Bakers Keyboard Lounge

Much love to bakers old school jazz venue they play live jazz on Tuesdays the employees are really nice I enjoy going there when I’m in the city

Went here for the first time last night and absolutely loved it!!! The entertainment was great, the food was delicious, and the service was superior. I’m definitely coming back again! Note to self: the parking costs $ 5 and there’s a $ 10 cover, so be sure to bring cash.

I haven’t had food here but I love coming here for the music. It’s a nice counterpoint to some of the stuffier jazz venues in Detroit and I have had a lot of fun each time I visited.
Main downside to me is the drinks are extremely expensive, and I also find it a little bizarre that the band asks for tips when we have paid cover.

Love this jazzy soul food restaurant in Detroit – the oldest and continuous jazz club in Mowtown. The people, vibes, music and food are amazing
If you are new to Detroit, this is a must see and must eat…:))

Nice music, nice group of grown adults, good drinks, great food menu/​w many choices. OLE SCHOOL, Good Times! !!

I can completely understand why some people put up low star reviews, because they are trying to compare this place to some restaurant or some tourist trap. For anyone that rates Baker’s less stars than bad#ss, they just don’t get it! There are missing something in life and can’t see past the flaws to enjoy this so special and unique soulful experience. All places should strive to be their best, and all places should have employees who strive to be their best. But you have to see places for what they are, and without knowing anything about the owners, I doubt they have any intention of being a «drinking» establishment or anything close to a highly rated restaurant. This is a jazz places that is about music, art, an era that has escaped us… so soak it all in and enjoy it for what it is. If you want prompt, perfect service where a waiter asks you 25 times how the food is, in some pristine but souless environment — head to suburbia and some national chain. Instead of worrying about it taking 15 minutes to get a drink (which happened to me), take in the history and voices within the walls of the place.
FYI — don’t forget to make reservations if you want to go!

The only reason why I’m giving Baker’s 2 stars at this point is because it’s Baker’s and they are a legend in the Detroit area. Otherwise I would demote them to a 1 star.
Husband and I visited there last night and was very disappointed in how this place has went down. Paid 10 $ cover charge each. Man at the door collected the money and that was it. He didn’t bother to get off his behind and escort us to a seat, or assist us in finding a seat; he just took the money and continued his conversation with the person he was playing on his phone with when we walked in.
We found seating at the bar near the mirror where as when we approached the bar stools there was something gross laying on the floor next to one of the chairs. Which I still can’t get out of my mind. After that I was totally ready to go but because our 20 $ was in the door we decided to tough it out, stay and order drinks. It took poor old Ms. Jackie almost 30 minutes to stroll over to us and take our drink order as she was more concerned and attentive to orders coming in from the dining area. We placed our drink order and was told if we wanted to order food we needed to order right then because the kitchen was closing at 11pm. We arrived at 10:15pm. This woman had no will, drive, or motivation to move fast at all. She looked as if she absolutely hated her job and did not want to be there. Never once did I see her wipe down the bar counter after people left. She would just remove the dirty glasses and that was it. Poor sanitation at its finest!!!
Food was nothing like it use to be. The pork chops were barely seasoned, greens were bland, and the yams had way to much cinnamon. The corn bread muffin and mac & cheese were good just like we remembered.
The ladies bathroom surprisingly so was clean and well maintained. I was shocked as I went in there prepared to see what I saw on the floor in the bar area. But it was clean. I was just disturbed after I washed my hands and there was no paper towel to dry them so of course I had to use toilet paper to dry my hands and use to reopen the door.
Unfortunately, I want be going back to Baker’s. I heard they are relocating to a new location in the downtown Detroit area. If this is true perhaps this is why they are not investing any money into this particular establishment. Hopefully when they move things will be much better and the workers will be more professional.

It pains me to have to write this review, considering that Bakers Keyboard Lounge has been a favorite of my family’s in the past. Additionally, I’ve never written a bad review because I take my reviews and the impact that reviews can have on a business very seriously. However, what happened last night was incredibly disappointing, so much so that my family will never go back to Bakers, and I feel like it’s my duty to warn future potential customers of the perils of what may happen if you choose to dine at Bakers.
As I said before, my family and I have gone to Bakers in the past, but only for drinks, and we’ve had a great time. We couldn’t wait to try dinner. Little did we know it would be the worst dining experience of our lives…
After paying $ 5 for parking and $ 10 each for cover, we were seated for our 8 o clock reservation. It wasn’t until about 9:45! that we were finally served our food. It took an incredibly long time to get each drink, and by the time we got our food, we were starving. My mom and brother ordered a T-​bone steak (each medium rare). My boyfriend ordered fried chicken, and I ordered fried catfish.
Let me start by pointing out that my meal never came. My mom, brother, and boyfriend were served, and we were told that the catfish would come. About 15 minutes passed before the server returned to our table, and my meal was not with her. In the meantime, my mom and brother attempted to cut into their steaks only to see that they were way cooked way past medium rare, all the way to well done. Let me point out that I, along with my family, RARELY, if EVER, send food back. I have eaten MANY incorrect or cold orders, simply because I prefer not to make someone’s life harder by sending food back or making complaints. Only if the food is basically inedible do we ever say anything. That being said, the steak was basically inedible. It was cooked all the way through, was an off-​grey color, and was incredibly tough, and it cost $ 22 a piece. So when the server finally returned with waters (but not with my food) they very politely pointed out that they ordered their steaks medium rare and asked if they could have steaks as they ordered them. The server agreed that the steak wasn’t cooked right and took it away.
About 10 minutes later (let me remind you, I’m still sitting there with no food, and my boyfriend is waiting to eat his until everyone is served…), instead of getting new steaks, we were approached by a very defensive and rude cook.
The cook emerged from the kitchen holding the two plates, the server trailing him looking very uncomfortable. The visibly angry cook proceeded to slam the steaks back on the table in front of my mom and brother, and go on a rant, telling us that the steaks he cooked WERE in fact medium rare, and that we were wrong for requesting new ones. I asked him to look at the steak and explain how it could be mistaken for anything but incredibly well done. He went on to argue with me, saying that «If a steak has juice coming out of it, it’s medium rare…» the juice he spoke of was the small pool of brown grease that the steak sat in… he proceeded to rant about how long he’s been cooking and how he knows what medium rare is, and if we want another steak he is going to serve it to us «BLOODY» if that’s what we want. Looking back, I wish I would have taken a picture of it, because I literally could not BELIEVE what was happening. The steak was undeniably well done, and even if it wasn’t, when does a cook ever come out of the kitchen and yell at a customer in front of the entire restaurant?! I’ve worked in the restaurant business for years, and this NEVER would have been acceptable in any of the establishments I’ve been in employed in. If a customer has a request, unless it’s totally unreasonable, you satisfy that request, no matter how annoyed it may make you. And in this case, we made the most reasonable request in the most polite of ways.
Moving on. My mom and brother decided that they had lost their appetites and we needed to go elsewhere. I asked the server to speak with a manager. The manager was very nice. She agreed with us that what the cook did was unacceptable. She didn’t make us pay for the steaks, however, we WERE charged for the catfish (which we never got) and the fried chicken (which we didn’t eat). By the time we realized that we were charged for a meal we had never gotten, we were so exhausted and embarrassed by the incident that we just wanted to GET OUT. And GET OUT we did.
The disappointment I feel from this experience is hard to put into words. We spent a LOT of money on parking, the covers, and the food we never got, and left feeling insulted, appalled, and hungry. Needless to say, we will never go back. Additionally, we will tell anyone we know never to go, or go back. And I advise you never to go, either. Sorry, Bakers Keyboard Lounge, but you provided us with the worst dining experience of our lives.

This a your 5 star option if awesome jazz music and comfortable American food is what you’re looking for. Started coming back here over the last several months and we have not been disappointed. The B. Williams Experiment was utterly entertaining on our last visit and it’s hard to understand why people aren’t lined up at the door for this venue.
This establishment is the longest continuously running jazz club in the country. You really need to add it to your must see lists. Some of the greatest Jazz players have graced this stage over the years and it is so nice to see this place continuing in that tradition.
The food is good and plentiful. You can add some soul food sides to your order and if you know to ask they will even blacken your catfish. The drinks are well poured and if they added a craft cocktail and local brew menu that could excel even more. We will keep this as a go to place for great music and an overall great experience.

Really busy place and you have to book it before. Amazing sound live experience obviously.
The best surprise is the fried chicken (highly recommended)!

We have been to Baker’s twice now. Once before moving to the D, and once after moving. I must say that the second time was better than the first. That might just be the way that Baker’s works… getting better every time. On our first visit it was just Tony R. and I, we went in early on a Sunday afternoon and enjoyed a set by a young jazz band with no cover.
This time around, it was a double date, as we had company in from the West coast. We went later on a Sunday evening, so there was a $ 5 cover. The band was great, and our friends felt like they go a true authentic Detroit experience. Aside from the great music, Baker’s food should not be underestimated. It is some of the best «Soul», «Southern», «Comfort», or just plain old «Black» food in Detroit! :-)

What an atmosphere! Came here on a late
Saturday night with my bf after seeing La Boheme at the Opera House. Its small size makes it cozy, warm (a bit too warm actually– don’t wear thick layers here) and intimate.
It was clear that everyone was having a great time, laughing raucously and going back and forth with the singers. The musicians were bomb! It was Sweetest Day so the audience was serenaded all night with jazzy old school love songs.
We ordered food, of course. My fried chicken craving was taken care of that night. Our ribs were so tender and juicy, too. The sides were alright. My BF thought they tasted canned but I still ate all my mac n cheese, yams, and greens. The kitchen ran out of quite a few of the dishes/​sides we tried to order at first, but I’ll chalk that up to our late arrival.
I agree with whoever said this is a good date spot if you want to be «forced» to get closer to your date–
Baker’s is the place for that.
Baker’s has a paid parking lot but it was full so we chose to park on the street and walked 5 min.

Went for my birthday with friends tonight. Great atmosphere, amazing food! It was a busy night so the service was a little lagging but the experience was great so we didn’t want for much. Will definitely be back!

«The clock’s run out, time’s up, over, bloah! Snap back to reality – oh, there goes gravity!» Eminem
Yup, I’m throwing it way back to 8 Mile! It was driving to Bakers that I drove by THE notorious 8 Mile Road. As made mainstream by Eminem, this road separates the rich from the poor. Alas, my light bulb moment and my 8^th grade self sighed, «ah ha»…a decade after the movie was released… Coincidentally, this was my road to transition from undergrad into grad school – I was in town for my University of Detroit, Mercy interview, and they were one of the first schools to admit me into the program. Even though I am no Stan, I like to think that this road and this lounge does hold a special place in my heart (along with Marshall, just kidding!).
My undergrad friend Jas and I drove to Bakers while Ed Stone was performing. Bakers Keyboard Lounge carries with it a lot of history being the oldest jazz club in the USA, in the heart of Detroit. This lounge is like the city in its decrepit way. The outside – dark with worn down signs and its flickering lights; the inside – colorful yet dark, its main light source: candles.
Food’s a steal here and the entrée portions will feed an entire family. Food was GOOD SOUTHERN AWESOMENESS. It was so soulful, it made us praise the Lord for we are unworthy to accept such grace. hahaha, I kid, I kid. Jas got the fried catfish dinner with potato salad and mac n cheese ($ 12.75), and I got the full rack BBQ rib dinner with fries and mac n cheese ($ 15). Both entrees with sides were delicious and I could only fill up on ¹⁄₅^th of my ribs before I KO’d. My entrée still looked whole… that’s how GIGANTIC the portions were. My deepest regret was not ordering the fried chicken… oh, I soooo should have. I had a rib phase at the time, but how does one not order FRIED CHICKEN when going for soul food?!
Service was subpar. We got our food in and out quickly, but our waitress didn’t want anything to do with us. She didn’t answer when asked for recommendations, she dropped off the check and stood there waiting for us to pay before she would leave. When we got the hint, we paid with cash. She immediately picked up the receipt and money, she counted it in front of us, and asked if the rest was for her. Maybe it’s a Detroit thing, but that was weird to us.
Overall, I can’t wait to come back next time I visit Motor City. I highly recommend anything from the menu and to not come here expecting good service or a renovated establishment.

I’ve been a child of this place. My Mom and Dad came here a lot in my youth and when I was old enough they brought me here, (after their divorce) because this place is that timeless.
As a jazz baby, I welcome live instrumentalist while I dine. The stage is in your face. The size is definitely something they need to review. It’s time for change. They do need a larger, more secure parking lot and they do need a larger more comfortable venue. Maybe a remodel needs to be considered. It’s like being in the Jazz basement Zora Neal Hurston speaks of in How It Feels to Be Colored Me. It has the ambiance, the culture, the feel, the music but as a comfortable and welcoming place to dine and cater to the future it needs to rethink and realign some things.
The cover for the night, Friday, was $ 10 each. I understand that the band and the house needs their money but I’m also dining and buying drinks in a cramped, unconditioned place so a cover is kind of a slap in the face. If you’re going to charge me for everything make it worth my while. Once I sat, next to the kitchen door, I was drawn to the music and the eclecticism of the crowd. The experience is one of a kind.
They were busy and seemed a bit unorganized on waiters and tables but we were attended to with grace. The house drink was strong and worth it. We only needed one and my guest and I felt we should have shared it. Delicious and refreshing. The wait for our meal was no more than 30 mins which is reasonable for the crowd and type of food. I ordered fried chicken, greens and sweet potatoes, my friend ordered fried fish, cabbage and beans. We were not let down. The wait, the cramped feeling and the door fee was forgiven.
I’ll be back with some reservations.

I heard about the Baker’s Keyboard Lounge while attending an event in Dallas. I decided to take the opportunity to stop by and check it out. I do suggest that you be aware of your surroundings.
The Baker’s Keyboard Lounge is not just well lite outside, the bar/​restaurant is very small and during peak times feels very crowded. The building could use some remodeling.
The biggest downer was the time it took for the kitchen to get the food out. It is no joke when I tell you that it took a little over 2 hours to get my food. I was not the only one. I kept hearing the waitress apologize for the slow kitchen.

I really wanted to like this vintage 1930’s era jazz club, which still offers an authentic Detroit jazz experience, but Baker’s Keyboard Lounge has too many flaws to rate higher than 2 stars. The most glaring problem was the service, which was slower than the languid beat of the music. It was 15 minutes before our server finally appeared to take our order, then another 15 minutes before our drinks showed up. More inexcusable, it took an hour and a half for our food to be delivered. By that time we were crabby and hungry, making it harder to enjoy the music.
Based on the reviews, I was expecting some amazing food, but this was also disappointing. The highlight was the side of mac and cheese, which has a generous later of melted cheese on the top. The collard greens, though, were bland and uninspired. The fried chicken was crispy, but overcooked and on the salty side.
If you feel a need to check the Baker’s box, my advice would be to eat before you get there and allow plenty of time.

I’m not one for going out late at night. Actually, anytime after 8:30 — 9:00, and I’m usually ready to just kick it at home; however, when you come across a place as unique as Baker’s, that shit changes real quick.
First off, for those of you not in the know, this place is the oldest jazz club in the U.S. They say they’re the oldest in the world, and I’m inclined to believe them. Not only do they have great food, but the atmosphere is pretty hard to beat.
I’m always down for a kick-​ass meal, and I don’t care if it cost $ 5 or $ 100, as long as it’s tasting great. This place is a great example of how you can serve fantastic, high quality food without charging customers an arm and a leg for it. But you know what? The food is that good. You’d easily pay $ 10 – 15 more per entrée if they charged that, and not just because of the quality of their cuisine, but because the ambiance is superb.
It’s very small inside, and most of the tables are even smaller, but it works for this club. If you’re out with someone who you’re just starting to see, it forces you to get closer to one another. But it’s not an uncomfortable closeness, it’s an intimate closeness. And it works for those trying to reignite the flame in a tired relationship too, for all the same reasons.
Then there’s the music. It’s not just Detroit’s best jazz players who entertain, but people from all over the world. I would NEVER claim to be a jazz enthusiast, but you’ll feel like one when you are here. It all comes together. The soul food, the atmosphere, the music, the booze, the closeness. It’s like a portal into a long forgotten scene, that desperately needs to be reawakened.
Normally, all I’d talk about is the food on a review such as this, but it’s not needed here. I’ll quickly say that the Mac and Cheese, Collard Greens, and Fried Chicken are all unbelievably delicious, and that the Catfish and Ribs are a must try, but beyond that, if you haven’t heard enough to get you to Baker’s by now, then check your pulse my friend, because you may be dead.

This was our first time here in many years and we had a great time. The jazz entertainment was interesting and the food was excellent. There were six of us and between us we had the fried catfish, fried chicken and meatloaf entrees. For sides we had the mac& cheese, black eyed peas, yams, and baked potato —-all very tasty. The wines were good too. The desert was a peach cobbler —delicious. We’ll go back soon.

Update:
Came back to dine here for some good southern comfort fare. There was a $ 5 cover to see the jazz band, no biggie. I came with 2 coworkers. Waitress asked us of we wanted top shelf or bottom shelf tequila (of course we picked top shelf since tequila give you a headache of a hangover). We asked the waitress for price, no answer, and she went on her merry way to type in our order in the POS. We ordered the 2 entrée with 4 sides plus a pitcher of margarita. Food is excellent as always but when we got the bill for the margaritas we were charged for $ 55.00 for a pitcher of margarita. This is so unheard of $ 55.00. I complained so they discounted us $ 10.00 off the bill so if you do the math we were charged $ 45.00 for a pitcher of margarita. Never again. Order food but don’t order drinks. They don’t even have a drink menu because they will charge you accordingly. Never again. Food is still good.