Here is an image of my 'A reserve' $100 seat. I took the photo at eye level so that's the view I had from the night. I've been in contact with the venue but they haven't responded to my disappointment of my ticket that I sent 5 days ago. I literally couldn't see Charlie Hunter who Id come specifically to see. Nor could I see the keyboardist. That big thing obstructing my view was a covered piano. Occasionally I could see glimpses of the drummer's head and the singer as he walked to the other side of the stage. I was hoping I could get some response from the business as I certainly don't like to write public reviews but it appears like quality of service isn't much of a priority here. Thankfully I found a little spot where I could stand all night and watch the performance but that was half way though the night a beside the point. Charging people $100 for this view is deceptive and greedy. Do yourself a favour and watch youtube clips and save $100 bucks, the view and sound quality will be better too. You'll also actually get to see the artists! In response to the comments below: The photo is a true representation of my seat. You can see the man beside me is leaning right over to view the show. I didn't see anything about a reserve seating being partially obstructed and I wouldn't be paying $100 to watch on overhead screen. I know it's not cheap but come on! $100 for that seat is rubbish. There was a lady sitting beside me as well so thats the view we had.

My partner and I went to see The Grand Wazoo at Bird's Basement and left feeling very disappointed. We were not able to choose our seats and were appointed seats near the back bar, from which we had a side view of the stage. Unfortunately, our view was blocked by the less-than-animated horn section and accompanying music stands, so we ended up watching most of the performance on a poorly synced screen, which is not what we paid approx $130 for. The drinks were expensive and the dessert we ordered took a long time to be served. It's a shame because the venue has a beautiful atmosphere and no doubt we would have felt differently if we'd seen a smaller band and hadn't been forced to watch a screen all night. Best to choose what you see there wisely.

Usually great shows but very much on where your are seating ... just make sure not behind the piano ... You won't see the stage. Food and cocktails need to be better at the rate that they are charging.

Venue fine. Food fine. Staff great. But imagine inviting 4 of your friends out to all catch up for a night first time together after long lock downs, each person paying over $100 for show, drinks and food, but none of them can actually see the performers live from their seat? Yep, absolutely none of us effectively. Tickets booked online from a map, which appeared to show seats beside the stage and slightly behind the performers (B Reserve - to the right of stage). What the map didn't show was that in actual 3D, the stage was elevated and had a large grand piano (completely unused in the performance) on the edge beside us, almost completely blocking the view of the performers as well. I could only see the back of one performer's head. That was all. Others had less. Three of us seated could look at the performers on the big screen that we were sat under but as said elsewhere, there was a time delay on the screen (why?) and it was like watching SBS with subtitles. Two people were sat facing the other way, backs to the wall literally almost pressing on the screen and spent most of the night staring into nowhere, with numerous other people in the venue staring right at their faces beneath the screen to watch the show. Most uncomfortable for them. The advertisement says 'Every seat is magical at Bird's Basement'. Then the venue covers itself by saying 'Hear world class music at a better price' No mention of actually 'seeing.' Realistically, we came to see the show, not for the dinner or drinks, service etc. Could have had that elsewhere. First time ever posting a negative review about any place - and I do this in response to the reply received today from 'Customer Service'. The response in summary: 1. Sorry you were embarrassed that you booked it and none of your friends could see anything. 2. Agreed B Reserve viewing isn't good - especially when there is a piano blocking the view. 3. A shame you could watch only via the big screen and B Reserve isn't great for watching the screen either. 4. The website isn't coded to show the different layouts of the various performers. 5.Birds Basement could pay the website developers to update the coding so that they could add a custom floor plan image for every session. 6. BB could also pay their graphic design agency to update the floor plan image for every show. 7. The bands get most of the ticket revenue and only agree to play under those terms. If they were to increase ticket prices to pay for these increased costs, they would need to increase them by a lot as the bands would receive most of the increase, not BB. 8. BB wants to make better seats more accessible to those with a lower income. 9. BB wants to reward people that book their tickets further in advance. 10. Not every show sells out. 11. They want to make employment more secure for their casual hospitality employees. 12. They know that this email may not be the reply that we were wanting. 13. They want us to know that they are working hard to improve in all areas. Here's a hint: Just don't sell tickets to a table of people who will be unable to see anything live at all, at a supposedly 'Live Venue', just so all the other punters can save $5 or so. Just remove those tables or sell them with a disclaimer that nobody will be able to see anything. We all would have paid $5 or $10 more to actually be able to see the show that we thought we were going to see and what we had paid for. What is the management doing about this?

Went to the birds basement last night & it was fantastic, atmosphere was great the staff & service was top notch. Richard Clapton was brilliant. Great night out at a great venue.

Great place with amazing atmosphere. So many good artists performed there. We we're sitting left if the stage when "Cooking on 3 burners" with Stella Angelico performed and only thanks to expert video montage on the fly we were able to fully experience the show. Otherwise, we could only see the side of the stage and barely any musicians. Sound system was really good and I didn't feel we heard anything differently sitting on the side of the stage. Overall, very pleasant experience. Would definitely recommend to anyone.

My wife and I booked tickets, then, with only a day before the show, our daughter and her boyfriend were able to join us. I emailed to find out if we could be assured of sitting together, and got a detailed and very friendly explanation of how to ensure the bookings would be merged. We arrived separately, and it all worked smoothly. We enjoyed the show, and the food & bar service were very good. The dessert portions were particularly generous - perhaps a bit over-the-top.

Good venue to see some interesting artists in an intimate setting. To be honest, it would be better if the food and drink quality matched the (pretty high) prices. I love supporting live music venues by buying drinks and food, but I also think you can actually respect your supporters but providing quality to them for supporting you. But go check it out.. support live music!

I've been here a couple of times. Good music, but food takes a while to come, overpriced, and each time they have given us the wrong food and not delivered drinks we have paid for by QR codes on the table.. We had a designated driver in our group and we had to repeatedly ask for his soft drink. Food and drinks are ordered by QR codes..took 30 to 45 minutes to come and they argued with us to get his soft drink. Poor staff training.

Excellent venue with a carefully selected band list, one can't go wrong on any evening. The staff is very accommodating and helpful. We will be coming here again and again, highly recommended.

We saw Andrew DeSilva performing his Prince tribute show tonight; with sensational band, and it was nothing short of spectacular. He's such an amazing and underrated talent in this country. The guy can sing, dance, play guitar, bass, piano,etc., in addition to being hot 🔥! It's rare to find talented musicians who are actually still humble and relatable today like Andrew is. I hope to see him perform again soon. In terms of the venue, i was quite surprised that my partner and i were seated with another couple; and being next to the wall, i had minimal room to move. I'm claustrophobic so didn't love being squashed between the wall and the other couple, however, i do see value in such an arrangement for the venue. Our food also took a really long time to be served. Nevertheless, despite the negatives, my vegan burger was delicious (eventhough the beetroot i asked to be omitted was present 🤮) and drinks service was really good. Also, the couple we were seated with, were wonderful, thus, enhancing the experience. Overall, the Bird's Basement is a hot spot! It's such a funky place to hang out at. Oh and the staff were awesome. Great night guys! Thanks! We will definitely be back. 🌻

An underground bar with live jazz music. Wondering in street and looking for a place to kill a bit time before going back home. It’s in a small lane which off the Main Street. The staff was friendly, since I arrived only 30min before the performance finish, I got a 5dollars off and 5 dollars booking fee waived. Ordered a drink from the special cocktails menu, pretty yummy. Shall definitely return with a booking to have a full experience

If you want to experience live music in a venue that is reminiscent of the days when every big city had that one cool place to be, then this is the place for you! Add the great service, plentiful cocktail, wine and beer options, and a variety of tasty food and you have yourself an incredible evening. We have already booked in two more shows. Such a hidden gem in an incredible city. Five stars!!!

Love this venue - intimate - great food and fantastic live acts. If you have never been - you need to go!!

We were hanging out for some live music as all our previous bookings were wiped out by COVID lockdowns. Before I start I must clarify, my review score is based on the venue not the performance. We booked tickets for A Class seats which we found lacking. Unless you sit front on you cannot fully appreciate the performance. I could see the performer side on however my partners sight line was interrupted by the rear of the keyboard player. But there are live monitors I hear you say, yes but they were a few seconds out of synch with the performance which is a bit like watching a badly dubbed movie and its position was behind my partner. The food was far better than I'd expected and my partners Chicken Pita concoction and my steak were great. However it's the little touches that were missing like getting a table knife instead of a steak knife to cut the steak and needing to remind that the drink order was not honored. Just prior to the final song, the bill is dumped on your table which you need to settle immediately. You see, as there are two performances, they want you out pronto without lingering to sit the next punters down. Not great value at $236.00 for 2 - dinner and performance. To sum up, its an upmarket RSL Club that we won't be frequenting again.

I definitely will be back; the Music and atmosphere are more than perfect! The food was delicious, and the cocktails were phenomenal! The bartender is super professional and friendly! Bird's Basement is highly recommended!

Fantastic night of Music and entertainment. The band was great, Bustamento was playing that night. The food on the other hand is a bit average. Was almost bain marie food, where you knew he was cooked ages ago. Had the Barra, taste was ok but a let down over all. If you're going to charge those prices for food it would want to be pretty good. Few of the other dishes from friends were about the same standard.

The performance was wonderful but the venue is disappointing. I paid $26.80 for entrance for a seat behind the grand piano - not used by the performers. I was forced to watch a live performance, to which I was fairly close (maybe 3 metres) on a screen. Surely the piano could have been moved if not in use. The web site said if I booked a “non-dining” seat I might still be charged for food so apparently my seat was a dining seat. The seating is very crowded - questionable in these times of concern for infection. For an unremarkable entre and 2 drinks I paid $82.97. Ordering is by the dismal QR. Each drink took about 45 minutes to arrive and when I requested water I was told to fetch it myself. These people are taking advantage of the enthusiasm we have for live performance. Oh, some better seats were unused, I asked if I could move there after interval and was told I would have to pay an additional $30. That plus a surcharge for being there on a Saturday night. I have really loved some of the performances I have seen here but will not return in a hurry, I feel abused.

Birds basement has to be the most wonderful and elegant Jazz club in Melbourne by far! The decor and ambiance is nothing short of spectacular, The staff and service are exceptional, and the food and cocktails are divine! Highly recommend to anyone who is after an evening of fun, laughter entertainment and good vibes! Thank you birds basement!

A great intimate venue!. Sound and show with the B# Big Band was fantastic with a great singer entertainer named Jefferson Smith. What a fabulous cabaret evening it was! This was partnered by a tasty and varied menu! Can't wait to get back to this fabulous nightclub venue.

The Tom Burlinson Show on Saturday the 3rd of February was just outstanding. Five Stars is not enough for what Tom and his incredible ensemble delivered. Professional, engaging, warm, but most of all, sensational renditions of music from the 'age of swing'. Probably our best night ever at Bird's and we've been to quite a few.

Interesting to see how many people can be squeezed into a venue particularly given that we have just had restrictions lifted. Paid for balcony seating and could not even sit properly as you couldn’t move out of your seats without climbing over the people beside you. Very disappointing

What an amazing venue, staff are very helpful. Great food, came out quickly. Saw Lake Minnetonka play and they were also amazing. Will definitely be back!

Love this venue as far as the music is concerned. However in this day and age I expect to be able to choose where I sit and not have it be a surprise when I show up.Also I tried a meal at a recent show and the quality was at best average. I am willing to even pay a little more for something that doesn't feel like was pre frozen or taken out of a can. If you can't cut it - don't offer it.Until such time these two main things are fixed I will give it a miss.

Great place with live singers, food is tasty and delicious. Serves wide array of your likings. Highly recommended.

What a great intimate small venue to see your favourite artists. You can book a table to have a meal during the show or get standing room tickets only. The sound production is excellent and really enhances the overall experience. The food is good and the service staff are warm and friendly.

We visited last night for Pricilla’s nightmare. Was blown away by the venue it’s the first time that we have been. I really enjoyed the show the food was great and I tried a few of their cocktails they were lovely. I was extremely impressed by the level of service I received they do their orders via a system called Mr yum, id ordered double drinks by mistake (my mistake not the venue) the manager must have seen the confused look on my face when double the order arrived he took care of it without any fuss and even made us laugh about the experience. I didn’t get his name but I’d love to provide him with some praise I was in the hospitality game pre retirement and it takes a special person to be able to lead like he did. He did it with a smile and made everyone feel welcome you could see him guiding the staff though out the night and where he could checking in on customer. He certainly made our table feel special we will be back .

Great place for jazz enthusiasts. I've been to see/ hear Kurt Elling and Steve Sedergreen in just the last couple of weeks.

❤️ it, fabulous night! Parties, friends, or just treat yourself. Planning our next visit tomorrow! Gutted that Fleetwood is flat sold out! But the De Silva 🎸 it out of the park with the Prince dedication!

Great venue! Right atmosphere, up close to the performers and the service was hard to fault. Well done to all on running a tight ship in a space that has little room for error.

Went to Birds Basement for the first time last night and had such a good night! The venue is beautiful and small and intimate enough for an up close experience. The food was delicious, the service exceptional - just an overall fantastic experience! Can’t wait to go back!

Great Band. Tight brass section, infact they were all top musos. Jeff Duff's Spinning Wheel tribute band. Top venue also.

It is tricky to find , but once inside, service is great , food and drinks when ordered online is fast . Food was surprisingly good . Sound is good , concert with James Morrison great

Very impressed with venue & staff. The only feedback would be to make clear that the cost does not include dinner if you specify that requirement, it is extra. However, the food is very reasonable and quite good. Overall I would definitely return.

Loved the Mambo Jazz. Brilliant performance. The table service was excellent and I wanted to tip my waitress but it’s not enabled with the bill, next time cash for the tip. A great night out

Be aware if you are on the left side of the stage you whole view is blocked by a piano and you can not see anything! I booked in A reserve, (blue seating area) and as you can see, you can't select your seat, and it is not defined as "obstructed". Refer to another reviewers photo regarding it. Your view will be totally obstructed without any of this being communicated in anyway when purchasing a ticket. They said in reply to the other guys comment about the obscured view that it is not their typical seating layout....... HOWEVER IT IS THEIR TYPICAL SEATING LAYOUT. They lied in their feedback which is disgraceful! They also lied about the obstructed view tickets being cheaper when they are all the same price and it never says anything about a limited view in "A reserve" Also the screens and monitors they have of cameras projecting the performance have a delay of about 0.5 seconds. So it is like watching a movie with the voice out if sync. Sound of the drums has much to be desired. Virgil was basically playing acoustically. The ticket i booked clearly says "A reserve" yet my view was most definitely obstructed.

My wife and I had an absolutely fantastic night out. Excellent space and great cocktails. The music was brilliant. Highly recommend.

Fabulous place, best cocktails in town and great music!

Fab venue for live music - the sound quality is superb! Attracts excellent local and international acts... Always worth a look!

Unique place to catch live music, food was tasty and affordable if purchased as part of your ticket.

Great night at Bird's Basement watching the legendary Russell Morris and band. Enjoyed the venue and food.

Fantastic!! Such a great place for Jazz. The service is great, and the music is ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A perfect venue with bars, dining and atmosphere.

No need words. Come here to listen! Great atmosphere. Great music. And perfect crowd which knows the sound of a real jazz

Great small venue. If the table and seating arrangement was better, there would certainly be a 5th star

Music is top class. The dining experience was good but not outstanding. It's catered for en masse - think good wedding food

Fantastic venue for live jazz.

Excellent food, and best jazz in town

Great night out

Great location great staff and music is just fine.

Intimate atmosphere, great layout, quality food, efficient and attentive staff. We saw Joe Chindamo on the piano and he was brilliant. Apparently the have a live stream of the performances. There are some well.placed cameras and projector screens so you can see the performers close up - really handy for the piano. Recommend a visit.

Jazz, nostalgic and contemporary artists at this great venue tucked away in the basement. Great drink selection and meals.

Great environment and jazz music!

Fantastic small and intimate venue for live music, with a handy bar and food in the form of meals, or snacks. We enjoyed out night of music at BIRD'S Basement and we will be back.

Went for Mike Stern's show. Neat and tidy place with friendly staff. My only complain is that the projection is a little out of sync with the audio. You might need to look at the projection sometimes depending on where you're sitting.

Just a great jazz lounge, cosy atmosphere

Great venue loved the setup

Great bands and artists thought the food was overpriced and average tho

Good jazz with option of dinner. Great night's entertainment.

Great venue great food great staff and great entertainment

Great vibe and Grace Knight was soooo good.

Highly recommend this place for a great night out. It is an intimate venue with a great drink menu (good wine list) and very nice food. Service is professional, friendly and booking online is easy. Wonderful choice of performers as well.

Love this joint

This place is a hidden gem. It's fantastic. Can not recommended highly enough.

Fabulous atmosphere and great acts - food somewhat expensive but tasty - drinks at nightclub prices

Great Venue

This was my first time at Birds. All the staff were very attentive and gave great service. The sound quality at this venue was second to none. An absolute pleasure and will definitely be back for more shows.

Sound is really good here

Fantastic venue, with top service!!

Great music.

Great atmosphere, staff are very attentive. An all round pleasant experience.

Good vibe

Great venue, great music and atmosphere, but what lets this place down are they bar staff. Husband and I waited 45 mins to be served the first time and 50mins the second round and couldnt beleive the incompetence of the barstaff. We watched in disbelief as we had never seen anything splo tragic or comedic, depending on how u look at it. This made are experience not very enjoyable as we were there to enjoy the band and not spend half our night waiting to buy drinks. Please employ more staff and train the ones you have!

cool venue

Great venue, food tasty, but drinks rcpensuve

Awesome night, great atmosphere, great food!

Presentation lacks and attention to detail missing overall. The place is known for Jazz shows and last week saw Cole, an excellent musician. Ordered cocktail of the week and got a soda glass with lots of ice, bundy, some oak flavour and a cherry $19. Not impressive at all for a premium drink. See picture. Some seats are blocked by a panio that wasn't being used. So about 30 seats couldnt see the stage. Food for none pre paid was basically chips $12 for a bowl.. The deserts where $17 and not that worth it. Agin lacking wow for the price. Music was musical at first show was muddled with all the music muddled. Basically it was very hard to get the emotional element of the music. Mike Sturn playing. The music level was good. Second show was better. Toilets are poorly marked, making it hard to find. Easy to fix imho.. Overall the staff where considerate of customers but there was a distinct feeling they don't care about customers. Cost of a ticket was $66 up. First show is usually full, if booking go to the later show to get better seats. Wheel chair access looks possible at first except for 3 steps in the entry. There is a disabled toilet. I would ask about that. Overall if you love Jazz, it has character and charm. Youll have a fun night with friends, there is a pleasent mengle atmosphere after a show often, you are able to meet the musicians... Cheers.

This is a wonderful jazz venue. The staff are friendly and it's fantastic that you can bring children. Our 6 Year old daughter has been twice now. She's quite the avid drummer. The staff arranged for my daughter to meet Cindy Blackman Santana. Keep up the great work Birds Basement. Keeping great jazz music alive!! We will be back soon to see Mike Stern. Can't wait, yay

Saw Renee Geyer tonight at birds basement. What a great night. She is a real pro. Her band are fabulous. Great venue for a good night of music and food.

Awesome venue for listening to excellent jazz

Lovely venue with great sound and lighting. Enjoyed some amazing latin jazz with Nestor Torres and band. We had a top night night out- cheers!

Five stars for the quick service and fantastic musicians that Birds are bringing to Melbourne. I think the two shows per night format is very smart allowing an early show which finishes in time for trains and a supper show for those wanting to go out later.... Venue looks the part of a classic Jazz club, some seats may have poor views of the stage though, so best to pre book and be early. Have not yet tried the food

The best venue I've ever been to

Music was fantastic! Awesome Jazz and Blues musicians. The food was not bad, old school "American Italian" style cusine. Friendly staff and service. All stars go the the music. @Gianni Marinucci and band performing a tribute to the great Chet Baker.

Loved this place! When seeing a good artist this venue is great to be able to see and be involved in the performance, and small enough that the ambience is still good. We also ate dinner at the bar before the show, and although pricey we couldn't fault the food.

Great setting and always great music. Drinks and food are pricey, but it's a jazz club...there's no money in jazz unfortunately.

Hands down the slickest Jazz club in Melbourne. You'll pay a premium to see the big acts, but the quality of the place is worth it. Unfortunately the food we ate doesn't quite justify the prices, but the same can't be said of the delicious cocktails and even tastier tunes. Great place for a night of serious jazz.

Great vibe, Excellent cocktail list, & Joe Chindamo trio was excellent. Looking forward to Russell Morris.

Great to be back. Brian Cadd is the ultimate entertainer. Great food. Great night

Good music venue for boomers. Small and intimate.Table service via app works well but food is average.

Worst food, most disorganised systems and service I've ever experienced. If you decide to go for the music, never eat there! Ordered food before show at 6:15 pm. Side of potatoes and side salad arrived 45 minutes later. Show finished at 8:30, just after we got our main course. Dessert arrive as they were telling us to leave, so next group were to arrive!

Soul Sacrifice - Santana classics! Brilliant singer & band! They all worked so hard to produce some classic Santana hits. Great to see the female vocalist accompany them! Great bar service too! We'll be back! May 11th is looking good 👍👍👏👏

Amazing place in Melbourne for listening to jazz. Comfy and fair priced beers. Recommend.

Great music, great food! They have 2 dinner sessions and don't take orders in between, so if you got there after the 1st session they'll tell you they can't take your order, just wait till the next session. We were late to the 1st dinner session & thought we'd miss out altogether but all good in the end - the food was worth the wait Try the calamari, tiramisu, chocolate martini! Would definitely go back & take more friends there

Food was ridiculously overpriced. Paid $28 for an antipasto platter that came with a bit of supermarket sliced meat, 3 breadsticks and some olives. No cheese, no dips so it was extremely dry. Had to order a $22 trio of dips to make it taste a bit better which was also clearly from the supermarket too. Just really really poor for such prices. Will not be returning

Thoroughly enjoyed last night's Grace Knights show!!! Amazing room, facilities, food and staff. All-over a fantastic experience! Stayed at the Corner Jazz Hotel which totally made for an amazing weekend! Will be watching the gig guide and will absolutely be back! Highly recommended to anyone who loves live music, amazing food and ambiance.

Really cool venue and great atmosphere. Friendly and helpful staff. Awesome cocktails!!!

Had the best night here. The staff went above and beyond to help us and everyone was so friendly. The venue itself has great technology so wherever you are you can enjoy the show. We were a big group and everyone enjoyed their food except for the steaks which were not quite hitting the mark for the price point. Otherwise a really fun night out for intergenerational groups.

Amazing sound, awesome performers, great food and super customer service! Thanks for a great night.

Loved it ! James Morrison was amazing. Great place for a drink or a small bite to eat. Atmosphere is very classic jazz club. Will definitely go again

Awesome place to go for a nights entertainment and a meal. Highly recommend.

Fabulous evening with friends. Band amazing. Food great. Cocktails a little pricey.

A classy, intimate venue with live performances from the finest local and international acts. Incredible acoustics! Birds Basement is a true gem and a necessity to the music industry and Melbourne city. Absolutely love this place!

Amazing experience, great staff, just right venue, close and intimate to each other and the stage but not cramped, complimented by not only surround sound, but with sparkling clean mirrors and smart use of cameras enabling surround vision! Along with outstanding food and great artists, An true immersion experience! Thankyou.

Great venue, fantastic staff. I really appreciated the 'can do' attitude of all staff. They must have been working here a long time to be so on the ball. Will be back!

Went to see a band that played Santana songs. The band, the staff, the venue was good but guests were cramped like sardines to share a table. I felt uncomfortable the whole show, we were basically rubbing elbows with the people beside us that's how close they put the tables together. I get that the venue needs to make money but the whole experience was unenjoyable. I won't be back here. P.S. photo shows how you are close to other guests.

Fantastic atmosphere! Always enjoy going to the birds basement. Everyone is so lovely. And the music never disappoints. Food could be better. And the ticketing needs to be more flexible to where you can sit. Would recommend anyone to go and experience a night at the birds basement.

Great venue, good night out with dining experience. Only negative is seating arrangements and how it's allocated. Will definitely be asking next time before I book. But a great intimate venue for not only jazz but acts of all genres. Gotta love 90s Aussie rock!!

Staff were fantastic. The food, not so much unfortunately. We ordered the lamb ragu and what we were given was watery lamb in pasta ($38 a plate 🤔) We were looking forward to seeing Renee Gayer, but sadly, the band has to carry her through her 45 minute performance. Choosing to skat through most of her set as it seemed she had forgotten the words! We're going to go again soon though, but to see some of the other artists who are sure to please. Wendy Mathews, Grace Knight etc... But we will eat elsewhere first.

Absolutely 5 stars for the music – which was superb. However, buying a ticket is way too complex, and likely to put some people off. Also the food was terrible – seriously under-par for the money charged.

I loved this place. Was there Australia Day, for the Alex Lloyd gig. Great atmosphere, nice set up. Loved the big screens, each side of the stage. Shout out to the beautiful girl at the front entrance, she was so friendly and so welcoming, fantastic customer service.

A group of 7 enjoyed seeing the Australian Blondie Experience last weekend at my first visit to Birds Basement. I was impressed by the venue's cocktail list and food options, although limited for vegetarian diets, I enjoyed a couple of share plates. The venue layout means most seats are not in front of the stage, and there's no place to dance, unless you want to dance in the aisles and risk getting bowled over by staff doing their service. The sound quality was pretty good, and we all had a great time seeing a really tight, energetic tribute to Blondie.

What a great place, to unwind grab some food and listen to great music. Would l go again - YES. Definitely worth a visit

I actually haven't had the pleasure of visiting as trying to book a romantic table for two can't be catered for. I didn't care what table, I just wanted a table for two, thinking a November show shouldn't be a problem. I rang and advised that I wanted a table for two with dinner, emphasised dinner for a couple. I was directed to not book for dinner and the non dining area's was easier to accommodate a couple. I advised again that I wanted dinner and a table for two. I then receive a chapter of descriptions of how I might be able to have the table for two, "come regularly to the shows and then you'll be classed as regular and shouldn't be a problem. Come a little earlier and you might get a table for two. After nearly 10mins of not being able to book I hung up the phone. I understand that you might not guarantee me which table, though in the area's I was looking at 9 two seater tables are available, can't book one! I can book one of up to 100,000 seats at the MCG, can't book two at the Bird's Basement!

I m not one to usually write bad reviews but I had such a bad experience that I cant just not write anything. Food was average. We were there at opening time so the place was prerty much still empty. Immediately we were given seats that had direct lights in my eyes that triggered my migraines. Before even seating, i asked if we can move because of the lights. I was advised they cant cause they are fully booked...well noone is here, move us somewhere else! I mentioned i am happy to move to the back, limited view, downgrade....just not where they sat us as the light was EXTREMELY triggering.....staff were very uncaring and was like it is what it is.... its a great seat! You re next to the stage...🤦‍♀️ I heard 15 minutes later 2 tables on my left talking that they moved....🙄 In general seating is very cramped with no care about comfort, just to make sure they can fit in as many as they can. We were sat cramped in the same table with people we didnt know. Luckily they were really nice group, however, if I am paying for a table I can have dinner at, I dont want some random stranger on same table soooo close to me that they can even hear me breath! We were told we can order only via QR code( which I hate) while I noticed later in the night, the statf were getting order on table from people. We were not offered water on the table until we asked while I noticed they immediately brought water to other tables..... List can go on.... in general, terrible terrible experience

Absolutely loved Birds Basement.Great views of the stage and the big screens each side of the stage gave even more close ups of the artists. We enjoyed the food too even though the deserts were a bit on the small side. My only disappointment was the chairs weren't very comfortable but would definitely go again. Highly recommended .

We had an amazing experience last Saturday evening, at Bird's Basement, seeing the phenomenal 'Grand Wazoo'. The staff were fabulous and the venue was wonderful - I was on my feet dancing to the brilliant band. Thank you for such a great evening! We can't wait to come back!!

Saw a show here last night "Mucho Mambo" and had a blast. Lovely atmosphere in this little underground wine bar come cabaret. Our dinner comprised of a mixed dipping entree, followed by Sirloin steak and veggies. We would have given up them a fourth star, however, they brought the entrees and mains out together and after sending the mains back to the kitchen, my rare steak came back well done as they had obviously put it under heat lights to keep them warm. Plus, the waiter who served the got our meals mixed up and had no idea which was supposed to be rare. Besides this, we had a lovely time.

It's an expensive night out that doesn't quite live up to the promise. Upmarket aesthetic, cramped but buzzy atmosphere, skewed older and pretty much 100% white. Excellent sound system, though with some feedback issues and needing a number of comments from both acts to the sound guy. Food is well presented but average at that price point. Completely unseasoned Lamb Ragu (start with some salt in your pasta water and taste the damn dish chef!). Overcooked steak that was sent back and replaced with an only slightly less overcooked one. And the lovely older couple rubbing shoulders with us waited patiently for their second meal. But by that time the first one was stone cold. Service is functional but friendly. While promising, the place didn't deliver enough for me to want to come back. For an unexpected entertainment bonus, read the venue manager's tone deaf/defensive responses to negative or constructive reviews 😄. I particularly love the ones along the lines of, "Oh, you had an awkward view? You should pay more to become a member!"

Was just here last night. Show was great and the staff were lovely, but the venue was terrible and cramped, with seats right next to strangers and no room to move, and I had an awful experience trying to get water. When I asked for some water for the table, I was directed to the bar but it took forever to get the bartender’s attention. I asked one of the staff about it and they suggested buying their outrageously priced bottled water. I was there a few weeks ago too and they had a water station set up, but this time it was nowhere to be found. Between the prices, the overly packed space and the water issue, it really felt like the only priority was extraction as much profit as possible with no regard for customer service and the experience. Would not come again.

I paid for a table which was on the raised step behind stage tables. When I arrived I was asked had I been here before..I said no.. Well we were then seated in a very tight spot to the side and were rubbing elbows either side with other customers while we ate. The area I booked was vacant for an hour until the main act came on and they were obviously regulars. I was told on the phone we do not reserve tables sir.. You lost my buisness

Small, expensive and fairly packed venue. The lighting, atmosphere and sound are good... as are the staff. There are several large screens, showing what's going on, on the stage... often in close-up. The food & drink ordering, via the QR code on the table, was pretty bad. Very slow and tricky to navigate... and, in the end, we could not place our order (even when connected to 'Birds Wi-Fi'). The staff helped out, with our ordering. One (shared) starter; two mains; one (shared) dessert and four drinks = $200. NOTE: We paid extra... for the show, we saw .

On the 23rd of September we saw Taxiride and Abbey Stone. My companion is visually impaired and I wanted to comment on the kindness of the staff and the accessibility of the venue. When we arrived, the staff were so kind, helpful and patient. They never made us feel ‘othered’. This is important because often when you are differently abled this happens. You can be seen as either a source of discomfort or administrative nuisance. I want to thank each and every staff member for the service they provided; especially the woman on the desk when we arrived at around 6:15PM. The staff really made it a great environment for every single patron there. In terms of accessibility, the venue had a lift and only three steps inside. The chairs were comfortable and NOT bolted to the floor (which is important for manoeuvrability). I actively encourage you to support this venue and actual live music. I also want to mention how fantastic the performances were. Abbey Stone has a fantastic belt and is a great lyricist. Taxiride were phenomenal and are still as strong as they were in 99. It was just nice to have performers who were performing and weren’t relying on anything other than their talent. Lastly, Happy Birthday, Ollie.

Last Wednesday was my first time at Birds Basement. A friend organised it as she has been before. The music was lovely and break was good so that we could chat and catch-up. I did wait 35 minutes for a Negroni. All food and drinks are ordered using QR codes. So finally flagged a waiter for help that checked my purchase and quickly organised my drink. My friends food and drinks came quickly so hopefully my issue was a glitch but have read some similar experiences. The tables and seats were fine on the night we came because the venue wasn't full, in fact probably only half full. If it was full, I would've found it extremely uncomfortable in a dining setting, which it is. Such tight spaces to sit and move. Overall Nice night.

I found staff to be rude, and the customer service to be appalling. Thoroughly unimpressed with a staff member’s service on the phone and no reply to email from management. I wanted to swap tickets I had just purchased minutes ago to another night as I had accidentally booked the wrong date. Staff member was condescending and had an appalling attitude. I didn’t know which night I wanted to change to yet and he accused me of being dishonest. I expected management to respond to my email, even just to acknowledge I had sent one. Management did not respond to my query to change the night. Won’t be returning and definitely won’t be referring any friends or family here. What an awful experience. Edit: I have sent a copy of my original email to the manager so that it can be investigated.

Friday Nov 3rd 2023 Sensational night last night at Bird's Basement. Robbie Williams Experience (Louie Lee Feltrin) Start to finish entertainment!! Hit after hit. Value for money and a fantastic night out. Louie and the very talented band does Robbie proud. Highly recommend the show. Well done Louie!! Staff service at venue very good..R&Queenie.

First time to Birds Basement and we had an absolute ball for my flatmates birthday. Food high quality and the musicians even better. Could not fault. Go you will have the best night out.

Bird's basement is a wonderful jazz club. Stylish and elegant, this club hosts incredible musicians. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. I look forward to returning.

Only the best acts perform at Bird's Basement. I'm so proud to be a Melbournian and have a live music venue of this calibre.

My group of friends had an absolutely fantastic night here on Saturday. A unique intimate live music venu which offers a delicious menu and a huge selection of drinks. The Spicy margarita was perfection! If you want an unforgettable evening then this is the place to go. The atmosphere was epic and the whole venu is designed so tastefully and the staff were so attentive. Couldn't fault a single thing! Thankyou Birds Basement we will definitely be back!

Visited Birds Basement for the first time and was blown away with the ambience as well as the quality of the food (they also have great gluten free options) The cocktail menu was also amazing and well themed. Staff were attentive, welcoming and were quick with the drinks and food orders. A great and unique evening all round - fantastic atmosphere! I look forward to visiting again.

Awesome stylish venue, terrific staff and excellent dining menus as well as a good variety of refreshments. 10/10. I think this venue is more suited to accustic music but a little electric music as well doesn’t hurt. Tonight we were thoroughly entertained by the legendary Richard Clapton & his band that was something we will never forget and we look forward to going to Birds Basement again in the future!

My favourite jazz bar in the whole world! Has become an embodiment of what a jazz club should be. Incredible music and very well managed.

Was very disappointed to be staring at the singer's back for the whole show due to the positioning of the piano. Also ordered a meal which didn't come out until I spoke to the staff and the kitchen had closed. The meal was on the house, which was appreciated. The sound was fantastic but very let down by the experience overall, getting out to see music is treat which unfortunately didn't make the grade this time.