This was a great venue with an intimate setup to have a great view of the musicians. The show was short at only about an hour, but it was packed with great music from Iam Tongi's band. The food was less than average and quite pricey so I would recommend eating beforehand! read more

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I've been to the Blue Note multiple times over the past years, and this is my first review of it. I realized that the overall experience may change, based on your excitement and enjoyment of the show being watched, so I decided to rate it based on just the food and service as a venue, without regard to the show that I attended. The menu does change (both food and drinks), depending on the artist performing, so that's a positive. At least management knows that the audience demographic, and their tastes in dining, changes, based on the artist. The food is prepared by the Sheraton chefs and is fairly average, especially for the premium prices being charged. The prices equal what you'd pay at a high-end restaurant, but, due to the layout, and venue showtime, it is difficult for the staff to provide the level of service that would be expected. The food preparation and taste are good, but not great; same with the bar drinks. If I included the enjoyment of the show, I'd add another star (or two), but that's too random, especially because you're paying separately for that ticket. If you want to enjoy the food experience a bit more, I'd recommend arriving and waiting in line to be one of the first to enter, to have as much time to order, get served, and eat, before the show starts. Even then, the quality of F&B service is a bit overpriced, imo. Also, I've always parked at the Outrigger East hotel on Kuhio, and they usually charge $6 for up to 4 hours, with validation. This night though, I was charged $10. Just another annoying glitch. read more

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There is currently construction happening at Outrigger, so the lobby was small and cramped. We came here for Tumua at 7:45 for his 8:30 show and the line did not exist. We tried to make a line but they opened the doors at 8:20 and everyone just went to the door. People waited in line and people who just came cut in the mov of people. Very annoying. No one to monitor the line and was told to gather in the far corner which caused no line. Terrible and disappointing. Didn't get in until 8:35 and the show was suppose to start at 8:30.. When we came in and ordered at 8:42 all the main dishes were sold out. The braised short ribs, lamb polenta, and the steak... We ordered the garlic edamame that was $14 but so little bit! Literally a handful.. should be $4 at the most. The salmon was the catch of the day for $45 which was dry. The rice was very tasty it was garlic cilantro. Tumua was excellent and hilarious. Blue note is terrible though. I don't like that you must buy $20 worth of food or drinks if young a premium seat. They also need to hire someone to manage the line so there's no cutting or chaos. Not sure if I want to return back for a show at Blue Note. read more

Blue Note Hawaii - $45 catch of the day - Music Venues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We went to see Jake Shimabakuro on 4/7/2025. I took my family and was excited to share Jake's music with them as I have been a fan. The doors opened an hour and a half prior to the show, and to ensure good seats, you need to get there prior to when the doors open as a line forms. We ended up with a good booth seating, which was nice as the "premium" seats in the center are just packed in there and you're sitting sideways to the show. With an hour and a half to pass, you kind of need to order dinner. We did, and it was about the MOST AWFUL food I've had in a long time. On top of that, it was about $50/plate with $20 drinks. We had to ask for salt and pepper due to the lacking flavor. I had coconut rice with mine that was hard, crunchy, and tasteless. My daughter's Caesar Salad had almost no Caesar dressing and dry chicken. The drinks were also pretty "mis" flavored. My two kids had mocktails that were awful. One was spicy with too much ginger and the other completely tart with no balance of sweetness. Overall, a completely disappointing start to the evening. Overall, the dinner was over $317 for our family of 4, and I'd have enjoyed an ABC store Musubi way more. Over $600 for the whole evening with the poor food quality left me really feeling disappointed I had attended. They have a $20 minimum order per person, I recommend hitting that minimum if you go and eat elsewhere before or after. read more

Went to see Foghat Blue Note. Excellent menu with wonderful entrees and desserts. I ordered the poke nachos and ahi dip. Its a good idea to line up early for the best seat selection. Sat in an area with a great view so I was able to take great video. Courteous and prompt waitress. I parked at the Royal hawaiian shopping center. It was a wonderful evening. read more

Blue Note Hawaii - Music Venues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Food & Drink My rep (and friend) at Zegna invited me to attend the Mei Semones concert at the Blue Note in the Outrigger hotel. We met at 5pm and found a booth on the left-hand side of the space. I chose this booth because it was away from the drum set and bass guitarist. I sat right next to the drummer and bassist at a previous performance and the sound from those instruments overwhelmed the remainder of the musicians. I ordered a double Hendricks gin & tonic, and my friend had a Kona Big Wave. We started with the Blue Note Poke Nachos: two types of chips, chunks of ahi and avocado, Jalapeno slices, bonito shavings, green onions, and two sauces, one of which tasted like tonkatsu sauce. It was great! I got the Portobello Arrabbiata, which turned out to be (somewhat overcooked) spaghetti with a spicy marinara sauce and slices of Portobello mushroom. My rep had the Lobster Miso Carbonara: also on spaghetti noodles, it looked like Carbonara, but I didn't see much evidence of lobster. I'm sure it was there, somewhere. We passed on dessert and had cups of black coffee. The Concert Mei Semones is a Japanese American creating jazz influenced indie J-pop music, singing in English and Japanese. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, she resides in Brooklyn, NY. This was her first performance in Hawaii. Mei Semones and her group (who met at the Berklee College of Music) appeared on stage at exactly 6:30pm and they performed non-stop for 1 hour and 25 minutes. Her band consisted of drummer Ransom McCafferty, bassist Noam Tanzer (using a stand-up double bass and a Fender electric bass), violinist Claudius Apgrippa, and violist Noah Leong. They were tight musically and supported Mei's singing and guitar playing superbly. Mei is a very good guitarist and used a red PRS McCarty 594 Hollowbody; she didn't' use an acoustic guitar in this set. She sang about her PRS guitar in one of their unreleased songs. Her set consisted of songs from her album Animaru, then some unreleased songs, finishing up with some of her older music. She doesn't have a strong voice, but it is musical and complements her playing. I enjoyed her live performance more than her recordings. We enjoyed the food and especially the concert. The Blue Note is a perfect venue for vocalists and groups. read more

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Five stars for ambiance and customer service. Green loge and seating area are first come, first served. Kudos to my dear friend and YE, Marissa K for scoring prime seats and view in half moon, plush green cushioned booth for Jiaoying Summers Comedy Show. I hurriedly rushed in from commute, traffic after work. Made it 30 mins before show time thanks to valet. Jiaoying kindly requested no photography and videography during the show. Able to see well from the distance. Great customer service from the Servers. They're willing to turn the lights in a different direction if shining too bright. One star for food. Calamansi Spritz: Mocktail didn't make a good first impression. Watered down. Some carbonation. Barely tasted calamansi. Hawaiian Shrimp Ceviche: Shrimp tasted uncooked b/c it was extra soft. Taro chip tasted good. We returned this appetizer after one try to our Server, stated the shrimp tasted uncooked, extremely soft, and if we could order something else. We didn't get charged for this app. KJ's Bourbon Bread Pudding: Worst bread pudding I've had in terms of taste, texture and presentation. Too mushy! New York Cheesecake: This dessert passed our test for discriminative palates. Edible. Please make improvements and serve top quality food and beverages. Food and beverage experience spoiled what's supposed to be a memorable evening of live performances with required minimum to spend $20 pp. read more

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We gave Blue Note a second chance. We waited outside until the 9 pm show. We were early in line so we were able to choose where we would sit. We could've chosen the table up close and personal with the artist but we chose the booth instead which was nice because it was close enough but comfortable. I think that's the winning part of this experience. The fact that it's a small room which makes it an intimate experience to be in such close proximity to the stage and you're able to be so up-close and personal. I enjoyed Robert Schneider's performance at tonight's dinner and show. The dinner itself was over-priced in my opinion but ultimately, you're paying for the experience. I got the Calamansi spritz which was okay. My partner ordered the ceviche which wasn't bad, my friend ordered the poke which she claimed was flavorless, and I ordered the green pasta with chicken. It was $11 to add on chicken. Yikes! The star of the show for me was the chocolate cake. It was decadent and delicious! Our server was training someone who came by and made sure we had water several times. My only complaint was when I asked him for his recommendation, he sounded exasperated and said "You have to give me something to work with. What do you like? A starter an entree?" And so I said chicken. He stated they didn't have any chicken options. So I just chose something random since I felt rushed and he didn't seem to care about my ordering experience. We still tipped him over our $20 required order per person because it was the right thing to do. He did have a lot of tables and was probably in a time crunch to serve us before the show started. All in all, the service experience was decent. We got our food and refills. Food was overpriced and server was too busy to make it a personal experience. Nevertheless, the show was great! I've always liked Rob Schneider in his movies and I've never watched him live before. He has a BEAUTIFUL VOICE and reminded me a lot of Elvis Presley's tone. I wanted to try to do something fun now that I live here in Hawaii. I'm sure there's plenty of opportunities to meet amazing people. I just need to know where to look for these experiences. I would come back to the Blue Note again to enjoy a nice close up performance. I'll be extra prepared next time and go in line 2 hours early for a better experience finding seats like I did the second time around. I wouldn't be interested sitting in a communal table area so the booth experience was actually not bad at all. Even sitting at the bar I'm sure isn't bad since you're facing the stage directly. If you're wanting to be closer to the artist, the tables are literally right in front of the stage. I think that's pretty cool. I'm giving my experience 3 stars because it was good, not great, but not bad either all around. read more

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Very torn about reviewing this place as I've been coming here for years and years for the entertainment from Tumua to Josh Tatofi to The Green to Rob Schneider. The entertainment is always great and the ambiance and vibes are always good. So that would get 5 stars But this last time I went, the food/drinks were just awful and the service has always been on the slow side. Maybe understaffed or something. Also to note, my and my other half were sitting at the two top right next to the sound/lighting booth and the fire suppression sprinkler above was dripping on us where we scooted the table towards the other table to get away from it. Back to the food/drinks, the prices are pretty high for the sad quality of food. Mixed drinks were mediocre at best. Better off just ordering beers. Ordered the poke, Caesar salad, and prime rib. Prime rib was pretty good, salad was ok, but the poke was the absolute worst poke I've ever had. Zero flavor or taste. The taro chips that it came with was much better. I really dont get how the food can be so bad when dukes and hula grill is right next door. As for the service, again, on the slow side. And it is clearly noticeable their waiters do not work as a team. They only care and tend to their own tables. Our table when needed water refills were always bypassed by other waiters carrying the pitchers. And did I mention they are slow on drinks and food? Either way, I guess I can keep this review at 3 stars. I will most likely continue to come back here for the entertainment, but I highly recommend getting food/drinks from other places. read more

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5 stars! Blue Note Hawaii nails it every time with delicious food like their poke nachos and fork-tender short ribs (mahalo to Chef Jules), tasty drinks such as the Lychee Martini, Cranberry Paloma or Mai Tai, and hands-down the best live music in Waikiki ranging from jazz legends, funk, rock, gospel, soul, RnB, those famous and funny comedians, to our very own local favorites. Mahalo for the unforgettable nights! read more

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So glad there is a venue where local and international artists can share their talents with us in Oahu. Service is as expected. I went to this years and last Years' shows for Kimie Miner and Anuhea's shI recommend getting food before or after your show else where but to each their own. The ambience is as expected. Just go in and enjoy! Truly the seats are at a good price. Even the premium seats. read more

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Another disappointing food experience. Man, we always come here for the entertainment but the food is just so bad for the price. I had the steak and it was so dry and overcooked and def didn't feel like prime. But, the service was so bad as well that no one came to check on us even though I waited as I wanted to send it back. After waiting a good while I just ended up eating it because I realized that the show would be over before I got the right steak back. Hitting the $20 minimum per person is very hard if the food sucks and we don't drink booze and the mocktails are just sugar bombs read more

My wife and I visited the Blue Note on Mother's Day for the Kala'e and Kalena show. This was our first time to Hawaii, and also first time to a Blue Note. What an awesome experience all the way around! As a performing musician from the Phoenix area, I am very in tune with venue atmosphere and vibe, which is a huge part of a live show. Blue Note Waikiki had a great vibe and reminded me of a blues club my band plays in Phoenix all the time. Blue Note had perfect atmosphere. From the time we walked in, the staff was very friendly and accommodating. Max our server was super nice, attentive and helped to make our experience such a good one. The food was fantastic and the drinks were great. To top it off, Kala'e and Kalena were phenomenal. Such a moving show and I really enjoyed their stories about the island and family. 10/10 recommend this venue for anyone visiting and looking to see live music right on Waikiki! read more

Sammy Johnson was awesome! Food was good for nightclub food. Braised short ribs is tasty! Service was spot on - she checked on us and brought soft drinks refills without asking! read more

Blue Note Hawaii - Braised short ribs - Music Venues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Music and acoustics are good. It's a little warm inside especially when it's a full house. Also, when it's a sold out show, expect to be seated with other guests at the table. Don't come hungry or make plans to eat elsewhere. The entrees look and sound better than they taste. Short rib dish and shrimp pasta were under-seasoned and bland yet pricey. Appetizers are alright but drinks are watered down and also pricey. read more

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I went to the Blue Note for the first time ever to see one of my favorite comics. First, the lines to get in were not organized at all. There was no signage or ropes to help guide ticket holders. Second, the waiting area (it was the second level of a Hilton hotel) was extremely warm. It was not a good situation for elderly or folks with health issues. When we finally got in, we joined our friends at a booth. The bench was so worn that there was barely any cushioning. It was lumpy and hard and definitely not comfortable to sit in for the entire show. And because we sank down into the old, lumpy bench, it was hard to see the stage with the audience in chairs in front of us. At one point, I even asked my group if we should ask a server to move us to a table, but my group was not as motivated as I was (I was also the shortest one). One of my friends who have been to the venue a number of times vouched for the food, but my husband and I had just come from dinner so we didn't try any food. The show itself was great, but I doubt I would ever return to this venue unless I know I'll be sitting in chair. read more

This is a franchise so it's pretty straight forward. You get seated and it is first come first serve for seating in the area your tickets are purchased. We were a party of four and was seated on a table for six and was told it was a sold out event, so we would be sharing with two other people. There's a $20.00 minimum policy for each person. The food and drinks is pricy. Mix drinks start at $18. We watched a comedy show. The comedian was great. This isn't a place I would recommend for their food or drinks. I would just choose to go if they had someone I really wanted to see. read more

Great place for a date night. Great if your like myself and can't deal standing for concerts for too long. Perfect for intimate shows. Been here so many times with my husband. For live music and comedy shows. If it's just two people and you don't mind sitting with strangers great if you do mind this place ain't for you. Food is a hit or miss. Way over priced food for sure. You have to spend a minimum of $20. read more

Blue Note Hawaii - Hummus plate - Music Venues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Atmosphere is amazing. Kind waiters and bartenders. Coming here is such a fun experience! The only downfall is that the food is underwhelming and average at best but sold at premium price. Something to note before going. Aside from that, everything else lived up to its expectations! read more

Enjoyed myself and the experience at Blue Note Hawaii!! Very nice comedy club and to top it off Marlon Wayans did a phenomenal job!! The service was good ! We did not purchase food but it was $20 minimum per person! So you can order drinks or water for the charge. It was pretty decent size inside but gets packed and tight! The restrooms are also very small and only 2 stalls, which should be bigger since there the closest to the shoe entrance and exit! The line was pretty long but they did a good job of getting everyone in. The decor was nice and the historical pics of Blue Note! I will come back here to see another show. read more

Blue Note Hawaii - Funny !! - Music Venues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The blue note is a cozy intimate spot that bring a lots of acts to the island. They offer food and drinks so bring your appetite as you enjoy the show. I will say I came here for a dining in the dark experience which was HORRIBLE, however the management at the Blue Note was quick to respond and make it right. If you park at the hotel make sure you go to the gift store and get your parking ticket validated. read more

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Been coming for years, last two times have been horrible service. Now giving Live Nation Vibes (take all my $ for good music)... Took 45 minutes to get a drink... Got food before the drinks, then had to ask for water and napkins. For a place that has a mandatory purchase with tickets maybe they should give the people a reason to want to order. Next time I will see if a performer is playing elsewhere before blue note wasting time and spending $ they require after ticket purchase. Shout out to JP at the bar that helped make things right though.... read more

Fantastic small venue. Don't bother buying the expensive tickets on the floor since people will come down and dance in that area anyway-yup, right at your table. Heavy pours on alcohol. Skip the food-terrible. But a great place. read more

Blue Note Hawaii - Before show dinner and drinks. - Music Venues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Blue Note Hawaii Vibes Anuhea lit up the stage tonight -- her voice is pure magic, like birds singing at sunrise. Such a beautiful soul, and the whole room felt her aloha. Food was on point too! Kevin went big with the Prime Rib (seriously, it was HUGE ) and I kept it classy with the Truffle Egg + taro chips... mmmm, so ono. Music + food + aloha = unforgettable night at Blue Note. Marie read more

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Food is tasty, drinks are delicious, service is great for a concert venue and the shows and seating are great. Probably have been here at least 10 times and each time I've enjoyed myself with all of the above. read more

An excellent venue for music. Comfortable seating and good acoustics. However, meeting the food and drinks minimum can be challenging. Neither are particularly good and service tends to be slow. read more

Love the music, food needs vast improvement. Andrea is a super server. Remembers me when I come, and is very polite and attentive. I appreciate her service and smile. The menu always lacks. Food is lackluster, needs color, garnish, flavor...help! Luckily, service is good. read more

We went to Blue Note Hawaii for a night of comedy featuring Roy Wood Jr., and it was absolutely amazing! Two local comedians opened the show and had us laughing right from the start. They brought great energy and hilarious local flavor that really set the tone for the night. Roy Wood Jr. was phenomenal--sharp, smart, and incredibly funny. His delivery was effortless, and he had the whole room cracking up non-stop. It was honestly one of the best live comedy shows we've ever attended. We only ordered drinks, and the service was great--quick, friendly, and everything came out just right. The venue itself has a cool, intimate vibe with good acoustics and sightlines from pretty much anywhere you sit. Highly recommend catching a show at Blue Note Hawaii if you get the chance. read more

Blue Note Hawaii - Music Venues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been to 3 shows here and each experience has been AMAZING!! There are seriously no bad seats in the house! Service is always efficient and friendly, with servers who know the menu and can make good recommendations. I've only had drinks and desserts there and have been very happy with both. I remember John stands out as an outstanding server if you're lucky to be in his section. He has really good hustle to bring drinks as fast as possible even when it's busy (so be patient) and he's charming even when he's working so hard. I appreciate that they bring in a range of talent with different genres and performances. They offer music (both old school and new talent), comedy, the occasional fundraiser and other mixed bag of entertainment. The tickets I've looked into are usually around $50 or less which is affordable compared to other venues but the fees for online sales bring it up by $10-20 per ticket which is steep IMO. The lines have never been too crazy, things move pretty fast. It's first come with seating so if you want a specific seat, go early! I saw: Sister Nancy front row and it was the most amazing thing to look into her eyes as she sung. Chicken skin moment!! Maxxi Priest was also incredible and he moved throughout the crowd to serenade us all. People were dancing in the back too. Tumua had a really funny improv comedy show that had me busting up laughing. If you see an act on their schedule, just book it! It's small so it'll likely sell out and as I said there's no bad seat in the house so you'll have a great time! read more

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Good: Great attentive waitstaff. Did not have to wait too long for food or drinks. Bad: Food: Read the reviews prior and knew the food would be bad going in. Ordered a charcuterie for $30 to meet the $20 minimum purchase. How can you mess up cold meats and cheese? Way overpriced and very sad looking. AC: I would avoid this place until their AC gets fixed-- it was way too hot waiting in line to enter and not much cooler when we finally got seated. Looking around the room alot of people were trying to fan themselves. It was very uncomfortable. read more

Blue Note Hawaii - Not worth it! Charcuterie $30 - Music Venues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Visited on Valentine's night to see All4One. It was a great show. My only complaint is that the volume of the speakers was way too loud for such a small venue. Especially since I was seated by the stage. Other than that it was a great show with very attentive staff. read more

Went to see a comedy show here and ordered some food. Server and staff were very friendly and service was on point. Prices are what you expect for Waikiki. Food was tasty, appetizer portions are a bit small, so double order if you've got more than 2 people in your party. Entrees were nicely portioned, perfect for sharing! Lighting is pretty dark, so if you need reading glasses, be sure to bring them! read more

Watched the final Josh Tatofi show on Saturday, January 17. Hosh was great especially when dealing with the alarm interruption. His performance was definitely 5 stars. Tried some of the new menu items that were hyped on Living 808. Personally, the new menus were BLAND and TASTELESS. Used to enjoy some of the menu offerings so was very disappointed. That was the only real downer. read more

My best friend treated my wife and I and we had a wonderful time. The food was delicious, service was top notch, and the show was outstanding. Good to get away and enjoy our beautiful Waikiki. We were situated nearly 20 feet away from the band and we all had a great time. Can't wait to come back again for another terrific show! I was lucky to get complimentary parking which is always a bonus! read more

Blue Note Hawaii - Entrance - Music Venues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Located at the Outrigger Hotel. Parking is downstairs and can be a bit pricey. There's also parking available over at Outrigger Waikiki Paradise, formerly Outrigger East. The venue is great for shows. Dark ambiance and decently spaced out. Views of the stage is accessible at almost any angle no matter where you sit. The downside to Blue Note is the service. It's almost impossible to get an order in. Either they need more waitstaff or better management. Not sure. We couldn't get a sever to take our order before the start of our show and we were there 25 minutes after opening . When we finally did order it took half an hour to get 3 waters and 2 mai tai! Our food order took an additional 20 minutes after our drinks and they missed 2 items. By then the show was about 3/4 done. They also just take our drinks without asking if we're done. She just came and grabbed it and we had to stop her...twice! read more

My friend invited me to Blue Note since she was on the band guest list. She wanted me to accompany her and it was our first time going there. The performances start at 7:00pm and we got there around 5:30pm where the doors were already opened. We ate an early dinner beforehand and were notified that we had to order a minimum of $10 for each person. So we got dessert to share which was their Blue Note Sundae Royale. The sundae was $16 which was a very high price for a sundae. The sundae has 75% whipped cream and 25% (one small scoop) of vanilla ice cream. It is not macadamia nut flavor as described on their menu. It was just plain vanilla with no macadamia in it. There were some nuts on top. The hot fudge was a thin layer on top of the ice cream. Each scoop was just a mouthful of whipped cream. We also got the mocktail of What is Hip? It is $8 without the alcohol. The drink has lilikoi syrup but it wasn't much and we couldn't taste the mint. We basically just drank a regular club soda. On to the performance, the singer was Mindy Smokestack. I am not much of a fan of oldies music but Mindy is a great singer. She has a very strong voice and she keeps singing back to back up to 3 or 4 song. Her guest singers were also great. It was cute how she has her daughter with her to perform and her daughter also has an amazing voice. The band were really good. The saxophone solo was incredible. I like band music and enjoyed marching band in parades so the ones playing in house were passionate and professional. Overall, I would give 3 stars for the food options and the prices. The interior does have a jazz club vibe with dim/low lights. The tables are pretty close together so it gets very tight to walk through the spaces or squeeze out of our seats. The booths have much better spaces. I would give 5 stars for the performance and service. Our server was sweet and friendly. She would also check up on each guests frequently. read more

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Venue was very intimate. There's no bad seat for a show. Good selection available for food and drinks. The scallops were amazing. read more

Old review sitting in my draft. I don't know why I never posted. Foods alright, but you come here for a show and not for the food right? read more

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The ANA Nobuyuki Tsujii concert was awesome. Sooo talented and the musicians he brought was amazing as well. The big shocker was the food. It was really, REALLY bad. The chicken was super tough and dry. The other courses along with the chicken was so subpar also for a venue. It tastes like everything was microwaved. ANA should provide the food from their flights, so much better than what was served. Sorry for the bad review but we were really disappointed by the meal. read more

The blue note is a nice venue. I like coming here because it's not too big and the space is pretty intimate. On this occasion it was kind of hot inside, not sure if the AC was working properly. They do offer dinner service but the food is very pricey. I would stick with the flatbread pizzas or eat dinner elsewhere. The seating is first come first serve. If you like sitting at the booths I recommend coming early to get in line. I've never had a problem with the seating here. read more

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