Kitchener's Carvery Bar sits in a 1906 building on Juta Street in Braamfontein, one of Johannesburg's longest-running bars. It serves burgers and beer by day and turns over to DJs and dancing at night. The crowd is young and the room runs late on weekends.
The bar holds a corner of Juta Street in Braamfontein, in a building dating to 1906, as its Play Braamfontein listing notes. That history makes it a landmark on the strip.
The day and night split is the format. Burgers and beer carry the daytime, then DJs and dancing take the room after dark.
Music is the draw after dark. Recent Google Maps reviews single out the DJ nights and the lively floor.
The kitchen keeps prices sensible. Reviewers call the pizzas a highlight and the drinks reasonable rather than steep.
The crowd skews young and dressed up. Braamfontein's student and creative scene fills the room on event nights.
The old building gives the bar its character. The interior leans old-timey rather than polished, which suits the program.
It anchors a wider Braamfontein night. The surrounding blocks hold bars and venues within a short walk, so Kitchener's works as a hub.
Pricing sits at $$ for Johannesburg, an accessible night out. That keeps it a regular rather than a special-occasion stop.
The week builds toward the weekend. Quieter early-week service gives way to busy, music-led Friday and Saturday nights.
Hours run from late morning into the night across most of the week. A check of the listing before a visit catches event-night timings.
The atmosphere is the headline over the bar list. Reviewers return for the music and the room rather than a craft-drinks program.
The venue sits inside a wider Braamfontein scene. Play Braamfontein groups it with neighbours on the strip, so a night can move between rooms on foot.
Weekends are the headline. Friday and Saturday DJ nights draw the busiest, most dressed-up crowd of the week.
Daytime is the calmer face. Burgers, pizza, and beer make it a relaxed lunch or afternoon stop before the night program.
The 1906 building is part of the appeal. Its worn, old-timey interior gives the bar a character newer rooms cannot copy.
It draws a young, creative crowd. Braamfontein's students and artists fill the floor, which sets the energy on event nights.
First-timers should come for a music night. The room is at its best with a DJ and a full floor rather than on a quiet afternoon.
Kitchener's belongs on an honest list of the best live music bars in Johannesburg for DJs, dancing, and a historic room. Our Johannesburg bar guide covers the rest of the city, and the live music guide ranks rooms worldwide.
Best for DJ nights, dancing, and a young Braamfontein crowd. Skip it for a quiet drink or a refined sit-down.
Getting there is straightforward in Braamfontein. The Juta Street strip sits within the inner-city precinct, close to its neighbours on foot.
It compares with the city's other music bars on history and crowd. Few rooms match its age or its hold on the Braamfontein scene.
The bar suits a night that moves. Its place on the strip makes it one stop among several within a short walk.
Earlier hours show the relaxed version. Daytime food and beer give it a second, calmer identity before the DJs arrive.
The room rewards a dressed-up night. The weekend crowd leans into the occasion, which lifts the floor's energy.
What to order
- 01
Draught beer
The house default
$ - 02
Burger
Daytime staple
$$ - 03
Pizza
A reviewer favourite
$$ - 04
Spirit and mixer
For the dance floor
$$
