Open List Home > Chicago, IL > movie theaters > Riviera Theatre
Enjoy Free Inspirational Movies Every Monday at 8:00 PM.
The main floor is spacious enough that you can enjoy bands without getting socked in the mosh pit. As with most venues, plan on getting hot and sweaty as soon as the action begins. Considering its size...
citysearch.com - expert review - 10/18/2006
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Skip the Aragon, and go to the Riv. Great spot to see a show. Yah, I'd rather go to Metro, or the Park West or even the Vic, but at least the Riv's acoustics aren't terrible, and it's not an oven…
yelp.com - user review - 06/13/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Even after reading the reviews here on Yelp, I didn't show up super early -- I walked in the doors at 7:30, which is when the opener was scheduled to go on. We didn't cram ourselves onto the main…
yelp.com - user review - 06/02/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I saw Keller Williams (not the realtor) play here. I was riding the subway when a couple of hippy type dudes were being a bit crazy. I thought I would join them. They invited me to catch this show…
yelp.com - user review - 03/24/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Can I be frank? I'm not young anymore, and when I go to a show, I like to sit the whole time, and be warm, and possibly fall asleep. One might say, why go at all? But one does things to promote…
yelp.com - user review - 03/17/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Towards the end of January I got to see Lenny Kravitz at the Riviera Theatre. Notice I said END OF JANUARY it was freezing cold outside, unfortunately it was a humid uncomfortable 100 degrees inside…
yelp.com - user review - 03/09/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I am a huge, huge, huge fan of the Riv. The place is falling apart and could use a major restoration overhaul but the history involved within these walls is amazing. The venue doesn't have shows…
yelp.com - user review - 03/08/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Man, I love this place. A peeling, rotting, stinking grand old theater. It's history has a haunting feel of being one breath away from you. I hope nobody renovates this creepy old dive. A half star…
yelp.com - user review - 03/06/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Went to The Donnas/Hives show here yesterday. This was the first show I've been to at the Riv and, after reading the reviews here, I was bummed. But......it's actually not that bad.
yelp.com - user review - 03/02/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Saw The Hives here last night. The Hives deserve their rep as a great band in concert. They are entertainers that don't take themselves too seriously. Fun. But The Riv is a dump. I've seen some…
yelp.com - user review - 03/01/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I've been to three shows this year, and realized that you really need to get a spot way up front or in the balcony in order to enjoy the show. The first two times I went there, we were a little late…
yelp.com - user review - 02/28/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
i recently saw wilco here. the venue isn't that bad. it's an old crusty theatre. what do you expect? it's pretty hard to see the stage from the back of the bottom floor. i'm 6'1 and could barely see a…
yelp.com - user review - 02/25/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Disappointing, but true... the Riv sucks. The security is beyond rude. Do you really need to hassle ME of all people when the 16 year old brace-faced jagoff next to me is pushing people and throwing…
yelp.com - user review - 02/25/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Yet another cool old theater that has so much potential if only they could a) get their sound together, b) cut the number of tickets they sell by at least two hundred, and c) lower the prices for…
yelp.com - user review - 02/23/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I came to Riviera to see Wilco. Well, hearing them would be more accurate. The hometown boys really packed the venue. By the time we arrived, the bouncers wouldn't even let us into the first two…
yelp.com - user review - 02/23/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
This place is a total dump. The City inspectors should close it down. There is no air conditioning/handling system that works - the balcony seats were so hot before Lenny Kravitz - have no idea how…
yelp.com - user review - 02/20/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Things I would have known about the Riviera if I had researched Yelp.com before my Wilco concert: 1) Get there early. Then you can have a balcony seat. It is hot on the balcony though.
yelp.com - user review - 02/20/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I like the Riv most of the time. It really depends on my mood and the quality of the band. Very middle of the road ... one little thing could nudge me into the zone of either loving it or hating it.…
yelp.com - user review - 01/01/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
My friends and I took a road trip from Ann Arbor to Chicago to see Ozomatli about 1 year ago. If it weren't for the awesomeness of Ozo, I would give this theatre 1 star. The place wasn't as jam-packed…
yelp.com - user review - 12/27/2007
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1.0 of 5 stars.
I think that I might be done with the Riv. I saw Spoon play back in October and got stuck in a bad spot with awful sight lines and "chatty cathys" all around me. Luckily, they're a rock band and you…
yelp.com - user review - 12/09/2007
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1.0 of 5 stars.
Geez so many Feist-y yelpers. I was also present for the Feist show and ended up leaving half way through the set. People were talking, people were yelling at the talkers, people were talking about…
yelp.com - user review - 11/20/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I've seen one show here (Sleater-Kinney!) and as a venue, I think it's fine. I like that there are seats up on the balcony, although I did not use them. (Please, Sleater-Kinney...I am rocking out in…
yelp.com - user review - 11/18/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Just saw Feist here 11/17. The Riv plays host to many great bands throughout the year and it's fun, intimate place to catch a show. Parking in the neighboring streets is easy and there are plenty of…
yelp.com - user review - 11/18/2007
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1.0 of 5 stars.
that's right. one star. i saw feist here tonight. i SAW her. i did not HEAR her. this is my first, and last, show at the Riv. I had heard from friends that the sound is terrible here. my fears were…
yelp.com - user review - 11/17/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Historic with a lot of character. There are a ton of musicians that pass through the doors here. Most shows are general admission. If you want to get a seat in the balcony, get there early. It's a…
yelp.com - user review - 11/11/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I must be turning into a Chicagoan. This place is a horrible awful disgusting rotten smelling dump. But it's got character. And the ceiling is neat. And it just felt old Chicago. I wish they'd…
yelp.com - user review - 11/01/2007
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2.0 of 5 stars.
A craphole, until my second beer.
yelp.com - user review - 10/14/2007
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Why don't they fix this place up? It's a dump! Ever look up at the ceiling when the house lights are on? It's as if they started to remodel and then just stopped. The bathrooms are a pain to get…
yelp.com - user review - 10/10/2007
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2.0 of 5 stars.
the first time i went to the riviera was to see a bright eyes concert. it was a pretty good show thoughtat the door i didn't understand why they didn't let you used digital cameras but you can use…
yelp.com - user review - 10/05/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The Riv --- what can I say? To me, a Detroiter at heart, this place is The State Theater's (now the Fillmore) sister venue --- although Chicago's version, to me, is actually a little edgier. The…
yelp.com - user review - 09/25/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Went to see Rilo Kiley at the Riv last night which was a good show. It actually had pretty decent sound. The only problem is this is no venue to show up late for. Both upper balconies were…
yelp.com - user review - 09/16/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
For the last 2 years, all the concerts I've been to have either been at the Riv or the Aragon. The Riviera is an okay venue. The last time I was there, it was probably the worst concert-going…
yelp.com - user review - 08/15/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Fantastic Chicago music venue. Some might say it's decrepit and run-down, but I think it adds to the charm. The sound quality is top notch, and it's unique in that its size allows acts too big for…
yelp.com - user review - 07/19/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Just like with the Vic, I love seeing shows here. The sound quality does not suffer, no matter where you are located in the theater. The lights are fun. The theater is old and looks like it would…
yelp.com - user review - 07/11/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Riviera is another one of Chicago's great mid-sized music venues. Comparable to the Congress, probably smaller than the Chicago Theater, it must hold a couple thousand people, but it feels very…
yelp.com - user review - 05/16/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
As far as old theaters go, I have to say that the Riv is one of the better ones left. The acoustics are spectacular, most of the seats in the balcony are functional, and there aren't any areas with…
yelp.com - user review - 05/08/2007
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I went to a concert here last year - the sound wasn't great, but the crowd was. Very energetic place, feels young and vibrant but looks older and classic. The spacious standing area is good for upbeat concerts...
citysearch.com - user review - 04/04/2007
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Pros: -decent bands. Many of my favorite bands perform here. That's kind of good.
yelp.com - user review - 12/10/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Just saw another show here (Wolfmother), what an awesome time. The sound was great and there was a beer stand at every corner of the theater, so even with the sold out show you did not have to wait…
yelp.com - user review - 11/27/2006
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Like the Aragon, this place has vintage charm going for it. But I don't like seeing shows here. The main floor is nearly impossible to navigate during a sold-out performance. Thank god you can hide in…
yelp.com - user review - 11/09/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I saw Death Cab for Cutie here last year. I really loved the venue. First of all, it is seriously easy to get to via the Red Line. Second, I was able to stand towards the back, but on a raised…
yelp.com - user review - 11/08/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
In the scheme of Chicago shows, the Riviera and the Aragon are the two biggest venues where a band would play that I might want to see. The two places are practically next to each other and very…
yelp.com - user review - 10/03/2006
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I attended the Snow Patrol/Augustana show here this past weekend, and let me just say, I thought the Riviera was one of the greatest venues I've been to. Yes, the paint is pealing off the walls, the…
yelp.com - user review - 09/18/2006
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2.0 of 5 stars.
hmm...it's times like these that i wish Yelp had a half star button. the riv was a solid 2.5. i want to give it more, but it's been abused and ignored for years that it just feels scary & decrepit. we…
yelp.com - user review - 09/17/2006
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Ah, the Riv. A classic place to see a band perform. The seats up in the balcony are a nice place t...
judysbook.com - user review - 05/31/2006
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Boy, this place sure must have been a beauty in it's heyday. Even though it is an old building it is...
judysbook.com - user review - 03/18/2006
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I saw a band perform at the Riviera earlier this fall, and I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecti...
judysbook.com - user review - 03/09/2006
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2.0 of 5 stars.
u wanna a lesson in history? go here cuz its been up for ages...i think the rats are starting to complain about the leaky ceiling
yelp.com - user review - 01/12/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Not as fun as the Aragon, but just as big and historic. It gets packed, so don't dawdle if you want a decent view of the stage. Really cool architecture and interior, and I love the location.
yelp.com - user review - 11/30/2005
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I saw my first show here, which is why I give the Riv 3 stars. Like most places of its kind, the Riv feels neglected, with years of high-decibel music and smoke contributions. Sitting in the…
yelp.com - user review - 10/19/2005
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2.0 of 5 stars.
The Riv is huge. I've seen quite a few shows here and have had fun but the theatre itself is not the best. Like it was mentioned beforehand, they have really let this place go along with many other…
yelp.com - user review - 09/20/2005
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3.0 of 5 stars.
This used to be one of the best places to see a show or even a movie in the 1940's or 50's. After years of letting this place go, they have tried to fix it up a little. It can get crowded and…
yelp.com - user review - 09/15/2005
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1.0 of 5 stars.
I saw ICP here, and I'm starting to think they only play ridiculously packed places with no seating, because I also seen them at The House of Blues a few years earlier, and there's little difference…
yelp.com - user review - 09/10/2005
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I used to love going to shows here, but now I don't like it so much. I don't know if it's the sound or the people who go there. But I try to avoid this place now.
yelp.com - user review - 08/29/2005
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3.0 of 5 stars.
The "Riv" is one of the older theaters that now is a venue for jam-packed rock concerts. The facilities are a bit grungy, which is too bad as you can still see many of the classic details of the…
yelp.com - user review - 08/25/2005
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I would only go here again if my most favorite band is playing. On the outside the Riv just looks like any older venue, on the inside it looks and smells like a crack house...or what I would imagine…
yelp.com - user review - 08/24/2005
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3.0 of 5 stars.
This place is huge and they pack people in for shows. Overall, it's just a run-down theatre with a lot of history and cool architecture; the acoustics are actually really good. Get cash ahead of…
yelp.com - user review - 07/06/2005
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I saw Jack Johnson and Paul Oakenfold at the Rive. Both times I went there is like going back in time because the place reminds me of an old opera house. It is a great place to sit down or stand there...
citysearch.com - user review - 01/23/2003
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Nice place--especially when it's a sold-out show. The acoustics are good, too!
citysearch.com - user review - 10/25/2002
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I remember now why I will only attend shows at the Riv when there is snow on the ground. With temperatures over 100 inside (but 20 degrees cooler outside), even the Metro can invest in some mounted fans. I...
citysearch.com - user review - 08/04/2002
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I went to the Riv to see Better Than Ezra and Cowboy Mouth, and it did a good job of containing and conveying that awesome New Orleans spirit. Like many other old theaters, it seems like only a shadow of its...
citysearch.com - user review - 05/22/2002
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This is my favorite place in the city to see a show. Not too big, not too small. Good sightlines. Good mid-size venue; love the Wilco show every year at Thanksgiving. It's a great old place.
citysearch.com - user review - 05/16/2002
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