The best jazz bars and clubs in Sydney

Featuring live music six to seven nights a week and across two floors, Lazybones Lounge in Marrickville venue hosts all genres of music. While it’s not all jazz, there are jazz and jazz-style musicians and bands that make regular appearances. The rooms have a plush, quirky feel to them, the vibe is welcoming and there’s an eclectic grown-up vibe. They're open late – from 7pm until midnight Monday through Thursday, and until 3am on Friday and Saturday. 

Low 302 is a late-night drinking den is a reliably kooky place to wind up at the end of a night, and their live music schedule is appropriately off-beat – in the very best way. Swing by on the first Wednesday of the month – entry is free to their Low Jazz Sessions. The night opens with a set from the band before the stage is handed over to musicians, so bring your instrument, your voice or just your ears and settle in for a night of improvisation, collaborations and classic jazz vibes.

Jazz isn’t the only musical style on the menu at Camelot Lounge in Marrickville, but it's worth keeping an eye on what's on at this venue with its funky décor and friendly vibe. Expect everything from world music and Motown to jazz and cabaret shows are the go at this low-lit retro bar. They also have events from life drawing to funk-themed dance parties most nights of the week, with jazz shows popping up frequently on the delightfully diverse program. 

Wednesday jazz night at the Cricketers Arms Hotel, or the Crix, is something of a rite of passage for the people of Sydney’s Inner East, and for good reason. The classic Aussie pub in a quiet corner of Surry Hills is delightfully lowkey and surprisingly sexy – exactly like a good jazz club should be. Entry is free, the wine list is strong, the craft beer on tap is cold and upstairs there’s a bistro serving expertly executed French fare. The live jazz seassions kick off at 7.30pm  every Wednesday, so get ready for swinging jams and special guests join in most nights.

Swing by Botany View Hotel, a perfectly old-school Newtown pub on a Sunday and you’ll be met with a dreamy show from seven-person jazz band Geoff Bull and the Finer Cuts. The weekly performance runs from 4pm until 7pm on Sundays through winter, and from 5pm until 8pm during the summer months.

As the only remaining theatre pub in Australia, The Old Fitz has earned its place as one of the city’s leading one-stop-shops for a beer-fuelled culture fix. If you visit on a Sunday afternoon, you can forgo the downstairs matinee for a jazz show – with live jazz every Sunday from 2pm. And during winter, they have a Sunday roast on offer from mid-day. So, settle in for a perfect afternoon.