Upstairs at Ronnie’s is open now. (Image: Taran Wilkhu)
Ronnie Scott’s has been a mainstay in London’s thriving Soho area for decades, but a part of its DNA closed its doors back in 2024. Two years ago, the first-floor part of the building, known as ‘Upstairs at Ronnie’s’, shut its doors for refurbishment, and has since undergone a complete and total overhaul. Now it has reopened, anew, transformed from its previously worn look into a portal, sending attendees into a pseudo-contemporary speakeasy.
The “purpose-designed, intimate auditorium” not only pays homage to the club’s six-decade legacy, but it is future-proofed. With a newly-appointed executive chef (Steven Connolly), state-of-the-art sound and light system, a brand new Yamaha Grand Piano and enough gold and silver to make royalty blush, this new haven for jazz enthusiasts has been built with Father Time in mind.
Upstairs at Ronnie’s has multiple openings a week. (Image: Taran Wilkhu)
It’s not all looks, though. Upstairs at Ronnie’s continues its predecessor’s vow to present the “finest jazz and jazz-adjacent acts” every night it’s open.
And that’s on top of the performances from “contemporary soul, acoustic R&B, gospel, hip-hop, global music, and classical” artists gracing the stage each week, as well.
So then, the Upstairs at Ronnie’s team was no doubt devastated when they were forced to announce – just hours before the doors of their first gala event opened – their main entertainment for the evening had cancelled due to illness.
While both Ronnie Scott’s and Upstairs at Ronnie’s thrive on great drinks, beautiful food and a somewhat charming mystique, it is the unrelenting and all-encompassing music which makes their nights not just great, but legendary.
Without their act, what were they to do on their opening night?
Upstairs at Ronnie’s kicked off with a glitzy show. (Image: Monika S. Jakubowska)
Thankfully, this wasn’t Ronnie Scott’s first rodeo. And, indeed, it came as no surprise that they had a superb stand-in lined up.
Not just one, at that. Upstairs at Ronnie’s first night was well and truly kicked off with the sultry and infectious tones of Nao, alongside Vula and friends.
Between the raucous banter, incredible original songs, and some contemporary hits, Upstairs at Ronnie’s made their guests forget any other artist was even scheduled to perform in the first place.
In a scenario that would have ruined the first night at any other establishment, Ronnie Scott’s used it as an opportunity to demonstrate its superpower. At the very last minute, two new and glorious acts stepped in to make it just as memorable – if not more.
Between it all, food fans will be left simply head-over-heels. From a pan-seared chicken breast with mustard butter to a cacio e pepe bean salad, all the stops have been met; whether one is feeling daring or more traditional, the menu allows for it all.
Likewise, the cocktail list delivers a similar experience. With – naturally – every classic drink on offer, there are some more nuanced and unexpected offerings there.
Upstairs at Ronnie’s is not only built to last, but its fresh licks of paint beg to be a part of the night. And that’s the charm of the original Ronnie Scott’s bleeding through the wallpaper. It feels like an exclusive club that one might be desperate to be a part of.
Thankfully, it isn’t that exclusive – just probably a little hard to get a ticket to. While most shows’ tickets are priced at around £35, there are Late Late Shows (11:15pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays) which are available for £12.
Between the unmatched vibes, pristine cocktails, real, live, impassioned music living and breathing in front of your very eyes, Upstair’s at Ronnie’s won’t survive as a cool new date spot, or an impressive dinner location, but instead as a new mainstay in London’s thriving Soho.