Wally's Cafe Jazz Club

The drinks here are nothing fancy, but the atmosphere and the vibes more than make up for it. The bartender was attentive and we enjoyed our drinks. One thing to note though is the musicians performing here are mostly students. They are good, but the overall experience is different from attending a paid performance. It feels more like experiencing a jam session. It seems to be one of the few live jazz clubs left in Boston and they are supportive of cultivating local students. We hope Wally’s continues to flourish!

Intimate and authentic jazz bar in Boston close to the mirror pool. Great jazz gigs. Space can be tight though and can be a wait to get in. Service can be a bit slow but great overall

Good music but extremely rude staff. We ordered some juices and a beer and asked for a glass of tap water. The guy at the bar said he serves only beer adding “what you don’t understand about it?” So we asked for water but he said he can sell only bottles of water and that tap water is just to clean. So we got only a beer at 00:20. At 00:30 they kicked us all out in a very rude way even if Google maps said it closed at 1am and they had a poster outside of their door saying on Fridays they close at 1:30 (pic attached). Other recent reviews say the staff is super rude and the bar responded they’ll take actions. Well, it looks like they didn’t.

What an experience! I love jazz and let me tell you, I got the chills when i stepped inside. Lowkey, it’s the perfect date spot if your date is a yapper because the music is so loud so you have an excuse to just coexist :)

Loved the music here! Great spot to listen to some local jazz music; a lot of the students at the Berkeley school of music play here. Drinks are tasty, but the seating is almost nonexistent. I would definitely consider arriving an hour early if you wanted to see a certain performance / time. The guy at the door was pretty weird; he checked my ID 3 different times and kept getting mad at me when I went to go inside. No cover so I can't complain

The music was amazing. These students are truly gifted. Equally talented is Kendra, the bar tender. She is equal parts mad scientist and artist when it comes to creating cocktails. You will not be disappointed.

The place is good, however the bartender was rude. Once I finished my drink he asked me to leave because other people might come soon. I don’t think it’s an appropriate behavior for bartender. Also ginger ale there is 2 times more pricey than any bars in this area. I don’t recommend this place!

Awesome club with local jazz musicians and surprisingly good cocktails! The vibes here are immaculate.

Amazing jazz sounds of young talented musicians from the local area. We loved the chill vibe and unassuming atmosphere, but had no idea that arriving right before 10pm was late and would be met with a standing room only crowd. By 10:15/10:30pm, a first wave of patrons started leaving and we were able to snag two seats and stayed for about an hour more. We're visiting from out of town and will be back again when we visit. We also loved the history of the place. Wally was a Caribbean immigrant from Barbados who purchased his place in the 1940s and had the first integrated music venue in New England, all before the CRM. Quite a pioneer with a vision for possibilities. His family still owns the place. Nice!

Overall: I've never been to a jazz bar but this is THE SPOT. The line at 1030 was out the door and we had to go one in one out. You can kinda hear the music from outside but once you're in you're in a complete trance almost. The jazz just lulls you into a wonderland that reminds me of that scene from ratatouille when Remy ate the cheese and the colors started popping everywhere for him. That's the experience. The drinks are pretty good being a one man show. Wally's Drink is really sweet for those who don't like it too sweet but it's blended ice cold and a syrupy texture. Would recommend if you got the sweet tooth.

Doesn't look like much from the outside, but this quaint little Jazz club was a nice spot to go to on a Thursday night with a friend of mine. We enjoyed the music the band played and had some drinks to unwind. The bartender bartended and the bouncer bounced. Wally's was a cool spot and I'll definitely go again.

The moment I walked in, the guy asked me to provide an ID and I did with my national Singapore ID card but he refused to take it claiming it is not a valid ID. I tried to give my photo copy of the passport as I have it but he refused to take it. I see he is very racist as he even yelled me to step out the store immediately in a heavy rain as he cannot tolerate me staying in his store in 1 second when I don't have a valid ID (even thought I had one official workng in my home country Singapore). I begged him to stay at least until my Uber comes but he opened a door and shouted me to step out immediately.

Reported to be the first Black-Owned jazz club in all of New England! Awesome music, drink strength will vary on bartender and time. Hours strongly vary. No food, but New York Pizza is next door. Packed beyond belief for good reason: it's a historic family owned club that Boston should support! Probably not wheelchair accessible. For the best experience, arrive a half hour before set time, secure a good bar or table seat well in advance, and tip your musicians! Some of the best jazz in New England.

Awesome place with live music and a great vibe. The bartender "K" is an amazing person and has given me faith in humanity again. If you meet her, tell her Thank you again from the girl in Arkansas who lost her purse. Tip her well. She deserves everything she gets!

Tiny jazz bar. It is a shotgun room with a bar with tall barstools down one wall and a bench along another. Cozied up to the bench are 5 small tables that four can squeeze into. The place was packed on a Friday night around 9. Newcomers shared tables with the existing customers or stood in the isles. A band of an alto and tenor sax with a drummer and electric piano. They jammed non stop with the sax players switching out and sometimes going duet.

This is from Wally's website today. Well, today I showed up at 7:05pm to locked doors. So much for 365 days a year, 3 bands a day.

The food was quite delicious!! I thought the lobster roll was going to be hot but it was still good. The amount of lobster in the roll was comparable with the price. The staff was nice,and the bathroom was clean. I would definitely recommend.

The music was pretty decent. It's local college kids studying music. The service was a bit annoying. I was only ever offered one drink and he demanded that I pay immediately instead of starting a tab. The drink itself was somewhat pricy for the quality. There was no food as far as I could tell. There was a guy that didn't have ID and the bartender was extremely rude to him. If you just want a quick drink with some music, it's okay. Myself, I made reservations elsewhere while I waited to be offered a second drink.

Wally's is almost literally a hole in the wall but it's perfect for what they do. There is street parking somewhere. I took an Uber there. They check your ID at the door so be ready and don't get offended. There is seating at the bar and self seating at the tables. There are about 5 tables so not a lot of places to sit and don't be surprised if some random folks sit down at your table. Jazz music started around 8:30. The band played for a couple of hours. It was a very laid back vibe. No idea if they have food but the drinks were solid and getting a drink was easy. Would I go back? I plan to every time I visit the bean (Boston).

Historic landmark and great music! You better order drinks if you're there, that's how everyone is getting paid and it keeps this joint open. Soda with lemon was my drink of choice and with the live jazz show it was worth my $7.

Great music and vibe! It's a cozy place to get engrossed in music. Highly recommend checking it out.

The bartender was extremely rude and unpleasant. One of our group's ID wouldn't scan (despite being identical to the others) and he responded by basically shouting us out of the bar.

Unclear hours and even though we called to confirm they are open that night, we showed up to locked doors.

Awesome place with great talent but I felt hounded for money I sat down and ordered my drink but was billed immediately after getting it not sure if they do tabs

Great atmosphere and music! No cover so ordering drinks in expected which we were glad to do!

It's funny looking back how I came to find this hidden gem simply from talking to someone on a train, but has now become a bar I recommend to anyone that loves the ambiance of live music! This place definitely should be one of the top things someone visits while in Boston because there's nothing quite like it. It's the cozy feeling of sitting down at a table in a small cramped bar with the locals talking to one another as you all simultaneously experience various styles of music together. It's absolutely beautiful and surreal. They have live music present every day and it's a nice bonus that they love having student musicians perform there! The lady working the counter was very friendly and made an amazing Wally's Paradise drink. For anyone into sweet blended drinks, I'd highly recommend!

How unfortunate. I have waited many years to stop by this location and sample, what I have heard, was a great venue. How disappointed I was when trying to enter the establishment this past Saturday late afternoon (5:45, everywhere stated the opening time for your club is 5 PM) I was systematically talked down-to by a very rude and mean man at the door accusing me of trying to break his door. This is how you treat a potential customer? A couple coming in to experience this famous venue....no thanks. I will stick to the great clubs like the Blue Note in NYC. you sir, should be ashamed of yourself...you disrespected me, but mostly, you disrespected your establishment.

Great music and drinks. Came on a Monday night (during a nor'easter) and they had live music (blues & funk) and a packed crowd. A true testament to how cool of an environment this truly is.

It is the real deal jazz point in Boston. I dare to say in Massachusetts! Always great people playing AWESOME music, the ambient is cozy and personable, and the service always comes with a smile! I can't recommend this place enough! It's a crown jewel!

Wally's does not disappoint. Went last night with friends visiting from Baltimore. We try to go every time they come to Boston. Love the ambiance. It looks like they renovated since I was there in a while. Looks great.

The male bartender had a horrible attitude. When we were able to get seats at the bar the first thing he said was that since there's no cover there's a 1-item minimum per customer. Okay, no problem since we're here to listen to some jazz and have a couple drinks. I asked for a tequila sunrise with Don Julio. He instantly grabs a bottle of Casamigos and makes the drink. I don't know if it was because he had to make my drink over but it was all down hill from there. There were 4 of us in the party and he made everyone a drink. My drink was trash and I drink tequila sunrises. When most of us finished what we thought would be the first round, we were asked if we wanted something else. The response was not at the moment. I was thinking about my next cocktail since he obviously couldn't make a tequila sunrise. He says well these seats are for folks who are drinking. There were no people around us waiting for seats and 1 person in my party had not even finished his drink. We decided to leave as it was clear our presence was unwanted.

This reminded me of The Green Mill here in Chicago! Very loud, but talented AF musicians, and one couldn't tell they were not 'professionals' but hey what do I know? And it's free, whereas most jazz bars have a cover. I guess security does not become too much of an issue here. We came Saturday at 10pm or so, and within 15 min some ladies offered us a seat. It gets CRAZY crowded in there, but seats came and went; I hope someone is watching the capacity and fire codes. The drinks were good, not too overpriced. We did have a rather over-friendly/talkative guy sit near us. He wasn't crude but spoke with an accent and asked us questions while we wanted to hear the music. He offered me a drink, probably just because he was sitting near us, but I refused. He left at some point but that was a little off-putting. At the paid bars, sometimes strangers sit together but respect the space and musicians. I'd go next time I was there, maybe with more of a group.

The waitress/bartender is wonderful! She is kind, polite and pays attention to all of her customers! The atmosphere is great and the music was very good! It's pretty loud when they perform but it is a small place.

Great vibe with lots of Berkeley students coming by to play jam sessions during the early hours. Friendly crowd!

Still a solid 1 star place because they do not open up on time. The neighboring area is not very hospitable. Lots of crime. Consistently disappointed.

Boston needs more places for live music like Wally's! The service is straightforward and strict on ID's, but under 21 is allowed until 9pm! Wally's is always a good time and a must visit for any jazz lovers!!!

We came into Wally's on a Friday night around 8pm...so glad that we got this recommendation from a nearby restaurant owner! The place is super small and was jammed, but the three of us got the last remaining open seats at the bar. The small group jamming in the back was good, but--as you would expect--the place was pretty loud. The bar is pretty normal, with a few specialty cocktails offered. Overall, fun place that I'd go to more often if I lived in Boston.

Just tried to walk in at 5:02, they are "open" at 5. I understand needing a little time to set up, but they let another person in before me and shut the door hurriedly on me like I was a stray dog trying to walk in. I thought okay, maybe they just aren't holding the door open, and then the guy who looked like a manager or something waved his finger at me like "no no" and I just walked away. Won't ever go back.

Jazz. Friendly. Make you feel like you belong. Gent next to me, humbly, noted he could say peace is seven languages. Perfect. Nuff said. Have to put some characters so Yelp will post. Peace peace peace

Jamming little bar to listen to jazz & have a cocktail or beer. It's small, so go early to listen to a few sets. The bands are usually local students. They get some better known artists once in a while. But this place has history. Many-a famous artists have come through here. And the crowd is real. This place has some grit (the five stars aren't because it's a modern place). Try it out for a nice cultural experience.

This place is cramped and smells awfully like armpits. There's very little circulation here so it gets stuffy. The bartenders and staff are constantly demanding that you buy drinks that are more expensive than most places. The musicians here aren't terrible, but they're definitely local amateurs. I could stand all of these negatives, if it was to see some really great talent... No thanks

Amazing Jazz live music and drinks in a cozy atmosphere! Great place to make new friends.

Wallys pub recently appeared as a perfectly nice post Saint Patrick's day trip for my friends and I. Turned into one of my four friends being sexually harassed and abused by the managers at Wally's Pub. This was 100% not okay. I called Wallys to report the issue and I was hung up on and not taken seriously. This is a scary incident that should not hate happen abs should not happen gain. I'm highly disappointed in Walley's and will not be supporting in the future.

Great dive bar with live music every night. When we popped in on a random Thursday around midnight a bunch of crack whip Berkelee College musicians were kicking out Latin funk jams to a pretty decent crowd. Bartender was a bit slow grabbing me a simple scotch on the rocks and he REALLY looked like he didn't want to be there. But otherwise will definitely be returning.

Might be my favorite bar in Boston . The music and atmosphere of this place always blows me Away. I feel completely transported and there no where else you need to be when the band is on at Wally's.

Whole the wall jazz club. Just what the doctor ordered. Cramps, loud, awesome. Bringing cash makes life easier.

1. the best jazz in the city 2. drinks are not overpriced for the zip code that is high-end real estate area and trust me some places in that area are charging 3 dollars more per drink 3. the only folks that are complaining are folks who want to enjoy good music for nothing most artist there are working there azz off buying a few drinks to keep it going is the least you can do. trust me if you go downtown to hear those artist play you spend $40 per ticket, drinks 25 per glass making it a 90 to 100 per person night. at wally's you are paying half that at Wally's cafe. 4. this place is a landmark google them 5. yes it is tight and small so do not go there wearing a ton of clothes in the middle of august. 6. now the parking sucks take uber there is not much parking during the school year it is a college area 7. the staff is friendly unless you are an a#shole if you have been told you are an asshole please stay at home this is a fun place for fun folks 8. this bar is small but it is not a dive bar so please go there fresh and clean. 9. this is not the come late place if there is a really good show happening seats are going to go fast again it is small 10. I am Boston native, I hate bad reviews on places that have given so many folks a good night over the decades.

Customer service is horrible... Couldnt believe it... When I came they treated me like I wasn't even there even though I told them I was willing to pay. I ended up dropping five dollars to use the restroom before amd left. Wouldn't recommend this place to anyone

WORST SERVICE ever. Most unfriendly welcome when entering the bar. Been pushed to order drinks right away. Bartender THREATENED TO CALL POLICE on our friend when she didn't order a drink immediately after entering the bar (others of our group were already sitting with drinks at a table when she joined us). Bartender ended up calling the police who escorted us out of the bar. Thanks for a great evening! Detailed story for those who are interested: When entering Walle's yesterday evening with my friend - our first time there - the bar tender immediately yelled at us and gesticulated in a rude way. It was hard to understand because the music was loud but we eventually understood we were supposed to show our ID's. We ordered drinks at the bar right away. Throughout this encounter the bartender yelled at us in a very impolite and disrespectful way. We finally sat down at a table with our drinks waiting for a third friend to arrive. When our friend entered the bar she was faced the same unfriendly welcome by the bartender. He screamed at her to show a credit card in addition to the work permit since she didn't have her state ID with her. After she did what he requested she sat down at our table for a bit to greet us. The bartender immediately started to gesticulate and yell from beyond the counter pointing at our friend. When she went to find out what it was about he requested for her to buy a drink otherwise she would have to leave the bar. She told him she would get a drink in a bit. However, he insisted for her to get a drink immediately and threatened to call the police. Under these circumstances my friend didn't feel comfortable to comply with his rude request accompanied by threats. She came back to sit with us at the table. Whereupon the bartender demonstratively called someone on the phone and while talking pointing at us and the phone alternating and giving us the evil eye. Making all three of us feel very uncomfortable. Eventually the police came. Seemingly surprised once they understood the situation the police men were very nice and respectful explaining to us that since they were called to a private establishment to remove us they would have no other option than ask us to leave. We then left the bar. To clarify, the jazz music was loud, which makes yelling for communication unavoidable. However, the bartenders yelling was accompanied by angry facial expressions and gesticulations throughout. No friendly or welcoming smile.

The best place in Boston by far. Finally a place that has some semblance of culture! Great vibes, casual space, we went on a weekday night so were able to get a table. People say the drinks are expensive, but you're also paying for your cover with your drinks so I think $12 ish for a cocktail is extremely reasonable. We will be back for many nights to come. Although funk night starts around 9:30 officially, it's best to arrive around 10:15 on a weeknight for them to actually start playing.

A longstanding, invaluable treasure. Well worth waiting for, however long it takes to safely reopen.

Came on a Saturday night around 7pm. Arrived just in time to grab a couple of the last remaining open seats. There was a small group jamming with a bass, flute, guitar and percussion. The bar itself is very unassuming - somewhat divey. It is quite tight so you will be elbow to elbow with other patrons, but that also means you're close to the musicians, which is hopefully what you came for. The drinks are reasonably priced and there is a full bar with decent selection of bottled beers. Can't wait to come back for more.

I was visiting from out of town and wanted an authentic local live music experience and Wally's did not disappoint! Yes, the venue is tiny, but I think that adds to the intimacy of the experience. The bouncers were friendly, the bartender was attentive and efficient. If you live in a major city you won't bat an eye at the drink prices; $12 for a mixed drink is not outrageous. The bartender went above and beyond by showing me a spot up at the front where I unobtrusively had a great view of the action. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town.

So much fun! Great musicians and drinks! Nice atmosphere for a good conversation and drinks. Small but perfect for a jazz club!

Music was great, but the establishment? Gross. They overcharge like crazy. For example, $12 for a small glass of wine poured from a bottle that costs at most $5. Slow service on top of that. It was really disgusting. Don't waste your time here.

Small neighborhood jazz little bar that I would recommend tons and visit when I can. I had a phenomenal evening here once when they use to have their salsa band. A well-known salsa singer from Cuba passed away that same night and all they were playing were his music. Me, being Cuban was touched by it and would never forget; those guys were truly amazing!!! the music is always phenomenal, the atmosphere is great. Highly recommend them for a relaxed evening, while grabbing a couple of great cocktails, all while listening to fantastic music. Give them a try!!!!

No food. Wide variety of drinks. Amazing music!!! They will ID everyone as they come in + you can bring your own food. Yes, the drinks are expensive but they gotta live somehow - there's no cover charge. Diet coke + blue moon were $9. 9:30 is when the actual act starts, but I quite enjoyed the jam session they had before. People with instruments can also join in. They seemed like students and were amazing.