Charlie Scotts - Koebenhavn

Nice wee pub with friendly server on the bar, great value for a nice cold Tuberg after walking around the sites all day

I do visit this establishment regularly and can recommend it highly for both locals and visitors to Copenhagen. Somehow they manage to cater for a broad spectrum of clientele from hard core jazz fans, to sports enthusiasts, to visitors to town just looking for a cheap beer. The pub style food is always top class and the staff friendly and accommodating. Don't forget to checkout their website for up-to-date information on the active music program or which sports are being shown throughout the week.

Went to this bar a couple of times, mainly because it was playing the Rugby/Football. However found the bar to be very welcoming and entertaining. There are TV's upstairs and downstairs, a smoking room inside with a pool table. During happy hour beers were 30k which was helpful as Copenhagen can be really expensive for tourists. Staff were friendly and engaging which was a pleasant change. We went on a Friday night and watched a band play (jazz, well their take on jazz) upstairs at a cost of 50k. Overall this bar was a sleeper hit and would recommend to all especially Ex Pats. Only downside was that their WIFI was not working, but that a first world problem.

How an intimate jazz-place like this can slip under the radar is beyond me?! The bar is well assorted, the staff is friendly (not Danish speaking), and the jazz- and jam-sessions are so intimate, you can actually interact with the bands, discuss the repertoire, request the next song and even buy them a beer during breaks. Great little place. And by little, I actually mean small. Everything and everybody is within arm's reach of the band. Go there to brighten a bleak Tuesday evening. Or any other day for that matter.

So... after having been let down but what was going on or rather not going on at the ballet and the opera this week I decided to look into what was going on in the jazz world of Copenhagen and I found Charlie Scott’s! After our mind blowing evening at “The Bamboo bar” at the mandarin oriental in Bangkok we really got into jazz so I thought it would be interesting to check out this place. On a tue evening they have what they call jazz under the stairs, free entry not normal in the jazz world of Copenhagen. It starts as early as 4pm I believe, we arrived at 5.40pm and the small space was packed, but as I was informed a few days earlier when I called the place they said booking a table is not possible (fair enough) but that often in the breaks a few people leave (spot on) so we got 2 seats on the stairs which was great. Drinks were ok priced for Copenhagen, location easy to find, service fine. If you want a seat I reckoned you arrive well before 4pm, many elderly regulars but the cool type who really enjoy the jazz which is great. What REALLY upset me was that several of the people taking up prime locations and some of the few seats there were “artists” not only were they right up in the faces of the musicians but also they weren’t even customers, they sat over the same SMALL pint of by now surely flat and warm near for more then an hour... come on that’s rude of them and slightly odd the bar thinks that’s ok and clearly they were regulars, regularly taking up space without actually spending any money, that was a bit upsetting especially when so many spending customers were packed away at the bar or by the entrance. Or if this is the clientele the bar wants I recommend them to have this even in the upstairs room which is larger. But except that the jazz was light up beat and filled you with joy! Do not overdress, it’s a chilled out place where everybody is welcome but jeans and a shirt is the way to go. Mainly Danish locals but also a few tourists drawn in by the cool music that could be heard in the street or who simply read about it online. Yes it’s not the Bamboo bar and it never pretended to be, it’s down to earth honest feel good jazz in a simple backstreet bar in Copenhagen and I rather liked it! Will be back for sure! Oh and note, as this place gets so busy on the classic tue afternoon I recommend you to start your visit in the basement (cafe la glace) which by many is thought of as the best cakes in town and then make your way upstairs to Charlie Scott’s shortly before 4pm.