Empty Bottle

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Empty Bottle Music, Friendly, Dancing
7 nights/week
(4781)

n 1992 the Empty Bottle started out as a cat-ridden hole-in-the-wall bar in Ukrainian Village (just south of Wicker Park) where you could get any one of nine beers for a buck-fifty or less, play pool for 50 cents, and find everything from Monster Magnet to Bill Monroe on the jukebox. On Halloween of 1993, we moved two blocks up the street and threw open the doors to our new, sound-equipped, slightly larger hole with three nights of great shows, culminating with a SCRAWL performance that could have been a scene out of “Carrie.”

We’ve done a bunch of shows since then; in fact, we’ve been anything but empty these last 20 or so years, thanks to the same low prices, lack of attitude, and dedicated regulars that made the original bar such a success.

10/02/2026

Iron Lung is here in one week – Friday, October 9th with special guests Yambag, Consensus Madness and Flowering. Hell yes.

The two-piece powerviolence purveyors send their massive, pummeling cacophony straight through our fu***ng brains on a beautiful, breezy fall evening, leaving us transfixed in attempting to pick up the pieces. Modern day legends, really. Glory be. They’ll be joined by a gaggle of incredible bands. Bruh. Grab a ticket. See you in the pit.

09/17/2026

Thank you for joining us at Plantasia!
See ya next year – September 24th & 25th, 2027 at Garfield Park Conservatory

A huge thank you to all of the incredible artists, our industrious staff & our partners , , , , , & .

Video by Derrick Alexander

09/11/2026

We are so very excited to welcome Carla dal Forno to Empty Bottle this coming Tuesday, September 14th with special guests Zelienople and Erik Kramer.

The Australian singer & multi-instrumentalist makes hauntingly downcast earworms, pulling from a well of post-punk, dub and ambient pop. We here at Empty Bottle HQ co-sign her new record ‘Confession’ hard as hell. It’s straight-up so good. Elastic basslines, melodic arrangements with an emotional directness– an audible stillness. A fusion of everything we love & hold dear. Ah, yes.

For fans of Anna Domino, Dagmar Zuniga and Vanishing Twin.

Get hip to it. Grab a ticket. And c’mon now.

09/03/2026

We are one week away from Plantasia.

Thursday, September 10th & Friday, September 11th. 5pm-10pm. Garfield Park Conservatory. Brought to you by Empty Bottle Presents, Sacred Bones & Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance.

Thank you

Single Day & Two Day Passes available at plantasia-chicago.com.

08/20/2026

Tuesday, August 25th we welcome Deb Never to the Empty Bottle with special guest Juliet Ivy.

An intimate, cinematic amalgamation of alternative rock, electronic & melodic R&B music from Spokane, Washington— stripped-back, refined. Deb Never is an extremely talented & experimental songwriter, as well as collaborator with artists such as BROCKHAMPTON, Dominic Fike and slowthai. We’re psyched to see it live & in-person. C’mon.

Let us welcome Deb to Chicago and revel in a wonderful evening. Tix on sale now. Go to them.

WEDDING BELLS - 10.3.26. 💒🛎️💞We are getting married and want to celebrate with all of you after our nuptials at the one ...
08/19/2026

WEDDING BELLS - 10.3.26. 💒🛎️💞

We are getting married and want to celebrate with all of you after our nuptials at the one & only Empty Bottle with this star-studded lineup of hosts and the craziest lineup of DJs on this side of the Mississippi!!

Hosted by THE COUPLE - MISS TOTO CLERMONT GAYNZ DION ♡ & Kamela_anderson
ft: Kareka Mamadou Alex Jenny Abhijeet OTTO BAMBI GAY RIGHTS PECK Virginia SlimJim Jassy VISQUEEN STRAPPED Irregular Girl 🦋 Siichele

DJ sets by THE COUPLE - MISS TOTO CLERMONT GAYNZ DION ♡ b2b Kamela_anderson
rika
Ameer Roberts
Maddy Mokes
SUPERSLUT - Stasney b2b koren :-)
BIPANIC - sarah b2b Valeria Fride
Tsarahly CeValeria Fride mary k
FlCenk Atacan Evenmary kCIA Miami b2b trEvents at CIA Miami SALEtrsaEE YOU AT THE ALTAR 💒

08/15/2026

What’s Peg’s favorite karaoke song?

08/14/2026

Consensus Madness. Great band. Fantastic, even. They’re celebrating a new record titled ‘Endeavors’ tomorrow - Saturday, August 15th at the Empty Bottle with special guests The Hell, Bungee Jumpers and Navaja. F**k yes.

‘Endeavors’ is a love letter to proto-punk, first wave and hardcore as a whole. Consensus Madness hits with a playful ferocity, a raucous pogo, a feel-good wholehearted enthusiasm for the spirit & essence of punk rock music. They are OGs. Champions of independent art. Real ones. We are very stoked to have them back. Tix online or at the door.

See you in the damn pit.

🎥 Derrick Alexander 🐐

08/13/2026

The World’s Largest World’s Largest Karaoke Sticker has found a home at the one & only Wiener’s Circle. Go pay your respects. A big thank you to jeremyfield1 for your suggestion, The Wiener’s Circle for the hot dogs & yelling at us and Busy Beaver for the big ass sticker & generally being the best in the biz.

The World’s Largest Karaoke takes place at the Salt Shed this Saturday, August 15th from 4pm-10pm. Free! Sign up to sing when you arrive. Let’s party. C’mon.

RSVP at the link in bio.

07/31/2026

We’ve once again hit the damn streets– this time at Wicker Park Fest, chattin’ with folks about all things karaoke with our expert in the field, World’s Largest Karaoke correspondent Brian DeHeer. Da goat. What’s your fav go-to karaoke song? Is it “Dingleberry”? We hope not.

August 15th. 4pm-10pm. Salt Shed. You just have to show up and sign up like you would at Alice’s, or Cafe Mustache, or any establishment as such, the only exception is that there will be thousands of people there. RSVP at the link in our bio.

Address

1035 N Western Avenue
Chicago, IL
60622

Opening Hours

Monday 5pm - 2am
Tuesday 5pm - 2am
Wednesday 5pm - 2am
Thursday 5pm - 2am
Friday 5pm - 2am
Saturday 5pm - 2am
Sunday 5pm - 2am

Telephone

+17732763600

Website

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