The Baked Potato

To start off, this review is solely based on the entertainment and drink service. My friend and I didn’t try the food as we caught a rather late show and already ate.
We caught the Michael Landau Group and I must say, they absolutely rocked. Definitely a world class jazz show. I hope to be back to The Baked Potato soon. Service was friendly and the drinks were great. A great evening!

Jesus Christ the marinated steak was bad. Don’t get it. It tasted like it was marinated in teriyaki sauce

I echo many of the previous post. Jazz clubs are few, so I appreciate the owners for continuing the legacy. However the cost for an evening at the Baked Potato can exceed the value for a couple. My Night: Cover $ 40 for two. The food $ 40 (2) potatoes. But then comes the two drink Min. Avg. $ 30 – 40. After ordering the food I felt the drink requirement could have been waived. No chance. We only wanted one drink. But we were force to pay for four so we paid a premium price for 2 bottles of water. The Evening ended for us after the first set (about 45 mins). To stay for a second set, you paid again and the process started all over again.
So for less than one hour of entertainment and 2 very good Baked Potatoes — Cost $ 125.00.
Loved the music and socializing for the hour, but have not been back. The management my want to take a closer look at the customer’s experience. As you already know; repeat customers keep the lights on.

The baked potato was a really great place! It’s definitely hidden from tourists in North Hollywood area. If you get a chance to go I highly recommend it because you get to hear great music (jazz) and get great food! (The best combo of both if you ask me) we got there very early for a Sunday show (about two hours before the live music) but it was perfect because I had a few drinks, talked with my party and then by the time we ordered it took 30 mins to get our potatoes so the time the show started we were eating and enjoying the show. It was truly amazing to see a live show of people that aren’t very well known but they are very creative. It’s hard to explain in words but when you go you’ll understand how amazing it is to hear the band or musician. The baked potatoes are also huge, I’m surprised they even put a salad with it because the salad is tiny compared to the big potato so if you go make sure you’re hungry!

This place consists of a menu entirely of giant baked potatoes and a multitude of beer selections! The staff is amazing and the jazz played here is out of this world. Seriously, this is where the best jazz musicians come to perform. A true old-​fashioned Los Angeles underground jazz club, The Baked Potato is a Los Angeles institution and should be on every musician and jazz-lover’s hit list.
Faithfully regular acts and open mic nights are also on the menu and the venue is plastered with posters of everyone from Miles Davis, Katisse Buckingham, and the various bands that have played here over the years.
Don’t miss this place. You’ll become a regular before you know it!

After a long wait and much anticipation, I finally made it to the Baked Potato!!! Awesome is an understatement, and this one of a kind spot sure knows how to have a good time. I arrived for the 9:30 pm show of Brandon Fields True All Stars, and walking through that front door made me feel like I was entering another world. This small venue is a music lovers dream and let’s just say these guys knew how to get down and keep it funky! Band instruments included saxophone, bass, drums, keyboard, and the trumpet. These guys were beasts! Watching the artists’ passion for music as they jammed out on their instruments was truly priceless.
Don’t even get me started on the baked potatoes, those things are GIANTS. Eating a baked potato here felt like a right of passage, and man did it taste good.
My advice is to bring ear plugs if you’re sensitive to noise. Also, tables get full quick so purchase tickets in advance. The only downside was cost. $ 20 cover charge– fo sho! $ 17 baked potato– fo sho! 2 drink requirement even though I already paid cover and ordered a full dinner? I felt like that was overkill, and customers shouldn’t be required to buy 2 drinks if they order a dinner.

Great musicians & a cool vibe but they should fix this place up a little. It’s still a dump & expensive.
But you can’t beat the talent.

Reason for on missing star: parking. Everything else about this place was great… I believe it was the manager who helped us get settled inside. He was great. The bartender made a great Old Fashioned. We were there last night to see Artyom Manukyan perform and received great service and experienced the greatest music. Two thumbs up!

Not really happy with the forceful service i recieved. This was our first time in came to see a friend playing saxophone. Meanwhile we decided to have a coupme of drinks not knowing they had a 3 drink minimum. We had 3 drinks and a potatoe from the menu for 12.00 dollars. I began to n pay and the waitresse said sorry but there is a 2 drink mjn. I didnt see any signs and i had no idea but i was o noly here to see a friend. Manager came and said there is a two drink mun. Im thinking i just spent 47.00 really. I can see if i didnt but anything. Totally ripped me off. I wont be back. Stay clear of this place full of trickery.

QUINTESSENTIAL LA EXPERIENCE
Folks…this is THE LA secret! If you are under 30, you might not get this place. Google: The Wrecking Crew. Don Randi was part of LA’s premier session roundtable that played on every big hit in the 60’s. He owns the Baked Potato and has not changed it… ever. It is 1971 all over. You HAVE to imagine all the music that has bounced off these walls over the past 40 years. All the TOP cats play here… When one person mentioned, «I had to pay a cover charge AND a two drink min… it should be one or the other» I laughed! Someone under 30? Female?
I once took a friend and he invited three girls from work about 22. We saw Planet X. After the 3^rd song they bailed… prog rock music… no pop hooks… it was good for them to venture out. This is not a dance club and it is small… bring ear plugs if you need to (no shame to tuck ‘em in) cause it can be loud.
The Spuds are great… I never eat a potato the same after doping it with chicken or beef or… makes for the perfect meal.

I am so happy this place is still here! Please dont ever go! I dont really come here for the baked potatoes, albeit they’re delicious and there are over 20 different kinds, I come for the cozy atmosphere and great live music. From Jazz to Rock, you will not see a band in a more cool, intimate setting than this. The people are awesome, no pretentious snobbery here! No sir!

This is one of the last few remaining REAL jazz clubs in Los Angeles where only the best of The BEST musicians play. It is tiny but musicians like to play here and they like to watch other musicians play here. It is like going to music school. You learn something new every time you go here. I would say about 20% of the audience are usually musicians.
The people who work here are awesome. The potatoes are delicious and the biggest I’ve ever seen. My favorite is the Chicken Parmesan. Not sure if Dana is still there but she is my fave. If you live in LA and haven’t visited the Baked Potato, it is an LA requirement.
Most importantly the bands and artists that play here are not background noise so please DO NOT talk during their sets or you will get the evil eye by the artists and people around you.
I do wish they had dessert… like an ice cream sundae!
Lastly, the day this place closes will be the end of a music era. That is all.

This spot is DOPE. Went here with my lady and it was a great experience.
From the walk in, to the waitress, to baked potato, to the music and the overall décor
I wish I could remember the waitresses name. She was really sweet. My girlfriend wanted ear buds (you will need them) and she bring her some with a smile. She complimented the drink I got for us and was just a sweet gal.
The music was awesome. The bass, the keyboard and the the drummer and the acoustic guitar was all just to heavenly for a JAZZ head like myself.
I cannot even get into the potato. It was super huge teriyaki chicken potato. My girlfriend got a chicken parmesan potato. It was bigger than our hands and stuffed more than a Thanksgiving turkey.
I would go back here over and over again. I recommend this spot to any of the helpers that are rewding this review. And if you do go, remember this…
I TOLD YOU SO

This place is so down to earth and laid back!
The live music is AMAZING!!! Just remember to take ear plugs or headphones to protect your ears because you are very close to the band and it gets LOUD. My ears are still ringing… LOL. If not ask for ear plugs, they’re provided for free. Or stuff paper in your ears, I did and that worked for me. I could hear the band, just not my boyfriend talking to me. Hahaha!!!
Now for the potato. Holy shit!!! They are HUGE! I had to bring half home because I was stuffed like an animal from Build-​A-​Bear. LoL.
As far as parking goes, there’s street parking, 2 hour max. So take plenty of quarters or a debit/​credit card for the meters. Our cover charge was $ 25 per person & there’s a 2 drink minimum… per person, but our waitress was cool with us only having one drink each, maybe because we ordered food too. A lot of people didn’t order food… just drinks.
It’s very chill here so feel free to wear your jeans and Chucks. I was overdressed for the ocassion… heels and a dress, but that was cool too. Just dress comfortable. You also get to pick where to sit. We sat in the back. Great choice because if we sat in the front it would’ve been extra loud to my eardrums… LOL.
There’s very low lighting… just candle light at the tables, so make sure u have a little light of some kind to see into your purse, or look at your plate. We took pics in the dark of our food. So we had NO IDEA what our food looked like. Then when we took the pic with the flash and looked at our phones we were like, SURPRISE!!! That potato looks amazing!!! It was almost too pretty to eat!
The sign when you walk in says no photography, or recording of any kind of the band. Well, I guess they don’t enforce that rule. People were taking pics and recording left and right of the band… flash and all. Hahaha!
So overall… will I return? Hell yeah!!! The Baked Potato & The live band were a great Friday evening treat!!!

The Baked Potato has free parking and is located near Universal City. It was my first visit and I was not expecting the place to be so small. We went on Monday rock jam night with people who has signed up in advance to jam together. I was sitting at the tables just in front of the stage and it was too cramped for me even though I am petite in size so try not to get the first 2 seats, get the seats at the back end with cushion which makes a difference. You will enjoy the show more with more comfortable seats. The speakers are really loud and it is not a place to go to unless you do not mind loud music as it was too loud for me. When we first arrived, the group of jammers is really good, however as we stayed on for 2 – 3 hours, the music gets from good to average. Less experienced jammers went on stage to try jamming with those experienced ones.
The only downside is there is a $ 10 cover charge and 2 drink minimum. I would prefer to go to a place with either one requirements not both.
I will not go back again but if I do, it is because of the baked potatoes. The menu is filled with a list of different potatoes with different fillings (bacon, cheese, vegetables and etc). The potatoes are HUGE which I recommend you share the portion with a friend. Served piping hot potato with very generous portions of fillings. Service is average and overall experience is average, nothing fantastic.

One of the coolest jazz venues around. I grew up in northern California, and having explored all the major clubs up and down the coast (Yoshi’s, Catalina, Kuumbwa, etc), The Baked Potato has always had a special place in my heart. Incredible vibe, incredible music, and the biggest baked potato known to man (personally the chicken parm potato is my favorite).
There are few jazz clubs that have this much charisma, partly due to the incredibly small size of the club. You’re no more than 10 feet from the musicians — the intimacy makes for some really killer live music. Great environment to meet and interact with the musicians post-​concert, and the acoustics are always superb for such a small club. I just saw Scott Henderson Trio last night (it had been exactly 10 years since I last saw him at the same club!) — really incredible concert. Never fails to blow my mind.
This place has a unique personality — I can’t recommend it highly enough.

A few of my fellow musicians have been pestering me to check out this cool little venue on Cahuenga for months now and let me say– Cannot BELIEVE it took me this long!
A very unassuming front holds the key to what may just be one of the best live music bars in Los Angeles. Although cramped, this club has an incredible ambience and you will always find super famous musicians either jamming on the stage or tucked into a back corner observing the incredible musical fusion taking place.
I headed in on a Monday evening which is a «rock/​blues» jam night and was not disappointed! The house drummer for the evening was the guy from Animals as Leaders (which blew my mind a little!), be aware that there is a $ 10 cover charge and a 2 drink minimum.
As well as being an awesome music venue this place does some FANTASTIC food items! Staying true to its name, the Baked Potato serves just that… BAKED POTATOS’! My friend had the cheese broccoli one and it looked incredible, so definitely try one of those if you’re looking for food.
This is definitely going to become one of my regular places on a Monday!

Great little Jazz venue. This was my first west coast jazz experience. After being at Dizzy’s in New York, and Preservation Hall in NOLA late last year, it was interesting to see the contrast of east and west.
It’s advertised on internet sites as being an open mic, that’s not really the case. Yes, you can go up and jam with other people after the house band plays the first set. That will probably be no earlier than 11PM.
It is however a great place to meet people in the music industry. On my left was a band on tour from Oregon. On my right was Producer, songwriter Preston Glass.
The room space is intimate. Acoustics are good, not boomy. No beers on tap. I believe cash only.

There are some very famous ‘tots who have enjoyed fame and fortune: Mr. Potato Head, Spuds MacKenzie (okay, he was a dog though), and that potato resembling Jesus (not sure of this one but I’m sure someone has claimed this at some point or another). If you live in LA, then another potato is added to the list: The Baked Potato. What exactly is The Baked Potato? A restaurant? A bar? A live music venue? All three, my friends. All three…
The Baked Potato is a tiny hole-​in-​the-​wall bar/​venue located on the cusp of Studio City heading into Hollywood (right by Universal Studios) which looks quite ratty and dingy on the outside. Parking is limited to the street and with no windows; one can’t see inside the bar. Yet, this little establishment is well-​known in the music scene… and the world of spuds.
First of all, let talk about the music. The Baked Potato is a TEENY venue which resembles your teen self’s bedroom with barely-​there lighting, tons of band posters, and odd lighting fixtures. There are some tables and a stage — basically a platform— so in true essence, The Baked Potato is the type of place where ‘nobodies’ would play before they are discovered. Yet, big names from Jazz to electronic grace the stage. The ambiance is very intimate: I’m talking your ears will buzz from being next to the amps and you can mingle with the performers as though they are simply regular folk. So depending on how you feel about small venues; The Baked Potato is either super awesome or totally cramped and not your thing.
Now, let’s talk potatoes, shall we? The Baked Potato has a creatively themed eatery aspect to it, serving up various HUGE baked potatoes with a variety of toppings like pizza flavors, teriyaki, steak, buffalo chicken, maple ham, veggies, and even scrambled eggs. These are expensive, though, ranging from about $ 12 – 17 so don’t expect french fry prices. If potatoes aren’t your thing, they also serve a couple salads plus dessert. Now, I can’t personally vouch for the food because I didn’t have any; but my friends said it is pretty good.
Sadly, The Baked Potato has some MAJOR flaws. The biggest? Not only do you have to pay a cover price to see the performer (generally $ 15 – 20) but they also have a 2-​drink minimum! This is because the cover goes to the band and the drink bills go to the Baked Potato. This is seriously bull. On the plus side, the drinks don’t have to be alcoholic: they can include water, tea, soda, etc. Everything is $ 4 (even tea and soda and water) so basically expect an additional $ 8 for the evening. Oddly enough, buying dessert (usually pie) also counts and you don’t have to get 2 drinks. The waitresses are firm about it and don’t let you slip. This leads me into the fact that the employees (from door to waitress) weren’t exactly the kindest. They had that «I work at a music venue so I am an elitist jerk» attitude. They weren’t horrible; but definitely not good pals either.
Note to the females wanting to freshen up in the rest room: It is a one stall deal with a broken door handle and NO purse hook (I despise the absence of purse hooks in rest rooms!). But I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go!
Overall, The Baked Potato is pricy for a teeny venue; but at least it allows you to get up-​close-​and-​personal with the performers and to experience unique baked potatoes. Is this spud worth passing up on playing with Mr. Potato Head, though? You be the judge…

The Baked Potato is a jazz club located within Universal City. This is a great place to hangout with friends and watch a live concert. This place is very small and one thing that isn’t very pleasing is the pricing and the two drink minimum. But if you like good jazz this is the place for you.
Another great aspect of the Baked Potato is their Baked Potatoes. When you sit down they give you a menu and well if you haven’t guessed already the menu is full of lists of baked potatoes. You can choose from a variety of potatoes, some with cheese, bacon, chili, steak etc.
The best thing about the Baked Potato is that it is a close by place that has great musicians playing all the time. The food is average and the service is not the best, but at least you get to watch great jazz.