I was in Seattle for my first time this past weekend. What a great city! I flew in from Los Angeles…read moreto attend my very talented friend's album release party on Sunday, August 30th. The show had sold out several days before and we were all anticipating a magical and celebratory evening. Musicians from LA had flown in to accompany her, family members flew in, friends from all areas of her life bought their tickets weeks ahead. My friend's husband, mother in law, son, daughter in law, niece and I arrived at 5:30pm, ahead of the official doors opening at 6:00pm. We entered, hands with fresh flowers for my friend, excited to be there. She had asked her husband and son to arrive early to set up the merchandise table before the club opened. We also wanted to help her with any last minute details. We were met at the door by a tall man with a long white beard wearing a black baseball cap. Instead of welcoming us or kindly telling us that the club was not yet open, he barked that the club was not open until 6pm. We explained we were the performer's family and we came to assist her with merchandise and signage set up. He then told us to "make ourselves small" because they were setting up tables and we'd be in the way. Then he rudely asked if we had tickets. As if her family wouldn't have taken care of that, knowing the show would sell out? The entire interaction with him was completely unpleasant and unnerving. He was also mean and nasty to some of the other performers who had arrived earlier to rehearse. I have no idea what this man's position is at The Royal Room. I sincerely hope he's not the owner or GM. I would strongly suggest someone gives him basic training in customer service. As the first person guests meet upon arrival, he makes a terrible impression. Thankfully, the rest of the staff made up for his rude behavior by being helpful and attentive. The show itself was incredible as I knew it would be. The food was good and the ambiance was cool. I would consider going there again to see a friend's show and I might recommend the venue to others, but I would definitely warn them about the inhospitable treatment we received. Hopefully, the next time I'm visiting that man's behavior will be improved.

I haven't been to many clubs over the last few years but my sister was singing last night for…read moreGlimmer, so I went over. It was a really pleasant show. We had a reserved table, and the food was pretty good. It wasn't just bar food, but they 'had decent salads and a nice variety to choose from on their menu. The waitress was pleasant and served without being intrusive during the show. The Royal Room is really nice on the inside. They do a lot of swing and jazz there, but it's a pretty small venue. I'ld call it more comfortable than quaint. Parking was a total pita, but the sound mixer was on point and the music was clear for every instrument with nothing over-riding anything else unnecessarily.

Events are hit-or-miss, but it's always a unique experience.I would definitely recommend a least…read moretrying at once.

This is a review for the Tuesday Night Jazz Jam at Rumba Notes…read more Really fun event. You never know who might show up. I've been going pretty regularly and from time to time you'll see/hear some of Seattle's best musicians. If you've got the urge - definitely bring your axe or your best tune, show up, sign in and have a good time. If you like jazz, r&b and blues you'll be happy. Plenty of parking and a friendly crowd.

Ok this place is super cool. I can't believe I only found out about this venue recently!…read more To get to the theater, you go around the corner from the bar entrance and through this back alleyway door. It feels very covert, like you need to know a guy who knows a guy with a password to get in. You can also enter through the bar (I think). We initially went through the side door to get our tickets scanned in and then went in and out of the bar between acts to grab a drink. We weren't able to bring drinks into the actual theater, but not a huge deal. If anything, keeps the venue cleaner. There aren't any seats, just tiered standing platforms. Honestly, even with it being packed, I felt like we had a pretty good view of ~80% of the stage. The one thing I will say is that with everyone standing, you would think there'd be more movement/dancing. But alas, this is still Seattle and most people were bopping their heads to the music while I just wanted to swing around and feel it in my soul.

This theater is definitely full of character and history. it was built in 1917 and is in an obscure…read morelocation. There is available street parking however it can be tricky and limited due to the narrow streets. The theater shares an entrance with a jazz bar which provides a comfortable seating area to enjoy a drink while waiting for a show. We came to see the Rocky Horror Burlesque Pastie Show and was impressed at the capacity of this small theater. Beyond the hallway, patrons are immediately welcomed to second bar and a sea of padded chairs. The theater was packed with Rocky Horror Picture fans with some proudly wearing costumes of their favorite characters. The show started a little later than advertised however we were kept entertained during the slight delay. The seats were comfortable and we had an unobstructed view of the stage. This was our first time seeing a Rocky Horror Show in burlesque and we didn't know what to expect. Audience participation was encouraged and specific names (which I will not repeat) were yelled out when either Brad or Janet took the stage. Overall, a wonderful group adventure night full of sing-a-longs, heckling, and cocktails. Drink prices and show tickets were cheap compared to other venues.

This review is a long time coming for me. I took my first jazz night school class in 2019 shortly…read moreafter moving to Seattle. It's by far been the best thing I've done for my musical journey, ever. The progress in my playing I've made from participating in ensembles is truly amazing. It just works because you're thrown in the real deal right away (at a level that's good for you but still challenging.) By "the real deal" I mean playing music with people, working on challenging but approachable songs, & getting real time feedback from fellow musicians as well as pros (the teacher for one's ensemble.) Jazz Night School gave me the confidence to begin building community and playing with groups outside of classes too. Now I play with a few groups around town & have a lot of gigging experience. Even though I have met enough people to keep me pretty busy outside of JNS I still continue to take classes because they constantly push me to be a better player & I learn so much each session. Looking back at each session when it's done is always stunning because I feel like I've come so far since the beginning even though it was only 10 weeks. On a last sidenote, it's a fantastic deal especially for drummers like me because you have free access to studio time (drum sets provided by the school.) The cost of renting a studio in Seattle almost pays for the class cost if you take advantage of free studio time too. All that being said, I couldn't recommend this fantastic non-profit organization & welcoming community of serious musicians enough!

Amazing that there are so few reviews as JNS has been going for 10 years now. There are a couple…read morethat Yelp screened out for some reason that seem sincere to me... I'm a middle aged music "hobbyist" that takes seriously improving my craft. I've been coming to JNS on and off over the last 5 years or so. I'm passionate about learning music and becoming a better musician, and I also work full time, so going to Cornish or Berklee or some other full time program is just not realistic. Also, I come from a rock background, and don't really know a lot about jazz (at least, I didn't when I started), but music is music and there are a lot of commonalties and fundamentals that cross styles. The courses and workshops have helped me take my playing to whole new levels in both rock and jazz idioms. First, major kudos to Erik Hansen - the visionary behind the school. He was educated at Berklee, *really* knows his stuff, and is wildly passionate about music and teaching. His enthusiasm is contagious. And he takes a genuine interest in the growth and success of the students. He's done an extraordinary amount of work to make JNS worthwhile for students. I've taken a number of classes with Erik and I've learned a lot in each one. Second, the other teaching staff are also passionate about teaching and learning, and helping each student improve. I've taken theory and performance courses, and the teachers would help me take the learning as deep as I wanted or was able to go. All have been remarkably supportive. Third, from time to time there are one-day workshops presented by talented musicians. Notably, saxophonist Anton Schwartz and trumpeter Jared Hall are regulars. Thought I play guitar, without exception I've come away from each workshop I've attended with some ideas that have made a real difference to my playing or how I think about and approach music. I like that I can pick and choose how much coursework I can integrate into my schedule and I'm not beholden to some N-year program or schedule. The cost for classes and workshops is reasonable, and the value is high. I feel fortunate that I discovered JNS, and I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who is serious about improving their musicianship.

Clock-Out Lounge has a really great vibe. It's relaxed, welcoming, and just an easy place to hang…read moreout. The staff is friendly and the whole space feels comfortable right away. The pizza is also genuinely amazing. Simple, delicious, and perfect with a drink or two. This is truly one of my favorite spots to hang out in Seattle.

I love going to Clock-Out Lounge after work for beers and pizza. The bartender is so sweet and…read morealways makes us feel welcome. It's become one of our favorite spots to relax, enjoy great food and drinks, and unwind after a long day. Highly recommend!

They are a wonderful, uplifting positively fun band to listen to for any occasion!…read more Highly recommend!

From the owner: We are an Americana, Folk/Rock band playing our original songs and covers. We feature a Mandolin…read moreplayer, Acoustic guitar/harmonica player, bass player, and hand percussion player. Two of us sing lead and harmonies for each other.

This place is pretty bad ass! I can't say that I was terribly impressed with the liquor selection…read morebut for a small (and new?) bar - they're really doing a great job. Aside from the awesome food - which I'll get to in a second - and the live music, I was most impressed by the bartender. He was super charismatic, super friendly and very funny. When I popped in with a group of 6 or so friends, he swiftly tended to us, made sure to introduce himself and took everyone's drink order. When it came time to get food I actually decided to opt out. It was nearly midnight and I had already eaten dinner hours earlier. But my friend next to me got a basket of fries and that's when it got hard to ignore the menu... The fries were AWESOME! In fact, they were so tempting that not only did I sneak a few, I actually asked to see the whole menu. Comprised mostly of about a dozen varieties of slider, I was super happy to see the variety. Suddenly my stomach growled and though I didn't want two sliders, I knew I could share with a friend. The only issue then was deciding which to get. I recall a buffalo chicken slider but only got as far as the fried bologna. HELL. YES!!! I ordered one and my buddy ordered another. (They come two to a plate.) My little slider was DELICIOUS! In fact, it was so good that I could totally envision making a trip all the way back to this bar just to have them again. So yeah... I'm a fan. The food is great, the bartender was totally rad, the live music playing in the theater was piped into the bar and the selection of beer and booze was just enough to satisfy. What a great little addition to the hood!

4 is the average between 3 stars and 5 stars: Why 4?…read more 3 stars: Meh. It is a cool, cute and subtly(?) intimate space for a hole in the wall. I had no drinks and drinks are not my forte, so I have nothing to contribute to with drinks (although I did get a water, more on that later). An interestingly mixed group of folks here (including the supposedly "local favorite", more on her later). =P Late Wed night, a bum can be met outside the front asking for crap... I didn't think this downtown-phenomenom could reach this far and late into Columbia City. o_O Now for the 5 stars: ENTIRELY for my fond memory of rockin' the mic with Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight----and ALL fuc*ing 7 minutes of it! ----BAM! In addition to doing my thing up there, this "local favorite" chick asked me if she could join in---of course! Before I finish, let me fill you in on the intro deets. On occasion, one of the folks in our mini Yelp group asked me if I'd picked a song, yet. --No. --Nope. --Not, yet. --I'm kind of tied between between two... come almost-midnight, I'd finally settled on the one that's been bugging me all night, Rapper's Delight - Sugarhill Gang. Drop my card off and wait several songs until I'm called.... wait for it... ....dar-en ....dar-en ....dar-en ....dar-en ....dar-en--- (omg, ---WHAAAT?!). DUDE, both groups started *GASP* ---CHAN-TING & clapping(?)--- my name, when right then Kira *bowchikawowow!* took my hand and guided me up front. Rewinding back, the local favorite black lady joins me. I notice the screen.... someone says "wow, 7 minutes?!" I glance at the screen----hot diggity dam! Within 1 second, I thought of: why did I pick this song, 7 minutes seems long, I totally dig this song and the beat, I've heard it before but not the whole 7 min... and thankfully glad I asked for a glass of water prior to singing, because boy I tell ya, did I have a mouth drought in the minutes coming up to this (and slightly during, but I pressed on because, the more I sang/rapped it, the more I had tunnel vision on the lyrics screen and rippin' it in my own little world). I definitely heard the times the crowd join in during the good parts---most encouraging, hehe. All said and done.... wow (and phew!). Afterwards, the local lady came up to me and said something like, "Mmm Mm...that was ^fine^!..." I think I did come with my confidence, after all. 7 minutes... of rapping!? I think I just experienced a miracle... amazing. I think I want more karaoke (and drinking not even required! =P).

Love the summer time BeatWalk! It's a great chance to just hang out as a community and hear a…read morevariety of different music you might not otherwise be interested in. A few of the June 2014 beatwalk groups included: a one man band, current pop dj, string prairie quartet, Cuban band, and more! Highly suggest everyone taking a walk through the next upcoming BeatWalk!

Beat Walk is a great opportunity to hear different kinds of music, see new art in the galleries or…read moreventure forth into a new neighborhood! It's a cool neighborhood event and it's great to support it! You can park in a nearby lot for only a dollar.

Stopped here for Sunday brunch and it was amazing! Definitely will be coming back here again…read more Food: Ordered the breakfast bowl with sausage snd it was incredible. Chef Tay's food was delicious, flavorful, and perfectly warm and crispy. Service: Doug was so kind & attentive & even indulged our questions about the restaurant. Chef Tay also surprised us with a little extra dessert from the event held the night before.

Had an outstanding brunch at Black & Tan Hall. Service was exemplary, portions were generous, and…read moreit's a real value. The brunch menu by Chef Tay is excellent -- you can tell it's chef-driven. I'm optimistic that leaning into the restaurant side is going to be a big win for them. Don't miss brunch. Spread the word...

It's easy to get to via bus but definitely not much parking if that's your plan. There were not as…read moremany food options as I would have liked but some of the ones that were there were pretty good. We got a great Chicken Tikka bowl from Kottu (amazing textures and flavors) and a lackluster, overpriced beef arepa from Paparepas. The atmosphere of the place is friendly and cool. I would definitely recommend visiting to experience it.

Once again Seattle really shows why there's so many cool little places and things to do throughout…read morethe city every day of every week. The Columbia City night market is every 3rd Saturday of the month and it's totally worth your time to explore this gem of a market. Also take time to visit the businesses that are in and around it. #shoplocal #shopsmall