The Blue Note Jazz Club opened on September 30, 1981, when founder Danny Bensusan launched the Greenwich Village venue with a debut performance by the Nat Adderley Quintet. Bensusan’s vision was straightforward but bold: bring world-class jazz acts into a comfortable, intimate room with great food and let the music do the rest. Located at 131 West 3rd Street in Manhattan’s historic Greenwich Village, the club quickly became a magnet for jazz royalty who had largely stepped away from small-club settings.
In the years that followed, the Blue Note welcomed Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Lionel Hampton, Ray Brown, and Tito Puente to its intimate stage — a room that seats around 200 guests. Unannounced appearances by Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, and Quincy Jones became part of the venue’s lore. Today the Blue Note is regarded as one of the most prominent jazz venue operators in the world, with clubs across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, while the original Greenwich Village room remains its flagship.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: 131 W. 3rd St., Greenwich Village, New York City
- Type: Jazz club and restaurant
- Opened: September 30, 1981
- Founder: Danny Bensusan
- Capacity: About 200 (seated)
- Famous for: Intimate performances by jazz legends since 1981
- Consumption Minimum: $20 per person per set
An Intimate Evening at the Blue Note
Settling into the Blue Note means sitting in a compact, column-free room where every seat feels close to the stage. The venue operates as a full-service restaurant throughout performances, offering upscale American Continental cuisine alongside a $20 consumption minimum per show. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the 8 p.m. set and at 10 p.m. for the late 10:30 p.m. show, with seating assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Smart casual dress is recommended, though no formal dress code is enforced.
Artists frequently perform multi-night residencies of three to six nights rather than single-night stands, giving them space to explore different projects and collaborators across sets. That structure, combined with the club’s intimate scale, makes spontaneous improvisation and surprise guests feel like a natural part of the evening — exactly the spirit of jazz that Bensusan set out to preserve when he opened the doors in 1981.
From One Room to a Global Jazz Institution
What began as a single room in Greenwich Village grew into the Blue Note Entertainment Group, which now operates clubs and restaurants in cities including Tokyo (opened 1988), Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Milan, and Los Angeles. The group launched the Blue Note Jazz Festival in 2011, bringing its ethos — world-class talent in intimate settings — to outdoor stages across New York City each June. Half Note Records, founded in 2001, documents and releases live recordings made at the club, preserving performances for listeners beyond the 200-seat room.
Through all of its expansions, the original West 3rd Street club has remained the heart of the operation. On any given night the room still draws the same mix of established masters and emerging voices that made its reputation — and the same possibility that someone remarkable might walk onstage unannounced.
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Blue Note Jazz Club FAQs
Where is the Blue Note Jazz Club located?
The Blue Note Jazz Club is at 131 West 3rd Street in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City. The nearest subway access is the West 4th Street–Washington Square station (A, C, E, B, D, F, and M lines).
Is there a food or drink minimum at the Blue Note?
Yes. There is a $20 consumption minimum per person per set. The club serves as a full restaurant during performances, offering upscale American Continental cuisine alongside cocktails, wine, and non-alcoholic options.
Do I need a reservation to attend a show at the Blue Note?
Reservations are not required, but advance tickets are strongly recommended for popular acts. Tickets can be purchased online at bluenotejazz.com, by phone, or at the box office. Seating is first-come, first-served and the room fills quickly. All sales are final.
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Photo: Hantsheroes / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.