One of the vestiges of the celebrated old Rush Street, the Back Room still packs a well-dressed crowd into an intimate candlelit spot at the back of a long gangway. The tuxedoed doorman offers patrons a seat on the main floor or in the balcony overlooking the stage. Shows start at 9:15pm, 10:45pm and 12:15am Sundays through Fridays; Saturdays cater to night owls, with sets at 9:30pm, 11pm, 12:30am, and 1:45am. Rather than booking traditional jazz quartets and trios, Back Room features acts that mix jazz with Motown, R&B, and funk.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Chicago 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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