The Django is the closest thing New York has to a Paris jazz cave — a brick-vaulted cellar under a Tribeca hotel where the ceiling is low enough that a horn section physically fills the room. The JC Hopkins Biggish Band has been a fixture of the downtown scene for years, playing arrangements that swing hard in a space that has no business holding a band that size. If your idea of a good night involves a cocktail, a low ceiling and a lot of brass at close range, book this one.
What to expect
A small underground room with tables around a corner bandstand and a full cocktail program. Sets run in the evening with the room turning over between them. Reservations are the reliable way in, though walk-ups sometimes get bar space.
Good to know
- 1 to Franklin Street or A/C/E to Canal Street; The Django is beneath the Walker Hotel
- Reserve a table — the room is small and Fridays fill
- There is a cocktail-forward drinks program rather than a full dinner menu
- The ceiling is genuinely low; it is close-quarters listening
- Stairs down to the room limit step-free access — call ahead if that matters
- Tribeca is quiet late, which makes it an easy neighborhood to leave
Get Saturday planned every Thursday
One email a week — the best of the NYC weekend board. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Common questions
Where is The Django?
In the cellar of the Walker Hotel in Tribeca, entered from the hotel's ground floor on Walker Street.
Do I need a reservation?
Recommended. The room is small and weekend sets fill, though bar space sometimes opens for walk-ups.
What is the JC Hopkins Biggish Band?
A long-running downtown New York big band led by JC Hopkins, playing swing-era-rooted arrangements with a rotating cast of singers.
