Jazz Bakery

I have no idea what Jazz Bakery the two negative reviewers were at but the Jazz Bakery I know in the Helms complex in Culver City is simply one of the best jazz venues west of the Mississippi. I have seen everyone from McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Stefon Harris, Brian Blade, Bill Frissell, etc. This place is all about the music. No distracting waitress hustling drinks, no people eating and/or talking just real music fans behaving maturely and enjoying wonderful Jazz. It kills me that people are actually complaining about the price? Where else can you see the above world class artists for $25-35 with no ""drink minimums"" or ""food minimums?"" If these people want sticker shock, they should go to Yoshi's in SF (a wonderful place) or anywhere in NYC for a reality check. This is NOT a ""club"" it is a MUSIC venue. So, show up early and have dinner @ Beacon (or the Fathers Office that is coming soon!) walk over to the Bakery and enjoy some world class music uninterupted by rude patrons and opportunistic servers. My friend and I walked up at show time, bought 2 tickets to see Marc Cary and sit in the front row. If this place were in NYC you would have 1) long lines, 2) double/triple the price and 3) more noise. Pros: all about the music Cons: not a ""club"" eat dinner and have drinks elswhere more

Would you like imagining a picture? There is a small, dark, dirty hall full of cheap, plastic no comfortable chairs, which are standing one by one, row by row. Pros: The place is the worse nightmare in all aspects more

Great venue for jazz--excellent music! It's great to have a place like this to go and hear fantastic jazz. The previous review is a little...bizarre...the guy just didn't get it. This isn't a club; it's a concert hall. It's a wonderful alternative to having to sit in a noisy, smoky club and pay an outrageous cover charge and two drink minimum...The Jazz Bakery has an admission charge, not a cover, and that's all you pay. (For your convenience, they do offer limited drinks and snacks in the lobby.) If you want dishes/silverware clanking, smoke, and people talking, go to a club--if you want to hear some of the best players in the world at a reasonable price, where you can actually HEAR it with a respectful, attentive audience--go to the Jazz Bakery. Pros: Music, Value, Atmosphere more

The music is good. It's a shame the cover is so steep. $25 for a matinee?? $45 on the weekends. Then the band is only up for an hour and a half. Although it felt longer when sitting in plastic patio furniture. The bar if you can call it that has half a dozen beers and two hot wines. The chardonnay was not even chilled??? This place has potential to be anything, but someone with a little more drive to turn this place around will be required. Final thought; get tables, table service, a real bar and make the money there not on outrageous covers. Pros: parking, music Cons: , bar, service more