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.

Great live jazz (even on a Wednesday), intimate bar, fairly priced drinks - pleasant staff. Highly recommend & will go back!

Ten out of ten experience. Wonderful staff, great drinks, great music, and an energy that can only be held by people who care about what they do.

I came here a few times, just for drinks. If you’re expecting a well polished place then go somewhere else, but this place is a really really great dive bar. I’ve never been there for live music, but the staff and people are friendly. Very unique for the area. I wasn’t there for live music, but I’ve heard it’s pretty great when they do have that since it is technically a Jazz bar. Very eclectic decor that’s kind of hodgepodge together in the best way. I will say this bar was on the news for not being friendly to conservatives, but I don’t know the whole story what happened there. Disheartening but I’ve had nothing but good experiences here the two times I’ve been.

Was there last night and listens to one of the finest jazz guitarists I’ve ever heard. Was planning on one drink and home. Stayed until 12:30 am. Couple memebers of the symphony came by to jam and I felt like I was in the East Village.. not Indy! What a gem this little place is. We shared our table , met great people. Best time in a long while!

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.

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 🎷

Friendly staff, delicious drinks, wonderful music. If you're looking to spend a few hours enjoying great jazz this is the place!

ZERO STARS - PRONOUN AMBUSHED BEFORE I EVEN SAID HELLO! I barely crossed the threshold of this grimy jazz dungeon when BAM--the bartender hits me with: 'Hi! My pronouns are , BEFORE I EVEN OPENED MY MOUTH! Like, dude,lady or they, I just wanted a beer and some sax solos, not a mandatory identity roll-call! I felt verbally assaulted by inclusivity--my safe space was shattered instantly! How dare you assume I was ready for pronoun foreplay without consent?? This place is Snowflake HQ on steroids: filthy sticky floors (probably from all the melted egos), dusty clutter that screams 'hoarder with a therapy dog,' and staff so fragile they'd grab a bat over a wrong glance. The jazz was blasting (triggering my noise sensitivity--no warning sign??), drinks overpriced (capitalist oppression!), and the crowd? A therapy circle jerk of hypersensitive types ready to cancel you for breathing wrong.

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

This bar's service feels like an experiment in how badly you can treat customers and still stay open. Staff move with the urgency of people who absolutely do not care if you're there or alive. Orders vanish into the void, eye contact is avoided like it's contagious, and asking for help feels like a personal insult. Waiting is the main activity here. If neglect were a vibe, this place would be fully booked. Come thirsty, leave irritated, and expect nothing resembling hospitality.

The workers are very rude and judgmental. The place smells horrible like urine and sweat. The food there is very gross and under prepared. Most of the people there are overall rude. I would give it 0 stars if I could

terrible service and the place is filthy. would give it 0 stars if i could. I will definitely never be returning.

I'm very disappointed . Awful place. It smells like the pee mixed puke. Food was disgusting. The service was poor and I was disrespected.

Worst bar and jazz. Unfriendly staff. Grungy and dirty. Looks unclean won't be back. Drinks water down

Sorry took me so long! We flew in two (?) weeks ago. Short stay, it was a layover. My husband and I came in. Great patrons. Great staff! We are older, just had a wonderful time! Thank you!!!

Service was obtrusive, food was microwaved and overpriced. Why would anyone go here? Not for food, staff or music. My advice is to spend your money elsewhere.

Zero stars if l could. Filthy place and nasty people working there. Bathroom was disgusting. Employees were rude.

The bat wielding bartender makes the ambiance and service definitely hostile for Republicans. Didn't stay long enough to sample the food, but the health department has issued them 12 violations since January 2024, so probably best not to sample.

Amazing service. Staff is so friendly. I would recommend this bar to all my friends. 10/10 service.

The music was fantastic! Cathy Morris and her group really rocked the place. Always good jazz there.

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!

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!

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.

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

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!

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.

Very filthy place. Did not want to eat/drink anything from here. Service was meh. Didn't seem rude but look like they did not enjoy working there.

Great service, the vibe was great and the food was amazing, friendly staff and inclusive environment

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

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 ‍

Place is not good at all. Bartenders super weird, always whining about politics. A lot of room for improvement.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Chatterbox was great. Loved the ambiance. music was good and so was the food. and food. The server was cute too :)

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!

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!

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.

Terrible food, and the bar tender looked like a freak. Floors were dirty, and service was fuking poor at best. Save your money and go somewhere else.

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.

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 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.

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.

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!

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.

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!