10 Best Jazz Bars In Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1. Café de Engelbewaarder

The café is located on the opposite side of the Compagnie Theatre on the ground floor of a canal house on the Kloveniersburgwal. A live jazz band performs here every Sunday evening. This mesmerizing jam session is conducted by Jacko Schoonderwoerd, Victor de Boo, and Leo Bouwmeester. The café has an excellent menu of sandwiches, yogurt, omelets, French toasts, spring rolls, sausages, homemade pies, bread with a variety of spreads and assorted dishes for dinner. The menu keeps changing daily to keep your taste buds happy. You can even choose from a range of 20 different types of beers to suit your mood.

Café de Engelbewaarder

Address: Kloveniersburgwal 59, 1011 JZ Amsterdam

Website: Café de Engelbewaarder

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 10pm - 1am; Fri - Sat: 10pm - 3am; Sun: 11pm - 3am

2. Jazz Café Alto

This Jazz café is the right place for Jazz connoisseurs. It is located at the center of the city; just less than a minute away from the Leidseplein. The café opens every day at 9 pm and features live bands every time. You can find both seasoned and upcoming bands performing here till the early morning hours. The entry is free and you can enjoy a range of drinks from its bar or have snacks and dinner as you listen to the exquisite music.

Jazz Café Alto

Address: Jazz Cafe Alto, Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 115, 1017 PX Amsterdam

Website: Jazz Café Alto

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 9pm - 3am; Fri - Sat: 9pm - 4am

3. Café Van Leeuwen

Café Van Leeuwen is located at Keizersgracht 711 in Amsterdam city. It is a proper café with live jazz performances on Sunday evenings. Entrance is free. The jazz starts at 8 pm and continues for two long hours. The best jazz groups perform here. The atmosphere is just electric with exciting solos and hot vocals. The café also boasts of a distinguished dining menu and a long beverage list to choose from. It is definitely one of the best places to be in for a jazz fan.

Café Van Leeuwen

Address: Keizersgracht 711HS, Keizersgracht 711, Amsterdam

Website: Café Van Leeuwen

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 8am - 1am; Fri: 8am - 3am; Sat: 10am - 3am; Sun: 11am - 1am

4. Bimhuis

The Bimhuis is a venue for pioneering musicians of all genres. It is located on the banks of IJ river and is within the walking distance from Amsterdam’s City Center. The center hosts over 300 programs a year in the field of performing arts and encourages new developments in jazz. If you are lucky, you could find yourself in the middle of a pioneering jazz concert and feel mesmerized with something out of the world. There is a café adjacent to the hall where you can even grab a quick bite or go for a whole meal.

Bimhuis

Address: Piet Heinkade 3, Amsterdam

Website: Bimhuis

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 6.30pm - 1am; Fri - Sat: 6:30pm - 3am

5. Elsa’s Café

The Elsa’s café is located in Middenweg. It is a café that organizes live jazz performance every Tuesdays at 9 pm. New bands perform every week enticing its patrons week after week. Entrance is free and you can book your table over the phone. You can either order snacks and drinks or go for a full dinner at their place. The music will just keep flowing.

Elsa’s Café

Address: Middenweg 73, 1098 AE Amsterdam

Website: Elsa’s Café

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11am - 1am; Fri - Sat: 11am - 2am; Sun: 1pm - 1am

6. Club Dauphine

Club Dauphine is located at Prins Bernhardplein. The jazz performances are scheduled on Sundays from 5 pm. You will need to buy your ticket to be a witness to the choicest jazz in town. The music is bound to sweep you off your feet. You could even get yourself a combo ticket for the performance and a two-course meal after the event. So hurry and grab your ticket before they are sold out.

Club Dauphine

Address: Prins Bernhardplein 175, Amsterdam

Website: Club Dauphine

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 1am; Sat: Sun: 11am - 1am

7. Pompstation

This restaurant offers live background music every day from 7 pm onwards. Both the jazz and the restaurant ambiance are a class apart. You can find several upcoming and established artists performing at this venue. If you are here for the jazz, make sure to reserve one of the tables in the front of the restaurant. The dinner and drinks are classy and reasonably priced.

Pompstation

Address: Zeeburgerdijk 52, Amsterdam

Website: Pompstation

Opening hours: Tue - Thu: 3.30pm - 11pm; Fri - Sat: 3.30pm - 12am; Sun: 5pm - 12am

8. Cotton Club Amsterdam

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Cotton Club Amsterdam has the reputation of being one of the oldest jazz cafes in the city. This 60-year-old café is located in Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam. People from all walks of life gather here for the authentic, live Jazz. The music flows every Saturday from 4.30 pm to 8 pm you can find some of the best people of the circuit perform here. Entrance is free for all jazz lovers. The guests have lauded the place for its location and affordable menu.

Cotton Club Amsterdam

Address: Nieuwmarkt 5, Amsterdam

Website: Cotton Club Amsterdam

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 4pm - 1am; Sat - Sun: 2pm - 1am

9. Café Casablanca

This Café is well known for live jazz performances from Sunday to Thursday. You can find the monthly schedule at the café window. The café has a classy worn out ambiance. The live jazz performances continue till midnight. You can find jazz lovers hanging out at this place to shake a leg with the big-time bands of the city. The food and drinks are the second points of attraction. Remember to grab your seats before they get filled up.

Café Casablanca

Address: Zeedijk 26E, 1012 AZ, Amsterdam

Website: Café Casablanca

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 8pm - 3am; Fri - Sat: 8pm - 4am (closed on Sun)

10. Bourbon Street

This music club hosts various music performances including jazz and blues. Artists of international repute, local fame, and newcomers all converge here for a mesmerizing performance. There are no cover charges for Sundays and Mondays. The music begins later in the night.

Bourbon Street

Address: Leidsekruisstraat 6-8, 1017 RH, Amsterdam

Website: Bourbon Street

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 10pm - 4am; Fri - Sat: 10pm - 5am

All the jazz in Amsterdam

In the past few decades, Amsterdam has evolved into a jazz hotspot. There are numerous jazz cafes in the city to excite your love for the music. We hope that our list of select jazz points of the city will prompt you to plan out your evenings at one of our recommendations.