We love: Funky Buddha Lounge

Photo: Clayton Hauck

There are more than enough cookie-cutter clubs in town. They all offer identical music and are chock-full of obnoxiously homogenous crowds. If you want a colorful mixture of people and music in a unique environment, look no further than Funky Buddha Lounge (728 W Grand Ave, 312-666-1695). But calling the space “unique” may be putting it too politely. Adorned with an overabundance of 1 cultural murals, 2 animal-print-upholstered booths and 3 wall-mounted trinkets from around the world, Buddha gives Cost Plus World Market a run for its money. Isn’t a face-lift in order for the 13-year-old club? “We have personal attachments to most, if not all, of the murals and eccentricities inside,” says Rene Romero, longtime Buddha booking agent. “It even goes so far as us naming them and referencing them in stories and jokes.… It’s a little rough around the edges. I’ve always said, When it comes to Buddha Lounge, more is more.” So, yeah, no face-lift planned.
In the meantime The Shrine (2109 S Wabash Ave, 312-753-5700) has all the multicultural flair of the Buddha but with a sleek, modern twist. And a kickin’ sound system.

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