Address: 1383 N Milwaukee, Chicago IL 60622
Phone: (773)-278-1830
Fax: (773)-278-6430
Business Hours: Weekdays and Sundays 6:00 PM to 2:00 AM; Saturdays 6:00 PM to 3:00 AM
Web site: http://davenports.citysearch.com

In my last few days of my Spring Break trip to Chicago, I have found one of the reasons I went to this city - the Cabaret scene! Since November 1998, Davenport's is the place for singers to strut their stuff behind the piano bar or in the stage.

The singers who work in this place know their way around in both Chicago and New York City - I went to see Anne Pringle and Mark Burnell (doing standards about travel - "Tales of Our Travels"), Beckie Menzie and Tom Michael (doing Broadway standards their way), and I was supposed to see Stephen Rader doing songs by Stephen Sondheim. Actually, those shows were one day apart from each other. Every Friday and Sunday through this Summer, singer Daryl Nitz (accompanied by George Howe on the piano) is singing, dancing, and asking the folks around the piano bar to do the same with him. During my last evening in the piano bar, Daryl convinced me to jump up and down while he's singing - and I did. Months later (last Thursday) in NYC, Daryl remembered me for the same thing after Anne and Mark's "Tales of Our Travels" performance in the Judy's Chelsea cabaret room.

To put it together - Davenport's is a great place to listen to music from the best singers of Chicago, a great place for drinks, and a place to meet new friends from the cabaret scene. And don't forget to tell owner Bill Davenport that I sent you.

Note: If you're hankering for some food, head to the Pasta Diavolo across the street in 1448 N. Milwaukee (phone: (773)-394-1812) - I had the "Pasta Diavolo" - the angel hair pasta dish, but the kicker was me asking for the hottest hot sauce to pour all over the pasta.

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