Great music and vibe! It's a cozy place to get engrossed in music. Highly recommend checking it out.

How unfortunate. I have waited many years to stop by this location and sample, what I have heard, was a great venue. How disappointed I was when trying to enter the establishment this past Saturday late afternoon (5:45, everywhere stated the opening time for your club is 5 PM) I was systematically talked down-to by a very rude and mean man at the door accusing me of trying to break his door. This is how you treat a potential customer? A couple coming in to experience this famous venue....no thanks. I will stick to the great clubs like the Blue Note in NYC. you sir, should be ashamed of yourself...you disrespected me, but mostly, you disrespected your establishment. read more

Great atmosphere and music! No cover so ordering drinks in expected which we were glad to do!

Great vibe with lots of Berkeley students coming by to play jam sessions during the early hours. Friendly crowd! read more

Wally's Cafe - Latin Jazz night - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The moment I walked in, the guy asked me to provide an ID and I did with my national Singapore ID card but he refused to take it claiming it is not a valid ID. I tried to give my photo copy of the passport as I have it but he refused to take it. I see he is very racist as he even yelled me to step out the store immediately in a heavy rain as he cannot tolerate me staying in his store in 1 second when I don't have a valid ID (even thought I had one official workng in my home country Singapore). I begged him to stay at least until my Uber comes but he opened a door and shouted me to step out immediately. read more

Wally's does not disappoint. Went last night with friends visiting from Baltimore. We try to go every time they come to Boston. Love the ambiance. It looks like they renovated since I was there in a while. Looks great. read more

We came into Wally's on a Friday night around 8pm...so glad that we got this recommendation from a nearby restaurant owner! The place is super small and was jammed, but the three of us got the last remaining open seats at the bar. The small group jamming in the back was good, but--as you would expect--the place was pretty loud. The bar is pretty normal, with a few specialty cocktails offered. Overall, fun place that I'd go to more often if I lived in Boston. read more

The bartender was extremely rude and unpleasant. One of our group's ID wouldn't scan (despite being identical to the others) and he responded by basically shouting us out of the bar. read more

Whole the wall jazz club. Just what the doctor ordered. Cramps, loud, awesome. Bringing cash makes life easier. read more

Jamming little bar to listen to jazz & have a cocktail or beer. It's small, so go early to listen to a few sets. The bands are usually local students. They get some better known artists once in a while. But this place has history. Many-a famous artists have come through here. And the crowd is real. This place has some grit (the five stars aren't because it's a modern place). Try it out for a nice cultural experience. read more

It is the real deal jazz point in Boston. I dare to say in Massachusetts! Always great people playing AWESOME music, the ambient is cozy and personable, and the service always comes with a smile! I can't recommend this place enough! It's a crown jewel! read more

This place is cramped and smells awfully like armpits. There's very little circulation here so it gets stuffy. The bartenders and staff are constantly demanding that you buy drinks that are more expensive than most places. The musicians here aren't terrible, but they're definitely local amateurs. I could stand all of these negatives, if it was to see some really great talent... No thanks read more

Boston needs more places for live music like Wally's! The service is straightforward and strict on ID's, but under 21 is allowed until 9pm! Wally's is always a good time and a must visit for any jazz lovers!!! read more

Music was great, but the establishment? Gross. They overcharge like crazy. For example, $12 for a small glass of wine poured from a bottle that costs at most $5. Slow service on top of that. It was really disgusting. Don't waste your time here. read more

The waitress/bartender is wonderful! She is kind, polite and pays attention to all of her customers! The atmosphere is great and the music was very good! It's pretty loud when they perform but it is a small place. read more

Wallys pub recently appeared as a perfectly nice post Saint Patrick's day trip for my friends and I. Turned into one of my four friends being sexually harassed and abused by the managers at Wally's Pub. This was 100% not okay. I called Wallys to report the issue and I was hung up on and not taken seriously. This is a scary incident that should not hate happen abs should not happen gain. I'm highly disappointed in Walley's and will not be supporting in the future. read more

Still a solid 1 star place because they do not open up on time. The neighboring area is not very hospitable. Lots of crime. Consistently disappointed. read more

Amazing Jazz live music and drinks in a cozy atmosphere! Great place to make new friends.

Great dive bar with live music every night. When we popped in on a random Thursday around midnight a bunch of crack whip Berkelee College musicians were kicking out Latin funk jams to a pretty decent crowd. Bartender was a bit slow grabbing me a simple scotch on the rocks and he REALLY looked like he didn't want to be there. But otherwise will definitely be returning. read more

Wally's Cafe - Thursday night Latin funk jam 3/14/2019 - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My (male) friend got up less than five seconds ago. I counted. Guy on the other side of him wasted no time. Him: How you doin'? (insert generically lame line here) Me: Ummm...are you double-fisting? Him: Uhhh...ehrm....uhh...well...I...YES. He was holding two cold bottles of beer and was a few sips into both. I think he ordered both at the same time. I waited for the live jazz to drown him out and my friend promised never to leave me again. I can't believe I only went to Wally's once in 4 years. I feel guilty when I get this much entertainment for free. An off-the-wall scene where wallflowers, wanderers, weirdos and every kind of chic socialite congregates to listen to the smooth jazzy tunes of a band that is never bad, Wally's is my and everyone's kind of place. There's nothing to loathe, everything to love, and though I didn't exactly fall in love with a double-fister (is that the girl equivalent of being in love with a stripper?), I did fall in love with Wally's. read more

Jazz. Friendly. Make you feel like you belong. Gent next to me, humbly, noted he could say peace is seven languages. Perfect. Nuff said. Have to put some characters so Yelp will post. Peace peace peace read more

Just tried to walk in at 5:02, they are "open" at 5. I understand needing a little time to set up, but they let another person in before me and shut the door hurriedly on me like I was a stray dog trying to walk in. I thought okay, maybe they just aren't holding the door open, and then the guy who looked like a manager or something waved his finger at me like "no no" and I just walked away. Won't ever go back. read more

The male bartender had a horrible attitude. When we were able to get seats at the bar the first thing he said was that since there's no cover there's a 1-item minimum per customer. Okay, no problem since we're here to listen to some jazz and have a couple drinks. I asked for a tequila sunrise with Don Julio. He instantly grabs a bottle of Casamigos and makes the drink. I don't know if it was because he had to make my drink over but it was all down hill from there. There were 4 of us in the party and he made everyone a drink. My drink was trash and I drink tequila sunrises. When most of us finished what we thought would be the first round, we were asked if we wanted something else. The response was not at the moment. I was thinking about my next cocktail since he obviously couldn't make a tequila sunrise. He says well these seats are for folks who are drinking. There were no people around us waiting for seats and 1 person in my party had not even finished his drink. We decided to leave as it was clear our presence was unwanted. read more

1. the best jazz in the city 2. drinks are not overpriced for the zip code that is high-end real estate area and trust me some places in that area are charging 3 dollars more per drink 3. the only folks that are complaining are folks who want to enjoy good music for nothing most artist there are working there azz off buying a few drinks to keep it going is the least you can do. trust me if you go downtown to hear those artist play you spend $40 per ticket, drinks 25 per glass making it a 90 to 100 per person night. at wally's you are paying half that at Wally's cafe. 4. this place is a landmark google them 5. yes it is tight and small so do not go there wearing a ton of clothes in the middle of august. 6. now the parking sucks take uber there is not much parking during the school year it is a college area 7. the staff is friendly unless you are an a#shole if you have been told you are an asshole please stay at home this is a fun place for fun folks 8. this bar is small but it is not a dive bar so please go there fresh and clean. 9. this is not the come late place if there is a really good show happening seats are going to go fast again it is small 10. I am Boston native, I hate bad reviews on places that have given so many folks a good night over the decades. read more

Wally is a narrow, adorable little neighborhood music venue. The bar area is more on the the divey side. If you're a beer connoisseur, this is not the place for you. If you want hard liquor, decent mixed drinks or $10 Kamikaze shots, this is the place for you! It's a fun spot to meet up, hang out for a bit and listen to some jazz. But because of the structure of the venue, it can be immensely loud. And try not to stay too-too late because it's turns into a make out spot. Hey! Jazz can be sexy too! read more

Wally's Cafe - Duvel - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I'm a serious music fan and life-long Bostonian but somehow I had never made it to Wally's until recently. After reading some of the negative reviews here I set my sights accordingly and was pleasantly surprised. We got there for an early set, about 7:30 p.m., and got a table. I was thinking they'd have a limited drink selection and I'd have to get them from the bar and be happy with a bottle of Sam Adams at best. Within two minutes the bartender was at our table proffering drinks menus with a nice selection of beers, wine, and cocktails (no prices listed though). Yeah, the drinks are a bit pricey - $20 for a Diet Coke, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Journalist cocktail, but as others have said, there's no cover charge so I say it's a deal. I'm a cocktail snob and this was a nicely-mixed drink that was worth the $10 or so it cost - which is a comparable price to plenty of places that don't offer any entertainment. We enjoyed a set of classic modern jazz - drums, bass, and guitar played by young guys who definitely had that Berklee look about them. We were way at the back of the room from the stage - the place is a long, narrow joint with a single row of tables against the wall opposite the bar.The music was loud but we could still carry on a conversation. I started talking to the young guy next to me when I saw the sax case under his table. He was with his parents and waiting for the next set to sit in with the band. When I asked where he was from, he said he was from LA and in town to interview at Harvard and New England Conservatory. That's the kind of random experience you can have at a place like Wally's - I hope to get back there soon for more great music and drinks! read more

Wally's Cafe - Early evening jazz jam - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Customer service is horrible... Couldnt believe it... When I came they treated me like I wasn't even there even though I told them I was willing to pay. I ended up dropping five dollars to use the restroom before amd left. Wouldn't recommend this place to anyone read more

The best place in Boston by far. Finally a place that has some semblance of culture! Great vibes, casual space, we went on a weekday night so were able to get a table. People say the drinks are expensive, but you're also paying for your cover with your drinks so I think $12 ish for a cocktail is extremely reasonable. We will be back for many nights to come. Although funk night starts around 9:30 officially, it's best to arrive around 10:15 on a weeknight for them to actually start playing. read more

WORST SERVICE ever. Most unfriendly welcome when entering the bar. Been pushed to order drinks right away. Bartender THREATENED TO CALL POLICE on our friend when she didn't order a drink immediately after entering the bar (others of our group were already sitting with drinks at a table when she joined us). Bartender ended up calling the police who escorted us out of the bar. Thanks for a great evening! Detailed story for those who are interested: When entering Walle's yesterday evening with my friend - our first time there - the bar tender immediately yelled at us and gesticulated in a rude way. It was hard to understand because the music was loud but we eventually understood we were supposed to show our ID's. We ordered drinks at the bar right away. Throughout this encounter the bartender yelled at us in a very impolite and disrespectful way. We finally sat down at a table with our drinks waiting for a third friend to arrive. When our friend entered the bar she was faced the same unfriendly welcome by the bartender. He screamed at her to show a credit card in addition to the work permit since she didn't have her state ID with her. After she did what he requested she sat down at our table for a bit to greet us. The bartender immediately started to gesticulate and yell from beyond the counter pointing at our friend. When she went to find out what it was about he requested for her to buy a drink otherwise she would have to leave the bar. She told him she would get a drink in a bit. However, he insisted for her to get a drink immediately and threatened to call the police. Under these circumstances my friend didn't feel comfortable to comply with his rude request accompanied by threats. She came back to sit with us at the table. Whereupon the bartender demonstratively called someone on the phone and while talking pointing at us and the phone alternating and giving us the evil eye. Making all three of us feel very uncomfortable. Eventually the police came. Seemingly surprised once they understood the situation the police men were very nice and respectful explaining to us that since they were called to a private establishment to remove us they would have no other option than ask us to leave. We then left the bar. To clarify, the jazz music was loud, which makes yelling for communication unavoidable. However, the bartenders yelling was accompanied by angry facial expressions and gesticulations throughout. No friendly or welcoming smile. read more

Might be my favorite bar in Boston . The music and atmosphere of this place always blows me Away. I feel completely transported and there no where else you need to be when the band is on at Wally's. read more

Came on a Saturday night around 7pm. Arrived just in time to grab a couple of the last remaining open seats. There was a small group jamming with a bass, flute, guitar and percussion. The bar itself is very unassuming - somewhat divey. It is quite tight so you will be elbow to elbow with other patrons, but that also means you're close to the musicians, which is hopefully what you came for. The drinks are reasonably priced and there is a full bar with decent selection of bottled beers. Can't wait to come back for more. read more

I was visiting from out of town and wanted an authentic local live music experience and Wally's did not disappoint! Yes, the venue is tiny, but I think that adds to the intimacy of the experience. The bouncers were friendly, the bartender was attentive and efficient. If you live in a major city you won't bat an eye at the drink prices; $12 for a mixed drink is not outrageous. The bartender went above and beyond by showing me a spot up at the front where I unobtrusively had a great view of the action. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town. read more

So much fun! Great musicians and drinks! Nice atmosphere for a good conversation and drinks. Small but perfect for a jazz club! read more

Wally's Cafe - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Loved the Funk band on Wednesday! The venue was actually not as crowded as I expected. I'm not sure if it was the cold or the fact it was a weeknight that kept people at home. The place was busy, but no one seemed to have a problem getting seats, and I had a decent view throughout the performance (despite sitting towards the back). Be warned that the music is VERY loud, especially within the small venue. The drinks were pricey at $12 per cocktail, but they were well-made. My friend and I sampled a couple drinks from the menu: - Wally's Paradise - delicious mix of piña colada and strawberry daiquiri! The alcohol was barely perceivable, so this is great for anyone looking to go easy on the drinking. - Ray Mason Journalist - not for the faint of heart! This drink had wet and dry vermouth, along with triple sec. Very dry and bitter!! We also ordered a couple drinks that weren't on the menu, and both of the bartenders that served us mixed great drinks. read more

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Small neighborhood jazz little bar that I would recommend tons and visit when I can. I had a phenomenal evening here once when they use to have their salsa band. A well-known salsa singer from Cuba passed away that same night and all they were playing were his music. Me, being Cuban was touched by it and would never forget; those guys were truly amazing!!! the music is always phenomenal, the atmosphere is great. Highly recommend them for a relaxed evening, while grabbing a couple of great cocktails, all while listening to fantastic music. Give them a try!!!! read more

No food. Wide variety of drinks. Amazing music!!! They will ID everyone as they come in + you can bring your own food. Yes, the drinks are expensive but they gotta live somehow - there's no cover charge. Diet coke + blue moon were $9. 9:30 is when the actual act starts, but I quite enjoyed the jam session they had before. People with instruments can also join in. They seemed like students and were amazing. read more

This is a no-nonsense music joint. There's no cover, no fancy menu, no ambiance - just a small room with chairs, a bar, and a stage that hosts some of the best live music in Boston. Drinks are expensive (we're talking $5 PBRs), but your money is supporting local musicians. The bartender has not been to charm school, but you're not there to be flattered. You're there to be auditorially entertained. Grab a seat, grab a friend, and hunker down for an excellent evening of jazz. read more

This hidden gem has great music and great drinks. I've been coming here my whole life and each time is something positive and different. I recommend that everyone get down at Wally's. read more

Wally's Cafe - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The Jazz music was very impressive. Packed house on a Wednesday speaks to the reputation of this place by Jazz music enthusiasts. Will certainly go back read more

A longstanding, invaluable treasure. Well worth waiting for, however long it takes to safely reopen.