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| - Visiting a jazz club is an iconic Montreal experience. House of Jazz was recommended by our hotel and they didn't steer us wrong. The place oozed atmosphere, with giant chandeliers reflecting off lots of mirrors, plus stained glass ceilings, bronze statues and massive wooden bars. There was an intimate smoky feel to the club but without the smoke. Patrons included a nice mix of regulars (fans of Bob Ricci, a regular Sunday night performer), plus visitors and those celebrating special occasions. The crowd definitely skewed older earlier in the evening.
The menu has a BBQ/New Orleans slant. I ordered the chicken and rib combo, a half a chicken that was fall off the bone tender, plus 4-5 ribs that followed suit. The barbeque sauce, though, had a different taste. I generally prefer something sweeter and a more traditional sauce would have been better. But, overall, the kitchen turns out pretty good food.
If you visit, call ahead and make a reservation, especially if you're a table of two. Otherwise you might end up in front of the band in a noisy spot not conducive to talking. You can avoid the cover charge by eating on the patio, but you'll lose that jazz club feel. We found a small spot on a railing bar that was the perfect spot for viewing all the action.
All in all, we had a delightful evening.
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