Thank you for supporting live music, yummy food and a community feeling that keeps me coming back!

Mostly come for the Wednesday night Big Band show and I love it! Often enough empty seats to find a table with a great view of the stage. Performance is always enjoyable and they have great cocktails to pair with the evenings mood. Food comes from next door and has yet to disappoint. Particularly like the pretzel and potatoes. This go I had a burger with some not too greasy fries. Bathrooms are clean, service is friendly. I love patronizing places that support local music and I'll continue to be a semi regular! read more

The Big Easy - Burger and fries - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

Came by on a Saturday night, and there was a $10 cover. Live music taking place in the venue, the opening band at 8pm, then the headliner, Grapefruit Moon, starting a little over an hour after the listed showtime. The music was good, the bands seemed to be having a good time putting on a performance for the crowd. The sound was terrible though, the sound guy needs help or ought to pay attention to his job (even the musicians on stage were like hey roger please fix the sound... lol). Also, cheap brand of speakers, and lighting was bad too. I do like the layout of the place though, bar in the back, stage in the front, booth seating along the walls on both sides, tables in the middle, a bit of space near the stage to be used as a dance floor. A lovely atmosphere altogether. Drinks were pretty good too, the voodoo mojo and emotional vampire had a decent amount of alcohol and flavor. read more

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This place is one of my favorite fabulous music venues. I absolutely LOVE going on Wednesdays because the Big Easy Big Band is there from 7:00 pm until about 9:30 pm. That phenomenal 17-piece band knows how to perform a great, off-the hook show. there's also delicious food available for purchase from the Speakeasy next door which I highly recommend, esp the bacon burger with cheese and egg. also, their chocolate peanut butter pie is a MUST when they have it available. Thx u very much Roger, owner, for this awesome music venue with character and soul! Thx u immensely Bob, director of the Big Easy Big Band, for taking the time to chat with my hubby and me (I wore the red hat). def looking forward to attending more shows! read more

This was our second trip to see live music at the Big Easy. The atmosphere and staff are relaxed and friendly. The sandwiches we had were very good. The menu had a nice variety of food items. We saw a great classic rock band, complete with cool mood lighting. read more

This is a cute little speakeasy restaurant that has a different bands that sing on different days of the week. So today 02/26/2024 they have a band that sings French and Jazz music. The name of the band is San Lyon they really good. This place is Very nice and cute. The food is really good and the service is excellent. I'll definitely come back here again. And you should try the cheesecake. it's so delicious. Really nice. read more

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After eating at the "Speakeasy" also same owner as the "Big Easy" just across the alley we came over to enjoy some music from the live band "The Big Band". A clnice vibe with an impressive band with 15 members, and they each played in unison as well as instrument solos performed by each band member. I have never experienced anything like it. They had quite the following for a Wednesday night. Come check them out! Downtown Petaluma has quite the night life. read more

The Big Easy - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

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We have been to the Big Easy many many times. It's a great spot. We like to sit in the booths it's cozy and you can still see the music. We went last night to see the 16 piece big band. Lots of brass and top notch if you like big band. It was fun to hear. I had a yummy beer and my hubby had a glass of white wine. We ordered a spare rib sandwich (I think) which my hubby said was delicious. I ordered my total favorite is all vegetarian tacos, one tempeh, one fried Plantain and one pulled Jack fruit. SO good. If you are a vegetarian this is the meal to get. (They also have a sweet potato and Brussels sprout taco too) they also have three meat and fish tacos! The room is windowless but they have done a good job making it what it is: a cool Place to hear music and get a drink and/or food! It's not a place for fancy service. Just go up to the bar if they don't come over, then they take care of you. It's laid back place. read more

The Big Easy - Big band every Weds night. - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

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I've been coming to this place for years now for music and occasionally a meal. I went in last Sunday and ordered a fried chicken dinner and a bowl of soup with a glass of ice water. The cost with tax and tip is $46 which I think was excessive for a meal for one person with no beverage. The food in this place was typically very good, but on this occasion, the food flavors were wacky and I was very disappointed that I paid $46 for food. It was below average taste. I don't know if they have a new chef or whether their recipes or ingredients spam changed, but I was very disappointed and probably won't look forward to eating there in the future. read more

This place rocks, amazing music and vibe, so much fun for all ages En fuego bring on the funk read more

The Big Easy - Weekend at Bernie's - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

Cute place and some good shows. The beer list is good but not great. Some cool stuff, but nothing unique. The service is really pretty bad. The last time I was here, I practically had to jump up on the bar to get served. This time, I was the only person at the bar so I got served pretty fast. Then I asked the bartender if they had Wi-Fi. He said "no." I looked at my phone and it was clearly listed. I went back to the bar and asked for the password. He said that he didn't know it. I asked the server the same question. He told me that they don't give it out because it messes up the POS. They clearly have two WI-Fi's. What kind of business does not give out their WI-FI password? C'mon. Get with the program. read more

The Big Easy - You have a public WI-FI but you don't give out the password? - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

What a great venue! Took a walk after eating nearby and heard music coming out of here. Peeked in and the place was almost empty on a Sunday afternoon but the band was great. The bartender let us sit and hangout without eating or drinking so we enjoyed the band and tipped big. I will definitely be coming back. Thanks, Big Easy for the awesome end to a great weekend! read more

The Big Easy - There should have been more people. The band was great! - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

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Nice speakeasy Flamenco show Weak coke Waitress is a treasure. I would recommend the flamenco shows each month - great time and new culture! read more

Dank, smelly, terrible wine, tasted like it had turned to vinegar. Weird vibe. Kind of like a underground hippie/alternatively housed hangout. Not an elegant place to go if you're dressed well at all. read more

Shout out to the Big Easy and owner, Roger for being so community minded! Roger kept local music and Putnam Plaza alive with free outdoor music for the last three years. He provides a venue that offers something for everyone. I've popped in to see the very good local high school jazz band, he's hosted Flamenco artists and I just saw a poster for an upcoming Drag show that looks like it will be great fun. This last Friday, he hosted a benefit for a beloved local business owner fighting breast cancer. It was an epic night, with dancing to the Smoke House Gamblers. Thank you Roger and staff, you had a full house and you hustled -- it was a perfect evening in support of a beautiful member of our community! read more

Very cool venue! They serve beer and wine here, and believe it or not, they will allow you to order food from their sister restaurant across the court yard and deliver it to you here. I have seen a few shows here. The ambience is always great, and the service impeccable. Booths on the side, tables in the center, and bar in the back. Unfortunately they do not serve liquor, so be prepared to bring your own flask to fortify the wine and beer they serve... read more

The Big Easy - Heroine. The beer! - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

I went here for a theatre experience. They have stage space that accommodates local mic nights and bands that perform here. It has the den-like atmosphere I'd expect from a basement dive bar, just the perfect setting for a pint or two while enjoying what artists can craft before you. Often, the bands don't have cover charges unless they're well-known. As for the event that initially brought me here, it was an impromptu troupe that acts while drinking famous, cult following films. This night they acted out the "Princess Bride." The best thing is there isn't a bad seat in the house. They have long tables to fit a larger group, booths, and individual chairs set out before the stage. The acoustics are decent, too. My husband and I had a hilarious time enjoying the acting that got more goofy the more the actors drank. I'd recommend if you just want some time together with friends without pretense, head here. It's nothing fancy, but sometimes that's where fun out of the most random moments can happen. read more

Rustically romantic walk-down atmosphere with a medium size stage that can accommodate even a 13 piece Big Band. We came for the Wednesday night Jazz to relax and nosh. Smart table service that left ones needs met but never intrusive. We had the Spicy Olives, Grilled Asparagus, Lobster Mac-N-Cheese and Short Ribs over Blue Cheese Polenta. Everything was prepared well with out error. We especially liked the Lobster Mac for its abundant cheese and generous bits of bacon with perfect al dente shells. The asparagus provided the perfect admixture of smoke n crisp spears. The olives were marinated to perfection with just the right amount of heat. While the ribs were perfect, the polenta was a bit on the watery side with no discernible cheese present. But the ribs were so succulent, we really didn't care. Great beer and wine selection, not extensive but great guest stars from all the major players. read more

The Big Easy - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

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Very entertaining music (two acts) and great food. Roger is a gracious host. My daughter brought me to hear live music and for dinner. The Salmon was terrific, but the Hearty Salad was also out of this world. I will definitely be back on my next visit to my daughters. read more

My new favorite place for tapas and wine! Food is wonderful, everything I've had is tasty. From salads to pasta to the tacos, I've enjoyed it all. I've seen several different types of music, days of the week, and without a doubt it's always a good time. I like the quieter setting, you're not having to yell over anyone to say things to the person sitting next to you. It's really nice! read more

I have been lucky enough to watch The Big Easy's transformation over the past few months and was even luckier to be invited the soft opening. I love this place! It is a total throwback to the days of gin joints and jazz clubs...only with a much better selection of beer and wine (on tap for guaranteed freshness.) With low ceilings, concrete floors, and a simple decor it has a real 'speakeasy' vibe. The space is well laid out with comfortable wood booths lining each side of the room, and tables in the middle. A bar with 24 taps (for beer and wine) run along the front wall and sits opposite the stage. The lighting is warm and the sound is really good for such a small space. The Big Easy promises to be a great jazz/blues venue and even hosts a Hammond organ - the holy grail of jazz organs. Food will eventually be available from Speakeasy (across the alley) as well as from various local chefs through pop-up dinners (if the rumors are correct.) The is going to be a great venue and adds a unique setting to Petaluma's growing downtown music/bar scene. read more

I missed the NYE show here so I stopped in yesterday evening for dinner and some live music. I arrived about an hour and a half before the show started and grabbed a table and checked out the menu. I decided on the grilled hangar steak and they happily swapped the mashed potatoes with bacon brussel sprouts. They call it a small plate but it was a perfect serving that filled me up for the rest of the night. The steak was great but the brussels sprouts were SO GOOD. I feel like I took advantage of a secret menu because I didn't see them otherwise but I can't imagine they just whipped them up by request. But maybe they did, either way they were great. I nursed a glass of merlot and stuck around to hear the Eric Wiley Project which was fun to see. The two main servers were great and I'd definitely stop back in. read more

The Big Easy - Hanger steak with veggies - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

We have been curious about the Big Easy venue in Petaluma. It shares the kitchen with The Speakeasy next door. Both are set back behind a small courtyard on Petaluma Blvd. North, just south of Washington St. Metered street parking was available. My wife and I had a wonderful evening. The food was excellent, some of the best service, and the band that night played to the crowd (40 to 60 years). As usual, for partner dancing, I recommend hitting the dance floor as soon a the band starts; before the liquor loosens up others' legs. The "dance floor" is smooth concrete; small to moderate in size. The place has the ambiance of a cellar club in Chicago (though it is on ground level). She had the salmon and I had the short ribs. Both were sized "just right." Excellent describes the taste. Her two Sauvignon Blancs had all the right tastes, but my one Rosé lacked everything. With a generous tip, we paid $75 (plus $20 band tip). In a place that is just a few notches above a dive bar, the service was exemplary. Our last-minute reservation still got us the front table requested. We were greeted and seated promptly (we were ahead of the main crowd). Have you tried to catch the eye of servers, to no avail? Not here, all the staff looks around as they navigate the tables. Getting the bill and paying was done in a reasonable time, even in a packed house. According to the website, there is live music almost every night. I'm guessing the music in general is for a middle-aged crowd. If you are serious dancer like me - keep your expectations low (keep your dance shoes home). Instead, go for the dining and listening to the music. read more

A friend dragged me to the Big Easy after dinner. I liked the idea of listening to music with a glass of wine and dessert. It is an after-dinner destination. It wonderful the community supports such an establishment. The place is low key with food coming from the restaurant across the way. The wine list is decent and at a good price. I have been here 5 or 6 times and find the food, wine and overall experience good. I've even come here alone and feel comfortable to hang out and listen to music. It is in a dark corner so if going alone bring a friend or a flashlight. Some nights have cover charges and some nights are free. I highly recommend this location for a late night hang out. The only drawback is the music only plays til 9:30 or 10 p.m. read more

Great venue & retreat. Outstanding beer and wine selection. Good food. Generally this place is nice and calm but of course on weekend nights it can get busy and service slows down, of course. As a side note, some of these one star reviews are ridiculous- "my food went outside, and may have passed near a smoker!", "the floor was sticky!" (Its a bar). My personal favorite, "someone banged their head on a post behind them!". These kind of complaints leave me thinking I'm glad I don't have to drink next these idiots. read more

This is my favorite place to hang out in Petaluma when I visit the area over the last few years. As someone who identifies as homosexual and has dropped in with many of my (gay) friends, I can say that the owner is welcoming to all LGBTQ+ individuals and customers there are of all shapes and colors. The music is always lively, there is a wide selection of beer + wine, and the food is great. I highly recommend stopping at the Big Easy when in Petaluma, especially Sunday evenings for a more intimate experience. read more

This venue is the best thing in town in it's category - live music seven nights per week, fantastic food, and good beer & wine (no liquor). There's quite a variety of music so if you happen to catch a style of music you don't like be glad because it means we all get a little something we love, something new, and some time off (haha). I've discovered some of my favorite bands here! read more

So excited about this place. Great ambiance and the staff is awesome! I wanted to give this place 5 stars but ... The only problem is that it is SO LOUD! You literally can't have a conversation with your table mates and have to yell at the waiter/waitress when placing an order. We love live music but please turn it down a notch! :) read more

In from The Big Apple for a wedding and stayed an extra day to check out the area. The Big Easy was by far the high point. Like winning the trifecta: excellent beer, superb music, and innovative delicious food. I'm an omnivore blessed with a vegan girl friend, and the vegetarian tacos caught my eye. Not every day one gets to eat pulled jackfruit (!!) barbecue style, shredded coconut-encrusted plantain, and seitan in special sauce. Trust me, it was great. Too bad it's far from home. read more

My experience at this venue was incredible! I decided to take a friend to watch the comedy show they host once a month by the name of "Sonoma Laughest." The entry at the door was something like $17 per person, so I usually bring $20 and let them keep the change. There isn't a bad seat in the house, corkage is only $15 and it is a perfect venue to split a bottle of wine, relax, and laugh your ass off!! The next scheduled date for this event is March 26, so block out your calendar that evening, grab a bottle of wine, a date, and make a night of it!! You will not regret it. A little bit about the vibe. Somewhat Dim lights, a small venue probably hosting less than 50, comfortable seating at tables, booths, or at the bar top in the back. I believe they only serve beer and wine, but I am not for certain. This is the perfect place to take a date and have a good time. Enjoy! read more

I've come to really like this club. Good music, good food, good selection of beers, and the shows start early enough that I can actually enjoy a full show and function the next morning.... Great for dinner shows. read more

The Big Easy - El Radio Fantastique at The Big Easy - fun music at a fun venue! - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

Great staff, music and food (shuttled from the Speakeasy across the courtyard. The band of the night was playing energetic 90's tunes for a fire relief benefit and was getting the crowd going. The tall well-coiffed went out of her way to make sure I was happy with everything and even ran across the courtyard to get some fresh kombucha for me. Really liked the vibe in this place! read more

Unfortunately went to the club to watch the illegals and attempted to dance on the Dance Floor. Only to injure myself due to the fact the floor was so sticky from beer and wine. Had left two a messages not to ever get a return call back unfortunately. Also was very unhappy with the service at the bar wasn't too busy in the bartenders seem to be very distracted with their own personal things. Very unfortunate again. I had spoken with the owner prior to this trying to get tickets and she was very helpful called me immediately so that's why I'm a little surprised that I didn't get a reply back from her. No offer of any kind of compensation. Also the ventilation in there was horrific. And after posting on Facebook what happened several people chimed in the women complained that the bathrooms were filthy and no toilet paper. I hope they'll change this. read more

I did not have a good first time experience here and will not go back . The idea is cute but the ambience is sub par ... we sat at a booth on a Tuesday night . The place was not at all busy yet the service was terrible . Being a server at a very busy establishment , I understand what hard work it is and forgive long wait times however our server clearly was not happy being there and was very short with us and a little rude. Food all came out cold . We got the papas fritas , the cheese plate ( very underwhelming ) the tacos ( completely cold ) and a burger . The only good thing was the band read more

This location was a real disapointment. I went to see a band play and the set up for dancing was very poor. There was no raised area for a stage so you were on level with the band... which could be cool if the rest of the floor wasn't set up as a resturaunt with tables turned to watch the show- they had to try to see between the dancers. I assume the food was great because it was all being faried over from the Speakeasy which is a 4-5 star in my book. The atmosphere was dingy, dirty, and closed in. There was only tap, no hard or poored drinks and the other patrons and the service staff made my group (about half of us are people of color) uncomfortable. They went so far as to force us to reliquish seats we had been occupying for at least a half hour. If you want the food, go to Speakeasy. There are better music venues. Better dancing venues. And venues that welcome everyone. read more

Just good fun! Went the other night on a whim. Listened to "Bee in the Hive" and "the Grain". The venue is dimly lit, feels like a funky club from the south, and has decent acoustics (from a novice ear). The crowd ranged in age from 20 something to 60 something. It was easy to get a drink at the bar, or step onto the dance floor. Such a great addition to the town. Nothing like live music in a relaxed, affordable venue! read more

We went here to see a friend's band, French Oak (who are awesome by the way!) and had a super fun time. The vibe is very cool. It's all basement-y and old school, with rich red drapes behind the stage, and brick everywhere. In earlier days it would have been appropriately smoke-filled, but that doesn't happen anymore. It felt like it was smoke-filled though! My only quibble is beer and wine only, because hanging out in this bar you just want an ice cold martini or a shot of bourbon. But the beer and wine selections are good, and they have a full menu too. We will have to try some food next time. Great spot for hanging with some good jazz! read more

The food is overpriced and they served it cold and with tiny portions. Service was terrible and slow, and the owner is incredibly rude, and the staff is discourteous as well. Guess that's what you can expect with such a terrible owner. Only good thing about this place is the beer selection, and they charge you out the nose for that too. Never come here, I requested a refund due to the awful food and terrible service and they wouldn't even give me my money back, after I paid $13 for a slider that came cold and overcooked. read more

Venue is cool, and has a decent ambiance...but I'm hoping this is a newer business because they have a LOT to still work on...I will say our server was extremely apologetic and didn't make us feel like our complaints were annoying (if that makes sense). 1) The food is from its sister business "Speakeasy" which though is close in location, is not even in the same building. Meaning, your order is carried from the Speakeasy kitchen, through the Speakeasy restaurant, THEN outside (where people are hanging out, SMOKING as your food passes it - and it's not even covered), down the corridor of Big Easy, and then to your table. That's a long journey from the kitchen to your table...also meaning that if you wanted something extra for your order, or they forgot something...it's that much longer to get it. And it was just weird that they have to carry it from one restaurant to another. Really didn't like that my food was passing random people before it made it to the table. Don't know if this is the cause for the long wait for food - but it did take a LONG time to get our food. 2) Portions are SMALL and vastly overpriced. The "Burger" they have is really more like an oversized slider. The "fries" you get with it is actually about 5 (literally) of them which they serve to look like Jenga stacked together for around $16. The steak was about 4-5 small pieces for almost $20. Literally 5 of the 8 people we were with had to order something else AFTER the entrees came because they were still hungry. 3) Our overpriced food didn't even come out right. We ordered a Burger with some extras that didn't make it to the plate. It took awhile for us to find our server, who didn't even come back for an initial "checkup" to make sure our food was okay. We told her and she went to fix the issue. While waiting, he tried to eat the few fries that were on the plate - which were raw and literally had ZERO seasoning. After about 10 min he got his burger extras, and we then told her about the fries. As an appetizer we'd gotten their fingerling potatoes with aioli and asked if we could get another order of those instead. When we got them, they didn't even come with the aioli, AND this order was literally COVERED in Cayanne pepper to the point where it wasn't even edible. Almost felt like this was a dig from the kitchen for complaining about our order. We had these as an appetizer and they were great...the second order came to us after some complaints already...so we did feel this was intentional. 4) The seating. Perhaps this is just being nit picky now, but, we sat at a table, and there are small cement pillars located throughout the venue, they way our table was arranged, one of our people in the party had their chair so the pillar was right behind their chair. When someone told a story, they laughed and threw their head back and smacked their head super hard against the pole. I feel like when making the seating arrangements, the manager should be more aware of placing seats near a pole like that. It smushes people into the table and just isn't comfortable. Overall, the music was great, ambiance good, but the food debacle really ruined the whole experience. My boyfriend had to wait a long time for his proper order, the majority of our party had to order again because even after some appetizers and their entree, they were still hungry. They really need to staff this place with food runners so that the servers can give their tables the proper attention. If you're going for a show - be sure to eat before hand, and perhaps order a few things to munch on, but not fill you up. A few positives I will end on, they ended up comping a large portion of our bill, which made us feel that we were being just snobby picky guests. And our server was vert accommodating as much as she could have been, considering the lack of restaurant support she had to aid her in her job. And the food, when prepped correctly had some good flavor and taste - but just insanely over priced. read more

I hope this place succeeds. Reminded me of the good old days of Zebulon, a jazz club before its time in Petaluma. What I like about jazz, or an important element: no self professing lyrics, just music coming from an instrument. What I like about The Big Easy club is the ambience, low lights, good size stage & dance floor(if need be), location, center of downtown, Food available from the owners restaurant just a stone throw away. Nice long bar, a splatter of tables & chairs in the main area, decent wine & beer list & waitress service, booths on each side. What I'm not fond of......wine glass needed to be returned for cleanliness, hint, bartender should always check out the glass prior to serving wine, beverages. Hey it happens. Booths have too tall of separation so you can't see the stage. If the glass can't be removed perhaps more tables on the main area, I think you can squeeze more people there & it will give it a more clubby kinda feel e.g. Yoshis, Ok ok that's a reach but you know what I'm saying. If there's a dance band then remove them, Nice big & clean ladies room, put a dimmer in there, please. Other than that I hope the acts get better with time & people come out & support this classy new venue. It will be on my radar. read more