If the place gets really packed, the tables go bye-bye. There are also two mezzanine levels on either side of the room that provide additional seating and elevated views of the deep, enclosed stage. Seasonal amenities include a sidewalk cafe and a fireplace in one corner of the music room. At Abbey Pub on Sundays, the tunes are provided by participants in the weekly Irish jam session. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays feature concerts by rock bands and Irish and Celtic performers, both local and from around the world.
Abbey definitely has one of Chicago's most eclectic music calendars.
More on that later. And because many of these events are broadcast live from the United Kingdom, the Abbey Pub gets going between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on the weekends. Good luck finding an American football fan who's up that early on a Saturday or Sunday. The Abbey Pub attracts a mixed clientele, thanks to the varied menu and live entertainment. Often the Gaelic accents are so thick that eavesdropping is a pointless undertaking.