Live Music and Jazz Bars in Manila: Where the Band Plays, Night by Night

Jazz rooms where people actually listen

78-45-33 One of the most serious jazz rooms in Makati. About 30 seats face a small stage with a Steinway baby grand piano, sets are played without microphones or speakers, and guests are asked to stop talking before each hour-long set. Salcedo Village, Makati. Open daily 4pm to midnight. Set tickets are usually ₱500, and the door money goes to the artists. Tip: reservations for the evening close at 5pm (book by Viber), walk-ins take any free table, and the set schedule is on @78salcedo on Instagram.

The Spirits Library A Poblacion bar with a wall of rare bottles and live jazz early in the week. Later in the week the room shifts to DJs and gets fuller, so go early in the week if the music is the point. Poblacion, Makati. Open daily 6pm to 3am. ₱₱₱. Live jazz on Tuesday and Wednesday, DJs Thursday to Saturday. Tip: confirm the week's lineup on @thespiritslibrary before you go.

Tago Jazz A small club off Main Avenue in Cubao, reached through a black curtain from the street, that hosts Filipino jazz players several nights a week. Recent bills have run from funk and soul to a John Coltrane tribute. 14 Main Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City. In late September 2026 there were shows from Wednesday to Sunday, with the bar opening at 8pm and music at 9pm. Covers ran ₱300 to ₱400. Tip: RSVP on 0917 138 5299 and save the exact map pin. From Makati, allow 45 minutes to an hour along EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) at night.

Live sets with a good cocktail list in Makati

Cattery A 35-seat room modelled on the Tiny Desk concerts from the American public radio network NPR, run by the team behind Fat Cat, with El Gato upstairs. There is a drum kit on the small stage, a live set most nights and an open mic on Wednesday. Makati Central Square, Chino Roces Avenue corner Amorsolo Street. Tuesday to Thursday 6pm to 1am, Friday to Sunday 6pm to 2am, closed Mondays. No door charge, one-drink minimum; cocktails ₱500 plus 10% service charge. Tip: walk in on a weeknight, or message on Instagram for Friday and Saturday.

Sari Sari A design-led bar behind a Thai mookata restaurant, owned by the independent label Offshore Music, so the room turns into a gig venue on some nights of the week. 5661 Washington Street corner Dela Rosa Street, Makati. Tuesday to Sunday from 6pm, live sets from about 8:30pm. Tip: check the bar's social channels for music nights before you go.

Live jazz in BGC

No Entry Cocktail Club A cocktail bar on 3rd Avenue with a full food menu, so you can make an evening of it. Live jazz runs weekly, with Friday the regular jazz session. One Neo Building, 3rd Avenue corner 26th Street, BGC. Monday to Thursday 4pm to 1am, Friday 4pm to 2am, Saturday 6pm to 2am, Sunday 6pm to 1am. ₱₱. Tip: book through WhatsApp on +63 945 617 5129 for Friday.

Red Manila A two-floor venue on the Forbes Town strip that opened in March 2026: dinner downstairs, then a second floor with a different act every night, from jazz and soul to blues and some comedy. A dedicated sound engineer runs the audio each evening. Forbes Town, BGC. Open daily 5pm to 2am. Good to know: it is one of the few rooms in this guide with live acts every night, including Monday.

Band bars for OPM, indie and rock

These are the rooms where Filipino bands play to their fans. Expect a door charge, standing room on big nights and a much louder evening than the jazz rooms above.

The 70's Bistro A long-running Anonas Street venue where established OPM (Original Pilipino Music) bands and newer acts share bills. A February 2026 showcase brought together 6cyclemind and Imago. 46 Anonas Street, Quezon City. The door charge for that showcase was ₱600. Allow about an hour from Makati at night.

12 Monkeys Music Hall & Pub A music hall and pub that books well-known OPM and R&B (rhythm and blues) acts, such as the R&B group Freestyle in March 2026. Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Meralco Avenue, Pasig (Ortigas side). Door charges depend on the act; the Freestyle show was ₱1,000. Tip: reserve on 0917 570 3222 for big names.

19 East A Sucat bar that, by its own account, has hosted live OPM nightly since 2003. Far for most readers, but worth the drive for a band you love. Km 19 East Service Road, Sucat, Muntinlupa. Doors open at 7pm and music usually starts around 9pm. Some nights have no entrance fee; others charge at the door (₱800 for one early October 2026 show). No reservations, first come first seated, and parking is free. From Makati, allow 30 minutes to an hour by Skyway, more on Friday.

Live music in Manila tonight: a quick guide by day

• Monday: the hardest night. Red Manila has live acts daily, 19 East often has a show, and 78-45-33 is open, so check its Instagram for a set.
• Tuesday: The Spirits Library's jazz nights start; Sari Sari and Cattery reopen for the week.
• Wednesday: Cattery open mic, Spirits Library jazz, and sometimes a show at Tago Jazz.
• Thursday: Cattery and Red Manila; band bars start to fill.
• Friday: No Entry's jazz session, Tago Jazz, and gig nights at Sari Sari and 12 Monkeys.
• Saturday and Sunday: Tago Jazz, 78-45-33 sets, and the big band bar lineups. Sunday is quieter elsewhere.

For a date built around music, our date ideas page has more.

Before you go

• Check the lineup the same day. Almost every venue here posts the week's acts on Instagram or Facebook, and nights move for private events and holidays.
• Book on Friday and Saturday. The small jazz rooms seat about 30 to 35 people. 78-45-33 takes reservations until 5pm; 19 East takes none, so arrive at 7pm for a good seat.
• Bring some cash for door charges and tips.
• Stay quiet during sets at 78-45-33, Cattery and Tago Jazz.
• Plan the ride home. Shows often start at 9pm and finish past midnight. Book your ride before the last set ends on busy nights, and remember that Cubao and Sucat are long rides back to Makati or BGC.
• Dress: smart casual works for the cocktail bars; anything goes at the band bars.

Questions people ask

Where can I hear live jazz in Manila tonight?

On Tuesday and Wednesday, try The Spirits Library in Poblacion. Cattery in Makati has a live set most nights from Tuesday to Sunday, and Red Manila in BGC has live acts daily. Later in the week, add Tago Jazz in Cubao, the Friday session at No Entry and the sets at 78-45-33 in Salcedo.

What is the best jazz bar in Makati?

For listening, 78-45-33 in Salcedo Village is the most serious: about 30 seats, a Steinway and sets played without microphones. For jazz with a lively bar around it, The Spirits Library in Poblacion is the better choice.

Is there a cover charge at live music bars in Manila?

It depends on the room. Cattery has no door charge, only a one-drink minimum; 78-45-33 sells set tickets, usually ₱500; Tago Jazz covers ran ₱300 to ₱400 in September 2026; band bars such as The 70's Bistro, 12 Monkeys and 19 East charge from nothing on some nights up to about ₱1,000 for well-known acts.

Where is there live music in BGC?

No Entry Cocktail Club on 3rd Avenue has weekly live jazz, with a regular Friday session, and Red Manila on the Forbes Town strip has live jazz, soul, blues and comedy every night.

Do I need to book a table?

For Friday and Saturday at the small jazz rooms, yes. 78-45-33 closes reservations at 5pm on the day, and 19 East does not take reservations at all. Weeknights are usually fine as a walk-in.