9 Greek Street,
Soho,
London,
W1D 4DQ
0872 148 3519
The ViewLondon Review
You’ll find Jazz After Dark nestled neatly on Greek Street, Soho. Easy to miss thanks to its diminutive size, it's worth persevering.The VenueThis late night jazz club classes itself as a cocktail bar and restaurant but is definitely more of a music hall. Launched in 1985, it’s been attracting music buffs ever since with a fair few celebrities to boot. Amy Winehouse has joined the band for an impromptu set and Pete Doherty has also played here. Pictures adorn the walls of celebrities that have visited in the past and the owner is quite proud of his clientele.
As you walk in the door of Jazz After Dark the owner welcomes you at a small table by the bar and takes an entry fee, if there are any tables left he then leads you to where the live music plays. The whole room only seats about 24 guests so you need to arrive around 9pm for a decent table. There are a few more tables at the front of the club by the bar and two outside; however, you won’t see the band from here, although they do have a flatscreen TV in the window that shows the band to attract punters off the street.
The AtmosphereThere’s an intimate atmosphere at Jazz After Dark; the club is so small it’s hard not to be cosy up to your neighbours and the musicians, making for a laid back, friendly evening. The staff are very welcoming and accommodating.
The MusicThere is an excellent calibre of musicians on offer at Jazz After Dark, playing everything from jazz, funk and soul to blues and Latin tunes. They play until the early hours every night of the week so there’s something for every taste and it’s easy to see why they have such a loyal following.
The FoodThe food here isn’t gourmet, but it’s of a decent quality. They do a set menu of three courses for parties and smaller tables, which is good value for money. Also on offer is a selection of tapas, burgers, and light bites at reasonable prices, all of which serve to satisfy the appetite whilst enjoying the music. There’s no set dinnertime so you can eat, drink and enjoy the music at your own pace and if you find yourself peckish halfway through the show you can always order something else.
The DrinkClassic cocktails are on the menu and arrive very nicely mixed and well presented. Wine by the bottle is reasonable and there is a fair choice. The drinks are all very reasonably priced for the area.
The Last WordClassic, nostalgic and friendly with quality music thrown in sums up Jazz After Dark. As long as you’re not going for glamour, you won’t be disappointed.
Jazz After Dark has been reviewed by 27 users