I reached out to Aaron's group to help me surprise my family during my grandfather Arthur's…read morememorial/99th birthday celebration of life. Aaron was immediately responsive, understanding to our situation, and accommodating of our needs. The booking process was seamless and easy. Everyone that knew Art, knew how huge of a jazz fan he was, and even more so an Artie Shaw fan. Aarons trio was absolutely fabulous and they were even able to play a rendition of his favorite song, Moonglow. I'll forever be grateful as they gave my entire family comfort and genuine memories of Arthur during this emotional time. They played an outstanding performance I know my grandfather would have loved. Thank you guys sincerely!

From the owner: This ensemble brings artistry and style to any event with masterful renditions of classic jazz…read morecompositions by the likes of Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Ira Gerswin, Irving Berlin, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. The Aaron Bennett jazz combo has been performing jazz classics at weddings, parties, corporate events, fundraisers and clubs throughout the bay area for over two decades, including a 15 year stint at Cafe Claude in Union Square. Booking Inquiries: booking@aarondavidbennett.com *fees are negotiable and vary based on availability, travel required, special requests and budget

Radio Gatsby absolutely crushed it at our wedding and we are still talking about it!…read more We had a solo pianist for the ceremony, a quartet during cocktail hour, and a full band for dinner and dancing. Every part of the day had its own perfect vibe and they nailed all of it. They played every song we wanted and steered completely clear of the ones we didn't, which honestly meant so much to us. Our guests would not stop raving about the music all night and weeks after! We loved every second of it. The dance floor was full from start to finish. If you are looking for musicians who will genuinely make your day feel like YOUR day, book Radio Gatsby. You will not regret it!

These guys are great! We booked them for our Super Bowl weekend Welcome Reception and they were…read morewonderful. Very easy to work with leading up to the event via email, and then the night of the party the music was perfect! Our guests really enjoyed it and it fit just right at our venue and with our theme. Thank you!

0 STARS DUE TO THE RUDEST BARTENDING STAFF IN SF…read more It's always a great time partying at El Rio -- the energy, music, and vibe are unmatched. Unfortunately, my most recent experience at the bar left a sour taste. My friend ordered two mixed drinks and was served in plastic cups with no ice. When I asked a different bartender for just a scoop of ice and explained that my friend hadn't received any, the response from his co-worker -- loud enough for us to hear -- was, "NO TIP, NO ICE." The other bartender simply shrugged and apologized before moving on without offering any ice. As someone who has worked in the service industry and bartended for 5 years, I understand bar etiquette, customer flow, and the tipping culture. Tipping is appreciated, but it's never guaranteed -- and it should never determine whether a customer receives a properly made drink. Serving a room-temperature cocktail without ice out of spite is unprofessional, unnecessary, and frankly spiteful. To be clear: tips are a bonus, not a requirement -- they're not taxes. Respect, quality service, and basic hospitality should be the standard, not something customers have to earn. I hope management takes this seriously. A place as legendary as El Rio deserves bartenders who contribute to the good vibes, not tear them down.

When I walked up to El Rio on Saturday, 3/7/26 around 10:30pm, the person at the door told my group…read morethey assumed was "straight" to walk away. As a group of seven queer people arriving together, the comment immediately made us feel unsafe and unwelcome. I tried to speak with them privately about how the comment made us feel, and their response was simply "sleep well." It was dismissive and honestly the most unwelcome I've ever felt in a space that's supposed to be openly queer and inclusive. I will never go here again.

Make-Out Room has a lot of character and such a chill, laid-back vibe. It's a great spot whether…read moreyou're coming with friends or on a date. The atmosphere feels fun and unpretentious, and it's the kind of place you can actually relax and enjoy yourself. They have live music, and I think they even host a salsa night, which adds to the energy and keeps things interesting. It's just a really cool bar to hang out at without feeling overly crowded or try-hard. Overall, a solid spot with personality. I'd totally recommend coming here with your friends if you're looking for a fun, easygoing night out.

I went to Make Out Room on Wednesday May 6, 2026 9:55pm'sh for karaoke. A friend of mine that…read moreworks at Rudi's told me that m.o.r. has karaoke every first and third wednesdays. It's better than I expected with the kj, bartenders, and the crowd. Yes, I did meet my fellow karaoke friends here also. I bought modelo and sierra nevada ipa hazy $6 each and two jameson shots $11 each, reasonable prices. I sang three songs, wait times wasn't bad. I probably go again on the third wednesday.

We hired Ollie and his group to perform at a surprise birthday party at my house this weekend, and…read morethey were fantastic. They went above and beyond in every way - incredibly professional, easy to work with, and clearly very talented. They had a great sense of how to read the room and created the perfect atmosphere for the evening. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for live music for a special event.

My husband and I had Ollie's band play at our wedding last month at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San…read moreFrancisco and were deeply impressed by their music! We'd seen Ollie and the band play on several YouTube videos we'd found online but nothing really compared to having them play live. As a jazz band they brought a beautiful energy to our wedding reception that impressed not just us but our 150 wedding guests. The music really was so beautiful and executed to perfection. Ollie is very easy going and was amenable to all our requests. A big shout out to Ben the keyboardist, too, who played Otis Redding's "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" as we walked down the aisle :) They really were a great band to work with :)

Daniel and the fella's were pro's from start to finish. I highly recomend them for any event large…read moreor small. They made my grandmother's 100th birthday beyond special.

Working with Daniel and his band was all around an amazing experience! After reading all the…read morereviews and listening to a few of their videos online, I knew I wanted Nova Jazz Band to play at my company's 30th Anniversary celebration I was planning. TLDR; they exceeded every expectation from start to finish, and Daniel made everything completely stress-free. From our very first correspondence, Daniel was very friendly, quick to respond, knowledgeable, and incredibly professional. The music was phenomenal - very classy and perfect for our occasion. The band totally nailed the vibe. Daniel's attention to detail was next-level. He thought of all the little things that usually fall through the cracks - from what songs should play during the band's breaks, to how the sound system was set up, to which speakers the recorded music should come from. He even coordinated with the venue director to make sure there wouldn't be a single hiccup. Basically, he handled every possible thing before I could even think to worry about it. Everything ran like clockwork and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Daniel and his team went above and beyond in every way. I can't wait to hire them for a future event! Highly, highly recommend!

Date: Saturday, July 26th, 2025 Time: around 11:15pm…read moreParty of: 5 *Tito's ($11) x3 *Jameson ($10) x3 *Old Fashion ($14) I met up with some friends after seeing a show. They weren't sure where to go, so I quickly yelped bars and this one popped. It wasn't super busy, so we easily grabbed a table. Kinda divey, kinda neighborhoody, and they played good music. Very much my group's style with the old school r&b and hip hop. Drink prices above were reasonable. I got one round and my friend got the other one. Each round averaged 3.5 drinks and about $41.50 each. $52 each with tip. Nice place to hit up if you're it the neighborhood and looking for a night cap of sorts. Music was a little loud, so talking can be a challenge, but we had a good time. REVIEW #3826

Perfectly fine cocktail bar, nominally themed for the Thin Man. Meaning, they have large portraits…read moreof Myrna Loy, William Powell, and Asta, over the bar. I walked in to a thumping beat on a Saturday evening, just killing time, really. The music was unnecessary, or at least unnecessarily loud. It was a small crowd that had nothing better to do on Valentine's night. The bartender and I had to lean towards each other to get my order right. I just had a dirty vodka martini, competently made. Nonfood available, but there was a box of pretzel snacks sitting in the bar, which she handed me. More brightly lit than an ordinary dive bar, but so much more could be done with it.

A new bartender was being trained. It was fun to overhear that. She was doing great at pulling…read morepints, but was a bit confused on beer types. Not so the woman training her. I used to work in adult beverages and ai learned a few things listening to her explain the many many beers the have on tap. I missed the live music but the place is awesome. Feels nice.

DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT BOOK WITH TEMPLE As someone who was…read morepromised tables to be reserved for me and my party, the bar staff didn't seem to care when others joined. I provided food for my party. MY PARTY. However guests who were not part of my group grabbed MY food without even asking. When I tried to deescalate the situation by explaining to these men that it was not cool to grab things that are not theirs. They got heated and loud. When bar staff was alerted about this LOL they sided with them. (Maybe bc most pf my party was POC and all of the guys were white military men?) Do not book with Temple. They don't gaf about you.

We attended the Summer Jazz Brunch Series at Swan's Market in Oakland this past weekend to grab…read moresome lunch and experience the musical talents and entertainment of Jazz Mafia artists. They explained to the audience how they play mostly originals... jazz, funk, and soul. And they were amazing, adding to the carefree atmosphere at this particular event, doing their thing on the trumpet, trombone, flute, keyboard, drums, and hand percussion instruments. Made for a lovely outing with great weather, good food and drinks (The Cook and Her Farmer), and positive vibes all around.

They're the reason I still live in the Bay Area. Is that reason enough to check them out?…read more Spaceheater is my favorite Jazz Mafia band, they intro'd me to aaaaal the music I've grown to love and, well... become obsessed with. Check 'em out online: * http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spaceheater-Spaceheaters-Blast-Furnace/92287671670 * http://www.jazzmafia.com/spaceheater They just released a brand new album for sale online at Ropeadope Records: http://www.ropeadope.com/music/record/spac/ ROCK.