My friend and I were denied entry at The Bassment around 1am when we stopped by to catch the final hour of live music we’d seen listed on Google. There was no line, so we figured it was a good time to check it out. Instead, we were met by two dismissive bouncers (a middle-aged Black man and an older white man) who claimed we weren’t dressed appropriately—but couldn’t actually articulate what the issue was.
It was an 80° summer night, and we were dressed in weather-appropriate, clean, casual attire: linen shorts, plain shirts, and nice shoes (OnClouds and boat shoes—nothing sloppy or out of place). We had no problems entering multiple downtown spots earlier that evening and were treated respectfully everywhere else.
What made this worse was seeing others leaving the venue dressed far more casually. It felt discriminatory, inconsistent, and frankly, unprofessional. We’re both working professionals who carried ourselves accordingly and expected the same level of respect.
Plenty of great venues in Chicago know how to treat patrons right. The Bassment clearly isn’t one of them. Do better.
Alonzo Jones
The best time I’ve ever had at a club was hands down at The Bassment. From the moment we arrived, the energy was electric. The live music was incredible—every song the band played had the crowd on their feet, singing and dancing all night. It felt more like an exclusive concert than just another night out.
What truly made the night unforgettable was the VIP treatment, thanks to manger Effy! The host was extremely attentive to every detail—checking in regularly, making sure drinks were flowing, and that we had everything we needed. There was no stress, no waiting around—just smooth, high-end service the entire night.
The Bassment created the perfect mix of luxury and live entertainment. It was one of those rare nights where everything aligned—the music, the vibe, the service. Easily the best nightlife experiences my partner and I ever had.
Deverin Ellison
It's a great time
CRUZ NUNGARAY
Great place to meet people and enjoy live music
Kasra Alizadeh
The Bassment is great, the combination of perfect vibes and drinks. Shoutout Lex for being so welcoming.
Nicole Reed
I truly enjoyed this Hidden Gem in Chicago. From the cool British decor...I was in love with the red phone booth...To the cool vibes seating. The band had the best mix of music, with great accompaniment in vocals. The service was prompt and friendly. My expresso martini hit the spot. 5 stars all around, and I will definitely be coming back. Also, great to have strong security that cared about safety and making this a dope spot to frequent.
Valnesa Arifi
I’m writing to express my deep disappointment regarding an experience I had at your establishment last night. I’ve been a loyal patron for the past three years and have always enjoyed my time—until this recent visit. Upon arrival, I presented my valid, government-issued I.D., which was rejected by your bouncer without any proper inspection or verification. He immediately claimed it was fake and, rather than handling the situation professionally, was dismissive and rude, demanding that I leave the premises.I understand the importance of upholding policies around age verification, but this treatment was unwarranted and disrespectful. I expect that your staff, especially those at the front line, are trained to handle such situations with courtesy and due diligence. I hope management and ownership take this issue seriously. Experiences like this are disheartening and damage the trust and respect loyal customers have in your establishment. I would appreciate a response and clarification on how incidents like this are handled moving forward.
Michael A
Them Fiorentino boys did it again! Great lounge, live music, fun drinks. My friends had a great time here for
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Moka Designplus
Live music, the decor, the service, and the drinks are amazing! This place never failed us
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Mo Diallo
One of Chicago best nightlife social gathering spot! Top top top GM and his crew are amazing! Thank you for hosting us
We came to this bar on 11/22 at 8 PM as the first group of customers, and the security refused to let me in for the most absurd reason. He claimed my pants didn’t meet the dress code because they were “sweatpants.” In reality, I was wearing Favorite Daughter trousers—business wear that I regularly use in professional settings. When I tried to explain this, he completely ignored me, displayed an arrogant attitude, and dismissed my explanation outright.
It felt like he saw our Asian faces and decided we were easy targets for this kind of treatment. This behavior was not only rude but downright racist. I would never return to a place with such disrespectful and unprofessional staff. Avoid this bar at all costs.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Maeve OMalley
Worst establishment ever!!! The woman in the women’s bathroom was EXTREMELY rude. She was aggressive and spoke so poorly to all of the customers. DO NOT GO!!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Melanie Hansen
Elvin, Elvin, Elvin! He is the absolute best host. If you want a fun night out at any age look no further. I love this place. I have been to the Bassment multiple times, and each time I feel very cared for and like a VIP! I recently went for a friend's birthday. There were 8 ladies and we walked in and were able to order drinks right away. Elvin made sure we took a photo in the phone booth and were taken care of. Live music and dancing I mean come on!!! The band even sang happy birthday! The band was so lively and we loved the rapper so much. I had a wonderful experience and will definitely go back! Thank you Elvin!
Service: 5
Kathy Fern
Fun place with specialty cocktails and live music. Chill vibe, great place for a first date!
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 4
Brett N
This place is fantastic! Brought my wife here to celebrate her 40th birthday. What a great vibe!!! Samantha was amazing and super attentive…never had to wait for a drink. As for the house band… absolutely off the chain!!!! We danced for hours! Definitely my new go to downtoen!
My friend and I were denied entry at The Bassment around 1am when we stopped by to catch the final hour of live music we’d seen listed on Google. There was no line, so we figured it was a good time to check it out. Instead, we were met by two dismissive bouncers (a middle-aged Black man and an older white man) who claimed we weren’t dressed appropriately—but couldn’t actually articulate what the issue was.
It was an 80° summer night, and we were dressed in weather-appropriate, clean, casual attire: linen shorts, plain shirts, and nice shoes (OnClouds and boat shoes—nothing sloppy or out of place). We had no problems entering multiple downtown spots earlier that evening and were treated respectfully everywhere else.
What made this worse was seeing others leaving the venue dressed far more casually. It felt discriminatory, inconsistent, and frankly, unprofessional. We’re both working professionals who carried ourselves accordingly and expected the same level of respect.
Plenty of great venues in Chicago know how to treat patrons right. The Bassment clearly isn’t one of them. Do better.
The best time I’ve ever had at a club was hands down at The Bassment. From the moment we arrived, the energy was electric. The live music was incredible—every song the band played had the crowd on their feet, singing and dancing all night. It felt more like an exclusive concert than just another night out.
What truly made the night unforgettable was the VIP treatment, thanks to manger Effy! The host was extremely attentive to every detail—checking in regularly, making sure drinks were flowing, and that we had everything we needed. There was no stress, no waiting around—just smooth, high-end service the entire night.
The Bassment created the perfect mix of luxury and live entertainment. It was one of those rare nights where everything aligned—the music, the vibe, the service. Easily the best nightlife experiences my partner and I ever had.
It's a great time
Great place to meet people and enjoy live music
The Bassment is great, the combination of perfect vibes and drinks. Shoutout Lex for being so welcoming.
I truly enjoyed this Hidden Gem in Chicago. From the cool British decor...I was in love with the red phone booth...To the cool vibes seating. The band had the best mix of music, with great accompaniment in vocals. The service was prompt and friendly. My expresso martini hit the spot. 5 stars all around, and I will definitely be coming back. Also, great to have strong security that cared about safety and making this a dope spot to frequent.
I’m writing to express my deep disappointment regarding an experience I had at your establishment last night. I’ve been a loyal patron for the past three years and have always enjoyed my time—until this recent visit. Upon arrival, I presented my valid, government-issued I.D., which was rejected by your bouncer without any proper inspection or verification. He immediately claimed it was fake and, rather than handling the situation professionally, was dismissive and rude, demanding that I leave the premises.I understand the importance of upholding policies around age verification, but this treatment was unwarranted and disrespectful. I expect that your staff, especially those at the front line, are trained to handle such situations with courtesy and due diligence. I hope management and ownership take this issue seriously. Experiences like this are disheartening and damage the trust and respect loyal customers have in your establishment. I would appreciate a response and clarification on how incidents like this are handled moving forward.
Them Fiorentino boys did it again! Great lounge, live music, fun drinks. My friends had a great time here for
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Live music, the decor, the service, and the drinks are amazing! This place never failed us
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
One of Chicago best nightlife social gathering spot! Top top top GM and his crew are amazing! Thank you for hosting us
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Racist Security and Ridiculous Entry Policy
We came to this bar on 11/22 at 8 PM as the first group of customers, and the security refused to let me in for the most absurd reason. He claimed my pants didn’t meet the dress code because they were “sweatpants.” In reality, I was wearing Favorite Daughter trousers—business wear that I regularly use in professional settings. When I tried to explain this, he completely ignored me, displayed an arrogant attitude, and dismissed my explanation outright.
It felt like he saw our Asian faces and decided we were easy targets for this kind of treatment. This behavior was not only rude but downright racist. I would never return to a place with such disrespectful and unprofessional staff. Avoid this bar at all costs.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Worst establishment ever!!! The woman in the women’s bathroom was EXTREMELY rude. She was aggressive and spoke so poorly to all of the customers. DO NOT GO!!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Elvin, Elvin, Elvin! He is the absolute best host. If you want a fun night out at any age look no further.
I love this place. I have been to the Bassment multiple times, and each time I feel very cared for and like a VIP!
I recently went for a friend's birthday. There were 8 ladies and we walked in and were able to order drinks right away. Elvin made sure we took a photo in the phone booth and were taken care of. Live music and dancing I mean come on!!!
The band even sang happy birthday! The band was so lively and we loved the rapper so much. I had a wonderful experience and will definitely go back! Thank you Elvin!
Service: 5
Fun place with specialty cocktails and live music. Chill vibe, great place for a first date!
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 4
This place is fantastic! Brought my wife here to celebrate her 40th birthday. What a great vibe!!! Samantha was amazing and super attentive…never had to wait for a drink. As for the house band… absolutely off the chain!!!! We danced for hours! Definitely my new go to downtoen!
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