Blues Alley

Great atmosphere..it was our first time in Washington DC and we were fortunate that there was a jazz event hosted by the Argentinian Embassy.. the food was good, I tried shrimp and grits and they had a good selection of wine especially that night. My colleague had the beef medallions which were amazing and another had jambalaya. The servers were knowledgeable and friendly. The music that night was amazing! Highly recommended

For jazz music, it is hard to beat the sound quality. We've seen Joey Alexander at Blues Alley three times and it's always amazing. No matter who you see, for sound the only advice I give is not to sit close to the drummer. By nature, the drums will drown out. Get there early as seating is MOSTLY first come first serve but I get the sense they do reserve some tables. This last time, we (2 of us) were in early and sat at the same 2nd row table we sat at before. Shortly after, we were told to move because the table was for 4 people. The front two seats at that table were against a support column where no one would really want to sit. They suggested we move to along side wall which was already shoulder to shoulder. A lone gentleman was nice enough to slide so my wife and I could sit on the end at the back side of the stage. On one hand, 3 feet from Mr. Alexander playing is unique, but piano blocked view of the drummer and partially blocked view of the bass. We'll return for our preferred artists in the future. The sound and clientele are worth it. The overall feel of the club is more tight than "intimate" but it is the epitome of a jazz club.

50% student discount is incredible, really makes jazz accessible! I ordered the crab cakes, they were good but not great, would go for something else next time. The waitress was extremely attentive which I really appreciate! The only down sides to such a small venue is that the music is LOUD, would recommend bringing ear plugs for noise sensitive folks!

Had to do a drive by of this amazing landmark after it's recognition of 60 yrs for hosting amazing music and more in the DMV area. Did a quick tour of Georgetown to include Duke Ellington School of the Arts (my old HS), as a lot of my peers have performed at Blues Alley. I will be getting tickets for an upcoming performance!

It's a great little spot that's hosted some of the best jazz talent in American history over the last 60 years. The music was excellent, young band with a lot of talent that put on a really good show. It's absolutely worth the visit. Now on the details...We didn't have the food so I couldn't tell you, the drinks were not particularly good and we were only able to order one each throughout the show (9:30-11) before we were given our check and told pay at 10:25. The crowd for this show was small, so I thought the staff could have afforded to be a little more friendly with the customers.