Live music ranking

The 25 best live music bars in the world

Jazz, blues, brass. The bars where the band is the reason to come and the drinks happen to be excellent too.

First published October 14, 2023 · Last updated April 30, 2026 · Reviewed by the barsforKings editorial team

  1. 01

    Nightjar

    London

    ★ 4.8

    Shoreditch · $$$ · ★ 4.8 · Order the Pre-Prohibition Flip

  2. 02

    Preservation Hall Bar

    New Orleans

    ★ 4.8

    French Quarter · $$$ · ★ 4.8 · Order the Pres Hall Pour

  3. 03

    Village Vanguard

    New York

    ★ 4.8

    West Village · $$$$ · ★ 4.8 · Order the House Single Malt

  4. 04

    9:30 Club Bar

    Washington DC

    ★ 4.7

    U Street · $$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the 9:30 Pour

  5. 05

    A-Trane

    Berlin

    ★ 4.7

    Charlottenburg · $$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the A-Trane Manhattan

  6. 06

    Alchemia

    Krakow

    ★ 4.7

    Kazimierz · $$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Alchemia Pint

  7. 07

    Andres Carne de Res

    Bogota

    ★ 4.7

    Chia · $$$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Andres Margarita

  8. 08

    Antone's Nightclub

    Austin

    ★ 4.7

    Downtown · $$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Antone's Manhattan

  9. 09

    Bar Misono

    Osaka

    ★ 4.7

    Chuo-ku · $$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Misono Old Fashioned

  10. 10

    Bar Music

    Tokyo

    ★ 4.7

    Shibuya · $$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Bar Music Old Fashioned

  11. 11

    Bebop Club

    Buenos Aires

    ★ 4.7

    San Telmo · $$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Bebop Old Fashioned

  12. 12

    Beneath Driver Lane

    Melbourne

    ★ 4.7

    CBD · $$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Driver Lane Manhattan

  13. 13

    Billboard Live Osaka

    Osaka

    ★ 4.7

    Chuo-ku · $$$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Billboard Manhattan

  14. 14

    Bip Bip

    Rio de Janeiro

    ★ 4.7

    Copacabana · $$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Bip Bip Caipirinha

  15. 15

    Bird's Basement

    Melbourne

    ★ 4.7

    CBD · $$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Bird's Manhattan

  16. 16

    Bla Jazz Club

    Oslo

    ★ 4.7

    Grunerlokka · $$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Bla Manhattan

  17. 17

    Blind Willie's

    Atlanta

    ★ 4.7

    Virginia-Highland · $$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Blind Willie's Pint

  18. 18

    Blue Note Jazz Club

    New York

    ★ 4.7

    Greenwich Village · $$$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Blue Note Old Fashioned

  19. 19

    Blue Note Milano

    Milan

    ★ 4.7

    Isola · $$$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Blue Note Manhattan

  20. 20

    Blue Note Taipei

    Taipei

    ★ 4.7

    Zhongshan · $$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Blue Note Manhattan

  21. 21

    Blue Note Tokyo

    Tokyo

    ★ 4.7

    Aoyama · $$$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Blue Note Old Fashioned

  22. 22

    Blues Alley

    Washington DC

    ★ 4.7

    Georgetown · $$$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Blues Alley Manhattan

  23. 23

    Broken Spoke

    Austin

    ★ 4.7

    South Lamar · $$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Broken Spoke Lone Star

  24. 24

    Buddy Guy's Legends

    Chicago

    ★ 4.7

    South Loop · $$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Legends Cocktail

  25. 25

    Cafe Central

    Madrid

    ★ 4.7

    Cortes · $$$ · ★ 4.7 · Order the Central Old Fashioned

Keep going

More rankings from barsforKings

All rankings

Think we missed one?

Submit a bar

Keep exploring

More of Rankings