The theatre is located in the downtown and is surrounded by few small restaurants/bars. I've experienced this theater multiple times, and it truly stands out as a fantastic renovated venue, seamlessly blending vintage Art Deco style with a vibrant music atmosphere. The acoustics in the theatre are good. The hidden speakeasy-themed bar on the second floor adds a charming touch to the overall experience.
Howard L.
The stars aligned and I was finally able to visit this renovated theatre not far from my home. It was quite nice to see a Beatles cover band/orchestra (I think called the Pepperland Orchestra) in addition to an opening act band called The Niche which played popular 60's and 70's hits by bands like The Byrds, The Monkees, The Animals, and The WHO. Any Beatles cover band has a zillion songs to choose from, and besides the rendering of many favorites, it was entertaining this time to see a 12 person orchestra, with focus on horns and strings, perform them. It was also nice to finally see what the renovated theatre looked like first hand. The theatre is comfortable and clean, and modestly ornate. There's also not a bad seat in the house and even the cheapest tickets (for this show at $22.50 after a $3.50 processing fee) are plenty good I found. I learned that it's the same cost whether you purchase in person at their old fashioned box office or online. Tonight that $22.50 pp got us a 3 hour concert (with 2 intermissions). The capacity is stated to be 700 on the main floor (where we sat in row J) and 200 in the balcony. The seats are pretty comfortable and there is good leg room. There is also plenty of free parking mainly via the garage behind the theatre.The bar side (called Big Al's Tavern) and the pizza place (called Des Pizza) were pretty vibrant and busy when we arrived 30 minutes before the show. It was nice to see them in full swing as I recall it took a while for them to get going in the early days. I also took a look at the balcony level and discovered their secret, cozy, colorful, and period-stylish Bourbon 'N Brass Speakeasy room. Actually an upstairs usher proudly showed me this room which is hidden behind a door when she realized I was just looking around as a first time visitor. Any attendee can enjoy a drink or hang out in this room before a show and it's also available for rent for special events. The Speakeasy room is definitely worth a visit upstairs. From looking at the balcony which is priced the same as the cheapest main floor tickets, I would always opt for the main floor myself and which is perfectly fine. Though spacious, the balcony is a bit spartan and also relatively far from the stage.The biggest negative I found was that the sound quality was not great. The songs and music just sounded loud, not high fidelity, and as if from low quality speakers. But it was tolerable and I think it was acceptable considering the modest show pricing. In other words, I would say the entertainment value is still good here, and maybe you just get what you pay for so to speak. Overall, I'll go with 4.49 stars rounded down to 4. I can't complain too much about $23 pp for a 3 hour entertaining concert in a nicely renovated theatre close to home. I'll surely be back.
Jay K.
Went here to see Mark Farner of the long disbanded Grand Funk Railroad. Great theater and looked to have been recently restored. Small bar in the lobby serving beer, wine and cocktails.Parking in the train station across the street. Very pleasant experience and would go back.
Carl S.
Amazing reproduction of the original theater. It looks beautiful inside and the acoustics are really nice.
Louie N.
I stopped by here on 11/3/2023 to see Mr. Tito Puente, Jr. The security guys were nice. Bathroom was clean. The restaurant area was nice though I didn't try anything. The theater was good, seats were ok. Good acoustics.
Jennifer B.
I had the most incredible time at the Des Plaines Theater last night! Watching The Guess Who with my closest friends and family turned out to be an absolute blast. The intimate size of the theater created an inviting atmosphere, making the experience all the more enjoyable.The balcony seats were a game-changer - ample leg room made it easy to get lost in the music without any discomfort. And can we talk about the lineup of shows they have in store for the rest of the year? It's a treasure trove for entertainment enthusiasts!One of the standout features for me was the free parking available in the garage. A convenient touch that really made the evening hassle-free. The decor is a delightful trip down memory lane, with a vintage cash register on the second floor that adds a unique charm.But here's the real hidden gem: a secret speakeasy tucked away in the corner of the second floor. We gave the usher a special "password" and a bookshelf slid open, revealing a sophisticated hideaway. It felt like stepping back in time.I can't recommend Des Plaines Theater enough! Check out their lineup, grab your tickets, and treat yourself and your loved ones to an unforgettable night out. This place is a true gem in every sense.
Geanr L.
Beautiful auditorium at this junior college Beluschi donated. Great jazz band playing their takes on 100 years Disney tunes and
Phyllis Felts
Des Pizza. What kind of d*** name is that! Oh boy! New pizza place coming to Des Plaines, but it's never open! How are we supposed to know what the pizza tastes like when it's never open?
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Sara M Franklin
Thus place is awful and ripes people off.. I paid to see a real respected cover band and instead I got a low rated local singer instead. I was told that they would be rescheduling the orginal show and that they would be contact me to let me know when the reschedule would be and that was over 2 months ago. I have now e-mailed them twice and have gotten no response. So I it boils down to paid over 60 to see someone that I wouldn't have paid 20 dollars to see. So dishonest. So Disappointed is to say the least
Geo P.
This is a great local place to see many major Concerts in the NW Burbs. No one really wants to drive down to the Loop in Chicago..Its not a good idea. This venue works much better..Thanks to Ron Onesti and the village of Des Plaines!!!
No a bad seat on the main floor.Seats are comfortable enough.Balcony seats are ok, your feel a bit away from the atmosphere. The unfinished plywood flooring on the balcony seating area looks, well, like Des Plaines, a bit rough around the edges.Had a hard time hearing the words of the singers, acoustics good for instruments, not for the human voice, so this should be improved.Good security.Friendly ushers.Food ok.No coat check.Free parking.Best to bring in higher level of talent, people can afford to pay higher prices for better talent.
Annette B.
Lovely theater that has been nicely restored!
Louis P.
Everything about this theater is great except for the sound. I just attended my second rock show there and the sound quality was frustrating at both. Possibly the fault of the house system? It's too bad because literally everything else about it is really nice.
Julie R.
Ger A.Barrington, IL 133 friends 569 reviews 469 photos4.0 star rating12/13/2021We had never been to the Des Plaines Theatre before but are long time fans of the St. Charles Arcada. They've done a really nice job rehabbing the Des Plaines Theater & wish they would do the same thing with The Arcada. New seats, looks very nice Everywhere. Des Plaines did a much nicer job rehabbing this theater than St. Charles has done with the Arcada, and remember Ron Onesti is a promotor, he doesn't own these facilities.This theater is larger than the Arcada by by maybe 20-30%, wider stairways and has several bars & the now standard Onesti Speakeasy. The balcony is great but only 3 rows. Bathrooms are minimal as typical in the old days, lines for the bar long also standard. The three rows in balcony were less than 1/2 full with the middle row largely empty so nice spacing. Main Floor was 3/4 full not bad for a Sunday night.I thought the sound was ok, and sightlines were great although we went for the Trans Infinity Orchestra that was just awful. Unintelligible narration during Stunningly loud heavy metal renditions of Xmas songs that takes you half the song to catch the melody, like Silent Night. All with End of the World flashing lights in your eyes and a little non smoke smoke. We always bring sunglasses & earplugs for this type of "music" and were good. Special note this show cost $10 more than the same show in St. Charles.About 1/2 way through the first half, Ron Onesti came up and down the 3 balcony rows & asked if anyone wanted to be reseated because of the lights? Nobody took him up on it that I saw. Nice Touch, Ron Onesti is still a really nice guy. We thought it had ended at what turned out to be a short intermission, and bailed. Mission Accomplished. Nice facility.Give the Des Plaines Theater a try. Like the St. Charles Arcada, a lot of free easy walkable street parking although I will say a lot of that is marked 90 minutes so watch out, but we weren't too concerned on a Sunday night. There are also several garages nearby. I'm not as familiar with the eating scene in Des Plaines as I am in St. Charles which is great, but gonna explore. This is a great facility to see someone that you really WANT to see. We were largely checking out the rehab. Great Job.
Kathy S.
It's nice to have a place that size to see a concert once in awhile.Thank you Ron Onesti! I love the seats that they have becausethey are little roomy. Thanks for all that all of you do for us.Kathy and Chris from Skokie, IL
The theatre is located in the downtown and is surrounded by few small restaurants/bars. I've experienced this theater multiple times, and it truly stands out as a fantastic renovated venue, seamlessly blending vintage Art Deco style with a vibrant music atmosphere. The acoustics in the theatre are good. The hidden speakeasy-themed bar on the second floor adds a charming touch to the overall experience.
The stars aligned and I was finally able to visit this renovated theatre not far from my home. It was quite nice to see a Beatles cover band/orchestra (I think called the Pepperland Orchestra) in addition to an opening act band called The Niche which played popular 60's and 70's hits by bands like The Byrds, The Monkees, The Animals, and The WHO. Any Beatles cover band has a zillion songs to choose from, and besides the rendering of many favorites, it was entertaining this time to see a 12 person orchestra, with focus on horns and strings, perform them. It was also nice to finally see what the renovated theatre looked like first hand. The theatre is comfortable and clean, and modestly ornate. There's also not a bad seat in the house and even the cheapest tickets (for this show at $22.50 after a $3.50 processing fee) are plenty good I found. I learned that it's the same cost whether you purchase in person at their old fashioned box office or online. Tonight that $22.50 pp got us a 3 hour concert (with 2 intermissions). The capacity is stated to be 700 on the main floor (where we sat in row J) and 200 in the balcony. The seats are pretty comfortable and there is good leg room. There is also plenty of free parking mainly via the garage behind the theatre.The bar side (called Big Al's Tavern) and the pizza place (called Des Pizza) were pretty vibrant and busy when we arrived 30 minutes before the show. It was nice to see them in full swing as I recall it took a while for them to get going in the early days. I also took a look at the balcony level and discovered their secret, cozy, colorful, and period-stylish Bourbon 'N Brass Speakeasy room. Actually an upstairs usher proudly showed me this room which is hidden behind a door when she realized I was just looking around as a first time visitor. Any attendee can enjoy a drink or hang out in this room before a show and it's also available for rent for special events. The Speakeasy room is definitely worth a visit upstairs. From looking at the balcony which is priced the same as the cheapest main floor tickets, I would always opt for the main floor myself and which is perfectly fine. Though spacious, the balcony is a bit spartan and also relatively far from the stage.The biggest negative I found was that the sound quality was not great. The songs and music just sounded loud, not high fidelity, and as if from low quality speakers. But it was tolerable and I think it was acceptable considering the modest show pricing. In other words, I would say the entertainment value is still good here, and maybe you just get what you pay for so to speak. Overall, I'll go with 4.49 stars rounded down to 4. I can't complain too much about $23 pp for a 3 hour entertaining concert in a nicely renovated theatre close to home. I'll surely be back.
Went here to see Mark Farner of the long disbanded Grand Funk Railroad. Great theater and looked to have been recently restored. Small bar in the lobby serving beer, wine and cocktails.Parking in the train station across the street. Very pleasant experience and would go back.
Amazing reproduction of the original theater. It looks beautiful inside and the acoustics are really nice.
I stopped by here on 11/3/2023 to see Mr. Tito Puente, Jr. The security guys were nice. Bathroom was clean. The restaurant area was nice though I didn't try anything. The theater was good, seats were ok. Good acoustics.
I had the most incredible time at the Des Plaines Theater last night! Watching The Guess Who with my closest friends and family turned out to be an absolute blast. The intimate size of the theater created an inviting atmosphere, making the experience all the more enjoyable.The balcony seats were a game-changer - ample leg room made it easy to get lost in the music without any discomfort. And can we talk about the lineup of shows they have in store for the rest of the year? It's a treasure trove for entertainment enthusiasts!One of the standout features for me was the free parking available in the garage. A convenient touch that really made the evening hassle-free. The decor is a delightful trip down memory lane, with a vintage cash register on the second floor that adds a unique charm.But here's the real hidden gem: a secret speakeasy tucked away in the corner of the second floor. We gave the usher a special "password" and a bookshelf slid open, revealing a sophisticated hideaway. It felt like stepping back in time.I can't recommend Des Plaines Theater enough! Check out their lineup, grab your tickets, and treat yourself and your loved ones to an unforgettable night out. This place is a true gem in every sense.
Beautiful auditorium at this junior college Beluschi donated. Great jazz band playing their takes on 100 years Disney tunes and
Des Pizza. What kind of d*** name is that! Oh boy! New pizza place coming to Des Plaines, but it's never open! How are we supposed to know what the pizza tastes like when it's never open?
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Thus place is awful and ripes people off.. I paid to see a real respected cover band and instead I got a low rated local singer instead. I was told that they would be rescheduling the orginal show and that they would be contact me to let me know when the reschedule would be and that was over 2 months ago. I have now e-mailed them twice and have gotten no response. So I it boils down to paid over 60 to see someone that I wouldn't have paid 20 dollars to see. So dishonest. So Disappointed is to say the least
This is a great local place to see many major Concerts in the NW Burbs. No one really wants to drive down to the Loop in Chicago..Its not a good idea. This venue works much better..Thanks to Ron Onesti and the village of Des Plaines!!!
Restaurantji Recommends
No a bad seat on the main floor.Seats are comfortable enough.Balcony seats are ok, your feel a bit away from the atmosphere. The unfinished plywood flooring on the balcony seating area looks, well, like Des Plaines, a bit rough around the edges.Had a hard time hearing the words of the singers, acoustics good for instruments, not for the human voice, so this should be improved.Good security.Friendly ushers.Food ok.No coat check.Free parking.Best to bring in higher level of talent, people can afford to pay higher prices for better talent.
Lovely theater that has been nicely restored!
Everything about this theater is great except for the sound. I just attended my second rock show there and the sound quality was frustrating at both. Possibly the fault of the house system? It's too bad because literally everything else about it is really nice.
Ger A.Barrington, IL 133 friends 569 reviews 469 photos4.0 star rating12/13/2021We had never been to the Des Plaines Theatre before but are long time fans of the St. Charles Arcada. They've done a really nice job rehabbing the Des Plaines Theater & wish they would do the same thing with The Arcada. New seats, looks very nice Everywhere. Des Plaines did a much nicer job rehabbing this theater than St. Charles has done with the Arcada, and remember Ron Onesti is a promotor, he doesn't own these facilities.This theater is larger than the Arcada by by maybe 20-30%, wider stairways and has several bars & the now standard Onesti Speakeasy. The balcony is great but only 3 rows. Bathrooms are minimal as typical in the old days, lines for the bar long also standard. The three rows in balcony were less than 1/2 full with the middle row largely empty so nice spacing. Main Floor was 3/4 full not bad for a Sunday night.I thought the sound was ok, and sightlines were great although we went for the Trans Infinity Orchestra that was just awful. Unintelligible narration during Stunningly loud heavy metal renditions of Xmas songs that takes you half the song to catch the melody, like Silent Night. All with End of the World flashing lights in your eyes and a little non smoke smoke. We always bring sunglasses & earplugs for this type of "music" and were good. Special note this show cost $10 more than the same show in St. Charles.About 1/2 way through the first half, Ron Onesti came up and down the 3 balcony rows & asked if anyone wanted to be reseated because of the lights? Nobody took him up on it that I saw. Nice Touch, Ron Onesti is still a really nice guy. We thought it had ended at what turned out to be a short intermission, and bailed. Mission Accomplished. Nice facility.Give the Des Plaines Theater a try. Like the St. Charles Arcada, a lot of free easy walkable street parking although I will say a lot of that is marked 90 minutes so watch out, but we weren't too concerned on a Sunday night. There are also several garages nearby. I'm not as familiar with the eating scene in Des Plaines as I am in St. Charles which is great, but gonna explore. This is a great facility to see someone that you really WANT to see. We were largely checking out the rehab. Great Job.
It's nice to have a place that size to see a concert once in awhile.Thank you Ron Onesti! I love the seats that they have becausethey are little roomy. Thanks for all that all of you do for us.Kathy and Chris from Skokie, IL