Hot Club Gent — Restaurant in Ghent

Hot Club Gent is a jazz club known for its open improvisation sessions, and when we visited, there were live jazz performances. The place was packed, but we managed to get in and find seats for a while. The drinks are reasonably priced compared to other bars—we had some rum shots, and they were quite good.

If you’re a jazz fan, this is a great spot to experience live music up close. The vibe is very intimate; it’s a small space with everyone crowded together, giving it that authentic, lively jazz bar feel. Definitely worth a visit for a unique, close-up jazz...

A jazz club like a jazz club should be: a bit perky. The club itself is small and hidden behind some other buildings. Outside there's a hidden terrace where you can sit and talk during concerts, but inside they (rightfully!) demand you to shut up when musicians are playing.

There's regular jam sessions and concert evenings, so there's someone playing almost every evening. But even when there's nothing on the small stage, you can still enjoy a lovely jazzy vibe and one of the coolest places of Ghent....

Small jazz joint in downtown Ghent There is a terrace which is usually packed with people who don't come for the music, good that they do their thing outside

Inside it is often packed as well, as in sardine packed. For some, like myself, this can be challenging.

People do listen to the music so that's cool. It's small so if you talk out loud, it might disrupt the music

The place has a variety of live jazz bands, from avant garde jam sessions to gypsy swing to jazz...