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    Black Dolphin

    4.6 (54 reviews)
    Closed 2:00 pm - 1:30 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

    Black Dolphin Photos

    Business Info

    BLACK DOLPHIN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Live music
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Black Dolphin

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    Tamika P.

    This is one of our favorite post-date spots: the upscale aesthetic takes you back to a 1960's jazz club! Knowledgeable staff, and the drinks are amazing; the perfect place to meet up for drinks and desert and enjoy some of the city's best jazz music.

    Cynthia P.

    Beautiful jazz club with gorgeous interior lights. Excellent band playing jazzy blues or bluesy jazz, not to mention smooth West Coast swing! We enjoyed the drinks and fun atmosphere. Excellent service.

    Inside view
    Allison R.

    If you have heard of the Green Lady lounge, then let me introduce you to her sister jazz club, Black Dolphin. They are next to each other but you need to pay close attention or you walk past the Black Dolphin like I have done many times. It's smaller than the Green lady but damn does the Black Dolphin have its own vibe. Relaxing, dark, great drinks, excellent service and incredible music. There is $5 cover and two bathrooms (single stall each). FYI they have the same drink menu as Green Lady lounge. Definitely will be coming back to this place again.

    Gatangalie S.

    Kansas City is known for its vivid diverse cultural jazz music played in many jazz clubs scattered throughout the city. Had the opportunity to see my high school music professor performed atBlack Dolphin. There was a small cover charge to enter the jazz club, but all good. I very much enjoyed the seating arrangement. They had tables and chairs as well as a bar area. I sat very close to the musicians as I wanted the best up close and personal experience. Let me tell you if jazz music is your thing then I would highly recommend visiting here. For drinks, I ordered two Moscow mule and oh my god they were delicious. Considering I was there for two hours, it definitely hit the spot. Haha!!! I was super hungry, but they didn't serve food so I was able to get some chips which was just perfect and complimented my drinks and the good jazz vibe. My waitress was delightful and kept checking up on me to make sure everything was going good. I appreciate the customer service as well.

    Jason G.

    I've been a long-time fan of The Green Lady Lounge and wanted to give the BD a chance to win me over. Which they did in about 30 seconds. I loved the nondescript business front, felt like I was going into a secret club. Once we paid our $5 cover charge and were seated we felt very at ease. We melted into the sofa-like booths and ordered our mocktails. the band played KC-style jazz all night. They sounded great and told some great stories. We definitely will be back! Insider tip #1- You can buy a Black Dolphin T-shirt there, it's already one of my favorite articles of clothing. Insider tip #2 - be sure to tip the band on your tab or via their tip jar.

    a bar with alcohol bottles and glasses
    Ellyn H.

    This place is very cool. For lovers of live music, jazz, and great cocktails. We got there early and the music was already going. The vibe is dark, cozy, a little mysterious, and overall very cool. The service was good and the drinks were even better. Highly recommend for a nice date night (if you already know your date). Not a great place to chat if you are trying to get to know someone. This is a quiet, relaxed, soak in the music kind of place.

    We came here as we wanted to try it out even though we love the Green Lady Lounge, but we surprisingly loved this more than there! Atmosphere was more quaint, less crowded, better views, cheaper cover charge, and amazing band! Will add this to our Kansas City list of staples!

    Drink and food menu
    Rose D.

    Visited this club at 8:00 on a Saturday night. There was a $5 cover per person; both card and cash accepted. The band was a 4-person jazz ensemble including bass, piano, sax/clarinet, drums. There were plenty of tables open and room to sit comfortably. The ambiance was amazing. The lighting was perfectly balanced, both dimly lighting the walkway and decorating the ceiling space. We were served drinks promptly and checked on frequently by our waiter. But the stars of the show... the musicians were so entertaining! The pianist MC'd the show, where each musical piece was introduced with little quips and informative tidbits. We very much enjoyed our time here! A similar experience to the Green Lady Lounge next door.

    Jessica T.

    Ended up here because Green Lady Lounge was full and I am not mad at all about it! It's a smaller vibe because it's only 1 story but I loved it. There was plenty of seating for our group of 6, but that doesn't mean there wasn't a good crowd! The music was great and so were the drinks. I don't drink and they had a great non-alcoholic menu. I'm pretty sure there was only one person on the floor grabbing drink orders, so we found it was easiest to just get up and go to the bar. Totally recommend and will be back!

    Chai cocktail + champagne
    Angie W.

    I had suggested going to another jazz bar but was recommended coming here. I was glad we did because it had more open seating but similar vibes! Our server was so nice, and took wonderful care of us! Live music was fun and the atmosphere is great. Seating is limited, but luckily we came and there were a couple tables open. $5 cover charge, which is typical. I would come back here!

    Kaveda J.

    Absolutely beautiful... what a great atmosphere. The decor inside is stunning and what a comfortable, happy and fun experience! The drinks were great and music is phenomenal. Staff are very friendly!

    Absolutely love this place for the atmosphere and live music. Definitely recommend to anyone.

    a band performing in a dimly lit room
    Barbara S.

    We came here because the line to the Green Lady Lounge was out the door. I guess they're owned by the same people but you'd never know it. There's a completely different feel to this place with their disco ball hanging from the ceiling and the gigantic TVs that makes me think more of a dueling piano bar than a jazz and blues club. The drinks were just okay... and there was table service but there seemed to only be one or two servers for the whole place. It took us almost 20 minutes just to flag down our server to get our check when we were ready to leave. The jazz band that was playing was decent (aside from a very strange 10-minute drum solo??) but I don't fault or credit a venue because of their live music. Having said that, my husband and I had a babysitter and were out and about on a Saturday night and this was a nice place to end the evening. I'm not sure I'd come back... but maybe if the neighboring Jazz place was standing room only again and we couldn't think of anything else to do.

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    2 years ago

    Tim Whitmer's trio CD release was a big hit and followed up a couple Fridays later was this usual fine jazz Kansas City style

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Black Dolphin

    Review Highlights - Black Dolphin

    If you have heard of the Green Lady lounge, then let me introduce you to her sister jazz club, Black Dolphin.

    Mentioned in 21 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Green Lady Lounge

    Green Lady Lounge

    4.5
    (589 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Where in the US can you go to experience amazing live taken for only $10z the Green Lady Lounge is…read morewhere you go! Clean, smoke free lively jazz music and plenty of seating. There's two levels of entertainment. The service was friendly. Only thing is that they don't have food so eat beforehand. There was a hummus plate and some desserts. We had soooo much fun. Such talented musicians. This was a must visiting from LA!

    My husband and I actually drove past this place at first--I was expecting green signage, not red,…read moreso it didn't immediately catch my eye. Even walking in, we weren't quite sure what to expect. The entrance is small, and you're greeted right away, which was a nice touch. Once inside, it's very dark with deep red lighting--almost like stepping into a cave. It took a moment for our eyes to adjust, but once they did, we immediately felt at ease. The space is cozy and perfectly aligned with its purpose: it's all about the jazz. The service was great--welcoming, attentive, and added to the overall experience without taking away from the music. And the music? Absolutely captivating. It pulls you in and transports you--you can't help but settle into the vibe and just enjoy the moment together. We went on a Monday, so there was plenty of seating, but I noticed there's also a lower level that likely accommodates larger weekend crowds. There's a solid drink menu and a small selection of food, but honestly, this isn't the place you come for a full meal. Come for the drinks, stay for the music, and soak in the atmosphere.

    Photos
    Love this place!!!
    Love this place!!!
    Live jazz. Super cool spot. KC doesn't disappoint.
    Live jazz. Super cool spot. KC doesn't disappoint.
    First floor seating

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    First floor seating
    The Mercury Room

    The Mercury Room

    4.2
    (99 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    The Mercury Room is quickly becoming a weeknight fave for me and my friends! A little known tip is…read morethat you can text their number to see if they have any patio or weeknight spots open for walk-ins. The servers and bartenders are so fun throughout the week, and are willing to talk through the drinks and provide some wonderful details and recommendations. The atmosphere is unmatched across Kansas City. You won't find a cooler interior with the lights and ceilings with a beautiful view of the city, but the lesser known star of the location is the patio seating, with great views of the skyline. My friends and I have tried most of the drinks, but the Enfleurage, Magnus, Ambrosia and Kashi are favorites of the latest menu.

    We went to Mercury Room after dinner and did not have reservations. Luckily, bar seats became…read moreavailable due to a cancelled reservation. Unless you want to stand by the windows with a shelf as a table like outcasts, I would suggest making a reservation. The interior is beautiful. The lights on the ceiling mimic a starry night, visible through the glass windows from the street below. To enter you'll have to meet the host outside the bar on the 1st floor (currently Jade Jaguar). The host will send you up to the Mercury room via elevator, where you will be greeted by a server who will lead you into the gorgeous space. The space has 4 couches for larger parties, a few tables for seating, about 6 bar seats and a couple shelf tables for the unprepared outsiders without reservations (us). You will also be greeted with a complimentary tiny glass of kombucha. We didn't order food, but the drinks were delicious and unique. Mercury Room is a great place to stop by on a date night. Side note: This is the first place in Kansas City where I actually felt underdressed so if you want to dress up and go somewhere with a matching atmosphere of luxury, this is the place.

    Photos
    Outside balcony
    Outside balcony
    Main bar
    Main bar
    The Mercury Room

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    Black Dolphin - jazzandblues - Updated June 2026

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