General Information
WHAT IS THE CHICAGO MAGIC LOUNGE?
The Chicago Magic Lounge is a magic theater and lounge, specializing in close-up, sleight of hand, and parlor magic. The venue features an Art Deco-style interior, original lithographic posters from the Vaudeville era, secret doors, and three performance spaces – the Performance Bar, the Harry Blackstone Cabaret Theater™, and the 654 Club. Performances in the cabaret and 654 Club require tickets. The Performance Bar is open to the public and does not require tickets.
ARE THERE AGE RESTRICTIONS?
The Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Persons aged 16 - 20 are allowed to attend our evening shows in the Harry Blackstone Cabaret with a parent or guardian. Patrons of the Performance Bar MUST be 21.
Children under 16 years old are permitted to attend our family-friendly Sunday matinee, The Family Show.
IS THERE A DRESS CODE?
While we do not have a formal dress code, we recommend dressing it up a bit so that you feel as chic and glamorous as the venue itself.
HOW LONG IS THE SHOW?
The running time varies from show to show. Our Monday through Wednesday night shows run approximately an hour and forty-five minutes. Our Thursday through Sunday evening shows run from two hours for patrons who have purchased Rail, Elevated Banquette, or Mezzanine tickets to two-and-a-half hours for premium ticket holders (includes 654 Club performance). For more information about our shows, visit The Shows.
The Family Show runs approximately 60 minutes and does not include table magic.
DO YOU SERVE FOOD?
Yes! We serve savory small plates ideal for sharing. Food is available in the Performance Bar beginning at 6 pm and in the cabaret as soon as guests are seated. Food and beverage table service is available throughout the show. See our Food & Drink menus here.
The kitchen is closed during The Family Show, but movie theater-like concessions and kid-friendly snacks will be available.
IS THERE PARKING?
Unfortunately, we do not have a parking lot or valet service. Street parking on Clark and Ashland is free after 10 pm, and some of the side streets may be available without a permit. We are closest to the #22 Clark bus, #92 Foster bus, or a 10-minute walk from the Argyle red line. We are approximately a 20-minute ride from downtown by taxi, Lyft or Uber. See our Location & Travel page located in the Plan Your Trip section of this website for more information.
CAN I BRING FOOD/CAKE/CUPCAKES FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY? / DO YOU DO ANYTHING SPECIAL FOR BIRTHDAYS?
We do not allow outside food or beverages in our establishment. However, we do have food and drink available, and we are pleased to offer the birthday person a complimentary glass of sparkling wine or non-alcoholic sparkling.
Tickets & Seating
DO WE NEED TICKETS?
For all formal shows in the theaters, yes. We have ticketed performances seven days a week for the Harry Blackstone Cabaret Theater™. 654 Club performances occur Thursday - Sunday directly after the Signature Show and are included with Front Row and Premium tickets.
Upon purchase, you will receive a confirmation email with your tickets attached. If you do not receive your confirmation email within 30 minutes of purchase, please check your spam folder or contact us at boxoffice@chicagomagiclounge.com.
Please see our calendar of events to purchase tickets.
Access to the Magic Bar does not require a ticket.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD I PURCHASE TICKETS?
As of the writing of this FAQ guide, our 7:00 pm Signature Show on Fridays & Saturdays are selling out a week in advance, so we recommend that you plan ahead and purchase early. For the rest of the week, we would advise purchasing your tickets a couple of days before the performance or check the individual show pages for availability.
THE WEBSITE SAYS THE PERFORMANCE I WANT TO ATTEND IS SOLD OUT. DO YOU HAVE A WAITLIST AVAILABLE?
We only have a waitlist for our Signature Show performances. If tickets become available, our box office will email you, and you will have until the box office closes to respond. The waitlist will be reset at 5 pm on the day of the sold-out performance. After 5 pm on the day of the sold-out performance, guests may only be added to the waitlist here in person and must be present to claim any seats that may become available. We will know if tickets become available approximately 30 minutes after seating begins.
DO I HAVE AN ASSIGNED SEAT OR IS SEATING GENERAL ADMISSION?
Tickets for our Tuesday through Sunday shows are assigned seating. Guests select a specific seat in the venue at the time of ticket purchase. Our Monday night show, Music & Magic, is general admission and seating will be assigned by the Box Office team prior to the doors opening.
The Harry Blackstone Cabaret features an unobstructed view from every section. The cabaret-style seating allows for maximum access to view the stage and enjoy a cocktail – this also means that you and your party may share a table with guests from another household.
Click here to take a virtual tour of the cabaret.
WHAT IF MY PARTY IS PURCHASING TICKETS SEPARATELY? CAN WE BE SEATED TOGETHER?
For our Tuesday through Sunday night shows, you will be seated with your party only if you have selected seats with one another.
If you are attending Music & Magic, leave a note at checkout stating the last names of the rest of your party, and our Front of House team will do their best to accommodate your request.
HOW EARLY SHOULD WE ARRIVE?
You can arrive any time after we are open to enjoy cocktails and card tricks before the show! The Performance Bar opens at 5:00 pm daily and features bar magic from open to close. Seating is limited, and entrance to the bar is based on capacity. We recommend arriving no later than 15 minutes before the time listed on your ticket.
Do you allow late seating?
We understand that unforeseen circumstances may cause some to arrive late. In such cases, we will do our best to accommodate, but please be advised that late arrivals may result in the loss of selected seats. In the interest of other patrons and the performers, we will not be able to seat latecomers later than 30 minutes after the time listed on their ticket.
CAN WE MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR THE PERFORMANCE BAR?
Seating at the Performance Bar is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please note, the bar gets very crowded on Friday and Saturday nights before and between performances. Entrance to the bar is based upon capacity. See our Location & Travel page for closing hours.
DO YOU OFFER GROUP RATES?
A discounted group rate is available for groups of ten or more for performances Monday through Thursday only. Contact our Box Office for more information at 312-366-4500.
CAN I CHANGE/CANCEL/REFUND TICKETS?
While we are unable to offer refunds on ticket purchases, we are glad to exchange them with another performance or provide gift card credit. If you are unable to attend the performance, we ask that you contact us at least 24 hours prior to the event so that we may exchange your tickets or issue a gift card for the amount of the ticket purchase. We do not offer gift card refunds or exchanges for past events. There is no fee to exchange tickets. Any changes to groups totaling eight or more tickets must be made two weeks in advance of the performance. See Terms and Conditions.
Accessibility
IS THE THEATER WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE?
The main floor of the Harry Blackstone Cabaret Theater™ and 654 Club are accessible for patrons who use a wheelchair or scooter, or patrons who cannot walk stairs.
DO YOU OFFER ASSISTED LISTENING DEVICES?
The Chicago Magic Lounge was built with a hearing loop system. Portable loop receivers are available at the Box Office for any performance in the Harry Blackstone Cabaret Theater™ and 654 Club. ASL interpreters may be scheduled upon request.