Ornithology Jazz Club
Jazz club · Bushwick ·
Live jazz club with vegan bites, craft cocktails, and rooftop
Live jazz club with vegan bites, craft cocktails, and rooftop
"Nothing feels more rooted to New York neighborhoods than this Bushwick club named for Charlie Parker: veteran musicians in suits share spontaneous nightly sessions with emerging stars while the subway rumbles just outside. Run by Mitch Borden and Rie Yamaguchi-Borden, the split Café and Club put you so close to the music you could almost touch it, and dining at Café Ornithology beforehand is a must — the hummus plates, leek-and-potato pizza, and Fatoush salad are notably strong. The vibe is lived-in and genuinely community-born, a place where neighborhood authenticity meets high-caliber jazz." - Jessica Chapel
"Bushwick has its own destination jazz club, and it’s the best place to wind down a late night in the neighborhood. Ornithology is owned by the people behind Smalls in the West Village, and it evokes genuine Village hey-day vibes, largely because there’s no cover charge. The music starts at 6:30 every night, and keeps going until whenever their resident musicians feel like it, sometimes until 4am. There’s no elevated stage, just jazz veterans and Juilliard students alike, playing music in the center of the room while bartenders make drinks without disturbing the tempo, and people wander in and out as they please." - neha talreja, bryan kim, willa moore
"Bushwick has a jazz club that evokes genuine Village hey-day energy and exclusively serves vegan food. We’re guilty of referring to this place as “the vegan jazz club” just to poke fun at the Bushwick of it all, but we’re still really into this venue. It's owned by the people behind Smalls in the West Village, but it's more low-key and community-oriented. You can stop by for live jazz every night with no cover, and they occasionally host comedy shows and flea markets. There's also a second floor with games where you can hear music rising through the floorboards, and a great rooftop where musicians perform in warmer weather." - neha talreja, bryan kim, hannah albertine, matt tervooren, will hartman
"When we hear “jazz” and “no cover” in the same sentence, we immediately assume that we'll be listening to some kind of high school band recital. And that’s what makes Ornithology Jazz Club a bit of a unicorn, since you can listen to all the shows here free of charge (and they won't be high school band recitals). This place also has relatively affordable cocktails and a menu with vegan food like a chana masala bowl, and fried rice with bok choy and fried tofu." - will hartman, neha talreja, kenny yang, nikko duren, molly fitzpatrick
"The jazz club has added Cafe Ornithology which serves 'Mediterranean fare.'" - Emma Orlow
