The 7 Best Jukeboxes In Chicago
By Lisa White in Best Of on Jun 17, 2015 9:00PM
Although the jukebox is a dying breed in this digital age, there are still some quality spots around town where a fistful of quarters will help you sonically chase the blues away. And sure, there is a case to be made for the new model— a smorgasbord of tunes, payment by card, even ways to select songs using an app on your phone— and we discuss that some below, but most of us still find something so satisfying about flipping through a song list while sipping on your beer.
Below we share some of our favorite jukeboxes still standing, and also make a case for not being too bothered by the technological shift in our barroom soundtrack. Pick a favorite spot, grab some change and get ready to press play.
Simon’s Tavern
Simon's Tavern in Andersonville has been a Clark Street staple for many years. Its charm lies in a faded mural, a fireplace and its easygoing atmosphere, making it both a relaxing and fun place to throw a few back. The bonus to all of this? A truly great jukebox filled with CDs of punk, indie, classic rock and country standbys. Patrons continuously spin an eclectic mix of music on any given night, demonstrating again and again the power of a well-curated jukebox, an art that is sadly becoming endangered thanks to digital replacements like TouchTunes. There is something uniquely special in pushing those big buttons to browse the discs inside, though. And then there's that moment when you hit that alphanumeric code to unleash anything from Sonic Youth, The Cramps, Johnny Cash or David Bowie. — Carrie McGath
Simon’s is located at 5210 N. Clark St.
L & L Tavern
The jukebox at L&L has a certain charm buried underneath all the grime, much like the divey bar itself. The sound isn’t all that great and if you play something shitty the bartender will boot your tune, but hey, look around you. Would you expect anything less at the L&L? The jukebox contains a nice mix of rock and punk with a few twists thrown in the mix. You won’t find any top 40 or pop princesses here. Locals like Naked Raygun and The Lawrence Arms are standards in these confines as well as punk rock staples like Jawbreaker and The Buzzcocks. And it wouldn’t be a perfect place to down cheap whiskey if Tom Waits wasn’t readily available on the jukebox. The crowd can get a little strange and the decor is certainly no frills at this cash only spot, but it’s a perfect little slice of cheap punk rock heaven in an area that is more brotastic than punkin donuts these days. — Lisa White
L&L Tavern is located at 3207 N. Clark St.
Gold Star Bar
Tuman’s used to have our favorite jukebox that could immediately induce audio whiplash through its insane breadth of genres, but ever since its remodel years ago Gold Star Bar easily assumed that title. Want to go from metal to country to punk rock without a single eye batting at the bar? This is the room for you. So pull up a lawn chair, scoot out of the way of the folks playing pool, sit back and take in one of the city’s most unique jukeboxes. — Jim Kopeny/Tankboy
Gold Star Bar is located at 1755 W. Division St.
Bernice’s Tavern
Bernice’s is a gem of a dive in Bridgeport. Not only can you grab cheap beers, strike up conversation with friendly bartenders and catch a Sox game, but you can also flip through a real jukebox and play DJ for the night. With so many bars making the switch to digital jukeboxes, it’s refreshing to go through actual albums and be able to play some deep cuts and B-sides. The vibe here is always relaxed, so don’t be afraid to get random with the song selections. Just be sure to bring a few extra dollars, your love of classic rock and your dart throwing skills, because it’s going to be a long, fun night on the South Side. — Gina Provenzano
Bernice’s Tavern is located at 3238 S. Halsted St.
The Corner Bar
How many jukeboxes have INXS, Huey Lewis and the News, David Bowie, Green Day, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Who on them, alongside local selections from bands like Bible Of The Devil and Local H (sourced from regular patrons)? The jukebox fits the vibe of the bar perfectly and offers up unpretentious picks that always feel comfortable and set to spark a party goin’ on. Often it’s the esoteric selections that help one jukebox stand out over another, but this is one instance where audio comfort food is just what this room needs. And judging by the amount of money we see folks feed into it nightly, a lot of people are hungry for its offerings. — Jim Kopeny / Tankboy
The Corner Bar is located at 2224 N. Leavitt St.
Burke’s Web Pub
This selection really has more to do with the powers that be at Burke’s Web Pub deciding to install the TouchTunes digital jukebox in their establishment. Feel free to substitute the name of your favorite bar with a TouchTunes system here, but Burke’s Web Pub is a convenient spot for me, personally. The digital jukebox is quickly replacing the old curated ones and it may cost a little bit more, but I find the freedom of being able to access just about any song I can think of and play it is a liberating experience. Although I appreciate tavern owners taking the time to carefully select the music for their particular jukebox, it can be a drag to hold your nose and pick something that doesn’t stink. The digital jukebox allows you to search deep into its musical catalogue and pull out just about any song you can imagine. It’s brilliant and puts the patrons in control. Sure, some clown might play The Velvet Underground’s “Sister Ray” and you have to put up with it, but you can make sure they get their comeuppance. You can make fast friends or quick enemies with the digital jukebox, so be careful. Like Spiderman says, “with great power comes great responsibility.” Please, use it wisely. — Casey Moffitt
Burke’s Web Pub is located at 2026 W. Webster Ave.
The Owl
The Owl is a 4 a.m. bar that is a hipster haven, channeling a ‘70s rec room feel for those wanting to down craft cans of beer while on the prowl for bearded dudes in plaid and ladies that likely describe themselves as quirky. It’s especially packed on the weekends with young 20-somethings dancing the night away before last call, usually to live music or a DJ. But on a weeknight it’s a perfect oasis of cheap specials and a jukebox full of some of my personal favorite tunes. It’s like someone took my iTunes library and piped it on through. Oh look, my favorite album by The Kills, then some LCD Soundsystem, a little Etta James, ZZ Top, Talking Heads, Beastie Boys and many more excellent artist. Is this what hipsters listen to? Am I technically a hipster? Probably, depends who you ask. Honestly, who cares? As long as their weeknight specials keep flowing and the jukebox stays true, you can call me whatever if I’ve got a good brew and a handful of quarter by my side. — Lisa White
The Owl is located at 2521 N. Milwaukee Ave.