I came here with a friend and her dad & step-mom to see a concert on a Saturday night. We had reserved a table and when we got there the booth was covered in beer soaked towels near our table. We complained and they promptly cleaned it up and apologized saying it was likely the band. I think that's where the promptness ended. My friend and I sat at the table for about 15 minutes with nobody who came over. Not being sure if there was a waitress we went to the bar. Where we proceeded to wait about 5 minutes for someone to even acknowledge us standing there. Throughout the evening it was a mix of ordering from a waitress, who may have been one of two working the entire room I think, and ordering from the bar. Neither option was particularly quick and was frustrating. Once the band started playing it was extremely loud. We were sitting close, but it was that sort of volume where it's up so high that it's almost hard to enjoy the music. I know I sound like an old lady there, but you know what I'm talking about! They have a balcony area upstairs. Given it was no fault of the bar, but someone dropped their drink from up there and it splashed all over my friend's dad and even me, sitting under the balcony, got some drink on me. They apparently have a food menu, but we were never offered one, but I did see people eating. They also appear to have a sushi bar in the back of the place, but we didn't give it a try. Overall, the service was extremely lacking here. The ambiance was unclear what kind of club/venue they were trying to be with their decorations and bookings. It's not a place I'd come again unless there was a great act performing...and even then I'd have to consider if it was worth it. read more

Jazzbones is one of those places where because it is so far out (frickin Tacoma!!) most Seattlites don't know about it...and until you experience Jazzbones, you just don't understand..... My first experience at Jazzbones was at an Events and Adventures event... (see my review on Events and Adventures.) This was advertised as a karaoke event, and being the karaoke addict that I am, I was really stoked....this place doesn't just have karaoke.... on Monday's they have "ROCKARAOKE!!!" If you ever had a moment in your life where you wanted to experience the rockstar high...you need to take a Monday evening and get out to Jazzbones. "So what is this Rockaraoke that you speak of?" Well picture yourself on stage...with a rockin band, great sound system, and crowds of people dancing!! I thought to myself "Am I at a karaoke place? Or am I on my way to superstardom?" Anytime you want to shamelessly exploit your karaoke talents I totally recommend Jazzbones on a Rockaraoke night (MONDAY!) The food is great from the appetizers to the main-course items. They have a sushi bar, and the wait staff keeps the drinks coming. I seriously didn't find a thing wrong with this place (including the distance...for me it is worth the drive.) Since my first experience I have been several times, every time with the same result. ENORMOUS amounts of fun, cute guys and gals (kind of fratty...but eye candy nonetheless.) Tons of seating AND when it got closer to 10 or 11 people started dancing, while I was singing!!! (This is of course the biggest compliment to a karaoke addict like myself!) Price isn't too shabby! Get there early if you want to avoid cover, as well as getting yourself on the list to sing. I will go back, again and again. As long as there is Rockaraoke at Jazzbones, I am there!!! read more

JB:( What happen to this place??????? I know times are hard but don't change what's good and what you are known for!!! Tacoma being what it is, I won't even start to go there but you don't have many options but Jazzbones has been around for a while and so many great artists and events have taken place here, that the lack of everything it once was made me super bummed and sad! Decided to come here for my friends birthday and unfortunately didn't look at the schedule but in the past that was never a real problem, tonight it was.... I think they are trying to go Hip Hop or maybe R&B, no made Top 40..... EXACTLY!!! and the crowd, meh...... read more

So apparently that karaoke band is here every Thursday singing the same songs. It's kinda corny to me to be honest. Crowd was kinda dead that night but so was the entire 6th Ave. so I won't fault them. Drinks were watered down and it's kinda small for a music venue. The upstairs area looked like a cool spot though when it's actually people there. The music sucked. I might give this place another chance but for now it's a 2.5. read more

I have only been here for Monday night Rockaraoke so I can't vouch for any other night. But Rockaraoke can be amazing!!! Rockaraoke is karaoke with a live band! It's what you do when you're a karaoke addict and you just aren't satisfied with karaoke anymore. Rockaraoke is some next level ish. It's the same as regular karaoke in that you have a list of songs to choose from, and if you don't know all the words, there is a monitor with the words scrolling across for you to follow. The band here is actually really good and supportive, too. The emcee is always dressed up and kicks off the set - she really knows how to get the crowd warmed up! Even if you are too shy to sing, you will have a great time dancing on the dancefloor or watching the singers (most of whom are regulars and are really talented vocalists/performers). One thing to know is if you want to sing, you have to keep an eye on the stage before every set. When one person decides to start a line, it grows really fast and you might not get to sing unless you are paying attention to that. The first set starts at 9 and then the band takes a couple breaks. Each time, you will have an opportunity to line up again to get on the setlist. So if you want to sing early, get there early to peruse the songlist so you know what you want to sing. That way, you can be ready when the line starts to form! The only complaints I have are that the crowd is a little meat-marketty. But what can you expect really? When you have that many drunk people crammed into once space, it seems to just kind of naturally lean in that direction. Also, I ordered some sushi from the happy hour menu and I would not reccomend it. I should have known better really -sushi and rockaraoke? It was too good to be true. read more

Went for a weeknight show after work (work - always getting in the way of fun time!). . There was no time to grab dinner before so we ate there...I was hesitant at first but the menu has a great selection and offered good veggie options and ways to make it a little more healthy. They do have a sushi bar upstairs that is open a few nights a week, unfortunately it wasn't open on the night we were there. I got the Veggie Burger, better than most places but not the best I have ever had. Got it with a side salad that was just fine! Husband got a burger with bacon and an egg that was tasty if a little/lot greasy, but hey...it is bar food. Nice set up for dinning and watching the show but they also have a dance floor if you are in the mood to shake it. The sound was also great, which bars don't always have the best reputation for knowing how to mix music. Cant wait to go back! read more

First time here at Jazzbones for a reggae concert, and I have to admit, this place if pretty cool. Dispite the location and how small the venue is.Pretty chill place. Drinks are pretty cheap, which you cannot go wrong with cheap drinks. The only down side to this place is, there's NO ventilation. It got very hot, people sweating and way to much BO. Some air would be nice to ease the packed venue. So PLEASE CRANK UP THE AIR!! read more

Went here with a few friends on a Friday night. We happened to run into the place when the New Blues Brothers was on and I realized I didn't like oldies too much when nothing but "oldies" were there and the young people avoided it. It finished at around 10pm and shortly after the crowd came in. I was a little annoyed I payed $10 instead of a $5 cover charge at the door to catch the last 10 minutes of Blues Brothers but oh well. I gave Jazzbones 3 stars mainly because they only had ONE... and I say again... ONE bartender at the club. I surely wasn't happy about having to wait for 10 other people to be served first plus the bartender kept skipping over us to go to other people. That aside, the club was decent and the DJ did a pretty good job. The club was mixed well and I enjoyed my time here. The lousy bar tending is why they won't get my 5 stars... FIX IT! read more

Pretty cool atmosphere, watched my friends band play this venue a few times. The sound is pretty dang crisp and sounds great for small stage. This visit I ordered the pepperoni pizza and the chicken tenders. Very tasty pizza for the price I must say! The chicken was not dry and fairly spicy so very enjoyable. I will def be back again to grub out & listen to some good reggae! read more

Jazzbones - Positive Rising putting on a fantastic show @ Jazzbones! - Music Venues Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

On the whole, I'm a fan of Jazzbones. 1) They support local artists, both musically, comically, and visually. 2) They have pretty yummy sushi. 3) Their Monday Rockaroke nights kick butt! 4) Aaaaand, their walls glow. read more

Well have to see how the event is on 4/16 considering how much work it was to order tickets and make reservations. Sean was very prompt in responding after sending an email form the web site and took care of my request and followed up as promised (something that other companies should take note of to show their commitment to customer service). Just hint guys ... get the web site updated especially any online ordering tools that you have to make things easier and faster. Also advisable to post all fees, charges, surcharges etc. as well just so that there are no surprises when ordering things such as tickets. read more

This is a dive bar with live music on most nights. My boyfriend paid a $5 cover on Friday night and ladies were free :) The band was country and the majority of people were a few generations older than us. The band finished around 11, and the crowd changed to more our age group (30 and younger). The DJ who took over was more our style and played a mix of current and throwback hip hop songs. We would have stayed and got down on the dance floor but we were sleepy... Great local dive bar to check out if you enjoy live music! Otherwise, it's nothing special. read more

Meh... mixed experiences at this place. Its an alright place to see a show, but tends to be a little too 'fancy-pants' and expensive for a Tacoma bar-- this ain't Seattle, OK?. Jazzbones did, however, redeem itself (in my opinion) during Art on the Ave when they featured a dog-friendly outdoor beer garden with relatively cheap ($3-$4) drinks and some great free live music. Kudos for that! read more

I like Jazzbones because it's close to my house. The venue is great for music and the drinks and food are reasonably priced. I've heard some great music there so I have to give it three stars. Also, the people that work there have always been pleasant and we've gotten decent service. What I don't like about Jazzbones is the food - it's not good. Every time I've eaten there I've had to suffer through a major GI disturbance/event. If there was a band playing there that I wanted to hear - I'd go back in a minute. If you want to meet me there for dinner - I'll suggest another place. read more

I just happen to stumble in Tacoma's best jazz bar and I had a surprisingly great time. The customer service was sublime especially the bouncer named La. This place takes cash entrance, but La let me have a free pass since I only had card for the first time. After 10:30pm they have hip-hop and it gets crazy. Be sure to tip the staff, because they go above and beyond expectations. From SoCal most of my life I can honestly say the JassBones has shown great hospitality to great lengths. I will definitely introduce this place to my friends. read more

(The club in Tacoma) that makes it okay to dress a little nicer and bring your significant other. Ha-Ha Tuesdays is great. A lot of good comedians. The host is as funny as the headliners. They have rock-karaoke that is kind of cool. I'm not the biggest fan of cover bands though. Once in a great while there are good bands there like Phantom Twin, Brandon Beauchesne and, Sweet Kiss Mama. I'd like to see JESUS ON THE MOON! We are a good rock band with a few dance numbers. Hit it! http://www.reverbnation.com/jesusonthemoon read more

I used to frequent this place when I lived in Tacoma because it was within walking distance. Overall, the drinks here are overpriced and don't taste that great (for example, the bartender didn't know how to make a mojito so I had to go back and ask she add some ingredients she had left out). I've had food here a few times - sushi and fries - and those things are fantastic. There's a sushi bar on the first floor (two floors total) and it's really legitimate in terms of freshness and taste. The Tuesday comedy club shows tend to be pretty raunchy material. I've also been there during the weekend when a deejay spins club music and it's a good mix of songs to dance to. There hasn't been a great turnout on the dance floor the handful of times I've been there. read more

A friend couldn't make it for a Janis Joplin and CCR tribute this last Saturday so offered me the tickets. I accepted graciously and trekked down to Tacoma for this first time adventure to Jazzbones. Venue is a bit quirky in that there was an upstairs area with bar and open space, with minimal seating... kinda like a cross between classroom meets balcony style. I didn't venture back up once we found a spot downstairs, but I feel like the open space up there filled in, with a bit of a younger crowd. Downstairs, where we sat across from the bar at a 4 seater booth and chair table, was pretty lively with a pretty good view of stage. Fair amount of seating downstairs with main area reserving fast apparently. Overall a mix of young (bachelorette party) and older peeps... I'd say majority in their 40s/50s. Great tribute music with CCR rockin' the place!! Great sound system set up there too. It got pretty busy quick and food did kinda take forevah (main reason for only 4 star). Garlic fries weren't so garlic-y, fried artichoke and coconut prawns delish tho. Wish I remembered our waitresses name as she apologized several times for the wait, and otherwise was attentive with our drinks, and very cool! Parked on side street in residential area. Area seemed pretty safe. Overall, if I'm offered tickets again for this venue, I'd venture down for the fun. read more

Jazzbones - Music Venues Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

If you are a karaoke freak, then Jazzbones is a good place to visit on a Monday night. This place actually has a live band that rocks out the song, while you sing it. The place gets pretty packed, so, if you have stage fright, this may not be the right venue for you. In fact, by around midnight, it gets a little TOO crowded for my liking. It's like being crammed in a can of sardines. But if you show up at around 9:30 or 10 pm, you can get a few songs in before the major rush arrives. I'm not sure how extensive the song list is, since I immediately turned in the book after I selected my song for the evening, but it didn't seem quite as extensive as a normal karaoke book. I guess that makes sense though. You can't expect a band to learn EVERY song in the world. read more

I went here on a Monday night after a couple of drinks at Woody's On The Water, so I was probably a bit over dressed for this place. I was wishing I had brought some jeans, I'll tell you that much. Good drinks, not bad prices either. The bartenders seem to be on top of it, although I would recommend tipping a good amount after ordering your first round for better service, it gets frickin packed in there! They had Karaoke going on and there were some decent vocals, not gonna lie. The next time I feel like driving an hour to go out, I will make this a stop. I hear that almost every weekday these guys are packed. read more

Absolutely love the new ownership! Sunday fundays have never been better now that my friends and I have jazzbones to go to. Great food, takes a little bit but I would say it's worth the wait. read more

I was in the group with BenJammin' and two other other long time music promoters (40 years) and I have to say it felt like we were in a Twilight Zone episode. After a marvelous meal across the street, we went into Jazzbones, I bought a couple drinks and $40. worth of merchandise from the band. I was shocked to hear that Ben had been bounced when given permission by the band- friends of his, to record and using painters tape for his recording setup as dozens of times before. I tried to make peace by talking to Ben, but the doorman misconstrued what I said to Ben, said I was kicked out too! When I tried to negotiate politely, he physically assaulted me grabbing my arm and shoving his chest in mine and verbally threatened me. I stated anyone working for me acting such would be fired immediately. We got our things and left. I have never seen such unprofessional management and door service in my life and I certainly will not go back until both have changed, if ever. I feel sorry for those who are certain to be treated similarly. If not with my friends, I would have filed a police report. read more

Love that there is never a cover for ladies (at least not anytime I've ever been here). Jazz Bones is one of the few places in Tacoma that I know about. It's always a surprise every time I go. Sometimes there are live bands, sometimes there's a DJ, sometimes there's an interesting crowd, something there's no crowd at all. Sometimes I'll have a great time, sometimes I'm over it in 2 minutes. What's cool about it is that it's located on 6th Ave (Tacoma's "nightlife") so I can leave and come back whenever I want. The crowd is like most places in Tacoma--random. I find that people in Tacoma are much more chill than those in Seattle. It's easy to feel overdressed sometimes. There are two levels. You can look down from the top level, which would be a cool for a show. They have a whole bunch of tables that give it a cafeteria feel, but whatever. I love Peter, the Korean bartender. I also love that I can dance on stage, when there's DJ or band playing (which I've done both times). read more

Honestly I work in the service industry and I understand when a place is understaffed or under stress, but the bartender at this place was just plain awful. My subpar sandwich took an hour to finally get to me (was slammed on the table in front of me) and I was denied any compensation for waiting the entire time. Extremely rude. 1/10 rating. read more

This really is a 3.5..... Jazzbones has potential, it really does. And I think if your looking for people watching, socializing and a fun night out, it works. They have a lot of talent that come through, something for everyone. Check online for the full schedule. Where the downfall is, its in the service, its sparse, and the drinks are overpriced. And its LOUD so very very loud, your ears will ring for days. read more

Wow really fun place. Mellissa the bartender did a great job making our big party feel welcome! Plus she made the best drinks and was very friendly! read more

Oh, Jazzbones. I love the look of this place, and the upstairs bar is my favorite spot to sit and hang out or watch what's going on, onstage. When you come here on a Friday or Saturday night, it is hard to park just because, well, it's Tacoma and it's all street parking/really busy. Rock Karaoke nights are really entertaining, but I always check online to see what they're doing before coming here because the music/ nightly entertainment is all over the place. read more

Live music - fantastic. Bartender aptitude and hustle - admirable. Drink selection and quality - good. Kitchen and food delivery - poor. Management and customer service - HORRIBLE. We were told last night that Jazzbones was under new ownership. And if our experience is any indication of how they're going to run it, they won't be open long. Kicking out a large group of your target demographic (mature adults with plenty of disposable income) simply because they were vocalizing frustration at not getting food after over 2 HOURS was a bad decision. Chicken strips, grilled chicken skewers, and a quesadilla aren't exactly difficult orders. And they were all on the "specials" menu, so you'd think the kitchen would be cranking these out in quantity. After waiting an hour and a half and seeing everyone around us get their orders, I tracked down someone (turned out to be a sympathetic security guy) and asked for help. I expected him to bring over a manager, but instead he brought us a couple plates of cold food which amounted to half our order. The chicken strips were room temperature and rubbery, as though they'd been sitting out for an hour. The skewers were not only half the size of what we'd seen others get, but they were actually cold. I could only guess they'd been frozen and inadequately cooked or reheated. Needless to say, none of it was edible. One of our party then went to a second bartender (who had finally arrived to help service the approximate 125+ people upstairs with us) and complained. That woman gave her some money back and said our order would be out immediately. Other customers seated near us overheard our conversation and told us the second bartender was part of the new ownership group. They too were experiencing poor service and improperly cooked food. After yet another half hour of waiting for food (during which we were solicited multiple times for jello and special drink shots) I went to the bar and asked to speak to the manager. The same 2nd bartender came over, and I asked about the status of our order. Once she realized I was part of the troubled party, she huffed dramatically and said it would be soon. By this time, I was in no mood for her attitude. I asked her why it took so long for such easy food (admittedly, I was cussing by now). She responded with more attitude than a spoiled 12 year old that she gave us back our money and was going to give us free food, acting like I should feel lucky for her generosity. She was now joined by the jello shot server who echoed her attitude and confrontational behavior. I then asked her for a little respect and apology for such horrible service. She and the server laughed in my face, shouted a sarcastic sorry, laughed again, spun in their heels and walked away. I went back to our table, told the rest of the group about the encounter, and resolved to take a picture of the manager/owner for a thorough social media review. She apparently saw me do this because a few minutes later, she came over smirking and told us we had to leave. I'm almost 40 years old, and I have NEVER been treated with such disdain by a restaurant or bar. Nor have I ever been kicked out. I'm not a big drinker, but I do enjoy live music with friends (preferably with food). Needless to say, Jazzbones will never get another dime from me, and I will make sure to tell everyone I know about this horrible experience. read more

Great music. Needs updating. Six people in our group and everyone has a broken chair or stool.

Service was middling, but not awful. Sound guy was awful, could barely understand the band singing, and I knew most of the songs - for a $15 cover charge I don't expect perfect, but at least understandable. Food looked awful, and we received our overpriced wine in a plastic cup with a straw! If you are looking for a dive bar with bad lighting, only somewhat clean, bad food, and horrible acoustics, this is for you. read more

It is safe to say that I will never attend another event at this venue again. If it wasn't for Brandy's great service I would have given this place a one star rating. First the staff was totally unprofessional and unorganized. The Management closed the second floor (VIP) area while the concert head liner was still preforming. This over crowded the main stage first floor and cause major issue with people trying to enter and exit the building from the main entrance. This was also a major fire code violation and could have been a disaster if something popped off. Luckily for the establishment the people attending the event mostly Pacific Islanders, where very respectful and courteous or again could have not ended well. Again I would avoid attending any event at this place moving forward. read more

Tried to go Monday night. Both web page and posters say doors open at 7 pm. Nope, don't open till 8 pm. Staff surprised that web n posters on front window, were wrong. I didn't think it was funny. Went down the street to eat and a drink. read more

Back in the day, there were so many cool jazz and blues, classic rockabelly or other great music. These days, is the younger crowd with music that fits the crowd. There is a whole another part of the population that you are now missing. Quality of food and service is down etc, not a spot I even consider anymore.....sighs read more

There was in incident that occurred while I was here, and none of the three security men did anything about it. Service is alright. Food is okay. The band didn't know their own playlist... or words to the songs. What I'm saying is, don't expect either a fantastic or terrible time. read more

A friend and I attended this bar on Monday karaoke night to see the local performers. No cover for ladies, four dollars for gentleman. Note to the wise! If you want a table attend early, at least by an hour. Ten O' clock there won't be any open spots. The drinks were well made, but it was very busy so one tends to get forgotten about food, even though it was tasty. It has the feel of a local Dive bar/Hang out The Hostess is an excellent and entertaining singer, and gets people involved and interested. The crowd was amiable for the most part, though loud and Almost overcrowded. It's a good girls night out who prefer a bar to a nightclub scene. read more

Sub-zero is the rating here! Don't look for any local talent at this 'hot-bed', of, illusion. There's no jazz, or any other real-music played here - ever! (Make no bones about it?) read more

A MAN'S MAN Review of Jazzbones on 6th Ave. Smacked in the middle of 6th Ave is Jazzbones! A place for ya'll hipsters, young thunder cats, and drunken females yelling out woo-woooooo spilling outside... okay maybe oozing outside of Jazzbones after last call. Jazzbones is a small venue that offers various live bands and pumping music. You can see the latest showings listed on their website. I wasn't paying attention on how they pour their alcohol. I usually just order beers from the waitress. Haven't noticed any over-service so don't expect to get turnt-up at this location. Might get over-service down the street at DOA tho! Not a bad place too! I like this place a lot. Good feel to it! $3 green bottles! Well, the Heinekens don't come in green bottles at this location but frosty glasses at $3 a pop! Not bad! I'll take it! Freshly made sushi is offered during certain times. I had one of the sushi plates (can't remember which one tho) and it was good! There is an old Japanese guy that makes the sushi so if that makes you feel any better about the sushi then give it a try! You'll have to order from one of the waitresses because Mr. Miyagi doesn't take the orders directly. Mr. Miyagi will tell you that you'll need to order from one of the waitresses. So get yourself a menu, take a look at it. Let the waitress know what you want from the sushi menu and Mr. Miyagi will start to roll your rolls. I don't know what that fools name is and honestly he pissed me off so I'mma just call him Mr. Miyagi. He was a d*ck to me my first time at Jazzbones. Should've throat punched him. There is a upper level with an additional bar on the 2nd level which is less crowded during peak times. In my own opinion the staff is friendly except for Mr. Miyagi but I ain't expecting much from an old goat like Mr. Miyagi. Parking can be hard to find in the area so you may have to park down the street. Tacoma PD is active in this area so be aware and drink responsibly... or just have a DD or better yet! Find yourself a DUFF! read more

Here for Common Kings, fun night. Although had terrible experience with bar tender. Short bleach blonde Rachel downstairs consistently poured drinks that were super mini for $10 we had an open tab as well as 10 others we were with. She was unkind and just plain rude. Many of us were floored with the awful service. She slammed a drink down and we lost part of our drink and it didn't even phase her. Upstairs bar gal was very friendly and drinks were better. Not sure we'll be back for awhile. What a bummer. read more

Ew. That's how I'd sum up their Comedy Nights. Super offensive, unfunny comics being heckled by equally offensive, unfunny drunks. They don't stop serving people when they're wasted and the food is mediocre. The only fun time I've had there was when there was a band of middle school aged kids playing classic rock style riffs and even that was awkward because there were a bunch of drunk old weirdos hanging out watching. Don't go here unless you're trying to break up with someone. read more

Having been to New Orleans twice, I can't be fooled by what a lot of restaurants try to pass off as Southern food. Seriously, no one is going looking for Cajun food at Ruby Tuesday. Jazzbones, however, got it right. Their andouille sausage stuffed chicken, served with fresh vegetables and dirty rice, was amazing, worthy of five stars. So imagine my disappointment to find out that they have sold out to be just another Red Robin-like establishment with chicken sandwiches and French dip sandwiches. A real letdown. I won't be back. read more