Black Cat

Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get -- only with what you are expecting to give -- which is everything -- Katharine Hepburn This review was for V-Day 2023. I just realized I never posted this. A set course menu with jazz. The food was actually better than expected, the jazz solid. Only downside was a partially blocked view even though I had reserved a better seat. Still, a lovely evening. Service was on point. Area is problematic at times so be careful.

Black Cat is a refuge tucked into the basement of San Francisco's Tenderloin. The dim lighting sets the stage for smooth, heavy hitting jazz that fills the air like a conversation between strangers. The food and drinks are crafted with care, simple yet refined. Jason and his team make you feel like you're part of the scene, not just a visitor. It's the kind of place where time slows down, and you can truly settle in. Make a reservation and let the night unfold.

Dimly lit intellectual vibe, with a variety of live jazz performers scattered throughout the week. There's a bar upstairs, but downstairs is where the action is. You can book your seat ahead of time. For dinner I highly recommend the bbq chicken, grits and greens. Many great cocktails. Great date night

Great place to have a 3rd date... I think dinner and jazz is always fun. I suggest grabbing an early dinner then heading over to the black cat for a fun night. They do serve food here, but I only had the burger. It was a good burger! Service is great. Very attentive.

We really enjoyed the Black Cat in San Francisco as it was recommended to us after we booked an evening out with friends. The dinner and music is experienced in the lower level and there was not much going on at the street level when we were there. The dinner they offered was good, better than expected! There were several options to choose from and our entire party was pleased. The jazz was great...the musicians were very talented and they bring in jazz bands from all over (not just local). There was a choice of events the night we went so you have options there too. The only drawback was it is located in a not so great area of the city's Tenderloin so recommend taking a cab, Uber, Lift, etc to drop you off. This is not their fault though, just wanted to share that. Overall, recommend you go to see it and enjoy the ambiance, it's probably one of the best in the city!!

Great place for a date night. I've been to it about three times now within the past 3 years, and every time has been a superb experience, especially the food. I'm not used to having exceptional food at a jazz club, but the set dinners there really are competitive with some of the best restaurants in SF. It doesn't even make sense how good the food is, so my compliments to the chef.The jazz guests have all been great performers every time I've gone, though I would recommend against sitting at the very front since it can get a bit too loud and you won't be able to talk among your table otherwise. It's a bit expensive, but pretty much everywhere in SF is. My only real complaint is that I'd park in a garage instead on the street, since the area around Black Cat just looks super sketch.

I've been here exactly 5 times and this review is overdue. Keeping it short and sweet:Had a great time at Black Cart Jazz Bar! From date night to girls night out! Great place to be. The stairs to the lower level led to a spacious bar and dining area with strong drinks. Seating close to the stage provided an immersive experience, and the staff was attentive, ensuring excellent service throughout the night. Sat for the dinner and show and was pleasantly surprised at the execution of each dish!! Well done Kitty! Will definitely be back for more live jazz. This place is a gem in the literal- rough SF streets

Just Go It was a great show, the food was SO AMAZING. The drinks were good, the service even better. The space is very intimate and romantic. Only negatives is I'd def take a lyft next time, the area is SO SKETCHY outside. I was worried about the car the entire time, and it's also not an area I'd just be walking a couple blocks in either. Also the 20% service fee that apparently is also not a tip (I should have taken a picture of the verbiage on the menu) on top of a living wage %9 while then tipping %20 because our server was so attentive and good we felt bad and didn't want to not tip her, even though we were already paying around 30% more than our bill... thaaaat got confusing. So that original $200 bill quickly became $400. I just wasn't expecting to pay that for dinner,, but honestly everything was so great, I'd do it again and just be more mentally prepared next time for those numbers lol.

I had a really good time seeing a show at the black cat, and I went in knowing that I was going to upcharged to all hell from all the reviews that I saw. Still it didn't feel super good when I left. Considering there's an additional 30% in service charges and city charges, I didn't really feel the service was good enough to warrant additional tip; I found the wait staff to be kind of dismissive and curt when we didn't order a lot of food, even though we were planning to order multiple $20 cocktails through the night. The cocktails that I heard a lot of good things about were also pretty mediocre, not very alcohol heavy and incredibly sugary. It is cute that they make a separate cocktail for the performing artist however. The music was fantastic, and the acoustics and the aesthetics of the venue were great too. The value proposition just isn't really there for me, and it's hard to believe that it's worth it especially since there are a lot of places in the city that don't charge this aggressively. Also the tax came out to more than 10% of our bill which means either they're charging tax on the bill with these 30% additional fees included or they're hiding fees in the tax part of the bill, both of which are kind of scummy. I would recommend this place not for food or drink or service, but definitely for the music if you're in a financial situation to throw down a couple hundred dollars without worrying about it at all

It's NOT a "supper club". It is a music venue with food and drink. Crowded seating at small tables. Cocktails were good. After that, all downhill. Food and food service was awful. I ordered a $20.00 caesar salad, burger, no bun, no cheese. Salad was sparse but okay. I got a burger on a bun with cheese! I sent it back. I then got a burger, no bun WITH cheese. I just didn't eat it. 22% tip added to all bills. Music was over-the-top loud -- Stern Grove concert volume in an 800 sq. ft venue Not something you can savor and enjoy. Just loud! They clear the place out after one music set so a whole new audience can attend the second set. Not a place I would go back to.