Toots Jazz Club

Le Club

Toots is a cultural and secular space, open to everyone, and firmly opposed to all forms of discrimination.

The Toots Jazz Club was founded on the initiative of pianist Joachim Caffonnette, who wanted to create a true jazz club in the vibrant heart of Brussels — a place where music resonates until the early hours of the morning. Just like in New York and New Orleans… but with a touch of Brussels zwanze!

Established as a tribute to the Belgian jazz legend Jean-Baptiste “Toots” Thielemans, the club blends the spirit of Brussels with the festive tradition of the most vibrant music there is.

After making a name for itself by reviving a jazz club in the south of the city, the Toots Live association brought its unique atmosphere and high-level programming to Brussels’ Grand-Place in 2025, thanks to the support of ULB, the Centre d’Action Laïque, and the City of Brussels. Concerts and jam sessions fill its centuries-old walls five nights a week, welcoming passersby and chess players alike into a warm, unmistakably Brussels ambiance.

Getting there

Public transports

Metro: Central Station (lines 1 and 5), about a 5–10 minute walk to Rue des Chapeliers.
Pre-metro: Lines 4 and 10, serving the Bourse station, about a 3–5 minute walk.
Tram: Tram lines 92 and 94 stop at Royal, about a 10-minute walk to Rue des Chapeliers via Mont des Arts.
Bus: Line 71 stops at Central Station or De Brouckère.
Bourse station is served by STIB bus lines 33, 46, 48, 89, and 95, by De Lijn bus lines 126, 127, and 128, and on weekend nights by Noctis night bus lines N04, N05, N06, N08, N09, N10, N11, N12, N13, and N16.

🚗 Nearby parkings

Parking Grand-Place

Address: Rue de l’Écuyer 2, 1000 Brussels
Hours: Open 24/7
Rates: Rates vary depending on the duration of parking; please check the signage inside the parking facility.

Parking Interparking - P2 Grand-Place

Address: Place de la Monnaie 1, 1000 Brussels
Hours: Open 24/7
Rates: Rates vary depending on the parking duration.

On-street parking: On-street parking around the Grand-Place is paid, with rates that vary depending on the zone and time of day. Paid parking zones are in effect from Monday to Saturday, usually from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Useful apps

STIB-MIVB: To check schedules and plan your journey by public transport.
Seety: To check parking zones and pay for your on-street parking ticket. Seety

📍 By foot

The Grand-Place and its surroundings are very easy to explore on foot. If you arrive from Central Station or nearby metro stations, it only takes a few minutes’ walk to reach Rue des Chapeliers.

Schedule

👉 The club opens 45 minutes before the start of each concert, except on Tuesdays when it opens at 6:30 PM.

Closed

Monday: club closed

Tuesday

No live music, but a blitz chess tournament (fast chess) open to everyone.
Carefully curated playlist mixing jazz classics (1917–2025) and Belgian discoveries.
The bar closes “around midnight.” Informal games can be played after the tournament.
Organized by Ixelles Chess Club.

Wednesday

Pump Up the Jam – our weekly jam session with free entry (pay what you can to support live music).
Opening band at 9:00 PM, then music continues until about 2:00 AM.

Thursday

After Work piano bar “Pianockail” with free entry from 6:00 PM.
Ticketed concert at 9:00 PM (see ticketing).
Musical focus: swing, old style, bebop or hard bop.
A space is cleared for dancers, and depending on the mood, a late jam sometimes follows the concert.
Closing between 1:00 and 2:00 AM.

Friday & Saturday

Two formats (see ticketing):

Either two concerts at 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM,
Or one concert in two sets at 8:30 PM (often for “standing” shows).
In both cases: free late jam from 11:00 PM (drinks required).

Sunday

4:00 PM: concert as part of Nostalgia in Grand Place, perfect for a family outing.
- Single price: €10
- €5 for under 12s
- Free for under 6s
8:00 PM: often dedicated to young talents or new groups – a great chance for fresh discoveries.

FAQ

Do I need to make a reservation?

For paid concerts (Thursday to Sunday), you can book and pay online. Depending on the concert, you will either be seated with a great view of the stage or free to dance, with a few seats available for resting.

For the Wednesday jam sessions and the late-night jams from Thursday to Saturday: no reservation required.
For the Tuesday chess tournament: register on-site around 6:30 PM. The event is organized by the Ixelles Chess Club (www.icc.be).

What types of music do you offer?

We mainly program “mainstream” jazz, perfect for the atmosphere of a true jazz club: from early New Orleans jazz to today’s modern New York scene. We also feature swing, hard bop, funk, gypsy jazz, and themed evenings exploring different influences.

Most of the time, a video is available to give you a preview of the bands scheduled to perform.
And sometimes, we take a chance on young musicians we believe in. In those cases, no teaser, no label — just pure discovery. Come and listen to the talents of tomorrow!

Is there an entrance fee for the concerts?

Yes, the main concerts from Thursday to Sunday are ticketed (see ticketing page).
On Wednesdays, you contribute what you can (suggested donation: €5), and the late-night jams are free (with mandatory consumption).

🎶 Why an entrance fee?

Because our musicians are professional artists. Organizing a concert also requires significant resources: copyright fees, sound equipment, instrument maintenance, sound engineering, communication…

The entrance fee helps ensure a great experience for the audience and proper recognition of the artists’ work.

Proposez-vous à manger et à boire ?

Oui ! On a une belle carte de bières, des mixologues talentueux, de jolies bouteilles de vin et de champagne, et une sélection de boissons sans alcool pour profiter du jazz en toute sobriété.

À grignoter : saucisses sèches, portions de fromage et chips de qualité.

Nous travaillons avec les brasseries Haacht, De la Senne et la Microbrasserie de la Flaque, ainsi qu’avec le caviste nature Basin & Marot.

Peut-on venir en famille ?

Bien sûr ! Les concerts du dimanche après-midi sont particulièrement adaptés aux familles : ambiance acoustique, horaires respectueux du rythme des enfants.

⚠️ Après 22h, nous préférons ne pas accueillir de mineurs dans le bar, pour des raisons de sécurité et parce que nous restons un établissement servant de l’alcool.

Est-ce possible de privatiser le club pour un événement ?

Nous sommes ouverts 6 soirs par semaine, donc les créneaux sont limités. Mais n'hésitez pas à nous contacter pour discuter des possibilités !

Le club est-il accessible aux personnes à mobilité réduite ?

Oui, le club est accessible de plain-pied, sans marche à l’entrée ni à l’intérieur.

Cependant, notre quartier est situé en plein centre-ville, et certaines rues pavées aux alentours peuvent être peu confortables pour les fauteuils roulants.
N’hésitez pas à nous contacter à l’avance si vous souhaitez un accueil ou une assistance particulière — on fera au mieux pour vous faciliter l’accès.

Puis-je proposer un projet pour jouer au club ?

Oui ! Vous trouverez un lien vers le formulaire de candidature dans le footer du site. Nous recevons beaucoup de demandes, et nous faisons de notre mieux pour écouter tout le monde. Environ 30 % des groupes proposés sont programmés.

Équité & Diversité

Nous visons plus de parité dans notre programmation. Aujourd’hui encore, peu de projets sont portés par des femmes ou des personnes non genrées. Notre objectif est d’atteindre progressivement 35 à 40 % de présence féminine ou minorisée sur scène, en menant un travail de fond à long terme. Nous tenons à notre intégrité artistique et refusons de programmer une personne en raison de son genre ou de son origine etgnique. Comme le disait Toots, on écoute la musique avec les oreilles, pas avec les yeux.

Contact

For any inquiries, you can use the form below to contact us. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

For booking requests, please use the specific form available in the Footer.