Tago Jazz

Wanted to check out jazz bars in Manila, and finally tried Tago Jazz, which I’ve been planning to visit for a while now. The lineup changes all the time, but the band who played was good :) I’d love to visit on a jazz standards day next time. The cover charge is really only the door fee, so we ordered and some food and drinks. Recommending the whole notes (potato balls), they’re quite good.

I think Tago is the only jazz bar left in the country. That is why people who love jazz, who care about music, should make it a point to come here and watch Filipino jazz musicians prove that despite all odds they have survived and they continue to thrive. Great venue, great people, even greater music!

Great music, cozy, hip ambiance, great food. What surprised me is how intergenerational the spot was. Had a good mix of young college looking like folks and a more seasoned jazz audience. Owner, Chef and musician Nelson was very accommodating. We got front - and very comfortable couch - seats to awesome music by top notch jazz artists including Tots Tolentino who's jazz royalty in Manila

Just incredibly Greta experience!! First time in a Jazz 🎷 bar and really happy that this is the first place I had it. I can't say anything bad about it. Cozy, Class and Great musician. The overall feeling and vibes of the place was really nice. Keep it up! Tago!! All the best!

Very special Jazz place in Cubao with good food and a great and groovy ambience. Everything‘s well organized, reservation, service, program. Nice staff, good bar! Spent a magic night here with Kiss the Bride.

very hidden nga, tago. good vibes. enjoyed the set when i went there. reservations required but we were able to walk in because it wasnt full and went an hour early (i didnt read the event promo properly haha)

I don’t usually comment on food, but tonight’s dinner brought back a memory. Years ago, my cousins and I went on a picnic. One of them cooked, and when he asked how it tasted, another cousin said: “It’s cooked.” That’s exactly how I’d describe tonight’s meal — it’s cooked.

Had a great time at Tago with friends. The best jazz bar in Manila. Prices are fair and better compared to other jazz bars. Tried their crispy sisig, super yum! Artist lineup was great when we visited (Nov 2 2024). The owner was even playing the drums. Street-side parking was easy enough because we went early. Someone from the barangay was helping with the parking. Overall a great visit

I pride myself on having an excellent sense of direction, especially in Metro Manila. However, when a friend of mine told me we were going to Tago, my inner GPS completely conked out. Tago's name is apt, then, because the bar is completely tago (hidden) somewhere in Cubao! The place itself hosts no gaudy signage. In fact, you'll be hard-pressed to find it if you've never been. Giving directions to tago is a BITCH! But it's absolutely worth it. The bar itself is small, and the outdoor area is narrow. Frequented mostly by jazz musicians and fans, Tago is an intimate little hideaway in Quezon City that's mostly for friends and fans. No annoying young millennials to be seen here, folks! It's all a bunch of old, funny farts who play really excellent music, and the retired hipster in me likes it this way. There's something comfortable about a place that doesn't require you to dress to the nines because you're not there to impress anyone. You're there to watch a fantastic show, and you are always guaranteed a good time. This is because the patrons are passionate about what they do, and when they go on stage, it is immediate the moment the first chord is strummed, or the first drumbeat is banged.

They weren't kidding when they decided to call it Tago Jazz Cafe. First of all, it was pretty difficult to find. Okay, granted that my friend who brought me there was just guessing directions, it would have taken some guessing regardless. Don't expect outdoor signage or anything fancy to let you know that you have arrived; Tago, after all, exists for the art, not for the attention. It is real music for real music lovers. My visit was an outlier to the more regular patrons who frequent Tago. They are serious jazz enthusiasts, all from a tight-knit community of savants and seasons musicians. All that talent convened in just one tiny place is both intimidating and humbling. I would compare the experience to seeing Julliard-trained talent performing on the street corners of New York City: overflowing talent, yet so understatedly served. On the one hand, I wish there were more places like Tago, or that people knew how to appreciate jazz and jazz bars more. On the other hand, all that attention might mean losing the charm and intimacy that tiny Tago provides its best patrons.

It would be depending on the performers but it was amazing and wonderful experience of real jazz performance here in Manila. The place is really hidden and without my friend's guide I would not be able to come here again. You should not expect too much foods and variation of drinks there but focus on real jazz performance. It is good place jazz music freaks.

This introverted Jazz Cafe in Quezon City is sure tricky to find, I even had a GPS the first time I went there but it didn't save me from going in circles before actually realizing that I've been passing by it twice already--hence, the name Tago. Nestled beneath a few of the remaining Mango trees in Main Avenue, Cubao, is this house turned bar, created mainly for Jazz musicians and enthusiasts. It's far from the usual rock and roll band bars located at the metro's commercial areas where loud music and drunk teenagers are scattered all over; Tago has its own blend of sophistication and underground in character. It is simply an oasis found in the city; being situated in a peaceful residential area just beside the bustling road of EDSA, gives it a somewhat rural feel after coming from obstacles with the busiest and not to mention, the worst highway in the Philippines. Musicians who play here also has an attitude that reflects Tago's character of a place--they are relaxed, silent and highly skilled artists who makes their instruments speaks louder than words. This is basically, my ideal place of a bar, where quality music and performance is fully expressed with no pretensions. If you're a Jazz enthusiast, I highly recommend you visit Tago. You probably might or might not heard about it yet because either a friend of you who went there posted a photo of it on social media, or not, because of its practically, non-promoting attitude. It doesn't want a bunch of costumers, but rather, a bunch of music lovers who appreciates jazz music and everything that goes with it--the perfect place for people who listen to music for inspiration and good conversations.

It might seem like nothing but an old shanty on the outside... Actually it really is just an old shanty, even on the inside. But this little shack near the corner of Main Ave. and EDSA is one of the most popular musical hangouts in the city. It doesn't even have a sign on the front, and if you didn't know where to look, you'd probably just pass right by it. Hidden in plain sight, hence TAGO. :) Sure, you can get food and beer here, but you really come for the music and the company. This jazz café serves as a watering hole for musicians and artists, and friends of musicians and artists. On a great night, the musicians in the crowd will feel creative and suddenly improvise a performance. I visited TAGO during International Jazz Day and I had a great time! The live jazz music made me want to dance, even though it was incredibly hot and humid. Their menu is quite witty. A standout on the menu (from the name and description alone) was the dish called "I Found Nemo!" It's kilawin. They murdered Nemo and turned him into kilawin. And to make you feel guiltier, it tastes so good. You'll have a hard time finding it during the day, but if you'd like to find it at night, jazz follow the music. :D (Pun intended!)

True to its name, Tago Jazz Cafe is one of those places where you'll need to get specific directions because it is so obscure that it's easy to miss. To get here you need to go on EDSA and make a right at a gas station near Santolan and count a few blocks before you see a small house that has a few colorful lights found on the corner. It is home to Nelson Gonzales who is a jazz drummer for a few jazz bands. He also happens to be the one responsible for the food. You may find him entering the kitchen in between sets. You may or may not be amused by his creative menu. But there is no doubt that Tago is a great place to listen to fine jazz music after office hours or a place to chill on weekend nights. Those who enter this place are truly jazz lovers. They have good lineups every night and the place was designed for you to really appreciate the acoustics. It has a few tables inside where the stage is and a few tables outside for the smoking area. The only problem you may have is parking but other than that you can expect to have a good night with some of the best indie jazz musicians in the music scene.