Great Venues: Rosa's Lounge - Chicago

According to its website "Rosa's Lounge operates in the hallowed tradition of Chicago blues lounges, family owned and operated by an Italian immigrant who came to Chicago in 1978 after meeting Junior Wells in Milan. Tony Mangiullo found the true spirit of the blues at legendary South Side lounges like Theresa's, and he opened Rosa's (1984) as a tribute to those cradles of blues tradition, and named it after his mother, Rosa, who had followed him here to help." This place is one of the coolest and friendliest joints in town, with killer local blues bands, a great crowd, and a history and culture all its own. We filmed and sat in with Nate Manos and Pete Galanis, who performed an impressive set full of hot guitar licks and soulful vocals. No wonder Rosa's was named "Chicago's best blues club" by the New York Times and was called "a blues mecca for true believers" by Rolling Stone. Rosa's is a must-visit venue in Chicago for any serious blues fan. Guitar Shop TV's Chicago correspondent Ka

Added 24 Mar 2026