A trio in the corner, 8 till 11, no ticket, no cover
Jazz Thursdays
Every Thursday a trio plays in the corner from eight until eleven: piano, bass and whoever is in town on the third instrument. No ticket, no cover charge, no talking over them, and the best night of the week to book a table.
The piano was already here when we took the lease, which decided it. Thursdays have had a trio since the week we opened, and the rule is the same as it was then: if you want to talk, come on a Wednesday.
The core is Rhodri on piano and Mari on double bass, who have played here most Thursdays for eight years, with a rotating third: trumpet, tenor sax, guitar, occasionally a singer, often someone passing through Cardiff on a tour. Three sets, eight to eleven, standards and the odd original, at a volume you can feel and not shout over. The list of who is playing is on the events page a month ahead.
There is no cover charge and never has been; the band is paid by the bar, not by a ticket, and the drinks are the same price as any other night. It is our busiest night and the forty seats go a fortnight ahead; we keep six stools at the bar for walk-ins and a bench by the door for the wait. Phones away during the sets, please, and no filming the band without asking them.
What to expect
- Every Thursday, 8 to 11, three sets
- No ticket, no cover charge
- Piano and bass residents, rotating third
- Line-up on the events page a month ahead
- Six bar stools kept for walk-ins
- Phones away during the sets
Prices and booking
No cover charge. Tables for Thursdays book out a fortnight ahead; walk-ins wait at the door. The drinks are the usual prices. Prices include VAT and nothing is added for service. The full list with every ingredient is on the menu; what is on this week is on the events page.
Questions about jazz
Can I book a table for jazz night?
Yes, and you need to: Thursdays go about two weeks ahead. Tables are held for fifteen minutes past the booking time and then released to the door. Six stools at the bar are never bookable and go to whoever is waiting.
Book a table, or take the back room.
Forty seats, so Thursdays to Saturdays need a booking. The back room seats sixteen with no hire fee against a minimum spend; the whole bar is yours on a Monday. Eighteen and over after 5pm.