This West Town Listening Bar Is a Superb Introduction to Chicago Music History

In a Japanese jazz kissa or kissaten, patrons primarily come for the vibes and the tunes. These are cozy, typically dark lounges where music lovers gather to enjoy vinyl records played on a high-quality sound system. Food and drink is often available, but the focus is on the music and it’s all about the experience of shared enjoyment. Popular Chicago DJ Lee Farmer became entranced with the concept, and together with his wife Gina Barge-Farmer, they opened Wax Vinyl Bar and Ramen Shop last fall, a moody music lounge stocked with enough records, bites, and cocktails to fuel a fun night out in West Town.

The couple are Chicagoans with distinct musical connections. Barge-Farmer is the daughter of late jazz musician Gene “Daddy G” Barge, who toured with the Rolling Stones and Muddy Waters, and had a notable role as a cop in the Fugitive. Farmer is an industry veteran DJ, producer, and recording engineer. The vision began when the couple went to Tokyo, and were inspired to import a kissa to Chicago as similar listening bars flourished across the country.

Because of the music and regular DJ rotation, Wax Vinyl Bar and Ramen Shop has also become a celebrity hangout; visitors have included Chuck D of Public Enemy, Grammy Award-winning poet J. Ivy, acclaimed singer-songwriter Anderson .Paak, and actor Morgan Freeman. You never know who you’ll see hanging out by the turntables while you enjoy your egg rolls.

Wax Vinyl Bar and Ramen Shop is located near the corner of Chicago and Ashland Avenues, close to other longtime West Town restaurants Beatnik and Opart Thai House. We were easily able to find street parking along Ashland. The establishment is low-key and dark with a small sign that makes it easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.

The decor is elegant and comfortable — perfect for date night or a group celebration. The back wall is like a DJ shrine, a dream setup for turntablists with a library of records on display. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can expect the party to kick into gear with house music, ’90s hip hop, and high-energy vibes. We visited on a chill Sunday evening; Farmer was on the ones and twos and served up a lovely selection of old soul, funk, and R&B. Our dinner was accompanied by a soundtrack of deep cuts by Heatwave, George Benson, Toto, and Zapp. But if you absolutely need to watch the game on Sunday, there are several flatscreens mounted for your sportsball pleasure.

For a place so focused on music, the menu is surprisingly varied and offers several delicious vegan and gluten-free options. The menu is split into the A Side — dinner served from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. — and the B Side, a smaller offering of late-night bites available after 11 p.m.

Wax Vinyl Bar and Ramen Shop is a self-described “Japanese-adjacent” restaurant, so be aware if you’re a purist. The waiter described the ramen as “a marriage of ramen and pho,” with rice noodles and herbaceous broth. I ordered the spicy red miso ramen with shrimp and it was delicious, satisfying, and abundant.

The outstanding app from our visit was the Tokyo shrimp, four large shrimp served over a mound of coconut rice with a red cabbage slaw. The shrimp were spicy, sweet, crisp, and tender. I already look forward to returning for another order of the collard greens “soul rolls,” egg rolls filled with collard greens and kale braised in coconut milk, and served with a citrus coconut curry dipping sauce and togarashi fries. You can’t go wrong with the tempura or an order of fried rice — ask for the shrimp and mushroom together for a winning combination.

The cocktail menu is thoughtful, and I was advised that cocktails #6 and #8 are the most popular. Cocktail #6 is bourbon-based with lime, simple syrup, and allspice dram, while #8 is a mezcal martini with St. Germain liqueur, sweet vermouth, and a lemon twist. I enjoyed #3, a blend of gin, passionfruit and lemon juices, velvet falernum, and orgeat syrup. It was a refreshing beverage with warm, nutty, tropical sweetness.

Wax Vinyl Bar and Ramen Shop aims to be a West Town staple that brings new energy to the neighborhood through its music, ambiance, and food. It’s got a fun vibe for a night on the town but also offers an introduction to Chicago’s DJ world. I’m already planning my next visit: Tokyo shrimp, cocktail #3, and the watermelon poke the couple next to us ordered that looked amazing.

Wax Vinyl Bar and Ramen Shop is located at 1549 W. Chicago Avenue. Open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday, and 6 p.m. to midnight Sunday.