Because food and music are equally important in our world, we invite an Empty Bottle artist to join forces with Bite Café every month — the result is a one-night-only special item to be served on the night of their show.

This month, we invited the most got dang kawaii band in the freaking universe to curate a dish for us. The result is ROOKIE’s: chicken shawarma with Jerusalem salad. Read on to learn about their musical and culinary inspirations via Max Loebman (singer and guitarist in ROOKIE). Limited tickets to their upcoming album release gig on March 13 remain.

 Tell us a bit about yourselves!
A good portion of our time together is spent grabbing a bite post-practice, pre-show, or during a recording break. Sometimes it's a greasy Chicago burger, other times we're headed to the nearest taqueria. It's easy to work up an appetite when you're busy!

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish. 
It's a dish we all love. I have cooked it often and always share when I do. Food is as much an art as is music.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list?  What would ya’ll eat?
Terry Kath, Chrissie Hynde, John H. Bonham, Neil Young, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. This would be one classy but crazy dinner party…I'm gonna have to go with sushi.

What's your go-to meal on tour?
We've been on the East Coast for the past couple weeks with the legendary Cheap Trick. Everyone's been eating a bagel a day. Some of us get sausage, egg, and cheese. I get Lox with all of the fixings. Mish mosh bagel is the consensus. NY Bagel and Bialy on Skokie is the closest you'll get to that New York perfection in the Chicago area.

Because food and music are equally paramount in our world, we invite an Empty Bottle artist to join forces with Bite Café every month — the result is a one-night-only special item to be served on the night of their show.

This month, we invited the most got dang kawaii band in the freaking universe to curate a dish for us. The result is CHAI’s Walking Star Sticky Ribs: marinated spare pork ribs with black garlic shoyu, sambal, sesame, and apricot mostarda. Read on to learn about their musical and culinary inspirations. (Limited tickets to their sold out Empty Bottle gig on January 25 will be available at the door.)

Tell us a bit about yourselves!
MANA: We are an all-female 4-member group with a set of twins, myself and KANA, along with YUUKI and YUNA! 
KANA: From Japan you know!
YUUKI: Something you’ve never seen before, something you’ve never heard before, something you never felt before!  That’s what we’re going to show you!
YUNA: We’re going to win a Grammy!

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish.
YUNA: Meat is our source of power overall!  As a band we eat all kinds of meats to fuel our work ethic.
MANA: It’s when we eat meat that are true voices come out.
YUUKI: Thank you, meat!  We never waste a thing!  We eat every piece on the plate.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list?  What would ya’ll eat?
MANA: Mom, Dad, OH!  That’s 2 people already sorry!
KANA: (in response to MANA) Should we not choose family then?
MANA: (in response to KANA) No family???!!!
YUUKI: All of our parents and Michael Jackson!
YUNA: That’s a total of 7 people!  That’s 2 people too many, oops!
MANA: Oh!  I also want to invite my dog Roy!

What’s your go-to meal on tour?
YUNA: Thai food!
YUUKI: We always eat Thai food!  Love Pad Thai!
KANA: Green Curry too!  Oh and Papaya Salad of course.
MANA: For Japanese food, it’s definitely Japanese BBQ (Yakiniku!)

Because food and music are equally paramount in our world, we invite an Empty Bottle band to join forces with Bite Café every month — the result is a one-night-only special item to be served on the night of their show.

This month, we invited the fuzzy and depressive, expressive and expansive homies of Cloakroom into our kitchen, and they emerged with Meatless Star Poutine, a vegan Mexican poutine with chorizo spiced beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cilantro. Read on to learn about their musical and culinary inspirations. (And don't forget to snag tickets to their December 22 EB gig!)

Tell us a bit about yourselves!

We are a three-piece rock outfit from the Region

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish.

I think we tend to seek out Mexican cuisine a lot on the road, but we really love when we can find vegetarian-friendly poutine. Being vegan, the options are super limited, so anytime vegan poutine is offered I go for it.

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y'all eat?

Stanley Kubrick, Marcus Eoin and Mike Sandison (of Boards Of Canada fame), Kyle Larson, and Steph Curry. All experts in their respective fields, the conversations would be deep and educational. I would serve a cheezy pine-nut seitan roast, smashed red potatoes with mushroom gravy, mac & cheeze, and greens.  

What's your go-to tour meal?

I would say I consistently eat burritos and falafel, but any time I can get some out of the ordinary vegan cuisine Im game!

Try Bite Café's Meatless Star Poutine for yourself on Sunday, December 22, in celebration of Cloakroom's descent upon Empty Bottle. Tickets are available here.

Because we love food as much as we love music, we invite an Empty Bottle band to go toe-to-toe with Bite Café every month — the result is a one-night-only special item to be served on the night of their show.

This month, we invited the riff-huffing, psych-stoking gents of King Buffalo into our kitchen...and our hearts. Read on to learn what they've cooked up for ya. (And don't forget to snag tickets to their September 27 EB gig.)

Tell us a bit about yourselves!

King Buffalo are a power-trio bonded by three forces: flow, space, and, of course, heaviness. Their pace is a smooth cadence and perpetual hypnotic groove — it’s deliberate, powerful, and always moving.

Space is prevalent and exudes the group’s blossoming confidence (and patience) — providing air for suspense, tension, and crescendoing releases.

With the added breathing room, the explosive parts build and powerfully bust through like a blues-tinged, psychedelic, kraut-rock-powered tsunami. Bear witness to King Buffalo's journey as they cruise onward and upward, leaving behind an amazing soundtrack as they go.

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish.

We're only 60 miles from Buffalo, NY, so the wing culture made its way over to Rochester.

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y'all eat?

Socrates, Nikola Tesla, Leonardo Di Vinci, David Bowie, and Jack White. We'd probably eat a 5-course meal including Greek and Italian dishes.

What's your go-to tour meal?

Mexican and Pho are the go to's, usually, or late-night pizza.

Try Bite Café's King Buffalo Cheese Curds for yourself on Friday, September 27, in celebration of King Buffalo's sonic assault upon Empty Bottle. Tickets are available here.

Each month, a band on the EB calendar will be invited to curate their own Bite Café special to be served on the night of their show. This month, we invited barstool rock legends The Hold Steady to cook up somethin' real nice for y'all. Let Steve Selvidge, The Hold Steady's guitarist, tell you all about his BBQ-inspired Bottle Bite...

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a musician, born and raised in the musical community in Memphis, TN.  

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish.

I was backstage at a gig in Memphis, and all of us musicians were talking about what local BBQ we loved and why. This led to a discussion of some of the favorite things that our moms made for us. Somewhere on that Venn Diagram we ended up here. 

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y'all eat?

Paul Stanley, Anthony Bourdain, Jimmy Page, Georgia O’Keeffe and my dad, Sid Selvidge. So many things. A lot of grilled steak with chimichurri, grilled green onions and tomatoes, really good crusty bread and some amazing wine that’s local to somewhere.

What's your go-to tour meal?

Usually some sort of comforting pasta that I can eat some of before the gig and then finish later. Try and get a salad in as well.  

Try Bite Café's Fried Catfish and Braised Greens for yourself on Friday, August 23, in celebration of The Hold Steady's three-night Chicago takeover!

Each month, a band on the EB calendar will be invited to curate their own Bite Café special to be served on the night of their show. This month, we invited proto-new wave legend Gary Wilson into our kitchen (and our hearts 🖤) . Read on to learn what he cooked up for y'all!

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I am Gary Wilson born in the town of Endicott, New York, in 1953. I self-recorded my album You Think You Really Know Me at my parents' home in Endicott.  Composer John Cage invited me to his home in Haverstraw, New York, when I was 15 years old. We went over my avant garde classical scores. I was invited by Questlove of The Roots to appear on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon and Earl Sweatshirt of Odd Future invited me to appear with him on The Jimmy Kimmel Show. I have released my last 6 albums on Cleopatra Records, with my latest called The King Of Endicott. 

Tell us about your Bottle Bites dish…

My mother was Italian and my father was English. My mother would have to strain her sauce for me. I'm sort of a plain guy — I don't eat vegetables and fruits and very rarely drink regular water. I mostly drink a two-liter bottle of regular Coke every day. My sauce is basic but the secret is the sweet Italian sausage (not broken up) and letting it simmer for at least 3 to 4 hours. Plain cheese burgers are also my favorite food.  

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y’all eat? 

I would invite John Cage, Allen Ginsburg, Frank Zappa, Dion and Barbara Steele for dinner. We would have my cheese ravioli and sauce and plenty of cheese and soda pop with my favorite movie playing (A Summer Place with Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue).

What’s your go-to tour meal? 

My favorite place to stop on tour is McDonald's for a few plain cheese burgers. I did two tours in Europe and McDonald's saved me.   

Try Bite Café's 6.4 = A Dinner Out (bucatini with veal meatballs, Sunday gravy, and grana padano) for yourself on Tuesday, July 30, in celebration of Part Time and Gary Wilson's Bottle gig!

Y'all doubled down on last month's Dehd Dawg, and we're all about giving the people what they want, so...Bottle Bites* is back, babyyy!

*(A note for the uninitiated: Each month, a band on the EB calendar will be invited to curate their own Bite Café special to be served on the night of their show. Keep a lookout for dishes that'll be equal parts daring and delicious, hungry hounds.)

Read on to get the whole scoop on The Mystery Lights' Bottle Bites installment...

Tell us a bit about yourselves!

We all need a drink and a shrink :)

Tell us about your Bottle Bites dish…

It all started with the noodle. Not a hot noodle as expected...this noodle is served cool like jazz and while yer at it, hold the gluten. 

If the chicken came before the egg, we're glad it did because the chicken inspired the egg on our dish. Soft-boiled, because the yolk reminds us of summer sun and friendships that hold us together through the hard times.

Let’s not forget the kimchi because we like to put cute microorganisms into our bellies, where they can party on the inside while we humans party on the outside.

A little of this here and a pinch of that there and you got yerself a bingo  bango!

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y’all eat?

George Clinton (with Joseph Campbell as his +1), Harmony Korine, John Leguizamo as ‘The Pest’ (with Mason Ramsy as his +1), Snoop Dogg, Bette Davis.

What’s your go-to tour meal?

This tour has definitely been the Beyond / Impossible Burger tour so far.

Try Bite Café's Mystery Bowl (a Bibimbop Bowl with soba noodles, a soft egg, kimchi aioli, and seasonal vegetables) for yourself on Tuesday, June 25, in celebration of The Mystery Lights' show at The Empty Bottle!

Oh, and we should mention that tickets are flyin' for that one. Get yer paws on some now.

DehdBottleBites

We here at ye olde Empty Bottle believe that, YES, we can have it all. That's why we're combining our two favorite things in the whole wide world—music and food. Cue: Bottle Bites.

Each month, a band on the EB calendar will be invited to curate their own Bite Café special to be served on the night of their show. Keep a lookout for dishes that'll be equal parts daring and delicious, hungry hounds.

Read on to learn a little sumpin' sumpin' about hometown darlings Dehd and their Bottle Bites creation...

Tell us a bit about yourselves!

We are Emily Kempf, Eric McGrady and Jason Balla—otherwise known as Dehd. We love snacking on the road, bubbly water and playing at the Empty Bottle.

Tell us about your Bottle Bites dish…

We chose a fancy pants hot dog as our dish for Bite because on tour the gas station dogs always let us down, so we wanted to be able to come home and have a proper dog. Also, since we call Chicago home it just seemed right. AND it rhymes. Dehd Dawg!

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y’all eat?

It’d be a pretty wild bunch. Britney Spears, Marcel Duchamp, Kendrick Lamar, the Kardashians and Stanley Kubrick. Eric would cook his specialty feast of potatoes.

What’s your go-to tour meal?

Sad to say it’s Subway. Veggie delight footlong, light mayo and spicy mustard.

Try Bite Café's Dehd Dawg (an andouille pork corndog with honey butter dijon) for yourself on Friday, May 10 in celebration of Dehd's record release show at The Empty Bottle!

Oh, and we should mention that tickets are flyin' fast for that one. Get yer paws on some now.

Behold, the Dehd Dawg.