+233 Jazz Bar & Grill

+233 Jazz Bar & Grill is the home of live jazz in Accra. Named after Ghana's international dialling code, it grew out of an earlier venue, the Bassline Jazz Club, and has become the city's leading stage for jazz, highlife and blues. It is on Doctor Isert Street, on the edge of North Ridge, and is the place to hear Ghanaian bands up close.

The venue is laid out over two levels around a small stage, with a U-shaped upper floor that looks down on the band and an outdoor seating area behind a glass wall, where the music is relayed by speakers. Each section has its own bar. The kitchen is mostly a grill, serving dishes such as chicken, kebabs, burgers, pork chops and chips that go well with a cold beer during a set. Regular weekly nights have included the Lipstick Queens on Wednesdays, and the programme ranges across jazz, highlife and blues with occasional other genres.

+233 also runs bigger events. With the Ghana Jazz Foundation it hosts the Jazz In January festival, launched in January 2024, which brings Ghanaian and international musicians together over several nights at the start of the year, and an annual concert for International Jazz Day on 30 April. Past guests have included the saxophonist Godwin Louis and the bassist Etienne Mbappé.

The bar suits music lovers, couples, solo travellers and groups who want an evening built around live performance rather than a club. Check the venue's social media for the week's line-up, as bands and timings vary. An entrance charge may apply on some nights, particularly for festivals and special concerts, so carry cash in cedis. Arrive early for a table near the stage on popular nights, and expect the outdoor area to be lively.

Festival nights and special concerts can be busy, so check ticket details early if your visit falls in early January or around 30 April.

Doctor Isert Street is a short taxi or ride-hailing ride from Osu, Adabraka and the Ridge hotels. Ritual in nearby Ringway Estates and the bars of Osu are close by for an earlier drink, and ride-hailing cars are the easiest way home after a late set.