Restaurant Review: Sampling ‘Le Jazz Hot’ and so much more at River North’s Andy’s Jazz Club & Restaurant

“One Of Chicago’s Best-Known & Most Respected Full Dining Jazz Venues, Creating Truly Unique Cultural Experiences…”

Andy’s Jazz Club website 

A jazz club that coincidentally, serves gastro pub fare is the 75-year-old mission of River North’s Andy’s Jazz Club, founded as ‘Andy’s 11 E. Lounge’ in 1951 by Andy Rizzuto. 

While Andy’s 11 E. Lounge was a smoke-filled bar serving shots, beer and pub grub to pressmen from the newspaper industry, the venue changed course in the mid 1970’s,  New owner Scott Chisholm and his investment group envisioned more than a smoke-filled bar and middling pub grub. They envisioned an elegant environment where Chicago’s peerless jazz community could introduce a new generation to exciting nightlife and quality dining. The Chisolms are celebrating 50 years in business in 2025. 

Andy’s currently presents four 75-minute shows nightly with start times of 6pm, 8:15pm, 10:30pm.  The musical lineup features the top Chicago jazz artists, providing a truly unique Chicago cultural experience, nurtured by Chisholm and continued on today by his sons Chris, Jeff, and Brandon.

The Food 

What separates Andy’s Jazz Club from many other venues is the quality of their food. Start with appetizers like Tenderloin Sliders, two hand-cut medallions, and creamy horseradish on brioche buns. Or, their creatively named Cigar Rolls, a nodto their past, which pairs pepper jack cheese, rolled wheat flour tacos, and jalapeno crème. Can we say smokin! 

Other starters include Buffalo Shrimp, a hot mix of fried shrimp, frank’s redhot sauce, crumbled blue cheese, and ranch dressing, and Seared Brussel Sprouts, seasoned with virgin olive oil, rosemary, thyme, paprika, and garlic.

Entrees include a 12-ounce, hand-cut NY Strip Steak of angus beef, served with sautéed carrots and baby potatoes. Surf & Turf  includes a six-ounce angus beef filet mignon, served with a bacon-wrapped, jalapeno cream cheese stuffed jumbo prawn, with bourbon sauce and mashed potato. Baked Alaskan Sole is a quinoa-breaded baked filet, topped with chopped mango salsa, and served with lemon thyme kale salad or garlic sauteed kale side. Homemade Ravioli  is stuffed with your choice of lobster or portobello mushroom with red marinara, creamy vodka or lemon butter sauce.

And as we say, as warranted, make room for dessert! Warm Apple Pie is an individual baked whole apple pie (wow!) Chocolate Lava Cake ups the ante on chocolate goodness…fudgy  chocolate cake with a gooey liquid chocolate core. Caramel Apple Bread Pudding raises bread pudding to a new level.

Google reviewers speak highly of Andy’s Jazz Club & Restaurant. 

“This is a great place to go while visiting, or a great place to take visitors if you’re a local,” said one reviewer. “You have to make a reservation, and I believe there is a $10-$15 entry fee per person. You are seated and order before the show starts. The food is pretty great, drinks are good too. The live jazz is amazing. We’ve been during the summer, and during the holidays where they did a Charlie Brown Christmas theme. We really should go more often.”

“Loved it,” said another. “Great band. Good jazz. Good food. Good service. Make a reservation on line before you go please. We saw people that couldn’t get in because they didn’t know. Place was booked completely.”

Andy’s is located at 11 E. Hubbard Street. Open seven days a week, their hours are Wednesday -Sunday, 5:30pm-12am, with the kitchen open from 5:30pm-11:15pm. Live shows begin  at 6pm and continue at 8:15pm and 10:30pm. NOTE: On Monday and Tuesday,  Andy’s closes at 10pm. Reservations are required, and can be made by clicking here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago