The Waiting Room Lounge

What Plays There

You'll find The Waiting Room Lounge at 6212 Maple St., right in the middle of Benson. The building started out as a 1920s car dealership — showroom floor, then dance floor.

Not a bad glow-up.

Long before it was The Waiting Room, that same address did time as the Lift Ticket Lounge, which is how a storefront on Maple Street ended up hosting Jesus Lizard, Soundgarden, and Nirvana. It later became D Dub's. Then in 2007, 1% Productions — Marc Leibowitz and Jim Johnson — reopened it as The Waiting Room.

They kept tinkering. A few years after opening, a renovation knocked out a wall, raised the ceilings, and hung the speakers overhead, plus put HD monitors at the bar so you can watch the band without craning your neck.

Later upgrades added a Nexo sound system, LED lighting, and a 26-handle tap system. Since opening, it's hosted "every genre of music," from Imagine Dragons and Wiz Khalifa to Dinosaur Jr. and Yo La Tengo.

Music is the backbone, but the calendar doesn't stick to one lane.

On any given month you might find a touring band, a disco dance party, a rave, a Primus tribute act, or a night of pro wrestling. If you're picturing just another rock club, picture again.

Tickets and Box Office

Every listing on the venue's events page tells you the age label and the price up front.

Shows are marked ALL AGES, 18+, or 21+, and most list doors and show times separately — think "Doors: 7 pm // Show: 8 pm" — so you know how long you'll be standing around before the band actually starts.

Paid shows have a Buy Tickets button, and the calendar has venue filters, including one for The Waiting Room Outdoors shows.

Tickets go through Etix, via the Buy Tickets button on each paid show's listing.

The price is where it pays to plan. Many listings show two numbers, ADV (advance) and DOS (day of show), and advance is always the lower one when both are listed; other listings just say "starting at" a price. The gap depends on the show. If a date matters to you, don't wait to find out.

Venue Policies

Age Restrictions

Age labels matter here — check whether your show is ALL AGES, 18+, or 21+ before you invite anyone along.

What The Waiting Room Doesn't Publish

The Waiting Room Lounge's website doesn't publish much about parking, bag policy, or accessibility.

If any of that matters to your plans, your best move is the venue's contact form or the ticket page for the specific show you're going to. Don't guess and hope — ask.

Food, Drinks, and Amenities

Those renovations were made with the audience in mind: better sound from speakers hung over the stage, and HD monitors so you can grab another round without losing sight of the band. Add taps that pour cocktails as well as beer, and that's a solid trifecta.

Thirsty? Drafts start at $5 for a PBR, and the cocktails are on tap, too: an $8 Margarita, a $9 Saturn, a $10 Old Fashioned, and an $11 Mai Tai.

Where to Eat and Drink Nearby

The Waiting Room Lounge sits on Maple Street in the heart of Benson, and you don't have to leave the street for a drink or a meal before or after the show.

Benson Brewery, at 6059 Maple St., pours Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. and Sunday from noon, with a Hoppy Hour Tuesday through Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. — closed Mondays. For something closer to dinner, Au Courant Regional Kitchen at 6064 Maple St. serves Thursday through Sunday starting at 5 p.m.; it's closed Monday through Wednesday, so don't plan a Tuesday date around it.

Our pick: Heading to an all-ages show? Walk over to Ted & Wally's at 6023 Maple St. for ice cream, plus food from A Taste of New Orleans. It's a much easier sell for the under-21 crowd than a bar.

Tips for a First Visit

• Check the upcoming events right here on this page or on the venue's own calendar before you make plans.
• Note the age label on the show you want — ALL AGES, 18+, or 21+ — before you buy.
• Buy early; advance is the cheaper price.
• Get tickets through the Buy Tickets button (Etix) on the show's listing.
• Most listings give a doors time and a show time, often an hour apart, so build that into your night.
• Parking, bags, or accessibility questions? Use the contact form.
• Line up a drink or dinner nearby on Maple Street before or after.

Bottom line: check the calendar, grab your ticket early, and save room for Maple Street after the encore. Enjoy the show!