Vibe: Sophisticated Listening Room | Historic Elegance | The Heartbeat of Broadway
Keys Jazz Bistro is a premier 4,000-square-foot jazz destination located on the historic Broadway strip in North Beach. Founded by Dr. Simon Rowe—a distinguished pianist and former Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute—the venue occupies a space with a deep musical lineage, once home to the legendary 1950s club El Matador. Designed as a “listening room,” Keys prioritizes the connection between artist and audience, offering a refined environment where world-class jazz, seasonal dining, and community culture converge.
The venue is thoughtfully divided into two distinct areas. Upon entering, guests are welcomed into a front bar and lounge (80 capacity), which sits on the site of the original El Matador. Beyond this lies the “Listening Room” (125 capacity)—an intimate, state-of-the-art performance space where no seat is more than 25 feet from the stage. The room features a Yamaha concert grand piano and a resident Hammond B3 organ, bathed in warm lighting and optimized for acoustic perfection.
Marquee Residencies: The programming features a mix of Bay Area legends and international touring artists. Regular favorites include vocalists like Clairdee and Lavay Smith, along with the house Simon Rowe Organ Trio.
Dinner and a Show: Keys offers a casual but seasonal menu and full dinner service in the listening room, allowing guests to dine without interrupting the nuances of the performance. Signature cocktails and a curated wine list are designed to complement the sophisticated, mid-century atmosphere.
Legacy & Community: The bistro is home to Jazz in the Neighborhood, an organization advocating for fair wages for musicians. This commitment to the craft is palpable, making every show feel like a contribution to the thriving future of the art form.
The Ritual of the Set
Performance schedules typically run Wednesday through Saturday with sets at 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM (plus a late-night 10:30 PM Hammond B3 set on Saturdays), and Sunday shows at 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM. The “Will-Call” style check-in and first-come, first-served seating policy encourage a relaxed, communal experience where fans are invited to arrive early, grab a drink at the historic bar, and prepare for a night of deep musical immersion.
Tiffany Austin is a vocalist, composer, educator, and Berkeley Law Juris Doctor. She has performed with luminaries such as Pharoah Sanders, Roy Ayers, John Handy, Cyrus Chestnut, and Doug Carn. Her soulful delivery and musical storytelling has brought her to stages at Birdland and Dizzy’s Den in NYC, Walt Disney Concert Hall in her native...
Keys favorite Kenny Washington always brings concert thrills and spills to Keys. Don’t miss out on one of our very own world class bay area artists!Kenny Washington has thrilled audiences across the globe with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and inventive scatting. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington appeared in 2013 with...
Tiffany Austin is a vocalist, composer, educator, and Berkeley Law Juris Doctor. She has performed with luminaries such as Pharoah Sanders, Roy Ayers, John Handy, Cyrus Chestnut, and Doug Carn. Her soulful delivery and musical storytelling has brought her to stages at Birdland and Dizzy’s Den in NYC, Walt Disney Concert Hall in her native...
This ensemble will be creating fresh arrangements of jazz standards and modern tunes in the tradition of the Keith Jarrett trio. Grant Levin is a jazz pianist and composer based in San Francisco. Born in San Diego, California, he began studying the piano at age 5. He attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where he...
This ensemble will be creating fresh arrangements of jazz standards and modern tunes in the tradition of the Keith Jarrett trio. Grant Levin is a jazz pianist and composer based in San Francisco. Born in San Diego, California, he began studying the piano at age 5. He attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where he...
For this performance,the Trio breaks from its late night routine to create some midweek magic at Keys! Come hear Keys owner, Simon Rowe with two of the Bay Area’s finest. His ‘Transcendent Trio’, formed for a “Jazz on the Patio” residency during the pandemic will feature the dynamic Dave Macnab-Guitar, the ebullient Brian Fishler-drums and...
For this performance,the Trio breaks from its late night routine to create some midweek magic at Keys! Come hear Keys owner, Simon Rowe with two of the Bay Area’s finest. His ‘Transcendent Trio’, formed for a “Jazz on the Patio” residency during the pandemic will feature the dynamic Dave Macnab-Guitar, the ebullient Brian Fishler-drums and...
Returning to Keys, Suzanna Smith fronts another stellar ensemble to work her magic around the Peggy Lee songbook. “There are relatively few contemporary female vocalists who evoke Peggy Lee, at least not genuinely. Suzanna Smith numbers among that rare ilk. That Smith sounds like Lee — slightly breathy and warmly sensual with a hint of...
Returning to Keys, Suzanna Smith fronts another stellar ensemble to work her magic around the Peggy Lee songbook. “There are relatively few contemporary female vocalists who evoke Peggy Lee, at least not genuinely. Suzanna Smith numbers among that rare ilk. That Smith sounds like Lee — slightly breathy and warmly sensual with a hint of...
Keeping folks up past 10 pm in SF is no easy feat, but Key’s owner Simon Rowe has been showcasing the best of the Bay Area’s organ trios in his late night Saturday sets. His ‘Transcendent Trio’, formed for a “Jazz on the Patio” residency during the pandemic will feature the dynamic Kai Lyons- guitar,...
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers have performed at many of the top festivals and concert venues in the US, Europe, Japan and Canada. They have headlined at Jazz At Lincoln Center on New Year’s Eve, and were featured at the official Oscars after-party in Hollywood. Performing classics and obscure gems from the...
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers have performed at many of the top festivals and concert venues in the US, Europe, Japan and Canada. They have headlined at Jazz At Lincoln Center on New Year’s Eve, and were featured at the official Oscars after-party in Hollywood. Performing classics and obscure gems from the...
