If you’re an “Eastsider,” or a resident of one of the thriving suburbs east of Seattle across Lake Washington, enjoying some live jazz may be more accessible than you realize.
Unlike Seattle, which offers a density of music venues in neighborhoods like Ballard, Capitol Hill, and Pioneer Square, concerts on the Eastside are hidden inside upscale restaurants, wineries, or hotel lounges.
This list of small venues makes some of these hidden gem jazz venues easier to track, and that night out in Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville or North Bend easier to plan.
Explore the map by region and read the full list below.
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Bellevue
Bake’s Place
Restaurant, bar and music venue Bake’s Place is a go-to in the heart of downtown Bellevue.
Run by food and music lovers Craig and Laura Baker, Bake’s Place was originally a small bed and breakfast in Issaquah. After building their reputation, Bake’s Place established itself in the bottom floor of a Bellevue office high-rise in 2012. The interior includes a large, open hall with a lit stage, grand piano and second-floor balcony.
Bake’s Place hosts jazz, R&B, blues, soul, and funk from 8-9:30 p.m. multiple nights a week. Reservations are required and can be made through the live music section of the Bake’s Place website. There is a per person music charge ranging from $25–$45, depending on the band, and a per person food and beverage minimum.
Website: bakesplacebellevue.com
Phone: (425) 454-2776
Address: 155 108th Ave. NE, Ste. 110 Bellevue, WA 98004
Kirkland
The Grape Choice
Serving downtown Kirkland area for over 40 years, wine store and bar The Grape Choice knows wine and how to create a casual and welcoming atmosphere to enjoy it in.
The Grape Choice, which purportedly boasts the largest wine collection in this wine-soaked area, does live music of all genres on Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30-8 p.m. Live jazz enters the rotation almost every second and fourth Friday inside their bottle-lined space or out on their open air patio. In September, they plan to add live music on Thursdays as well.
“I absolutely love music, and the marriage of wine and jazz is an easy one to maintain. We are also family-friendly and I love presenting music such as jazz to people of all ages,” said owner Desirae Ballard.
Seating is first come, first served, and Friday nights get especially busy, so it’s advised to show up early if you want a table. No cover charge. Along with wine, they serve a wide variety of food plates, like charcuterie boards and hot sandwiches.
Website: thegrapechoice.com
Phone: (425) 827-7551
Address: 9 Lakeshore Plaza, Kirkland, WA 98033
Prosecco Restaurant & Pizzeria
Near The Grape Choice in downtown Kirkland, Prosecco Restaurant & Pizzeria is known for hand-tossed pizzas, pastas, and salads — as well as their weekly jazz. Prosecco offers no-charge jazz every Wednesday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
With gray striped walls, ornate, but tasteful, art, and white tablecloths, the atmosphere is luxurious and upscale, and the jazz soundtrack adds to the vibe. During the summer, musicians also make music “al fresco” on the sunny patio.
Website: proseccorestaurantpizzeria.com
Phone: (425) 896-8327
Address: 7 Lakeshore Plaza, Kirkland, WA 98033
Redmond
SoulFood Coffeehouse and Fair Trade Emporium
If you like jazz, coffee and tarot card readings, look no further than SoulFood Coffeehouse and Fair Trade Emporium in Redmond.
A short walk away from Redmond Town Center, SoulFood offers locally-roasted Caffè Lusso coffee, a metaphysical shop full of tarot decks, crystals, and incense, and live jazz performances on the second and last Thursdays of the month from 6-8 p.m.
According to shop manager Olive Ault, the jazz nights create a great atmosphere for meeting friends or studying, and they’re a big draw.
“All of the seating around our stage is taken up, and a lot of people will just wander or stand around to watch the show. It usually gets pretty packed compared to some of our other events,” Ault said.
Jazz Nights are free-of-charge, all-ages and family-friendly. The first hour of the event is often a featured band, and the second hour is an open jam session for musicians of all ages and skill levels.
Website: soulfoodcoffeehouse.com
Phone: (425) 881-5309
Address: 15748 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA 98052
Woodinville
Willows Lodge Fireside Lounge
Located in a region rich with wineries offering frequent country and Americana performances, the Fireside Lounge at Willows Lodge offers something different with its calendar of live jazz.
The Lodge, flanked with 100-year-old Douglas Firs, offers a cozy environment to enjoy live music in. In the winter, keep warm by a large stone fireplace, or enjoy the sprawling garden courtyard and outdoor patio during the warmer months.
Willows Lodge offers musical performances from 6 to 8:30 p.m.Tuesday through Saturday, and many musicians, like multi-instrumentalist D.S. Wilson and King Dre perform jazz, or jazz-influenced music. Local wines, spirits, craft brews, and bites are available. Seating is first come, first served in the boutique hotel bar.
Website: www.willowslodge.com
Phone: (425) 424-3900
Address: 14580 NE 145th Street, Woodinville, WA 98072
North Bend
Boxley's
Farther east in the mountain town of North Bend, you can catch some good jazz right below the peak of Mount Si. That’s thanks to Danny Kolke and his club, Boxley’s, which he opened in 2009. Today, Boxley’s offers some sort of jazz performance Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights.
Professionals are showcased on weekends, and Thursdays are for student programming, like jam sessions. The vast majority of their shows do not charge a cover. Musicians are compensated by JazzClubsNW, the nonprofit that operates Boxley’s and fundraises to support the live music.
“Our model is pretty simple. We do fundraising events that are community-focused,” Kolke said. “We like to rally around a community, and then we pay for programming to help musicians be able to perform and get some money.”
Boxley’s offers beer and wine at affordable prices to enjoy while listening to the music on an eclectic mix of chairs and couches.
Website: jazzclubsnw.org/boxleys
Phone: (802) 266-0690
Address: 228 W North Bend Way Ste A, North Bend, WA 98045
How we created this list
In 2023, we put together a list of some of the best small venues — like bars, restaurants, cafes and galleries — in the Seattle area that regularly present live jazz. We recently set out to update it and create a dedicated list for the Eastside.
The six regional restaurants and bars on this list are located east of Lake Washington, and consistently present live jazz. These are some, but not all the spots offering live music.
There are also a few larger, ticketed venues with jazz headliners, like Bellevue’s Meydenbauer Center Theatre and Woodinville’s Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery.
What did we miss?
Let us know about other spots that fit this list (small and intimate places with regular jazz) by emailing outreach@knkx.org.
