Ev R.
Yelp
I finally visited the Lodge Room for the first time recently, and would happily attend another show there. I'm almost never in the Highland Park area, but every time I'm there, I get excited by the free street parking that's not very difficult to find. The Lodge Room doesn't have its own parking lot, but that's okay, since you can find plenty of spots you're allowed to park in residential areas (just watch out for the train tracks that the Gold Line runs!).
The entrance to the venue is in an alley, which feels sketchy, especially since you then have to walk down a narrow corridor. I know it's a safe area, but it felt like I was being led to meet with the mafia boss. Once you're in the main ballroom, it's pretty comfortable! The people complaining about no seating clearly haven't been to concerts anywhere besides a giant arena or amphitheater, especially since there are raised platforms on the left and right-hand sides, which most small venues do not have. I appreciated these areas, especially to rest before the show started! Sound quality was decent, but it was an acoustic show, so I can't speak for louder bands.
My favorite part, however, was the bomb-sniffing dog. That's right, this venue has a security dog! I don't know if it's there for every show, but as long as you don't have weapons or drugs on you, it's a very sweet dog that wants you to pet it. I think every club-sized venue should have one of these instead of metal detectors.
