Banjo Jim's

02/17/09

Awful bartender.

by tinypolar

I don't think I've ever had a worse bartender.

He was slow, hideously rude, ungrateful, unpleasant....a real downer in an otherwise lovely time. Saw 2 full-on fights with patrons...one ending with the patron (an older Irish woman) in tears!

I hope he reads this and changes careers to something he enjoys and is good at...because it isn't bartending.

• Pros: cozy, nice patrons
• Cons: bartender

03/10/08

A Rare Find...

by bretsky

For me, this was a treat. I don't know of any other bars in the city that have live country & bluegrass music on a regular basis. Granted, I'm just getting acquainted with these genres, but I do know what good music is, and Banjo Jim's has it. On the particular night I went, the crowd was eclectic, mellow, and very appreciative of the performers. The layout of the space is not great. There are tall tables with stools a few feet in front of the stage. Anyone sitting on the couches in the back will most likely having trouble seeing the bands, because of anyone standing in front of them and because of the people at the tall tables. The main flow of traffic from the entrance goes right in front of the stage, so when people walk in, even the people at the tall tables will have an obstructed view. It's small, so if one group gets a decent number of friends/family/fans in there, it's gonna be a tight squeeze. BUT, everyone was very cool about bumping bodies. Despite these inconveniences and minor discomforts, the fact remains that this is a venue I'd highly recommend for incredible music and quality performances. [Side note: I was blown away by Ebony Hillbillies. If they're performing there, check them out, or track them down elsewhere.] Almost forgot...there's generally no cover, so a bucket gets passed around for tips. Don't be cheap. Every dollar I dropped in was well-deserved.

• Pros: Consistently incredible music; cool decor; no cover (generally)
• Cons: Tight squeeze; poor layout

06/17/07

Great Live Bluegrass/Country Bands, Very Small Place

by rebel1978

Banjo Jim's is a VERY small bar (only open at night) for nightly country/bluegrass bands. They normally do not charge a cover charge unless they are having a charity benefit show. Yes, they DO have PBR for only $3. The bands that perform there tend to be very talented. They do have a jukebox, however it's pretty much useless since there's always a band performing. The bartender working there on the particular night we went did not seem to like her job very much though and probably couldn't have smiled if you paid her to. Also, you needed to practically wave your hand just to get her attention. I was only there once, so I don't know if she's a regular or not. If they hired a more friendly bartender, then that would've definitely livened up the mood in this place. LIke I mentioned, the place is small so try and get there early if you're planning on seeing a peformance. The bar stools aren't that comfortable and the place does give you a cramped feeling. However, I do recommend this place overall and would definitely go back if I know of a good band performing there on a particular night. Most of the patrons are fans of the particular band performing. You can see who's playing and their complete schedule on their website.

• Pros: Great Country Music and Bluegrass Bands, friendly patrons, no cover charge, cheap PBR
• Cons: Bartender didn't appear to like her job, bar is too small, a little claustrophobic