Sappho Live Jazz — Restaurant in Zhongshan District

Live band was FANTASTIC!

We went in to see a really great live band. However, the policies at the venue and some of the staff were appalling and confusing.

Lack of clear communication on event page: There was a Facebook event posted BUT no mention that they sell a limited number of tickets (screenshot posted). Funny thing is that they insisted it's written on the event page. Most bars with live music in Taiwan that we know are reservations to get a seat, but there is no cap on entrance and you can just walk in. We were there only for the music and to get some drinks and were happy to stand around for the gig. However, a number of my friends were told that they couldn't enter (I went there early) because there is a cap on the number of people allowed. BUT they kept letting other people in that they knew (people "in the scene") that was clearly not on the "list". This was when we could clearly see a lot of standing space available. This would have been alright if they communicated this properly prior to the event. We would have made reservations since this was a band we really wanted to see, it's so easy to just do that.

Poor service staff with no standards of service. While we tried to reason nicely with the staff, the lady at the door with short hair and glasses couldn't take the pressure. She started raising her voice and then had an outburst. She also started throwing things around on her table. She didn't offer a solution and was extremely rude. She might have had a bad day or just inexperience and couldn't handle the pressure, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. But as a service staff, this is not really an excuse and it made the experience really bad.

"Leave your number, you can come in as soon as someone leaves" Boss offered this solution, which was better but rather pointless. We went there for the music. Why would we go there if there's no music and pay for overpriced mediocre alcohol?

Strange charging policies for alcohol. Before music started and there were lesser people, they didn't charge an additional 10% for the drinks if you paid in cash. They did mention if you pay by card, there would be that additional amount charged. Later on, they started charging additional 10% for the drinks even if you paid by cash. This would have been alright if it was a CONSISTENT fee. But to change it halfway through after we've bought so many drinks, is NOT ALRIGHT. It just sounds like you're leveraging on the crowd to earn more.

Recommend others to pay immediately when you get your drinks. DO NOT hold a tab when it's crowded. There were some strange charges that some of my friends had, we paid and didn't argue, but will not do that again.

All in all, if there's a good band that you want to see, make sure you make a reservation to prevent a similar experience that we had. Don't walk in and assume you'll be let in. And be careful of the charges here. I would still come because they do host...

I visited Sappo Live on 27/10/2023 to enjoy the live jazz music of Soul Tropical Fish, I was quite upset with the way the club handled solo guests, including myself. Upon arriving at the club, I noticed that two tables were unoccupied. However, when I inquired about sitting there, the staff informed me that there were no available seats. They mentioned that in order to listen to the music, I would need to pay NT400 and also order a drink. Feeling a bit disappointed, I decided to find a suitable standing spot to enjoy the music, which happened to be near the exit door of the kitchen. It seemed as though I was not given the same level of service as other guests.

To my dismay, I noticed that several other solo guests were facing the same situation. The two empty tables remained unoccupied until groups of three or more arrived, at which point they were promptly offered seating. Furthermore, while I had finally found a good spot to enjoy the music, multiple staff members approached me to express their discontent with my chosen location next to the exit door. Instead of offering a better spot, I encountered a woman who I believe was in charge. She attempted to explain why my chosen spot was not ideal without making any effort to arrange an alternative for me. This encounter left me greatly disappointed, and it was disheartening to see other solo guests leaving before the second half of the performance even began.

Overall, my experience at Sappo Live was marred by a lack of respect shown towards solo guests. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this...

I think this is one of the best venues for live music in Taipei, although I preferred the old location.

Pros:

The borders are closed so there aren't (m)any touring musicians these days. Sappho seems to host some of the better local groups.

Service is pretty attentive, unobtrusive and not aggressive in pushing you to buy more drinks.

Cover prices and 1 drink minimum are reasonable for the better groups.

Cons:

The venue can get quite loud. It seems like half the customers come to socialize and treat the performances as background music. The last time I came the singer was asking for the volume to be turned up because it was clear she was having trouble hearing.

The last time I came, the group didn't start on time and the drummer rushed in late. When a venue charges a cover, it should make sure performances start on time and demand professionalism from the performers.

There's basically no social distancing and lots of people walk around without masks.

Overall, Sappho is a fun place and the value is reasonable on the nights when they host good performers. I highly recommend checking the event schedule first and coming based on the performers as opposed to randomly showing up.

Updated and removed a star as the past 2 times I've come, the performance has not started on time. The last time, music started 15 minutes late and the performers were just hanging around talking and drinking. Not cool when you're charging...