line here.. it can be fun on the weekends but I prefer to go during the week when its less crowded and I can talk and sip my drinks in peace

    (3)

  • Madeline L.

    Always a good time! I love this place because everyone gets really into the piano bar and music. I've been here for a girl's night out and for a bachelorette party and I haven't been let down yet. They play great music and take requests which is the best part. The only reason I can't give it 5 stars is because of the cover, but it's worth it every now and then for a fun occasion like a birthday or girl's night out.

    (4)

  • Rozen O.

    I've been here twice. The first time I had a blast! Good drinks that are really big and you can share with your friends. They also have jello shots in a syringe looking thing. Prices are pretty high but it is downtown. The second time I won a party for 100 people but they all had to be there before 7 pm. One of my friends was at the door 6:57 and she took a while to let the people before her go in so she took care of her at 7:00 exactly and she would not let her in for free. Oh yeah and the drinks that they put for discounted price for the party they weren't serving that night, how convenient for them, so we all still ended up paying for the stupid drinks. But it's still a fun place to go to. I won't hold that one bad experience against them since I had so much fun the first time I went there.

    (3)

  • kiki h.

    Howl at the Moon is an absolute blast! I come here all the time with my girlfriends and it's such a fun night in the city. The crowd gets a little rowdy, but that just adds to the fun.

    (4)

  • Tracy M.

    Unfortunately I got out of work late last night and just made it to the very end of Yelp's happy hour. I walked in with the crowd so it was insanely packed, but like always...a good time! It's one of the most spirited spots in Chicago- I love it!

    (4)

  • Emily N.

    I feel like over the past year this place has really gotten to be big. A year ago we used to go and we'd always get a table and have a great time. Now we still have a great time but it is just way too crowded! It's hard to get a drink and you're being bumped by tons of people as they walk through the aisles and it's hot and sweaty in there and gets a little annoying. The best time to go would be early on a saturday night or right after work in the evening.

    (3)

  • Kristen R.

    Had such ridiculously good fun with a friend of mine here. We were visiting for a conference and wanted to see some Chicago nightlife. The pianists were talented and funny. There was a $5 cover charge (Sunday night), but that wasn't too bad. The drinks were pretty well and the food decent. Overall, I'd come here again!

    (4)

  • Katie D.

    The only reason I didn't give it a 4 star was the cover. They can probably reduce the cover. Great musicians and don't forget the drink the bucket!!

    (3)

  • Blair O.

    I went here last night with my husband, and it was a blast! At first, we didn't really get the whole concept, but after awhile we were having a lot of fun! We got the cherry kool-aide bucket, and it was delicious! They have (obviously) some expensive drinks, but the 86oz buckets were $25, which isn't bad! So my husband and I shared one, and then after that has smaller drinks to avoid getting too drunk, I also had a bone thrower, and it was delicious! There was a cover charge, but we signed up for their newsletters online, and got a free cover, so that was pretty cool! Also, the ENTIRE wait staff was super friendly and helpful. We couldn't see the whole place, and were ordering something by the bar, when a server came up to us and pointed out some tables. When we got over there, the server for the section came up to us, introduced himself, and was very attentive. We never waited long for a drink, or long to order. We tipped him very well for the great service! There was also a girl walking around with little injector shots, and when I asked her how they tasted she said "kiwi and vodka" and threw my head back and shot it in my mouth, and then did it to my husband too! A little forward, but it was obviously her job and it was so funny! The only thing I did NOT like, was the fact that I had to go upstairs to use the bathroom, but that is not nearly big enough of a deal for me to not give it 5 stars! All in all, we loved it. We ended up leaving at about 10:30pm just to check other stuff out since it is our only night downtown, but we didn't have as much fun anywhere else. I suggest checking it out!

    (5)

  • Daniel S.

    I have been to quite a few dueling piano bars. Quite a few have been an abomination. With that in mind, the Chicago Howl at the Moon is okay. When we visited Howl this past Thursday, a cupoun gave us a get in for free pass. If I had paid the $10 admission, I would not be disappointed. The musicians were first-rate, especially Rosie (I believe that is her name). Howl at the Moon is a dueling piano bar in name. Yeah, there are two musicians playing piano ( actually keyboards) and singing; however musically, they are supporting one another. There is a rotation with the musicians. When one musician leaves the piano, he or she might be playing bass, lead guitar, horns, or drums. All the musicians had decent voices, that is a plus. I have been to a few dueling piano bars where the musician had such a terrible voice that I felt like paying for an instrumental. Out of every dueling piano bar that I have been to, Chicago Howl at the Moon musicians focus solely on the music. There was zero jokes and basically zero interaction with the audience. In a way its good because I have been to a couple of piano bars where the musicians are hounding the audience to hand over some green for a song. An hour of that gets old quick. And some of the joking I have heard at dueling piano bars is irritating. As far as drinks the Embassy Manager's Reception had me feeling good before I walked in. According to past reviews, the mixed drinks served here are lousy. I did have two beers. The price was okay. Regardless that the server rarely came around, I did appreciate that she was pleasant and immediately gave us our change. We picked a night where it was not too busy. This worked out for the better because we got a table closer to the stage. If I return to a hotel in the Near North area of Chicago, I might return to Howl at the Moon. It is far better than quite a few of the dueling pianos bars that I have been to.

    (3)

  • Kevin B.

    Howl at the Moon is always a raucous good time! I've spent several weeks in Chicago for work, and I love that they have one of my favorite Los Angeles bars here too. The crowd is always a low-maintenance, unpretentious and rowdy bunch, and it's so much fun to sing along until you have no voice. Yes, the drinks are on the expensive side and there's usually a cover, but you're also getting entertainment thrown in, so you can't expect to buy a la carte. If you haven't been yet, make it your mission to get up on stage during your first visit. That's when you know you've had a great night there.

    (5)

  • Matt D.

    First time here. Pretty crowded but very manageable! The atmosphere was very fun and definitely easy to have a good time in. Getting in the door, April was super friendly and bubbly. The drink prices were very fair for Chicago...and the buckets were a great value! I'll be back.

    (5)

  • Julianne Z.

    The drinks are pretty watered down. I went here because one of my friends won a Happy Hour (which apparently happens to almost everyone) and we got a food buffet as well as $1 drink specials. Personally, the crowd was way too old and it was just so packed, it was hard to enjoy. I think if we had a table, this would be a different story but for now, I don't want to return.

    (2)

  • Adam D.

    Had a fantastic time! We were celebrating a friend's 23rd Birthday (Wednesday). Our first stop was awful, but then yelp helped us find this place The place was decently packed, but not too bad. They were asking for a 5$ cover, which is a bit uncommon on a week night. Regardless, the bar is well laid out and we were able to find a decent area for the six of us to rock out and dance our faces off! The bartenders are cute, but unwilling to help you get 'drunk'., and the mixed drinks are a bit light. Be prepared to pay for your drinks, no matter how cute you think you are. The back bar is a bit easier to work with and the female bartender was a real trooper for putting up with my misguided flirtation. The best deal of the night is five beers for 20$ so grab a bucket and drink up. The cover band was awesome and we most certainly enjoyed ourselves to the fullest.

    (4)

  • Kathleen M.

    Bacherlorette parties were not the rage when I got married. Either time. So going to one was a new experience for me. The venue had really loud music, crowds and stickiness on the floors - not my favorite combination. That being said, I did amuse myself here. I was so very grateful that the male relatives of the bride had staked out 4 prime tables and somehow kept them for four hours in spite of furious onslaughts of beer and unfriendly revelers until the rest of us arrived. I was also so appreciative to arrive with the hostess who got us in without paying the cover that they were demanding even though she had booked a party. The bathroom was also the cleanest I have seen in a bar, once you walked up all the stairs. My favorite part of the night was the dueling school songs and I even ponied up 20.00 to help the Illini get theirs played. The songs were familiar to me so probably hopelessly out of date. Our particular bride and groom were toasted and got to perform a bit so that was pleasing. The people watching was superb here and we had a great time mocking most of the babes who hoisted their sizeable petards up on the stage. The absolute highlight of the night was as we left, one of the most obnoxious of the self appointed stage dancers stumbled out and fell down drunk in the street. Howling indeed!

    (3)

  • Alessia W.

    This was my first time to a piano bar and I had a freaking blast!!! You simply go here for fun with friends...you don't go here for top notch drinks. A lot of the drinks listed on their menu are just sugary sour mixes with a dash of alcohol. They also have a few drinks called the bucket that comes with 4 straws. It's liquor and sugary mixes. Bachelorette parties are big here as well as "frat boy nights out". There is $5 cover but it's really good time. I saw the bouncers putting a few people out so keep it classy! They encourage crowd participation as well as dancing so go there with an open mind and sing and dance the night away!

    (4)

  • Nathan S.

    Had a blast here. Tons of comedy and entertainment. If you have shy problems you will want to stay away because there is a lot of audience participation. I loved it

    (5)

  • Tay H.

    I will never return. I swear. But I will admit, I swore that after the first time I went...and was dragged back for two birthday parties since. But seriously, never again. I will wait next door in RockIt until my friends stumble out because I refuse to be subjected to that place again. It is loud, crowded, and full of annoying tourists. The drinks are crazy expensive, the music made my husband go deaf in one ear for 4 days (!), the pianists...using that term loosely...literally beg for money, and there is no such thing as personal space let alone a seat. I have no clue why there is always a line, except that it is usually tourists or people dragged there for their "free" parties... Hint: If a place gives away free happy hour parties like candy, they are desperate to attract new customers cause obviously they aren't good enough to have regulars.

    (1)

  • Brittany L.

    Ehh...didnt love this place. I had never been to a dueling-piano bar, so my boyfriend and I decided to check in out while in Chicago. He's been to lots of these kind of bars, but wasn't impressed with this one. The drinks were fun (they had big fish bowl drinks and other fun drinks) but the music wasnt that great. This place might be fun for a bachelorette party or special occasion, but wasnt anything that special just for a date-night out on the town.

    (2)

  • Andrea D.

    This was the first bar we went to while visiting Chicago. We got there before 9 so there wasn't a cover, but made sure to tip all our song requests to make up for it. Musicians were great, and the piano bar atmosphere is a great place to hang with friends. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Phil O.

    When I was on a consulting project in Chicago and staying at a nearby hotel, I'd try to make it here every couple weeks or so. The place is always packed on a Tuesday or Wednesday night and the service is excellent. I'd recommend Morgan if she's still there. The drinks are reasonably priced. If I ever go back to the area, I'll definitely stop in.

    (5)

  • Polly P.

    I've been here only once, so I am not sure if I had a right impression, but to my ear the music was WAAAAAY too loud. I understand that this place is kind of like a night club, but on the other hand - it's not. You come here with friends, you can have food and drinks, why not to make music SLIGHTLY less fulminatory, so people can enjoy companies of each other. However, over all the place is good, they have some deals - like 1 dollar burger on Tuesdays, but they don't have them on menu - don't forget to mention the deal!!!

    (3)

  • Sharee M.

    I had fun here. I thought it was cool to see all the songs they could play. But it was also funny they would ignore what they dont know. Cool drink special on Thursday with apps. Enjoy the sex on the beach!

    (4)

  • Allison V.

    The pianists, is that what they are called?, were awesome. The crowd was lame. The bouncers were rude. My friend was kicked out after a girl shoulder checked him. The drinks were so so. I probably won't be back.

    (2)

  • Tina L.

    I have never been a fan of celebrating my Birthday, but Howl at the Moon made it a night I could never forget. There is a cover at this bar, but it is totally worth paying to get in! The Drinks were amazing! Who doesn't like buckets of Booze! That was definitely a great start to the fun. The food is bar food, but when you are drinking that much how can you not want greasy, fried food? They do have table reservations, however we did not want to reserve one and after about a half hour we found two tables for our little group. Though tables are not needed for much besides setting your drinks on. The music is requested by the quests, tips to play, but I firmly believe if you are going out you should be tipping! Don't want a song don't tip! The whole staff sings! at one point our server sang an amazing duet of Rolling on the River! I had the best night at this Bar and I would recommend going for any celebration or just a fun night out! Live, Laugh, Love!

    (5)

  • Emily H.

    I would be 100% fine for the rest of my life if I didn't have to step foot in here ever again. My friend was moving to Nashville and she wanted to go out for one last hurrah to a place that had a fish bowl. 4 of us came on a Monday night (very obviously not the most hoppin') and there was party going on for a medical/IT company. We ordered a fishbowl and I'd be hard pressed to find any alcohol in it. It tasted like 100% soda that was too sweet & syrup-y. The straws were cool, though. Music wasn't bad- the only reason I'm giving the extra star is because: 1) he actually played the song I requested (Golddigger, yup) and; 2) I ended up winning a free party for it (alas, I did come back for a couple free drinks). Cassady, who is in charge of events, was really awesome about setting everything up. So, I've done the whole Howl at the Moon thing & I'm really just glad I won't have to do it any more.

    (2)

  • Laila C.

    I don't get it. You pay $10 cover to hang out with old people trying to relive their youth and drunk bachelorettes. Since there are too many old people and wedding parties, the only space available is a "dance floor" the size of my bathroom. This place is like paying to listen to the radio in the car but the singing isn't as good and everyone in the car with you is annoying and sweaty.

    (1)

  • David L.

    I probably went to Howl at the Moon 7 times while I was in Chicago on business. It is a lot of fun, even to those of us who don't drink alcohol. Fun people watching, especially later in the evening. The house band is wonderful. They change it up - several different people performed each time I went there. Just good fun. What is preventing the 5 star? The bouncers at the door can be rude, and the bathroom downstairs isn't the best. Still, I'll definitely be back next time I'm staying in River North or in the loop.

    (4)

  • Tiffany L.

    5 years ago, I came to Howl for the first time and I loved it. They played all those great classic songs to sing to. This time, the drunk bachelorettes and suburban housewives seemed much more in my face, and the piano players sang songs by Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus. Don't think I'll be returning. However, free admission through foursquare check-in was a bonus.

    (2)

  • Paul S.

    As a pianist, I really wanted to enjoy this Howl at the Moon. Although many of us have large recorded libraries on our iPods, there is simply no substitute for live music from time to time. A friend of mine called me up late one night to check this place out. My expectations were sorely let down. They had a Yelp check-in special which gave you free cover under the "Deals" section. I forgot to check my phone until after I paid the door girl the charge. Afterwards, I brought it up to her and she gruffly said it "wasn't her problem". Strike one for customer service. Strike two comes in the form of one of the rudest bartenders I've ever met. There was hardly anyone at the bar and he took ten minutes to finally slink over to our party. It took him an additional five minutes to pour me a gin and tonic in a tiny glass, then informed me it would be $8. The glass was half the size of a normal rocks glass and his pour was light to begin with. This was on top of a lot cursing he did with some regulars while he was ignoring our group. Awful service from the bar, one of the few times I haven't left any tip at all went to this place. I looked around for several minutes trying to find the rest room and when I couldn't locate it, I asked door girl. She pointed up the stairs with a look on her face like she was doing me a favor. Sadly, the customer service of the non-performers soured my evening. It was a real shame, as the two gentlemen playing the piano were doing a decent job of ad-lib and hamming it up. Sure it was corny, but what do you expect? I left early though, as the other staff members were starting to get on my nerves.

    (1)

  • Andy S.

    Not much of a bar person but had a decent enough time here.

    (3)

  • Mimi T.

    Dueling pianos. I have a weak spot for these places. Maybe i came on an off night. It was crowded, but it wasn't what i expected it to be. although the buckets of alcohol, well worth it. Cover charge? yes, but the music will pay itself off. :) they have real talent. I'm not from Chicago, but if i were to ever come back to town. I'd give this place another try.

    (3)

  • Steve S.

    After reading many online reviews I was not expecting much. We were headed to Howl for a friends 35th birthday party. I must say, completely impressed. Our friends got there early and got a table in the back. Perfect location. Our waitress was great, drink specials were good and drinks had some kick. The musicians were simply awesome. They rotated thru and played many different instruments and the music never stopped. From Bill Joel to Guns and Roses to Snoop Dogg, we heard it all and it rocked. The vibe of Howl was cool and very unique. people of many different age brackets were partying together. Just a great time, we will be back soon.

    (5)

  • Noah V.

    Fun enough place. For a downtown bar it's decently priced. Music is loud but at least it's live music and certainly well done. Would return. It is a hotspot for bachelorette parties for whatever reason, though.

    (4)

  • John K.

    Whichever restaurant, bar, or cafe I go, I always seriously ponder the following question: Why am I here? What unique value is this establishment giving me right now to make me have a good time? For Howl at the Moon Dueling Piano Bar, they are the dueling pianos. I have never seen or heard such talent in singing, improvisational piano, or making the neighborhood crowd happy. Its not a classy establishment...there are no glass doors, seats and counters made out of marble. It isn't filled with all the good-looking-for-one-night gentlemen and women. Maybe not the best place if you want to get a one-of-a-kind cocktail which in that situation, you would want to visit a place like the aviary. No, what made my time at Howl at the Moon swell was when I was there for a pre-christmas party with my friends. There was nothing but jolliness in the air. I really almost felt like I wanted to talk to some of the strangers around me and enjoy my night with them. Hahaha, if the house had given out free jello shots for everybody in the place and all of us had yelled out Merry Christmas, that would have been swell :) The lifeline and unique value of this place are the dueling pianos. Pray they don't forget that. Sometimes I need a break from Hiphop, Trance, or Dubstep. That is when I will smile and walk towards Howl at the Moon

    (4)

  • Bobs C.

    Howl at the Moon has lost steam!!! The piano players have horrible voices! Just bad bad bad!!! I been here over five times and the last to visits have been horrendous! Why do people keep dragging me here????? I am not coming back anytime soon! I heard from one of the servers that they can only play certain songs and cant hop around from genre to genre! I find that to be completely idiotic! Don't Waste Your Time!!!!

    (1)

  • Valerie W.

    What's that? You want to drink an undetermined amount of alcohol from a bucket with a twisty straw, get alcohol-laced jell-o pumped into your mouth by a girl in a pirate costume, and embarrass your best friend by making her stand on stage while they play "Like a Virgin?" You've come to the right place my friend. HATM on a Saturday night is insane, even at 8pm. We got there early thinking we could snag a table (didn't want to pay $200 to reserve one with a package.) No such luck, and no coat check "that night." Who doesn't open their coat check in Chicago when the high was 25 degrees that day? HATM, that's who. There was a table behind us that had been reserved and no one showed up for. The server wouldn't even let us put our coats on the chairs until they arrived (which they didn't) and someone else ended up snagging the table from under us anyway. The musicians at this place are incredibly talented. They all take turns playing all instruments (piano, violin, drums, guitar, bass) and singing. The range of what they can play is great, and they all have good humor. And yes... the aforementioned night atop this post was mine on Saturday... or a combo of mine and my best friend's, who was celebrating 28 that night.

    (3)

  • Tara M.

    Great musicians, not so great singing. Drinks a little pricey; $4 beers. The biggest complaint is TWO stalls for 200 drunk girls!! Ridiculous!! I will not go back for this reason alone. Spending 45 mins x2 for a bathroom break is unacceptable!!

    (2)

  • Hang T.

    First time to a piano bar, and it was such a fun time! The club itself is not the most modern looking or clean, but the entertainment makes up for the flaws in other areas. There was a $10 cover on Saturday nights. The stage has two men playing pianos across from each other (I guess that's what they meant by dueling pianos). People are able to fill out request sheets for their favorite songs, but money talks there so make sure you slip a big tip with your request. You'll more than likely see your song played. I can see the appeal of live music now. It was just so much fun to sing along and dance with the band. We heard music from Journey to Lady Gaga. They even sang the Chapel of Love song for a bride-to-be. I loved every minute of it. They have great deals on alcohol. You can buy buckets of beer for a good price. My friend's coworkers were there and bought us a lot of alcohol. Too bad we couldn't finish it. This places closes at 3am, which is awesome. Too bad we arrived around 1, but we were able to make the most of it and have a great time just dancing to the live music. Next time I'm in Chicago with my friends, we are definitely coming back!

    (4)

  • Caroline P.

    Disgraceful. This place is simply pathetic. Less than 1% of my reviews have 1 star. I don't give them out unless well-deserved. Here's 5 reasons to NEVER visit this bar: 1) Rude Wait Staff: They will do what they can to charge you for drinks you never ordered all while being completely rude. 2) Overpriced Everything: The tables are WAY over priced for what you get, and the drink prices are outrageous....but of course you won't find that out until the end of the night because the prices aren't listed anywhere. The drinks are HORRID. Syrup-filled, cheap liquor, and all around gross. 3) Ridiculously Awful Bouncers: Ladies, want to be followed into the bathroom by a male bouncer and grabbed on the arm? Sorry, I didn't pay for the extra sexual assault package! 4) Over-packed!: I'm pretty sure they had to be over their legal limit of people inside. You couldn't even move. If there was an emergency, many people would be dead. 5) Lacking Entertainment: At other locations, the musicians bring in guests to be part of things and really do an amazing job putting on a good show. The musicians performing here are more interested in lining their pockets than making a great experience for the guests. Heed the other poor reviews here. This place is a disaster waiting to happen. Don't let it happen to you!

    (1)

  • Dana Z.

    I know all Howl locations have different players but I just didn't get a good vibe from this place. I'm pretty much a regular at the Baltimore location (I guess I'm a little biased since my friend plays there) and since I was in Chicago I wanted to check out this location Overall just sadly disappointed. The talent wasn't funny... it wasn't really entertaining... and it didn't make me want to stay very long. They are pretty good as a company for getting you in for free from time to time. Just gotta look for messages on facebook

    (2)

  • Michelle H.

    Do you know what would be really neat? If the dueling piano show had more emphasis on the "dueling" aspect, and the performers would jump up mid-song and challenge the other to a sword fight! Touche! I figured out that a dueling piano show at a piano bar in the Loop is really not my thing. No offense to the piano guys, (who were uber talented) but listening to Journey covers done on the piano is not going to make me happy in the least. My sister- in- law won a weekday get -together here in a raffle, so I was there with a group of people, and for a limited time we were entitled to $2 well drinks and tap beer, and 1/2 price appetizers. The special that night was $1 hot dogs or hamburgers, so we took full advantage of that, as well. Our server was spot on, and always came around checking to see what we needed. I wasn't sure that a $2 well drink was going to have much alcohol, but my sex on the beaches were well poured, and very tasty. I know it was a Tuesday evening, but not too many others populated this bar. There were a table of college-age kids, and a busload of German tourists, who seemed more confused about the concept than I was. All together, unless someone else I know wins a cheap drink party, I don't know if I would head back here. Like I said, some things just aren't for me.

    (3)

  • Rhona K.

    ok so we had our christmas work party here last week and i had been here before so i knew the set up there where 10 of us up for a good time and a bit crazy .we where in the right place. I think that most of the clientele are on this level and have the sme idea the rest seem to want a quiet drink (so the decide to write a bad yelp )!!!!!! i will say that there is a bit of a rude floor staff member and some of the singers are certainly no pop stars ,!! but come on folks itscheap cover charge, and there looking for a party crowd this place is for fun people .full stop!!!!

    (5)

  • Amy B.

    I came here as part of my 30th birthday celebration with the girls. We had a fantastic time, no doubt in large part because of the alcohol transfusion we'd been receiving since mid-afternoon. We bought a couple of buckets o' booze and cozied up to the piano area. The musicians were shockingly talented. I was most impressed when they began to rotate instruments, mixing a fiddle and a guitar into the blend. Yeah, they sang mostly pop crap, but it was all by request and I thought it was fun to hear that sort of music done live. We did find it frustrating that the only way to get your song performed is to slip a bunch of money along with the request slip. Like, northwards of $20 from what we could tell. That's a lot for a song. The bucket o' booze was one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time. In retrospect, it was a hangover waiting to happen: cheap, low-quality liquor mixed with sugar. It was also a little awkward to hold a ginormous sand pail full of liquid in a crowd, which caused us to slurp it up at an inadvisable speed. If you want a fun, alcohol-soaked night where you can be unashamed to belt out your shameful favorite songs in public, you could do worse than Howl at the Moon.

    (3)

  • Christina F.

    Came here Friday night and they had a free buffet and $1 drink specials. For myself and the other poor grad students I was with, it was great! The buffet wasn't a great selection-- fruit, cheese, and tacos. But hey, it's free! I had a margarita that was small and a little bitter, also had a long island that was a bit watery. The music is really good but loud, we were sitting kind of off to the side so didn't really get to see much. I thought dueling pianos meant back and forth between the two pianists but it was more like cute, talented musician #1 does a song and then cute, talented musician #2 does the next song. It was pretty crowded but then again, it's Friday with cheap drinks and free food in the Gold Coast area. All in all, a really fun time just not ideal for chatting and get here early so you can have a prime seat.

    (3)

  • Osiris V.

    I guess they let any one sing now. Lol if you really get into the whole singing along then you'll definitely have a good time. I just thought it was cheese-eeee. There was a $10 cover and we got to skip the line since the hostess knew some people. Once we were in, you couldn't move. You had to push, bend, crawl to get to get to the bar. I ordered some Primeritas at $10 a pop. Luckily we nabbed a table right by the bar. The PRIMErita could have been a tad, just a tad, bit stronger. The woman's bathroom is down the stairs and the line was long!!! They only had 4 stalls, really? Do they not known that women go to the bathroom in pairs??? Lol The coat check was also down there, $3. There was one or two bachlorette parties celebrating, tons of birthdays and surprisingly A-lot of middle agers. Not that there's anything wrong with that, they definitely had it going on. They have this board where you can write whatever you want for the listed price (Well, they write it for you). As more people buy time on the board, the price keeps going up. Some cheesehead decided to be a smart ass and write "Go Packers" on it.....needless to say, that was erased instantly. Lol ;)

    (3)

  • Marie F.

    This is the most ridiculous bar ever. The waitress we had was completely rude and we got yelled at when we tried moving 2 chairs - apparently there is a rule against moving a couple of chairs to another table. This place had no personality and the music was pretty bad. With so many better bars with better hospitality, there is absolutely no reason to ever return to this place. Don't waste your money!

    (1)

  • Vanessa F.

    I was visiting Chicago with a friend and thought this would be a fun place to check out because we have liked piano bars in th past. I was wrong! Problem # 1 When we arrived around 8pm, which I consider fairly early still, the place was packed. After paying the $10 cover fee I noticed a small handwritten sign that said "standing room only". Would of been nice to have just been warned that before paying a cover... Problem # 2 With no where to sit because its not a very big place and there is not much seating we were standing by a wide ledge. After standing for a while I sat on the ledge which was not very tall and it was quite wide. Immediately a bouncer guy tells me no, no can't sit there. Ok...I can see if it was some precarious position where someone could easily fall off but that was not the case at all. Problem # 3 Apparently even standing was not allowed because after being there for not even an hour someone who worked there pushed us out of our spot to set up some stupid drink stand. That person also started DANCING on the very ledge I couldn't even sit on! At that point we were already leaving. This place sucked! Music was ok, atmosphere crappy, and the staff rude. Not to mention how ridiculous it is to pay a cover for a standing room only piano bar. AVOID!!!!!!!!

    (1)

  • Bridget K.

    If I could give half stars I would...Howl at the Moon is a sold 3.5 stars. The performers are good. The mood of Howl depends on what songs the people choose. I feel that I have a good grasp of music, yet didn't know many of the songs that were requested on a Friday night. Other choices were great and got the whole bar singing. If your looking to talk to your friend this in not the place to go. Make sure to get here early. My friends arrived at 5 in time to get two tables so we were able to steak out our space. The latest you would want to get here to get a table would be 6. The place gets more crowded right before 9/9:30 when the drink specials end.

    (3)

  • Lisa A.

    This was my firt experience at a piano bar, so I can't say that I knew what to expect. I was surprised that there were four performers rather than 2, and that they all seemed to be able to do everything. I liked when the female peformer broke out the fiddle, and enjoyed her rendition of Jason Mraz tunes. the performance was high energy and LOUD. The atmosphere was exactly what I expected. Drinks weren't anything special, especially for the price and the crowd was full of drunk people acting silly. We found one of the few tables still open, behind the stage and off to the side, so we had front row seats to the scuffle that ensued when one said drunk person got a little too frisky with another tipsy dancer. The staff seemed to handle it quickly, though, and it ended as soon as it began. I can't say that I'll go back the next time I'm in town, but I did enjoy my experience here.

    (3)

  • Tom Z.

    Very lively atmosphere with great performers. Really the stars given here were for the performance and Saturday night energy in itself. Otherwise, it was jam packed, minimal drink selection, and hardly anywhere to sit. But again the place is so energetic that a seat isn't necessary. If you're looking for a laid back lounge style piano bar then this isn't for you. If you're looking for high energy party-style piano bar, this is it. We had a great time. (Shame the cover was $10 though ... :) )

    (4)

  • Kelsey C.

    This Howl at the Moon location was a lot more fun than the Kansas City location. It wasn't as crowded and everyone was having a good time. The only qualms I have are that the bathrooms are all the way downstairs, which is by the main front door. They also have a bathroom attendant which I don't really like because I always feel like I should be tipping them. You also can't pull up extra chairs to the bar, you have to always keep them at tables. Tables are hard to come by, so go early or reserve a table (which is a fee, don't know how much though). They have a GREAT FourSquare deal right now-- show the admission person that you checked into there on FourSquare and you get free admission for one person! That's a $10 savings.

    (4)

  • Ling H.

    This piano bar is a great alternative to the bar scene. True, there are a lot of older people there and they requests songs before our time, but we actually knew a lot of them! It was a little empty at 9PM on a Monday night, but more people started to arrive a little before 10PM. The two facing pianos, drum set, and bass guitarist were situated in the middle of the room with "two audiences." The one by the bar seemed to be more into the whole piano bar scene. The audience situated by the back wall seemed to be a group of professionals who just wanted to blend into the background. That was fine though. It just added to the musical act to pick on them a little bit for our musical amusement. I LOVED how interactive the group was with the audience and how the four members could all rotate and play the different instruments AND sing to boot. It was fun watching and hearing them ad lib to songs and play requested songs on command! I was having such a great time and we were all a little reluctant to leave this great place. FYI: The Howl at the Moon Buckets of 86 oz. of alcohol is also a great thing to get for a big group, but if you are looking to get hammered, you might as well stick to a cocktail instead.

    (4)

  • Dianne S.

    Who's a fan of Rock Band and has two thumbs?... This gal! (thumbs pointing to self) Howl at the Moon is like Rock Band live with actual musicians who rotate from drums to guitar to singing to piano and back again. You can be part of the game too by jumping up on stage & singing a line or two or just busting a move. Audience participation is highly encouraged...after a drink of course! What was suppose to be a drink (singular!) after work with friends turned out to be one too many drinks with friends and our server...shout out to Victor! Thanks for the awesome service, humoring us by taking pics, and free Patron shots! $5 Kettle One drinks (on Wednesdays) got us started. They were a bit weak if you ask me...this coming from a girl who hadn't eaten for 4 hours and just came off a 12 hour shift. Chicken tenders ($7.95 for 5 pieces) were blah. Crowd consists of anything from senior citizens to college students. But once they start tickling the ivory, everyone's one big happy drunk family! Anytime when I can scream "Bieber Fever!" and not be thrown out is a good time=) Be prepared to pay $5 cover after 9pm. Bring plenty of singles! First song request is free then every subsequent request goes up by a dolla!

    (4)

  • Jen R.

    Two words... Drink Buckets! Good music. Great drinks. Steep cover. Certainly a bachelorette party place. Lots of fun with friends on occasion but not somewhere I would frequent regularly. It's 4 stars because I don't have a bad memory here, always a good time. And they make the drink stiff :)

    (4)

  • Rowena L.

    Went the other day for a friend's party, which meant super cheap drinks (but good drinks). The place was packed by 7, absolutely packed. The pianists are talented and there's a rotation of them, so even if you don't like one of them, there's always others. Plus there were a couple of rowdy birthday girls and bachelorettes which made for a fun show for everyone else.

    (4)

  • Laurence P.

    We went there as a group to celebrate my 40th birthday... And although we did make a point of enjoying ourselves, it was not thanks to the location. As a start, the two dueling artists were singing off-key more often than not, and I really felt that my ears were going to bleed... I guess this is not something you can notice when you are completely drunk, and 99% of the clientele were indeed drunk. Plus caution to the ladies who seem to have a good time... One of the bartenders found appropriate to ask one of my friends (girl) to "come down on him" after having made a drink that looked like a penis, and holding it at his crouch... Whether dealing with drunk or sober people, when you work in a bar, you should keep a professional behavior... Not happening there, OBVIOUSLY! No need to say, I will NEVER set one foot back into this place.

    (1)

  • Colleen C.

    Admission: I can be a super snob about places like Howl At the Moon. I don't howl, especially on Hubbard Street, or anywhere near the moon. I don't particularly enjoy karaoke (shoot me, aight?), either...so, this place didn't have a chance in hell. Or did it? Boy: My friend is having her birthday at Howl at the Moon. Go with me? Me: Why would anyone do that to their guests? Boy: Shrugs And, because I've all of a sudden become ridiculously agreeable...and (gasp) flexible, I went. You can teach an old snob new tricks, see? Is the crowd decidedly suburbs/bachelorette party? Yes Is the beer overpriced? Yes Is it cheesy? Yes Are they all having fun? Yes Are they all getting drunk? Yes Are they all singing? Yes Are they all dancing? Yes So, having fun, getting drunk, signing and dancing. Kind of hard to argue with a huge throng of people all doing this at the same time. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em...and we did, and...well, it was much better than expected. It was better than fine and less than awesome, but I survived and goddamnit, I'm probably taking the next crew of penis straw suckin' girls there for the next bachelorette party. Heaven help me, duel those pianos...let's do this thang. Sigh, snob no more? Eh, wouldn't go that far...but I take back any snarky thing I've said about Howl at the Moon. Worth a whirl if you are looking for infectious fun (or an infection? I don't know)...this could be a great place to stop, especially with a fun group, big drinkers, singers...or ya know, people who don't suck. There will be plenty of those people there already, so don't bring anymore... Owwwwwww, owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

    (3)

  • Maria S.

    I have NO clue why anyone would say the people can't sing unless they heard someone else. We went on a Friday and had a very brief wait to get in. The cover was 10 dollars and I felt that was WELL worth the talent. I also appreciated that they played requests with smaller dollar amounts. Some places I have went wont play your song without a 20 in the request. I was REALLY impressed with the singers. My only two complaints were that the bouncers near the stage were kind of jerks that were rude to my friend who spilled a drink - she was sober, and they told her to settle down when she jumped about being excited about a song. Other than those dudes, this place rocked! Me Gusta!

    (4)

  • Debbie F.

    We went here on Saturday night (Aug 24). A friend planned the night out, so thank God we got there early (at 6) since the place was packed by 7. Drinks were ok, atmosphere was great, and the music was crazy good. Although, I have issues with calling it dueling piano's as they are not really dueling, more of a cover band concert type thing, but over the top talented. But regardless, I had a lot of fun, cover was $10, waitstaff was on top of it, but the women's washroom was up 2 flight of stairs...not good, so they lose a star for that! Overall a great time. When leaving, there was a line down the block and around the corner...so get there early, but you will have fun.

    (4)

  • Jason H.

    The only thing worse than the worn out journey songs is the management. Rude, uninformed, and, in all likelihood, void of all common sense.

    (1)

  • Gayatri D.

    Cover charge for what? To drink overpriced beer and watch bachelorettes and tourists get drunk? No, thank you!

    (1)

  • Christopher S.

    Ummm... Well this is awkward, one of the reviews below mine is by my wife. From reading her review I have to ask if we went to the same place. THE BAD First they have a cover charge seemingly for no reason...(I mean really, no other place in the area has cover charges) but sometimes you can get it waived if you check in with foursquare, so keep that smart phone handy! THE UGLY Next as you may of guessed, this is a piano bar. You tip the players and they play requested songs...it's a cool concept that works well until you realize that the piano players WILL NOT play your requests if you tip anything less than 20 dollars a song. I got there early before the crowds and they never played any of my requests. I tried tipping 5 dollars and they still ignored it because at that point the place was packed and the players were exclusively taking requests from anyone with higher range bra sizes. THE GOOD The one good thing I can say about the place is the food is pretty good and the drinks taste great. I'd still suggest people stay far away from this place and check out other spots in the area as far as going out but if you want to come here to start your night (if you can avoid the cover)... order your food, enjoy a drink and a few songs that you didn't request and get out!

    (2)

  • M M.

    DO NOT GO. It definitely was not what I signed up for. It was a pricy cover charge for a less than mediocre experience. We were with a large group and were told we could not push our tables together. On top of being separated for a bachelorette party, we were told we could not pull up an extra seat. One person out of our party had to stand. Just straight up weird. The manager not only didn't apologize, but physically removed the chair from out table.

    (1)

  • Ju L.

    To briefly echo the other reviews: Yes, this place is cougar-y and touristy. Do not come here with your cynical young hipster friends. Do not come here in a grouchy mood, expecting to be cheered up. If you are under the age of 30, do not even think about coming here to meet people. That said, this wasn't my scene at all, but I had fun anyway. It's one of those situations where everyone is so goofy that you can't help but laugh along. Of course alcohol helps-- and drinks were pricey, and the margarita "bucket" was $27 and basically just lime juice, but it came with colorful straws! Seriously, that makes it at least partially better. It's part of the economics of old people + kiddie stuff. The "piano-dueling" was just okay, but maybe I just need to fortify my knowledge of 80's and 90's Top 40. They have photographers roaming the place, and photos are emailed out a week or two later. Waitresses go around selling test tube shots and syringe shots... as may be expected, there are desperate 30-something women putting themselves into demeaning positions with the syringe shots for the entertainment of their male companions... But let's not talk of that. In a more discerning mood, I wouldn't go again (especially at a $10 cover), but Howl at the Moon is a fun place when you feel like just being hokey with a bunch of friends. Also, fill out those "Free Happy Hour Party" cards they have lying around! Two of my friends and I did it on a whim, and all three of us won parties. Ha!

    (3)

  • Michael G.

    There are five stages to grief, but there are only three stages of Howl At The Moon: 1) I'm laughing at you, 2) I'm laughing with you, and 3) I'm just laughing. The first stage - I'm laughing at you - begins the moment you walk through the door. The crowd will inevitably consist of some of the biggest toolboxes known to man as with many other downtown bars. There will also be tourists with glazed looks on their faces at experiencing a big city dueling piano bar. They'll be gathering stories for when they go back to Iowa of the debauchery of Chicago (maybe they'll even, heavens, meet a person of a different sexual orientation). I can't help but laugh at that, as is probably the case with most Chicagoans. The second stage begins after the drinks have begun to be consumed. While they are pricey ($7 for a Guinness) and somewhat disgusting (I swear my vodka lemonade tasted like goat urine; or at least how I imagine goat urine to taste), they somehow seemed to do the trick. Once the duelling piano show starts and karaoke favorites begin blanketing the crowd it's nearly impossible not to be a little entertained. Somehow I found myself singing along with the tourists and the popped collars. Shockingly, we had something in common. I was laughing with them. The final stage, very similar to acceptance in the stages of grief, is I'm just laughing. As the hours progress, the piano players will begin to make up lyrics to songs they don't actually know. People will begin to request songs that have no business being played on a piano (i.e. "The Bad Touch" by Bloodhound Gang). People will begin dancing in front of the stage with giant fish bowls of neon liquor and ten straws. The whole darn thing becomes surreal. And I couldn't stop laughing. Call it touristy (it is). Call it overpriced (it is). Call it hokey (it is). Just don't call me the next morning because I'll have a hangover and an ear-to-ear grin on my face.

    (4)

  • Andre W.

    Cougars falling from the sky!!!!! Came over for Rhonda's party and had a pretty decent time. Free hot dogs and pulled pork sandwiches was nice. The $1 vodka grapefruit was good the first time, but after that it was all downhill (I was warned)The waitresses kept taking my order, but forgot to bring my drink. I got my ass up and went to the bar I ordered a tall drink, but recieved a short one. I told her again I want tall and she got a glass and dumped it in, but added no more alcohol, but added more grapefruit juice while I was standing there. What a set of balls she had. The dueling pianos were cool as they played everyones favorites. The cougars were in full effect as well having a grand old time. The old guy dancing in the front was quite entertaining as well. If I go back, I probably will not buy a drink.

    (3)

  • Helen C.

    Hi, this is Helen's hangover. Helen is currently unavailable. She went for an intended two drinks at Howl at the Moon, and emerged 6 hours later, and she won't be compus mentis for most of the rest of today. The reasons are numerous: Rhonda's happy hour (thank you!) meant the first 2 drinks were a dollar. They made Helen tipsy enough to think that another drink or seven would be a reeeeally good idea. There was food. Food increases alcohol tolerance, right? And it was free (appetisers like pulled pork and mini tacos until 7pm). The wine was shockingly acceptable. It comes in the following varieties: red, or white. Usually this means it will be unpalatable but it was perfectly good, especially for $4 (er, it goes up tp $10 after ten which IS unpalatable). They sell buckets of booze by the way. If that's your thing (death by food colouring?). Every time she got up to leave (honest), the pianos played another song she had forgotten she loved. As the night wore on, more and more people got added to the band. The songs got even louder. They played her request. Stacey got the scarily smooth-skinned Xena warrior, er, prince to feed her jello (really, she should stay away from wine). It may have been beer goggles by this stage, but most of the band was pretty hot. In all seriousness, this place is a good time. It does what it says on the tin. Yes, it's cheesy, but Helen loves cheesy, and it's far more interesting than going to any of those boring downtown bars. But she might save a visit up for a few weeks, because I can't be expected to write all her reviews for her. It's bad for her health.

    (5)

  • Ali B.

    This place is a riot! A friend invited me to a ugly Christmas sweater party here & we had a blast. Our waitress, Jessica, was awesome! The piano player are obviously really good & while the music was older, they did throw in one of my favorite songs by Hot Chelle Rae. They let people get on stage to dance & sing, so it's less pressure than karaoke. We left at 10 or so to find a place with a "younger" crowd. Like most places in the city, have some cash on hand for coat check. They have an ATM in the lobby and will take credit for cover & drinks.

    (4)

  • Janet X.

    I happily award Howl at the Moon one of the FOUR one-star reviews I've ever written. I mean, they really strove really hard to earn this distinction. I've never seen a place succeed so spectacularly at earning the "Hell NO!" badge. First of all, I must admit that I should have expected this, having gone to the Boston location. But this was really something else. I arrived a little late to a bachelorette party (family commitment), and since the rest of my party already went in and there's only one of me, I asked the bouncer if I can join them inside. Nope. So I waited outside for half an hour, which gave me a good preview as to what was coming: 1) A group of girls in minidresses and heels that looked like they were barely drinking age, smoking cigarettes, one of which had a pink sash across her torso that should have said Miss Most Likely to Age Thirty Years in the Next Ten of America 2) A couple in their fifties, the female half of whom was wearing a low-cut leopard-print dress, and who kept yelling into her cell phone, "We're at Howl at the Moon and there's a cover and a very young crowd..." 3) Another bachelorette group exiting the club, with messy, sticky hair, saying, "Oh my God, it was SO HOT in there!" Sadly, that was probably the best part of the evening. The bar, of course, was all the way at the back of the room. The dozen or so tables were all occupied by the Empty Nester crowd, leaving the young ones to fight their way through the crowd to the dance floor, which, to be honest, was about the size of my bathroom. It was entirely occupied by girls, save the two or three men who were trying their luck. There was a narrow strip in front of the pianos in which girls danced, and I'm using the word "dance" very very loosely since there was so little room up there that the brave and drunk souls that tried can only manage to wiggle a little bit and wave their hands. Also, did I mention that they forgot to turn on the AC? It was about a hundred degrees in there, so hot and humid that my ice-cold $6 Bud Light turned room temperature within five minutes. For the life of me, I do not understand why there were SEVEN bachelorette parties that night. If you were young and female, wouldn't you rather be in a place where you can actually dance and get hit on by guys your own age?? The only good thing about this place was that I didn't have to pay the $10 cover due to my Foursquare check-in. Hells to the no. Never again.

    (1)

  • Mary T.

    What do you call a guy 10 years past cute dancing around with a straw-filled, bucket of booze? Popular - if you're at Howl. Sure this place is gimmicky, cheesy and full of tourists and bachelorettes, but they put on a pretty nice happy hour. I was actually shocked at how packed this place gets for happy hour! We arrived right at open and within an hour people were hovering, looking for empty tables. If you've never been here and don't know what this place is about, the draw is their dueling piano show. You can request songs (tips bump your request up on the playlist) and the guys play it (sometimes working in their own lyrics) and the crowd screams along - any genre of music is fair game. If it's your birthday or bachelorette (I've never seen a bachelor party anywhere near this place) you'll likely be brought up on stage to sing and dance along. The lovely Rhonda G. won a party here; as part of the package we got 2 tickets for $1 drinks (beer or well), discounts on drinks until 10 and the free buffet. Since it's a touristy/gimmicky place expect drinks to be pricey, even when discounted, and food to be a tad overpriced. However, for the price you do get a shit ton of nachos! They also have a silly rule about moving tables, they claim moving them creates a fire hazard, ok... Bottom line: Was it fun? Yes. Would I go back for happy hour? Only if someone wins another party.

    (3)

  • Rhonda G.

    This place could be a really good time. I think that the crowd you're with makes the evening. In my case I was here with a group of cool people so I was in great company. I dig the energy that this place has and most people seem to be having a great time. The dueling piano band is pretty cool though I think they could play a bit more of the requests from people who aren't giving them $40 Our waitress was great to start and pretty attentive though we had a little spat when she brought me a baby drink for the same price as a tall drink and proceeded to tell me the only difference was the amount of mixer used. So you're telling me that you are watering down the tall drinks with mixer? hmm... don't like this. I might go again but I wouldn't pay $10 to get in.

    (3)

  • Katie L.

    I have only been here once, but I can't wait to come back! Having a drink served to me in a giant pitcher fishbowl reminds me of college in the best way. Oh, and the catchy tunes by the pianists make for really fun background music. A great place for people watching too! Was very impressed with the musicians' knowledge of very current songs.

    (4)

  • Meridith E.

    Can I ask what the big deal is? Seriously? It's overly crowded, pay a cover to stand the entire time as their seating is so limited. No room to move. The dueling pianos get 4 stars as the times I've been they've been great. But if my friends vote to go here, I usually tell them I'll just meet up with them afterward.

    (2)

  • Kimmie R.

    This is the type of place that if you step in for one drink you will find yourself there for hours singing along and after a few drinks tapping the palms of your hands on the table off beat. On the days that I've been to Howl at the Moon there has never been a cover. I really enjoyed myself. They have some great singers and their range is great. I love that the crowd generally selects all types of music genres and the piano players are able to play every song regardless of how old, new or rare it is. The bartenders are very nice and the place has plenty of seating. One thing that I didn't quite understand was this big bucket drink that they sell for a discount. They provide people with a big bucket of this mixed drink and plenty of straws and everyone is sharing the same bucket like animals feeding on a farm. I will pass on sharing a drink with five people! Ummm....backwash with booze anyone? Overall, it's a fun time, reasonable prices and a great crowd of people. I really enjoy myself every time I go. The only reason this place is getting four stars instead of five is because the waitresses are rude! They continuously pressure patrons to order drinks or close out their tab, which is extremely annoying for such a nice place. :)

    (4)

  • Gerrit G.

    Went there on a Friday night at 9:30 pm and have to admit that I hadn't had that much fun in a long time. The guys playing hip hop on the piano... awesome!!! If you're out looking for a lot of fun this is the place to go!

    (4)

  • Tim Y.

    Two stars for the entertainment provided by questioning whether or not the bachelorette nearest our group was a dude. Otherwise, entirely forgettable clusterfuck of an operation from start to finish. Far too crowded to be enjoyable unless you're three sheets to the wind. The music isn't bad and the bar staff works hard, but there are so many better places to go if you're *not* part of a bachelorette party or 21st birthday group.

    (2)

  • Vineet S.

    Went to this place on thursday evening after work. They usually don't charge cover from Sunday to Thursday which is good. It's a good piano place with reasonably good piano players. Usually the place is packed people belonging to different age groups.Crowd is kinda of like OK.The drinks are very pricey. It's not a place to be visited when they charge $ 10 cover charge, because it's not worth it.

    (2)

  • Iman W.

    3 years living in Chicago and I'd never been to this place. I actually enjoyed myself. There's a cover...but I didn't have to pay that cover, so obviously that wouldn't bother me. And when I got there, despite it being pretty busy, there was no line outside. Guess I lucked out? Drinks were good, didn't take too long to get us, and I didn't get a pretentious vibe from the staff or the patrons, which is one of my pet peeves when I go anywhere. Cougar bar? Damn, I guess that's I looked like the youngest person there...hmm. I'd recommend taking friends here who are visiting Chicago, especially if they are like my friends and are from the middle of Snoozeville USA and have never been to Chicago, let alone any remotely big city. They'll get a kick out of dueling pianos who can go from playing Pat Benatar to Lil Wayne without missing a beat.

    (4)

  • Jennifer B.

    Great entertainment. I had a great night. Met a few good people. Overall great night with my colleagues.

    (4)

  • Denise J.

    This was my first time at Howl at the Moon and it was a blast!! My Aunt decided she wanted to have her birthday party here and we were all excited to give it a try. We drove downtown and got here around 5:30. we did the valet parking so we didnt have to worry about trying to find a parking spot on a saturday. Since we got there before 6 we did not have to pay a cover to get in, SCORE! there were a bunch of table avaliable, we picked one right infront of the dueling pianos and the side bar. Our waitress came right over and gave us menus and asked what our drink order was. We ended up getting a bucket of beers(you can mix and match the brands for buckets), they were 20 for 5 beers, i didnt think it was that bad. After looking at the menu my sister and I both wanted the pulled pork and fries for dinner, so we decided to split it. I reccomend this!!! We both had enough food and then your not wasting any, because I'm going to guess that after sitting out all night you WILL NOT want to eat that food tomorrow. My friend did order one of the mixed drink with the bendy colored straws and i was a little sad. I did not taste any alcohol in it, mostly juice. They were expensive too. Im glad I stuck with beer!! The dueling pianos started at 9 right on the dot, like the waitress told us they would. These guys were amazing. They both had really good voices, and they seriously knew EVER song that someone requested. As the night went on you did have to tip a little more money if you wanted to hear your song placed. Around 10 they added a woman on the drums and a guy on the guitar, si it ended up being a whole band!!!! If you havent been here I would give it a try, you wont regret it!!!

    (4)

  • Joshua N.

    Howl at the Moon had a real fun atmosphere. The pianists were fantastic and super entertaining. The crowd the night I went was older than me by a bit and it was a little awkward. It was all older business people drinking on a week night. It was just odd. But that shouldn't detract from the fact that the piano's kept blaring. I'll add this the $1 burger and dog night is a cheap, but the burgers are terrible as are the hotdogs, they're a dollar I get it, but yuck. Also, it seemed like a pretty busy night, but yikes the service was terrible. My server had difficulty figuring out how to split the bill or keeping her orders together, or even coming back frequently to keep us happy. If it wasn't for the fun of the dueling piano's (and there may well be much better bars for this) I'm not sure I would even consider a return.

    (3)

  • Michael S.

    I found Howl at the Moon to be exactly what I expected when it came to a dueling piano bar. The atmosphere was pretty good, and performers were some of the best I've seen at piano bars in the city -- they even occasionally throw in drums, guitars, and an electric violin. The drink menu is a little small, and they really push their "special" concoctions which range from 24oz to an 86oz bucket. When I went with some friends for my girlfriend's birthday this past Saturday, we got an initial 86oz bucket and then she won another in a birthday dance-off. Unfortunately, the bartenders pump so much sugar into those drinks most of us ended up getting slight stomach aches before we could even get buzzed. The entertainment played all the expected dueling piano songs and both personalities were good crowd-pleasers, though when the majority of your crowd is middle-aged yuppies and drunken out-of-towners, I honestly don't think its all too hard to do. The bathroom's are weirdly up or down these maze-like stairs depending on gender, and you seemingly have to weave your way through a convoluted labyrinth to arrive. Once I was in the washroom, the two foul-mouthed attendants stood there talking about whatever they wanted and disregarded the fact that there were patrons in the room, but still expected a tip. The bouncers inside the bar stand between the door and the stairwell to the bathrooms and pester you to and from, asking to see your stamped wrist. I was given trouble more than once by the same bouncer as I was going back to my table -- I was stamped on the opposite arm due to a to-the-wrist tattoo sleeve. The final time, I shrugged him off to get my coat and when he followed me and pulled on my shoulder, I told him we were leaving. All in all, I would say Howl at the Moon is one of the better dueling piano bars in the city of Chicago. Unfortunately, it lacks in a lot of areas that others may not. I would suggest it over Sluggers in Wrigleyville every single time, but maybe a bit begrudgingly so.

    (3)

  • Danielle S.

    I had heard of Howl at the Moon before and heard it was a good time, so I decided to check it out. There is a cover charge, but it isn't atrocious. Get there early....I'll say it again....get there early because this place fills up fast!!! To the point where there aren't seats left. You can reserve a table...but there is a large charge for that. They have really good drinks that cost as much as most bars/clubs in Chicago. They have 2 sets of performers, the later ones are usually better so I would stick around. you can request songs, dance, and sing along. They are very entertaining so this isn't like sitting back and watching a concert. They make jokes, parodies, etc. It gets "dirty" as well...so don't bring the little ones. Leave them with the sitter. They don't really "duel" which is disappointing, but it's still a good time!

    (4)

  • MJ C.

    Fun! Exciting! Always a good time! Dance! Eat! Listen to great music played by the band! Enjoy! I recommend the Sex on the Moon bucket if you're coming here with a group of friends. You can never go wrong with Howl at the Moon. There's a cover charge of $5. But, so what?

    (4)

  • Evan M.

    So here's how you successfully do Howl at the Moon: 1. Attend a friend's party (no cover) 2. Register for your own free party (you're virtually guaranteed to "win" unless they type your email in wrong) 3. On the day of your free party, get there at 5pm sharp. And I don't mean 5:02pm. 4:59. 4:45 to be safe. Otherwise, forget snagging a table. Many tables may be reserved, and the security guys take their jobs on Chair Duty at a piano bar VERY. DAMN. SERIOUSLY. Do not try to move one of the reserved chairs one inch to get past it. Do not attempt to hang your coat on said chairs. Actually, please do try it, just to watch them flip out. It's fun. 4. Get drunk fast. Make sure you're already slammed by the time the musicians play at 6. Some of them are immensely talented (well, not Carnegie Hall talented, but Howl at the Moon talented), and some of them are, as my friend Dave would put it, "like an off night at a karaoke bar." But seriously, that's the way to do it. If you roll in on a Friday, they have the free buffet till 7. It's often something like pulled pork sandwiches, fruit and cheese cubes and spicy macaroni & cheese or hot dogs, but hey, I never complain about free anything. Just FYI, this place is all over the map with the age range. You may see 20-somethings. You may see 80-somethings. Don't get fooled because it's on Hubbard you think it'll be full of sweet young things. They may be visiting from Iowa and have very bad Mall Highlights. You may see your old History teacher here celebrating her 60th birthday. This place is chock full of tourists. Just witness the paltry "wooo!" when they ask who in the crowd is local, compared with the raucous "WOOOOOO! WE'RE IN THE BIG CITY! AT A PIANO BAR!" when they ask who in the crowd is visiting. So yeah, get there early and get drunk at once and you may have a good time. If you wait, don't say I didn't warn you ask you stand in the back getting grinded on by an Indiana housewife on vacation.

    (3)

  • Lisa D.

    This was my first trip to Howl at the Moon. Went for my sister's bday. Group of 4 girls.. we just walked in around 8pm on a Sat night. All the tables were taken but we stood to the side of the stage and were able to get a few chairs to sit on. The manager was pretty strict about us using the chairs but not sitting at a table but she eventually let us stay there. Great mix of people here... old to young! The piano players did an amazing job playing fun and upbeat songs. The drinks were reasonably priced and service was great! Our server would keep coming to us and asking us if we are OK even with it being super crowded which was nice. We never had to seek her out if we needed something. If you want a table to yourself though I would def make reservations. and they charge cover all day on the weekends.. it was 10 dollars.

    (5)

  • Lindy B.

    It was loud, so don't expect to socialize. It was packed, so don't expect a table or a comfortable place to stand. It had a long line, but you can get past that with a little "glad handing" cash, that is. Then you still get to pay to get in. The drinks are expensive and have little alcohol, so I would stick with beer and on the rocks drinks. Don't bother with the shots unless you just want some girl to look like she's doing something nasty with you. The dueling pianos, I expected more...dueling. But the crowd got into the singing...and that was fun. LindySez: Did it once, don't need to do it again.

    (2)

  • April P.

    This place is great! My friends and I came here during college a bunch. It was our favorite bar downtown for sure. If you give them your birthday, they will most likely throw you a party which comes with incredible wrist band deals. The performers are great musicians, incredibly talented and so entertaining. Also, it gets pretty busy after 5 on the weekends so if you want a table you should get there pretty early.

    (4)

  • Andrew W.

    Drinks good and music is fun. Unfortunately, the $10 cover and absolutely no place to sit, or stand for that matter. When you're paying for two people and $20 can buy you 4 drinks, go somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Pinaki S.

    Always take your out of town friends here if they want a great time, and if they don't suck. Complete drunkeness awaits.

    (5)

  • Sara V.

    I've been to 3 different Howl at the Moon locations and 4 total dueling piano bars. The Chicago Howl at the Moon still takes the cake! I do agree that it usually is the middle-aged drunken crowd and cover can be quite pricey, depending on what day you go. However, parties are so easy to win at Howl at the Moon and therefore takes care of cover, parking and drink specials! Besides, the performers here are phenomenal and definitely the best I've seen out of the 4 piano bars that I've been to. They're vast array of musical genres never cease to amaze me and their raw talent to be able to play these songs on request. If you're lucky enough to go here when certain performers are there, you even get a mix of comedy! So yes, tables are rather hard to find and you may find yourself getting hit on by a middle-aged man or woman, but I believe the performers make up for it. Just go really early or stay for a short time, but once you really get into it, I think you will find it hard to leave!

    (4)

  • Leanne A.

    blaaaaaaaaaaaa. Ew. Yuck. My first time here was with a, you guessed it, bachelorette party! I had actually heard good things about HATM, so I was excited to check it out. Ummm, no. Cover is ridiculous, crowd is packed in like rats, crowd is comprised of 80% bachelorette parties and 20% unattractive men hitting on the bachelorette parties. HOW is this fun??? Each bachelorette thinks it's "her time to shine" and so they get up and dance and sing on stage in their too-tight, too-short dresses, thus revealing lots of body parts. As a musician, I really love to see these pianists making buckets full of money, I do. But they spent a good 20 minutes on a "college fight songs medley." YES, You heard me. A College Fight Songs Medley. 1. Who the hell is so in to their college during their bachelorette party that they want to scream their old fight song?? 2. Fight songs suck. This is common knowledge. 3. Girls pay money to get their "fight song" played. We are talking, like, 100 bucks, folks. 4. The pianists' microphones are so hot, the fight songs are practically screaming into your ear drum. It doesn't help that the tables/stools are all full and spread around the bar randomly, creating a giant maze. It saddens me that this is a place where decent musicians are making good money. To play bad music.

    (1)

  • Andrea J.

    I say if you've experienced this place once then end it there. The first time I went it was pretty fun, the drinks tasted OK as well as the food. This time the drinks were sub par and food bland. The music is always fun to listen and sing to, the performers are really awesome. I wouldn't try to request a song unless it's accompanied with at least a $10 otherwise it won't get sung. I do believe next time I'll just meet my friends after they leave here.

    (2)

  • Holly L.

    As long as you know what you're getting into, it can be a great time. If you don't know what you're getting into - here it is: Cheesy, lots of tourist/conference attendees and bachelorette parties with pricey (no more so than anywhere downtown though) drinks and lots of fun. We went on a Saturday night for a friend's bachelorette party. Since we planned to get there later, we did not reserve one of their bachelorette party packages, we just took our chances. We had to wait in line for about 3 minutes. There was a $10 cover, which they did not charge the bachelorette. It was packed - a lot of bachelorette parties, guys looking for bachelorette parties, and people with their conference badges still on. The entertainment was great. I was amazed at the differente songs they could play on the piano. They keep the crowd engaged and are great. The buckets-o-booze is a nice touch, especially for the bachelorette party crowd. IT's not somewhere you'd want to hang out every weekend, but for a special night out, it's a pretty good time.

    (4)

  • Danny D.

    This place is just plain vanilla. Odd ball type's........some guy even grabbed my buddy's wife's butt.

    (2)

  • Dave S.

    We went on a Wednesday evening and didn't get charged a cover to get in (although we had a voucher if they had done). Was fairly empty when we walked in (about half past 8 / 9 o'clock) but every seat was taken by the time we left about half past midnight. No draft beers but a decent bottled selection and they have a lot of different cocktails on the menu (mainly served in buckets!!) - this is not somewhere you would go for a sophisticated evening! Anyway, a place like this is going to live or die on the basis of how good the band are, and we must have walked in on a good night because they were fantastic. We had 5 people alternating between playing the piano, drums, guitar and occasionaly violin as well as taking turns to sing a whole variety of songs (and requests) - There was a lot of very funny banter between them in between (and sometimes during) the music. Considering we just walked in off the street not knowing what to expect here this really could have gone either way - i'm pleased to report we had a great time and would definately recommend it to anyone visiting Chicago.

    (4)

  • Erin B.

    My friends and I were searching for an ultimate Chicago bar experience. This was not the place. It was pouring rain outside, but we chose to wait in the line out the door. Immediately, we knew this was a bar you needed to arrive drunk to. The drinks were $34 for three beers and a vodka tonic the size of my hand (if you ask me, that's pushing ridiculous) after we paid cover. I've been to piano bars before, but if you aren't prepared to sing you better be ready to listen to a few screamers. And that's just what there was. Many drunk people screaming nonsensical notes at the pianos on stage adorned with bachelorette parties and mothers dressed in pink boas carrying pink penises on sticks. It was an amusing sight, but not one I think I'll endure again.

    (2)

  • Dani K.

    Seriously, DO NOT let the fact you see the word "piano" scare you out of stopping here because this place is a fun bar that happens to have two pianos playing your song requests. The staff are very accomodating, waitresses walking around table to table to make sure you're doing fine, and the patrons are down-to-earth and here for a great time. People are dancing to the cover band between the pianists breaks and, really, the only word to describe this large bar is FUN. It's a blast.

    (4)

  • Jill T.

    Great time! This has definitely been added to our "must do" list each time we are in Chicago!

    (4)

  • Mandy P.

    Suburbanites and wanna-be cougars - look no further for a watering hole! Arrived here for an after work event and I'm sure I'll find little reason to come back. The good: We had great service and the food I tried was pretty good. Standard bar fare with a free buffet of pasta around happy hour. The bottled Bud Light really helped my palatte identify all of the flavors in my soft pretzel dipped in cheese. The bad: There was nothing special about the piano players; the one was okay, but the other just bordered on the line of creepy (and I'm no prude). A bathroom attendedent pretty much slept propped against a stall, but that doesn't bother me since I've had little trouble applying my own soap and claiming a paper towel since I was tall enough to reach. It was just pointless she was even there. The ugly: Nothing was truly ugly, but to continue being cliche I had to add this section.

    (2)

  • Jason K.

    Perfect atmosphere for a party! It gets a little crowded late night, but it's a lot of fun....it's the only chance I ever get to join a bachelorette party!

    (5)

  • Scott C.

    Pretty cool place if you get there in time to get a table. Dueling pianos taking requests is usually a guaranteed good time. Often times there are bachelorette parties there that can be pretty entertaining and it's good people watching since so many people flock to this place.

    (4)

  • K M.

    Its getting a star knocked off because big covers are very annoying to me. Otherwise I love this place, I have so much more fun at bars like this where people are clearly just there to have a good time! I'm making myself sound so cheesy I know, but I love good music that I can sing along to with my friends, rather than clubby music that's more just a beat to dance to than it is really music. Great place for a night out with a group of friends (also seems to be popular with bachelorette parties as I've seen at least one group every time I've been there) The piano players are just so entertaining and I have to admit I get a kick out of the fight song portion of the night (although I'll never put in money just to have mine win!) I also seem to recall being able to get drinks served in a bucket for you to share with friends. I've never been a big fan of the idea of everyone drinking out of the same bucket though! :) I brought a bachelorette party here this weekend and I have mixed feelings about it- on one hand, the music is perfect for such an event. On the other, not a whole hell of a lot of room to dance, and the party suffered for it (some of the bridesmaids looked bored and trampled after a while) it probably would have helped to have a table to revolve around, but you have to get there by 8 and pay about $200 for a 4 person table. Rip off. Also a rip off to pay ahead of time for the package where you don't have to show up by 8 but dont get a table- I seriously debated whether I'd do this package because it gets you out of waiting in line, and the idea of having 16 ladies waiting in line freaked me out, but it turned out to be totally unnecessary. I think that's a gamble though- I've seen long lines before! not this particular night though so it was probably a waste of $10 per person :( oh well! learn from my mistakes!

    (4)

  • Shannon W.

    Fun little place where people play the piano and are pretty good at getting audience participation. It's somewhat annoying when the bartenders join in and dance on the bar because then you're just standing there waiting for a drink for about 10 minutes. The cover is a little pricey, but we luckily got in for free.

    (3)

  • Dave S.

    This is a really fun place. The piano show was a lot of fun and the servers got my drinks out fast even though they were really crowded. I got there right at five on a Friday and the place filled up very quickly which seemd like a lot of the after work crowd. Right around 6:00 it really got elbow to elbow in there. It was still a very good time

    (4)

  • Yujin A.

    I went there three times with different groups of friends. The thing was we had a small group each time, and it is a kind of place where you have fun when you are drunk and with many people you know. I agree with Ian S. I miss Rum Runner's in IN and MI. The piano players here aren't as funny as ones I've seen in other piano bars like Rum Runner's. But it seems like every piano dueling bar likes to collect tips by singing college fight songs taking advantage of the fact that these drunk alums would put a 20 dollar bill down to hear their school's fight song. This is fun once or twice, but it gets old pretty quickly. Other than that, I thought bartenders were really attentive. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it's got a mixed crowd. Some young people. locals, tourists, many in their 30's, business travelers out of state/country. The crowd is kind of old for my age, but I didn't mind it.

    (3)

  • vicky y.

    pretty entertaining piano bar, pianists were younger and more fun than i'd expected. crowd was pretty mainstream the night we went. got loud in there so not sure how great it really is for groups. but, if you like the bar scene, you'll prolly like this place.

    (2)

  • Stephanie M.

    I give it 3 stars cuz I had a good time here thanks to my friend and his group. I wouldnt come here all the time but it has good happy hour deals and its a nice unpretentious no-cover happy hour-ish place to go. The shots are STRONG. Free buffet and drink tickets for like $0.50 drinks...sweet. I am not that keen on the piano bar though but some ppl like it a lot.

    (3)

  • Julia B.

    Great live music/piano bar. They get the crowd very involved. It gets very crowded so it's often a good idea to reserve a table ahead of time..also there is a pretty high cover at times. All in all it's a fun place to go on a special occasion

    (3)

  • Me P.

    Best advice, get there early with your friends, have a ball and leave before the rush to go somewhere else. You'll get better bar service, cleaner bathrooms andhave a better chance to hear your song and then explore more in Chicago.

    (3)

  • Linsey C.

    Ok, a friend of mine was celebrating her big 3-0. I didn't really think it would be much fun. Wouldn't miss her b-day for anything so I got all prettied up and headed down with the roomies on friday night. We arrived about 830pm and it was already pretty crowded-not to the point of claustrophobia yet but I was happy some friends had arrived earlier and saved 2 tables by the open windows. Let me tell you- it was a lot more fun than I anticipated. I was singing, dancing and yes, drinking. The drinks were good, prices were average, the service was good and Tony the bartender was super cute. We had a party of about 12 people and everyone had a great time. The musicians were pretty talented, the songs were, for the most part, ones that everyone in the place could sing along to. The crowd was mixed: a large section was males, early-mid 30's, then there were the groups of girls I'd say everywhere from 21-late 40's, then the older crowd-watch out, all the creepy old men get front row seats to the dancing area and stare at anything that moves...but fun none the less! I'd go back, probably won't unless there is another special occasion, but it's worth checking out. Oh, the fish and chips were really good!

    (4)

  • Vanessa M.

    We decided to stop here after hearing a few good recommendations from other tourists. Fun, but we didn't stay long...we left after about an hour. Pros: No cover before 9pm Very talented musicians Cons: Icky basement bathroom, with creepy (and unnecessary) bathroom attendant Drink prices were outrageous ($15 for a round of Dixie-cup size, weak rail drinks)

    (3)

  • d b.

    While the staff is polite you have to just know what this place is before going...a fun joint for non musical people where the songs are usually butchered in a way that if you know anything, you'll start to get angry....drinks served in fishbowls to drunken college girls(nothing wrong with that)..so live and let live..just not for me.

    (2)

  • Mike K.

    Howl at the Cheese. It's a ten dollar cover for a clientele that is 50 percent cheesy tourists, 20 percent cheesy suburbanites, 20 percent cheesy bachelorette party goers (begging for cash) and 10 percent locals (cheese-free) who have been suckered into making a bad decision to come to a bar to party while listening to the cheesiest of cheesy music. When this Moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, it's not amore. It's far from it.

    (1)

  • Joe M.

    I have a love/hate relationship with this place. I found this place about 6 years ago when I was visiting Chicago before I officially moved here to become a resident. I loved this place because where I come from there was nothing like this around. After moving to Chicago and becoming a resident, I hate that I still visit this place and often can't help but sing at the top of my lungs to so many familiar tunes. The cover is usually $10 but on Thursdays they have college night so bring your college IDs. Sometimes they have other discounts (2for1's) if you know where to look... or you can frequent this place enough where the door and bar staff know you too well and they might give you a break. The drinks are kind of expensive so I don't frequent this place like I use to. $25 for a bucket of alcohol is still one of my favorite things... but they are sweet drinks so there's a lot of sugar involved. The staff is relatively hospitable as long as they aren't slammed with wall to wall people. Get there early if you want to find a place to stand/sit on a Friday and Saturday night. Tip the entertainers well or they will skip over your song a couple of times. And PLEASE for the love of all this is HOLY do not keep asking them to play the same song OVER AND OVER. They play it one-two times a night to be nice and after that it's just too much. Thank you to Howl for being a good friend for so many years and for picking me up when I'm down. And thank you to the staff for letting me be the way I am and not judging me out loud. :)

    (3)

  • Carol K.

    Did someone say tourist trap??? Stopped in here the other night with some out of town colleagues who had visited the one down in Orlando and loved it, but I couldn't wait to get out of the place! The best thing I can say about it is that the wait staff was friendly and kept bringing us beer! On the down side- it was loud, packed with conventioneers and screaming people waving beer bottles. A woman, celebrating something, hauled herself up onto one of the pianos where she was serenaded (note to self- never get up on a piano in a sundress if you weigh more than 100 pounds. Not a good look from any angle!!!) The music was not meant to be good- just entertaining and for that I gave it an extra star because the guys gave it their all!! I think if I was from out of town and looking for someplace to hang, and not knowing any better that this might be okay. But for me on my home turf- I don't think I'll be back. Maybe I just didn't drink enough this night to make this place fun!!!!

    (2)

  • Kate P.

    The only reason why I went here was because my good friend won a party. Free food and booze, I'm there. However, we were all in agreement that the night sucked. The idea of dueling piano's is pretty cool, but (and this is a big but too) the clientele are uppity little snobs. It's like a frat hangout and these gross guys were trying to pick me up and I'm like Oh no you don't! Also, I had to use the bathroom pretty badly and when I finally made it to the restroom, there was like a half hour wait to use one of the two toilet stalls they have there, come on now it's ridiculous, especially for a women's bathroom. Then when I went over to ask the men's bathroom attendant if I could use the men's restroom because the line was shorter and I really had to go, he just looked at me like I had 3 holes in my head and sent me to the end of the women's line again. It was at that point I just left because I literally would of ended up peeing on the floor if I had to wait in the long ass line another minute.

    (1)

  • Joe M.

    I play piano and save for the 7 months spent cramped in the studio apartment I had, have had a piano in my living quarters the past five years or so. Because of such, at parties people will often drunkenly ask me to play. And I won't, mostly because it is my way to balance the world. The yin to the yang of all those douchebag guys who just love to pull out their guitar or sit at a piano and hammer out the four chords they know while vapid, drunk girls squeal in delight. Howl at the Moon is a bar full of those types of girls and those types of douchebags. This is a good place to go if... you're into vapid chicks and/or general douchebaggery.

    (1)

  • Annie O.

    I had to think of a place to take both family members and girlfriends for my 21st birthday. Obviously not a club because that's not appropriate for family, but still somewhere where my friends and I could party and get our drank on. After a winter of being cooped up indoors I was CRAVING some live music, and I had always wanted to try a piano bar since we're always going to crappy college pubs. The day had finally come... I was the last of my friends to turn 21 and we all had REAL ID'S! I decided on HATM because it was close to the restaurant we ate at and I heard Red Heads was for swingers (EW!). I am thrilled with my choice! Everyone had a blast. My mom, aunts, and grandma only stayed for about 45 minutes and after they left my friends and I hung around for a while longer. We were by far the youngest ones there (it was a Thursday night, maybe the crowd is different on weekends) but it was great because we didn't have to pay for drinks the entire night..not that we usually do. We also danced with some cute moms who were there with their husbands, AND the piano guys serenaded me while I sat on the pianos. SO MUCH FUN! We went to some other bars after that but everyone agrees this was the most fun, and a great escape from the usual DePaul bars :D I'd definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Chrissy N.

    This is NOT a place to frequent- but a place to go to once- maybe twice for fun and loudness. A fun time! My parents' friends (50-something) were celebrating their 35th anniv- so their 2 daughters invited my parents and I for dinner and then end the night here. So already we created quite a mixed crowd. There are LOTS of tables and seating here- but you really have to reserve something ahead of time to have access to them. Centrally located are the 2 pianos. The night we were there- there were 2 dudes and one female. The female was SO GOOD, fun to watch- and really was an entertainer. The men were her back-up as far as I was concerned. People all sing along, are loud, beers are inexpensive and they had plenty of drink specials. The ladies all had a great time. I don't know if my dad & the other dad were floored though. I've been to one of these places before in Milwaukee and it was NONstop bachelorette parties there which got SO old and was so dumb because they all wanted to get on stage and dance with the pianos. This place kept that ll at a minimum. They kept it crowd-friendly. I recommend this place for a loud time with a group of friends (not a date). Cheesy- yes. Crowded- yes. Little wacky crowd- for sure. A good time- you betcha!

    (3)

  • Chad C.

    All I can say is I pretty much had the time of my life at this place. I hope any other piano bar I go to can come close to this. I came here as a tourist on a monday night. My gf and I were surprised that they play pretty much anything. I mean anything. They played the classic journey songs, an interesting take on poker face, and even Kyles mom is a $itch from southpark. The staff was extremely friendly, as were the musicians. Drinks were pricey, but that's not something I was surprised of. Now if they could only open one in Nor-Cal.

    (5)

  • Kelly O.

    Okay, lets make this short and sweet. Negatives: not the best interior, no dancing space (when thats all you really want to do). Positives: amazing music, and fun drinks if thats your thing. The very talented performers really make this place what it is though. I'm going back!

    (4)

  • Lesley A.

    Think of Howl at the Moon as one big room of group karaoke set to dueling pianos. Or wait...sorry...maybe it's not so much group karaoke as me just having such a great time that I just belt out Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" along with the pianists and performers. That and I've had the pleasure of taking a sip, just a sip, of one of Howl at the Moon's bucket drinks: mixed drinks, in a BUCKET, for $25, with lots of pretty and colorful straws. It's great to order if you want to be the topic of conversation at the next table, subject of friend's pictures and stares. For $10 cover, you get the benefit of sitting in a room with mostly 30somethings throwing money down to have their collegiate fight song, Go Cubs Go, or Let's Go Let's Go White Sox play (which obviously, racks up a lot of money for the pianists) and other popular songs. By the way, if a girl with boyish-cut brown hair is at the piano, by all means give her a $20 and ask her to sing something by Chaka Khan. The girl is AMAZING! Actually, all of the performers are as they play a multitude of instruments and rotate every few minutes. Actually speaking of the same girl, if she's not at the piano, ask her to play "Devil Went Down to Georgia" on the fiddle. Wow! The drinks are a little weak, and the food is awful...especially the "buffet" with its sad hot dogs and Italian beef. But hey, I still like the place because it's all about the music and the silly things they ask bachelors, bachelorettes, birthday celebrants and any other fool with the nerve to go on stage (yes, including me) to dance to the Hokey Pokey and other songs that would make you think you're at a strange wedding.

    (4)

  • Sabrina P.

    Had a great time, services was great, food was good and music was outstanding. Can't wait to go again.

    (4)

  • ELN B.

    Great place to people watch !!!

    (4)

  • Lori Taylor R.

    Opps, we obviously selected the wrong night to check this one out. It was Cougar Night and after stepping one foot inside the door this was apparent. Having never been, a friend and I had decided to meet up here for Happy Hour. It seems like it could be a lot of fun with the right request of songs and a nice change of pace from the other places on Hubbard. Unfortunately, they only had one waitress taking drinks for the entire space. It's a pretty large place so service was fairly slow. They did have $5 cosmos, which was a plus. We decided we'd only have one, because it's not the most conducive environment for catching up.

    (3)

  • Scott S.

    I am not trying to hate, I am just saying this place is not for me. I found the atmosphere to be cheesy, the drinks small and expensive, the crowd unattractive and unhappy looking, and the main attraction (two dudes on pianos) to be down right irritating. I love live music and I am pretty easy going but I wanted to leave this place the minute I walked in. The only thing that didn't make me want to stab myself in the heart was the service. Not great, but at least nice and polite. On the other hand, some people were really digging it. I guess badly sung renditions of bad pop songs being badly danced to by unattractive women is exciting to some. If that is you, this is your place.

    (1)

  • Rachel F.

    This was my first time and a piano bar and i loved it. I am hooked. However, the charges are a scam. $5 cover so that you can pay for overpriced drinks that are watered down and so stand in one in place because the place is packed, and so pay upwards of $20 to attempt to get your favorite song played. The pianist are great and very energetic and switch depending on songs and of course so they can take a break. This is a great place to go though. Just make sure that you bring lots of money if you want a drink or pregame before you get there.

    (3)

  • Tres-e T.

    What the fuck is this place and why in the world did I ever come here a second time? This place is Chuck E. Cheese for adults.

    (1)

  • Dawn M.

    I've been here a few times, albeit, it was a few years ago. My, how this place has changed..and not for the better. First, I don't know if it was just an "off" night (went on a Friday) but the songs were terrible.. i mean, they were playing rap music and other newer hard-to-sing along to songs. None of the classic, bar songs like sweet caroline or brown eyed girl. They even repeated a few of the crappy songs during the 5 hours I was there. And what happened to "dueling pianos" the bulk of the music was done with electric guitars, horns and drums WTF? Then, let's not talk about the rude, nasty male bar tender (dark hair, greasy pony tail, beard) that passed me up not once, not twice but three times until I banged my empty beer bottle down and the nice female bar tender came over and handed me a free beer after seeing the outright blatent ignorance of her counterpart. I assure you i did nothing to piss him off either as this was only my 2nd beer!! I will not return nor will the friends i was with as it's just not worth a trip to the city to sit an listen to such crap and not get good service on top of it. Not to mention you have to climb two flights of stairs to get to the friggin bathroom. Just stupid.

    (1)

  • Anna P.

    Good music! Participate as much as you'd like. Came for a friend's bachelorette party and the group was called on stage to do drunken "head-shoulders-knees-and -toes". Load up on one of their BUCKETS of alcohol. Make a song request and/or sit and watch the action. Ran into old high school friends I hadn't seen in YEARS! Great night! Sing the night away!

    (4)

  • Keyser S.

    Awful. The singers could not sing -- they could play, but not sing. Happy HR food was horrible. Bathroom dirty.

    (1)

  • scott s.

    This Place is so much Fun Good Drinks

    (5)

  • Candice R.

    I've been here twice. Once, on a weeknight, and I loved it. I was drinking quite a LOT, but hey, two guys on pianos playing Billy Joel and Elton John. Cool, chill time. The second time I went here was on a Saturday night, don't ask me why, and when I walked in, they were playing Britney Spears "Hit me baby one more time". That song is not meant to be played like that. EEEKKK.. We left almost right away, and I'm scared to go back. I don't know if anyone really wants to hear Britney being played on a piano trying to battle with another piano. I don't. and I certainly won't pay for it. Picture Britney when she had no hair, squatting with her palms on the floor, howling at the moon. Like a wolf. That's how I feel about this place. It's just wrong.

    (1)

  • E T.

    OK, so my hookup at "the james" gave me a handful of (no cover passes) for about 12 places- this place was unfortunately one of them! One of my friends was like, lets go check out a dueling piano bar....well this was a mistake. To cut to the chase: (1)Loud annoying singing (2)Temperature is 10+ too hot (3)Standing in one place longer then 30 secs your feet begin to stick permanently to the floor (4)Ugly people

    (2)

  • Colleen R.

    If you are in a large group of a) tourists, b) cougars, or c) drunk people celebrating a rite of passage, you will probably really, really love Howl at the Moon. If not, well, just keep in mind that if you slip the guys at the dueling pianos a few extra singles, they will play anything. Including "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias.

    (2)

  • Sal A.

    Love this place! Get in by 7ish and grab a table in the front.. You'll have the time of your life!

    (5)

  • Amanda K.

    Whip it! We need some DEVO! I requested devo for my best friend's bachelorette party that started here. It took them forever to play the song. My friend was restless and wanted to leave. There was a definite older crowd (40's). We are in our 20's so it was not what we were feeling. They did finally get to our song and it was fun to go up on stage with my friend. We did not stay long. Also, we had two different wait people, and the one waitress was extremely rude. All in all I enjoyed going up and dancing to some whip it with the bride's name interlaced.

    (3)

  • Mil8ertc C.

    Absolute Fun and entertaining! Was visiting Chicago 3 weeks ago for a nursing conference and came to this bar twice during my weekend stay there because i loved it so much. Came on a friday with a bunch of nurses and it was completely packed with college students and bachelorette parties. I didn't get any song request played during that night but still was entertained by the crowd and the talented and comical piano playing. Came back on Sunday with my boyfriend, not as crowded or busy, but still just as fun because they were playing all the songs we were requesting. From Bruno Mars to Taio's Dynamite to Jay Z- New York duet

    (5)

  • Ellen M.

    Me: You know what this place needs? Patricia B.: Hmm? Me: ELECTRIC GUITARS! I had an excellent time at my first yelp elite event. This is a great place if you've got tables reserved and I am seriously thinking of having Oona M's bachelorette party here! It was a totally appropriate place for the happy hour. I had a beef with the music because I tend to not enjoy other peoples' requests, but recent grads from Big 10 schools love the fanfare and fight songs. And the "Sweet Home Chicago." Somehow, Cyndi Lauper sung by white guys with piano accompaniment is a little too souless for me. I am a serious piano snob though, so maybe I'm wrong. I don't know what I was thinking, but I thought I was going to get a chance to play "Lady Stardust" or dance on the piano, but maybe next time. It was a hell of a good time handing out the extra yelp t-shirts to those who looked worthy. People were totally eating it up! Announcement time for the recipients: I expect those shirts returned unless you've written at least five reviews by sunrise. That is all. Thanks again to Andrea and Elizabeth!

    (3)

  • Keith W.

    Awesome on Saturday night. Great environment and the band rocks. Lots of girls go for their birthdays and bachelorette parties. $5 cover and drinks are reasonable.

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    Fun place. Fills up on weekends. At 12:00 on a Saturday I saw the line to get in stretch for about a block.

    (4)

  • Steph P.

    Okay people, it's a PIANO BAR. Take that into account when creating your expectations. That said, the house band is actually pretty good...all the members play multiple instruments (piano, bass, drums) and sing pretty well. Jennifer, the blond w/ the long hair, made my jaw literally drop with her chops...girl sang "Fallin'" better than Alicia Keys herself (who I find overrated vocally anyway). One of the dudes also earned mad respect from me after ad libbing during a funk song and actually singing, "Jesus, I am sooo Caucasian!" The drinks are a bit overpriced, no beers on tap, and there's a cover charge on the weekends. My friend told me that the crowd this Wednesday night was a little bit older than what he's seen on the weekends, but that doesn't mean people didn't get cRaZy! I can't even explain it to you without offending someone. It made me really wish that I was not driving home so I could actually drink and appreciate it all a little bit more. But I did have a ball singing along to everything and making BFFs with this chick as we tried to convince the band to play Barry Manilow's "Mandy." I appreciate that they actually have standards, but come on, Barry writes the songs that make the whole world sing!

    (4)

  • Ben B.

    Fun place all in all....alil too touristy for my taste though. Drink pricey are outrageous...guess that should be expected for Downtown Chi but c'mon. Maybe some drink specials occasionally would draw a more consistent local crowd in??

    (3)

  • Erik J.

    This place is a magnet for bachelorette parties, cougars and ,what, my buddies and I speculated, were swingers. Offer buckets of booze and that seems to be what happens, especially when said buckets of booze are particularly fruity. That withstanding, this is not a bad place, especially as far as the entertainment. Buddy of mine turned 28 and wanted to have his birthday in the city since he previously lived in the West Loop and doesn't get to come that often. He specifically wanted to start at this place, and we were all amenable since it had booze and food and the dueling pianos thing can be fun. Long story short, the entertainment is really good. The piano guys are pretty diverse in what they can do (we requested Surfin' Bird. Haven't you heard? The Bird is the word.) It took them a good 30 minutes to get to it, and they only seemed to know the chorus, but that was good enough for $5. Booze leans toward expensive, though it is relatively reasonable compared against many other places in the area. I wouldn't spend the whole night, but it's a good warm up. Solid 3.5

    (3)

  • drew b.

    Oh sweet carolina, no! This place was a mess. I give it no stars because I refuse to reward shoddy entertainment mascarading as wit and nostalgia. Packed with bachelorette parties(at least 4) and married women. One star for the loose morals displayed by the above groups with my single friends. I went with a big group and we had a blast. Mostly because there were 20 of us and we could have a good time anywhere with booze and music.

    (1)

  • elissa w.

    Fun place to take an out of town guest. Dueling pianos and dancing on stage is a great night out. Cocktails are super expensive and tiny. Plus there is a $15 cover charge on weekend nights.

    (3)

  • H G.

    I wanted to leave. While I enjoy hanging out with my friends, that's pretty much the thought that pervaded my mind. I was fortunate (or so I thought) to have won a Happy Hour party. The food was really nasty bar food (i.e. potato skins overcooked, gloppy cheese sauce on fries). It's been a while since I had food that bad. Then to top it all off, the entertainment was as weak as the cocktails. Aren't these piano players supposed to be dueling? No, most of the crew seemed like they were as ready to go as myself. Play some requested songs, take a few tips, and maybe make some goofy changes to lyrics here and there. A competitive spirit was not a factor. The breath of fresh air in the group was the blond female pianist who seemed to care about her performance (and the crowd) a bit more than the rest. This is a place that you might want to stop in for beers ONLY with a few friends for an hour or so. That's about it. I noticed that most of the patrons knew that that little tip already. Since I don't drink beer, I guess I won't be back.

    (1)

  • chris g.

    Disclaimer: My review is based strictly on their "Free Happy Hour Party" We did not stick around for anything else but I'm sure I would give it a better rating if I did. If you are going to award a winner a party for however many people then do it. To me & my experience, this means free beers or wine for a couple of hours. For Howl at the Moon it was supposed to be from 5:00-7:00pm. Instead when you arrive, they give you a bracelet and two tickets. So right off the bat I am thinking how cheap, you tell us we won a party and we only get two beers? But then I find that the tickets don't even get you a free beer, with the ticket it will cost you a dollar. But wait, there's more! Then I find out that it is only for a MINI bud light only. So the free happy hour party that someone in a group won gives you two MINI 8 oz. Bud Lights for a dollar each. Now I am not a cheap person, all I am saying is don't do the "Free Party" thing if your not going to do it. Most bars that offer Happy Hours have just as good (if not better) deals without saying you won!

    (1)

  • Paul C.

    In 1999, the term MILF came into existence. Before that, Van Halen made kids and men across the states sing "Hot For Teacher". Hell, even Harold and Maude dealt with the concept that males LOVE older ladies. I don't know what it is. I certainly felt that way when I was 13/14. I remember watching Dawson's Creek and wishing I was as cool as Pacey J. Witter. I too wanted to hook up with my teacher (Ah, Mrs. Perez) so she could teach me all of the ways of the world. There's something about an older woman that seems "HOT". Howl At the Moon is the ideal place for people in their mid-thirty's to gather. It's a bar that has classic rock on dueling pianos, cheap drinks (not really), and an overall atmosphere that could perhaps double for an Applebees. The crowd does vary, but it also seems to bring out a fair number of women that would seem to be a MILFs, Cougars, Hot Teachers, etc. These were the women that I wished I had known in my teens, the women to teach me the ways of the world. The problem with seeing these women in real life isn't that they're unattractive, it's that they then become human. Ideals don't live up to themselves. No one wants to see their ideal have a hard night. No one ever wants to talk to their ideal about things that you don't care about. Nobody wants to find out that their ideal is annoying. More so, no one wants to see other guys hook up with the woman who was supposed to make you a man. 3 out of 5 Howl At the Moon.

    (3)

  • Jennifer L.

    Is there one in every major city? Pretty much. Are they all kinda similar? Yes, except for the college fight song battles. Is it just this side of cheesy? Admittedly.... Is it fun and have I been back several times? Hell, yes!

    (4)

  • Jonathan C.

    I have to admit I like this place. I think I just like singing though. I like to pay the musicians to stop singing songs I don't like. While there tends to be a lot of bachelorette parties and its full of tourists and downtown types, the upside is that utter cheesiness of it tends to frighten away the selfconscious types. Avoid the place if you take your personal pride too seriously. Although if your an attention whore, avoid the place as well, as nobody really will really want to pay any attention to you either. The crowd can be a bit much (drunk, obnoxious). But its pretty fun place if you can ignore all that and like to singing along. Prices are typical for downtown (high). Its kind of like Second City, I wouldn't go there very often, but I'd try it out at least once with a bunch of friends.

    (4)

  • Brian H.

    I begrudgingly met up with some friends who were celebrating a colleagues birthday at this "establishment". I'm sure you get it, drunken tourists suffering fools dancing on pianos while a service staff creates faux fun. Bachelorette parties screaming like hyena's, sucking mini-penis suckers, doing shots with whipped cream. Why is this it that when this crowd gathers, it's like an episode of Girls Gone Wild. You know, I hate to be snide but screw it... I have too many IQ points to enjoy this place. Oh, here's a plus. In a haste to get out, I left my cell phone on the table. So, the next day I picked up a new i-phone. Wow, that is one slick toy. Good things to happen to people in shitty bars.

    (1)

  • Kristen L.

    Definitely a lot better when you're able to grab a seat. Went back to Howl after management was kind enough to send me a $25 gift card and a free admissions pass for me and a friend. Went on a Saturday even around 5:30pm before having dinner with a couple of girlfriends and the place was pretty empty. But hey, whatever. I'm glad I was able to get a table this time around. We ordered a bucket of the margarita, and this thing was huge. For $25/bucket, this thing is definitely more than enough for at least 4-5 people. We managed to catch the beginning of the dueling pianos, and they were great--played a few request songs that almost everyone in the bar sang along to. Kinda sad I was only able to stay for about an hour, but glad I was able to give Howl a t the Moon a second chance!

    (4)

  • Lise S.

    If you are looking for a fun evening packed in shoulder to shoulder singing songs you will know by heart - then you will love Howl at the Moon! I've been to this franchise in other cities and they had dueling pianos, but the Chicago location has a variety of piano players, drums, guitar player at times, etc to vary the entertainment. These music venues are favorite places for bachelor and bachelorette parties, so you've been warned. :-). Fun place, so join in the songs and sway to the beat. It's a lot of fun

    (3)

  • Toni S.

    Being our first time in Chicago, we asked for recommendations on where to go! This was highly recommended and this place did not disappoint! We had such a great time! Only lost a star for the dirty bathrooms!

    (4)

  • Deborah C.

    Positives: Went here with some friends from out of town and another person they knew in Chicago. Amazing music with a bunch of variety. The musicians are super talented and able to play any kind of instrument. I heard a keyboard guitar, bass guitar, piano, violin, and drums (both on a real drumset and on some buckets). Two separate people in my group put in song requests, but we never heard them played within the 3 hours we were there, probably because others requested songs with $20 attached. Had a great time listening to the music, watching guys trying to pick up girls (amusing), and drinking my first AMF (one of the bucket drinks with a ton of colorful, bendable straws). Would go again :) Negatives: $10 charge to get in. Some creepy guys shuffling around, but that's everywhere.

    (4)

  • Maggie R.

    Daughter and future son in law had their combined pre wedding party here as most guests are from out of town. We secured the section behind the band which was perfect for the gathering. Given our location it was a bit loud but the band was great . Orders multiple drinks and appetizers and all were tasty and strong. Everyone including the guys out in front were very friendly - great place to enjoy some music and relax - dual pianos fun too!

    (4)

  • Mike R.

    I enjoy my music of course - I'm a musician. This place can be fun if you're with the right people, but it reminds me too much of a kitschy bar in Florida - like the TGI Friday's of Piano Bars. Not to mention you have bouncers who act as if it's the hottest nightclub in town sometimes (which is extremely funny when you think about it). There's better piano bars/lounges in town in my opinion, but if you want to be around a bunch of small town tourists or tourists from the south drinking and singing at the top of their lungs, then it's completely adequate.

    (2)

  • Mercedes M.

    Not sure why the average is 3 stars. Sure it's a bit cheesy, but it's a piano bar, so go somewhere else if you wanna hang out where everyone thinks they're too cool to dance and sing or be nice to other patrons. The musicians were on point and so talented. They played nearly every every request and rocked it. Drinks were decently priced, and the buckets were surprisingly affordable and hilarious. As with any bar - if you go with good people, you'll have a good time, and we did. Danced and sang all night! Service was impeccable. The bachelorette VIP party package was worth every penny. I would definitely come here again!

    (5)

  • Gina C.

    OMG I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this place!!! Every time I've gone here when I've been in Chicago this place has always been crazy packed! My friends & I always have a great time! Drinks are a little pricey though....I almost felt like I was home out in Vegas! lol This night was a blast! One girl had a kick, ass voice & was amazing!!!! I don't know what her name was but she was young looking & pretty!! I was blown away when it was her turn on the piano & she started singing. We had a cool waiter too who's name was Victor. He was very attentive & kept checking on us & making sure we were good with our drinks! My friend & I actually got lucky & got a table as soon as we headed to the seating area due to people leaving. The bathrooms are a little bit of a hike up several stairs, I'm glad I never have high heels on when I'm here! lol One thing that was a bonus was me finding a free entrance coupon @ the airport. Saved my friend & I $10 each! This place is very loud & the crowd can get rowdy, in a good way so definitely not a good place for a first date or to catch up with friend(s), but definitely a blast to go with your friend(s) if you don't mind it noisy, fun & a blast!!!!

    (5)

  • Andrew E.

    Gimmicky tourist trap

    (1)

  • Annie L.

    Cover charge of $10.00 is a little much since the drinks are pricey. Two drinks costs $18. For a Friday night it was very busy at 9pm... I was surprised how early it was & how the location was packed. The entertainment was good. The entertainers were very talented. All of them being able to switch from playing the piano & singing, to the drums & playing bass. It was a good experience & different from my imagination. It seemed to be more of karaoke than having pianos dueling for tips, etc. Otherwise it was good to watch & dance, if you had room. People ranged from 20-50's, some even 70's. Everyone seemed to have a great time.

    (3)

  • Flor D.

    You need to pay 10$ to get into....be sure you go early in the night so then you can stay all night long.....otherwise, you will need to queue. Food is cheap and pretty good. It has happy hours and drinks are not expensive. They have live performances every night and the music selection is extremely good that you can dance. There are no many tables but after all it's has a really good setting. Only problem: only 2 bathroom for women.... :S

    (4)

  • Jenny K.

    Everything was great!!! The music was awesome, however when we pay a $10 We don't want to watch drunk people dancing on the stage for the entire night. I understand a special occasion moment, but not the whole evening. The women's bathroom was also not very well attended even though there was an women attendant sitting in the bathroom.

    (3)

  • Robert J.

    I wouldn't recommend this as a regular hang out bar, but all of its energetic, quirky version of music, alcohol and happiness is a fun getaway. Our group makes a stop in every year on our annual trip to Chicago. It's a place that everyone can enjoy, and it's good for large groups. Music: Don't come here for the good music. Come here to be impressed by the multi-talented performers who can often play several instruments. Be amazed by the depth of songs that they know how to play. You'll hear some current pop songs, but probably also some oldies/randoms. Drinks: Full bar w/ all the fixin's. They also have a few specialty mixed drink options and other specials, like the 'bucket o beers' and the 'tub of pink drink'. Both of those names I just made up. Ambiance: Everyone is there to have fun. You might get a large group of mellow school teachers, some party-hard dentists, or an alumni chapter from some school, but the tips & music requests are flowing all night. And so is the alcohol. If you're lucky, some people will start a dance floor in front of the stage. If you're not, go start it yourself :)

    (4)

  • Danielle L.

    After my review, a rep from HATM contacted me and asked me to give them another chance. I did, twice actually, and I am very pleased. This time there was no "unifying song" played and... The bar food was definitely better (pulled pork and mac n cheese--I didn't eat it but others did). The crowd and service is (has always been) nice and friendly, even when it is late and everyone is tipsy. The musicians are consistently INCREDIBLE. And they get better as the night goes on (and its not the alcohol, I swear). The key is to go with a large group of friends who are into dancing and requesting songs (with tips). You will hear the music you like more often. The crowd tends to be white and a good portion are older (35+) so that of course affects the music played (since it is by request). A good amount of rock n roll and country will be played by default. However, Fridays seem to attract the most diverse crowd so for me that is the best night to go. You hear a wider variety of music and see a wider variety of people (age and race). I will definitely return.

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    HAPPY HOUR parties with $1 drinks and complimentary appetizers. I've tried both days, Thursday and Friday. Which one tops it? FRIDAY! Thursday: The complimentary appetizers consisted of chips, salsa, cheese, and fruits. It was quite lacking but freebies are good regardless. The crowd is a lot smaller and it was mostly professionals from nearby offices. The dueling pianists and singers did a good job of taking requests and singing the songs. Friday: The complimentary appetizers were more fulfilling. Pasta, sausages, salad, and sliders were served. By 6pm, a huge crowd had already formed but the service kept up with the pace. There were jello shots, alcohol buckets, and an old man dressed like a sea captain dancing from woman to woman. Hugh Hefner in disguise? Perhaps. I would rather not confirm. The dueling pianists and singers had a pile of requests to complete. I think they left a lot of our songs untouched despite us giving them a tip hoping it would eventually be played. Note: i discovered apple ale aka spiked apple juice with 5% alcohol. Quite tasty. I would say it's a good alternative to the traditional Budweiser.

    (3)

  • Katherine K.

    They never played my song that I put $20 on

    (1)

  • Brittany M.

    Howl at the moon has a special place in my heart because this is where my husband and I first came on a date. They play wonderful music and there is a lot of space. My only complaint is that we came here to celebrate our two year anniversary and the bouncers at the door were very rude . I gave them my ID and they said it wasn't me (even though I'm 26, well over 21) and wouldn't give me my ID unless I provided a credit card with my name or flagged down a cop. I didn't have my credit cards with me since I was dressed up so I had to find a police officer just to get my ID. It was embarrassing and wasted a lot of time on our anniversary and prevented me from going anywhere else. I feel they did it just as an ego trip. We love the place but not the service . Recommended for the piano not for the people who work there .

    (1)

  • Britta M.

    Went here for a bachelorette party and absolutely loved it. They play all kinds of music from Bastille to Eminem, Miley Cyrus (boo) to the Beatles. Their musicians were incredible in that their voices were phenomenal, their violinist girl was adorable and very talented, and they were a blast! This place is very loud.. Do not go here if you're hoping for a nice quiet night of conversation haha you'll probably be singing along too loudly to want to converse anyways. Their drinks are strong! Which is definitely not a complaint by me. $26 fishbowls and they're awesome. We happily downed a few of them. I cannot wait to go back here. It's a fun date night if you're feeling adventurous and lots of good looking people here if you're searching. ;)

    (5)

  • Raji V.

    Great environment for girls night out! The crowd varies from young to slightly older. The music is different but great. They have an assortment of drinks, the fish bowls are serve 4-6!

    (4)

  • Shereene M.

    I get why they charge cover but it still annoys me. I'm glad I checked it out but I honestly won't be back. I don't think it's worth $10 a person for cover. Just charge a little extra for drinks and then you can pay the musicians that way.

    (3)

  • Lance K.

    Great atmosphere. This place is oozing with talent. In addition to pianos they had a bass and drums. All the performers could sing and play all instruments. The real deal.

    (5)

  • Rod C.

    Great place for Tourists! The house band is really good, better than your average piano bar. They dont let you play the tambourine! Pricey of course, it is near the viagra triangle!

    (4)

  • Michelle S.

    First night in Chicago and what a great recommendation!! Dueling pianos, great set list, a packed house...all the ingredients for a great time. People dancing, people laughing- awesome time. Bathrooms were gross.

    (4)

  • Maria N.

    Rude bouncer, manager or event person not willing to cater to our party and guests. Even though we brought in at least 30 people if not more. I left along with most of my guests. Not willing to give our money to a place who got it wrong and although was their fault still rude and disrespectful about the situation.

    (1)

  • Mike W.

    This place never fails to provide a good time. The music is always great and the musicians put on a awesome show. 10$ cover is definitely worth it Great place to take friends from out of town Drinks can get a bit pricey, but look out they usually have a beer bucket deal that is reasonable even for the area

    (4)

  • Allison F.

    Enjoy a night out at Howl At The Moon if you like to... -drink out of buckets with extra large straws -hit on ladies celebrating their friend's bachelorette party -watch dueling pianos amongst a crowd of jolly people -pop up on stage pretending that you're the actual performer -sing your heart out alongside some talented performers All in all, a super fun night out.

    (4)

  • Emily K.

    Went here on a Friday night and the place was packed. I have been to a different Howel At the Moons (MN) and this one is the best. I really enjoyed the female singers they are super talented.

    (5)

  • Sarah S.

    My friends and I went to Howl at the Moon as part of a bachelorette party. Shocking, I know. I think Howl at the Moon was 50% bachelorette parties, 25% creepy guys creeping on the parties, and 25% everything else. Of course I did partake in a beverage or two so my numbers may be slightly askew. We walked in with no reservation right when they opened. Due to having no reservation on a Saturday night, we didn't get a table right smack dab in the front & center stage. However, those tables come with wristbands and hefty price tags attached. We were just fine with sitting in our big ol' side table. When we arrived right at the 5pm opening, it was completely empty. The dueling pianos don't start until 7pm so for the first couple of hours they just play popular DJ music. Our server was so nice & accommodating, checking on us constantly, bringing everything out promptly. We had fabulous service during our entire time. She even snapped a few lopsided pictures for us! $10 cover is kind of rough for this kind of venue however if some of that is going towards those fabulous piano players, then it's totally worth it. I had wished the piano players got more duely (is that a word!?), but it was more like taking turns back & forth on songs. If you go to Howl at the Moon, you kinda sorta halfta get the Bucket of Booze! It's not super strong but it's mighty fun to snuggle up with some of your closest friends and all be sharing the same drink out of colorful bendy straws. My friends and I tried Adios Mofo which was my personal favorite and the Sex on The Moon. 86 ozs of mix and liquor made for a sloshy, fun night! Worst part about Howl at the Moon is it's a 10 mile trek to the flippin' bathroom! It's a journey upstairs so prepare yourself mentally when the time comes.

    (4)

  • Violet P.

    Got there at about 8:30PM on a Friday night and it was already packed. Although the music was entertaining the amount of people inside the place was crazy. One of the waiters said that it was actually a slow night :/. $10 cover??? Ridiculous!!! They get their money though so maybe I'm just getting old. The place is packed with birthday and bachelorette parties. Disappointed after going to the Louisville Howl but Great people watching.

    (3)

  • Kevin M.

    The place is actually alright but the staff/service is terrible. From the door man to the servers, staff here is outright rude. I wouldn't recommend, there are plenty of other places in River North

    (1)

  • Susie C.

    My friends and I came here for some fun on a Saturday evening. We read reviews that they get really packed after 7pm so we came especially early...like 5:45pm. When my friend called to make reservation they told him that it'll be $225 per table for 4 people at 8pm. We felt that was pretty expensive. The price would cover the standard $10 admission, drinks, and snacks. Instead of paying for the reservation we came early. When we got there at 5:45pm it was really dead, oops we came a bit too early. It was $10 cover per person. We easily got any tables we wanted. Ordered drinks and just hung out. The piano bar started a little after 7pm and people started rolling in. By 8:30pm it was already a full house and people waiting around for a table. Drinks were decent. We ordered couple orders of cheese fries and nachos. My friends felt the nachos were really good. The live music was great! They take requests from the audience with slips to fill out. People tip for each song request. The bigger the tip the likely your song will be played. Bill and Rachel were the singer/pianist when we were there. Each hour they add an additional person to stage. A drummer started to rock and roll at 8pm, then an extra singer showed up at 9pm. We left right at 9pm and it was a lively house! Couldn't believe we stayed there for 3 hours but it was really fun! Will come back again but prolly a little after 7pm! When we left the bar, we could hear the music jamming across the street. We stayed around river north for dinner and around 1030pm there was a line of people waiting outside of howl at the moon for entrance. It was also a cold cold night but people still came out. Good business.

    (4)

  • Cassie P.

    It's what you'd expect from a Howl At the Moon- dueling pianos and a fun time! Came here on a Sunday night was surprised that the crowd was as big as it was! Service was actually really good- our waitress was very attentive. Drink prices were reasonable- not outrageous but not cheap either. There's a $5 cover but that's pretty standard too. Overall a good time!

    (3)

  • Julie T.

    We love love love this place. Took a friend and she loved it! We had such a great time! It is defiantly THE place to go when your in Chicago!

    (5)

  • Jennifer P.

    Not impressed. I am a music snob and a bar filled with a bunch of hired music students who were unable to land jobs somewhere else, assigned to cover pop songs with a piano and drums, will not entertain me in the least. You get that sense from them too. You can see that they would much rather be professors or rockstars. I even heard one of the guys pass comment that he went to music school and it was within the context of "yeah, the least I can do is whore my talent out by playing other peoples' songs." Why anyone would want to come here for a bachelor party is beyond me. Oh yeah, I forgot to stop and consider the individuals that frequent and/or live in this neighborhood. My work won a sales contest and we ended up here at the mercy of the business rep that organized it. No doubt he chose this location as an excuse to be able to get his company to cover the cost of a hotel downtown for the weekend. It was free booze, so I'm not going to complain in that regard. I didn't realize that my coworkers were ready to tear one off. I didn't stay long. The musicians were annoying to listen to, along with their song selections. They didn't even play my request: "Blue Savannah Song" by Erasure. I have to admit, I was being difficult by requesting it. I knew it was out of this guy's vocal range. I'm not entirely sure he could have banged out the piano part either. He deserved that request for gloating about his experience into the microphone. Sports bars drive me nuts. I think Howl At The Moon also serves as part sports bar. Large flatscreen TV's can be found surrounding the bar area. Everyone is right when you read about how it is a buzz kill trying to find your way to the bathroom. The food is more like a giant appetizer menu. The chicken fingers were excellent and you got a lot of food for the cost. Be on the lookout for tourists from the country who don't know how to behave themselves in public. We did end up having to watch an older couple make out in front of the band. They must not get out much. I will not be back here unless I know the bill is covered again.

    (1)

  • Jeff M.

    I first went to this place about ten years ago. Was in town on business and happened to stumble in. My girlfriend probably wants to get in a Delorean and prevent this from ever happening. I try to stop in every time I'm in Chicago because I can't stop smiling once I enter. This last visit, the place was packed on a Friday (lots of bachelorettes and birthdays) but the guys were nice enough to give Caribbean Queen a go.

    (5)

  • Bianca T.

    Had such a great time here on Sunday night! Came with a bunch of friends for a going away bar crawl. We ordered the Hurricane bucket, and it took us 5 people to finish it! We definitely felt it afterwards. The music is the best part. What other bar has dueling pianos? They leave song request slips and little pencils on the table to encourage you to suggest a song. They were playing great covers. We will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Angie E.

    My favorite place to come to when I'm in Chicago. The drinks are price fairly & the food is good. The musicians amaze me with their talent & knowledge of almost ALL music!!!

    (5)

  • Sheila C.

    I have to say I was very disappointed with this place. I have been to three now, in different cities, and this location was the worst! The acoustics of the building were horrible, the bathrooms were hard to get to and the piano players did not look like they wanted to be there. I could barely understand what they were singing; the backup instruments drowned out the pianos and the singer's voices. The service was sub-par. No one seemed to care to be there. I won't be back, if I am ever in the area!

    (1)

  • Sally Y.

    Howl at the Moon is always such an experience. I absolutely love the concept of dueling piano bars, and the music was awesome. Loved it! Overall, it's a great place to people watch and go crazy with a big group of friends. Plenty of space, lots of room to dance, and loud and fun music. The crowd is definitely more toward the crazy/party end vs. a chill/have a few beers side, so keep that in mind when deciding on where you want to go and what kind of night you want to have. Other details: The staff was quick and timely. The floors are sticky and gross.

    (4)

  • Amanda G.

    I would give them zero stara but that is not an option. There are 2 stalls for the womens bathroom and 50 girls in line. I watched the piano payers pick up a song request with tip, crumple the paper abd money to theow it in the bucket, and never play or eveb address the request. This place was overcrowded with an older crowd and inconvenient for the clientele. I would never come back and i will recommebd all my friends stay far the fuck away from this hole.

    (1)

  • Nicole J.

    At this point I have been to 2 more Howl happy hour parties--and I am going to another next week. Last time, the "appetizer"/meal was: mostaccioli with optional Italian sausage, bread, and grated Parmesan cheese. Delicious! With my $1 drink tickets I ordered a strawberry margarita and a Chardonnay. Both decent. Slurped down the margarita in a couple of minutes. Sipped on the Chardonnay for the rest of the night. This time, the host was able to snag a couple of tables with a great view of the stage! The singers did a great job and the show gets even better as they switch out each hour. I was impressed with their catalog of music. I was singing along--and I am usually not the type. A consistently fun time at Howl!

    (5)

  • Kimberley M.

    This place is out of this world! A couple friends who've been here before made sure I came along with them this time, and not only will you not know what to expect, but you will be thrilled with what meets the eye. The musicians are outstanding - hilarious, engaging, and so talented. They'll have you gaping at their ability to mimic current Top 40 hits, pull out oldies like they are not rusty at all, or play obsure things like college fight songs. (There was quite a battle the night I was there over a few different colleges who kept out bidding each other). All in all, a must-see in Chicago.

    (5)

  • Joe P.

    First time going...$10 cover, music was good for the first 10 minutes. However, they started playing college fight songs and kept asking for money to change the song. This went on for about 15 minutes until the mood of the whole room was dull and bored. This is when we left and they were still playing college fight songs when we left.. It was very annoying. I would not go back again. Follow up: I was contacted by Howl at the Moon staff and they offered us to come back. The music was a lot better and the service was great. I appreciate the company valuing people's opinions and reaching out to right a wrong.

    (4)

  • La Tonya G.

    I have enjoyed this place since I first walked through the door! The crowd was fun and lively! I danced, I sang and I acted a plum fool and that's the best part of this place the interaction between the "band" and the audience! The reason I knocked off a few stars is because the drinks are weak weak weak, I mean a couple of us got that big bucket which looks pretty but you would think after having that you would need to get a cab home, uh no!!! We ended up going some place else where they served real drinks!!! You should feel a little buzz but even my friends that are lightweights said "Where's the alcohol?" A few of us have won a party here and it is not one of those places that I say you have to go to once a week or even once a month because you will get burned out to quickly but if you go every other month you will be ready for all the fun antics that take place! Oh side note: Winning a party is fab because you get in free before 7 and so do your guest, you get to park for free if you park in the lot assigned, they have 2 one dollar drinks(that has as much alcohol as a dollar would give you) and some food!!! They also serve food from a menu and I got the Hot Wings...whew they were big and they were Hot, a little to Hot but I still ate every bite...lol I really do enjoy Howl at the Moon and I will be back!

    (3)

  • Lindsay T.

    Best place to go when family is in town! Musicians are great and very talented! Drinks were fun! Jessica was our server, one of the best service I've had in a long time, very attentive and knowledgable; and had great recommendations! Thank you for the good time!!

    (5)

  • Amanda W.

    My credit card was charged twice for different amounts, one of which I did not authorize. Also, the bathrooms are disgusting. The girls have to walk up two flights of stairs and share 2 stalls. The men have 8 stalls and have bathrooms on both lower floors. The toliet seat was one of the most disgusting seats I have ever seen in the United States, it looked like it hadn't been replaced in years. They should use their $10 cover to get a new toliet seat.

    (1)

  • David M.

    The drinks are kind of pricey and there is cover, but the performers are so talented and so much fun. They play a wide variety of songs from all eras and it's just in general a great atmosphere. And I thought the waffle fries were delicious! Anyway, will definitely be back. ...on the other hand, the second time I was there, they kicked me out for leaning on a chair for two seconds.

    (4)

  • Amanda F.

    This is the second Howl that I have visited. I must say, Indianapolis is much more on their game. The musicians are significantly better, and that's the whole reason we are there, right?! The space also could use a redesign to flow much better, on a Saturday night it was packed and the logistics just don't do the bar any justice.

    (3)

  • Yailyn B.

    Fantastic musicians, delicious drinks and a great atmosphere! Band takes requests, and played both my husband and my songs. Great for date night and hanging out with your friends. Overall a fantastic night.

    (5)

  • Vince V.

    I wandered into the place feeling a little lost. It's always loud here, I couldn't find any of my friends. I was here for my friend's little birthday shindig. I made my way around the stage and back a couple of times with no luck. It was just too packed, too chaotic, too dark for anyone to hear my phone calls or hear a text message coming through. I decided to make one more pass looking for them before I gave up. That last pass found me being pushed onto the stage along with a hapless fellow patron, in this case an attractive and nervous blonde woman whose name I couldn't hear. We were instructed to face away from the crowd and get down to their rendition of "Baby Got Back". My stage partner and I totally got into the moment, putting on a show with the silliest butt dance we each could come up with. I heard my name being yelled through the singing and cheering. I couldn't find my friends, but they sure as hell couldn't miss me.

    (4)

  • Katrina D.

    I came here for my birthday a few weeks ago and had a great time! We got there around 8:30 on a Friday night and the place was packed! I had been there once before with my mom, my friend, and her mom. There is a slightly older crowd but honestly there is a wide range of ages. We (a group of early 20-somethings) ended up getting a table from a group of 60-somethings when they left. Trust me, they were by far the oldest people there. The drinks are somewhat expensive, but you're downtown, so they're going to cost that much. They sell buckets of drinks for $25 a piece, which is the way to go. They're 86 ounces so they're great to split. We split four between four girls and we all had a great time and kept the cost fairly low. A bucket of five beers was $20. I'm not sure how much a single drink would be. Tips: 1. Get there early! Doors opened at 5:00, the show started at 6:00. If you get there early enough, you can get a table no problem. 2. If you sign up for their e-mails you get an e-mail within 48 hours for free admission for two people. 3. Sign up to win a free party. Everyone wins and the party includes free admission for you and 100 of your closest friends from 5-7 p.m., a free appetizer buffet from 5-7 p.m. and discounted drinks. If you liked your experience and plan on coming back, I suggest doing this.

    (4)

  • Joey F.

    You get people of all ages here. Piano bars can be fun. Not really into crowded places with loud music anymore and this place gets pretty crazy. This place charges cover as well. They do have great customer service though.

    (4)

  • Andrew H.

    This place freaking rocks. Especially good on nights that typically aren't busy - we did Monday and Tuesday and they rocked out both days. The pianists could play almost anything. Let it go from Frozen was a highlight and we loved the long island buckets. Alllllll good yo. Regards and respect from New Zealand

    (5)

  • Kris U.

    I don't know how this place is only averaging a 3 star we went here on a random whim while in Chicago and had a magnificent time! Equipped with a full band of pianists/performers....they seemed to have an endless roster of members to keep the party going, their combined repertoire of songs rivals that of my 1TB external hard drive...excessive. Animated, fun, engaging, they knew how to play to and control the crowd with a trill or a guitar lick. I really loved the eclectic age range here...from college kids up to moms and dads on date night all out with groups of friends, everyone looking to have a great time. And of course by a great time I mean that literally everyone was 3 sheets to the wind DRUNK... smiling, dancing and singing along to the music. A totally great vibe! BUCKETS! Hot DAYYYUUMMMMMM.... a gift from god and the devil all at the same time! 86oz of drink...served literally in a bucket with a handle and 4 LONG bendy straws. It's meant for 4 people but we Canadians can handle our girly liquor with the best of the them so this was suffice for 2 of us. I would wager that after two of these you could easily be persuaded to do just about anything. Great time and will definitely return for another fun filled evening when in the Windy City!

    (4)

  • Vanessa S.

    I was in the area when Howl was opening up for the day. My cousin and I went to check it out. Being so early, there were only a few people there and no dueling pianos. I was bummed about that because that's why we came here. That aside, they have cheap drinks and some very interesting cocktails. By that, it seems like it's a "party" bar. I can see this being a fun place to go to with a group of friends. I just wish I was able to see some piano battles!

    (3)

  • Ed H.

    Kinda divey bar with fun music....IF you have good performers. Came here on a Tues night, and the two guys performing were high energy that made the crowd get involved. Then there was this guy and a girl that were good, but nowhere near as fun and energetic as the two guys. Drink prices aren't bad. If you want to talk though, just stay away from the stage!

    (3)

  • John K.

    The musicians working the nights we were there were awesome! Better on Saturday than Sunday but still awesome. Very talented! Normal bar food. Very busy on Saturday night! Tons of bachelorette party's and standing room only! If you are drinking a beer, they're expensive, but it is Chicago. Don't waste your money on a mixed drink, glass of wine or shot! Everything is watered down. When I say watered down, I mean you can see a ring of water separate at the top of a glass of wine after letting it sit for a minute. Mixed double of Captain and Coke, double shot, not double Coke, tasted like a flat diet. Absolutely save your money and don't drink here if you are looking for alcohol in your drink. If you like live music, played to the request of guests and watered down drinks, you'll love this place. The girl who played the guitar, piano, electric fiddle, bass, drums and sings was amazing! Awesome talent!!

    (2)

  • Jeffrey B.

    When I lived in Chicago I somehow never made it to this place. Last night we attempted to go there with old friends during a visit to Chicago. Now I can gladly maintain I have never been there. Never made it through the front door. There was no line but as we were getting out our id's and cover charge a short line of 3 people formed. We were literally already in the doorway. The "bouncer", a bearded napoleonic mighty mouse, chose this moment to assert some rarely found machismo and without even looking in our eyes giving us some canned aggressive retort about going to the back of the line . The 3 people in line behind us even told him it was ok, we were there first. Worse, he kept it up and attempted to threaten me personally. Would have been entertaining to stick around and let that one play out but alas I chose to walk away with my group. This level of douche-baggery is pathetic and I am appalled by the way we were spoken to by this fool. He clearly has no idea he is in the customer service business and I have no intentions to ever step through the door and find out if anyone inside does . My advice is to steer clear...

    (1)

  • Angie M.

    The door guy at Howl is a complete asshole. A total dick. Rude to the nth degree. Management should seriously consider replacing him. My group of gals stopped here for a friend's bachelorette party and did the whole "Jump the Line" deal where you shell out $30, don't wait in line, don't pay cover and get a free drink. It's actually kind of worth it since the line for Howl is always obscene. The door guy couldn't have been worse. Despite our name clearly being on his list (which we found after he threw his clipboard at us... it was the first one on the list, dumb ass), he said he couldn't find us, gave us a hard time, and was a snobby jerk. It didn't rub me the right way at all. I'm just sayin'. Inside, I have to give props to the folks that work here. The male bartenders are game to do ridiculous body shots and blowjob shots. The dueling pianoers put on a great show and totally play to the audience. They make it a reasonably good time... for what it is, which is a fairly lame crowd in what I can only describe as the New Rush & Division area of town. Despite some serious obstacles to overcome (questionable clientele, horrible door staff), Howl really is one of the only spots you can take a herd of girls out for a bachelorette party, right?

    (2)

  • Aaron Jae M.

    Had a blast. The musicians were all so talented and played 2/3 of the songs I requested. The drinks were tasty and the service was friendly although a little slow (but to be fair they were busy) They do not have a lot of seating which was difficult since we had a party of 25 and had a table that sat four so a lot of us were awkwardly crowded around this tiny table.

    (4)

  • Alford S.

    I really love this place! I went here because I got invited about a week ago from a friend for her party! I'm really glad she invited me! Its a really nice place! Great lighting, music, food, people, drinks and more! And on top of all that I entered for my birthday party and I won through a drawing! It made me so happy! This place is a must come to place! Go check it out!

    (5)

  • Scott P.

    A dueling piano bar is a dueling piano bar, so if that's your thing... However, I would like to take a moment to point out what makes this particular piano bar a VERY special piano bar: INCREDIBLY BAD SERVICE AND CONTEMPT FOR CUSTOMERS. In the interest of time, I'll focus on a couple issues, among many, of this place: 1. A major selling point for HATM to groups is the opportunity to have celebrants (in our case, two people celebrating their 40th birthdays) come on stage and make fools of themselves by dancing about. Despite bringing a party of about 25 people, reserving a number of tables and spending alot of money on drinks, seats, etc., it took FOUR requests to get our people called up on stage. Finally, after midnight, by which time most of our party had already left (we got there at 8pm), our people were finally called up on stage. As a follow-on, we've sent a complaint to our contact at HATM earlier this week and still have not heard back yet. At least their customer service is consistently abysmal. 2. About an hour into the evening, some Barney Fyfe-type manager approached me and TOLD me to move from a spot on the floor where myself and others had been standing all evening, exercising his vested authority to bully patrons. When I explained this to him, he actually tried to grab/push (think Barney Fyfe here) me from my spot. Having spent a considerable amount of money on crappy over-priced drinks/service for our entire party, I quickly calculated that I might not have enough bail money on me if I were to teach Barney something he should have learned in the first grade (keep your hands to yourself) and I let it go. In summary, if you feel compelled to spend an evening at HATM, do so with low expectations and at your own peril.

    (1)

  • Brian M.

    It's really sad to ever have to go out in our great city of Chicago and have a bad experience. Chicago is the friendly city. But that's not true at Howl at the moon They will happily take your money for last call beers at 2:30 and then close the bar and throw you out at 2:40 even though they say they will stay open until 3. When my girl refused to leave and waste her $5 beer the little tough guy ripped it out of her hand. He actually hurt her hand but we will let her lawyer go after the bar for her medical bills. Funny how karma will make him wish he had not. All he does is loose money for the owner by chasing away customers. We will never go back.

    (1)

  • Al P.

    Fun place, packed on Fridays and Saturdays. Good drink selection and friendly servers. Prices are OK. The piano dueling band is good and makes you have a really good time. Bouncers at the door should smile a little and not be so rude, but you get this almost everywhere. Would go back on my next trip to Chicago.

    (4)

  • Ajibade A.

    Fun place, would like more upbeat songs to be requested to enable some dancing. Besides that, fun atmoshpere, cool piano drummer and trumpet players..coming back with my crew for sure to request more songs

    (4)

  • Toni B.

    Not a huge Howl at the Moon Fan...If I got there at 5pm and got a table or was there for a party, I think it would be an absolute blast! Ive seen bachelorette and birthday parties there, so I would highly recommend this place for an event like that! Be prepared for a $10-$20 cover...no matter the day or time! The food is pricey and the drinks are pretty average downtown Chi pricing. The music is great of course! We tried to go this past weekend and went aroudn 6 pm (they open at 5) and all the tables were full :( Get there early if you want a table or reserve one! If you are visiting the area..you do HAVE to go at least...just because it is Howl at the Moon.

    (2)

  • DeeMarie W.

    Had so much fun!!! The musicians were all very talented! Playing all those classic and current songs to keep you singing and dancing all night long!!!!! $10 cover charge. Place was jammed! Line outside at 9:00 at night on a Friday! Worth it because they entertain you all night long, the musicians rotate playing guitars, drums, pianos and all of them singing! It is continuous music, NO BREAKS!! Order a bucket, $25. We got the hurricane, not at all top shelf booze, but very potent. We nursed that thing most of the night between my husband and I!

    (4)

  • Laura P.

    I beg you please listen to the bad reviews, don't make the same mistake I did! My sister wanted to come to this place for her birthday. I have been to the Howl in Indianapolis, so I thought why not its a fun place and you will have a good time.......... I had reserved tables. Yeah they were expensive but I thought as long we have fun I don't mind spending the money. They make you get there by 8, which kind of sucks, but isn't the worst thing about this place. The drinks they give you are absolutely terrible and you could probably fit the amount in to a dixie cup or two (seriously this is not an exaggeration)! I cannot even tell you how awful the drinks here are. Definitely not worth your money. Our waitress was pretty rude and inattentive. She brought us some drinks we never ordered and then insisted that we did (I think she may have been high) The bouncers are pretty rude too, very much on a power trip This Howl compared to Indy sucks!!!!! In Indy, it really is more of a show and about the entertainment. So much more comedy and jokes as opposed to just nonstop awful 80s music. The talented level and skill is sooo much better in Indy. Here, its basically how many songs can we get through to make the most money....not about quality at all. By about 9 pm the place is so packed its hard to move. I really have no idea why its so packed eiher.... If I could do it again, I would have spent my money at Paris Club instead. I am pretty sad they ruined our night out. This place was definitely not worth my money!!! BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.S. Check out the rating details over time, they have been dropping since this last March.....

    (1)

  • Dan D.

    Any time you have the world renowned "Rachel Cerrone" on the piano nothing but magic happens! The establishment is non stop entertainment..Big shout out to Samantha Greer & her engagement! I wish you both success & nothing less!

    (5)

  • Kathleen M.

    This. Was. Special? The go to spot for bachelorette parties and creepy old men, we had just wrapped up dinner around the corner and figured this would be a good spot to grab a drink. Totally normal. The dueling pianos are fun, but on my visit they weren't especially talented. The majority of the crowd didn't seem to notice as even at the relatively early hour (around 9:30 on a Friday) the place was packed full of serious revelers. Do these people have jobs? +1 star for the people watching entertainment provided by the skeezy old men, middle aged women "out on the town," twenty somethings who couldn't hold their liquor, and international folks aiming to squeeze an entire country of fun in one night.

    (3)

  • Kison P.

    A great venue for live music in the loop. Inviting atmosphere, solid drink options. One thing I noticed is the ladies are excellent on service and seem to really enjoy working there while nearly all the guys I encountered aside from busboys are complete dicks with no manners. I think there could be an opportunity to increase revenues and repeat customers at this place by restructuring the staff a bit and encouraging a customer service focused culture.

    (3)

  • Annie C.

    I must say the music is really awesome here! They're such great performers, this is probably why I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2. The music made up for the rest of the night. Super super super crowded. The crowd is mixed ages, a lot of older women letting loose. Their happy hour drinks were unimpressive. Don't get the margarita! It was disgusting and we couldn't even finish them!

    (3)

  • Rawl R.

    OUTSTANDING musical ensemble with incredible energy! My fiancé and I chose this place spontaneously after a long Saturday of sightseeing while in town for a long weekend and found this fun place. Sure the large super sized drink was rather weak but it still was tasty enough to wet our whistles while resting our feet. This is a must see for high energy musical talent - not a quiet piano bar, but really a mini-concert with rotating and talented musician who provide a non-stop medley of tunes requested by the audience.

    (4)

  • Karen C.

    My tip o' the day: DON'T come here with the sole purpose of getting drunk. DO get drunk FIRST, if you for some reason feel the need to come here. If I was Forever 21, maybe I'd love Howl at the Moon. But I'm not. I'm more like Forever being annoyed by drunk bachelorettes & tourists wobbling in their ridiculous heels & then puking in very visible locations around the bar. No room to move, sweaty out-of-town dudes, annoying out-of-town ladies grinding on said dudes & wayyyyyy overpriced & undersized drinks, no thank you. I happened to be one of the ladies with a bachelorette party recently, and after about 30 minutes, the bachelorette herself said "I want to go home"... that pretty much says it all. Now that I think about it, even at 21, this was not my scene.

    (2)

  • Jessica B.

    Got sucker punched here too...I don't know why chicago has so many men that think it's acceptable to try to slap or punch a lady for attention but whatever. Came here Saturday night for Bachelorette Party. $10 cover. I have been to the Big Bang in STL so I guess I had different expectations for this place based on that. Got a big ole bucket of drinks and 7 of us slurpped that down pretty quick. Place was absolutely packed, it was very hard to navigate or stand anywhere. Tried to navigate to the minuscule dance floor area and they had almost an entire circle of tables blocking any way in there. I think this is kinda silly and they should rearrange that so there could be more dancing/easier access to request songs. $8 for a TINY rum and coke which was kind of ridiculous to me, but it's Chicago so I guess that price makes sense...but still. Dance floor was absolutely packed, the entire time it was just people shoving each other around. Bouncer's would let some people on stage and not others. Only really came over when people put their glasses on the stage. Didn't break up any shoving or etc in the dance floor area. Thing that annoyed me the most, at Big Bang you request a song on the slip and they play it if it's a good one. Here at Howl, it's all about how much money you throw down. They were ALL about getting money. At one point were trying to make a competition of colleges by saying whoever paid the most was the "winning" college. I mean come on, we're here to party and dance not sit around while you try to make money off drunken college kids... If you submit a song without cash, they just look at it and throw it away. Just seemed like it was all about money with them and not about the crowd having a good time. The spacing was silly, you know you are going to be packed why wouldn't you make your bar more accessible?? 3 stars because we did have a good time. But still.

    (3)

  • Katie A.

    Howl at the Moon is a great place to hear some good live music, sing at the top of your lungs, and get your dance on. It is REALLY loud, so bring earplugs just in case. The performers are all top-notch musicians. They all play a variety of instruments and take turns singing, and can play anything and everything you request (they even did an eminem song while reading lyrics off an iphone!) However, you can't be someone that takes themselves too seriously and expect to have a good time there. HATM is full of drunk fratboys, but if you go in a group and just let yourself have a good time they can be ignored.. at least until the end of the night when they start skulking for some easy ass to take home. I recommend leaving by 1:30 to avoid the desperate boys. Cover is only $5 on Thursday and it is easier to find a table, especially if you show up early or late. The food is terrible and drinks are expensive, so eat before you get there.

    (4)

  • Bryce B.

    If you've been here once, the show doesn't really change all that much. The only thing that may vary is how drunk (usually quite) the crowds may be. The performers are very talented musicians and can all pound the keys and sing. The tunes they play are all sing along friendly. Some are piano-centric reworks of songs one wouldn't think would work in this format (think "Baby Got Back" or "Baby One More Time"), but oddly do. You can definitely count on a rendition of "Don't Stop Believing" or "We Are the Champions", both of which tend to get the crowd into a full throated lather. The drinks are strong and pretty cheap, but be prepared to wait on a busy night. Howl at the Moon is dependable for a fun night out, but not a place you'd go regularly.

    (3)

  • Michael H.

    All I can say is I pretty much had the time of my life at this place. I hope any other piano bar I go to can come close to this. We came here from the suburbs on a Friday night and had a reserved table for my daughter's 21st birthday. My wife and I were surprised that they play pretty much anything. I mean anything. They played music ranging from the classic journey and billy joel songs to the radio songs that are popular today. The staff was extremely friendly, as were the musicians. We were sitting in the raised area of the bar (I would definitely recommend it), and had plenty of room for our large party to dance and socialize. We had a tall, skinny blonde server that was nothing but an energetic blast. Despite the jam packed crowds and rude surrounding customers she brought our drinks quickly and maintained a great attitude while keeping us laughing and entertained all night long. Drinks were pricey, but that's expected in downtown Chicago. We will definitely be back for the next big family celebration.

    (4)

  • Lucy C.

    I'm baffled at how many free parties Howl at the Moon gives away. I went on a Friday after work because a friend of a friend had won a party after going to the party won by the first friend. At this party, we all filled out a form to win a free party and of my three friends, two of us won. Then, I was invited to two more Howl parties from other people with free parties. So either we're really lucky or they really like to party. If it wasn't for all the parties and the specials that come with it (2 tickets for $1 drinks, then $3.50 until 9pm + complimentary app buffet until 7pm), I probably wouldn't come back. The food in the buffet line was surprisingly good (for free buffet food) and the drinks weren't as watered down as I feared. The concept of dueling pianos is really cool, but they mostly played covers of bad country songs all night. It's like I went back to the suburbs...

    (3)

  • Samantha M.

    Several of my friends won a free party at Howl At the Moon. It wasn't particularly special for a bar, but the piano dueling was really fun to listen to! They had a small pasta bar until 7pm with really mediocre food (I know it's a bar, but the food was seriously worse than dining hall food). I probably wouldn't choose to go to Howl At The Moon unless more of my friends won free parties.

    (2)

  • Roxanne D.

    A bunch of my girlfriends and I (all 20-somethings) went to Howl at the Moon on a late Saturday night in June for a bachelorette party and it was a heck of a good time. We arrived later in the evening and there was a $10 cover. We didn't reserve a table or anything, but we got lucky and scored some seats and a small round table near the stage. We sang our hearts out to all kinds of music. They played all types of songs from Guns and Roses to Taylor Swift to Biggie. There were people of all ages, which I think is really neat. It was really cool to hear the entire place singing along. Would definitely have to come here again! If you haven't sign up for emails and promotions on their website. They send you a complimentary admission pass. You may also enter for your chance to win a free party. for you and 100 of your friends. I just entered myself and I'm not sure how likely I am to win, but regardless, I would totally come back!

    (4)

  • Delightful D.

    This place is cheesy but fun. Def enjoyed all the corny songs that were played here. Jus a place to sing your heart out just because. Drinks definitely overpriced but I would def come back to start off a night out. Cant stay here all night cuz it does get old after awhile.

    (3)

  • Jose C.

    This is a good place to go on a random night out. The place is usually pretty packed but is always a fun time. Their rewards system is what makes it more affordable.

    (4)

  • Edward D.

    The Friday evening happy hour was crowded as F, but that's understandable. At least you get two $1 drinks without paying a cover and then $4 limited menu drinks until 9pm. The live music thing they have going is awesome with the several multi-talented musicians that play. It seems they all play piano, guitar, and drums and sing if I'm not mistaken. What got my goat is that when everyone was putting $1 on the piano with one song request, I put three songs for them to choose from (I have no idea their range) along with $5. Now, I wasn't looking to move to the head of the line with a "bribe", but one hour went by and then two and then...didn't get any of my songs played. Apparently, giving MORE than everyone else, gets you no song played.

    (1)

  • Donnacha K.

    I was in Howl at the Moon New Years weekend and the place was packed. I immediately checked my coat when I got in and proceeded to have a blast of a night in a great bar. Unfortunately, my experience with Howl at the moon deteriorated when I left the bar without collecting my jacket. I called the bar first thing the next day as my jacket was expensive and I wanted to call into retrieve it from the coat check. I was told after describing my jacket that it was no longer in the coat check? Hmm...in the space of 12 hours my jacket had disappeared without a trace behind? Very suspicious I think? Really disappointing that after such a quality experience that what I believe was a mixture of my own negligence and the incompetence of this bar to actually take care of someones property led to this review. Would love to have my coat back and go drink in Howl again sometime :)

    (1)

  • Elizabeth L.

    Bachelorettes and housewives of Naperville unite! Howl is a rowdy good time for all - cheap, strong drinks (punchbowl for extra fun), loud classic tunes on the keys. Fun staff, fun crowd. Protip: Cougars roaming wild and free. Hello safari!

    (3)

  • Danika C.

    Great place to hang out, drink, sing along and dance the night away. Live music can be a hit or miss, but the band has an impressive range of music and song knowledge. Buckets are great, $26 for 84 oz of fruity alky and drink prices are downtown standard. Crowd is mixed, college aged, almost married, mid-aged and older. All have something to bop along to. Have been here multiple times and always left having a great time. Music gets better as the night wears on and all is dancing If you're in town, do come visit.

    (4)

  • Kristen R.

    Had such ridiculously good fun with a friend of mine here. We were visiting for a conference and wanted to see some Chicago nightlife. The pianists were talented and funny. There was a $5 cover charge (Sunday night), but that wasn't too bad. The drinks were pretty well and the food decent. Overall, I'd come here again!

    (4)

  • Katie D.

    The only reason I didn't give it a 4 star was the cover. They can probably reduce the cover. Great musicians and don't forget the drink the bucket!!

    (3)

  • David L.

    I probably went to Howl at the Moon 7 times while I was in Chicago on business. It is a lot of fun, even to those of us who don't drink alcohol. Fun people watching, especially later in the evening. The house band is wonderful. They change it up - several different people performed each time I went there. Just good fun. What is preventing the 5 star? The bouncers at the door can be rude, and the bathroom downstairs isn't the best. Still, I'll definitely be back next time I'm staying in River North or in the loop.

    (4)

  • Tiffany L.

    5 years ago, I came to Howl for the first time and I loved it. They played all those great classic songs to sing to. This time, the drunk bachelorettes and suburban housewives seemed much more in my face, and the piano players sang songs by Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus. Don't think I'll be returning. However, free admission through foursquare check-in was a bonus.

    (2)

  • Blair O.

    I went here last night with my husband, and it was a blast! At first, we didn't really get the whole concept, but after awhile we were having a lot of fun! We got the cherry kool-aide bucket, and it was delicious! They have (obviously) some expensive drinks, but the 86oz buckets were $25, which isn't bad! So my husband and I shared one, and then after that has smaller drinks to avoid getting too drunk, I also had a bone thrower, and it was delicious! There was a cover charge, but we signed up for their newsletters online, and got a free cover, so that was pretty cool! Also, the ENTIRE wait staff was super friendly and helpful. We couldn't see the whole place, and were ordering something by the bar, when a server came up to us and pointed out some tables. When we got over there, the server for the section came up to us, introduced himself, and was very attentive. We never waited long for a drink, or long to order. We tipped him very well for the great service! There was also a girl walking around with little injector shots, and when I asked her how they tasted she said "kiwi and vodka" and threw my head back and shot it in my mouth, and then did it to my husband too! A little forward, but it was obviously her job and it was so funny! The only thing I did NOT like, was the fact that I had to go upstairs to use the bathroom, but that is not nearly big enough of a deal for me to not give it 5 stars! All in all, we loved it. We ended up leaving at about 10:30pm just to check other stuff out since it is our only night downtown, but we didn't have as much fun anywhere else. I suggest checking it out!

    (5)

  • Daniel S.

    I have been to quite a few dueling piano bars. Quite a few have been an abomination. With that in mind, the Chicago Howl at the Moon is okay. When we visited Howl this past Thursday, a cupoun gave us a get in for free pass. If I had paid the $10 admission, I would not be disappointed. The musicians were first-rate, especially Rosie (I believe that is her name). Howl at the Moon is a dueling piano bar in name. Yeah, there are two musicians playing piano ( actually keyboards) and singing; however musically, they are supporting one another. There is a rotation with the musicians. When one musician leaves the piano, he or she might be playing bass, lead guitar, horns, or drums. All the musicians had decent voices, that is a plus. I have been to a few dueling piano bars where the musician had such a terrible voice that I felt like paying for an instrumental. Out of every dueling piano bar that I have been to, Chicago Howl at the Moon musicians focus solely on the music. There was zero jokes and basically zero interaction with the audience. In a way its good because I have been to a couple of piano bars where the musicians are hounding the audience to hand over some green for a song. An hour of that gets old quick. And some of the joking I have heard at dueling piano bars is irritating. As far as drinks the Embassy Manager's Reception had me feeling good before I walked in. According to past reviews, the mixed drinks served here are lousy. I did have two beers. The price was okay. Regardless that the server rarely came around, I did appreciate that she was pleasant and immediately gave us our change. We picked a night where it was not too busy. This worked out for the better because we got a table closer to the stage. If I return to a hotel in the Near North area of Chicago, I might return to Howl at the Moon. It is far better than quite a few of the dueling pianos bars that I have been to.

    (3)

  • Kevin B.

    Howl at the Moon is always a raucous good time! I've spent several weeks in Chicago for work, and I love that they have one of my favorite Los Angeles bars here too. The crowd is always a low-maintenance, unpretentious and rowdy bunch, and it's so much fun to sing along until you have no voice. Yes, the drinks are on the expensive side and there's usually a cover, but you're also getting entertainment thrown in, so you can't expect to buy a la carte. If you haven't been yet, make it your mission to get up on stage during your first visit. That's when you know you've had a great night there.

    (5)

  • Matt D.

    First time here. Pretty crowded but very manageable! The atmosphere was very fun and definitely easy to have a good time in. Getting in the door, April was super friendly and bubbly. The drink prices were very fair for Chicago...and the buckets were a great value! I'll be back.

    (5)

  • Julianne Z.

    The drinks are pretty watered down. I went here because one of my friends won a Happy Hour (which apparently happens to almost everyone) and we got a food buffet as well as $1 drink specials. Personally, the crowd was way too old and it was just so packed, it was hard to enjoy. I think if we had a table, this would be a different story but for now, I don't want to return.

    (2)

  • Adam D.

    Had a fantastic time! We were celebrating a friend's 23rd Birthday (Wednesday). Our first stop was awful, but then yelp helped us find this place The place was decently packed, but not too bad. They were asking for a 5$ cover, which is a bit uncommon on a week night. Regardless, the bar is well laid out and we were able to find a decent area for the six of us to rock out and dance our faces off! The bartenders are cute, but unwilling to help you get 'drunk'., and the mixed drinks are a bit light. Be prepared to pay for your drinks, no matter how cute you think you are. The back bar is a bit easier to work with and the female bartender was a real trooper for putting up with my misguided flirtation. The best deal of the night is five beers for 20$ so grab a bucket and drink up. The cover band was awesome and we most certainly enjoyed ourselves to the fullest.

    (4)

  • Kathleen M.

    Bacherlorette parties were not the rage when I got married. Either time. So going to one was a new experience for me. The venue had really loud music, crowds and stickiness on the floors - not my favorite combination. That being said, I did amuse myself here. I was so very grateful that the male relatives of the bride had staked out 4 prime tables and somehow kept them for four hours in spite of furious onslaughts of beer and unfriendly revelers until the rest of us arrived. I was also so appreciative to arrive with the hostess who got us in without paying the cover that they were demanding even though she had booked a party. The bathroom was also the cleanest I have seen in a bar, once you walked up all the stairs. My favorite part of the night was the dueling school songs and I even ponied up 20.00 to help the Illini get theirs played. The songs were familiar to me so probably hopelessly out of date. Our particular bride and groom were toasted and got to perform a bit so that was pleasing. The people watching was superb here and we had a great time mocking most of the babes who hoisted their sizeable petards up on the stage. The absolute highlight of the night was as we left, one of the most obnoxious of the self appointed stage dancers stumbled out and fell down drunk in the street. Howling indeed!

    (3)

  • Alessia W.

    This was my first time to a piano bar and I had a freaking blast!!! You simply go here for fun with friends...you don't go here for top notch drinks. A lot of the drinks listed on their menu are just sugary sour mixes with a dash of alcohol. They also have a few drinks called the bucket that comes with 4 straws. It's liquor and sugary mixes. Bachelorette parties are big here as well as "frat boy nights out". There is $5 cover but it's really good time. I saw the bouncers putting a few people out so keep it classy! They encourage crowd participation as well as dancing so go there with an open mind and sing and dance the night away!

    (4)

  • Nathan S.

    Had a blast here. Tons of comedy and entertainment. If you have shy problems you will want to stay away because there is a lot of audience participation. I loved it

    (5)

  • Tay H.

    I will never return. I swear. But I will admit, I swore that after the first time I went...and was dragged back for two birthday parties since. But seriously, never again. I will wait next door in RockIt until my friends stumble out because I refuse to be subjected to that place again. It is loud, crowded, and full of annoying tourists. The drinks are crazy expensive, the music made my husband go deaf in one ear for 4 days (!), the pianists...using that term loosely...literally beg for money, and there is no such thing as personal space let alone a seat. I have no clue why there is always a line, except that it is usually tourists or people dragged there for their "free" parties... Hint: If a place gives away free happy hour parties like candy, they are desperate to attract new customers cause obviously they aren't good enough to have regulars.

    (1)

  • Brittany L.

    Ehh...didnt love this place. I had never been to a dueling-piano bar, so my boyfriend and I decided to check in out while in Chicago. He's been to lots of these kind of bars, but wasn't impressed with this one. The drinks were fun (they had big fish bowl drinks and other fun drinks) but the music wasnt that great. This place might be fun for a bachelorette party or special occasion, but wasnt anything that special just for a date-night out on the town.

    (2)

  • Andrea D.

    This was the first bar we went to while visiting Chicago. We got there before 9 so there wasn't a cover, but made sure to tip all our song requests to make up for it. Musicians were great, and the piano bar atmosphere is a great place to hang with friends. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Phil O.

    When I was on a consulting project in Chicago and staying at a nearby hotel, I'd try to make it here every couple weeks or so. The place is always packed on a Tuesday or Wednesday night and the service is excellent. I'd recommend Morgan if she's still there. The drinks are reasonably priced. If I ever go back to the area, I'll definitely stop in.

    (5)

  • Polly P.

    I've been here only once, so I am not sure if I had a right impression, but to my ear the music was WAAAAAY too loud. I understand that this place is kind of like a night club, but on the other hand - it's not. You come here with friends, you can have food and drinks, why not to make music SLIGHTLY less fulminatory, so people can enjoy companies of each other. However, over all the place is good, they have some deals - like 1 dollar burger on Tuesdays, but they don't have them on menu - don't forget to mention the deal!!!

    (3)

  • Sharee M.

    I had fun here. I thought it was cool to see all the songs they could play. But it was also funny they would ignore what they dont know. Cool drink special on Thursday with apps. Enjoy the sex on the beach!

    (4)

  • Allison V.

    The pianists, is that what they are called?, were awesome. The crowd was lame. The bouncers were rude. My friend was kicked out after a girl shoulder checked him. The drinks were so so. I probably won't be back.

    (2)

  • Tina L.

    I have never been a fan of celebrating my Birthday, but Howl at the Moon made it a night I could never forget. There is a cover at this bar, but it is totally worth paying to get in! The Drinks were amazing! Who doesn't like buckets of Booze! That was definitely a great start to the fun. The food is bar food, but when you are drinking that much how can you not want greasy, fried food? They do have table reservations, however we did not want to reserve one and after about a half hour we found two tables for our little group. Though tables are not needed for much besides setting your drinks on. The music is requested by the quests, tips to play, but I firmly believe if you are going out you should be tipping! Don't want a song don't tip! The whole staff sings! at one point our server sang an amazing duet of Rolling on the River! I had the best night at this Bar and I would recommend going for any celebration or just a fun night out! Live, Laugh, Love!

    (5)

  • Emily H.

    I would be 100% fine for the rest of my life if I didn't have to step foot in here ever again. My friend was moving to Nashville and she wanted to go out for one last hurrah to a place that had a fish bowl. 4 of us came on a Monday night (very obviously not the most hoppin') and there was party going on for a medical/IT company. We ordered a fishbowl and I'd be hard pressed to find any alcohol in it. It tasted like 100% soda that was too sweet & syrup-y. The straws were cool, though. Music wasn't bad- the only reason I'm giving the extra star is because: 1) he actually played the song I requested (Golddigger, yup) and; 2) I ended up winning a free party for it (alas, I did come back for a couple free drinks). Cassady, who is in charge of events, was really awesome about setting everything up. So, I've done the whole Howl at the Moon thing & I'm really just glad I won't have to do it any more.

    (2)

  • Laila C.

    I don't get it. You pay $10 cover to hang out with old people trying to relive their youth and drunk bachelorettes. Since there are too many old people and wedding parties, the only space available is a "dance floor" the size of my bathroom. This place is like paying to listen to the radio in the car but the singing isn't as good and everyone in the car with you is annoying and sweaty.

    (1)

  • Paul S.

    As a pianist, I really wanted to enjoy this Howl at the Moon. Although many of us have large recorded libraries on our iPods, there is simply no substitute for live music from time to time. A friend of mine called me up late one night to check this place out. My expectations were sorely let down. They had a Yelp check-in special which gave you free cover under the "Deals" section. I forgot to check my phone until after I paid the door girl the charge. Afterwards, I brought it up to her and she gruffly said it "wasn't her problem". Strike one for customer service. Strike two comes in the form of one of the rudest bartenders I've ever met. There was hardly anyone at the bar and he took ten minutes to finally slink over to our party. It took him an additional five minutes to pour me a gin and tonic in a tiny glass, then informed me it would be $8. The glass was half the size of a normal rocks glass and his pour was light to begin with. This was on top of a lot cursing he did with some regulars while he was ignoring our group. Awful service from the bar, one of the few times I haven't left any tip at all went to this place. I looked around for several minutes trying to find the rest room and when I couldn't locate it, I asked door girl. She pointed up the stairs with a look on her face like she was doing me a favor. Sadly, the customer service of the non-performers soured my evening. It was a real shame, as the two gentlemen playing the piano were doing a decent job of ad-lib and hamming it up. Sure it was corny, but what do you expect? I left early though, as the other staff members were starting to get on my nerves.

    (1)

  • Andy S.

    Not much of a bar person but had a decent enough time here.

    (3)

  • Mimi T.

    Dueling pianos. I have a weak spot for these places. Maybe i came on an off night. It was crowded, but it wasn't what i expected it to be. although the buckets of alcohol, well worth it. Cover charge? yes, but the music will pay itself off. :) they have real talent. I'm not from Chicago, but if i were to ever come back to town. I'd give this place another try.

    (3)

  • Steve S.

    After reading many online reviews I was not expecting much. We were headed to Howl for a friends 35th birthday party. I must say, completely impressed. Our friends got there early and got a table in the back. Perfect location. Our waitress was great, drink specials were good and drinks had some kick. The musicians were simply awesome. They rotated thru and played many different instruments and the music never stopped. From Bill Joel to Guns and Roses to Snoop Dogg, we heard it all and it rocked. The vibe of Howl was cool and very unique. people of many different age brackets were partying together. Just a great time, we will be back soon.

    (5)

  • Noah V.

    Fun enough place. For a downtown bar it's decently priced. Music is loud but at least it's live music and certainly well done. Would return. It is a hotspot for bachelorette parties for whatever reason, though.

    (4)

  • John K.

    Whichever restaurant, bar, or cafe I go, I always seriously ponder the following question: Why am I here? What unique value is this establishment giving me right now to make me have a good time? For Howl at the Moon Dueling Piano Bar, they are the dueling pianos. I have never seen or heard such talent in singing, improvisational piano, or making the neighborhood crowd happy. Its not a classy establishment...there are no glass doors, seats and counters made out of marble. It isn't filled with all the good-looking-for-one-night gentlemen and women. Maybe not the best place if you want to get a one-of-a-kind cocktail which in that situation, you would want to visit a place like the aviary. No, what made my time at Howl at the Moon swell was when I was there for a pre-christmas party with my friends. There was nothing but jolliness in the air. I really almost felt like I wanted to talk to some of the strangers around me and enjoy my night with them. Hahaha, if the house had given out free jello shots for everybody in the place and all of us had yelled out Merry Christmas, that would have been swell :) The lifeline and unique value of this place are the dueling pianos. Pray they don't forget that. Sometimes I need a break from Hiphop, Trance, or Dubstep. That is when I will smile and walk towards Howl at the Moon

    (4)

  • Greektwn Gal l.

    We had an event here recently and had so much fun!!! They really get it right! The drinks were good, the dueling pianos were good and somehow I ended up on stage??? Good times!

    (5)

  • Monika G.

    Oh, this place is fun! We went there for a going away party. Although there is a $10 cover, and they stamp your hand. The way they goof off on the piano is hilarious. Only downside was, it was packed!! There was a bridal(bacholaretter) party that night. You couldn't move. Prices are reasonable, but trying to get them can be problem. I'd go back, but when it's not so packed. I'm sure I'd enjoy it more.

    (3)

  • Stacey A.

    1) The musicians are fantastic. Last time I was there, they played everything from the "Growing Pains" theme song to "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." And ANY place that plays ANY kind of Meat Loaf music is absolutely wonderful as far as I'm concerned. 2) Drinks are not cheap, but the bartenders are attentive and it's easy to get their attention. You're not standing at the bar for 10 minutes, hoping to flag someone down. 3) This is an awesome place to take a big group of people. Cover is a bitch, and the line gets long, but getting inside is 100% worth it. If you don't have a good time, it's probably because you're dead.

    (5)

  • Princess B.

    Ok. Last night. Howl at the Moon. Mother of God. This place rocks so hard. It's unbelievable. GREAT vibe. Go early so you can get seats up front, where the view of the stage is fabulous. This place gets packed, so get there before 9. It seems to be an older crowd, but I tell ya, do they know how to have a good time. EVERYONE was singing and clapping and rockin' out. It's so nice to see the married couples making out and dirty dancing, haha. I just think it's sweet. SUCH fun musicians on stage, man, and so talented. There's this woman with wavy blonde hair up there whose voice is out of control. Beautiful singing. Then there's her partner, the dude with the reddish hair. HILAR-Y! Makes the most random comments. Oh, yeah, and he plays the piano awesome, too. Maybe he and I can have some fun on his piano some day. You know, like play tic-tac-toe or something. :) Great service. I was surprised that our server always had our drinks flowin, since it was really busy. Ok, one thing is that the drinks are a little weak. But that worked out quite perfectly for me, as I am a lightweight, so I was grateful to be enjoying glass-to-mouth action all night and not puking all over the bathroom. Ok, these are the songs you should request when you go to Howl: Jack and Diane (They do this awesome beatboxing for it, haha) Something to Talk About You Oughta Know Uptown Girl Tainted Love Sweet Child of Mine Shout Santaria Don't Stop Believin' The Middle Follow me to the Moon, for sure!

    (5)

  • Amy R.

    I'll give this 4 stars because I think this is a place everyone in Chicago should visit once, even though it may be considered a tourist trap. The singers are awesome with improv, have a lot of pep, and are usually great at getting the crowd pumped up. It's fun to sing-along and try to get them to sing ridiculous songs (during the Illini's Final Four run in 2005, Big 10 fans started waging a school song contest). All in all, the setting makes for an entertainable evening. However, going there once is enough. I've now been there for 3 bachelorette parties, 1 birthday, and 2 other times for no special reason, and EVERY SINGLE TIME, I've heard the exact same songs and jokes. It got old on my second trip. Also, if you want to be able to talk to your friends in your group, good luck - it's too loud (captain obvious: it's a sing-along piano bar). Plus, cover is usually $10.

    (4)

  • Rachelle G.

    Celebrated a friend's birthday here recently. Pretty enjoyable for the most part, although I have to admit, it's a bit strange at first to bop around to piano/guitar renditions of your fave pop songs. Drinks were average in price for the neighborhood, leaning more towards the lower end. They did have a free buffet when I arrived but I didn't taste it as it didn't appeal all that much to me (tacos, spanish rice, nachos). We ordered a few appetizers from the bar, not bad for bar food, but it was steaming hot! The place was packed and had a diverse crowd, both in age and ethnicity. It was a bit hard to maneuver your way around. One of my few annoyances throughout the night (and I was there for a few hours) was when they were doing the battle of college fight songs. While it was nice for a bit, it went on entirely too long. Overall, a fun night. I don't necessarily think this is the place for everyone, but as with anything, the group you are with helps determine your enjoyment factor.

    (4)

  • Felix C.

    Best place for an office Happy Hour. I work a few blocks away, so it is very convenient for me. I usually stay there until 10PM and then go somewhere else. Te crowd is very lively and the Piano shows are entertaining. I wouldn't make HATM a night out, but is def. a good start.

    (4)

  • Cassie B.

    umm ... so the concept of a piano bar is OK, two piano players play and sing and take requests. I like a little entertainment with my alcoholism. But given the location this place is extremely touristy, meaning annoying clientele (influx of old, loud Ohio State fans this past weekend requesting the fight song) and the drinks are so expensive and weak. On Fridays they have a weird special - from 5-7 there is a free nacho/taco bar and you get two tickets, giving you two opportunities to purchase a (very, very tiny) drink for $.50. After your tickets drinks are regular price. cover starts at 6. Whhhaaaaa? fifty cents, why even bother? how bizarre.

    (2)

  • CHERiE Y.

    Oh, Howl at the Moon Chicago, you were my introductory to the uber fun world of DUELING PIANOS!! For that, I will always be grateful. :) I was here around New Years ('05) and had a blast!! Talented piano players playing requested songs of all kinds, awesome servers, a fun crowd, what more could you ask for? Oh! Food & Drinks??! Well, to make things even better, there was a free buffet (with hot dogs, pasta salad, and other random foods), and champagne (at midnight) that night! I'm not sure how it is on regular nights, this may have been a special New Years party... but still!!! HIGHLY recommended!!!

    (5)

  • Nathan W.

    Dueling Pianos. Why are you still reading? That's all you need to know. OK. Ok. How many places have you drunkenly murmured the lyrics to Sweet Caroline while locking arms with the stranger next to you and swaying? Get there early if at all possibleif you want a good seat. If you're with a date, 20 bucks will get your pianist to play a tune right away for your someone special.

    (5)

  • T K.

    I don't know what it is about this bar that people like. I found the dueling pianists to be horribly cheesy. Maybe it is a place you have to be in the right mood for, but for my friends and I's tastes we had our few drinks and bailed. I gave it two stars because they did have free food the night I was there and it was decent for bar-food that was free. If you can find a night that they are having specials its not a bad place. Otherwise, save it for when mom and dad come to town...

    (2)

  • Ben M.

    When I think piano bar, I think dark, Irish pub type place with some wooden tables and good music to catalyze drunken sing a longs. The music and 86 oz. tubs of mixed drinks were there but the overall atmosphere wasn't there like a Pat O'Briens in New Orleans. I would recommend for a good time, but couldn't frequent often.

    (3)

  • Andrew F.

    If you've never been to a bar before this place could be okay. A friend on mine and I met up with a friend from out of town, and his coworkers there. The three of us agreed that this was the worst bar we had ever been to. His co-workers seemed to approve of expensive drinks, cheesy decorations hanging from the ceiling and overweight dudes in golf shirts trying their best to dance to kids' songs being played really loudly on the piano. So the three of us guzzled our drinks and got out of there as fast as we could. I think we forgot to say bye to the co-workers. The doorman saw that I had a student ID in my wallet so he gave me a break on the cover, that was nice of him.

    (1)

  • Christina N.

    I'm always thrilled that we can usually find seats, and the drink specials aren't bad either. The first time I went, I filled out a card to win a party, and I ended up winning. Brought about 25 people here a few weeks later and we had a ton of fun. I love the atmosphere and the drinks. The only weird part is their weekly "cougar night" which we were unfortunately unaware of. Friday and Saturday this place is packed (like most bars) which was a bit uncomfortable, but for the most part, I'd happily go back! I have to follow a gluten free diet and they have a hard apple cider which was good and didn't get me sick. Also, for all of my friends, they really appreciated the occasional food buffet included with entry.

    (4)

  • Johanna R.

    This is a happening place for out of towners to check out. My cousin took us there and it was pretty crazy. Lots of brides to be having their last bit of single fun. The drinks were a little pricey..so we went across the street. The other reason we went there was to chat...because we definitely could not hear each other over the craziness of the pianists. Fun place to check out!!

    (3)

  • Carmen K.

    Fun place with live music, full bar, dance floor if you want to, booths, tables if you want to sit. The huge crowd made it difficult to see the performers and get space on the mini-dance floor. The performers played piano as well as guitar, bass, and drums. They took turns playing different instruments which was pretty cool to see. The band members seemed tired and overworked; they didn't smile much and were very sarcastic when playing the billy joel classics. I don't think I'd come back here just b/c it was too crowded for my taste, but it was fun to visit and see what all the hype is all about.

    (4)

  • Elliott H.

    Don't pay the band to sit in or even tip them for that matter. I talked to a server to find out how it works to sit it, followed the rules and dropped $20 bucks early in the night to sit in. Later on, they played the song I requested to sit in on without me. So I went up to politely ask what was up and if I could play on another song since they never called me up for mine. The drummer was a total dick and rudely blew me off. I talked to another girl later on that night who tried to sing and song and they had done the same thing to her a few weeks back. Overall, drink were fine, bartenders were nice but the band was a bunch of pricks.

    (1)

  • Erika G.

    I went here with a bachelorette party once, and had a WAY better time than I thought I would. The snacks were good, and it was really fun singing along after all! Recommended for big groups.

    (4)

  • Rebecca L.

    I came here on night because I'd heard so much about it, and I was so excited! I had such a blast, the pianists are awesome, everyone was singing, it was such a happy place!! I loved it. I will definitely go back!!!

    (5)

  • Samantha F.

    Get there early if you can, otherwise even on weekdays it is so packed by 9pm that you can't even breathe and I'm only 110lbs soaking wet! otherwise the Gin and tons are great!!!! and they have beer buckets!

    (3)

  • Jenie T.

    First time in Chicago, second day in the city and I happen to come across this place. If you want to hangout with 40and up crowd this the place for you. White older people galore and we an asian girl and black dude were sitting in the corner trying to make the best of the night. Only come to this joint if you want to see old women and old men drunk and flirting with each other. Overall its was interesting.

    (2)

  • Trinidad F.

    OMG! Loved this place!! I went last week with some friends who won a party there. It was great! Music was amazing!! Props to Jennifer! Beautiful and she can sing her ass off!! Kept me entertained. The drinks were yummy and not overpriced. And our waitress was super nice and cute! lol. Total hottie!! But over all the experience was great and Im definately going to return! Although I did lose my voice a bit from singing so much that nite...hehehe.

    (5)

  • Andrea R.

    It can get a little on the crowded side, but Howl at the Moon is always a guaranteed good time. Everyone there is in very good spirits (usually celebrating a bachelorette party or someone's birthday)...it's the ideal place to host a group event. I wouldn't recommend it for a Friday or Saturday night because the line gets pretty long, but I've been to many group outings here and they are always a blast!

    (4)

  • Chris C.

    Howl at the moon is a fantastic place! The moment my party and I walked in we felt instantly welcome. The crowd is diverse and friendly, everyone is having a fun time. The drinks are reasonably priced and the music is wonderful! My friend requested 'Dick in a box' from a SNL skit and they played it to much avail from the audience. The band is amazing and all of their songs are upbeat and put me in a fun mood! I'll definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Sandi B.

    We had a Happy Hour Party on a Friday night and had a blast!!! The place fills up quick too! The musicians were awesome and played all of our requests! Very entertaining!! Cannot wait to go back soon!!!

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    Don't even bother. If I wanted to hang out with people my parents age I'd hang out with my parents and not have to pay a $10 cover.

    (1)

  • Kelly K.

    This place makes me get stupid drunk, and I'm not much of a drinker! My mind apparently is distracted by the great performers and fun crowd, so much that I just keep ordering drinks while belting out parts of "I'm very woman" or "It's raining men". Don't go here if you want to impress people - you will make a complete idiot out of yourself with the rest of the crowd. Which is what is so fun. So you definitely have to be in the mood for this place or you won't like it. Show up by 9:30pm, as the lines get crazy afterwards and inside you'll feel like you're in a cattle herd. The goal is to get a seat/table, or else you're going to get bumped into by crazy dancing drunk girls or rubbed against by big sweaty men. Sadly, the acts are a bit "cleaner" now - they don't sing dirty songs anymore to bachelorettes or moms there for their 50th birthday.

    (5)

  • Mike P.

    Gosh, drinking is awesome! And at few places in the city is it more awesome that at Howl at the Moon. I have never walked out of here completely sober, there were a few times back in the day that I didn't walk out at all. Those gigantic drinks in buckets, yeah that's a great idea. You know what else is fun? Taking your folks here when they're in town and getting loaded on their dime, then having one of your fiance (now wife's) man-buddy grind on your little sister, then you have to beat him up, then for some reason, you're the jerk....Wait, what was I saying? Oh yeah, Howl at the Moon is a great time, as most dueling piano bars are (e.g. Rum Runners in East Lansing). The staff is great and does everything they can, considering that the place is packed to the gills most nights. As previously mentioned order a few of the gigantic drinks and go to town. I recommend the Long Island.

    (4)

  • George K.

    Live music from duel piano players! I went back and forth requesting songs all night. John Mellencamp (you know who you are! hehe), Madonna (who was this?) and Bon Jovi, and sorry they didn't play some of other ones that Yelp crew requested. I tried though. It got crowded very quickly but waiters were swift about brining our order of drinks. I had really good time meeting people from Yelp. I especially had the hotness for Mrs. Ellen M. too bad she had a ring on :) Looking forward to end of this month. Thanks again to Andrea and Elizabeth!

    (4)

  • Michelle W.

    Okay for a fun group outing but definitely not the end all be all for going out in Chicago. The dueling pianos are pretty fun to watch and they take requests, if you sack up the change/bills to get their attention. The waitstaff is quick and helpful. I guess they figure if you have a drink in your hand you won't think of going elsewhere, which is what you should probably do.

    (2)

  • Diana S.

    This place is a ton of laughs. I went Thursday night and there was a $10 cover. The place was pretty packed. The crowd is diverse. There are some out of towners, some birthdays, locals, etc. Overall it's a great place. People are singing along and happy. The pianists are a lot of fun. I had a great time. :)

    (4)

  • liam B.

    Gummie bear shots.

    (3)

  • Audra S.

    This piano bar is fun for group events and special nights out on the town (i.e. bachelorette parties, etc.), but it's not my favorite location for just a random night out on the town. Very much a party atmosphere, the bar staff is quick to get drinks out. As far as a place to meet new people...most people are there in large groups, so it's not your best bet.

    (3)

  • Jason P.

    I've been to better piano bars than this one. This place gets overly packed and the service is hit or miss. It's tough to get a seat in here, but if you can manage, you'll have a pretty good time. The tunes you will hear them play are no different from any other duling piano bar though. Great place for bachelorette parties...i think there were 4 here the night we went.

    (3)

  • Ren H.

    Great frozen drinks here and friendly and awesome atmosphere! We went on a Monday night so it was a good amount of people, not too crowded and not dead... on the weekends I see the line all the way around the corner! You gotta go here at least once!

    (4)

  • Maggie C.

    Do NOT reserve a table at Howl at the Moon! I entered into a contract and paid for reservations for 3 tables at Howl at the Moon for my birthday earlier this year. Periodically throughout the night one of my tables would be empty (people out smoking or gathered around the other 2 tables) and a group of women repeatedly took over the table. I explained to them that I paid over $100 to reserve that table for the night but they refused to move so we alerted our server who called the bouncer. It took a while for the bouncer to actually get them to move. This happened numerous time and after a couple of times of calling the bouncer over to kick them off the table we talked to the manager on duty. He said there was nothing he could do (how about telling them if they do it one more time that they would have to leave?) and to call the person I signed the reservation contract with to discuss a refund for that table since we could not sit at it for half the night. Well, to make a long story short I called and got the run around. I had a lawyer send corporate a letter regarding their breach of contract (not honoring the reservation of all 3 tables that I paid for) at which time they quickly responded with a refund. The one star is for the server. She was very efficient and responsive.

    (1)

  • K J.

    I was tasked with planning a bachelorette party on short notice. The bride isn't into the typical "get very drunk and obsess over penis' " party but did want a very good time. I immediately thought of places for entertainment between dinner and the bar. I emailed Howl at the Moon and April Wolcott responded immediately. She was very easy to work with and super accommodating to last minute changes. This was the only part of the evening I knew I didn't have to stress about because April totally took care of everything. She set us up with a package that fit our needs (and she didn't up sell), she responded very promptly, and allowed me to change my reservation number the day before at no charge (it was after the deadline). The crowd there is perfect for bachelorette parties, the music is very easy to dance to and sign along with, they called the bachelorette up on the stage to a song we requested, the bar was crowded, but not so bad we couldn't dance. And the crowd was very friendly. We actually decided to skip the next bar and stay at Howl all night.

    (5)

  • David I.

    Howl at the Moon is one of my favorite night spots. I took family there at 5:00p and we were still there at 11:00pm. Why you may ask.....because it is great fun, good music (no metal crap, rap, etc.) just good R & R. The musicians are outstanding and interact with the crowd. It is one happy place in this distorted world. The food is by no means gourmet but good....but that is not the reason to go. You can have a special event there such as a fundraiser, etc. Ask for April who is one gorgous woman!!!!!!! Love you darling.. I highly recommend a night at Howl at the Moon David

    (5)

  • Kathryn M.

    I've never not had a good time here. Yes, okay, it's cheesy and touristy but that doesn't mean it can't be fun. It's a great place to go with your friends, drink, and sing your heart out without the embarrassment of anyone actually hearing your horrible singing. It's usually crowded on the weekends, but it's a fun atmosphere. I'm not sure about cover, once I paid cover and one time I didn't, so I'm not sure. But I don't think it was more then $5. If you want the piano players to play a request, it usually helps to tip them with your song request. Last time I was there I was with a bachelorette party, and there were 3 or 4 other bachelorette parties there as well.

    (4)

  • Jennifer K.

    Just...don't.

    (1)

  • Pickle P.

    Great place, what fun! Caters to all audiences, all ages, just people looking to have a good time. The performers are phenomenal and very entertaining - which is what Howl at the Moon is all about. Drinks are a little pricey, but I don't really go to this place for the drinks - it's all about the requesting old favorites and jamming out with your friends. A little difficult to get to - as it is in River North - and that is always difficult to get to if you live where many of us do in the city (which is not River North), but, it's so entirely worth it!

    (5)

  • Kyle P.

    People put down crazy amounts of money for the musicians to play their songs. When that happens there is bound to be repeats especially with the college school songs. Food is free if you make it to happy hour on a Friday. Drinks are watered down except the giant buckets of booze. The whole atmosphere with the singing is fun for a while but get quickly.

    (3)

  • Angie J.

    I visited Chicago for the first time last weekend with a friend and we found on club on Yelp and Myspace to check out on Friday night. When we got out of the cab, there was no crowd, no line or anything so we looked at the surrounding venues and saw a huge line outside of Howl At The Moon. So we skipped across the street and got in line. My first thought was, uh live music, dueling pianos, what is this cowboy barnyard hootinanny? But it was sooo not what I expected. The cover charge was only $10 and the minute we walked in the door every single person in the bar was on some sort of drunk level. We waited for awhile to be served at the bar, only to look up at the stage and find the wait staff and barhands performing! It was pretty cool, we didn't mind the wait at all. The drinks were OK priced - well worth it for a joint with live entertainment. Everyone was really nice and friendly. Definitely a tourist attraction. You can smoke inside - good for us smokers, although I still found myself going outside for a stog. All in all, it was fun, comfortable and we had a great time - wonderful Chicago experience.

    (4)

  • Nick D.

    Just know what you're in for before you go, and you'll definitely not be let down! What to expect: 1) bachelorette parties 2) suburbanite birthday parties 3) middle aged out-of-towners What not to expect: 1) overpriced drinks 2) a date home from the bar 3) cute staff Overall, Howl at the Moon provides a fun, great atmosphere for a big group of friends to get together, get drunk, and sing their lungs out (and dance/gyrate) to the "classic" songs one would expect to be belting out at a friend's house party at 3am. The bartenders were always friendly and quick, never had to wait for drinks, and the prices were very reasonable. As for the other people there, well...I think all of Schaumburg had driven in (and the Hoosiers too), so it wasn't your typical "downtown" crowd (no Trixies from LP, either...very odd!).

    (4)

  • Alice L.

    Every once in a while, this place can be really fun. It gets pretty crowded, but If you come early enough, you can get a table to sit at, and you could avoid the cover charge. The pianists are amazing and almost always play all of your requests. They also are great at getting the crowd involved. The only problem I've had are the bathroom waits (but isn't that always the case for women at crowded bars?!). In general, I've enjoyed myself every time.

    (4)

  • mary b.

    this place blows. went there for $1 beers to find out that the only $1 beet was Bush cans and then my friends got the $1 burgers which apparently were horrible. we also could push two tables together to accomodate out group due to a fire hazard but then the section blocked off for an alleged private party had tons of tables pushed together to accomodate larger groups. it made no sense. the pianos were so loud you could not even hear a single thing so basically cannot talk or have a conversation inside this bar. the menu sucked, i am a vegetarian and the only option was an overpriced pizza. after hearing how much the burgers sucked i decided to take a pass. we ducked out early and went next door to rockit which has terrific food and a decent atmosphere.

    (1)

  • Stephen H.

    This place is a great place to have a few and then attempt to sing along with dueling pianos. They can play almost anything and sometimes will change the words of the songs to embarrass someone on their birthday or just to get a laugh. This is a great place for a party or a change from the typical bar and club scene.

    (5)

  • Erin B.

    While I hate the idea of paying a cover, and I don't like crowds all that much, this place always gets me in the mood to have a great time. No matter what's going on, I always have a fun time here. It's a great way to just let loose and have a fun time, and it doesn't matter how big of a geek you look like, we're all having a blast!

    (5)

  • Shannon S.

    While I am definitely not a fan of waiting in long lines and paying a cover, I definitely always have a good time at Howl at the Moon. It seems to be the hot spot for birthday's and bachelorette parties. We went for my friend's birthday and had a blast. If you are going to go, I suggest getting there early. Definitely check it out, you are bound to have a good time.

    (4)

  • Jeff R.

    Pay attention here folks, this is not really difficult but some people seem to have a problem grasping the concept of what this place is. First of all this is a ROCK & ROLL PIANO BAR so before you even enter the door don't expect a nice, quiet evening of conversation with your best friend. If that's what you want head to Starbucks and sip some coffee all night. Sure, you can find something not to like about this place but show me one that you can't! Probably the biggest issue is the bathrooms, which due to expansion, are now on different floors. I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant the first time my wife wanted to go to Howl. She had been here for a bachelorette party and thought I would like the place. We're not clubbers but nor do we have one foot in the grave yet. This place appeals to most all ages, from 21 to 70, although the mainstay is probably the 30 somethings. You won't feel out of place here regardless. The evenings start slowly but build fast and by 9PM on the weekends it's pretty crowded. By 10PM there is a long line to get in. By constantly rotating performers it never gets old and the crowds control the show with requests. We have been back many times and no two nights are exactly alike. The entertainment.......great! They do more than just play piano and sing. Drums, guitars, everything. I can't sing nor play any instruments as good as they can so I certainly cannot mock them. The food..........well, it's bar food. Somewhat limited menu but everything is edible, burgers are very good. Again, remember this is a PIANO BAR, not Sullivans. The drinks.......they have them all priced pretty much like most other Chicago locations. There are no $3.00 Coronas anywhere in Chicago and you will not find them here either! The service....... we are regulars and know our servers as they know us, it's great. It gets very crowded and you may have to attract your server once in a while, or you can head to one of the two bars. Is this place for you???? Well, depends on what you are looking for. We look for an evening of entertainment and are pretty open to most ideas. Howl offers you the chance to get interactive or just sit back and enjoy the show. A typical 5-6 hour night for the two of us is about $130 or so.........including tip and parking. Not bad considering we're talking downtown Chicago on a weekend. If you think you know of a better place then by all means please tell us and we'll check it out. IF you think you can do better than HATM then by all means open a business and call us. We'll be your best repeat customers. If you go here and don't have fun it's your own fault. The Corona couple!

    (5)

  • Alex F.

    On a recent trip to Chicago, I checked this spot out one of the nights. It was the first piano bar I've ever been to and it was awesome. Such a great atmosphere and theme and it was amazing how the piano players were able to play so many random songs. They even did Outkast. Its a great time, and SF really needs something like this!

    (5)

  • daniel w.

    I was here for the last Yelp happy hour. I've been to Howl in the Moon in many cities and this one was no different. Fun drinks, crazy crowd, and loud music.

    (3)

  • Nicola C.

    What a fun place to go. Awesome for Bachelorette party or b-day party. It has two pianos, and the players take requests and everyone joins in singing. The only downside is how expensive it is, there is a pretty hefty cover charge. Great for special occasions though.

    (4)

  • Doug p.

    I can never understand why there's always a huge line here.. it can be fun on the weekends but I prefer to go during the week when its less crowded and I can talk and sip my drinks in peace

    (3)

  • Madeline L.

    Always a good time! I love this place because everyone gets really into the piano bar and music. I've been here for a girl's night out and for a bachelorette party and I haven't been let down yet. They play great music and take requests which is the best part. The only reason I can't give it 5 stars is because of the cover, but it's worth it every now and then for a fun occasion like a birthday or girl's night out.

    (4)

  • Rozen O.

    I've been here twice. The first time I had a blast! Good drinks that are really big and you can share with your friends. They also have jello shots in a syringe looking thing. Prices are pretty high but it is downtown. The second time I won a party for 100 people but they all had to be there before 7 pm. One of my friends was at the door 6:57 and she took a while to let the people before her go in so she took care of her at 7:00 exactly and she would not let her in for free. Oh yeah and the drinks that they put for discounted price for the party they weren't serving that night, how convenient for them, so we all still ended up paying for the stupid drinks. But it's still a fun place to go to. I won't hold that one bad experience against them since I had so much fun the first time I went there.

    (3)

  • kiki h.

    Howl at the Moon is an absolute blast! I come here all the time with my girlfriends and it's such a fun night in the city. The crowd gets a little rowdy, but that just adds to the fun.

    (4)

  • Tracy M.

    Unfortunately I got out of work late last night and just made it to the very end of Yelp's happy hour. I walked in with the crowd so it was insanely packed, but like always...a good time! It's one of the most spirited spots in Chicago- I love it!

    (4)

  • Emily N.

    I feel like over the past year this place has really gotten to be big. A year ago we used to go and we'd always get a table and have a great time. Now we still have a great time but it is just way too crowded! It's hard to get a drink and you're being bumped by tons of people as they walk through the aisles and it's hot and sweaty in there and gets a little annoying. The best time to go would be early on a saturday night or right after work in the evening.

    (3)

  • Jason K.

    Perfect atmosphere for a party! It gets a little crowded late night, but it's a lot of fun....it's the only chance I ever get to join a bachelorette party!

    (5)

  • Scott C.

    Pretty cool place if you get there in time to get a table. Dueling pianos taking requests is usually a guaranteed good time. Often times there are bachelorette parties there that can be pretty entertaining and it's good people watching since so many people flock to this place.

    (4)

  • K M.

    Its getting a star knocked off because big covers are very annoying to me. Otherwise I love this place, I have so much more fun at bars like this where people are clearly just there to have a good time! I'm making myself sound so cheesy I know, but I love good music that I can sing along to with my friends, rather than clubby music that's more just a beat to dance to than it is really music. Great place for a night out with a group of friends (also seems to be popular with bachelorette parties as I've seen at least one group every time I've been there) The piano players are just so entertaining and I have to admit I get a kick out of the fight song portion of the night (although I'll never put in money just to have mine win!) I also seem to recall being able to get drinks served in a bucket for you to share with friends. I've never been a big fan of the idea of everyone drinking out of the same bucket though! :) I brought a bachelorette party here this weekend and I have mixed feelings about it- on one hand, the music is perfect for such an event. On the other, not a whole hell of a lot of room to dance, and the party suffered for it (some of the bridesmaids looked bored and trampled after a while) it probably would have helped to have a table to revolve around, but you have to get there by 8 and pay about $200 for a 4 person table. Rip off. Also a rip off to pay ahead of time for the package where you don't have to show up by 8 but dont get a table- I seriously debated whether I'd do this package because it gets you out of waiting in line, and the idea of having 16 ladies waiting in line freaked me out, but it turned out to be totally unnecessary. I think that's a gamble though- I've seen long lines before! not this particular night though so it was probably a waste of $10 per person :( oh well! learn from my mistakes!

    (4)

  • Shannon W.

    Fun little place where people play the piano and are pretty good at getting audience participation. It's somewhat annoying when the bartenders join in and dance on the bar because then you're just standing there waiting for a drink for about 10 minutes. The cover is a little pricey, but we luckily got in for free.

    (3)

  • Dave S.

    This is a really fun place. The piano show was a lot of fun and the servers got my drinks out fast even though they were really crowded. I got there right at five on a Friday and the place filled up very quickly which seemd like a lot of the after work crowd. Right around 6:00 it really got elbow to elbow in there. It was still a very good time

    (4)

  • Yujin A.

    I went there three times with different groups of friends. The thing was we had a small group each time, and it is a kind of place where you have fun when you are drunk and with many people you know. I agree with Ian S. I miss Rum Runner's in IN and MI. The piano players here aren't as funny as ones I've seen in other piano bars like Rum Runner's. But it seems like every piano dueling bar likes to collect tips by singing college fight songs taking advantage of the fact that these drunk alums would put a 20 dollar bill down to hear their school's fight song. This is fun once or twice, but it gets old pretty quickly. Other than that, I thought bartenders were really attentive. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it's got a mixed crowd. Some young people. locals, tourists, many in their 30's, business travelers out of state/country. The crowd is kind of old for my age, but I didn't mind it.

    (3)

  • vicky y.

    pretty entertaining piano bar, pianists were younger and more fun than i'd expected. crowd was pretty mainstream the night we went. got loud in there so not sure how great it really is for groups. but, if you like the bar scene, you'll prolly like this place.

    (2)

  • Stephanie M.

    I give it 3 stars cuz I had a good time here thanks to my friend and his group. I wouldnt come here all the time but it has good happy hour deals and its a nice unpretentious no-cover happy hour-ish place to go. The shots are STRONG. Free buffet and drink tickets for like $0.50 drinks...sweet. I am not that keen on the piano bar though but some ppl like it a lot.

    (3)

  • Julia B.

    Great live music/piano bar. They get the crowd very involved. It gets very crowded so it's often a good idea to reserve a table ahead of time..also there is a pretty high cover at times. All in all it's a fun place to go on a special occasion

    (3)

  • Bill C.

    How at the Moon is a really fun place to hang out, especially if you have friends from out of town visiting. It is usually packed on the weekends, so get there before 10:00PM if you want a seat or even a wall to lean against.

    (4)

  • Molly F.

    I avoid downtown like the plague due to the constraints of a student bank account; however, a friend won a promotional party, so I was down for a discount. I throughly enjoyed myself here as I love great piano favorites such as "Only the Good Die Young" and "Tiny Dancer." Come on, who doesn't? However, Howl at the Moon is a well-oiled machine that capitalizes on contrived fun. There was nothing spontaneous about this place. For that, it loses a star in my book. I am pretty sure that if I go back, the same bawdy joke bit will be re-enacted by the very charismatic piano players, and the same reaction of amused indignity will be returned by the crowd. If you have people from out of town that are ready to get rowdy and scream out piano tune favorites, this is the place. But for native Chicagoans, stay away.

    (3)

  • Julia C.

    Fun piano bar, great for a party/group outing. The frozen drinks delicious and staff is very friendly. Sometimes the music can be a bit loud but everyone gets into the singing. The line can be long but it is always a fun night!

    (4)

  • Alisa N.

    Well, I think this place gets the prize for attracting the most drunk-off-their-ass bachelorettes. Dear God, I really hope that these girls really are not as skanky in real life!!!! Honestly, lose the cheap tiaras and beauty queen wannabe sashes... On the upside, this is a great place for all of us karaoke-phobic citizens of the world who want to sing at the top of their lungs to 80's pop tunes. AND you get to shake it a little while you are in the middle of the big, goofy singalong. Very talented pianists, and super friendly bartenders redeem this place. I guess good for a big group outing, if you are in a silly kind of mood! $10 dollar cover the night I went, $7-8 for mixed drinks at the bar...

    (3)

  • Abby L.

    Pretty decent place if it's not too crowded, if it is too crowded- stay away. It's so hot and sticky in there that it gets uncomfortable. If you go early enough to get a table and claim your space you won't have a problem and will hopefully find it fun. It's a good time if you have the patience.

    (3)

  • Vanessa P.

    The one and only time that I was at Howl At The Moon, it was a few years ago on my 23rd birthday. It was loud and very crowded. The pianists were good, playing recognizable tunes. They have these buckets. The buckets are filled with your favorite kind of alcoholic beverage: hurricane, mai tai, margarita, etc. I don't recommend them unless there are more than 3 people partaking in them. That's why I give Howl At The Moon 3 stars: they should know better than to give a 23 year old girl more alcohol on her birthday...

    (3)

  • Ian S.

    The piano players don't really get the crowd into the action like I've seen during college. I would not recommend this place for a small group as people said earlier, since there are always lots of parties going on at this bar. Unless waiting in line to pay $10 cover then $9 for a weak drink is high your list, should probably pass this place up.

    (2)

  • Lori C.

    I think Howl at the Moon is overrated. I really like the idea of it, but going there is another story. Out of towners seem to always want to go here so that's when I end up going, but it's so crowded, really hot, and it really isn't all that it's cracked up to be! There are many other places visitors to Chicago should go and I don't think I'm going to go anymore!

    (3)

  • ali a.

    This is a great piano bar if you are in the mood to sing along and dance. They have alot of great fun drinks. I often time see bachelorette parties and other occasions. I would definitely pick it for a birthday or any other fun outing!

    (5)

  • elizabeth n.

    Great piano bar with great music and good drinks. The place does get very crowded and I'm usually not a fan of paying cover charges, but every once in a while this is a good place to go. It's a great place for parties or for a group of people out for a good time.

    (4)

  • Vivian W.

    This place is sick! I've been to a few live music bars but nothing like this before. There are about 5 musicians who take turns playing different instruments and singing live from a queue of song requests. They are all so talented and have a way of pumping up the crowd. Great for drinking and dancing with a group of friends. Tip: there's a $5 cover

    (5)

  • Marilynn P.

    The first time I came, I had a really terrible experience. I was charged cover (wtfish?), bought 1 drink at the bar which made me incredibly sick (my guess was it was because of the cheap alcohol), and thus I didn't enjoy my experience. However, my cousin ended up winning a party at HatM so I went for that. The second time around was MUCH better. Because I was there with a group there was no cover. I ordered one drink and it didn't make me sick! And I was able to actually enjoy the performers. The individuals that performed that night were simply amazing. I'd probably come back, but it will probably only be if someone I know wins a party.

    (4)

  • Robin O.

    So much fun! The artists are quite talented, not only singing and playing the piano, but drums and guitars as well! At one point in the evening there were 5 people on stage playing instruments amd singing. For a donation they do shout outs for birthdays and other events going on, last night someone was having a hysterectomy!! At times people hopped up on stage to sing and dance...I can't explain how hysterical it was! People of all ages come here..a great place to sing and dance.

    (5)

  • Asenath N.

    Came here for a happy hour party on a Sunday with $1 drinks and complimentary appetizers( pulled pork, Mac and cheese, hot dog, cheese tray and fresh fruit. This place is great!! Plenty of tables for sitting if you get there early. More like a piano bar- They have live music every night and you can sing along if you like. They take song requests, I was really impressed with some of the songs they were able to play. It was a really good time. We ordered the drink bucket $28 and it was pretty good. Come early to avoid a long line.

    (4)

  • Jennifer M.

    Great place to have a really fun birthday! Lots of dancing, singing, and drinking! Always a great time when your at Howl at the Moon!

    (5)

  • Joseluis A.

    this place kicks ass. the musicians kick ass. the bartenders kick ass. the drunks kick ass. the uptight people kick ass. its a bit wicked yes but in fun way. the band really goes all over the place performing awesome interpretations of song requested by the crowd. all genres which could turn any given song into something hilarious. ive been here a few times and charged cover only once. 5$ which for the talent these guys have is a great deal. people must not forget that in music, the performer is the one who actually works.

    (4)

  • Shaun S.

    Been here a few times. It's hard to not have a good time here but with that being said, it's gone a little overboard on prices. $14 for a vodka redbull! Come on, this isn't a strip club in Vegas. Ok, I get it, some places charge $3-$4 for the redbull but it's $12.50 just for a jack and coke. $5.50 for a coors light.... Come on! $10 for cover on a Sunday is ridiculous. Frankly you should be encouraging anyone to come to your place on a Sunday..

    (2)

  • Katerina B.

    This is so amazing place! You have to pay $10 to get in but life music starts at 7pm, you can wish to play whatever you like, pay some tips for that, have some drinks and have a great night with piano!!!

    (5)

  • Kelly S.

    What a fun place this is! Live music was amazing, so talented! They really get the packed house into, requesting songs and interacting. Drinks were priced normal, a few house specials were really good.

    (4)

  • Nicole C.

    Great time! Went her with friends a few months back and had Jamie as our server - she is fantastic! Friendly and very attentive to us and all of her tables, even though it was a completely packed Friday night. The artists were very talented and it's a great atmosphere. We all live in the city and love coming here for a fun night out.

    (5)

  • Andre P.

    So much fun!! Drinks were expensive but only a $5 entry and the band was extremely talented. I have never seen a band where all members could switch to any position seamlessly and sing just about any song. Great time

    (5)

  • Christine L.

    We love piano bars and this place didn't disappoint. We had been to Howl Chicago nearly a decade prior and things had only changed for the best. We entered after cover charges concluded so we only had to show an ID. We stood by the bar as the upper area was not yet available but soon after the cable was lowered and the crowd could enter. Not more than a couple songs later, we noticed a VERY drunk man hovering over our neighbors' tables and falling asleep standing up. The waitstaff wasn't seeing this for another few songs so we eventually flagged a young woman who called the bouncers to assist him out. Swift handling of what I imagine is a rather common issue. Songs were great and the band was an impressive size with both male and female performers. -1 star for the forever-long walk to the bathroom and the bathroom attendant. PLEASE do-away with this unfortunate service. It's awkward, I never have small bills in hand, and it just makes the place feel dated.

    (4)

  • Richie R.

    Having lived in New York and Miami nothing will ever truly compare to those two cities. but considering we're in a big town this was kind of cute to go to. Music was okay, couldn't really hear the singing over the loud crowd. Friday night from 5 to 9 is more of a young college crowd due to the inexpensive drinks. After 10 not as crowded but very touristy. Saturday night slammed, line goes down the block. How do I know this? Cuz I could see from my hotel room. Drinks were okay, bartenders were cool. Lots of white people.

    (3)

  • Alyssa J P.

    A pretty cool bar in the southern portion of River North. The pianists playing last night when I went were really talented and did an amazing job. The $10 cover didn't seem bad in the context of supporting those musicians (who I hope see the bulk of that money, as the bar certainly makes more than enough $$ for everyone else in drinks and tips). Really, I like it. But I'm not a bar person. They're loud, give me a headache, are filed with drunk people, and I can't drink alcohol these days. So... of all the bars I could go to with friends, at least this one is very entertaining for sober people who don't really like going out late at night. Also, it helped that the bathrooms were relatively clean. Convenient to both the red and brown lines. So if it's your last stop before heading back to Union Station and the 'burbs, it's really not that out of the way.

    (4)

  • Alex R.

    If I could give less than one star, I would. Manager and "bouncers" (I could name them other things, but I'm classier than that) terrible people. They get away with assault on patrons who are 30 something professionals with a lot to lose and have no interest of causing issues. If you look at them the wrong way, watch out. Police won't help either.

    (1)

  • Kelly C.

    Such a fun place! The scene is much different then the river north scene which in my eyes is great. The dueling pianos is so fun, with a great classics and new tunes. Great place for a girls night or a date. Will defiantly be back.

    (4)

  • Amy H.

    It was definitely a nice experience. The bar was packed and a lot of people were up and dancing. We got mixed drinks and shots and I got buzzed really fast. There is a live band playing in the center of the room. When I went, the band was doing covers if well- known songs. They were really talented. It's different.

    (4)

  • Kari H.

    I came here for a party tonight with some friends from 6:30pm-8pm and enjoyed it! The bouncer at the door checked our IDs and didn't smile -- just looked at the ID picture and back at us, and checked the reflection of the graphics on the cards. I think that's probably part of his job. We went to the hostesses inside to get our wristbands as part of a party and they were nice to us. We got an orange paper wristband and 2 tickets to get $1 drinks. I went straight to the food table in the back because I was hungry. :3 The food was yummy -- especially the hot dogs (simple: a warmed hot dog bun and sausage... not sure what kind of meat) at the party food table. There was also cantaloupe, cheese cubes (mostly pepper jack because cheddar seemed to be all gone by the time I got to the table at 6:40pm), pulled BBQ pork sandwiches, mac and cheese, and hot dogs with pickled jalapenos, onions, and tomatoes (which ran out by the time I got there) on the side. The server at the food table had a fun mustache and was very polite and speedy. It was a comfortable temperature inside and the music was enjoyable. I like how they had drums and bass and piano. They played popular songs that the audience could sing and dance to. The musicians seemed to enjoy themselves and the audience loved them, too. A man went up to the stage and gave them a hug while they were performing and they were so sweet about it without interrupting their own performance. I saw people dancing and some of the servers were dancing as well. It was a fun environment. There seemed to be a diverse range of people, too. The other patrons there were polite to each other, which was good. The server at our table was very cheery and nice. She had a very expressive face, which is necessary for a loud environment. She was very attentive to all of the tables around me and took notes for our drinks and returned with them in a timely manner. The live music is loud, so we had to raise our voices to talk. I like how there was a game (maybe basketball?) on the TV near our table, too. As for the lighting, it's dark but there's enough lighting at many of the tables. I saw another couple using a tiny pocket flashlight to look at their menu. I like how there was a board that named whose birthday it was (first names only) and they gave shout-outs to the birthday people, too, which was nice. I'm not a big drinker at all but I noticed that many of the parties had buckets of drinks! They had fun straws in them and looked colorful so I'd like to try that some time. When we left, a different guy at the door said something like "Have a good night!" and had a pleasant face (not sad or angry or rude). I don't remember if he made eye contact but I like his nice comment and polite acknowledgement of us leaving. He was swinging his arms back and forth, I think. He had an easygoing aura, which I appreciated, especially with the first bouncer who was super duper serious and stern (which, again, is probably his job).

    (4)

  • Lisa T.

    So much fun. The musicians are very talented. It is great for a group. The drinks are a little light however the environment and fun makes up for it.

    (5)

  • David S.

    Great music, great drinks, the crowd is literally all age groups and people you could think of. Only drawback were the bouncers who have apparently never seen a Minnesota ID before. They took it and played around with it for a few minutes then shrugged their shoulders and let us in.

    (4)

  • Lisa F.

    Fantastic music. The. Entertainers switch and take on new rolls all evening and they are all very talented !! Some of the servers were not so nice but the great entertainment made up for it ! Fun night !!

    (5)

  • Daniel B.

    Great piano bar. The format is a little different than I was used to. Less crowd interaction. They had piles of requests and it didn't seem as if too many people were tipping for them. They also had drums and guitar, so it was more like a whole band. The drinks were good and strong. Waitstaff was attentive. We were fortunate to get a table immediately. A lot of people stood for a long time.

    (4)

  • Lily Z.

    During my first visit, I wasn't impressed. It was dead on a Thursday night. The music was too loud. I just wasn't feeling it. However, I came last week at the behest of a couple friends and my experience was so much better. The place was practically packed. Free appetizer station until 7PM. Discounted drinks until 9PM with a wristband. Such a different experience! Howl at the Moon is like a little oasis from the clubs, lounges and expensive restaurants in River North. Basic. Dark. But simple!

    (3)

  • Ashley M.

    Very talented people playing music, great beer selection, and good service. Joey was a cool waiter! My only complaint is that I gave the piano players a list of 12 songs to choose from and they didn't play any of them.

    (4)

  • Amanda K.

    A quintessential destination for a bachelorette party! The drinks are overpriced, but singing along with the dueling pianos is great fun. I also like that if you plan ahead, you can skip the cover here. All you have to do is sign up for their e-mail list and BAM! no cover for you.

    (3)

  • Aaron C.

    Dueling pianos are interesting. Solid entertainment. However, the drinks are WEAK. If you want a bucket of juice and some live entertainment then this is the place for you.

    (3)

  • Patrick R.

    Scammers. This place is cool to hang out at but it is pretty over priced and gets crazy crowded on weekends. Like can't move crowded and waiting 20 minutes for a drink. Plus they scam on credit cards. A $6 dollar tip on a credit card was changed to $10 by the time the transaction went thru. Staff was rude when the bar was called about it a few days later. If you go, pay in cash and bring a lot of it. We won't be going back.

    (1)

  • Sean C.

    First, let me disclaim that I normally don't go to places that are like this...that is, dark and so loud that you can't hear a damn thing said by anybody who isn't a featured performer. This is a good place if you: - are from Arlington Heights and you tell people you're from Chicago. - like to go to bars that do not have any draft beers. - like to listen to female singers that have that squeaky '90s Broadway voice - are one of those drunk douchebags from the suburbs that goes to Cubs games - like to hear "The Gambler" done about seven times faster than the actual recording This place was obviously built for people who aren't locals and who just want to go to the city for some cheap thrills. But hey, when I went the place was jam packed, and I guess you can't argue against success.

    (1)

  • Kevin B.

    Probably the most popular piano bar in downtown Chicago. Seems to be the place to go to celebrate birthdays, weddings, engagements, etc. Best thing about Howl on the Moon is their party packages. You can literally get a package for 50-100 people to come to your event and it usually includes a free buffet and drink tickets for $1. And for the most part, every time I've been here the band/pianist has been very good. Food is basically dive bar food and the drinks are fairly reasonable in price, especially for that area. The negative about this place is its popularity. On a Friday night, its packed and its hardly any room to move around. And unless you have a reservation or table, finding seating is almost impossible and getting to the bar is rough as well. So if you can manage to go on a weekday with some friends, I'd recommend that. Its a great spot to start your weekend off and head somewhere else afterwards.

    (3)

  • Chanel G.

    I had so much fun here! I came on a Saturday night and this place was jumping! There was a $10 cover to get in but I didn't mind paying it at all. Howl at the Moon is a piano bar where they play requested songs. They 2-3 people playing are really talented. They can play and sing ANYTHING. And I do mean anything, miley cyrus, hiphop, frank sinatra, you request it, they'll play it. All they ask for is a tip. This is also a hot spot for bachelorette parties. I think there were up to 4 different ones that night. They have a bunch of really yummy shots. Particularly the pineapple upside down one -- delicious! Like I said, this place was packed so the service was kind of awful but she did as best as she could. I will def head back.

    (4)

  • Ernie A.

    Prime location, really geared more towards middle aged than 20 somethings. Dont order the fish bowl its expensive and basically you're getting fruit punch. And forget about service you won't get that there either.

    (3)

  • Jazzy J.

    Came out on a Wednesday night not expecting much, but I was so wrong. Drinks are reasonably priced but the entertainment is exceptional. The employees seem to love their job, especially the door guy Jason who had me cracking up all night. Definitely will be back soon!!!

    (5)

  • Karolina T.

    I love piano bars and this one had amazing music. The only down side was how packed the place was. There was literally NO room to move anywhere. We went on a Saturday and I'm pretty sure half of the place was filled with bachlorette parties and slightly older crowd. There was a $10 cover per person.

    (3)

  • Bobs C.

    Howl at the Moon has lost steam!!! The piano players have horrible voices! Just bad bad bad!!! I been here over five times and the last to visits have been horrendous! Why do people keep dragging me here????? I am not coming back anytime soon! I heard from one of the servers that they can only play certain songs and cant hop around from genre to genre! I find that to be completely idiotic! Don't Waste Your Time!!!!

    (1)

  • Valerie W.

    What's that? You want to drink an undetermined amount of alcohol from a bucket with a twisty straw, get alcohol-laced jell-o pumped into your mouth by a girl in a pirate costume, and embarrass your best friend by making her stand on stage while they play "Like a Virgin?" You've come to the right place my friend. HATM on a Saturday night is insane, even at 8pm. We got there early thinking we could snag a table (didn't want to pay $200 to reserve one with a package.) No such luck, and no coat check "that night." Who doesn't open their coat check in Chicago when the high was 25 degrees that day? HATM, that's who. There was a table behind us that had been reserved and no one showed up for. The server wouldn't even let us put our coats on the chairs until they arrived (which they didn't) and someone else ended up snagging the table from under us anyway. The musicians at this place are incredibly talented. They all take turns playing all instruments (piano, violin, drums, guitar, bass) and singing. The range of what they can play is great, and they all have good humor. And yes... the aforementioned night atop this post was mine on Saturday... or a combo of mine and my best friend's, who was celebrating 28 that night.

    (3)

  • Tara M.

    Great musicians, not so great singing. Drinks a little pricey; $4 beers. The biggest complaint is TWO stalls for 200 drunk girls!! Ridiculous!! I will not go back for this reason alone. Spending 45 mins x2 for a bathroom break is unacceptable!!

    (2)

  • Hang T.

    First time to a piano bar, and it was such a fun time! The club itself is not the most modern looking or clean, but the entertainment makes up for the flaws in other areas. There was a $10 cover on Saturday nights. The stage has two men playing pianos across from each other (I guess that's what they meant by dueling pianos). People are able to fill out request sheets for their favorite songs, but money talks there so make sure you slip a big tip with your request. You'll more than likely see your song played. I can see the appeal of live music now. It was just so much fun to sing along and dance with the band. We heard music from Journey to Lady Gaga. They even sang the Chapel of Love song for a bride-to-be. I loved every minute of it. They have great deals on alcohol. You can buy buckets of beer for a good price. My friend's coworkers were there and bought us a lot of alcohol. Too bad we couldn't finish it. This places closes at 3am, which is awesome. Too bad we arrived around 1, but we were able to make the most of it and have a great time just dancing to the live music. Next time I'm in Chicago with my friends, we are definitely coming back!

    (4)

  • Caroline P.

    Disgraceful. This place is simply pathetic. Less than 1% of my reviews have 1 star. I don't give them out unless well-deserved. Here's 5 reasons to NEVER visit this bar: 1) Rude Wait Staff: They will do what they can to charge you for drinks you never ordered all while being completely rude. 2) Overpriced Everything: The tables are WAY over priced for what you get, and the drink prices are outrageous....but of course you won't find that out until the end of the night because the prices aren't listed anywhere. The drinks are HORRID. Syrup-filled, cheap liquor, and all around gross. 3) Ridiculously Awful Bouncers: Ladies, want to be followed into the bathroom by a male bouncer and grabbed on the arm? Sorry, I didn't pay for the extra sexual assault package! 4) Over-packed!: I'm pretty sure they had to be over their legal limit of people inside. You couldn't even move. If there was an emergency, many people would be dead. 5) Lacking Entertainment: At other locations, the musicians bring in guests to be part of things and really do an amazing job putting on a good show. The musicians performing here are more interested in lining their pockets than making a great experience for the guests. Heed the other poor reviews here. This place is a disaster waiting to happen. Don't let it happen to you!

    (1)

  • Dana Z.

    I know all Howl locations have different players but I just didn't get a good vibe from this place. I'm pretty much a regular at the Baltimore location (I guess I'm a little biased since my friend plays there) and since I was in Chicago I wanted to check out this location Overall just sadly disappointed. The talent wasn't funny... it wasn't really entertaining... and it didn't make me want to stay very long. They are pretty good as a company for getting you in for free from time to time. Just gotta look for messages on facebook

    (2)

  • Michelle H.

    Do you know what would be really neat? If the dueling piano show had more emphasis on the "dueling" aspect, and the performers would jump up mid-song and challenge the other to a sword fight! Touche! I figured out that a dueling piano show at a piano bar in the Loop is really not my thing. No offense to the piano guys, (who were uber talented) but listening to Journey covers done on the piano is not going to make me happy in the least. My sister- in- law won a weekday get -together here in a raffle, so I was there with a group of people, and for a limited time we were entitled to $2 well drinks and tap beer, and 1/2 price appetizers. The special that night was $1 hot dogs or hamburgers, so we took full advantage of that, as well. Our server was spot on, and always came around checking to see what we needed. I wasn't sure that a $2 well drink was going to have much alcohol, but my sex on the beaches were well poured, and very tasty. I know it was a Tuesday evening, but not too many others populated this bar. There were a table of college-age kids, and a busload of German tourists, who seemed more confused about the concept than I was. All together, unless someone else I know wins a cheap drink party, I don't know if I would head back here. Like I said, some things just aren't for me.

    (3)

  • Rhona K.

    ok so we had our christmas work party here last week and i had been here before so i knew the set up there where 10 of us up for a good time and a bit crazy .we where in the right place. I think that most of the clientele are on this level and have the sme idea the rest seem to want a quiet drink (so the decide to write a bad yelp )!!!!!! i will say that there is a bit of a rude floor staff member and some of the singers are certainly no pop stars ,!! but come on folks itscheap cover charge, and there looking for a party crowd this place is for fun people .full stop!!!!

    (5)

  • Amy B.

    I came here as part of my 30th birthday celebration with the girls. We had a fantastic time, no doubt in large part because of the alcohol transfusion we'd been receiving since mid-afternoon. We bought a couple of buckets o' booze and cozied up to the piano area. The musicians were shockingly talented. I was most impressed when they began to rotate instruments, mixing a fiddle and a guitar into the blend. Yeah, they sang mostly pop crap, but it was all by request and I thought it was fun to hear that sort of music done live. We did find it frustrating that the only way to get your song performed is to slip a bunch of money along with the request slip. Like, northwards of $20 from what we could tell. That's a lot for a song. The bucket o' booze was one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time. In retrospect, it was a hangover waiting to happen: cheap, low-quality liquor mixed with sugar. It was also a little awkward to hold a ginormous sand pail full of liquid in a crowd, which caused us to slurp it up at an inadvisable speed. If you want a fun, alcohol-soaked night where you can be unashamed to belt out your shameful favorite songs in public, you could do worse than Howl at the Moon.

    (3)

  • Christina F.

    Came here Friday night and they had a free buffet and $1 drink specials. For myself and the other poor grad students I was with, it was great! The buffet wasn't a great selection-- fruit, cheese, and tacos. But hey, it's free! I had a margarita that was small and a little bitter, also had a long island that was a bit watery. The music is really good but loud, we were sitting kind of off to the side so didn't really get to see much. I thought dueling pianos meant back and forth between the two pianists but it was more like cute, talented musician #1 does a song and then cute, talented musician #2 does the next song. It was pretty crowded but then again, it's Friday with cheap drinks and free food in the Gold Coast area. All in all, a really fun time just not ideal for chatting and get here early so you can have a prime seat.

    (3)

  • Osiris V.

    I guess they let any one sing now. Lol if you really get into the whole singing along then you'll definitely have a good time. I just thought it was cheese-eeee. There was a $10 cover and we got to skip the line since the hostess knew some people. Once we were in, you couldn't move. You had to push, bend, crawl to get to get to the bar. I ordered some Primeritas at $10 a pop. Luckily we nabbed a table right by the bar. The PRIMErita could have been a tad, just a tad, bit stronger. The woman's bathroom is down the stairs and the line was long!!! They only had 4 stalls, really? Do they not known that women go to the bathroom in pairs??? Lol The coat check was also down there, $3. There was one or two bachlorette parties celebrating, tons of birthdays and surprisingly A-lot of middle agers. Not that there's anything wrong with that, they definitely had it going on. They have this board where you can write whatever you want for the listed price (Well, they write it for you). As more people buy time on the board, the price keeps going up. Some cheesehead decided to be a smart ass and write "Go Packers" on it.....needless to say, that was erased instantly. Lol ;)

    (3)

  • Marie F.

    This is the most ridiculous bar ever. The waitress we had was completely rude and we got yelled at when we tried moving 2 chairs - apparently there is a rule against moving a couple of chairs to another table. This place had no personality and the music was pretty bad. With so many better bars with better hospitality, there is absolutely no reason to ever return to this place. Don't waste your money!

    (1)

  • Vanessa F.

    I was visiting Chicago with a friend and thought this would be a fun place to check out because we have liked piano bars in th past. I was wrong! Problem # 1 When we arrived around 8pm, which I consider fairly early still, the place was packed. After paying the $10 cover fee I noticed a small handwritten sign that said "standing room only". Would of been nice to have just been warned that before paying a cover... Problem # 2 With no where to sit because its not a very big place and there is not much seating we were standing by a wide ledge. After standing for a while I sat on the ledge which was not very tall and it was quite wide. Immediately a bouncer guy tells me no, no can't sit there. Ok...I can see if it was some precarious position where someone could easily fall off but that was not the case at all. Problem # 3 Apparently even standing was not allowed because after being there for not even an hour someone who worked there pushed us out of our spot to set up some stupid drink stand. That person also started DANCING on the very ledge I couldn't even sit on! At that point we were already leaving. This place sucked! Music was ok, atmosphere crappy, and the staff rude. Not to mention how ridiculous it is to pay a cover for a standing room only piano bar. AVOID!!!!!!!!

    (1)

  • Bridget K.

    If I could give half stars I would...Howl at the Moon is a sold 3.5 stars. The performers are good. The mood of Howl depends on what songs the people choose. I feel that I have a good grasp of music, yet didn't know many of the songs that were requested on a Friday night. Other choices were great and got the whole bar singing. If your looking to talk to your friend this in not the place to go. Make sure to get here early. My friends arrived at 5 in time to get two tables so we were able to steak out our space. The latest you would want to get here to get a table would be 6. The place gets more crowded right before 9/9:30 when the drink specials end.

    (3)

  • Lisa A.

    This was my firt experience at a piano bar, so I can't say that I knew what to expect. I was surprised that there were four performers rather than 2, and that they all seemed to be able to do everything. I liked when the female peformer broke out the fiddle, and enjoyed her rendition of Jason Mraz tunes. the performance was high energy and LOUD. The atmosphere was exactly what I expected. Drinks weren't anything special, especially for the price and the crowd was full of drunk people acting silly. We found one of the few tables still open, behind the stage and off to the side, so we had front row seats to the scuffle that ensued when one said drunk person got a little too frisky with another tipsy dancer. The staff seemed to handle it quickly, though, and it ended as soon as it began. I can't say that I'll go back the next time I'm in town, but I did enjoy my experience here.

    (3)

  • Tom Z.

    Very lively atmosphere with great performers. Really the stars given here were for the performance and Saturday night energy in itself. Otherwise, it was jam packed, minimal drink selection, and hardly anywhere to sit. But again the place is so energetic that a seat isn't necessary. If you're looking for a laid back lounge style piano bar then this isn't for you. If you're looking for high energy party-style piano bar, this is it. We had a great time. (Shame the cover was $10 though ... :) )

    (4)

  • Kelsey C.

    This Howl at the Moon location was a lot more fun than the Kansas City location. It wasn't as crowded and everyone was having a good time. The only qualms I have are that the bathrooms are all the way downstairs, which is by the main front door. They also have a bathroom attendant which I don't really like because I always feel like I should be tipping them. You also can't pull up extra chairs to the bar, you have to always keep them at tables. Tables are hard to come by, so go early or reserve a table (which is a fee, don't know how much though). They have a GREAT FourSquare deal right now-- show the admission person that you checked into there on FourSquare and you get free admission for one person! That's a $10 savings.

    (4)

  • Ling H.

    This piano bar is a great alternative to the bar scene. True, there are a lot of older people there and they requests songs before our time, but we actually knew a lot of them! It was a little empty at 9PM on a Monday night, but more people started to arrive a little before 10PM. The two facing pianos, drum set, and bass guitarist were situated in the middle of the room with "two audiences." The one by the bar seemed to be more into the whole piano bar scene. The audience situated by the back wall seemed to be a group of professionals who just wanted to blend into the background. That was fine though. It just added to the musical act to pick on them a little bit for our musical amusement. I LOVED how interactive the group was with the audience and how the four members could all rotate and play the different instruments AND sing to boot. It was fun watching and hearing them ad lib to songs and play requested songs on command! I was having such a great time and we were all a little reluctant to leave this great place. FYI: The Howl at the Moon Buckets of 86 oz. of alcohol is also a great thing to get for a big group, but if you are looking to get hammered, you might as well stick to a cocktail instead.

    (4)

  • Dianne S.

    Who's a fan of Rock Band and has two thumbs?... This gal! (thumbs pointing to self) Howl at the Moon is like Rock Band live with actual musicians who rotate from drums to guitar to singing to piano and back again. You can be part of the game too by jumping up on stage & singing a line or two or just busting a move. Audience participation is highly encouraged...after a drink of course! What was suppose to be a drink (singular!) after work with friends turned out to be one too many drinks with friends and our server...shout out to Victor! Thanks for the awesome service, humoring us by taking pics, and free Patron shots! $5 Kettle One drinks (on Wednesdays) got us started. They were a bit weak if you ask me...this coming from a girl who hadn't eaten for 4 hours and just came off a 12 hour shift. Chicken tenders ($7.95 for 5 pieces) were blah. Crowd consists of anything from senior citizens to college students. But once they start tickling the ivory, everyone's one big happy drunk family! Anytime when I can scream "Bieber Fever!" and not be thrown out is a good time=) Be prepared to pay $5 cover after 9pm. Bring plenty of singles! First song request is free then every subsequent request goes up by a dolla!

    (4)

  • Jen R.

    Two words... Drink Buckets! Good music. Great drinks. Steep cover. Certainly a bachelorette party place. Lots of fun with friends on occasion but not somewhere I would frequent regularly. It's 4 stars because I don't have a bad memory here, always a good time. And they make the drink stiff :)

    (4)

  • Rowena L.

    Went the other day for a friend's party, which meant super cheap drinks (but good drinks). The place was packed by 7, absolutely packed. The pianists are talented and there's a rotation of them, so even if you don't like one of them, there's always others. Plus there were a couple of rowdy birthday girls and bachelorettes which made for a fun show for everyone else.

    (4)

  • Laurence P.

    We went there as a group to celebrate my 40th birthday... And although we did make a point of enjoying ourselves, it was not thanks to the location. As a start, the two dueling artists were singing off-key more often than not, and I really felt that my ears were going to bleed... I guess this is not something you can notice when you are completely drunk, and 99% of the clientele were indeed drunk. Plus caution to the ladies who seem to have a good time... One of the bartenders found appropriate to ask one of my friends (girl) to "come down on him" after having made a drink that looked like a penis, and holding it at his crouch... Whether dealing with drunk or sober people, when you work in a bar, you should keep a professional behavior... Not happening there, OBVIOUSLY! No need to say, I will NEVER set one foot back into this place.

    (1)

  • Colleen C.

    Admission: I can be a super snob about places like Howl At the Moon. I don't howl, especially on Hubbard Street, or anywhere near the moon. I don't particularly enjoy karaoke (shoot me, aight?), either...so, this place didn't have a chance in hell. Or did it? Boy: My friend is having her birthday at Howl at the Moon. Go with me? Me: Why would anyone do that to their guests? Boy: Shrugs And, because I've all of a sudden become ridiculously agreeable...and (gasp) flexible, I went. You can teach an old snob new tricks, see? Is the crowd decidedly suburbs/bachelorette party? Yes Is the beer overpriced? Yes Is it cheesy? Yes Are they all having fun? Yes Are they all getting drunk? Yes Are they all singing? Yes Are they all dancing? Yes So, having fun, getting drunk, signing and dancing. Kind of hard to argue with a huge throng of people all doing this at the same time. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em...and we did, and...well, it was much better than expected. It was better than fine and less than awesome, but I survived and goddamnit, I'm probably taking the next crew of penis straw suckin' girls there for the next bachelorette party. Heaven help me, duel those pianos...let's do this thang. Sigh, snob no more? Eh, wouldn't go that far...but I take back any snarky thing I've said about Howl at the Moon. Worth a whirl if you are looking for infectious fun (or an infection? I don't know)...this could be a great place to stop, especially with a fun group, big drinkers, singers...or ya know, people who don't suck. There will be plenty of those people there already, so don't bring anymore... Owwwwwww, owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

    (3)

  • Maria S.

    I have NO clue why anyone would say the people can't sing unless they heard someone else. We went on a Friday and had a very brief wait to get in. The cover was 10 dollars and I felt that was WELL worth the talent. I also appreciated that they played requests with smaller dollar amounts. Some places I have went wont play your song without a 20 in the request. I was REALLY impressed with the singers. My only two complaints were that the bouncers near the stage were kind of jerks that were rude to my friend who spilled a drink - she was sober, and they told her to settle down when she jumped about being excited about a song. Other than those dudes, this place rocked! Me Gusta!

    (4)

  • Debbie F.

    We went here on Saturday night (Aug 24). A friend planned the night out, so thank God we got there early (at 6) since the place was packed by 7. Drinks were ok, atmosphere was great, and the music was crazy good. Although, I have issues with calling it dueling piano's as they are not really dueling, more of a cover band concert type thing, but over the top talented. But regardless, I had a lot of fun, cover was $10, waitstaff was on top of it, but the women's washroom was up 2 flight of stairs...not good, so they lose a star for that! Overall a great time. When leaving, there was a line down the block and around the corner...so get there early, but you will have fun.

    (4)

  • Jason H.

    The only thing worse than the worn out journey songs is the management. Rude, uninformed, and, in all likelihood, void of all common sense.

    (1)

  • Gayatri D.

    Cover charge for what? To drink overpriced beer and watch bachelorettes and tourists get drunk? No, thank you!

    (1)

  • Christopher S.

    Ummm... Well this is awkward, one of the reviews below mine is by my wife. From reading her review I have to ask if we went to the same place. THE BAD First they have a cover charge seemingly for no reason...(I mean really, no other place in the area has cover charges) but sometimes you can get it waived if you check in with foursquare, so keep that smart phone handy! THE UGLY Next as you may of guessed, this is a piano bar. You tip the players and they play requested songs...it's a cool concept that works well until you realize that the piano players WILL NOT play your requests if you tip anything less than 20 dollars a song. I got there early before the crowds and they never played any of my requests. I tried tipping 5 dollars and they still ignored it because at that point the place was packed and the players were exclusively taking requests from anyone with higher range bra sizes. THE GOOD The one good thing I can say about the place is the food is pretty good and the drinks taste great. I'd still suggest people stay far away from this place and check out other spots in the area as far as going out but if you want to come here to start your night (if you can avoid the cover)... order your food, enjoy a drink and a few songs that you didn't request and get out!

    (2)

  • M M.

    DO NOT GO. It definitely was not what I signed up for. It was a pricy cover charge for a less than mediocre experience. We were with a large group and were told we could not push our tables together. On top of being separated for a bachelorette party, we were told we could not pull up an extra seat. One person out of our party had to stand. Just straight up weird. The manager not only didn't apologize, but physically removed the chair from out table.

    (1)

  • Ju L.

    To briefly echo the other reviews: Yes, this place is cougar-y and touristy. Do not come here with your cynical young hipster friends. Do not come here in a grouchy mood, expecting to be cheered up. If you are under the age of 30, do not even think about coming here to meet people. That said, this wasn't my scene at all, but I had fun anyway. It's one of those situations where everyone is so goofy that you can't help but laugh along. Of course alcohol helps-- and drinks were pricey, and the margarita "bucket" was $27 and basically just lime juice, but it came with colorful straws! Seriously, that makes it at least partially better. It's part of the economics of old people + kiddie stuff. The "piano-dueling" was just okay, but maybe I just need to fortify my knowledge of 80's and 90's Top 40. They have photographers roaming the place, and photos are emailed out a week or two later. Waitresses go around selling test tube shots and syringe shots... as may be expected, there are desperate 30-something women putting themselves into demeaning positions with the syringe shots for the entertainment of their male companions... But let's not talk of that. In a more discerning mood, I wouldn't go again (especially at a $10 cover), but Howl at the Moon is a fun place when you feel like just being hokey with a bunch of friends. Also, fill out those "Free Happy Hour Party" cards they have lying around! Two of my friends and I did it on a whim, and all three of us won parties. Ha!

    (3)

  • Michael G.

    There are five stages to grief, but there are only three stages of Howl At The Moon: 1) I'm laughing at you, 2) I'm laughing with you, and 3) I'm just laughing. The first stage - I'm laughing at you - begins the moment you walk through the door. The crowd will inevitably consist of some of the biggest toolboxes known to man as with many other downtown bars. There will also be tourists with glazed looks on their faces at experiencing a big city dueling piano bar. They'll be gathering stories for when they go back to Iowa of the debauchery of Chicago (maybe they'll even, heavens, meet a person of a different sexual orientation). I can't help but laugh at that, as is probably the case with most Chicagoans. The second stage begins after the drinks have begun to be consumed. While they are pricey ($7 for a Guinness) and somewhat disgusting (I swear my vodka lemonade tasted like goat urine; or at least how I imagine goat urine to taste), they somehow seemed to do the trick. Once the duelling piano show starts and karaoke favorites begin blanketing the crowd it's nearly impossible not to be a little entertained. Somehow I found myself singing along with the tourists and the popped collars. Shockingly, we had something in common. I was laughing with them. The final stage, very similar to acceptance in the stages of grief, is I'm just laughing. As the hours progress, the piano players will begin to make up lyrics to songs they don't actually know. People will begin to request songs that have no business being played on a piano (i.e. "The Bad Touch" by Bloodhound Gang). People will begin dancing in front of the stage with giant fish bowls of neon liquor and ten straws. The whole darn thing becomes surreal. And I couldn't stop laughing. Call it touristy (it is). Call it overpriced (it is). Call it hokey (it is). Just don't call me the next morning because I'll have a hangover and an ear-to-ear grin on my face.

    (4)

  • Andre W.

    Cougars falling from the sky!!!!! Came over for Rhonda's party and had a pretty decent time. Free hot dogs and pulled pork sandwiches was nice. The $1 vodka grapefruit was good the first time, but after that it was all downhill (I was warned)The waitresses kept taking my order, but forgot to bring my drink. I got my ass up and went to the bar I ordered a tall drink, but recieved a short one. I told her again I want tall and she got a glass and dumped it in, but added no more alcohol, but added more grapefruit juice while I was standing there. What a set of balls she had. The dueling pianos were cool as they played everyones favorites. The cougars were in full effect as well having a grand old time. The old guy dancing in the front was quite entertaining as well. If I go back, I probably will not buy a drink.

    (3)

  • Helen C.

    Hi, this is Helen's hangover. Helen is currently unavailable. She went for an intended two drinks at Howl at the Moon, and emerged 6 hours later, and she won't be compus mentis for most of the rest of today. The reasons are numerous: Rhonda's happy hour (thank you!) meant the first 2 drinks were a dollar. They made Helen tipsy enough to think that another drink or seven would be a reeeeally good idea. There was food. Food increases alcohol tolerance, right? And it was free (appetisers like pulled pork and mini tacos until 7pm). The wine was shockingly acceptable. It comes in the following varieties: red, or white. Usually this means it will be unpalatable but it was perfectly good, especially for $4 (er, it goes up tp $10 after ten which IS unpalatable). They sell buckets of booze by the way. If that's your thing (death by food colouring?). Every time she got up to leave (honest), the pianos played another song she had forgotten she loved. As the night wore on, more and more people got added to the band. The songs got even louder. They played her request. Stacey got the scarily smooth-skinned Xena warrior, er, prince to feed her jello (really, she should stay away from wine). It may have been beer goggles by this stage, but most of the band was pretty hot. In all seriousness, this place is a good time. It does what it says on the tin. Yes, it's cheesy, but Helen loves cheesy, and it's far more interesting than going to any of those boring downtown bars. But she might save a visit up for a few weeks, because I can't be expected to write all her reviews for her. It's bad for her health.

    (5)

  • Ali B.

    This place is a riot! A friend invited me to a ugly Christmas sweater party here & we had a blast. Our waitress, Jessica, was awesome! The piano player are obviously really good & while the music was older, they did throw in one of my favorite songs by Hot Chelle Rae. They let people get on stage to dance & sing, so it's less pressure than karaoke. We left at 10 or so to find a place with a "younger" crowd. Like most places in the city, have some cash on hand for coat check. They have an ATM in the lobby and will take credit for cover & drinks.

    (4)

  • Janet X.

    I happily award Howl at the Moon one of the FOUR one-star reviews I've ever written. I mean, they really strove really hard to earn this distinction. I've never seen a place succeed so spectacularly at earning the "Hell NO!" badge. First of all, I must admit that I should have expected this, having gone to the Boston location. But this was really something else. I arrived a little late to a bachelorette party (family commitment), and since the rest of my party already went in and there's only one of me, I asked the bouncer if I can join them inside. Nope. So I waited outside for half an hour, which gave me a good preview as to what was coming: 1) A group of girls in minidresses and heels that looked like they were barely drinking age, smoking cigarettes, one of which had a pink sash across her torso that should have said Miss Most Likely to Age Thirty Years in the Next Ten of America 2) A couple in their fifties, the female half of whom was wearing a low-cut leopard-print dress, and who kept yelling into her cell phone, "We're at Howl at the Moon and there's a cover and a very young crowd..." 3) Another bachelorette group exiting the club, with messy, sticky hair, saying, "Oh my God, it was SO HOT in there!" Sadly, that was probably the best part of the evening. The bar, of course, was all the way at the back of the room. The dozen or so tables were all occupied by the Empty Nester crowd, leaving the young ones to fight their way through the crowd to the dance floor, which, to be honest, was about the size of my bathroom. It was entirely occupied by girls, save the two or three men who were trying their luck. There was a narrow strip in front of the pianos in which girls danced, and I'm using the word "dance" very very loosely since there was so little room up there that the brave and drunk souls that tried can only manage to wiggle a little bit and wave their hands. Also, did I mention that they forgot to turn on the AC? It was about a hundred degrees in there, so hot and humid that my ice-cold $6 Bud Light turned room temperature within five minutes. For the life of me, I do not understand why there were SEVEN bachelorette parties that night. If you were young and female, wouldn't you rather be in a place where you can actually dance and get hit on by guys your own age?? The only good thing about this place was that I didn't have to pay the $10 cover due to my Foursquare check-in. Hells to the no. Never again.

    (1)

  • Mary T.

    What do you call a guy 10 years past cute dancing around with a straw-filled, bucket of booze? Popular - if you're at Howl. Sure this place is gimmicky, cheesy and full of tourists and bachelorettes, but they put on a pretty nice happy hour. I was actually shocked at how packed this place gets for happy hour! We arrived right at open and within an hour people were hovering, looking for empty tables. If you've never been here and don't know what this place is about, the draw is their dueling piano show. You can request songs (tips bump your request up on the playlist) and the guys play it (sometimes working in their own lyrics) and the crowd screams along - any genre of music is fair game. If it's your birthday or bachelorette (I've never seen a bachelor party anywhere near this place) you'll likely be brought up on stage to sing and dance along. The lovely Rhonda G. won a party here; as part of the package we got 2 tickets for $1 drinks (beer or well), discounts on drinks until 10 and the free buffet. Since it's a touristy/gimmicky place expect drinks to be pricey, even when discounted, and food to be a tad overpriced. However, for the price you do get a shit ton of nachos! They also have a silly rule about moving tables, they claim moving them creates a fire hazard, ok... Bottom line: Was it fun? Yes. Would I go back for happy hour? Only if someone wins another party.

    (3)

  • Rhonda G.

    This place could be a really good time. I think that the crowd you're with makes the evening. In my case I was here with a group of cool people so I was in great company. I dig the energy that this place has and most people seem to be having a great time. The dueling piano band is pretty cool though I think they could play a bit more of the requests from people who aren't giving them $40 Our waitress was great to start and pretty attentive though we had a little spat when she brought me a baby drink for the same price as a tall drink and proceeded to tell me the only difference was the amount of mixer used. So you're telling me that you are watering down the tall drinks with mixer? hmm... don't like this. I might go again but I wouldn't pay $10 to get in.

    (3)

  • Katie L.

    I have only been here once, but I can't wait to come back! Having a drink served to me in a giant pitcher fishbowl reminds me of college in the best way. Oh, and the catchy tunes by the pianists make for really fun background music. A great place for people watching too! Was very impressed with the musicians' knowledge of very current songs.

    (4)

  • Meridith E.

    Can I ask what the big deal is? Seriously? It's overly crowded, pay a cover to stand the entire time as their seating is so limited. No room to move. The dueling pianos get 4 stars as the times I've been they've been great. But if my friends vote to go here, I usually tell them I'll just meet up with them afterward.

    (2)

  • Kimmie R.

    This is the type of place that if you step in for one drink you will find yourself there for hours singing along and after a few drinks tapping the palms of your hands on the table off beat. On the days that I've been to Howl at the Moon there has never been a cover. I really enjoyed myself. They have some great singers and their range is great. I love that the crowd generally selects all types of music genres and the piano players are able to play every song regardless of how old, new or rare it is. The bartenders are very nice and the place has plenty of seating. One thing that I didn't quite understand was this big bucket drink that they sell for a discount. They provide people with a big bucket of this mixed drink and plenty of straws and everyone is sharing the same bucket like animals feeding on a farm. I will pass on sharing a drink with five people! Ummm....backwash with booze anyone? Overall, it's a fun time, reasonable prices and a great crowd of people. I really enjoy myself every time I go. The only reason this place is getting four stars instead of five is because the waitresses are rude! They continuously pressure patrons to order drinks or close out their tab, which is extremely annoying for such a nice place. :)

    (4)

  • Gerrit G.

    Went there on a Friday night at 9:30 pm and have to admit that I hadn't had that much fun in a long time. The guys playing hip hop on the piano... awesome!!! If you're out looking for a lot of fun this is the place to go!

    (4)

  • Tim Y.

    Two stars for the entertainment provided by questioning whether or not the bachelorette nearest our group was a dude. Otherwise, entirely forgettable clusterfuck of an operation from start to finish. Far too crowded to be enjoyable unless you're three sheets to the wind. The music isn't bad and the bar staff works hard, but there are so many better places to go if you're *not* part of a bachelorette party or 21st birthday group.

    (2)

  • Vineet S.

    Went to this place on thursday evening after work. They usually don't charge cover from Sunday to Thursday which is good. It's a good piano place with reasonably good piano players. Usually the place is packed people belonging to different age groups.Crowd is kinda of like OK.The drinks are very pricey. It's not a place to be visited when they charge $ 10 cover charge, because it's not worth it.

    (2)

  • Iman W.

    3 years living in Chicago and I'd never been to this place. I actually enjoyed myself. There's a cover...but I didn't have to pay that cover, so obviously that wouldn't bother me. And when I got there, despite it being pretty busy, there was no line outside. Guess I lucked out? Drinks were good, didn't take too long to get us, and I didn't get a pretentious vibe from the staff or the patrons, which is one of my pet peeves when I go anywhere. Cougar bar? Damn, I guess that's I looked like the youngest person there...hmm. I'd recommend taking friends here who are visiting Chicago, especially if they are like my friends and are from the middle of Snoozeville USA and have never been to Chicago, let alone any remotely big city. They'll get a kick out of dueling pianos who can go from playing Pat Benatar to Lil Wayne without missing a beat.

    (4)

  • Jennifer B.

    Great entertainment. I had a great night. Met a few good people. Overall great night with my colleagues.

    (4)

  • Denise J.

    This was my first time at Howl at the Moon and it was a blast!! My Aunt decided she wanted to have her birthday party here and we were all excited to give it a try. We drove downtown and got here around 5:30. we did the valet parking so we didnt have to worry about trying to find a parking spot on a saturday. Since we got there before 6 we did not have to pay a cover to get in, SCORE! there were a bunch of table avaliable, we picked one right infront of the dueling pianos and the side bar. Our waitress came right over and gave us menus and asked what our drink order was. We ended up getting a bucket of beers(you can mix and match the brands for buckets), they were 20 for 5 beers, i didnt think it was that bad. After looking at the menu my sister and I both wanted the pulled pork and fries for dinner, so we decided to split it. I reccomend this!!! We both had enough food and then your not wasting any, because I'm going to guess that after sitting out all night you WILL NOT want to eat that food tomorrow. My friend did order one of the mixed drink with the bendy colored straws and i was a little sad. I did not taste any alcohol in it, mostly juice. They were expensive too. Im glad I stuck with beer!! The dueling pianos started at 9 right on the dot, like the waitress told us they would. These guys were amazing. They both had really good voices, and they seriously knew EVER song that someone requested. As the night went on you did have to tip a little more money if you wanted to hear your song placed. Around 10 they added a woman on the drums and a guy on the guitar, si it ended up being a whole band!!!! If you havent been here I would give it a try, you wont regret it!!!

    (4)

  • Joshua N.

    Howl at the Moon had a real fun atmosphere. The pianists were fantastic and super entertaining. The crowd the night I went was older than me by a bit and it was a little awkward. It was all older business people drinking on a week night. It was just odd. But that shouldn't detract from the fact that the piano's kept blaring. I'll add this the $1 burger and dog night is a cheap, but the burgers are terrible as are the hotdogs, they're a dollar I get it, but yuck. Also, it seemed like a pretty busy night, but yikes the service was terrible. My server had difficulty figuring out how to split the bill or keeping her orders together, or even coming back frequently to keep us happy. If it wasn't for the fun of the dueling piano's (and there may well be much better bars for this) I'm not sure I would even consider a return.

    (3)

  • Michael S.

    I found Howl at the Moon to be exactly what I expected when it came to a dueling piano bar. The atmosphere was pretty good, and performers were some of the best I've seen at piano bars in the city -- they even occasionally throw in drums, guitars, and an electric violin. The drink menu is a little small, and they really push their "special" concoctions which range from 24oz to an 86oz bucket. When I went with some friends for my girlfriend's birthday this past Saturday, we got an initial 86oz bucket and then she won another in a birthday dance-off. Unfortunately, the bartenders pump so much sugar into those drinks most of us ended up getting slight stomach aches before we could even get buzzed. The entertainment played all the expected dueling piano songs and both personalities were good crowd-pleasers, though when the majority of your crowd is middle-aged yuppies and drunken out-of-towners, I honestly don't think its all too hard to do. The bathroom's are weirdly up or down these maze-like stairs depending on gender, and you seemingly have to weave your way through a convoluted labyrinth to arrive. Once I was in the washroom, the two foul-mouthed attendants stood there talking about whatever they wanted and disregarded the fact that there were patrons in the room, but still expected a tip. The bouncers inside the bar stand between the door and the stairwell to the bathrooms and pester you to and from, asking to see your stamped wrist. I was given trouble more than once by the same bouncer as I was going back to my table -- I was stamped on the opposite arm due to a to-the-wrist tattoo sleeve. The final time, I shrugged him off to get my coat and when he followed me and pulled on my shoulder, I told him we were leaving. All in all, I would say Howl at the Moon is one of the better dueling piano bars in the city of Chicago. Unfortunately, it lacks in a lot of areas that others may not. I would suggest it over Sluggers in Wrigleyville every single time, but maybe a bit begrudgingly so.

    (3)

  • Danielle S.

    I had heard of Howl at the Moon before and heard it was a good time, so I decided to check it out. There is a cover charge, but it isn't atrocious. Get there early....I'll say it again....get there early because this place fills up fast!!! To the point where there aren't seats left. You can reserve a table...but there is a large charge for that. They have really good drinks that cost as much as most bars/clubs in Chicago. They have 2 sets of performers, the later ones are usually better so I would stick around. you can request songs, dance, and sing along. They are very entertaining so this isn't like sitting back and watching a concert. They make jokes, parodies, etc. It gets "dirty" as well...so don't bring the little ones. Leave them with the sitter. They don't really "duel" which is disappointing, but it's still a good time!

    (4)

  • MJ C.

    Fun! Exciting! Always a good time! Dance! Eat! Listen to great music played by the band! Enjoy! I recommend the Sex on the Moon bucket if you're coming here with a group of friends. You can never go wrong with Howl at the Moon. There's a cover charge of $5. But, so what?

    (4)

  • Evan M.

    So here's how you successfully do Howl at the Moon: 1. Attend a friend's party (no cover) 2. Register for your own free party (you're virtually guaranteed to "win" unless they type your email in wrong) 3. On the day of your free party, get there at 5pm sharp. And I don't mean 5:02pm. 4:59. 4:45 to be safe. Otherwise, forget snagging a table. Many tables may be reserved, and the security guys take their jobs on Chair Duty at a piano bar VERY. DAMN. SERIOUSLY. Do not try to move one of the reserved chairs one inch to get past it. Do not attempt to hang your coat on said chairs. Actually, please do try it, just to watch them flip out. It's fun. 4. Get drunk fast. Make sure you're already slammed by the time the musicians play at 6. Some of them are immensely talented (well, not Carnegie Hall talented, but Howl at the Moon talented), and some of them are, as my friend Dave would put it, "like an off night at a karaoke bar." But seriously, that's the way to do it. If you roll in on a Friday, they have the free buffet till 7. It's often something like pulled pork sandwiches, fruit and cheese cubes and spicy macaroni & cheese or hot dogs, but hey, I never complain about free anything. Just FYI, this place is all over the map with the age range. You may see 20-somethings. You may see 80-somethings. Don't get fooled because it's on Hubbard you think it'll be full of sweet young things. They may be visiting from Iowa and have very bad Mall Highlights. You may see your old History teacher here celebrating her 60th birthday. This place is chock full of tourists. Just witness the paltry "wooo!" when they ask who in the crowd is local, compared with the raucous "WOOOOOO! WE'RE IN THE BIG CITY! AT A PIANO BAR!" when they ask who in the crowd is visiting. So yeah, get there early and get drunk at once and you may have a good time. If you wait, don't say I didn't warn you ask you stand in the back getting grinded on by an Indiana housewife on vacation.

    (3)

  • Lisa D.

    This was my first trip to Howl at the Moon. Went for my sister's bday. Group of 4 girls.. we just walked in around 8pm on a Sat night. All the tables were taken but we stood to the side of the stage and were able to get a few chairs to sit on. The manager was pretty strict about us using the chairs but not sitting at a table but she eventually let us stay there. Great mix of people here... old to young! The piano players did an amazing job playing fun and upbeat songs. The drinks were reasonably priced and service was great! Our server would keep coming to us and asking us if we are OK even with it being super crowded which was nice. We never had to seek her out if we needed something. If you want a table to yourself though I would def make reservations. and they charge cover all day on the weekends.. it was 10 dollars.

    (5)

  • Lindy B.

    It was loud, so don't expect to socialize. It was packed, so don't expect a table or a comfortable place to stand. It had a long line, but you can get past that with a little "glad handing" cash, that is. Then you still get to pay to get in. The drinks are expensive and have little alcohol, so I would stick with beer and on the rocks drinks. Don't bother with the shots unless you just want some girl to look like she's doing something nasty with you. The dueling pianos, I expected more...dueling. But the crowd got into the singing...and that was fun. LindySez: Did it once, don't need to do it again.

    (2)

  • April P.

    This place is great! My friends and I came here during college a bunch. It was our favorite bar downtown for sure. If you give them your birthday, they will most likely throw you a party which comes with incredible wrist band deals. The performers are great musicians, incredibly talented and so entertaining. Also, it gets pretty busy after 5 on the weekends so if you want a table you should get there pretty early.

    (4)

  • Andrew W.

    Drinks good and music is fun. Unfortunately, the $10 cover and absolutely no place to sit, or stand for that matter. When you're paying for two people and $20 can buy you 4 drinks, go somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Pinaki S.

    Always take your out of town friends here if they want a great time, and if they don't suck. Complete drunkeness awaits.

    (5)

  • Sara V.

    I've been to 3 different Howl at the Moon locations and 4 total dueling piano bars. The Chicago Howl at the Moon still takes the cake! I do agree that it usually is the middle-aged drunken crowd and cover can be quite pricey, depending on what day you go. However, parties are so easy to win at Howl at the Moon and therefore takes care of cover, parking and drink specials! Besides, the performers here are phenomenal and definitely the best I've seen out of the 4 piano bars that I've been to. They're vast array of musical genres never cease to amaze me and their raw talent to be able to play these songs on request. If you're lucky enough to go here when certain performers are there, you even get a mix of comedy! So yes, tables are rather hard to find and you may find yourself getting hit on by a middle-aged man or woman, but I believe the performers make up for it. Just go really early or stay for a short time, but once you really get into it, I think you will find it hard to leave!

    (4)

  • Leanne A.

    blaaaaaaaaaaaa. Ew. Yuck. My first time here was with a, you guessed it, bachelorette party! I had actually heard good things about HATM, so I was excited to check it out. Ummm, no. Cover is ridiculous, crowd is packed in like rats, crowd is comprised of 80% bachelorette parties and 20% unattractive men hitting on the bachelorette parties. HOW is this fun??? Each bachelorette thinks it's "her time to shine" and so they get up and dance and sing on stage in their too-tight, too-short dresses, thus revealing lots of body parts. As a musician, I really love to see these pianists making buckets full of money, I do. But they spent a good 20 minutes on a "college fight songs medley." YES, You heard me. A College Fight Songs Medley. 1. Who the hell is so in to their college during their bachelorette party that they want to scream their old fight song?? 2. Fight songs suck. This is common knowledge. 3. Girls pay money to get their "fight song" played. We are talking, like, 100 bucks, folks. 4. The pianists' microphones are so hot, the fight songs are practically screaming into your ear drum. It doesn't help that the tables/stools are all full and spread around the bar randomly, creating a giant maze. It saddens me that this is a place where decent musicians are making good money. To play bad music.

    (1)

  • Barbara D.

    Ok, yeah dueling pianos rock. But not in this atmosphere. TOO FU*KING CROWDED! Everything else was great...the music & the cool illusion of a mirror behind the pianos (or maybe that's cuz the dueling pianos bar in New Orleans has a mirror....I still can't figure it out....my imagination running wild again...damn it slow down, will ya?) Stage singing or dancing for 15 bucks, cool...why not? American Idol someone said...But... I CANNOT GET OVER THE CROWD. I am too old to be dancing in a 2" x 2" area. I wanna get down baby and need room to do it! 10 bucks for a cover charge...ummm better than 20, I guess, but geez suck out all our money, won't ya?

    (2)

  • Daisy S.

    Came once again last week. Chicken Fingers are still BOMB!! And Tried The Bahama Mama drink this time but Still ordered the Sex On the Moon. I realized my taste buds cared more for the Sex On the Moon. My husband ordered a Chicken Sandwich and our friend ordered a cheeseburger. Food is delicious here. Also the Pretzel is very good. We went in for free this time since we got there before 8pm. and were able to get seats.

    (4)

  • Hoang L.

    I'd have to say this is the best piano bar I've ever been to. The people playing the piano are so talented! Get the fishbowl and they sound even better. Not exactly the classiest people, but expect a lot of drunk people having a good time, singing along, and probably trying to dance. It's actually pretty entertaining. You'll find a lot of bachelorette parties, Cubbie fans, and cougars here. Parking difficult. But it's a good location with some other bars on the same block.

    (4)

  • Colin E.

    This is never happening again. I love music. I love drinking. I love improvisational performance. How could things go wrong? Very easily, let me tell you. Combine draconian "party"/cover rules with mediocre food, crowds like whoa, poor piano playing, and you've got yourself a veritable recipe for disaster. We couldn't even bear staying long enough to use all our drink tickets before we got there hell out of there. There's a time and a place for everything...I declare myself unable to find appropriate solutions for either quandary at Howl at the Moon.

    (2)

  • Michael C.

    Awesome live piano bar. The pianist is fantastic. It was my first experience at the venue and I had a blast. Such a fun, lively place to be. Great place to stop after dinner or if you're just looking to have a good time. The service was excellent as well.

    (5)

  • Polly W.

    Joel, the waiter, made our 8 hr visit extremely pleasant and memorable. We nominate him for a management position!

    (5)

  • Rika K.

    I'm gonna be honest. If Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer had a piano bar I'd probably show up, get drunk, and have a good time. That's just me and piano bars. This one is downtown close to a lot of restaurants. Actually, the first time I came here I thought it was just a bar and was getting a drink while waiting for a table at Ruth's Chris. It was early enough and I pleaded my case so I didn't pay a cover. After between 2 and 5 drinks I decided to skip dinner and stayed for hours and had a blast. Now, its a great alternative for something to do on a Friday/Saturday night when you're tired of movies or regular bars. Just make sure you get there early, because this place gets packed by 9:30 usually. Great atmosphere, fun customers, and the bartenders and waitresses really are good. The drinks are strong and they serve food in case you want it (I have never gotten any). Plan on going with a group and making some new friends.

    (5)

  • Tom B.

    OMG this place is so much fun. I mean a great bar, dueling pianos and packed on a Sunday. $10 cover but was worth it. Door guys are a bit over zelius at first but a fun time had by all.

    (4)

  • Julie B.

    Let me give a couple disclosures: 1. I went here about six years ago for a work function and I was pregnant at the time 2. I am not a prude, do not have a stick up my ass, nothing has flown up it and died. That out of the way, I have no idea what all the fuss is about. I walked into HATM with a group of clients to "It's hard to talk to you when you're sitting on my face" I guess that's where it turned bad. I was not drunk like the rest of the bar and had no interest in shaking my pregnant ass for the creepy old men that were out in force. I have not been back since because the whole night was right up with getting a double root canal. If I were to return I would make sure I was already several sheets to the wind and brought my best friend who wouldn't judge me for setting foot inside.

    (1)

  • Caroline L.

    Okay, so in my city, there is a piano bar. And whenever I go to this piano bar, there are TONS of tourists in that place. I must say that this probably goes for other towns as well, such as Chicago, because this is where I found myself the night after the Cubs/Giants game. Actually, I found myself on this block bar hopping everywhere. It seems that this block is a hot spot! Anyway, although I like the piano bar in San Francisco, I like this one a whole lot, maybe even more. Maybe it's because of the full band backing these dueling pianos, I don't really know. But I did like the energy of this band and just the fun atmosphere of the whole place. Everybody up and out of their seats dancing around having a good time, as well as the chill crowd who want to take it all in. It was a great place to just chill and relax. Also, making this place a whole lot better, I met Mike Krukow (ex-Giant and now KNBR announcer) at this place, and he seemed to like it too. If you're bar hopping on this block, this is the place to go! Not to mention that we got in for free due to a yelp deal for free admission... amazing!

    (4)

  • Dawn D.

    Went here for a bachelorette party last night (why else anyone would come here is completely beyond my comprehension). We got there EARLY (like 7 pm) and still had to pay the $10 cover...whatever. Since it was so early, we had no trouble getting a couple of tables for the party. We ordered food and it was not bad for bar food - I got a pizza, it was fine and our waitress actually asked me how I wanted it cooked - ?? - turns out they come out cooked just to melty cheese, and some people like their crust crispier. I went with the normal golden brown and it was fine. So the food was the best part of the evening and I gave them an extra star for that. As far as the overall experience, I pretty much hate piano bars. There were at least 25 bachelorette parties there last night and about every 10 minutes they would call them up onstage for display. Boring. Music: lame, terrible songs requested by drunk patrons using money, but very talented musicians. I wish they could make more money playing something worthwhile. At some point they did this weird thing when they started playing all these college fight songs, which apparently is routine. Lame. I texted my hubby at some point in the evening saying "If I ever express a desire to come back to this place, you have permission to smack me across the face."

    (2)

  • Sidu C.

    If you are thrifty and don't go hungry, this is the place to go. They are so busy the waiters take forever to come to your table. Their food menu is scarce so we recommend not going there hungry. If you want the musicians to play your songs arrive in early. Some of them make it very entertaining and they engage the audience well. Others are not so good at singing, but they all are good at playing the music. We saw several bachelor/ette parties and they seem to have fun. I loved that you could put messages on a black board by giving them a dollar or two. I was surprised that they even knew country songs and if you had a request they didn't know they did the best to sing another song from the same singer or with the same words as the title you requested. We'll definitely go back whenever we are in Chicago (of course, we'll eat first elsewhere).

    (5)

  • Cherisse G.

    Came here on St. Patrick's Day...drunk people galore! But it was fun to sing along and have a drink or two. Their renditions of hip-hop and rap songs were fun(ny). There was one girl who amazed me on the piano, her singing, drums, bass, and violin...all at the the same time. Kidding! But she really stood out. The place was smaller than I thought, and cover was $10.00 but we waited in line outside for maybe 10-15 minutes. There were people crawling everywhere on the streets that night. Definitely would come back again.

    (4)

  • Paul C.

    Howl at the Moon can be fun if you've got a huge group of people with you and somebody else has dealt with all the organizing. I was here a couple times with large groups of law students and had decent times on both visits, but that could be due to the fact that they serve giant buckets full of booze. Howl features dueling pianos, which is kind of amusing for a little while but eventually gets stale. The crowd is also pretty touristy/bachelorette party heavy, so that could be good or bad depending on what your goals are for the evening. I find pretty much all of the Hubbard area bars to be loathsome, soul-less affairs. Howl isn't really much different but at least the crowd tends to be a little friendlier and less like the pretentious schmohawks you'll find in the hipper places nearby. A lot of yelpers are complaining about the price here, but considering the neighborhood and the fact that there's live entertainment, I think the prices are pretty fair. I give Howl 2 stars, one for each time you'll hear somebody play "Piano Man."

    (2)

  • Katie S.

    My boyfriend and I went here for a friend's birthday party last Saturday night. We got there pretty early, not early enough to waive cover charge though. They had a deal going with foursuqare.com that covered the cover charged so we used that to avoid paying 10 bucks. Out table was in the back corner and it was a little hard to hear the actual dualing pianos but it was good enough. Prices werent bad, 24 oz bone drink is 10 bucks, food wasnt that pricey. They made my bf's sandwich wrong but he dealt. I would go back but woudl try to get a seat closer to the front.

    (4)

  • Joanne L.

    I feel that I probably would have liked this place a lot more if I had gotten in earlier than 9 PM, not paid for cover, and had a lot more to drink. I walked in with a couple of girlfriends, and the place is packed... many of which I'm sure had been there since happy hour. I had never seen so many oblivious, drunk people in such a condensed space. I'm not sure what their maximum occupancy was, but it sure seemed like they were over the limit. We could barely walk through. This being my first experience at a dueling pianos place, I enjoyed the live music, singalongs, and improv from the musicians. There was an abundance of bachelorettes and cougars trying to bumrush the stage for their chance in the spotlight. I watched two homely women in their fifties reenact the lyrics of Blondie's, "I Touch Myself" as it was played. ::Shudders:: No thanks! Overall it was an interesting experience. I might be convinced to come again on a different night, but I'm not planning on it any time soon.

    (2)

  • Heather P.

    You can't help but have fun here. It's a great location for groups, special occasions, and bringing out-of-town guests. Dueling pianos and an upbeat crowd equals hours of debauchery and unrehearsed sing-alongs. Be prepared for a cover charge of between $5 and $10. Drinks are your run of the mill options and prices. Tables aren't easy to come by so the earlier you get there, the better your chances.

    (4)

  • Rachel W.

    Totally fun place! Went on a pretty crowded night, but no one spilled anything on me so that was okay. Loved the dancing and singing servers with their routines, they seemed to really like each other and it was cute and made the crowd get more into everything. Crowd definitely seemed more "tourist" than locals....but I was a tourist :). Plenty of bar space and bartenders, the only sucky thing was the bathrooms being downstairs and crowwwwded. A girl can pee her pants in that kind of situation. Had a great night. Thanks, Howl

    (4)

  • Joy E.

    Perfect place for a bachelor/bachelorette party, or ANY party!! What a blast, it's kindav a wild joint! So much fun with the sing along band....they charge so much and make such a killing off of all the tipsy folk....But no regrets, We had smiles the whole time! Buckets are your best bet... {skip the lap-dance jello shots, our friend spit his all over the place}

    (5)

  • Frida G.

    This was a pretty cool happy hour spot to hit on a Friday evening right after work. I haven't been there recently, but the last time and only time I went it was $5 free dinner (taco buffet) plus 2 drinks. Then additional drinks were just 50 cents each or something close to that. I was there for a bday and it was pretty entertaining to hear/watch these guys on the piano taking requests from everyone in the crowd. It definitely was a crowd... the seating between tables were too tight and it was hard to hear the person next to you. I think they need a bigger venue.

    (4)

  • Keith B.

    There's not much bad to say about this place. As far as a dueling piano bar goes, it's going to have its share of tools and chodes, and people getting way too drunk and getting in the way a bit. It's going to lose a star for that, albeit it can't really be avoided at a place this crowded. It does, however, fall on the responsibility of the bartender, to, ya know, cut 'em off. The piano music is great for a bar. I can appreciate quality music when I hear it, and I'll give credit where credit is due. Love the buckets of booze and despite the crowd, there's usually a spot to park, drink and enjoy the show. Service is relatively quick and friendly. Would definitely come back here. Had a great time the couple nights I went.

    (4)

  • Stephen F.

    Howl at the Moon is a hoot. You might have fun, you might not (I have had both experiences) and you'll definitely leave with your wallet much emptier. So go here if: -You have already eaten -You enjoy drinks in test tubes -You like piano covers of 80s rock anthems (and who doesn't?) -You are interested in very white, very midwesternly women -You have the ability to hit on said white midwesterners when they can't hear a word you are saying -You own a cowboy hat, but don't know what "spurs" are. Actually, if this is you, I hear Howl is hiring.

    (3)

  • Ellen S.

    If I wanted to be around 300 white people singing along to Journey at a combo frat/bachelorette party, I'd have murdered a puppy. It'd be a far more efficient route to Hell; and at least Hell doesn't charge cover.

    (1)

  • Jacob J.

    Find.. many women here usually. You.. guy, be able to sing in front of a crowd and or dance with that lady in front of that same crowd. Maybe you get laid. Mostly a white time. I'm a person that would put myself out there and talk to people. There have been more times where I didn't have a great time. I would take tourists here they may have a great time. Never a place I would roll out too just for the fuck of it. Unless I was going with a big group of women. Chicks find this place awesome. Dudes, not really. Sometimes there is a bullshit cover. Bartenders have never done a great job of pouring.

    (2)

  • Dani K.

    Seriously, DO NOT let the fact you see the word "piano" scare you out of stopping here because this place is a fun bar that happens to have two pianos playing your song requests. The staff are very accomodating, waitresses walking around table to table to make sure you're doing fine, and the patrons are down-to-earth and here for a great time. People are dancing to the cover band between the pianists breaks and, really, the only word to describe this large bar is FUN. It's a blast.

    (4)

  • Jill T.

    Great time! This has definitely been added to our "must do" list each time we are in Chicago!

    (4)

  • Swati B.

    Went here on a Monday night after a dinner with some friends from out of town and had sooo much fun. The ambiance is really low key, chill and fun, everyone at the bar was just looking to relax yet have a great time. The musicians are amazing, to think they know all these great songs on piano and the lyrics too...it was really impressive. When we got there it was pretty empty, so when they asked for requests you pretty much got to hear what you wanted, as it filled up, it became harder for your requests to get in, so you never know what you're going to really hear....we heard everything from Kings of Leon, Beastie Boys, to Kid Rock to Elton John, The Who, and Foreigner. I think this could be a great place to suggest for a group of friends, or even a fun date place if your date is laid back!

    (4)

  • Kerry S.

    Great spot- enjoyed the music and people watching. The musicians really know how to keep the crowd entertained and they even played a song or two those we were with requested.

    (4)

  • Tita P.

    Cheesy piano players...cheesier customers..strong drinks! Yes I am a fan!! I love that they play songs that I haven't heard...hmmm since the 80s. Overall, you can go in sad but you will leave very happy... Guaranteed fun!!

    (4)

  • Shana M.

    I enjoyed my experience here a lot more than I expected to. Ok, I'll admit I was going in with the a lame "too cool" high school skepticism, but it was an after work happy hour on the near north side: just not my typical enjoyable scene, ya know? Well! I had a great time! The parties are easy to win (2 of 5 co-workers won one). The players are super fun (Jennifer is hot and rocks that piano and vocals). The free buffet food is perfect to prime you up for the cheap party drinks. It's super duper loud in here, but that's because we're all having such a great time howling Bohemian Rhapsody or Shot Through The Heart in our business casuals. I'll be back again (for another party winner) and I'll have A Time I'm sure! (Be aware there's a $15 card minimum).

    (3)

  • Stephanie E.

    We went here for a birthday last Sunday and boy was it a blast. Loved the bucket drink and the music. We were sad we got there so late but pleased that they were so packed.

    (4)

  • Jamie G.

    We had an absolute ball at Howl at the Moon! We got there nice and early so were able to grab a table and not pay cover. The musicians were amazing, so talented and really engaged with the crowd. Such a fun night!

    (5)

  • Irene G.

    This place is okay, but there are definitely better bars to check out in the nearby area. I only stayed for an hour on a Friday evening to keep a friend company since he was there for a birthday party and knew only one person. If not for that bday party, I would not have gone because there is a cover charge which is only $5, but to me too much to pay for this place. I got two domestic beers for only $1 which was a deal that came with the bday girl's package. The dueling piano was slightly entertaining, but the crowd seemed too touristy and suburban. I watched a very old wobbly man dance with a woman in her 20s, which was both amusing and kind of creepy at the same time. The man might have been her grandpa -who knows. It definitely is a "tourist trap" as one friend told me. Been curious about this place for years, so I'm just glad I got to see what it's all about. Don't know if i'll go here again, though.

    (2)

  • AJ W.

    "Where music majors go to die" Meh, I doubt I will be back. It wasn't bad...not my scene. I dodged the cover and hit the 2 drinks for $1 thing. The drinks were teeny...but they were a buck...so I shouldn't complain. The music was not good. We wound up leaving for a karaoke bar because if I was going to hear bad singing...I wanted to be the cause of it and not feeling like I had to tip for it.

    (3)

  • Jennifer C.

    After going to Pete's in Dallas last weekend this just doesn't compare. Thank goodness my hubby and I had free passes to get in because at 5:45 pm today they were charging $10 to get in. Is it worth $10 since the pianos don't even start until 6, absolutely not. The pianists are not quite as involved as I've seen, the drinks are way more expensive than Pete's which may make it a little less fun because the people in general are less drunk. :) I enjoy it but I wouldn't rush back there like other piano bars of been to. I did, however, enjoy the free happy hour buffet. For being free the pasta salad, tacos, and hot dogs were great.

    (3)

  • Susan G.

    Not sure what the allure to this place is, but we were invited here for a birthday party. We arrived before they started charging a $10 cover and got 2 drink tickets which entitled us to a select group of drinks for $1. Well, I went with the pinot grigio which wasn't too bad. The place was packed and it was impossible to really get near the tables reserved for the birthday party we were attending. It was so noisy that conversation was impossible. The appetizer buffet was completely unappetizing -- chunks of what looked like government-issue cheese, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and what looked like pulled pork. I took a pass on it all. The piano players were okay, but their singing was really off key. The valet parking is $12 for 3 hours which is about par for the area. I certainly would not return to this place.

    (2)

  • Joel W.

    It's dueling pianos=amazing piano players. Any song, just request and they'll do it. Party in the USA, Friday, Sexy And I Know It.

    (4)

  • Meredith G.

    What a fun place! Again, didn't know we'd wind up here after dinner at RockIt, but glad we did. It was a Sunday night around 9 and the place was hopping. There was a big private group up front, but every seat and standing area was taken. I don't go to piano bars often, but in my opinion the musicians playing on this trip were great. There were 3 guys & a girl and they rotated between the 2 pianos, drums & guitars. Very fun spot. Not sure what time they start charging at the door, but we got in for free. They do advertise free entry coupons in some of the tourist booklets.

    (4)

  • Alex L.

    One of my prefered places downtown Chicago. I had the opportunity to be there several time for Halloween, the atmospher was awesome. A small cover for the musicians, but then, once inside it was crazy.

    (5)

  • Jonathan C.

    Its a PIANO BAR. Does anyone know what that mean? No Fratastic Freddy it is not going to have club music that goes 'dudadu-du dudadu-du...' its not going to have flashy lights and lots of t-bags with the same haircut as you (aka search "My New Haircut" on youtube) Its going to have....(drum roll please).... pianos. Its a dueling piano bar and they play any request.

    (4)

  • Anna P.

    I really enjoyed this place, with the caveat that I was at one of the free after-work parties that they host, which includes: - A free buffet of hot dogs and tacos (yum!) - $1 well drinks - YES, ONE DOLLAR! So really I couldn't lose, but I still thought it was a cool place and is definitely a bit different than your average bar. It's in a great area with other bars in case you get bored, and is pretty loud with the music but it's also fun because everyone is always prepared to sing a long with the music and they play pretty good stuff. However, I don't want to be cruel, but the singers the night I was there really sucked. Not that I could do much better, and I'd understand if it were karoake, but this isn't a place I'd pay to get into ;-) In sum - definitely worth checking out without paying cover, but is better for larger groups or people who don't need to talk to each other a lot. I wouldn't bring a date here because it's so hard to chat, unless you just want to listen to the music!

    (3)

  • Diana R.

    Win a free party (thanks Rhonda) and debauchery ensues! Thats the motto here at Howl at the Moon. This dueling piano bar was packed at 5pm on a Friday. I guess everybody was ready for the weekend. The tables are EXTREMELY close to one another (expect to make friends, not by choice) and there are tourists, college students, 'just turned 21ers who still look 18', and old...er people. I saw bucket guy, he had about 10 straws in that bucket, he offered me some drink but I'm trying to keep my swine flu chances to a minimum along with other things. Review of the piano people: Hmmm, well they rushed threw a few songs, waited til someone from the band knew "bad touch' by bloodhound gang (i mean c'mon, how do you NOT know that song) and if they didnt like your choice, they would shout out "$1 to stop playing this song".... But I think they are supposed to be super sarcastic. Loved it! They had the party going here, people were dancing onstage and off and I saw more old people grinding than I ever thought I would. The real treat was having a girl drummer join in some of the songs. Overall, a good time and can't wait for the next happy hour.

    (4)

  • Bella J.

    I went to this bar with couple of my friends some time ago. I remember it took a while to get a table because the bar was very crowded. I don't know was it because it is so popular or was it because of the band that was performing there. So there were around five guys on the stage playing songs by the request. Ther were rotating every couple songs between playing piano, guitar, drums and singing. Relly impressive. Also, you cauld write you favorite song on a piece of paper, leave it ont the piano with a tip and hope that it will get selected. Of course the bigger tip you'd put with it the bigger the chances of it to get selected. They don't have drafted beers there but I was completely fine with the blu moons i ordered. Didn't have a chance to taste their coctails or snacks so no comments on that.

    (4)

  • Lauren H.

    I stopped in here on the way home for the free party Rhonda G "won". We all got 2 drink-for-a-dollar tickets, so I got a whiskey and diet and a whiskey and ginger. Eh. The free pulled pork wasn't bad, but the pasta salad was drowned in oil. I didn't taste the weiners but Andre liked them. Johnny got a baby beer for his buck (seriously, I didn't even know Bud made bottles that size, it was amusing) and a whiskey and coke. Something was really off about the latter so I made him go back to the bartender to remake it, but it was still pretty bad, so I guess their soda is funky or something, but it was undrinkable. My one taste of the nachos someone in our party bought was enough for me, I thought they were pretty vile. The place seemed filled with cougars, tourists, or the just out of college crowd, and didn't work for me. And I usually enjoy cheesey loungey piano bar entertainment, but here every song sounded speeded up and bouncy and I wish I had had the $$ to pay them to stop playing. I have come to the point in my life I would rather pay a few bucks for a drink and enjoy where I go. Some free/discount places aren't worth it. This place made me howl, but not at the moon....not in a positive way at least...

    (1)

  • talia r.

    I dock points because were had to wait in the super long line. We were here for a birthday party, table already set up for us, friends inside and three girls still had to wait in line. A little ridiculous if you ask me. This place is a lot more hopping than the usual piano bars I have been to. It made for an interesting night. Especially with the mix of young and old and five bachelorette parties that were there. The best part of the night were the buckets o booze. Long straws dive into a cotton candy like bucket where you can sit and slurp till your heart's content-- or until you start getting nothing but ice, which can happen sooner than you would think with 3 girls. The bar itself is forgettable, definitely the cougar/tourist place but a fun night can be had with the right group of people, mocking all the sequins in the crowd and a bucket of the hurricane.

    (2)

  • Jeff H.

    I'm just going to free flow here. Just gonna let stream of consciousness take over. Here goes.... -Poop sandwich- Woah, how long was I out? Must've blacked out. What'd I write? Ohhh. Hmm, yeah, I'll stand by that.

    (1)

  • Jackie P.

    I like free stuff, I like happy hour and I like Rhonda. Put that all together and you get a free happy hour with Rhonda at Howl. That's about all I can say about this place. I think a good time is all about who you are with. I could probably have a great time in a brown paper bag if I was with the right people and thank goodness I was with the right people on Friday. They made Howl a...ummm...scream. I was a wee bit disappointed with the tiny drinks for $1. But hey they were a $1 so imagine my surprise when I started paying $4 for the same small drink! Yikes! Like Rhonda said you can buy a tall drink but it won't get you anymore alcohol. The "buffet" was not really a buffet but it was free and I was hungry and no one said anything about me putting ketchup on my dog. Yum! They had some taquitos on the buffet that made me happy to but I would suggest staying away from the pasta salad. That is unless you like crappy pasta salad.

    (3)

  • Adam T.

    This place is a blast if you go at the right time! I'm 22 and if you're looking for a wild-younger crowd, this is not the place to be on a Friday/Saturday night. I went on a Sunday night and had a great time! We got in around 8 or 9 got an awesome table right up front in the middle and rocked out to some great music by some great performers. The songs got more intense and the place got a bit more crowded as the night went on. It's generally a little bit of an older crowd but you can't go wrong bringing a good group of friends. I thought the alcohol was priced pretty fairly as well. I went on a saturday night one time and it was too crowded to even stand comfortably and the singers' voices were all shot from the night before! They sounded terrible! I'm sure it's always better during the week, try to think of a couple really good songs before you go in (for them to play) they know everything and they perform extremely well.

    (4)

  • CATHERINE C.

    Now let me say this... while I didn't think this place was the WORST in the world.. I don't think it deserved simply a Meh... 2 stars. Arrived with a group for a Bachelorette Party around 8pm on a Saturday night. We had reserved 3 tables (4 people at a table/2 drinks a piece) and then had others in our group that didn't want to pay for the tables. All in all there were around 20-25 in our group. Getting in was no biggie. The place was slightly crowded but I expected that. I first noticed that the tables and chairs were SO tightly squeezed together (even though at that time they were not filled).. After 9pm? Be prepared for a line around the block.. that was constant.. all. night. long. PARTIES Someone else organized the event and I was just a guest. Apparently, you don't get drink tickets or anything. The waitress just said "you have a tab with 24 drinks on it.. once they are gone.. you're tab starts running".. I am sorry but this is ridiculous. I can see if the place wasn't as busy as it gets but who the F can keep track of that. I was especially mad because I don't house drinks.. so someone who pounds them could have taken my 2nd while I was still on my first. Apparently, the tab ran out and the organizer got a bill for 2 beers and it was for $19. WHAT???? When asked what the heck was going on the waitress said she added herself $7 for tip. Unreal. Once the place gets filled? NIGHTMARE. It is so unbelievably packed its a frightening. For those of you that are from Chicago, all I kept thinking was E2 (club fire/serious injuries/fatalities). Seriously. We had a pregnant bridesmaid with us (drinking agua of course) and I was actually worried for her if something happened. There is no way to get out. People are packed in like sardines and then people that haven't reserved tables are spewing all over the place in every aisle and every walkway. Scary. They have a small little dance floor in front of the first row of tables and some jackass launched some dumb girl across the floor and head first into the tables. Beer flew everywhere and no apologies were given. Drunken morons. Its was nice to sit in front of the stage and see the dueling pianos. It was even a nicer treat to get the extended crotch shot from another drunk bachelorette as she gyrated a random stranger. I am sure her husband-to-be and NO ONE in the front row were pleased. The woman's bathrooms (I am not sure about the mens) are located upstairs. 2 steep flights of stairs. You practically pee all over yourself before you even get there. The drinks??? Gross!! I ordered a vodka soda and it tasted horrible. Thinking they used cheap vodka I asked for them to replace it with another. THE 2ND TASTE WORSE. I went directly to the bar and complained and the bartender told me that "since the flooding.. all of the well drinks tasted awful". He gave me a pepsi and it tasted disgusting. Thanks for the double vodka cran buddy but SERIOUSLY??? Take some of that money you guys charge and fix you shhh... The idea of the place is fun. But the overcrowding and awful drinks/service take away from what could really be a gem. Unless I have another bachelorette that wants her party there, I will do anything to keep myself from returning.

    (1)

  • Ian M.

    I have to start off by saying that "California Gurls" was requested and performed on the fly for probably the first time there. For the musician to have enough knowledge to pull it off was a crowd pleaser. Anyways, I think piano bars are like karaoke bars, but you request others to sing the songs you'll eventually sing along to, saving you potential embarrassment of singing by yourself on stage. You can actually sing on stage with the band if you want, but you better be good at it. But if you stay in the crowd all night, at least show some enthusiasm because the musicians are playing the songs you'll been dying to sing along to. Oh yeah, they've got those crazy buckets of sweet alcoholic concoctions but I'm not going to review those - you can try them four yourself.

    (4)

  • M P.

    I would love to give negative stars to this place. The drinks are tiny and nasty and the service is the worst! Extremely rude. They tried to charge us for drinks that we didn't order. The most concerning part is that my friend was roofied here. We took her to the bathroom and this skinny rude little bouncer actually followed us into the women's washroom to tell us that we had to leave. She was so sick and he was just throwing us out on the street. Of course we were leaving, but he was unbelievably rude to us. I would recommend you go somewhere else for a fun night out. Unless you want to get roofied.

    (1)

  • Clarissa D.

    I went to Howl At the Moon on a Thursday night. It was decently crowded, but not really my scene: a lot of old people (like, 40's, 50's) as well as visitors/tourists. Drinks are on the expensive side ($8-9), and even though the dueling pianists - and their accompanying band - are quite talented, the music is all country and classic rock (blech). I challenged them to play 'Just Dance,' but apparently Lady Gaga is not in their repertoire. Icing on the cake was how the guys I went with were intent on "cougar hunting," and they were actually quite successful. There was an abundance of intoxicated older women who were touchy, sloppy and blind to my scorn. I mean, more power to them (and to the 20-something guys who want to take advantage), but again... not my scene. However, I discovered one of their featured concoctions: Blue Moon with a shot of Bacardi-O for $8. After a few of those, I found myself among the uncoordinated, dancing masses, yelling the lyrics to endless Bon Jovi and Elton John. The night ended in a blur and I'm pretty sure I was laughing deliriously when I left. Put simply, before copious amounts of alcohol, Howl At the Moon was a level of HELL for the hip-hop-loving-hipster in me.

    (2)

  • Andrea J.

    I say if you've experienced this place once then end it there. The first time I went it was pretty fun, the drinks tasted OK as well as the food. This time the drinks were sub par and food bland. The music is always fun to listen and sing to, the performers are really awesome. I wouldn't try to request a song unless it's accompanied with at least a $10 otherwise it won't get sung. I do believe next time I'll just meet my friends after they leave here.

    (2)

  • Holly L.

    As long as you know what you're getting into, it can be a great time. If you don't know what you're getting into - here it is: Cheesy, lots of tourist/conference attendees and bachelorette parties with pricey (no more so than anywhere downtown though) drinks and lots of fun. We went on a Saturday night for a friend's bachelorette party. Since we planned to get there later, we did not reserve one of their bachelorette party packages, we just took our chances. We had to wait in line for about 3 minutes. There was a $10 cover, which they did not charge the bachelorette. It was packed - a lot of bachelorette parties, guys looking for bachelorette parties, and people with their conference badges still on. The entertainment was great. I was amazed at the differente songs they could play on the piano. They keep the crowd engaged and are great. The buckets-o-booze is a nice touch, especially for the bachelorette party crowd. IT's not somewhere you'd want to hang out every weekend, but for a special night out, it's a pretty good time.

    (4)

  • Danny D.

    This place is just plain vanilla. Odd ball type's........some guy even grabbed my buddy's wife's butt.

    (2)

  • Dave S.

    We went on a Wednesday evening and didn't get charged a cover to get in (although we had a voucher if they had done). Was fairly empty when we walked in (about half past 8 / 9 o'clock) but every seat was taken by the time we left about half past midnight. No draft beers but a decent bottled selection and they have a lot of different cocktails on the menu (mainly served in buckets!!) - this is not somewhere you would go for a sophisticated evening! Anyway, a place like this is going to live or die on the basis of how good the band are, and we must have walked in on a good night because they were fantastic. We had 5 people alternating between playing the piano, drums, guitar and occasionaly violin as well as taking turns to sing a whole variety of songs (and requests) - There was a lot of very funny banter between them in between (and sometimes during) the music. Considering we just walked in off the street not knowing what to expect here this really could have gone either way - i'm pleased to report we had a great time and would definately recommend it to anyone visiting Chicago.

    (4)

  • Erin B.

    My friends and I were searching for an ultimate Chicago bar experience. This was not the place. It was pouring rain outside, but we chose to wait in the line out the door. Immediately, we knew this was a bar you needed to arrive drunk to. The drinks were $34 for three beers and a vodka tonic the size of my hand (if you ask me, that's pushing ridiculous) after we paid cover. I've been to piano bars before, but if you aren't prepared to sing you better be ready to listen to a few screamers. And that's just what there was. Many drunk people screaming nonsensical notes at the pianos on stage adorned with bachelorette parties and mothers dressed in pink boas carrying pink penises on sticks. It was an amusing sight, but not one I think I'll endure again.

    (2)

  • Mandy P.

    Suburbanites and wanna-be cougars - look no further for a watering hole! Arrived here for an after work event and I'm sure I'll find little reason to come back. The good: We had great service and the food I tried was pretty good. Standard bar fare with a free buffet of pasta around happy hour. The bottled Bud Light really helped my palatte identify all of the flavors in my soft pretzel dipped in cheese. The bad: There was nothing special about the piano players; the one was okay, but the other just bordered on the line of creepy (and I'm no prude). A bathroom attendedent pretty much slept propped against a stall, but that doesn't bother me since I've had little trouble applying my own soap and claiming a paper towel since I was tall enough to reach. It was just pointless she was even there. The ugly: Nothing was truly ugly, but to continue being cliche I had to add this section.

    (2)

  • Bobbi G.

    So disappointed, I was in town for a bachelorette party and we thought it would be fun to try a piano bar. One of the girls we were with had recently broken her ankle and had to use a scooter to get around. When we got there, the place was absolutely packed. The staff quickly accommodated our friend and helped her up the stairs. Not 10 minutes after we all paid $10 cover and got our drinks, one of the managers approached us and told us they wouldn't be able to accommodate our friend and she wouldn't be able to sit down. She was very rude and not understanding at all. We left immediately and will never ever go back there.

    (1)

  • Johanna G.

    The night we went there were 4 people on the stage. 3 men and 1 woman and they rotated all evening between pianos, bass, guitar and drums. They did a great job and we had a lot of fun.

    (4)

  • Linsey C.

    Ok, a friend of mine was celebrating her big 3-0. I didn't really think it would be much fun. Wouldn't miss her b-day for anything so I got all prettied up and headed down with the roomies on friday night. We arrived about 830pm and it was already pretty crowded-not to the point of claustrophobia yet but I was happy some friends had arrived earlier and saved 2 tables by the open windows. Let me tell you- it was a lot more fun than I anticipated. I was singing, dancing and yes, drinking. The drinks were good, prices were average, the service was good and Tony the bartender was super cute. We had a party of about 12 people and everyone had a great time. The musicians were pretty talented, the songs were, for the most part, ones that everyone in the place could sing along to. The crowd was mixed: a large section was males, early-mid 30's, then there were the groups of girls I'd say everywhere from 21-late 40's, then the older crowd-watch out, all the creepy old men get front row seats to the dancing area and stare at anything that moves...but fun none the less! I'd go back, probably won't unless there is another special occasion, but it's worth checking out. Oh, the fish and chips were really good!

    (4)

  • Vanessa M.

    We decided to stop here after hearing a few good recommendations from other tourists. Fun, but we didn't stay long...we left after about an hour. Pros: No cover before 9pm Very talented musicians Cons: Icky basement bathroom, with creepy (and unnecessary) bathroom attendant Drink prices were outrageous ($15 for a round of Dixie-cup size, weak rail drinks)

    (3)

  • d b.

    While the staff is polite you have to just know what this place is before going...a fun joint for non musical people where the songs are usually butchered in a way that if you know anything, you'll start to get angry....drinks served in fishbowls to drunken college girls(nothing wrong with that)..so live and let live..just not for me.

    (2)

  • Mike K.

    Howl at the Cheese. It's a ten dollar cover for a clientele that is 50 percent cheesy tourists, 20 percent cheesy suburbanites, 20 percent cheesy bachelorette party goers (begging for cash) and 10 percent locals (cheese-free) who have been suckered into making a bad decision to come to a bar to party while listening to the cheesiest of cheesy music. When this Moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, it's not amore. It's far from it.

    (1)

  • Joe M.

    I have a love/hate relationship with this place. I found this place about 6 years ago when I was visiting Chicago before I officially moved here to become a resident. I loved this place because where I come from there was nothing like this around. After moving to Chicago and becoming a resident, I hate that I still visit this place and often can't help but sing at the top of my lungs to so many familiar tunes. The cover is usually $10 but on Thursdays they have college night so bring your college IDs. Sometimes they have other discounts (2for1's) if you know where to look... or you can frequent this place enough where the door and bar staff know you too well and they might give you a break. The drinks are kind of expensive so I don't frequent this place like I use to. $25 for a bucket of alcohol is still one of my favorite things... but they are sweet drinks so there's a lot of sugar involved. The staff is relatively hospitable as long as they aren't slammed with wall to wall people. Get there early if you want to find a place to stand/sit on a Friday and Saturday night. Tip the entertainers well or they will skip over your song a couple of times. And PLEASE for the love of all this is HOLY do not keep asking them to play the same song OVER AND OVER. They play it one-two times a night to be nice and after that it's just too much. Thank you to Howl for being a good friend for so many years and for picking me up when I'm down. And thank you to the staff for letting me be the way I am and not judging me out loud. :)

    (3)

  • Carol K.

    Did someone say tourist trap??? Stopped in here the other night with some out of town colleagues who had visited the one down in Orlando and loved it, but I couldn't wait to get out of the place! The best thing I can say about it is that the wait staff was friendly and kept bringing us beer! On the down side- it was loud, packed with conventioneers and screaming people waving beer bottles. A woman, celebrating something, hauled herself up onto one of the pianos where she was serenaded (note to self- never get up on a piano in a sundress if you weigh more than 100 pounds. Not a good look from any angle!!!) The music was not meant to be good- just entertaining and for that I gave it an extra star because the guys gave it their all!! I think if I was from out of town and looking for someplace to hang, and not knowing any better that this might be okay. But for me on my home turf- I don't think I'll be back. Maybe I just didn't drink enough this night to make this place fun!!!!

    (2)

  • Kate P.

    The only reason why I went here was because my good friend won a party. Free food and booze, I'm there. However, we were all in agreement that the night sucked. The idea of dueling piano's is pretty cool, but (and this is a big but too) the clientele are uppity little snobs. It's like a frat hangout and these gross guys were trying to pick me up and I'm like Oh no you don't! Also, I had to use the bathroom pretty badly and when I finally made it to the restroom, there was like a half hour wait to use one of the two toilet stalls they have there, come on now it's ridiculous, especially for a women's bathroom. Then when I went over to ask the men's bathroom attendant if I could use the men's restroom because the line was shorter and I really had to go, he just looked at me like I had 3 holes in my head and sent me to the end of the women's line again. It was at that point I just left because I literally would of ended up peeing on the floor if I had to wait in the long ass line another minute.

    (1)

  • Joe M.

    I play piano and save for the 7 months spent cramped in the studio apartment I had, have had a piano in my living quarters the past five years or so. Because of such, at parties people will often drunkenly ask me to play. And I won't, mostly because it is my way to balance the world. The yin to the yang of all those douchebag guys who just love to pull out their guitar or sit at a piano and hammer out the four chords they know while vapid, drunk girls squeal in delight. Howl at the Moon is a bar full of those types of girls and those types of douchebags. This is a good place to go if... you're into vapid chicks and/or general douchebaggery.

    (1)

  • Annie O.

    I had to think of a place to take both family members and girlfriends for my 21st birthday. Obviously not a club because that's not appropriate for family, but still somewhere where my friends and I could party and get our drank on. After a winter of being cooped up indoors I was CRAVING some live music, and I had always wanted to try a piano bar since we're always going to crappy college pubs. The day had finally come... I was the last of my friends to turn 21 and we all had REAL ID'S! I decided on HATM because it was close to the restaurant we ate at and I heard Red Heads was for swingers (EW!). I am thrilled with my choice! Everyone had a blast. My mom, aunts, and grandma only stayed for about 45 minutes and after they left my friends and I hung around for a while longer. We were by far the youngest ones there (it was a Thursday night, maybe the crowd is different on weekends) but it was great because we didn't have to pay for drinks the entire night..not that we usually do. We also danced with some cute moms who were there with their husbands, AND the piano guys serenaded me while I sat on the pianos. SO MUCH FUN! We went to some other bars after that but everyone agrees this was the most fun, and a great escape from the usual DePaul bars :D I'd definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Chrissy N.

    This is NOT a place to frequent- but a place to go to once- maybe twice for fun and loudness. A fun time! My parents' friends (50-something) were celebrating their 35th anniv- so their 2 daughters invited my parents and I for dinner and then end the night here. So already we created quite a mixed crowd. There are LOTS of tables and seating here- but you really have to reserve something ahead of time to have access to them. Centrally located are the 2 pianos. The night we were there- there were 2 dudes and one female. The female was SO GOOD, fun to watch- and really was an entertainer. The men were her back-up as far as I was concerned. People all sing along, are loud, beers are inexpensive and they had plenty of drink specials. The ladies all had a great time. I don't know if my dad & the other dad were floored though. I've been to one of these places before in Milwaukee and it was NONstop bachelorette parties there which got SO old and was so dumb because they all wanted to get on stage and dance with the pianos. This place kept that ll at a minimum. They kept it crowd-friendly. I recommend this place for a loud time with a group of friends (not a date). Cheesy- yes. Crowded- yes. Little wacky crowd- for sure. A good time- you betcha!

    (3)

  • Chad C.

    All I can say is I pretty much had the time of my life at this place. I hope any other piano bar I go to can come close to this. I came here as a tourist on a monday night. My gf and I were surprised that they play pretty much anything. I mean anything. They played the classic journey songs, an interesting take on poker face, and even Kyles mom is a $itch from southpark. The staff was extremely friendly, as were the musicians. Drinks were pricey, but that's not something I was surprised of. Now if they could only open one in Nor-Cal.

    (5)

  • Kelly O.

    Okay, lets make this short and sweet. Negatives: not the best interior, no dancing space (when thats all you really want to do). Positives: amazing music, and fun drinks if thats your thing. The very talented performers really make this place what it is though. I'm going back!

    (4)

  • Lesley A.

    Think of Howl at the Moon as one big room of group karaoke set to dueling pianos. Or wait...sorry...maybe it's not so much group karaoke as me just having such a great time that I just belt out Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" along with the pianists and performers. That and I've had the pleasure of taking a sip, just a sip, of one of Howl at the Moon's bucket drinks: mixed drinks, in a BUCKET, for $25, with lots of pretty and colorful straws. It's great to order if you want to be the topic of conversation at the next table, subject of friend's pictures and stares. For $10 cover, you get the benefit of sitting in a room with mostly 30somethings throwing money down to have their collegiate fight song, Go Cubs Go, or Let's Go Let's Go White Sox play (which obviously, racks up a lot of money for the pianists) and other popular songs. By the way, if a girl with boyish-cut brown hair is at the piano, by all means give her a $20 and ask her to sing something by Chaka Khan. The girl is AMAZING! Actually, all of the performers are as they play a multitude of instruments and rotate every few minutes. Actually speaking of the same girl, if she's not at the piano, ask her to play "Devil Went Down to Georgia" on the fiddle. Wow! The drinks are a little weak, and the food is awful...especially the "buffet" with its sad hot dogs and Italian beef. But hey, I still like the place because it's all about the music and the silly things they ask bachelors, bachelorettes, birthday celebrants and any other fool with the nerve to go on stage (yes, including me) to dance to the Hokey Pokey and other songs that would make you think you're at a strange wedding.

    (4)

  • Sabrina P.

    Had a great time, services was great, food was good and music was outstanding. Can't wait to go again.

    (4)

  • ELN B.

    Great place to people watch !!!

    (4)

  • Lori Taylor R.

    Opps, we obviously selected the wrong night to check this one out. It was Cougar Night and after stepping one foot inside the door this was apparent. Having never been, a friend and I had decided to meet up here for Happy Hour. It seems like it could be a lot of fun with the right request of songs and a nice change of pace from the other places on Hubbard. Unfortunately, they only had one waitress taking drinks for the entire space. It's a pretty large place so service was fairly slow. They did have $5 cosmos, which was a plus. We decided we'd only have one, because it's not the most conducive environment for catching up.

    (3)

  • Scott S.

    I am not trying to hate, I am just saying this place is not for me. I found the atmosphere to be cheesy, the drinks small and expensive, the crowd unattractive and unhappy looking, and the main attraction (two dudes on pianos) to be down right irritating. I love live music and I am pretty easy going but I wanted to leave this place the minute I walked in. The only thing that didn't make me want to stab myself in the heart was the service. Not great, but at least nice and polite. On the other hand, some people were really digging it. I guess badly sung renditions of bad pop songs being badly danced to by unattractive women is exciting to some. If that is you, this is your place.

    (1)

  • Rachel F.

    This was my first time and a piano bar and i loved it. I am hooked. However, the charges are a scam. $5 cover so that you can pay for overpriced drinks that are watered down and so stand in one in place because the place is packed, and so pay upwards of $20 to attempt to get your favorite song played. The pianist are great and very energetic and switch depending on songs and of course so they can take a break. This is a great place to go though. Just make sure that you bring lots of money if you want a drink or pregame before you get there.

    (3)

  • Tres-e T.

    What the fuck is this place and why in the world did I ever come here a second time? This place is Chuck E. Cheese for adults.

    (1)

  • Dawn M.

    I've been here a few times, albeit, it was a few years ago. My, how this place has changed..and not for the better. First, I don't know if it was just an "off" night (went on a Friday) but the songs were terrible.. i mean, they were playing rap music and other newer hard-to-sing along to songs. None of the classic, bar songs like sweet caroline or brown eyed girl. They even repeated a few of the crappy songs during the 5 hours I was there. And what happened to "dueling pianos" the bulk of the music was done with electric guitars, horns and drums WTF? Then, let's not talk about the rude, nasty male bar tender (dark hair, greasy pony tail, beard) that passed me up not once, not twice but three times until I banged my empty beer bottle down and the nice female bar tender came over and handed me a free beer after seeing the outright blatent ignorance of her counterpart. I assure you i did nothing to piss him off either as this was only my 2nd beer!! I will not return nor will the friends i was with as it's just not worth a trip to the city to sit an listen to such crap and not get good service on top of it. Not to mention you have to climb two flights of stairs to get to the friggin bathroom. Just stupid.

    (1)

  • Anna P.

    Good music! Participate as much as you'd like. Came for a friend's bachelorette party and the group was called on stage to do drunken "head-shoulders-knees-and -toes". Load up on one of their BUCKETS of alcohol. Make a song request and/or sit and watch the action. Ran into old high school friends I hadn't seen in YEARS! Great night! Sing the night away!

    (4)

  • Keyser S.

    Awful. The singers could not sing -- they could play, but not sing. Happy HR food was horrible. Bathroom dirty.

    (1)

  • scott s.

    This Place is so much Fun Good Drinks

    (5)

  • Candice R.

    I've been here twice. Once, on a weeknight, and I loved it. I was drinking quite a LOT, but hey, two guys on pianos playing Billy Joel and Elton John. Cool, chill time. The second time I went here was on a Saturday night, don't ask me why, and when I walked in, they were playing Britney Spears "Hit me baby one more time". That song is not meant to be played like that. EEEKKK.. We left almost right away, and I'm scared to go back. I don't know if anyone really wants to hear Britney being played on a piano trying to battle with another piano. I don't. and I certainly won't pay for it. Picture Britney when she had no hair, squatting with her palms on the floor, howling at the moon. Like a wolf. That's how I feel about this place. It's just wrong.

    (1)

  • E T.

    OK, so my hookup at "the james" gave me a handful of (no cover passes) for about 12 places- this place was unfortunately one of them! One of my friends was like, lets go check out a dueling piano bar....well this was a mistake. To cut to the chase: (1)Loud annoying singing (2)Temperature is 10+ too hot (3)Standing in one place longer then 30 secs your feet begin to stick permanently to the floor (4)Ugly people

    (2)

  • Colleen R.

    If you are in a large group of a) tourists, b) cougars, or c) drunk people celebrating a rite of passage, you will probably really, really love Howl at the Moon. If not, well, just keep in mind that if you slip the guys at the dueling pianos a few extra singles, they will play anything. Including "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias.

    (2)

  • Sal A.

    Love this place! Get in by 7ish and grab a table in the front.. You'll have the time of your life!

    (5)

  • Amanda K.

    Whip it! We need some DEVO! I requested devo for my best friend's bachelorette party that started here. It took them forever to play the song. My friend was restless and wanted to leave. There was a definite older crowd (40's). We are in our 20's so it was not what we were feeling. They did finally get to our song and it was fun to go up on stage with my friend. We did not stay long. Also, we had two different wait people, and the one waitress was extremely rude. All in all I enjoyed going up and dancing to some whip it with the bride's name interlaced.

    (3)

  • Mil8ertc C.

    Absolute Fun and entertaining! Was visiting Chicago 3 weeks ago for a nursing conference and came to this bar twice during my weekend stay there because i loved it so much. Came on a friday with a bunch of nurses and it was completely packed with college students and bachelorette parties. I didn't get any song request played during that night but still was entertained by the crowd and the talented and comical piano playing. Came back on Sunday with my boyfriend, not as crowded or busy, but still just as fun because they were playing all the songs we were requesting. From Bruno Mars to Taio's Dynamite to Jay Z- New York duet

    (5)

  • Ellen M.

    Me: You know what this place needs? Patricia B.: Hmm? Me: ELECTRIC GUITARS! I had an excellent time at my first yelp elite event. This is a great place if you've got tables reserved and I am seriously thinking of having Oona M's bachelorette party here! It was a totally appropriate place for the happy hour. I had a beef with the music because I tend to not enjoy other peoples' requests, but recent grads from Big 10 schools love the fanfare and fight songs. And the "Sweet Home Chicago." Somehow, Cyndi Lauper sung by white guys with piano accompaniment is a little too souless for me. I am a serious piano snob though, so maybe I'm wrong. I don't know what I was thinking, but I thought I was going to get a chance to play "Lady Stardust" or dance on the piano, but maybe next time. It was a hell of a good time handing out the extra yelp t-shirts to those who looked worthy. People were totally eating it up! Announcement time for the recipients: I expect those shirts returned unless you've written at least five reviews by sunrise. That is all. Thanks again to Andrea and Elizabeth!

    (3)

  • Keith W.

    Awesome on Saturday night. Great environment and the band rocks. Lots of girls go for their birthdays and bachelorette parties. $5 cover and drinks are reasonable.

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    Fun place. Fills up on weekends. At 12:00 on a Saturday I saw the line to get in stretch for about a block.

    (4)

  • Steph P.

    Okay people, it's a PIANO BAR. Take that into account when creating your expectations. That said, the house band is actually pretty good...all the members play multiple instruments (piano, bass, drums) and sing pretty well. Jennifer, the blond w/ the long hair, made my jaw literally drop with her chops...girl sang "Fallin'" better than Alicia Keys herself (who I find overrated vocally anyway). One of the dudes also earned mad respect from me after ad libbing during a funk song and actually singing, "Jesus, I am sooo Caucasian!" The drinks are a bit overpriced, no beers on tap, and there's a cover charge on the weekends. My friend told me that the crowd this Wednesday night was a little bit older than what he's seen on the weekends, but that doesn't mean people didn't get cRaZy! I can't even explain it to you without offending someone. It made me really wish that I was not driving home so I could actually drink and appreciate it all a little bit more. But I did have a ball singing along to everything and making BFFs with this chick as we tried to convince the band to play Barry Manilow's "Mandy." I appreciate that they actually have standards, but come on, Barry writes the songs that make the whole world sing!

    (4)

  • Ben B.

    Fun place all in all....alil too touristy for my taste though. Drink pricey are outrageous...guess that should be expected for Downtown Chi but c'mon. Maybe some drink specials occasionally would draw a more consistent local crowd in??

    (3)

  • Erik J.

    This place is a magnet for bachelorette parties, cougars and ,what, my buddies and I speculated, were swingers. Offer buckets of booze and that seems to be what happens, especially when said buckets of booze are particularly fruity. That withstanding, this is not a bad place, especially as far as the entertainment. Buddy of mine turned 28 and wanted to have his birthday in the city since he previously lived in the West Loop and doesn't get to come that often. He specifically wanted to start at this place, and we were all amenable since it had booze and food and the dueling pianos thing can be fun. Long story short, the entertainment is really good. The piano guys are pretty diverse in what they can do (we requested Surfin' Bird. Haven't you heard? The Bird is the word.) It took them a good 30 minutes to get to it, and they only seemed to know the chorus, but that was good enough for $5. Booze leans toward expensive, though it is relatively reasonable compared against many other places in the area. I wouldn't spend the whole night, but it's a good warm up. Solid 3.5

    (3)

  • drew b.

    Oh sweet carolina, no! This place was a mess. I give it no stars because I refuse to reward shoddy entertainment mascarading as wit and nostalgia. Packed with bachelorette parties(at least 4) and married women. One star for the loose morals displayed by the above groups with my single friends. I went with a big group and we had a blast. Mostly because there were 20 of us and we could have a good time anywhere with booze and music.

    (1)

  • elissa w.

    Fun place to take an out of town guest. Dueling pianos and dancing on stage is a great night out. Cocktails are super expensive and tiny. Plus there is a $15 cover charge on weekend nights.

    (3)

  • H G.

    I wanted to leave. While I enjoy hanging out with my friends, that's pretty much the thought that pervaded my mind. I was fortunate (or so I thought) to have won a Happy Hour party. The food was really nasty bar food (i.e. potato skins overcooked, gloppy cheese sauce on fries). It's been a while since I had food that bad. Then to top it all off, the entertainment was as weak as the cocktails. Aren't these piano players supposed to be dueling? No, most of the crew seemed like they were as ready to go as myself. Play some requested songs, take a few tips, and maybe make some goofy changes to lyrics here and there. A competitive spirit was not a factor. The breath of fresh air in the group was the blond female pianist who seemed to care about her performance (and the crowd) a bit more than the rest. This is a place that you might want to stop in for beers ONLY with a few friends for an hour or so. That's about it. I noticed that most of the patrons knew that that little tip already. Since I don't drink beer, I guess I won't be back.

    (1)

  • chris g.

    Disclaimer: My review is based strictly on their "Free Happy Hour Party" We did not stick around for anything else but I'm sure I would give it a better rating if I did. If you are going to award a winner a party for however many people then do it. To me & my experience, this means free beers or wine for a couple of hours. For Howl at the Moon it was supposed to be from 5:00-7:00pm. Instead when you arrive, they give you a bracelet and two tickets. So right off the bat I am thinking how cheap, you tell us we won a party and we only get two beers? But then I find that the tickets don't even get you a free beer, with the ticket it will cost you a dollar. But wait, there's more! Then I find out that it is only for a MINI bud light only. So the free happy hour party that someone in a group won gives you two MINI 8 oz. Bud Lights for a dollar each. Now I am not a cheap person, all I am saying is don't do the "Free Party" thing if your not going to do it. Most bars that offer Happy Hours have just as good (if not better) deals without saying you won!

    (1)

  • Paul C.

    In 1999, the term MILF came into existence. Before that, Van Halen made kids and men across the states sing "Hot For Teacher". Hell, even Harold and Maude dealt with the concept that males LOVE older ladies. I don't know what it is. I certainly felt that way when I was 13/14. I remember watching Dawson's Creek and wishing I was as cool as Pacey J. Witter. I too wanted to hook up with my teacher (Ah, Mrs. Perez) so she could teach me all of the ways of the world. There's something about an older woman that seems "HOT". Howl At the Moon is the ideal place for people in their mid-thirty's to gather. It's a bar that has classic rock on dueling pianos, cheap drinks (not really), and an overall atmosphere that could perhaps double for an Applebees. The crowd does vary, but it also seems to bring out a fair number of women that would seem to be a MILFs, Cougars, Hot Teachers, etc. These were the women that I wished I had known in my teens, the women to teach me the ways of the world. The problem with seeing these women in real life isn't that they're unattractive, it's that they then become human. Ideals don't live up to themselves. No one wants to see their ideal have a hard night. No one ever wants to talk to their ideal about things that you don't care about. Nobody wants to find out that their ideal is annoying. More so, no one wants to see other guys hook up with the woman who was supposed to make you a man. 3 out of 5 Howl At the Moon.

    (3)

  • Jennifer L.

    Is there one in every major city? Pretty much. Are they all kinda similar? Yes, except for the college fight song battles. Is it just this side of cheesy? Admittedly.... Is it fun and have I been back several times? Hell, yes!

    (4)

  • Jonathan C.

    I have to admit I like this place. I think I just like singing though. I like to pay the musicians to stop singing songs I don't like. While there tends to be a lot of bachelorette parties and its full of tourists and downtown types, the upside is that utter cheesiness of it tends to frighten away the selfconscious types. Avoid the place if you take your personal pride too seriously. Although if your an attention whore, avoid the place as well, as nobody really will really want to pay any attention to you either. The crowd can be a bit much (drunk, obnoxious). But its pretty fun place if you can ignore all that and like to singing along. Prices are typical for downtown (high). Its kind of like Second City, I wouldn't go there very often, but I'd try it out at least once with a bunch of friends.

    (4)

  • Brian H.

    I begrudgingly met up with some friends who were celebrating a colleagues birthday at this "establishment". I'm sure you get it, drunken tourists suffering fools dancing on pianos while a service staff creates faux fun. Bachelorette parties screaming like hyena's, sucking mini-penis suckers, doing shots with whipped cream. Why is this it that when this crowd gathers, it's like an episode of Girls Gone Wild. You know, I hate to be snide but screw it... I have too many IQ points to enjoy this place. Oh, here's a plus. In a haste to get out, I left my cell phone on the table. So, the next day I picked up a new i-phone. Wow, that is one slick toy. Good things to happen to people in shitty bars.

    (1)

  • Natalie T.

    I've won a hosting party for this place twice and each time was fantastic. With the party, my guests get two $1 drinks until 7pm and $3.50 drinks until 9pm. There is also free admission and a free buffet for guests until 7pm. The pianist play songs of all different types of genres and in the later hours, they really get the crowds going. The music is so much fun and it has you dancing, even when the space is limited. The place does have the tendency to get really crowed and if you want a table, you have to arrive around 5pm. I've heard that normal cover is pretty expensive and after 9pm, the drinks are pretty pricey as well.

    (4)

  • kelly c.

    Not the worst bachelorette party experience to be had, obviously, because there might have been forty other ones there besides the one I was with. Not my steeze at all, though I was slightly impressed that these dueling pianos knew pretty much every pop song written in the last 70 years. (Was there even 'pop' music before this time frame?) And each of the musicians rotated and played all the instruments. Here, even more than most bars, drunkenness is the goal, and the entertainers aren't afraid to acknowledge that. "Hey drunk people,..." "You drunk enough yet?" ect. Waiting in line for a half hour, then paying a $10 cover did not please me. Drink prices are expensive, but no more than any other place in this area. Booze buckets are abound, and short, shirtless men to sexily squirt a cherry concoction into your mouth (Most girls that did this had a look of disgust when the squirt hit, and I'm told it was not so tasty). Bathroom attendant for a pretty scummy bathroom makes me wonder. Song requests that came with $20 tips were announced and played immediately. This seemed to be the norm. IMO, there's no song I need to pay $20 to hear hacked out by a live 'covers everything' band. But patrons of HatM were not of my opinion. Plastic light up penises and bar cards do not excite me one bit, but if I am to endure such an event, this place alright for it.

    (2)

  • Jackie O.

    I'm forwarding this review with two things. One, it was my first time going here. Two, I went on a Thursday night and not a weekend. I wanted to check this place out after a buddy of mine came home raving about the one in Vegas. I've seen plenty of bad reviews, but still, it sounded like this place could be a good time. Cover was $5, nothing outrageous. As a hard liquor drinker, I had sticker shock when I walked away from the bar with my tiny little drink and I recommend hitting this bar after you've already had a few (somewhere else for a lot cheaper). The music variety was all over the place, and somehow Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas are a lot less annoying to hear as a piano arrangement than blaring from a juke box. Most of the crowd still hadn't switched out of their business attire, and had no problem attempting to dance to anything the dueling pianos played. It was fun people watching, but I'm glad the seat I snagged was far enough away from the band where I wasn't getting elbowed and bumped by the drunk 40-somethings on the 3' dance area. When the crowd started to die down for the night, I just started shouting requests at the band, and they were happy to play Jerry Lee Louis and just about anything I wanted to hear. The entertainment was great, and this seems like a great weekday spot. I'll continue to avoid it on weekends to stay away from that bachelor(ette) nightmare crowd so many other people encountered.

    (3)

  • K C.

    No. aucun. nicht. . . no The best I could in 6 Languages.

    (1)

  • Erin V.

    Howl At the Moon - You may be an expensive and glorified jukebox, but I still love you. How can I not with your talented musicians and your fun variety of beverage containers? (tubes and buckets!) Always a great time when I make my way to this local. However, I personally wouldn't make this a regular spot for fear it would lose a bit of its luster. Plus my wallet and dignity can't handle paying for Justin Beiber on a regular basis.

    (4)

  • Christyn K.

    Two words: COUGAR BAR. We did a bit of a social experiment while here and sent a 20-something guy to deliberately "get lost" in the cougar den in the back of the bar. Sure enough, the poor guy was attacked. As a married woman with my husband there with me, I felt a little out of place. Though WE were dressed to kill, some of the cougars were either wearing Forever 21 clothes they must have borrowed from their daughters, or they were wearing sweat pants and t-shirts (no lie). Came here as part of one of their many "win a VIP party with your friends!" promos and was anxious to indulge in the "free food and cheap drink" offers. Though I know that beggars shouldn't he choosers, the food was kind of gross, though the drinks specials were decent (and watching grown men drink $1 pony beers was more entertaining than the piano music). Had they not opened their windows we may have stayed longer - we were freezing and had a hard time focusing on each other with the cougars on the prowl.

    (3)

  • Mikey U.

    This place is near the top of my list for reasons to visit Chicago again!!! After getting primed with drinks at Mother Hubbard's across the street, we found ourselves here at Howl At The Moon. Now, by previous experiences, I'm not particularly enthused by dueling piano bars, but this place has quickly changed my outlook. I can't fully describe the venue (being three drinks to the wind already at the time) but I'll do my best... The square 3-sided bar at the front was efficiently tended by 2, sometimes three, bartenders. There was another (smaller?) bar at the far end of the room, but I didn't make it that far. Also, there was a separate "beers in a tub of ice" bar located near the front bar. Also on hand, and busy-busy-busy, were approximately 8-10 wait-persons who tended to both tabled customers as well as those of us standing (it was a packed house!) And of course... what every dueling piano bar needs... there were the two (then three, then four, then dozen) entertainers on stage keeping the place in either grooves or giggles and sometimes both. In addition to the dueling pianists, sometimes requests are sang by requester (so drunkenly bad that it's good!) and there are ensemble pieces where all the waitstaff get on stage for pieces like a Grease-medley (hand jive included). And on the night that we went, there happened to be 7 (yes, seven) bachelorette parties there, so at many points through out the night, there would be big singalongs by brides-to-be and their bridal parties. But even aside from this, the audience seems to be made up primarily of women (YAY!), and since its not a dance club, and the focus of attention is on the entertainers, the vibe here is very NOT meat-marketish... The dueling pianists here have a good gig and are really good about interjecting lots of humor and personality into the requests. There's plenty of back and forth between the two as well as banter with audience members. And these two have quite a repertoire of what they can play. And what they can't play or might not be too familiar with?? There's LISA.... sigh... Lisa. [NOTE: You might not be so lucky as to see Lisa, I believe I heard that she was just visiting(?) from San Diego.] This girl was AWESOME (& cute) and TALENTED (& cute) and CUTE (& cute)! I mean, she played bass guitar, then violin, then jumped down on the piano and mic and played and sang the bejeesus out of our requests for EWF's September and Stevie Wonder's For Once In My Life. Ah, the two friends with me teased that I had a crush on her... you're damn right I did! She was dope!! 1 Star for very lively and fun atmosphere. 1 Star for audience, people, vibe 1 Star for the dueling pianist 1 Star for Lisa

    (4)

  • Kate T.

    Is it possible to give negative stars? While I don't dislike the piano bar concept in theory, in reality, I despise HATM. I do not enjoy waiting in line, I do not enjoy paying cover, I do not enjoy schmoozing with cougars, and certainly do not enjoy when the bartender fudges my credit card receipt and gives herself an $11 tip instead of the $1 I originally wrote. To be avoided at all costs. Unless of course, you enjoy paying hefty prices for weak drinks while rocking out to a decent piano accompanying a room full of howling 40 year olds from the suburbs who come to HATM for a "city" experience. Gross.

    (1)

  • Jen K.

    FUN!! Great service, awesome musicians that were incredibly talented. Our waitress was such a doll - she was dealing with 30 of our staff and gave fantastic service with a huge smile. This is an entertaining little hole in the wall that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to have fun in Chicago. The piano players really worked the audience and got to as many requests as possible given the tons of people who kept submitting them. Drink prices were reasonable and they had some fun beverage options. We all had a total blast!

    (5)

  • Me P.

    Best advice, get there early with your friends, have a ball and leave before the rush to go somewhere else. You'll get better bar service, cleaner bathrooms andhave a better chance to hear your song and then explore more in Chicago.

    (3)

  • Lauren R.

    Super fun! This place is usually always pact. I wish it was bigger so everyone can sit and enjoy the music all night. I'm not a big fan of that $10 cover on Saturdays but o well. Keep up the good work!

    (4)

  • Bridget J.

    I love music and I used to play piano, but I'm going to be a jerk and admit I thought this place was super cheesy. It's worth checking out once but I wouldn't go back anytime soon. I think if you want the whole piano bar experience you can go off the beaten path and check out the Zebra Lounge or somewhere else. While you can really let your hair down at this place, the coolness level is equal to The Olive Garden. The two stars is for the waitstaff who were was prompt and efficient.

    (2)

  • Tuesday D.

    I am a BIG fan of piano bars. It's a guaranteed way to have a great night. This piano bar gets a big thumbs down. Not because of the line, or the cover charge, or the crowd, or all of the bachorette parties. Because of the band on stage with the pianos. Horrible. Idea. Not that we had a bad time, but you don't go to a piano bar to hear a band.

    (2)

  • Erin C.

    In general, I try to stay away from this place - mostly because it's full of out of towners and bachelorette parties which is really not my scene. But after searching for a bar near work with decent drink specials, my coworkers and I wound up here. We knew what we were getting ourselves into so we wound up having a decent time. Decent because our service? Was AWFUL. When we first sat down, we moved the two tables so we could all sit a little closer together. Shortly after, we were reprimanded for moving the tables and had to put them back as they had been before. Lame. Our waiter took his sweet time getting our drinks (2 buckets of beer and 2 cocktails - not difficult and we almost walked out of the bar) and then finally returned with menus. Don't plan on eating here. There are like 5 things on the menu. And they aren't tasty. At one point after we'd gotten our food, our waiter came by to let us know that he was only going to be working our table and he'd be around more. Umm....too late buddy. Once the music got started, we had a good time (the musicians are awesome), but that's about the only good thing here.

    (2)

  • Diane H.

    I came here on a Thursday after work because a friend actually won the a free "party" that you can put your name in for so I luckily didn't have to pay the admission fee (but would have gladly paid as it would have been worth it). All the guys (maybe there are girls on other nights, but it was all male that night) who played were great. They played a full range of genres and had great audience interactions. My friends and I arrived around 6:30 and there weren't too many people there, but the musicians were still lively and great. The place started to fill up including a birthday party of about 15 people and was pretty full by 8pm. The musicians were great; there were five or so guys that rotated between the pianos, guitars, drums, even trump! I was truly amazed that one guy played each of the instruments and sang while I was there - impressive. They switched between just the two pianos and the full band and it was a great show! I was disappointed that they didn't play any of my song requests (I even included a $5 tip!) in the few hours I was there but perhaps they just couldn't work it into their idea of the song order in the time I was there. Hopefully next time I'll have more luck!

    (4)

  • Kevin R.

    happened upon this place because other club we went to was closed for private function and am glad it was this place was great

    (5)

  • Shana S.

    We have a Howl at the Moon in Kansas, so when we visited the Chicago HatM we thought it would be similar. We were not so lucky. The only reason we went, after seeing not so great Yelp reviews, was because we got in for free due to a Yelp promotion. It seemed like every song sung was the remix version of the actual song. Too much drums, I thought it was a piano bar... Singing was not that great, so we only stayed for 30 minutes or less. No wonder there were empty tables. I can never get a freaking table at the HatM in KC, we should have known something was up.

    (2)

  • Ryan Y.

    Alright, be prepared, this place is practically tourist HQ. Now you have no excuse to show up here, run into a few hundred bachelorette parties and conventioneers. That being said, this place is a blast. Howl at the Moon is a great place to go and partake in some truly guilty pleasure music. The entertainers are remarkably impressive musicians with minds like vaults for music and lyrics. It's a place where you can go and not worry about having a few too many and singing way too loud, because everyone is. Definitely not a regular place, but a great place when you have folks in from out of town or just feel like getting a little stupid.

    (4)

  • Steve L.

    The cover band is pretty neat. I went there last night with a couple of friends. Definitely had a good time, but that's because I love shouting "Sweet Child of Mine" at the top of my lungs. The band does a great job of doing each of the songs. I really don't know what happens when someone requests a song and they don't know it....what happens to the money they put down? Crowd is questionable though. I saw a lot of old white women trying to get their kicks and more than a couple balding guys. I think a lot of the music reflected this too. I grew up listening to Nirvana, GNR, Westside Connection, 2pac. There were a ton of songs I just did not know. Either way though, if you just like randomly shouting like me, this can be a great time.

    (3)

  • Mark P.

    I wish I saw some of the reviews before coming here and would have avoided doing a review at all. Yes, I am younger... but not really a hipster. I do prefer more of a rock club atmosphere, and should not have let my friends talk me into going! But, I am not judging it on personal preferences, but rather for what it is. First off, charging a cover charge PLUS sky high drink prices is outrageous for what this place is. For live entertainment I could see one or the other, but not both in a venue like this. I could predict each song they would do, and most of it was so corny I wanted to laugh at them not with them. To dovetail with some of the other comments stay away if you are younger and sober. I could see having fun laughing at most of the other people if I was trashed already, but at the drink prices listed I could not afford to get trashed at this place. 20 minute and I was out... which was still 4 predictable songs too long.

    (1)

  • Janet L.

    What a fun place! My classmates won free happy hours, so I came here with a bunch of people. It was a great deal - free buffet and no cover before 7pm, and two $1 drink tickets. The musicians were so talented and fun - I was really impressed. HATM got really crowded at the height of happy hour and emptied out a little bit around 10ish, which is when we left to check out another place. All in all, I had a great time. Dinner, music, and two drinks all for just $2 + tips. When we left, a few of the waitstaff had changed into cheesy costumes (skank versions of cowgirl, nurse, sailor) - I'm sure some people would appreciate that. Get here early if you want good seats!

    (4)

  • Geovanny N.

    In small description this place has.... Two piano players face each other and take turns singing time-tested tunes like "Sweet Caroline" and "Devil Went Down to Georgia". Talented musicians add to the fun of the dueling pianos with instruments like the bass, drums and even the electric violin. Requests are encouraged, and singing along is a must. When groups can agree on the same sipper, they go for 86-ounce buckets of booze bliss, like the ever-popular Long Island Iced Tea. I can't say it was the best place I have ever been but I still had a good night out. Everything from the food to the drinks are just okay. I do not recommend this place for a first date type of thing. Since it does tend to get rowdy with all the different events going on at the same time. Still Howl at the Moon is a good place to go in a group to unwind and just have fun.

    (3)

  • Jennifer D.

    $1 Busch can specials? We saw that almost everyone was drinking Busch cans and we were wondering why. Well, $1 explains it. You don't see things like that in Boston. Anyways, it is really like any other dueling piano bar that I have been to. The seating is really very close to each table so you are squeezed in there. It was an ok diversion after a long day of immersion computer training.

    (3)

  • Giggly C.

    Fun alternative to a bar. Although there were 2 pianos, friday night was more live music, and not dueling pianos, like I was thinking. Large variety of people, with a 2 to 1 ratio girls to guys. I think there were 3 bacholorette parties going on that night. Lively music, not much room for dancing, tiny bathroom with long lines at end of night.

    (4)

  • Matt N.

    Before I start I am biased, I could tell as soon as I walked in that this was not my kind of place. Luckily I drank enough across the street first so that it didn't really matter. This is your typical 21 year old (or kids with fake ID's) place, I am sure I was surrounded by DePaul students and tourists from Schaumburg. I am all for the piano bar place, and actually have been to a good one but this attempt at music was greatly unfounded in my opinion. This place featured sticky floors, no tables, everyone hammered to oblivion, and was complete with giant ice and alcohol bucket with fifty straws. Even if this was my kind of place it would not be my kind of place! Save the unwarranted ten dollar cover for another beer across the street.

    (1)

  • Melissa W.

    I am embarrassed to admit what a good time i had here. I was in Chicago with a friend who had visited before. At first I was turned off by the sort of trashy looking, very drunk crowd of a strangely wide range of ages... and it was painfully obvious how the bar is set up to rid drunk people of even more of their money than regular bars. It was loud and crowded, not my cup of tea. We got there around 9, so we managed to get a table after just 20 minutes or so. And then I got to sit and watch the show. I was blown away by the entertainers. They traded instruments constantly, sang very well, had excellent stage banter and really knew how to keep the energy flowing. I think they must drink a gallon of coffee before going on... or maybe it's a huge performance rush, but how do they do it night after night? The female entertainer, Elisa (but I'm not sure how to spell it) was our favorite, she played piano, base, drums, and by the end of the night she was sitting on a piano fiddling The Devil Went Down to Georgia and we decided there was pretty much nothing she couldn't do. She's my hero. This is not a classy joint, I wouldn't have waited to get in (we didn't the night before when we had walked by), but on a night when I didn't feel like taking myself so seriously I had a really, really great time.

    (4)

  • Jessica O.

    Ok people!!! If you are a guy, this is the ULTIMATE place to pick up a chick! If you are a girl, this is the ULTIMATE place to sing at the top of your lungs and have a "I don't really give a crap what I look like I'm having fun" type of time with your buddies. This is a very busy place around 10-12 am on Fridays and Saturdays. I would recommend getting a table or showing up after a few drinks at a different establishment to avoid the lines. I would recommend this place to any bachelor/bachelorette parties, birthday gatherings, or any type of loud obnoxious gathering. This isn't the let's go out and have a quiet night of jazz piano, this is a "raise your glass and sing/yell" type of place! Rock on... and request the "Devil went down to Georgia" it rocks.

    (4)

  • Jeffrey E.

    This joint is about as cheesy as it gets, so it's a big hit with the just turned 21 from Schaumburg crowd and clueless midwest tourists. Basically, it's a couple dudes that play awful requests from idiot patrons ... so, it's like the Top Gun soundtrack on repeat. Somehow they charge a premium for drinks too, which makes the place even more awful on every level. I wanted to leave immediately after entering.

    (1)

  • Dave C.

    right off the bat, this place lost points with me for a $10 cover. i'm not rich. and the economy...oh, you know! how much fun you'll have here is probably largely a function of what crowd you run with. let's say that Howl looks exactly like what would happen if you found a secret passage into the world of a J. Crew catalog in your linen closet. the premise here is that there are two pianists who know, more or less, every hit pop song ever and they play along with the band while the room sings along and gets up on the stage to drunkenly dance like a buffoon. makes for good peoplewatching. points were regained by 'Sweet Child O' Mine' and a few other decent tunes. bottom line is, if you like karaoke singalongs, then you'll probably love this place provided you're wearing a button-up shirt (i'm looking at you, dudes in the club). so i'll say that i'd like 5 out of my $10 back. please.

    (3)

  • Sam C.

    I've heard of dueling pianos from my roommate, and I'm a big fan of piano bars in general, but I suppose my expectations were too high. I went this past Friday for a friend's birthday and walked in very hopeful. I walked in and got a couple tickets for $1 drinks, and there was tacos/nachos for free to my left. The evening was looking up, but leveled off when I ordered my drink at the bar and got a weak drink. It's disappointing but expected that a bar would serve a weak drink for $1. The pianos were great, but I question whether a repeat visit would get repetitive. The one really great thing about my evening, is that it validates for the Self-Park on Kinzie and I think State ($5 after validation.) Overall, a place for special events but not a repeater for me.

    (3)

  • Matthew E.

    Howl at the Moon seems an appropriate name for this bar. It does seem like two dogs are on pianos howling instead of actually singing. My friend enjoys piano bars and this one has been talked up greatly. There was nothing I liked here. Not the overcrowded space, or the overall music. The song requests were lame and at times the two guys playing piano had the banter of 8th graders talking about boobs and giggling. Cover was $10, which felt like someone kicked me in the stomach and then robbed me after the experience I had. Definitely wont return here. As my one friend put it, he now knows somewhere to take his girlfriend if he wants her to break up with him.

    (2)

  • Justin M.

    Jesus, I am way too old for this place. Visited about 5 months ago, had a friend in town and somehow we wound up meeting here. Could not even get close to the bar because of the high-volume of assholes in my way. Had to settle on bottles of beer being served from the tubs. The bathroom lines were insane, and everyone that walked by me literally bumped into me. At first I was pissed, but then I got so used to it...it became strange when someone wasn't falling into me. Their only saving grace is the dueling pianos, which more and more bars are copying now. I will give them that, they do entertainment very well at Howl.

    (3)

  • Jen H.

    SO fun. Can you ever have a bad time here? The piano players are great and do a wonderful time of keeping the crowd entertained... even the people who don't want to sing and dance with the rest of us. I wish they had some more food options- drinking those buckets on an empty stomach is never a good idea. I highly suggest this for all age groups- especially if you are with a group or party.

    (4)

  • Matt W.

    Howl At The Moon, stay away from this bar. I want to preface this entirely over-ranty review by saying that if the review was based solely on the two pianists that make up the dueling pianos I would be far more lenient. The two performers are doing their absolute best to make this place fun and original. But they can't save the experience or make the crowd any better. My company chose Howl At The Moon for our company party this year. A little research unveiled that the place is actually a chain bar. Much like TGI Fridays, Chilis and the like Howl At The Moon is just one of a couple dozen like-designed bars in the US. I'm glad I knew this going in as otherwise I would've been expecting a whole lot more out of the place. A friend of ours swears by Howl At The Moon so we had mixed feelings going in. We got together around 8pm with a chunk of the first two rows reserved for us. I noticed there was a $10 cover which we thankfully didn't have to pay as the company bought a group package. If I had to pay $10 to get in I strongly suspect I would've stayed out. When we walked in, the male performer was doing a medley of what he confessed to be overdone rap songs. Ice Ice Baby, Baby Got Back and Gin 'n Juice. My hopes were artificially raised because of this but subsequent audience requests dashed those straight out and culminated in the college fight song-off that others have described. People will include a tip with their request and so the school with the largest tip got playtime. We started with the Illini, went to Notre Dame and Iowa and Texas A&M and god knows where else. It lasted about half an hour and the winning bid was $50. I didn't go to college, I didn't care about college and all I learned was there are too many people who are far too old to care about the glory days that have passed them by. But hey, that's just me. The food we ended up ordering was overpriced and way under quality . The buffalo wings smacked of too much vinegar and not enough spice, requiring a healthy bath in ranch to make edible. The drinks were over average quality, of note was the fact that I switched to regular Coke after a bit and was served in something resembling a dixie cup. I shudder to think how much they would've charged us for it had we not been on an open bar. I don't recommend Howl At The Moon. Not even a little. If I knew where I could hear the dueling pianists without the rest of the surrounding garbage then I'd be there in a flash. But as it stands, there's nothing worth howling about.

    (2)

  • Amanda Z.

    I've had great times at this place, but generally after a couple of drinks. Overpriced? Totally. But it does get fun! Who doesn't like singing and being silly?! Especially when everyone is doing it!!! The musicians are talented, I was even moreso impressed when I went there this past weekend. All in all, they cater to a specific kind of crowd, it IS expensive ($10 cover, are you KIDDING ME?!), but it is fun once in awhile!

    (3)

  • Laurel D.

    Dueling pianos and people dancing/singing their hearts out on stage = plus. Creepy old men = negative. This place has decent drink prices for a Friday night, but it takes a while to get to the bar. II tried making my way to the restroom once and only once, and I had to squeeze through large and small groups of writhing bodies. If you want your own space, do not come here on a weekend!

    (3)

  • Law S.

    Absolutely had to be dragged here, but it was a blast! Great place to go with parents, (they love it).

    (4)

  • Mike K.

    Its such a tourist trap, which is fine. Its for people who really wanna get drunk, stand in an over-crowded bar, and pay 10 bucks to see drunken ladies sing along to a silly piano-based cover band. They did play Ben Folds, which is why they get the extra star.

    (4)

  • J. N.

    There is no reason to set foot in this place, or any other dueling pianos/pianos places, unless the following is applicable to your situation: You are a tourist and didn't know any better You are hosting out of town guests who want to go You are dragged (drug??) there by a stupid Bride You are dragged (drug??) there by someone for a birthday You have never witnessed the tom foolery that is a piano bar You and your significant other have just broken up and you want to act the fool in an anonymous environment I visited Howl at the Moon last night with my roommate and two German women we are hosting. My roommate couldn't think of anything more American. (Yes, yes. Jazz! Of course - the only real, original American art form. We saw that at Mil Park first - so boyah.) Now, I didn't go into this blind. I have been to piano bars before. Elton John, Bill Joel, and every other sing-a-long-song you can imagine. Of the two others I have been to, Howl at the Moon comes in second. These two women in a bar in Las Vegas were hot MILFS and very, very talented... plus the vibe was different, no drunken birthday girls or brides in the crowd. That said, I did have an okay time at this place... An unbelievably hot bartender, an awesome KEYTAR solo, and a very talented female musician who whores her talent to Howl were its saving graces. The bartender? Talk, muscly, competent, humble, sexy, man. He was beautiful. I wanted to take him home with me. I think I even told him he was hot. The KEYTAR? Sweet Child of Mine will never be the same for me without a live KEYTAR solo. I have never actually seen one in person, let alone witness someone rocking out on one. The talented female performer? She must make a shit load of money at this place, and I can't be mad at that. She was excellent, played the violin and drums in addition to the piano. Her hands moved so fast I was duly impressed. She has a great personality and even admitted she was going to ruin Johnny Cash.... which she did. All in all, I had an okay time... Mostly spent making fun of people... But, whatever. That isn't what this is about... this is about pianos bars. Piano bars that are hokey and ridiculous. Really, I prefer my beer in peace - stop singing fat girls!

    (2)

  • Tom T.

    I went to Howl at the Moon and had a wonderful time. A very lively bar with fun for everyone. I was out in Chicago and decided to see a piano bar. Googled "piano Bar-Chicago" and headed out on the Blue Line and taxis. Had a great time. Very lively and loud. Young crowd.

    (4)

  • Marina M.

    I've had some great times the Howl in Indianapolis so I was expecting a similar experience here. Yeah, not so much. Much older crowd and odd setup. Also, the 'musicians' were a big disappointment. Not very good singers and butchered a lot of songs. Plus no personality. The guys in Indy have a great rapport with each other and the crowd which was totally lacking here.

    (2)

  • Ang R.

    You know, it's a bar. With a gimmick. It's also a chain, which is weird, and also breaking my rule of never reviewing chains. I don't know, I don't like bars. My step-brother won a party, so we went as an experiment, and I can see why people like it, and I can see why people might hate it. I personally don't care about it one way or the other, except for the fact that the minute I walked in and took a sip of my ($1) drink (which was heavy on the vodka and not so much on the OJ), a headache began pounding in my left temple. It was either the alcohol or the banging piano, and for what else would you go to a bar like this? Moral of story: don't take my word on the bar. If you'll notice, this is my first bar review ever on Yelp, and there's absolutely a reason for this. So yeah, make up your own mind on Howl at the Moon.

    (3)

  • Yiyu Z.

    Someone at my summer job had won a party to howl, so I checked it out around happy hour time. The live pianos were quite entertaining, and surprisingly talented. The sheer variety/volume of songs that these guys know and can play (and play reasonably well) off the cuff is probably the most impressive thing about HATM. The crowd skews old (read: 40s), at least on the night I went. Also, regular drink prices are somewhat expensive, though if you go with a party the specials before 10 are not quite as bad. Overall an interesting idea (and based on the reviews here it might be worth checking out later at night), but I probably would not come back.

    (2)

  • Sarah-jayne M.

    Howl at the Moon is a good destination if you are looking to have a drunken good time. The place is always packed and the clientele are of the bachorlorette variety but it is what it is. It's loud, it's cramped, the drinks are pricey. However, you can go here with a bunch of friends and sing along to all your fav tunes. I wouldn't go here on a regular basis but when I have gone I have had a good time.

    (3)

  • Melissa K.

    I'm not a singer, just a phobia I have and I love this place. The dueling piano's are so awesome and the crowd is just so into it that I sing away. It's so fun and unique. I know they have Howl at the Moon in other cities and that's great because I'm sure those are fun too. Howl at the Moon is a great place for either a girls night out, a birthday party or just to have some fun with friends. The only downside is that it's so much fun and popular, getting a seat and/or table can be difficult. But you're singing and enjoying yourself so much does it really matter?

    (4)

  • Meredith H.

    5 stars alone bc one of the piano men allowed me to play the tambourine so long and so hard i woke up with a very bruised hand the next day.... so we did the cliche "end a bachelorette party at howl at the moon" thing, so sue us. we're not typically this trashy or this willing to follow trends, but we thought it would be the perfect ending to our barcrawl. we had arranged a deal where we didn't have to pay cover or wait in line, which is really the only way to play at HATM honestly. call ahead ladies. the nearly blacked-out bride had a lovely time, there was much dancing and drinking and singing and fun had by all!!!

    (5)

  • jason m.

    Other than the cover charge at 8pm the place was great. Very fun environment and entertaining. Drinks were a little pricey though $6 for a Blue Moon beer. It was already pretty packed at 8pm which added to the entertainment. They play whatever songs you request which is cool. Also it has a huge variety of ages from 21 to someone who looked old enough to be my grandparents. All in all I would recommend for you to check it out.

    (4)

  • Rahul S.

    Went here last night. Let's just say it's the WHITEST BAR ever. The ground tends to be white chicks aged 27 celebrating a bachelorette party or chicks just celebrating a birthday. The only minorities there were me, 4 filipinos, and the staff. However, regardless of race, this place is fun. So there musicians who play on the piano (famous songs). These songs are usually from the 80's and some present songs. I loved their rendition of OMG by Usher. That was fanatastic. I'd just go here again to listen to their music. I did see a few ladies by themselves, but I didn't feel like talking to them. One was standing by herself, and we awkwardly kept on looking at each other. I didn't feel like talking since she seemed a few years older. I think she wanted me to go and talk to her. IDK. Well, if you're into white chicks and are musically inclined, COME HERE. I'd still go here even though it's not so diverse.

    (4)

  • Katie W.

    SO MUCH FREAKING FUN!! I came here for my bday last year with a group of friends and I know we all had the most fun, hilarious night. Definitely not the type of place I would go for just any old night out, but if you have friends in town and want to do something different or if it's for a special occasion, I really don't think you can go wrong. A lot of people mentioned the tourist factor, and I'm sure there are a lot of tourists, but are you really paying attention to that anyways? I know I wasn't, but maybe that had something to do with the constant flow of shooters people were sending my way. The crowd is lively and out to have a really good time. We ended up talking and hanging out with pretty much everyone around us. I definitely recommend getting one of the buckets (yes, buckets) of drinks to share with friends. Before you know it, guys and gals alike will be singing along with wild abandon to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".

    (5)

  • D J.

    fun and they have a full band with 2 pianos. check in on foursquare and you don't have to pay a cover.

    (4)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Late Night
    Parking : Valet, Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Very Loud
    Music : Live
    Good For Dancing : Yes
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : Yes
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Howl At The Moon

Share with your social network

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

© 2024 Restaurant Listings. All rights reserved.