Absolutely one of my favorite places to dine in Indy. Classic menu with pastas, burgers, salads, etc. What pulls you in is the ambiance and the live must. Plates range from 10-25 bucks and are always filling. Parking isn't great, so beware. Bartenders are pretty snazzy and make a great Martini. Grab some pals and go!! read more

My wife and I held our rehearsal dinner here for our wedding in May 2009. The food was great; we had a buffet. We had the newly renovated private room in the back past the bar. The live music was not a factor for us (which could be good or bad depending on your event). The catering manager was easy to work with and our guests raved about the evening. Consider it for your next event! read more

The Jazz Kitchen has style. This is an understated jazz institution in Indy. The Jazz Kitchen is where I learned about Jazz, and understood its importance in America, and grew to love it. Every show is worth the ticket; and the food has never disappointed me. They catered my wedding, in fact, and I continue to hear that the food was 'the best food ever at a wedding'! The Jazz Kitchen is just one of only a tiny smattering of jazz clubs in the area. You need to give it a try! It's free on Mondays. The deck is open all summer long, and provides some of the best people-watching in Indy. And the bar is the place to be seen on the weekends, where some of Indy's unsung musical heroes and up-and-comers gather to swap stories of legends! Plus, step out of your comfort zone on Thursday nights for Indy's original (I think?) Salsa Night! High-energy salsa dancing, with a lesson earlier in the evening, will have you out on the dance floor amidst the best dancers you've ever seen -- I've even cha-cha'd with one of Dance Kaleidoscope's stars! read more

Let's be frank... you are coming here for the band, the patio, the ambiance... if it were for the food, the drinks or the service you probably wouldn't come... just saying... SO, based on that, the review is a 3 (based on the music alone it would be a 5!!!). Went for the highly advertised (multiple emails sent to me) Shrimp boil on Tuesdays in August on the patio... AND I EXPECTED A TRUE SHIMP BOIL - mound of buffet style shrimp and potatoes and sausage and corn-on-the-cob... not so much... it was a medium-ish size serving of a shrimp boil (little disappointed here!!) though VERY tasty!!!!!! Service was a bit slow - didn't come to us for a good 5 minutes... good thing we had a nice band to listen to! And then was MIA when it came time to wrap it up and pay. Over all... not to impressed with the restaurant. Thought the patio and the band are EXCELLENT!!! read more

Katherine is the best bartender/collaborator, you'll want to try My Drink 2.0. (Hendricks gin, St Germaine, mint and lime) read more

The Jazz Kitchen - Katherine mixing my personal cocktail! Hendricks gin, St Germaine, mint and lime - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

The headliner didn't show but they never told anyone this until it was too late to cancel our tickets. They never breathed a word until I asked a hour after showtime. Dishonest Pricks. $80 to watch a second rate fill-in read more

This place gets 3 stars for supporting jazz. The food is decent. Drinks are pretty good. Overall it's expensive, but I guess you're paying to seem classy. The shows are no talking which I understand, but the music isn't always amazing. I definitely wouldn't pay cover to see some of the bands they feature... read more

Came here to hear Bill Charlap, and his trio is so tight and his ballads so magical that it would have been hard to have a bad time anywhere. But this place is fabulous, from the nice lady who greets you at the door, to the discreet and low key but very professional service, to the excellent food. This place is what a jazz club should be -- intimate but not a fire trap, classy, serious. Oh, and if you come for the first set, they let you stay for the second set for free, which we happily did! THAT wouldn't happen in NY or Chicago. (The sparser crowd at 930 shows that Indy isn't a late-night town.) The crowd was skewed older, but the upside was that everyone was quiet and respectful of the music. Even before the music started, there were no loud tables. This place isn't uptight, but it is sophisticated. The food is great. Side Caesar was better than what you usually get, and not overdressed. Chicken and shrimp étouffée was so delicious. The whole menu looked interesting. This is a serious jazz club that also has a serious kitchen. The only shortcoming were the cocktails, which were ok but not great. Stepping up the cocktail program would make this place over-the-top awesome. My judgment is based on getting a generic candy-red maraschino cherry rather than something better in my Old Fashioned (ok, a little petty, but such details count); my friend's Manhattan came on the rocks though not ordered that way; and the bourbon-and-Grand Marnier "Sidecar" was too sweet. They should also use larger, fewer ice cubes. Overall, though, this place gave me one of my most pleasant evenings out in a while. Highly recommended. read more

Neat place.... it can get REALLY LOUD! Good mojito's! We did not go there for dinner so can't talk about the food. Although the dessert menu looks yummy! read more

Good food, good service, and a nice mix of entertainment....it's not ALWAYS jazz. (But it usually is). I love the atmosphere. Personally, I think the food is a little pricey, BUT....they do have world class entertainment, so that makes up for it. If we're looking for a little classier night out, this is the place. read more

We came here on a Wednesday night for the Larry Carlton show. This was my first visit and honestly I did not know what to expect. Overall, it a fun experience. Every table was seated, and our server Corey did an excellent job keeping everyone happy. We started off perusing the drink menu. While the wine menu was small, we were able to find something that everyone could agree on. I noticed that they offered Hendricks' Gin (my fave!) but at a steep price of $10/drink. I ended up ordering the flat iron steak, which was quite good. It had a nice marinade on it and was cooked well (although it was served sliced--not my favorite). The one odd thing I have to say about it was that it had an ancho chile marinade, was served with pico de gallo and a smoky cream sauce, but was also drizzled with a balsamic reduction. It seemed out of place on the plate. It was served with a side of roasted potatoes which were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The dessert menu looked quite good and I would have liked to try the creme brûlée if I wasn't so full! Overall, a nice date night with some wonderful music. Service was great and I would go back again. read more

Great place, incredible Jazz, and OK food. The little jazz fest Sept 21st had a great day weather wise and a good turn out. We were only on the outside venue but I'm sure inside was great as always. -nothing shabby here when it comes to the music! Yats was available for eats and of course there's about half dozen others close by if JK doesn't fit your taste. It's really nice for us to have such a great little casual top notch place to hear professional music here in Indy! Carmel can have their extremely high priced tickets at The Palladium! read more

Good service. Great tasting food and a fantastic atmosphere. read more

The Jazz Kitchen - The brie was melt in your mouth good. Fantastic live music and goo service. Will definitely be going back for more. - American Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I had a very nice dinner and show at the Jazz Kitchen. I would be a regular here if I lived in Indy. My only compliant is that my mojito was blah ! Dinner on the other hand was great !! Eggplant Tower - grilled eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, goat cheese, caramelized onions, red bell peppers, asparagus, baby spinach, basil pesto & parmesan cheese $16. White Chocolate, Blueberry Bread Pudding with bourbon-infused caramel sauce $5. This was the best bread pudding I have had in a LONG time !! read more

The Jazz Kitchen is a truly unique venue in the heart of Midtown/SoBro Indy. It's small enough that any show feels intimate and engaging. The seating are two top and four top tables situated around the stage with an outer tier around the edge of the room a foot or so higher to have a better view. The menu offers a lot of great selections. For many performers, there will be 2 shows in the evening - one maybe at 7 or 7:30pm over the dinner timeframe and another around 9 or 9:30pm. Depending on the show and ticketing style, you may need to leave after the first show. I've also been to several events where the seating/tables are all cleared and the full dance floor is available. This is done the annual Brazilian Carnival party each spring where there is a mix of DJed music, usually by Kyle Long, and performances by a troop of 10+ drummers while footage from the Brazilian Carnival parade streams on a big screen. This event goes late into the evening. I've also attended more intimate, low key events like the American Pianists competition where a solo piano player takes the stage. The bar is situated in a separate room so that it doesn't take away from the performers. The staff have always been friendly and I don't have a recollection of ever having mediocre service. This venue does not have dedicated parking so be sure to allow a little extra time upon arrival to street park, potentially in the surrounding residential neighborhoods. It's also located by several other restaurants and bars if you want to explore the nearby blocks. read more

Some friends and I went for Latin Thursdays. There was a free dance lesson and our instructor was awesome! After the lesson, they open up the dance floor. Lots of fun for a girls night out. read more

Visited the Jazz Kitchen during a weekend visit to indianapolis from chicago. We saw Marlin McKay do a tribute to Donald Byrd and he (along the rest of the band) were fantastic. Paid $12 cover per person, then there is a $15 minimum for food/drink per person and this was on a saturday for the 730PM showing so thats not too bad, given the quality of the show and the excellent service. We were running late so they kindly accommodated our reservation despite being 20 minutes late. The servers were very friendly and prompt. We had the Chicken and Andouille Sausage Etouffee as well as the Strawberry Spinach Salad. The etoufee was a LOT of food, but a bit too salty for our liking, but it did go well with the salad to balance things out. For being a Music first place, the food was still pretty good. As for the band, they were great and we had a wonderful time. Definitely worth a trip if you are a fan of jazz in a bit of a more upscale setting than some of the other dive bars. read more

Awesome. The ambiance is excellent. They get some of the best jazz musicians in the country to come here. The food is decent but not great. The crab cakes could definitely be better. Their hamburgers are always very good. Sure beats the regular dinner and a movie. read more

Went to the Jazz Kitchen Saturday night to see the spectacular Spyro Gyra. Show was so amazing. The talent is always top notch but they need to work on the service. Our table (one couple, two single women) was a mixture of strangers and we all became friends. Only the couple knew each other and I guess the server assumed me and the other female knew each other...? We didn't. The server asked the couple if they needed a menu. They didn't. I did but wasn't asked. The other female was in the ladies room so the server left 2 menus for the couple "just in case they changed their minds"...confusing. Finally placed a food order which I wasn't sure would even come. I was prepared to cancel the order. Drinks came very late. Mine was just a glass of wine so not sure why it took so long. The other female ordered wine too so that was equally disconcerting. A bit later, the server came back around and asked the couple if they needed another drink order. She didn't ask neither me nor the other female. I had to raise my glass and point to get her attention as did the other female. So I'm really hoping the server was distracted or just having a bad day and that the lack of her attention was not due to the fact that both I and the other single female were African American and the couple was not. I hate to think this but it really felt that way. read more

Great seeing Brenda Williams, she is better than ever! EXCELLENT service. Thanks, Teresa, for a fun evening.

The Jazz Kitchen is such a great resource -- functioning as local neighborhood jazz club as well as showcase for national touring acts of the highest quality. I love going there on a low-key Monday for their dinner specials taking in a set of low-key, quality local jazz. But I've also seen such amazing acts as John Scofield, The Bad Plus, Tuck and Patti, Ray Brown, Joey DeFrancesco, Cal Collins, Pat Martino, Harry Connick Jr., Charlie Hunter, Kurt Elling, etc. The food is steady, the staff is incredibly friendly. David Allee the owner is almost always around and chatting with guests. The place is a gem. read more

Went Jazz Kitchen for thursday Latin night. I missed the free lessons at 8:30 because I overestimated my parallel parking ability and parked several blocks away. I had one of the best times I've ever had at any club. Patrons, staff, DJ, space, environment were all A+. I wish the Latin nights were offered on a Friday or Saturday occasionally so I could stay later! I'll definitely be back for Latin night and to check out one of the Jazz performances. The drink prices were typical for a club I felt. I had three well drinks and a bottle of water and it came to $17 before tip. read more

My friends and I love the Jazz Kitchen but seeing Euge Groove last night I noticed the tables were jammed so closely together that the servers AND patrons had difficulty getting through. I literally had to pull my chair in so closely that it was like I was positioning for a mammogram with my chest on the table. We will still frequent the JK but if the experience is the same as last night every time, we will likely stop going. Margie D read more

OMG! EVERYTHING was AMAZING!!! Returned to Indy for my daughter's basketball tournament looking for a place with good food and live music. Got'em both without doubt. I saw lots of reviews raving about the No So Cajun Chicken and I see why. Two of us had the chicken, one with pasta and the other with rice and another with shrimp and pasta and we all loved every morsel. Bishiri Asad was good but that band Be On It was off the chain. read more

My fiancé and I went here for a date night and it was truly a night to remember. The drinks the food the music was perfect. You should definitely go here. read more

Had an awesome time this last Friday night watching the Steve Allee Big Band. They're always a treat to watch. We had dinner too. I had the pork chop special, which was perfectly done, and the the wife had the salmon salad. We had a couple of beers and the crab cakes for an appetizer. I'm still thinking about those crab cakes! This is one of the places my wife and I frequent when we want a "date night" with just the two of us, when we want to treat ourselves. read more

Every dish was delicious. I had a roasted vegan bowl. I tasted the shrimp and crawfish pasta. Very surprising how different each dish was and the rich full flavors read more

On Saturday we went to the Indy Jazz Fest hosted at The Jazz Kitchen and it was a blast. The ambiance was wonderful. All of the staff we interacted with were very happy. They had a great variety of performers. We did not get any food, but it smelled really great. Definitely planning on coming back in the future! read more

No matter what night of the week, you will always find fantastic jazz here. This is a legendary mainstay of the Indianapolis music scene. They expanded the dining area a few years back and it opened up the space a great deal. We've never had a bad meal here and have always walked out whistlin' a tune. read more

Salsa nights on Thursdays is oh so fun!!!! They have instructors who will help you get your groove on. The place is very chill and the people running it are very nice. read more

Go to the Jazz Kitchen to here a good variety of great jazz music. I had a shrimp boil special when rebirth brass band was in town. It was a good meal with a good portion of food. On a previous trip I had the Paella, which i thought was good but not great. Overall I feel the cost of the food is just a bit pricey especially since you usually have to buy a ticket as well. Perhaps I'm just a cheap jazzer. read more

This review is for the food only; otherwise, a local establishment that embraces one of the only American art forms that is, unfortunately, so often under appreciated deserves five stars from me. Since I live near Broad Ripple, I go to the area to eat quite frequently, and I have had a few dining experiences that just irk me because of the overpriced lackluster food, which I feel is IN THE NAME OF BROAD RIPPLE. Come on, don't take advantage of us like that: This is not what we're about. With places like Three Sisters, Poccadio, Sinking Ship and countless other restaurants that actually offer creative, often local and fresh tasty eats at affordable prices, you have no excuse. I ordered the Eggplant Tower, which was pretty tasty (One of the only vegetarian entrées). Visualize: A gorgeous early evening as a couple casually sits outside on 54th and College Ave. enjoying the scenery and energy of the chaotic intersection as vintage bikes breeze by and an occasional rider leaves a lingering scent of patchouli in the air as they head home with fresh veggies filling their basket, locals walking their dogs, groups of patrons in casual, trendy summer attire across the street laughing and enjoying a pub's brew and food, the occasional skateboarder, and friendly passersby with dread locks and tats all adding to the wonderfully laidback and eclectic vibe of Broad Ripple and out walks my waiter with my $17 Leaning Tower of Pisa of veggies like I'm at the Ritz- Carlton The portion size was almost that of an appetizer and for this price, come on. Again, it was pretty good but not the freshest of veggies, and it had a moat of hard melted, crispy cheese around the base, which is not fresh. My partner had an angel hair pasta dish, and again, it was okay. The pasta leaned towards sticky, and though it did offer tasty bursts of sundried tomatoes, which appealed to the eyes and taste buds, the dish lacked in color in that it was only white and red: It was okay but bland. For me, I appreciate it when the food is relevant and reflects the vibe and energy of its location, but the tower tried too hard and we know Broad Ripple isn't about that; so again, come on TJK, your performances are so on point, and I want to take you seriously, but please get your food and prices in line with your location. Performances: Great! Go! Food: Subpar, irrelevant, dated and overpriced read more

Had never heard of the Jazz Kitchen until I saw that Davina and the Vagabonds were scheduled to play there August 22, 2014. The restaurant states "NOLA meets Midwest." Having been to the Big Easy many times we know what to expect from authentic New Orleans cuisine. I must say that we were pleasantly surprised. I had the Satchmo's Etoufee which has chicken and andouille sausage with the right variety of spices. I have to rate it a five. The other party had the crescent city crab cakes and rated it a five as well. We both had the creme brulee which was also perfect. The food was excellent, no doubt about it. They had some selections of local beers including our favorite, IPA. The entertainment was top notch and the facility is set up well for the listening pleasure of the audience. The staff were courteous and helpful without being around too much. In short an excellent evening was had at the Jazz Kitchen. We would highly recommend it. read more

My college had an alumni event at The Jazz Kitchen and it was a huge success! If you are looking for a nice place with a very calm and cool overall feel, this is a good place to make reservations for a gathering! One waitress served everyone in the room and she was marvelous! read more

Here's the Rub:For the Music Lover of Jazz.....its hit or miss! Not so much the artists BUT the very noisy crowd who parks their tails down and Y-A-P-S non-stop thru out since THEY ARE NOT there to see/hear the music! Too bad people dont know how to pay attention to music and interfere with those who have come to the JK to listen Saw the The Splinter Group a few weeks back.....mebbes a total of 5 folks were there! Well the TRUE music listeners! But the place shut down at 10:30 and so did the music! OUCH! Too bad more emphasis isnt place on the music and MUCH MUCH less on the 'foodie' aspect....taint there other delictable joints around there/or Broad Ripple so ya can bring those 'interesting conversations' out and about there....yep fun things to talk about when there is nothing to say! read more

Well, JK has spoken, and my three is back up to five. After a menu revamp, I was encouraged to come by and try Eggplant 2.0. It was absolutely delicious. Add to that a few more options for vegetarians on the menu, and I'm more than happy. No cover, great music, great food, great space, and only $15? You really can't find much better in Indy. read more

Ladies, if you need to go to the john, expect a loooong wait. This place is not customer friendly. Food is basic stuff at high prices. Owner is clearly basking in the sun of ignorant clients. A typical American ripoff joint. Too bad, because the idea is good. A quality business is more than a good idea, however. read more

My fiance and I went here for dinner tonight and loved it. We sat outside and enjoyed the live band, which was very talented as they sang some of our favorite songs. Our server was Eric and he was great - every time I needed something, there he was! The food was also outstanding. We'll be back! :) read more

I should be giving Jazz Kitchen 4 stars because it's a nice place for live jazz music and for hip hop nights. They also have a tasty menu, but their greeterrs, cashiers and servers are unappetizing. The host was not friendly at all although I spoke to her ahead of time to make sure my table was reserved for the party I was bringing. When I arrived from Kokomo to Indianapolis nothing was set up and her attitude was very dry and rough. If it wasnt for the distance we drove we would have all left. The service was very sloooow, and to top it off the waitress accidently spilled a drink on me. You just never know what you are going to get from the kitchen. Good luck read more

Stopped by for Latin Night while in town for Spring Break. We made dinner reservations before the free dance lesson and to ensure we had a good table for the night. I had the glazed pork chop and my cousin had a burger. Both were prepared well and tastefully presented. My only complaint is that for $16, I expect a pork chop that is at least the size of my palm and trimmed appropriately. The chop I was served met neither of these expectations. The asparagus and mashed potatoes were flavorful and cooked perfectly. The bar makes a mean Mojito and Caipirinha. read more