Chatterbox Jazz Club

In May, the concierge of my hotel recommended The Chatterbox for local jazz. This shotgun style of a dive bar feels like a time warp to times near forgotten. The place is filled with people from all walks of life and the music was well worth the $9 cover, plus the bar takes cards if you don't have cash for the door. I loved the atmosphere and and Jade was quick on the drinks and gave some good recommendations on how to spend my down time.

Such a cool spot! Got here early enough that the crowd wasn't bad. Music started at 8pm with a $4 "cover charge" added to bill. Jukebox available before the jazz band starts. Awesome conversation with Jess at the bar! I had already eaten before I got here, but they do have small food items available. Such a cool vibe in here. If you haven't been, come. If you have been, chances are likely you'll be back.

The live music was the reason my group went to this fun little bar! The music was showcasing music written by people who are from Indianapolis! This bar is small, but it gives a chill and calm vibe. The drinks are made in a way that does not feel rushed in the making process. I will say that the service could be more personable. Sometimes, it feels like the workers are there just to do their job instead of making it their priority to make the customers feel welcomed in every way. I love the cozy vibes, and I love the pricing of listening to live music! It's special and a privilege to be able to listen to live music for only $9 or even $5 on Sundays!

We've been coming here on a regular basis,sometimes 2-3 x per week. The entrance is $8 when a band plays. The place can tell a thousand stories,every inch of it has some memories from the past .Amazing music every single day! Jess,Katie,Ben and David are great! This place is truly one of a kind!

I stopped in Indianapolis for a day since had never visited before and as I was making my way down Massachusetts Ave (heading back to my car) - I noticed a large mural with a plaque which told the story of Etheridge Knight and towards the bottom it mentioned he frequented “the Chatterbox” and.. Hey wait! That’s literally the THIS BUILDING! Yes! Went in, the place is awesome!! Great beer, great food and overall fantastic menu! The server Emery is absolutely amazing and we had a great conversation about the Chatterbox, Jazz Musix and No Wave Jazz like Lydia Lunch, James Chance (No New York stuff) and it was just and overall awesome experience to visit, have a beer and a great chat! I’ll be returning at some point for some live jazz when I have more time. But one thing I will say.. The artwork plastered all over the walls in this place speaks beyond volumes.. It’s like the CBGBs of Jazz in Indianapolis! That’s the vibe I get 🎷

SARDINE CAN!!! BUT!! very pleasant crowd and environment. Everyone had smiles on and squished faces. My wife and I finally got a seat at the bar and that was more enjoyable. The elder guy at the door had his glass of cab and was snapping his fingers and doing his step. The band was awesome too!!

Had a couple cocktails and enjoyed the live Jazz. The place is really small, but they make the most of it and get as many people in for music as they can. I'm sure I'll be back!

Chatterbox is one of the unique gems of Indianapolis. World class jazz in welcoming dive bar atmosphere. The staff love to be there, and they pour a great glass of Guinness.

I LOVE Chatterbox Jazz Club!! I like the aesthetic, the drinks and musicians are incredible and the people behind the bar are the absolute nicest. I've never felt safer at a bar in my life. While I may live in Boston and there's a chance I've never been to Indianapolis, I can't wait to return to Chatterbox and leave a dollar on the wall!

Absolutely horrible establishment. Very judgmental and rude. Not to mention extremely dirty. Don't waste your time. Seriously.

Trashy. Poor service. I just wanted a cocktail and must have been asking for too much because the bartender was rude and dismissive. Not sure what I did wrong ‍

Kinda a hole in the wall place which isn't a bad thing. But the service was just awful. Rude inattentive staff.

Very rude bartenders who disrespect you if you don't ft their usual customer type. Lack any type of decency and just flat out rude. Do not come here.

Staff and bartenders are rude. Bathroom is so dirty and stinky. I thought i would catch hepatitis in this place. But mostly the disgusting staff turned us off this place.

This is a great "dive bar" with live jazz every night. They have a rotating menu of seasonal cocktails and all of the basics for bar drinks. They have a few food options to choose from. I got the pizza and it was amazing! The service is great and the bartenders are always friendly. The atmosphere is really cool inside when the bands start playing. I would definitely recommend checking this bar out!

The workers here are rude as hell! Apparently you need to fit a specific profile to be welcomed here. I'm not sure what me and my husband did to make them rude to us, but it was apparent we weren't welcome the minute we walked through the door.

I had high hopes for this place, but it was a complete letdown. The music was flat, uninspired, and honestly painful to sit through--definitely not what you'd expect from a jazz bar. The service was slow and inattentive, and the drinks were overpriced and poorly made. Overall, it felt like no one cared, and it showed. Would not recommend

Very rude staff, dirty establishment, and the food made me sick. The bartenders need to grow up and stop whining. Sucks to lose.

Terrible service and very unprofessional attitude from everyone working there. It's a shame they don't know how to treat people

Alright well this might not be everyone's cup of tea but I freaking loved this place! This is your typical hole in the wall place and the decor definitely spells it out. Floor to ceiling is just covered in random stuff and it just makes this place so unique and fun. The service was great as far as we could tell, though tricky to hear, he approached us right away when we sat down at the bar and got our drinks to us quickly. It was a Monday night so I'm sure during a weekend this place would have been filled to the brim and maybe service wouldn't have been so quick. I love live music. And I appreciate musicians talents. My brother did not care for the endless jazz music but I really loved it! I would 100000% come back here if I visit Indy again. Cheers to chatterbox!

For people who literally scream "inclusion" you're not very inclusive. Don't grow old, grow up.

Very dirty, and the food is terrible. They messed up our order and tried to blame us for ordering the wrong item. We won't be going back here anytime soon.

Amazing music, food, ambiance, VIBES, and the kindest wait and bar staff. Recommend this little downtown spot very highly.

Place sucks. Avoid at all costs. Weak drinks that are overpriced. Smells like piss. Floor and bar sticky. Employees are rude and music choices sucked. Better places in town to visit.

Terrible. Waste of time and money. I would not recommend. Keep looking for a better place to spend your money.

Very bad service, seems like they dont want to serve you if you dont look like their crowd. Very bad food, looks microwaved. Never again.

Absolutely terrible service. Bartenders were slow, dismissive, and acted like doing their job was a favor to us. Waited forever to order, drinks were wrong, and when I asked for a correction, I got nothing but attitude. Place was half empty, so no excuse. Total disappointment -- won't be back.

Spent a couple days in Indianapolis. Hotel recommended this bar and they did not disappoint! I had a blast! Amazing bar and wait staff, Great music, comfortable atmosphere! Just a all around fun place! Next time I'm in Indianapolis again, I'm definitely coming back! Thanks a million!

Their musicians are consistently fantastic. I also love the bartenders! The only thing that could be better is the flooring in the women's restroom.

Not our type of bar. The glass was filled with ice and the beverage was just okay. Only had about 4 sips. Don't recommend.

everyone needs to take a moment and make it an evening at Chatterbox on Mass Ave. whether you venture out solo or need a spot to catch up with an old friend, this is where you want to be! Jazz is great for the soul and Chatterbox is your number one supplier! TIP THE MUSICIANS & YOUR BARTENDER!

Great, old, dive bar. Lots of ambiance, very last century feel. Jazz on Saturdays. Pizza is great, reasonably priced drinks. Even a jukebox for between band sets.

I love Chatterbox! Great music (mostly jazz, but not only) by incredibly talented (mostly) local artists, wide variety of drink options (live that they have a selection of international beers as well), cozy but eclectic atmosphere, friendly people, what else do you want?! For the summer, they have also a super cute patio. The minimal cover charge is totally worth the experience. I think it's perfect for a variety of occasions - date night, chill out friends night, solo relax night. It's a gem in the heart of Mass Ave, must visit in Indy!

Great venue. Totally a tiny dive bar with great service and great live music every day. There is a small cover charge. Full bar. Tap beer. Frozen pizza, popcorn, and Jamaican Pattie's, I believe.s. I went two nights in a row and the owner was there both nights. Seems like a little gem in the heart of Mass. St.

$8 cover Friday. Came to see a friend play piano. Fun atmosphere! Highly recommend. Bartenders are on top of things and I was never waiting for a drink. Come check it out and support live music!

This place is amazing. The overall vibe is great, drinks are great and Ben was an amazing bartender. Just wish I would've come later in the evening for the music! 100% recommend this place to everyone

I love Chatterbox, I'm so glad they came back! Their commitment to live jazz and their drink options are top notch. It definitely has a grunge vibe, but if you know what you're in for, it's great. Indoor seating can get pretty cramped, but the outdoor options are great if you want to spread out. One time, a few years back, the band actually let me play piano with them for a song. This is a great spot everyone should check out at some point!

I used to visit the Chatterbox in my early 20s many times and loved it! I'm so happy that they've reopened! We decided to stop here to get a drink, chat, and listen to some jazz. It hasn't changed at all since it's been closed and it makes me so happy. It's intimate, small, unique, fun, and everyone who walks in the door is friendly and laid back. The staff were super friendly and there was a $8 cover to enter. The bathroom is small and very punk rock. I ordered a mood indigo special which was delicious and refreshing. The jazz music was phenomenal and we had a blast hanging out with so many cool people.

This is one of my favorite places to listen to live music.....except I hate how late it starts :( my husband and I celebrated my birthday by doing dinner at Eddie Merlot and live music and we got there thinking fhe music started at 930 to find out it started from 10:30 and ended at 1:30. I'm in my early thirties but I feel sooooooo old! Like how do people do it???? All I needed was my fuzzy socks and I would have been snoring in there (not because the music is boring, but because im so freaking sleepy). We ended up staying for 30 minutes to listen to the music but I could tell my husband wanted to stay and listen to them perform. But mama had to call it a night, on her birthday. LOL. Another thing I wish.. is that if you get there at an earlier time then you shouldn't have to pay to stay... but I also understand the performers need to get paid also. All in all, we will be back. But please thank about having earlier performances for the grannies. Kbye.

A hole in the wall never sounded so good I always forget about Chatterbox, until I'm in a "live music" mood. Despite how long it's been around, this little spot remains one of Indy's best kept secrets. Nestled on the well-loved Mass Ave, I'm surprised by how often it's overlooked. Chatterbox offers live jazz seven days a week, with Sunday-Thursdays free and a minimal entry fee of $8 on Saturdays and Sundays. The bar isn't super extensive, but this isn't exactly the spot for craft cocktails. There are light snackables available, if the mood should hit you. If you're on the hunt for some of Indy's best musical talent, The Chatterbox just might be for you.

I went there tonight 12/9/23 8:15pm. The bartender was an absolute jerk. I was NOT in a hurry. I completely understand that he was the only bartender. He asked what I wanted to drink. I ordered something FROM THEIR DRINK MENU. He told me the drink was stupid, it would take a long time and he had to take care of everyone in the bar too. Okay. I didn't deserve the attitude. I did nothing but answer the question of what I would like to order which was a drink FROM THEIR MENU. I left: I can spend my money at any number of places and not be treated like I'm not welcome.

Great atmosphere, good wine and amazing jazz. If you enjoy music you will have a good time here. Loved it.

Cozy, Snug, Fair to Feisty Pricing. If Jazz is your thing, do it. If live music isn't your thing, on the weekdays, great for service. Vibe, and atmosphere

I stopped here for a drink while I was in town because it looked very cool on yelp. The place is in a trendy strip where all the hipsters are hanging out. Parking will be tough because I got the last spot on the block at 5:30 ish and it's metered. The place looks old with every inch of the walls covered with something and you can write on the bar and walls because everyone else has. The place is very narrow with a bar on one side and tables on the other. There was a few craft beers on tap so I had one which was a good temperature. The people were nice, the bar tender and other guy. The place was empty except for one guy at the bar at 5:30 ish. I was disappointed that there was no jazz playing, now I didn't expect live music at that time of the day but jazz on the sound system for sure, nope just a tv playing local news in the back ground. I thought I would have some drinks and listen to jazz but I had one beer and listened to the local news so I left. I thought the place was cool but I left with a 0 jazz experience so I could have went to the hotel bar and saved the drive over. I herd more jazz from the car stereo driving over and leaving than from the jazz club, what a waste.

Chatterbox livens up Mass Ave with fantastic musicians and old decor. At the time that I went, Chatterbox was slam packed on a Saturday night with standing room only. Having people squeeze by you every couple minutes wasn't fun. Unfortunately the lower number of bar staff couldn't keep up with that demand. The drink selection and taste were solid. Chatterbox offers some bar food. I saw some good-looking pizza, and we had the Jamaican patties (similar structure to an empanada). The walls are lined with all types of decor: stuffed animals, posters with googley eyes, drawn-on dollar bills. The clientele and the decor gives Chatterbox all of the character. If you have a sensitivity to cigarette smoke, make note that many patrons are in and out of Chatterbox for smoke breaks. During good weather, the outdoor patio would be a great spot to people watch on Mass Ave. ParkMobile street parking is your best bet. Tripel is an example of a band at Chatterbox. $8 entrance cover is a little steep in my opinion, but definitely go check out Chatterbox at least once!

Chatterbox is a hole in the wall. The decor is atrocious and the seating areas are horrendous. There's no room for anyone large group of people. The space is truly a place you should not want to be at all. We were offered a frozen pizza as a consolation for not having hot food nor a menu.

Came here with my old friend to catch up. 5 stars solely because they have tables on the patio with ash trays. Smoker friendly. That's enough for me. Some other time I will check out some music.

Been a regular for decades. Just came back for a visit and it is nice to see they are still true to themselves and not be swept up with the dude-ification of Mass Ave. Oh don't get me wrong as all are welcome, but this is a genuine jazz place and not a South Broad Ripple douch type of place. So don't expect shots of Tito's will get you really accepted. Be chill, be open minded and let the historical jazz of century old Indy whisk you away!

Chatterbox is one of the handful of holdouts of the "old" Mass Ave. It is a defiant middle finger to the gentrification of Mass Ave and downtown Indianapolis. It is dirty, it is a bit sketchy, and it has jazz. As it should. Chatterbox is not a frat-bro drink-til-you-pass-out type of bar, and I think those type of people who frequent many of the other bars in the area would not fit in here. This is a dive bar if there ever was a dive bar. The wood paneling of the floor is slowly melting away, exposing what very well may be the foundation of the building. If you mosey around to the back of the building, you can see evidence of construction that was long since been abandoned. I'm pretty certain none of the oddities and knickknacks that populate the place have ever been removed since the bar opened. And like every long time business in Indianapolis, there are claims of the building being haunted. Random observances and stray thoughts: Indiana bars are legally required to serve some type of food when selling alcohol for on-site consumption. Chatterbox really stretches the definition of "food". It consists of Digorno Frozen Pizza, movie microwave popcorn, and coffee which I'm fairly certain is Folgers. And I'm fairly certain most of their food items are just obtained from the Marsh across the street. They've recently started serving chocolates from one of the chocolate-themed businesses on Mass Ave. So that's a plus. I would highly encourage you to eat before you get here, and there are plenty of eateries around. But you can't bring outside food/drink to Chatterbox. Chatterbox does have a small patio and the Chatterbox actually was involved in making sure all Mass Ave businesses can have access to patio/outdoor seating if they want it. But patio seats fill up fast. The patio is often a great place to observe stuff. I was at the Chatterbox patio last year for July 4 and the view of the fireworks was pretty damn good. Bring some extra cash and tip the jazz musicians. There are a handful of beers on tap + cans/bottles. Scotch selection is decent for a dive so ask for the scotch menu. I'll upload some pictures once I get home.

I came in last night for the free orchestra Classical Revolution and it was so satisfying. I'm pretty sure I was the only non musician in the room but I think that made the experience even better. I ordered one of the specialty drinks and it was hella bomb. The bartender was friendly and put up with my indecisiveness... I didn't realize it really was a club and kind of small so there are a lot of sounds bouncing around the room at once amongst the music and various conversations. But I finessed my way to the very front, sipped my drink, and lost myself in the music. I can not wait until next month to come see the performances again. C-Rev for the win.

This bar has awful service!! I ordered a bourbon and coke. I generally have not had an issue with well bourbon and coke, but this drink was particularly bad. I brought it in and told them the drink was awful and asked for a Barcardi and coke instead. They tossed my drink and as she was about to pour my drink informs me I'm going to be charged anyway for the drink they just tossed. What?!? I said, but you just tossed my drink and it was damn near undrinkable. First and last visit. There are too many bars for me to choose from to stand for that kind of behavior.

Would definitely return! Only stopped in for a couple drinks because we couldn't stay for the music but wish we could have. Only wish they had a some more mixers, lemonade or ginger ale. Super cute spot and great people.

Great music, intimate atmosphere, fun environment, great service! Reminds us of Chicago.

Went on a Saturday night at 7, not knowing the live music wasn't until 10:30. Usually it's 8p Small dirty, old dive bar that's unique and good for 1 drink. Only 1 bartender working so when it got crowded you didn't get service very well. Didn't stay for the jazz

This is a great bar. I was looking for a place to hang out before I went to a show at The Egyptian Room and it was getting ugly. I was so relieved when yelp showed me this place. It satisfies all the senses. At first I was hesitant to write a review because I don't want to ruin it, but Chatterbox has a ton of reviews, so here's mine. Go buy drinks at this bar. Give the bartender a nice tip. That is all.

Great live music and strong drinks. The place was packed and the energy was awesome. Had a blast!!

Every time I go here (which has been quite frequently as of late) I can't help but think of the mad piano tunes and dancing jives found on Charlie Brown. I have to fight the urge to stand up and dance pigeon-toed with a cloud of dust surrounding me. One night, you'll be strolling down Mass Ave when you stumble upon my Peanuts moves. Don't hesitate to join in. I can't believe I haven't reviewed this charming Circle City staple until now. I suppose it was my meeting of owner, Dave Andrichick, last night that did me in - handsome fella, if I do say so. Chatterbox is one of a kind - from the twinkling Christmas lights dangled in the front window and live jazz to the excellent patio seating and hip regulars. If you're looking for a place to stay out late on a weeknight, look no further. The music is pouring out of the bar into the wee hours of the night. On my last few visits I've had the pleasure of meeting several regulars who have been frequenting the Chatter for as long as a decade. I'm only in my humble beginnings to regularity, but there is something oh.so.cool. about these folks that makes me want to get there sooner.