The venue has 4 pillars in the middle of the floor to block a lot of views. It was way too crowded and exits were not clearly marked, didn’t really feel safe. Floors were sticky. Sound wasn’t great. Parking was close and affordable, prob the only good thing to say about it.

Visited the Forge for the first time to attend the Nile/Incantation tour in Feb '22. Really enjoyed the venue. The process of getting in was easy and streamlined. Felt good about the level of security at the venue throughout the show, and the sound was excellent. Would definitely go back in the future. There's a nearby parking structure that allows for very inexpensive parking during the show as well (not owned by the Forge).

Great place to see a show. We spent extra to sit in "reserved" seats upstairs, Section F. Pretty good sound, sightlines were excellent. Stools to sit on and a place to put a drink or food. Restrooms were clean and easy to get to. The bar drink selection was a bit limited, but the lines weren't long. Contrary to other reviews, the bar did take credit cards. We'll be back!!

Was smaller inside than I thought it would be, but the layout was very simple and we packed in like sardines. Lots of nearby parking for reasonable prices. There is like a shelf around some of the pillars on the floor, so it was a great spot to set drinks or brace for when the pit opens up next to you. I had such an enjoyable time and it was more stress free than some of the large venues. I will definitely be looking for more shows at this location.

Decent venue for concerts. It’s CASH ONLY so bring your money ahead of time otherwise you can pay the ATM fees if you use their ATM. I didn’t try the food but it looked decent. I’d go here again. I’m from Minneapolis, MN and drove here to see the Dead Daisies. Killer show & amazing band. Overall I had a good experience here. Give it a try.

great venue to go for shows. good sounds system. very friendly staff. love going to live shows here

Great place to see a show. Some of the best staff ever at a live music venue. Was our 1st time there and everyone from the bartender to security was above and beyond friendly. Venue is on the smaller side with a great balcony. Sound was great as well.

Came here for a show. Parking is tricky but free after 9pm. Drinks are incredibly strong. I got a Long Island and the bartender left almost no room for the Coke so I got a lot of alcohol in that but I also paid around 10 dollars for it. It is pretty small place so it gets crowded pretty fast. Staff and security is super nice though. There are also balconies inside. The restrooms were very dirty and there was water everywhere.

I was there for the Mayhem and Midnight show last week. I live in Madison, WI, so this was my first time at the venue. Great show and great venue. I actually met the owner and he was a really nice dude. If I lived closer I would be visiting this place weekly.

Love this place. ACAL rocked it! This was my children's first concert, and everybody was so kind and protective. Even when the concert was over it was an easy exit to the car. Drinks are pretty pricey but that's what you get for convenience.

This place absolutely oversold the recent Exodus show. It was shoulder to shoulder with NO room to move. Completely unacceptable and a safety hazard to say the least. While the enjoyment of the show suffered greatly, I’m thankful there wasn’t a fire. Wouldn’t be surprised if half the audience got severely injured. The City of Joliet needs to investigate. This is NOT the first time this owner has oversold shows by a dangerous amount.

Saw Bang YongGuk there and had a blast! It was a lovely, almost intimate experience, and definitely a great venue that I'd like to visit again.

Smaller venue which means no bad spot to be! We had balcony seating and were right above the performer! Drinks were typical price for a small concert, but the bartender we had was incompetent! Told me she didn't have the alcohol I wanted, I had to point out the 2 bottles of it on the shelf. Then brought my drink that was supposed to have diet coke in it, and my drink was clear colored..... when I questioned it she told me it was diet! Ummmm no! She did remake my drink but I can't fathom how she thought I would be ok with carbonated water instead of diet soda and acted like I didn't know what i was talking about!

Really neat music venue, there is more space than I expected actually. The bar is pretty accessible even when packed. My only complaint was the bathrooms. I basically had to maneuver around the toilet cause the doors are so squished against them. There isn't much room. It does make getting in and out fast a priority though 😂 we had some food and it was really good, not bad priced. The acoustics were awesome and the place really rocks with the music. There is a parking garage a block up that isn't awfully priced. Otherwise the parking is a little rough. Overall this was a really neat venue. One of the better small ones I've been too!

It was just okay! My friend and I decided to go just to have a night out. The cost was $18 for general admission. The show is not quite what we were expecting. We thought there would be guys dancing and sort of stripping which did happen but it was mostly women paying to get on stage individual lap dance time with the men. Although, this was fun to watch it got overwhelming after the first group of women. The whole pretend to be doctor skit was a negative for us. Overall, a money making performance even for those who paid for an upgrade in a ticket. The water bottle at the bar was $4 and not sure the cost of drinks we did not drink. Overall, the guys seemed into it and it was a good time. I think we probably would not go back but again a fun time for a birthday, bachelorette party or just a girl's night out. Tip get there early the line was very long when we arrived and 40 mins early.

Great venue! I've been going to shows here since 2012 and they never disappoint. Staff is kind and the overall environment is positive.

A very tiny venue, but I was actually impressed by the fact that after someone had thrown up in the middle of the floor, the cleaning crew moved the crowd out of the way well enough to get it fully cleaned it up. We were then able to enjoy the rest of the concert without issue. Props to the kid who had to clean it up with a mop, paper towels, & his bare hands. The only big problem that took away a star is that there isn't enough air circulation, so even when it was chilly outside it was boiling hot inside. I would recommend that they get better or bigger ceiling fans, and/or add additional fans to the walls on the sides in order to help get some of that air moving around better.

It was a fun venue. The only thing is the small stage for the EDM event we went to upstairs does not have a coat check so just keep that in mind, it also gets VERY hot up there so dress light or in layers you can easily carry. Bathrooms are single stall so plan ahead for that. The bartender was alone so it took a bit for the drink order. Overall a decent venue could improve here and there.

Very cool venue! We saw Night Songs & Night Snake (80s cover bands). The bands were great, and really hyped up the crowd. The venue is neat it has a ground floor with open area and tables... It also has vip seating upstairs. The bar was stocked with essentials and had food. We didn't eat but the options were nice for the venue. There are a bunch of columns on the ground floor that can be in the way depending on where you stand... But the key is to make your way around them. I would go back to this venue again.

Great place to see a concert. The staff was friendly, it sounded good and the drinks were strong enough. Two horns up!

It's a small venue. Only issue is that on the side the speakers are in the way. Other than that it's pretty good. They serve solid food. Drinks are great. Bar upstairs and downstairs

I love visiting this venue. Clean, great sound system and a really nice size for smaller, intimate shows.