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| - After a fantastic dinner with friends, we all decided that we wanted a couple of nightcaps. After roaming down St. Paul for a few blocks, we found this little jazz spot, which turned out to be rather serendipitous.
The cover (on the two nights we went there, because if you find a cool little spot like this you have to go back a second time!) was extremely affordable - $7 the first time and $8 the second time. Most anywhere else in the US would have had a minimum cover of $20 for that level of talent.
The stage is by the front window, consisting of a piano (go figure!) and whatever instruments the bands want to bring in. If you're facing from the stage, there's an L-shaped bar in front of you, and a series of couches and box? chairs off to the right extending to the back of the room. And that, I must say is my only real complaint - the layout. It's not quite as intimate as one would like considering the atmosphere they're going for, and there isn't enough seats that have a view of the stage. But if you're happy just taking over a couple of back tables with friends and enjoying the music, it's perfect.
They have a fufu cocktail menu, all themed after, well, music. While I didn't have any of the on-menu cocktails (went for manhattans and gin martinis instead), my friends who did order off the menu were not disappointed.
As for the main attraction - the music - both nights we were not disappointed. The bands were amazingly talented, performing either jazz or jazzified covers (if I can coin a phrase). The second night we were there, there was a guest singer who belted out At Last so well Etta James may have risen from the grave to give her a round of applause.
We were there on off-nights (Wednesday & Thursday), so it was steady but not overly busy. I can see this place getting packed on Fridays.
If you're looking for a spot to unwind after a great dinner in Vieux Montreal, this is the spot to hit up!
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