Recommends

Jazzmin

Joined 4 years ago

Great Jazz, Good Food, Great Atmosphere. What a wonderful Saturday night out, good food, great service, and really good jazz - saw "Jimmy Bruno & his Quartet" Had soup of the day which was a lump-crab bisque, excellent. Our waitresses were very attentive. If your looking for a really enjoyable experience (of course there was a $20 cover-charge, but how do you put a price on real talent and those who can truly appreciate it) an overall fabulous night out in a really comfortable setting. Can't wait to go back.

Doesn't Recommend

jbs36

Joined 4 years ago

Bizzare Jazz, Insulting Food and Slow Service. Tonight, I had the misfortune of paying a $15 cover to listen to Free Jazz while some schizophrenic women provided narration.

At least her shrill chanting managed to distract me from the "Romaine Salad." It was just that: 15 cents worth of romaine lettuce, some Sodexho brand Caesar dressing sprinkled on top and then decorated with a single extruded-breadcrumb crouton on top. All of this was a reasonable $7. When it was brought out, I had an obvious look of disbelief that prompted the waitress to ask if something was wrong. She curtly responded that the menu was literal when it said "Romaine Salad," and then offered to get me some fresh ground pepper (which she forgot).

I knew something was amiss starting with the bread. Instead of putting a bread basket on the table with a couple of rolls, like every restaurant which serves bread with meals, the wait staff came around with the basket and retailed off a single roll per person. Although, they probably could have safely left the bread in the back alley; it was so stale it must have had been a week old.

The sweet potato fries ($5) were just simply ghastly. Not even Sodexho could be blamed for that gastronomic Hindenburg.

Even getting this substandard food was a battle of will; It was a good hour from the time we ordered to the time we saw a morsel.

On top this indignity, the management ordered that none of the patrons talk so some tool with a DV camera could film the band for a DVD. The home edition of this experience might offer better food. One might think that the management would have the curtsey to reduce the cover charge for effectively making this a recital. No.

I will probably not return to Chris' Jazz Cafe in the foreseeable future.

Recommends

tjrad01

Joined 5 years ago

Very Slow Service. Music was great atmosphere was good and the food was excellent. However the service was painfully slow and took away from the entire experience. Drinks took 5-10 minuets to get, dinner was over 40 min and desert took over 25 minuets to get. It seemed we spent more time waiting for service then anything else. They were only about half full also no reason for such slow service.

Doesn't Recommend

soblue4

Joined 9 years ago

Go for live jazz and food, but NOT the service. I like going there for jam session night. The music is great. Food is great. But the service is terrible. I think it's the most horrible service in town. Took us (just 2 people) 30 mins. just to get beers. and another 30 mins for food to arrive. We ordered more food later on but it never came. When the bill came they over charged us $20 and the food that we ordered and never got to eat. If you are going there, go for the live jazz music don't expect too much on the service. I don't know about other days but I go only Tuesday night and the service is never satisfy once.

Recommends

hallmarklover

Joined 6 years ago

Great Place for Live Jazz. My husband and I were looking for a different place to head for my birthday and decided on Chris's.

We got there @ 8:00 just before the band's first set and were able to grab a seat up front. We had an excellent dinner - NY Strip and Tilapia. Our server was fabulous - attentive but not annoyingly so. The band played for @ an hour and a half. They were super! The played a great mix of upbeat and some smoother jazz.

We plan to head back soon! Would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys listening to good live music!

Recommends

pennfoodies

Joined 6 years ago

great music. good atmosphere, great music...cover is too expensive, but you can get in for the last set free with student id...food is avg, limited drink selection

Recommends

brigid986

Joined 7 years ago

great jazz, fabulous customer service. I don't know about anyone else, but I randomly ended up in Chris's tonight, and I would have to say that I had an excellent time. The music was great with out being annoying and the bartender and servers were very personable. Overall, a great little jazz cafe that will definitely will surprise you. Check it out.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Hidden, smoky club makes everyone feel like a jazz insider.. In Short
Diligent music fans who find Chris' will feel like jazz insiders as they nestle into a booth in the unassuming lounge. The atmosphere is like a jazzhead's basement hangout: warm, dark and smoky. Chris' books a packed roster of local and national acts. The menu is eclectic if a bit unfocussed. Salads and burgers share the menu with spring rolls, Asian noodles, seafood and sandwiches named after jazz greats.

Recommends

chatty077

Joined 7 years ago

door charge - charge it at the door!. We've come here a few times and the service has always been mediocre, at best. We've continued to come back because we enjoy the music but as of last Friday I was finally fed up. If you are going to have people pay for a door charge then ask them to pay at the door. Or, at the very least, tell the customer that there is a charge and how much it is going to be when you are taking the initial order! This has happened twice now. Sit down and have a couple of drinks and the next thing you know there is $6 - $12 charge, per person, tacked onto the bill! I have no problem paying a cover I just believe its a courtesy to let the patron know about it first!

Recommends

radred

Joined 7 years ago

great venue!. The food, drinks and service were great. The music was the absolute best deal of all. We saw Jimmy Bruno's trio. They were outstanding.