Jazz Bars to Settle Into and Lose Track of the Whole Night In
Nine jazz bars where the drawcard is world-class acts, great drinks, and a distinct lack of signage.
Live jazz means something different depending on the room: a boathouse the Lord Mayor once rowed across the river to open, a basement lined with more than 300 Japanese whiskies, a hotel martini bar that goes all-in once a month. What ties these nine clubs together is that the music is never incidental — there's a real program behind it, whether that's an international act taking the stage twice a night or a rotating cast of local trios working through the standards.
The spread runs from a Sydney lounge built around a grand piano to a Melbourne basement with a Bob Dylan sighting on its résumé, by way of a red door hidden down a Fortitude Valley laneway. Presented by Honda ZR-V, these are nine rooms that are always high on vibe (although often quite short on signage).
Read other guides in our A to Z with Honda ZR-V series:
After-Work Drink Spots to Meet Your Friends and Wind Down the Day
Hotel Bars That Even the Locals Should Know About and Frequent
Independent Cinemas with Interesting and Unexpected Screenings
In partnership with
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BarBird's Basement
11 Singers Lane, Melbourne
Modelled on New York’s legendary club, this Melbourne basement pairs dinner service with world-class jazz acts.
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BarParis Cat Jazz Club
6 Goldie Place, Melbourne
Bob Dylan has reportedly watched a set in this basement room, housed inside a warehouse that’s Melbourne’s jazz home.
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BarLazybones Lounge Restaurant & Bar
294 Marrickville Road, Marrickville
Velvet curtains, chandeliers and a Hare Krishna mural on the ceiling set the scene for free live jazz most nights of the week.
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BarBrisbane Jazz Club
1 Annie Street, Kangaroo Point
Brisbane’s Mayor was rowed across the river to open this boathouse in 1972, which is recently reopened after extensive renovations.
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BarDoo-Bop Bar
101 Edward Street, Brisbane City
Brisbane’s original late-night jazz bar now runs as a piano bar, where the crowd tends to sing along to whoever’s behind the keys.
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BarThe Inchcolm Bar
73 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill
This heritage hotel’s dimly lit martini bar turns pre-war Parisian for live jazz once a month, a rare treat rather than a regular fixture.
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BarThe Ruby Jazz Club
Mead Lane, Fortitude Valley
Find the red door in this laneway and you’ll land on ticketed headline sets or free casual jams from Brisbane’s rising jazz talent.
This guide was produced in partnership with Honda ZR-V. To learn more about the ultimate car for urban discovery, click here.