Back Page Jazz and Comedy Club

I have been here a couple times to see some friends perform at the Open Mic Nights and it’s always fun. Staff and customers are some friendly people and it is a nice atmosphere. Especially in the summer when you can stand outside near the canals to have a cigarette.
The drinks are good, a bit more pricey than I would like but still good.
The first time I came here was during the Lowell Folk Festival and it was so much fun.

I found Back Page while searching online for things to do in the Lowell area with a friend who was in the area visiting family, and had no idea what to expect. The website is sparse and there was no answer to my phone call, so my anxiety about disappointing my visiting friend kicked in! Do shows sell out? How early should I arrive to get a table? Is there a cover? Do they serve food?
We arrived at 8:30 on a Saturday night for a 9pm show, and found the club nearly empty. There was no cover. We picked a table in the back, which turned out to be a smart move because the music is loud. The club is small; there are maybe a dozen tables plus seating at the bar, and space for people to stand along the back. There is no raised stage; the band just set up on the floor in the front of the room. At 9:00 there were still available tables, so getting there early for fear of the show «selling out» was definitely unnecessary.
The drink list was lengthy, but it was mostly specialty martinis and other fun (but foo-​foo) drinks; the beer list was short and not particularly interesting. Food options, served until 10:30, consist of fries, mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, and chicken wings — that’s it.
The club eventually filled up, but it was by no means crowded (maybe 70 people?). The music is loud, so this is a place to go for the music; it was very difficult to converse while the band is playing.
The club itself was clean, comfortable, and service was attentive. I’d go again if I ever have reason to be in the Lowell area.

I’m not sure how to feel about the back page.
It’s clean. Prices are somewhat reasonable. They have an insane selection of wines and fancy martinis. The staff all seem nice.
I guess it’s just not my scene — the music they bring in is always amazing, but FAR too loud! I wanted a real lounge; jazz/​blues playing in the background — loud enough to hear, but not too loud.
Back Page is an excellent spot to hang out and listen to music; just don’t expect to have a conversation with other people — it’s far too loud unless you enjoy screaming.
I can’t fault them for that, though — it very well could be the atmosphere they are going for.
Absolutely worth a stop; even if it’s just to try the Godiva Martini!

Love the vibe, drinks were ok but the music was awesome, come one come all enjoy a night of good people & good times

A bit of a hidden gem. Warm ambiance, great music, creative cocktails. Wasn’t at all pretentious, which was refreshing. I will be back soon!

Went in by a suggestion from a fellow Unilocaler…
I don’t go out to many night clubs; I’m not a fan of drunks and people desperate to get laid. This night club was great, the crowd was mostly middle aged & fun.
The place was packed and I was surprised we were able to get a table. The waitress had such a good attitude even though she was running like a chicken with its head cut off! They have a huge drink menu; looks like Martinis are the big thing to order here.
Sarah Blacker was the entertainment… I’m in love! Beautiful and talented. I wonder if she would marry a man old enough to be her father… lol.
The music was loud, but what’s great about it, it wasn’t so loud you couldn’t have a conversation. What’s an added bonus of this place is it’s close to the parking garage.
Needless to say, I’ll be back.

Good times. Good blues. Good people enjoying it all. Fun venue. Very low key, tucked into a back corner. Everyone is having a good time here. Definitely recommend this venue.

I’m a big fan of the Back Page. They have great local bands and open mic nights which showcase some serious talent, the crowd is pretty cool and not a bunch of college kids. Guess they don’t want to spring for $ 11 martinis, which are strong and DELISH (strawberry shortcake is my personal favorite). I always forget how they creep up on you though, 2 is my limit and maybe one of these times I’ll remember to stick to it… either way they’re worth the hangover.

Great band.
Cool atmosphere.
Poor service, waiting far too long for beverages.
Interesting, 3 rounds later, each round the same, charged 3 different prices.

This place is an awesome place to hear live music. It has great atmosphere and the bands and the sound system are fabulous. No cover charge which makes it extra special.
I would agree that the service could be a little more friendly. In defense of the waitstaff sometimes there’s not enough of them for the amount of people in the place.

No cover. Great music. Nice location. Good selection of draft beer. Can’ t go wrong.

I hit this place a bit. It gets a little loud, and frankly I usually ignore the bands. But, the crowd is generally pretty cool. The lack of cover charge is respectable considering the caliber of the entertainment.

I wish I could put 6 stars.
First off: Matthew M, you are a lucky man. It must be a good life, when your biggest problems extend to writing a Unilocal review that has to be close to 1,000 words. The only thing I might suggest to you now, is get a girlfriend.
Anyhow, I can’t say enough good things about the Back Page. 10 times out of 10, I’d rather spend my time there than at any other bar in the greater Lowell area. The manager Courtney is more than generous to myself, and anyone else that I see her interact with. The rest of the staff is also of high caliber, I haven’t been let down in the numerous times I’ve been in. The beer selection is great, and the drink menu will knock your socks off. You won’t find a better long island ice tea around.
I would try and describe the atmosphere, however you should just come down and check it out. Chances are, if you’re not Matt M, you’ll want to keep coming back.
This establishment is by far the best bar in the city.

Awesome place. I had a Birthday cake martini it was really great.

I wish I could leave 0 stars.
Tonight was my first experience at Back Page and let me tell you, I have NEVER been as poorly treated by any service person in my life as I was by manager Courtney S. I’ll start at the beginning.
My friend and I grab seats at the bar. He orders a beer before me. I come out, sit down, and ask what’s on tap. I ask to taste a beer, Courtney gives me a sample, I like it and order one.
Courtney asks if I want to start a tab, I shake my head no. She asks if we’re paying together, I say and shake my head no. Courtney charges me for both drinks. When I see it, I say to her that they need to be separate. She huffs, snatches the bill and goes to the register. She comes back and says that it’s going to appear twice. I reiterate that they need to be separate. She huffs again and goes back to the register. When she’s done with the new transaction, she throws the bills down on the counter in front of us.
I wait awhile and think this through in my mind. I didn’t drink my beer because I was upset about this.
Now, I can understand how sometimes communication gets muddled and people misunderstand each other. I get that. And so, in an effort to be fair and resolve the conflict, I took responsibility and acknowledged that I could have been clearer with Courtney about the bills being separate and instead of her taking some responsibility as well, she placed all of the blame on me saying how she didn’t know how to ring it up and that she got upset because I was «being standoffish when [she] asked [me] about the transaction showing up twice and for being cheap over four dollars». Those were Courtney’s exact words.
Time out.
1. Excuse me? Who’s money are we talking about, Courtney? Yours? Or mine? Because you can spend your money however you want, but in no way is it up to judge how mine or anyone else’s is spent.
2. If you weren’t clear on how to ring up the bill, aren’t you supposed to ask?
Back on track.
I was really disappointed by Courtney’s failure to resolve this amicably, and even be polite to me as a customer, so I requested that she cancel my transaction and refund me for the beer that I didn’t drink.
I’ve worked in customer service before, I understand what it’s like, and when a customer asks you for a refund, you ALWAYS refund their money. ALWAYS. It’s THE Golden Rule of customer service.
Courtney flat out denied my request for a refund. For four dollars. I’m completely appalled.
I’ve been in restaurants and have had to send steak back to the kitchen to be cooked more, sometimes several times at the same place. I’ve had managers offer my ENTIRE meal for free and I’ve turned all of them down and paid in full BECAUSE I always ended up getting my steak cooked the way I like it. AND… AND. I’ve even tipped the chef’s in most instances. Whoever tips the chef? No one does that.
I am by far, not cheap with my money. I tip when it’s deserved, and tip great when I feel I’ve had great service.
Not only was Courtney rude in the aforementioned manners, she also walked away from our conversation at least 5 times, and left me standing there waiting to resolve this issue amicably. I asked for the phone number, she claimed she didn’t know it. Really? You’re the manager and you don’t know the phone number? I asked to speak to the owner and she said he’s out of town until next week. Maybe that’s true, but if it isn’t, I’m recording it here.
Honestly, I think the atmosphere of Back Page is nice, and the patrons are very classy. But do the place a favor and get rid of the riff-​raff manager. On her way out the door, please give her a copy of Emily Post’s book of Etiquette so she can brush up on her manners.

I am bias… but I love this place! The musical talent that has been coming through is amazing. Drinks are fancy and delicious. Staff is fun and entertaining! Everyone should swing by and enjoy the speak~easy atmosphere for themseleves!