30 of the best local jazz clubs & bars in Europe

Studio 5, Sofia (by Vanya Nikova)

Any season, any time, any mindset…Jazz is most always a delightful soothing sound to listen to. In this list you’ll find many Jazz bars or cafés with live Jazz nights, which our locals love to frequent. So if you find yourself near one of the listed spots or in any of our cities, don’t hesitate to fill your head with these lovely sounds.

So, without further ado, in random order, a selection of our Spotter’s favorite Jazz haunts!

Trattoria & Soul, Zurich (by Miltiadis Sarakinos)

1) Trattoria & Soul, Zurich (by Miltiadis Sarakinos)
Zurich Spotter Miltiadis: “The environment has evolved: it is more bourgeois than underground and a bit more luminous but is very pleasant anyway. Live music plays only on Thursday and Friday [...] starting at 21:00.”

Casa del Jazz, Rome (by Annalaura D'Errico)

2) Casa del Jazz, Rome (by Annalaura D’Errico)
Rome local Annalaura: “Inaugurated in 2005, by then mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni, this is now one of the best venues in Rome to get a chance to listen to world-renowned jazz musicians.”

Studio 5, Sofia (by Vanya Nikova)

3) Studio 5, Sofia (by Vanya Nikova)
Vanya, of our Sofia locals wrote: “[...] it opened just few months ago and it’s the music, the guests, the artists, the stage, the elegance, the atmosphere – everything stops you from looking at your watch and helps you forget about your trivial round.”

4) Bacchus Jazz bar, Zagreb (by Krunoslav Koprivnjak)
Live music from Wednesday to Saturday, set in the backdrop of a detail-filled  bar with a delicious wine list.

5) Ptica, Belgrade (by Maja Simov)
“In the city where most live band venues still prefer bands playing mediocre pop and rock covers – “Ptica” is a music jewel. And the most famous jazz club in the city.”, according to local Maja.

Sax Pub, Ljubljana (by Jošt Derlink)

6) Sax Pub, Ljubljana (by Jošt Derlink)
Spotter Jošt Derlink mostly recommends the Sax Pub for its atmosphere. “It’s well known for its great atmosphere, especially during the summer, when they have concerts on a stage near Gradascica River, which was made by Slovenian architect Joze Plecnik.”

The 78, Glasgow (by Calum Boyd)

7) The 78, Glasgow (by Roddy Cunningham)
Here’s a tip from Glaswegian Roddy: “On a cold Sunday evening there is nothing I enjoy more than to head over the 78 and listen to live jazz in front of the roaring coal fire. The bar is a locals favourite and is usually packed”.

8) Ptasiek, Krakow (by Karolina Kolodziej)
A very local tip from Karolina: “Because each week, exactly on Wednesday, a jam session takes place in ‘Ptasiek’. [...] Improvised jazz – that’s the genre which dominates those evenings. But it’s also one of very few places where guests also play blues.”

Jazz bar, Madrid (by Teresa Juan Lopez)

9) Jazz bar, Madrid (by Teresa Juan Lopez)
“Jazz music is perfect for any kind of weather and any type of mood. So if we combine this music with an intimate, cosy bar, we will get a perfect combination. This is the best example.” according to Teresa.

Café Oto, London (by Sébastien Cevey/Theefer)

10) Café Oto, London (by Andrew Sidford)
Local Andrew has a lot of positive things to say about Oto: “Oto means ‘noise’ or ‘music’ in Japanese and that is exactly what you get at this amazing, innovative venue. [...] but then, when the lights go out [...] Oto turns into the home of the experimental musician and easily fulfills its stated aim of ‘providing a home for creative new music that exists outside of the mainstream’.”

Harlem Jazz Club, Barcelona (by Rafa Dujarric)

11) Harlem Jazz Club, Barcelona (by Rafael Dujarric)
So according to Barcelona citizen Rafael, any day is fine at Harlem Jazz Club. “Just come to a jam session on any Tuesday or Wednesday and sing as if no one was hearing you (be aware that the musicians playing are usually really good), or come any other day to a concert [...]“

12) Kloostri Ait, Tallinn (by Kristiina Kala)
“On weekend nights there will be beautiful piano and jazz concerts. What could be nicer after a long walk than a warm fireplace, glass of good wine and soft jazz music filling the room. ” This entire recommendation from Kristiina really sets the mood for a perfect night out.

AMR, Geneva (by Sylvie Meynier)

13) AMR, Geneva (by Sylvie Meynier)
Jazz lover and AMR enthusiast Sylvie is here weekly!“If like me you like jazz and live music, then this is the place where you should go one evening. I often go there on Tuesdays, as it’s when they have their jam session.”

14) Copenhagen Jazz house, Copenhagen (by Frederikke Rode)
“Copenhagen Jazzhouse is more than one thing. First of all it is, as you might have guessed, a jazz house. There are concerts almost every day. Mostly jazz [...]“

Al Grammelot, Rome (by Al Grammelot)

15) Al Grammelot, Rome (by Barbara Marcotulli)
“Jazz is back! PERFORMERS TO BE SEEN EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT FROM 19:00!” is local Barbara’s exclamation intro to her review of this local spot.

Jazzkeller, Frankfurt (by Alexander Wipf)

16) Jazzkeller, Frankfurt (by Carolina Leersch)
This quote by Frankfurter Carolina tells you everything you need to know about Jazzkeller’s finer attributes. “[...] found myself in a dark but cozy basement, quite crowded and warm. According to the barkeeper, the room consists of 250-year old brick walls – and they definitely offer the right background for the musicians.”

O.U.R. Bar, Belgrade (by Milos Vuksic)

17) O.U.R. Bar, Belgrade (by Dušan Lopušina)
Belgrade local Dušan: “Cozy atmosphere is enriched with jazzy vibes, that turn into either live jazz in the evening or more dance-able sounds, mostly based on nu jazz, bossanova or disco. The piano is not a mere aesthetic detail, it’s actually played on during unplugged jazz sets.”

Faschings Club Soul, Stockholm (by Natalia Urbanska)

18) Fasching’s Club Soul, Stockholm (by Natalia Urbanska)
According to local Natalia, Fasching’s “[...] is mainly known for their Jazz concerts. So if you’re into Jazz, this is certainly your spot!”

College Hotel, Amsterdam (by Madelien Schippers)

19) College Hotel, Amsterdam (by Madelien Schippers)
This is a favorite of Amsterdam local Madelien“When my friends and I where here on Sundays, we enjoyed the live jazz music from around five ’till seven. The hotel attracts a diverse crowd, that consists of twenty somethings as well as more mature visitors, and is a nice mixture of tourists and locals.”

20) DAD Café, Riga (by Martins Veidemanis)
Local Martins recommends the livelier evenings at DAD Café: “On the other hand some evenings here are more lively as jazz musicians make their performances. The cafe fills up with warm atmosphere, great music and smiling guests for a fine happening.”

Jazzhuss Montmartre, Copenhagen (by Massimo Fiorentino)

21) Jazzhuss Montmartre, Copenhagen (by Elina Rovainen)
An all-in-great-night-out according to local Elina: “Many people like to come for a dinner before the concert and continue the evening with the greatest jazz artists of today.”

Hot Club de Gand, Ghent (by Jasper Hamerlynck)

22) Hot Club de Gand, Ghent
“It’s a small dark place, which is usually very crowded in the evening with students and thirty-somethings. Often there’s a jazz or blues concert, but it’s not a pure jazz bar as its Parisian namesake. The eclectic line-up will surprise you.”

23) Jazz club Gajo, Ljubljana (by Eva Taucar)
Ljubljana local Eva explains how there’s always something going on: “Every Monday club Gajo hosts student jam sessions, and sometimes, when the atmosphere is just right, Gajo joins the session by playing drums. Live concerts are mostly on Thursdays or Fridays, but sometimes things happen also on other days [...]“

Hopper Café, Antwerp (by Niko Caignie)

24) Hopper Café, Antwerp (by Niko Caignie)
Local Niko recommends this local favorite: “This Café located in the South part of the city is probably the most famous café… [...] But when you’re looking for a spot to enjoy some jazz this is one of the better options in Antwerp.”

Jazz n Jazz, Athens (by Margarita Kalogeropoulou)

25.) Jazz n Jazz, Athens (by Margarita Kalogeropoulou)
“Embedded in vintage decoration, pictures of jazz musicians, CDs and jazz music (at exactly the right volume) you will most probably stay there until they throw you out.” Sounds like Athens local Margarita means business!

26.) Dachboden, Vienna (by Julia Heiligenbrunner)
Vienna local Julia: “My favorite: Wednesday night! If swing/soul/jazz is your thing, you are going to like this.”

27.) Hotsy Totsy Club, Ghent (by Julie Landrieu)
Julie, Ghent local: “The Hotsy Totsy has already a long history (it already exists more than 30 years now!) and is mostly known as an artists or jazz café. The walls are filled with art and exhibitions by photographers and other creative masterminds.”

28.) Anderson’s, Glasgow (by Elly Friel)
Glaswegian Jazz lover Elly: “Surroundings aside, the fare within could easily be mistaken for that of a Parisian sidewalk café, a Spanish wine bar or Italian trattoria. Worth checking out too are regular jazz evenings and wine tastings.”

CC Muziekcafé, Amsterdam (by Martin Sollmann)

29.) CC Muziekcafé, Amsterdam (by Martin Sollmann)
A live music pub with nights dedicated entirely to Jazz! “Just having celebrated the first anniversary the CC Café is looking back on a year full of live music “

30.) Pipa Club, Barcelona (by Bill Sinclair)
Local Bill says: “But it’s not just pipe smokers who meet here – the club hosts milonga and tango classes and there’s a regular program of jazz gigs.”

The Sounds, Brussels (by Yamina El Atlassi)

31.) The Sounds, Brussels (by Yamina El Atlassi)
Local Yamina struggles with revealing this local favorite, but she still manages: “I can’t keep this legendary place in Brussels for myself and the very few who like Jazz. It’s located in a little street near the city hall of Ixelles : The Sounds.”

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