From Texas to Chicago: Doc Watkins Brings His Vision of the Modern Jazz Supper Club to Lincoln Park

Doc's Jazz Club, a live music and dining experience from acclaimed jazz pianist and entrepreneur Doc Watkins, will open at NEWCITY in March 2027

CHICAGO, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago knows jazz, as it's part of the city's DNA. But there's always room for a new kind of night out, especially one where the music is only the beginning. That's the idea behind Doc's Jazz Club, opening in March 2027 at NEWCITY in Lincoln Park. The new Supper Club will bring jazz pianist, bandleader and entrepreneur Doc Watkins to Chicago, along with his signature mix of live music, good food, cocktails and the kind of hospitality that makes you want to stay awhile.

The Chicago location will be Watkins' third jazz club and his first in the Midwest, following the success of Jazz, TX in San Antonio and Doc's Jazz Club in Houston. But Watkins says Chicago is not simply the next stop on a national expansion plan.

"Chicago is one of the great music cities, and I have enormous respect for what jazz means here," says Watkins. "We're not coming to Chicago to tell Chicago what jazz is. We're coming because we love what Chicago already is, and we want to build a place that feels worthy of being part of that tradition."

The concept is rooted in a simple idea: a great night out should feel like an experience.

At Doc's Chicago, live music is the reason to be there. Featured performers will take to the stage each week, bringing a variety of musical genres and styles to the room. And the food is every bit as important as the music, with guests enjoying exquisite food and drinks and service that exceeds every expectation, all under one roof.

Chef Matt Fanella will lead the culinary program, creating a menu designed to make the food an important part of the experience, not simply something to have while listening to the band. Nick DeFina will serve as General Manager, overseeing the guest experience and bringing his own approach to hospitality to the Chicago club. Together, the team will help shape a Doc's that feels distinctly Chicago while staying true to the philosophy Watkins has developed in San Antonio and Houston.

In Houston, Watkins has built Doc's Jazz Club around what the club calls "Fine Jazz. Serious Hospitality" that encourages guests to dress up, settle in and stay awhile. The Chicago club will bring that same philosophy to Lincoln Park, while developing its own identity for the city. And the location itself is part of the story. The future Doc's will occupy the former Yard House space at NEWCITY, transforming a large, familiar restaurant footprint into a destination built around live music. NEWCITY sits in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park/Near North Side area and combines dining, entertainment and retail in a walkable urban setting.

For Watkins, the goal is to create the kind of room that makes people forget about everything outside it for a few hours.

"There's something powerful about sitting in a room with other people, listening to musicians who are creating something in real time," Watkins says. "You can't stream that feeling. You can't put it on a playlist. It happens because you're there."

Watkins knows what it takes to build a jazz club from the ground up. He founded Jazz, TX in San Antonio in 2016, creating an intimate club and restaurant in the historic Pearl development. Over the past decade, the venue has hosted artists including Kenny Garrett, Bill Charlap, Brian Blade, John Pizzarelli, Chris Potter, Jane Monheit, Herlin Riley and Kevin Eubanks. Watkins also performs more than 100 shows a year with his 11-piece orchestra.

What began as a risky idea in a small basement has grown into a broader philosophy about live music, hospitality and community. Jazz, TX recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, a milestone Watkins marked in an unexpected way: by writing a book about the experience.

Wakins is also a bestselling author, with the recent release of his Jazz, TX: A Love Letter to Live Music, Community, and the Little Club That Could which takes readers behind the scenes of his unlikely journey from classically trained pianist to club owner, entrepreneur and bandleader. Part memoir, part ode to jazz and part entrepreneurial playbook, the book explores the mistakes, surprises and lessons behind building a live music venue that became a cultural gathering place. It also includes cocktail recipes paired with the book's chapters.

Doc's is designed to make live jazz accessible, exciting and part of a memorable night out, whether guests arrive as longtime jazz fans, first-time listeners, couples looking for a special evening, friends gathering for dinner or Chicagoans simply looking for somewhere new to go.

Doc's Chicago is expected to open in March 2027 at NEWCITY (1500 N Clybourn). For more information, please visit www.docschicago.com. Renderings of the space can be found HERE.

About Doc Watkins

Doc Watkins is a jazz pianist, bandleader, club owner and entrepreneur based in San Antonio, Texas. He is the founder of Jazz, TX, the acclaimed restaurant and jazz club at the Historic Pearl in San Antonio, and Doc's Jazz Club in Houston. An active musician, Watkins has released 10 albums and performs more than 100 shows annually with his 11-piece orchestra. He is also the co-founder of TurnTable; a ticketing and marketing platform designed for jazz clubs and cabaret-style venues. Watkins holds master's and doctoral degrees in music from the University of Texas and performed with his trio at Carnegie Hall in 2014. His new book, Jazz, TX: A Love Letter to Live Music, Community, and the Little Club That Could, was released August 25, 2026.

Contact:
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SOURCE Doc's Jazz & Supper Club