10 Best Jazz Bars In Atlanta, Georgia

jazz bars in atlanta
Shamika
Shamika 
Updated
| 4 min read

Atlanta, Georgia, promises an incredible memory-filled unforgettable adventure for travellers of all kinds. Whether you are a homebody who prefers quaint museums, visual art exhibitions and relaxed lounge pubs, or you are an adventure sports enthusiast with a fondness for everything extroverted such as dabbling in new sports activities and hitting the most popular nightclubs, Atlanta has something for you. You are sure to have your hands full with awesome experiences and touristy attractions, if you know where to look.

Atlanta is popular for many reasons, one of which remains its jazz scene that permeates in the urban subculture and provides an invigorating new musical experience for tourists and locals alike. Once it’s sundown, live jazz music can be heard throughout the undercurrent of the city, if you know where to look. So read on as we check out some of the best jazz bars in Atlanta Georgia!

1. Apache Cafe


For some great soul food to go with relaxed and intimate decor and live music, nobody delivers better than Apache Cafe. Located in downtown Atlanta, this bar is very intimately decorated and a bit hard to find, making it somewhat a hidden gem. This place has been around for a long time, and they know what they are doing when it comes to great soul food. So step into this bar and swing to jazzy tunes all night long, and you are guaranteed a fun evening.

Apache Cafe

Address: 880 Woodrow St SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA

Website: Apache Cafe

Opening hours: Sun - Mon: 7pm - 12:30am; Tue: 8pm - 12:30am; Wed - Sat: 7pm - 1am

Visited this place?

2. Cafe 290

Posted by Cafe 290 on Wednesday, 13 March 2019

This is a local favourite for live music. A great restaurant with warm and intimate decor, live jazz performances and pool tables to try your hand at with your friends, Cafe 290 features a special seafood and steak menu similar to a bistro. You can opt for a traditional sit-down dinner at the tables, or check out the bar seating that is also quite popular. Guests highly recommend the various unique cocktails served here, as well as the live jazz music, of course!

Cafe 290

Address: 290 Hilderbrand Dr, Atlanta, GA 30328, USA

Website: Cafe 290

Opening hours: 7pm - 2am (daily)

Visited this place?

3. RedLight Cafe


For a glittering, jazzy experience while you have your dinner, check out this funky listening room of sorts, that plays live music of all genres. Come night, this restaurant invites some of the best musicians to play for you. Alongside the performances, enjoy the great entrées this place offers, from sandwiches to enchiladas. Guests recommended the spinach artichoke dip, although it was mentioned that it’s not as affordable as other restaurants in the city.

RedLight Cafe

Address: 553-1 Amsterdam Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306, USA

Website: RedLight Cafe

Opening hours: 7pm - 12am (daily)

Visited this place?

4. St. James Live Jazz Club

Posted by St. James Live on Tuesday, 4 June 2019

This is a great option for a date night. An upscale restaurant with a stage where they play jazz every evening is the perfect spot if you want a more relaxed nightlife experience without the hubbub of a noisy nightclub. Check out the drinks here, guests recommend the unique margarita they serve here. While the portion sizes are relatively small, they make up for it in terms of food quality.

St. James Live Jazz Club

Address: 3220 Butner Rd #240, Atlanta, GA 30331, USA

Website: St. James Live Jazz Club

Opening hours: Thu: 6pm - 11pm; Fri - Sat: 6pm - 12am; Sun: 6pm - 10pm (closed on Mon, Tue & Wed)

Visited this place?

5. Velvet Note

jazz bars in atlanta | velvet note
Source: instagram

This award-winning listening room is popular amongst locals for its excellent food. For a unique jazz experience that will be unforgettable, Velvet Note has to be your top choice. The restaurant features palm leaf wooden plates, so you can enjoy the music without being interrupted by the clinking of your dinnerware. Another interesting thing to note is that there is no food or drink minimum here, so spend only on what you choose to eat or drink!

Velvet Note

Address: 4075 Old Milton Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30005, USA

Website: Velvet Note

Opening hours: Thu - Sun: 6pm - 10pm (closed on Mon, Tue and Wed)

Visited this place?

6. Kat’s Cafe


Looking for a more happening place in Atlanta? This hip club is all you need for a good dose of live music coupled with a great dancing experience most nights. Let go of your worries as this bar takes care of all your needs, from free valet parking to non-stop entertainment. This club hosts everything from live music performances to comedy shows to open mic night. You are sure to have a grand time no matter when you visit.

Kat’s Cafe

Address: 970 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA

Website: Kat’s Cafe

Opening hours: Tue - Wed: 5pm - 12am; Thu - Sat: 5pm - 12:30am (closed on Sun and Mon)

Visited this place?

7. Venkman’s

Have you had our Bourbon Cured Salmon Benedict? English muffin, poached egg, hollandaise, served with house potatoes. Brunch every Sat and Sun 10 AM - 3 PM. #yourewelcome • ? by @reelnomad

Posted by Venkman's on Saturday, 4 May 2019

This bistro has some great modern decor, relaxed dim lighting offering a soothing ambience and live music performances to keep you company through your meals. Go for the bottomless mimosas, delicious tacos and Asiago pretzels, as well as Caesar with chicken. No matter where you are seated, this restaurant ensures you can have a chill conversation as the music acoustics is of very good quality.

Venkman’s

Address: 740 Ralph McGill Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA 30312, USA

Website: Venkman’s

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 5:30pm - 10pm; Sat: 10am - 3pm, 5:30pm - 10:30pm; Sun: 10am - 3pm (closed on Mon)

Visited this place?

8. Watershed


For a Southern twist on a bistro, this great place is located in Buckhead and offers great food with great decor. What’s not to love? Made from fresh ingredients and original recipes, the food tops everything at this quaint little Southern cafe. Check out the finger food style appetizers, salads and brunch menu, and end it with some green tea flan. Enjoy it all with the sound of live jazz ringing sweetly in your ears as you savour the delectable dishes.

Watershed

Address: 1820 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA

Website: Watershed

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 11:30am - 10pm; Sat: 5pm - 10pm; Sun: 11:30am - 3pm (closed on Mon)

Visited this place?

9. Lumen Lobby Bar


The ever-popular Ritz Carlton hosts a special secret in its premises - a hotel bar that serves beautiful and fresh cocktails along with a grand American cuisine. The decor is very modern and becoming, and this venue hosts some great musicians for a wonderful evening of live music. With prompt and friendly service staff, a wide variety of liquors on display for you to choose from and a great spread of food, you are sure to feel pampered here.

Lumen Lobby Bar

Address: 181 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA

Website: Lumen Lobby Bar

Opening hours: 3pm - 11pm (daily)

Visited this place?

10. Churchill Grounds

Posted by Churchill Grounds Jazz Cafe on Friday, 3 May 2019

This jazz cafe promises a great live jazz experience accompanied by a good spread of contemporary cuisine, cosy yet modern and impressive decor with dark and smokey ambience, and a good choice in beverages. This joint attracts a lot of crowds especially on the weekends, which is a testament to how popular it is amongst locals, so be sure to go early. You can even purchase some high-quality cigars if you wish to try one!

Churchill Grounds

Address: 1039 Grant St SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA

Website: Churchill Grounds

Opening hours: 8am - 10pm (daily)

Visited this place?

Jazz up your evenings in Atlanta, Georgia

Jazz night
Source: Unsplash

These incredible venues have been around for a very long time, and keep the music flowing throughout the city of Atlanta. Jazz bars offer the singularly moving experience of live music right before you, with a range of beverage and cocktail options that are sure to make your evenings grand. To put the cherry on the cake, the great food these bistros, bars and restaurants prepare is another reason to hit these awesome venues once it’s sundown.

Visited this place?
Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

Being a military kid, Shamika has lived and travelled all over India, and her nomadic childhood has fueled an immense hunger and fascination for new cultures and languages (she's a polyglot!)...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore Atlanta
Looking for accommodation?
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.