I went the other day after the Berkley Jazz Fest. It was packed. I was afraid to ask where the bathroom is. (bucket near the stage?) This place is tiny. It's a *little* larger than a airplane lavatory. No cover charge, but my Gin and Tonic was $10. Of course, the venue is not the attraction. It's all about the music which, on Saturday, was great. read more

Places like this just don't exist anymore. A true throwback to a different era. This place is family-owned for a billion years offering live jazz music 365 days a year. Staff is friendly, especially if you're a regular. Seating and space are limited, but it's worth a visit. read more

The Latin band on Thursday nights is AMAZING. They're so much fun and the crowd is too--I was told that the people who are great dancers go every week and dance with anyone who wants to, so maybe you can learn some moves! The bar is impossible to get to when the band isn't playing, so think about when you're getting drinks. And based on how drunk everyone was I'm guessing they were strong drinks. I didn't get a drink because the bar is quite small and a creepy man in the middle of the bar made me fee uncomfortable standing anywhere near it. I shall try again and update this with how the drinks are! read more

Tiny, yet awesome. No cover, terrific music. Careful not to bump into the musicians on your way to the bathroom. read more

My date seemed to think that this place he was taking me to was awesome. I got there early and couldn't figure out if I was at a jazz bar or a dive bar. He arrived, and we grabbed some drinks while the band got started. He seemed like an interesting enough guy, but as he turned into a pot head and complete hippie, I got to turn a deaf ear and just listen to the music. Overall, Wally's is a great historic place with jazz 365 days/year. You can order a beer, scratch your behind, and squeeze in next to all the fun people. OH, and if your date is creepy, you don't have to talk to them because there are plenty of other people around and there's plenty of music. read more

Biofuels my @ss! If you could capture the smallest fraction of energy those Berkelee students emote we would not be dependent on foreign oil. I am dependent on Wally's. I recharge at this place. You'll find simply the best Jazz - period. We're talking Miles, Herbie, Coltrane ... these kids take the greats and make them their own. You can see and feel how authentic it is. It gives me the chills. Complete mental stimulation with symptomatic uncontrollable body shakin'. Get close enough to see the musicians. Watch their surprise as they reach connections with their instruments they never knew possible before that very instant, driven on by the collective energy of the band. Wally's is the outlet that plugs me into that elation, that Jazz. read more

Good to great live jazz before 9. Don't know what the scheduled acts are. Didn't stay that late. It's a brownstone ground floor walk in bar with the musicians straight back. The bartender is cool, collected and friendly. It was a complete win. read more

A sliver of a bar with seating that fills up quick. The wall against the back acts as a stage. And by stage I mean designated musician area. Wally's is all about music with a little something to sip on. Nothing fancy. Great music when you want it. Draws a rather eclectic crowd as all amazing music does. Best part is that you can bring fries in from next door to munch on! read more

Met up with an old friend early Saturday evening. It was about 6PM. There were plenty of seats at the bar open, but only a table open. We sat down, grabbed something to drink, and enjoyed the music. The place was pretty packed by 8PM. Drinks were expensive. You have been warned. And I don't think there is a lock for the door to the men's room so if you have to do a #2, you might get a visitors interrupting you. Just something I noticed. As another review mentioned, don't bump into the musicians when walking to the bathroom. It was my first time at this establishment. I really liked it. read more

I took the 1 mile hike from my hotel to Wally's. It's such a small venue I literally almost walked past it without seeing it. I walked in somewhere around 1145pm. Jazz was kickin. Place was pretty packed and this was on a random Tuesday night no less. I felt a little out of place and I also think the bartender charged me more for drinks because I was an obvious out of towner. Had a nice conversation about Sly and the Family Stone with a regular at the bar. Had a few beers and went on my way. Great place to stumble upon. read more

Sorry, Wally's. You get lumped in with my 4-star review set, admittedly with many much more mediocre places. The problem - way too small. And cramped. Unless you are a die hard jazz aficionado who wouldn't care where you were so long as you were listening to some quality grooves, your time here will depend largely on whether you could get a seat or not. If you're sitting, you'll be sipping your "semi-overpriced but that's OK" drinks, enjoying the music, and thinking how awesome it is that this place is around and you stumbled upon it. If you're standing you'll get sick of moving every three seconds to let someone pass by and think the music is starting to get repetitive and hmm, maybe I should just throw in the towel and go to the Beehive. Music is great, nice option for a Wed night outing. read more

JAZZ JAZZ JAZZ... tiny little joint that just bangs out the great tunes... ! read more

So far my only bar in Boston. I went there first in 1997: I was staying in a Back Bay Hostel and they were taking people out at night to Wally's. THANK YOU. This bar will always be a special place for me and I revisited Boston over the years I have always come back. I finally moved to Boston a few days ago and finally went tonight as a local. This place RAWKS. No cover, the music rocks, the drinks are cheap, and the bar is small enough that you somehow feel privileged to be present. If you want to see good live music thee way it should be shown go to Wallys. read more

Went there with some friends, one ordered a jack and coke, cost $14 and they didn't tell him that until the drink was in his hand. Another friend ordered a Lagunitas which the menu said was $5, if I remember correctly, but his credit card was charged for $12. The music was good but overall the place is crowded, hot/stuffy, and overpriced. read more

In all honesty, we really hadn't meant to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in any kind of traditional sense. Hoping to avoid the crowds, my lovely companion and i steered towards Asian food for dinner, and a jazz bar afterwards. So how on earth did we still wind up being bought a round of Guinness by a trio of Irish brothers whose drunkenness increased with age. And why did the middle one kiss me on the top of the head? And why was he convinced that the band was playing a Steely Dan song? Perhaps i'll never know. Wally's is a strange little place. If you go in without music, it's too brightly lit and you can tell how spartan and dingy it is. If you cram yourself in when people are playing, it's a fantastic place to be and its shortcomings are a small price to pay for good, free music and a crowd that's there for it (it helps that it's well-balanced to allow your conversation, but to override others'). They have nothing on tap, but they do have one of those Guinness surge-r thingys, i realized too late. The bartender will be absurdly busy. It seems like basketball is the other priority beyond the music, on their one TV. The clientele defines eclectic While i doubt very much i'll run into quite the same situation again, i am equally sure that it will not disappoint. read more

To get the true experience you have to go on several different nights of the week. My recommendations would be Monday (Blues), Friday/Saturday(Jazz), and Thursday(Latin Jazz). The place is SMALL, maybe seating 40 people. The music is also quite loud, I didn't mind but many in my party did, since we were sitting quite close. I'd give Wally's 5 stars but their drinks are expensive, $9-10 for a mixed drink, $4.50 just for a bottle of Rolling Stone. The crowd that goes is really a weird mix. Yuppies, really drunk people, groupies, and college students. Just go and have fun. I think the music is really good. High quality and the live performers have a lot of personality. read more

Ahhh...Wally's...the memories. I used to frequent Wally's frequently (that sounds odd), but haven't been in in a year or two. Why you ask? No good reason...it's a great place. I noticed the other day they have a new sign out front! So anyway, onto my review. If you like Jazz...hit up Wally's. Great house-band...I believe comprised of mainly Berklee students or ex-students, and man they can play - very tight! Everytime I've gone I've been pleased. I used to go on Latin night a lot too...which I believe is/was on Tuesday night. Things to know/be aware of: There is no cover (which is awesome), and it's quite small inside...so if you're at all claustrophobic you'll hate it here as you'll get to know your neighbors rather well. ;) Also there are very few tables and the bar is a bit small...so most likely you'll end up standing or if you want a seat get there early. Drinks are fairly priced...good jazz...all in all, a great little spot that's easily T (orange line - Mass Ave. stop) accessible! Check it out! read more

No doubt one of the most authentic Boston experiences. Go there as soon as you can, go there often. The jazz is always hot, and the people are great. And vice versa. A South End legend. You must see it to believe it. read more

No doubt one of the most authentic Boston experiences. Go there as soon as you can, go there often. The jazz is always amazing and the people are great. The group of people are always eclectic. Always amazing musicians! I agree when people call it, "A South End legend." read more

Cozy and gruff, Monday night was blues night instead of jazz, and it was off the hook full of character. A perfect hole-in-wall just the right size to be packed full of a diverse mixture of little undergrads, raggedly hip twenty-somethings, your basic Boston schmucks and folks who remember when this was all there was. If this was all there still was, it would be fine by me. Beer selection is awful, bottles only, and the only two qualifying options are what save them --Guiness --shaken, and of course, Sam Adams Octoberfest. Mixed drinks were alright and the barkeep was quick and attentive. read more

I went to Wally's for the first time last night. I had read reviews and expected it to be crowded but dear GOD! I was not expecting that! It's such a small place that the crowd is just... well, it's intense. The real treat of Wally's seems to be the music (obviously) and the fact that there's no cover. When you put the two together, it's wonderful! The musicians were talented, which is always a plus when you're not actually paying anything to see them. My main complaint (and this is somewhat silly) is that in a club of that size and layout, people obviously need to push by to get anywhere. Fine. However, it would be nice if they could pick one path rather than always choosing new ones. It got frustrating to always have to be shifting. If you're looking to hear some good music and become best friends with loads of people you'll probably never see again, Wally's is your new place to go. If you aren't good with crowds, stay the hell away. read more

I have been here a couple of times with family and friends. It is a few minutes walk away from the Mass Ave MBTA station, which really helps if one wants to avoid bringing a car into Boston. It has live jazz music by students at Berklee so you know it's going to be good. There is no cover but be prepared to order a drink soon after entering the establishment. It can get very crowded, especially on Saturday night so try to go on a weekday, unless you are willing to stand on mass ave. waiting for other people to leave so that they can allow you to enter. I can't speak for the cocktails as I have only had beers there; but this is a must go to place for whoever wants to hear live jazz music in a casual setting. read more

This place is off the hook. It's a wonderful place to listen to very talented musicians proove to me exatly why I suck and they are far superior to me. I had a chance to cruise in here with a buddy who lived in the area and I was in awe of the talent. Not much to expect on the drink front as far as the quality of the booze, but you don't go here for the booze--you go for the jazz. I recommend this place to anyone in search of a jazz set. For a Sunday night, you couldn't have convinced me I was going to have a chance to listen to the music I was able to. Great experience!!! read more

I have been attending the Wally's jazz jam for almost two years and one of the owners Paul Poindexter told me this is a student program for jazz musicians in school learning how to play. He told me not to come back after attending this jam for almost two years. First of all if this is strictly a student jam. The club should be closed during those hours and just cater to the students who have signed up for the program. However since the club is open to the public, anyone young or old, student or not should be allowed to jam there. This is an act of discrimination to force some people out and keep others in. The drinks are way over priced. They charge $4.00 for a ginger ale or coke, that they give to you in a small glass a little bigger then a shot glass. This place is a complete ripe off. The staff is rude and it's filled with clicky, snobby, two faced people. Never again will I return. read more

Five stars: No cover, great atmosphere. That being said, it's not for everyone. This place is tiny and it can get loud; not for the claustrophobic or easily overwhelmed. The quality can vary wildly depending on the night one visits. Fridays seem to consistently be Berklee students putting their noses to the grindestone, with mixed (but certainly not bad) results. The one Thursday I went featured some excellent Latin jazz from more seasoned professionals. Expect to pay a decent sum for your cocktails; beers clocked in at $5 each. If it's a weekend and you haven't shown up by about 9:00, expect to be standing for a while. And... strictly 21+. They card at the door, consistently. read more

The rudest bartender in all of Boston. Do not go. Plus they don't pay their musicians. Go to bee hive, they are polite and treat both their guests and musicians well. This place is truly the worst. read more

Best jazz music scene in Boston- you'll want to go early if you're headed there on a weekend as it fills up fast.

Love it here, always good music, full bar, reasonable prices. A lot of the music students perform here, good variety of jazz music and always impressive talent. It's just so damn small! But I suppose that's part of the charm...I would recommend going during the week vs the weekend read more

It's a small place with great live music. The people who go there are casual. Mondays are BLUES!!! read more

Wally's is one of the great institutions in Boston. Whenever an out-of-towner arrives, I make sure that they take in the Wally's experience. Yes, the place is small, and that is what makes it fun. You can't walk out without making friends with the most diverse bunch of people gathered under one roof. From college professors to thugs, everyone comes to Wally's to chill out to great music (if not on stage then definitely on the jukebox). I had heard that they closed it down a while ago, and must admit haven't been there in a while, but it is definitely one of my Boston Faves! read more

It's the best jazz club I've found in Boston. Live music every night, you're guaranteed a good time. And it's free! t's well-known, but manages to keep a low key feel. This is a safe haven for hipster haters. Guess they haven't gotten the message that Jazz is cool. I really like you, Wally! read more

During my visit to Boston, I wanted to see live music and found this place. This bar is old, tiny, and fills up fast. There is no cover however they require you to purchase at least 1 drink. No fancy cocktails, just your standard dive bar menu and liquor. There was a jazz band who played the night I came and it was great. Everyone was just sitting or standing listening to the band and having a good time. read more

Don't miss it. I repeat: DON"T MISS IT. Unique experience and high quality musicians. Minus is how packed the place gets; it's a small establishment read more

Bar tender asked us to leave and make a drink decision outside 2 minutes after walking in. Would not recommend... much more welcoming atmosphere right down the street at the "Bee Hive" I believe it was called read more

Free live music here. It is a small divey bar that makes you forget about the past. The beautiful brick walls are covered in in black and white photos. The tables are so close Together so that as many people as possible can sit and just listen the beautiful music coming from the stage. The bartender was quick and efficient though the price of the drinks were a bit much for what it was. 3 mixed drinks will cost you over 30 dollars. No they aren't huge or specialty just one liquor and one mixer in a highball. The door guy starts putting up the chairs at about 1:00am to let you know to get the heck out. read more

Awesome music! but i had to wait for about 20~30mins outside on sunday. There are super crowded always, so you might stand right next to the people. very small and dark place.but If you like live bass and latin jazz you should give it a try! The bands are amazing! You will love their music! :) read more

I've seen hallways in some houses bigger than this place. If you get claustrophobic, stay away from here. But if you want to jam with the best local cats, you need to stop in (no cover)... just make sure you come for the music too, because everything at the bar is just way too pricey. You can definitely meet everyone here - all the Berklee dropouts hanging out, the just-graduated cats lookin' to show off their chops, randoms just passing through town, and even some pro-players... First time I met someone at a jam session whose next destination was "going home to play Halo all night while listening to Schoenberg" - whaaaaatttt read more

I love this place and I really need to start coming here often. My favorite nights are blues night on Mondays; Jose Ramos knocks my socks off. The staff and the patrons here are the bomb everyone is just chill and there to be moved by the sound of Jose's voice. read more

How dissapointing.. this place had so much potential. Unfortunately, it ended up ruining our night. I was told by a friend to get there early if we didn't want to stand the whole night so we got there at 8:30 on a Saturday night. We were one of maybe 4 other parties there so we cozied up at a small table near the stage. Waitress came and we started a tab and ordered a round of drinks. After about an hour the place starts filling up. It's a nice, energetic atmosphere.. both younger and older people excited for some good music. The waitress informed us that she was leaving at 9 and we would need to get our second round at the bar. No probem, two of our friends went up to order a second round. Unfortunately, this is where the night stated to go sour. My friends were patiently waiting at the bar. There was one bartender for the whole bar (mind you, I know its a small place, but it's PACKED and it looked like he couldn't handle the crowd.) The bartender kept taking orders from everyone BUT my friends. They started chatting to the people around them and mentioned that it was their first time there.. big mistake. The bartender and a few of the patrons actually started ridiculing them! Finally after a half hour of waiting to get a drink, being ignored, and being made fun of, they got the attention of the bartender and instead of ordering another round, closed the tab. We left at 10. Also- the website states that music starts at 9 on Saturday night. At 9:45, someone finally started setting stuff up on stage. I wouldn't have minded waiting until 11 for music.. but they could at least make sure their website is accurate. I SO wished I could have had a fun time here. I have some friends who absolutely love it. Perhaps I went on an off night, but it felt like if you weren't a Berklee student or a regular, they wouldn't give you the time of day. Obviously the place is successful if it's been open for so long, and how they treat their customers is their own perogative, but I think I'll just stick to Beehive from now on. read more

Great and classic music venue! It can get packed but that just adds to the excitement. Easy walking distance from Back Bay or The South End. Have not tried the food. read more