Friar's Inn was a nightclub

Nightclub

A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...

 and speakeasy

Speakeasy

A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...

 in Chicago, Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

, a famed jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 music venue in the 1920s.

Though some sources refer to it casually as "Friar's Club", it was not related to the Friars Club

Friars Club

Friars Club can refer to:* The New York Friars' Club* The Friars Club of Beverly Hills* The Friar Society, University of Texas at Austin* The Friars , Louisiana State University* "The Friars Club", a Seinfeld episode...

 of New York.

Located in a basement at 60 East Van Buren or 343 South Wabash in the Chicago Loop

Chicago Loop

The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...

, the establishment was owned by Mike Fritzel, and attracted gangsters as well as fans of jazz music.

Among the notable bands associated with Friar's Inn were New Orleans Rhythm Kings

New Orleans Rhythm Kings

The New Orleans Rhythm Kings were one of the most influential jazz bands of the early-to-mid 1920s. The band was a combination of New Orleans and Chicago musicians who helped shape Chicago Jazz and influenced many younger jazz musicians....

 (originally the "Friar's Society Orchestra"), and the Austin High Gang (also known as the "Blue Friars").

Noted musicians who played at the Friar's Inn included Frank Teschemacher

Frank Teschemacher

Frank Teschemacher was an American jazz clarinetist and alto-saxophonist, associated with the "Austin High" gang...

, Bud Freeman

Bud Freeman

Lawrence "Bud" Freeman was a U.S. jazz musician, bandleader, and composer, known mainly for playing the tenor saxophone, but also able at the clarinet. He had a smooth and full tenor sax style with a heavy robust swing. He was one of the most influential and important jazz tenor saxophonists of...

, Steve Brown

Steve Brown (bass player)

Steve Brown was a jazz musician best known for his work on string bass. Like many of his fellow New Orleans, Louisiana bassists, he played both string bass and tuba professionally, as the two instruments fill similar roles in different types of bands.Brown was the younger brother of trombonist...

, George Brunies

George Brunies

George Brunies, aka Georg Brunis, was a jazz trombonist who came to fame in the 1930s, and was part of the Dixieland revival. He was known as the "King of the Tailgate Trombone"....

, Merritt Brunies

Merritt Brunies

Merritt Brunies , was an American jazz trombonist and cornetist.Brunies was born into a well-known musical family in New Orleans, Louisiana; among its members were George Brunies and Albert Brunies...

, Emmett Hardy

Emmett Hardy

Emmett Louis Hardy was an early jazz cornet player and one of the best regarded New Orleans musicians of his generation....

, Paul Mares

Paul Mares

Paul Mares , was an American early dixieland jazz cornet & trumpet player, and leader of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings.Mares was born in New Orleans. His father, Joseph E...

, Leon Roppolo

Leon Roppolo

Leon Roppolo was a prominent early jazz clarinetist, best known for his playing with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Roppolo also played saxophone and guitar. Roppolo married Mabel Alice Branchard on 17 May 1920 in New Orleans...

, Bee Palmer

Bee Palmer

Bee Palmer , was a United States singer and dancer. She was born Beatrice C. Palmer in Chicago.Palmer first attracted significant attention as one of the first exponents of the "shimmy" dance in the late 1910s...

, Louis 'Lou' Black

Louis 'Lou' Black

Louis Thomas 'Lou' Black was one of the foremost banjo players of the Jazz Era.Born in Rock Island, Illinois, he began playing banjo during early childhood and became professional in 1917....

, and Mel Stitzel

Mel Stitzel

Mel Stitzel was a German-born pianist best known for his work with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, a leading jazz band of the early 1920s...

. Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....

worked as a dancer at the Friar's Inn early in her career.