The Jacaranda

Last night, some friends and I went to the Jac. It was NOT a good night.
The issues started when we entered the bar from upstairs and we went to the basement area straight away — apparently by doing this, we were leaving the Jacaranda properly and moving to the Jacaranda Records bar, which had a separate entrance at street level, a fact that we had no idea about as we headed down.
After some time of sitting in a little alcove, a friend and I tried to go up to the bathrooms, but found the door we came through was locked. We found the bathroom in the basement, which was fine, but then later on a friend and I needed some air, so we went up to the outside area (not the same place we had entered) to talk, a little bit down from the Jacaranda Records street level door. My fiancé and his friend came up to find us, stepped over the street-​level threshold to look for us, tried to get back in through the upstairs bar which turned out to be closed, tried to turn back to the door they had just come out of, and they were stopped by two overly aggressive bouncers who denied them entrance because, apparently, we were supposed to have Jacaranda cards to get in through that door. There was no signage indicating this, no one had stopped to tell us this when we first headed down to the basement, and no one stopped to tell us on our way up to the outside area. Eventually they let us back in, but only after we’d managed to de-​escalate the situation, which meant staying calm and reasonable in the face of two very snarky, aggressive doormen, and explaining slowly and repeatedly that we had originally entered at a different bar (which is also the same bar, so, confusion!) and so we could not have known about the cards, and that we had bags, coats, drinks and friends downstairs waiting for us. However, we wanted to seek redress to express our unhappiness with the confusing entrance system, and how immediately unpleasant the bouncers were when we had been trying to, with very little fuss, just get back in to our things.
So I asked to speak to the manager. The manager, Ellie, was instantly defensive and hostile. She claimed that she had been up top when the guys were trying to get in through the upstairs bar and had overheard my fiancé say something along the lines of «I need a pint,» and somehow was construing this as a reason for him to be turned down and not listened to. My fiancé said directly to that comment «I dispute that, I patently did not say that» or words to that effect, to which Ellie responded «are you calling me a liar?», a totally unnecessary comment that simply escalated the tension and added insult to an already terrible situation. As a manager, it was her job to remain calm, impersonal and to seek resolution, and she absolutely, devastatingly failed at that.
Even if he did say something to the effect of «I want a pint», it is no reason to dismiss the fact that he was calm, reasonable and explaining very clearly that he wasn’t just some drunken chancer off the street, but an existing customer who had a legitimate reason to get back in. I can testify, as can my fiancé’s friend, as can the CCTV from the door, that he and everyone else in our party were entirely reasonable, calm and, while exasperated and upset at how unnecessarily aggressive the doormen were, at no point did we raise our voices, swear or act anything other than civil. I’m also amazed that Ellie admitted that she had overheard the altercation, and yet did nothing to help resolve it then and there.
Now I have to say, with the doormen (whose names were James and Malik), I understand that they have to put up with drunken louts all the time. Their default response to two men trying to get in to the bar after 2am is understandably one of immediate wariness; however, the second it was apparent that we were not trouble-​makers, but had a very good reason to want back in, they should have dropped their snide machismo and negotiated like civilised adults. Ellie, as a manager, should have been reasonable, especially when she saw we were sober and simply wanting to let her know about how confusing the entry system was, and how unnecessarily unpleasant the bouncers were. Instead she was argumentative, cast aspersions on our character and was incredibly defensive when we disputed her accusations about our own behaviour (please, go ahead and check the CCTV.)
In short, our visit to the Jac revealed how shockingly disorganised the entry system was (they’ve had 8 months to fix it since the place reopened), and how downright intimidating the staff was. I’ve seen comments on here that describe the Jac as «safe», but that was not our experience at all. The staff were intimidating and combative, and honestly, if we hadn’t endeavoured to be as calm as we were, if they had been as rude to less sensible people, it would have very easily escalated.

The Jacaranda has been a mainstay of Liverpool night-​life since the 50s, and is one of the many venues across the town centre that claim to be the first place that The Beatles ever played. However, after years of success, the Jac was thought to have reached its end, until a radical refurbishment saw it re-​opened in 2014 after two or three years of inactivity.
As a semi-​regular of the old Jac, I was more than a little sceptical of the new version, and the potential direction that it could take. However, the new owners have impressively managed to modernise and streamline the place without losing the rough, scruffy charm that endeared it to so many in the first place.
The main bar room is essentially a more stripped-​down version of what it used to be, with the clutter of Beatles memorabilia stripped out in favour of a much more minimalist look. The well-​stocked bar is more expensive than your average Slater Street watering hole, but with great tunes to enjoy, and the welcome consideration of cheap bottled lagers for those on a tighter budget.
This ground floor area is all very nice, but what they’ve done to the basement area downstairs is simply inspired. In the past, this area was just another area to drink and chat, with a minuscule stage bunged in the corner, almost as an afterthought. Since the refurbishment, there is no mistake that live music is the raisin d’etre of this space. The room is now structured in a way that prioritises the performers — the stage is wrapped around the seats and tables, encouraging the audience to pay the artists the respect that they deserve, while also giving everyone a decent view of the stage, and providing better sound quality to the whole room. It’s also separated from the upstairs by heavily-​hinged doors, meaning that noise overspill from upstairs is minimised. Additionally, the basement now has a fully-​stocked bar and shiny new unisex toilets, so there is no need to be running up and down the stairs all night.
As I said above, there was a great deal of scepticism around the new-​look Jac before it opened its doors, but it’s highly reassuring that those behind this incarnation have placed a great deal of importance upon its live music output. This is something that was always an integral part of a Jac in spirit, but can now be matched in actuality. Its reputation as a venue will surely only grow from here.

I was a regular at the Jac, it was a great place but not anymore. The Thursday night open mike with Colin and Mike was great with everyone doing their little turn on the stage, locals and people from all over, seen some great performances over the years, but that’s all gone now since it came under new management. One of the doormen is very aggressive and violent, I’ve witness people dragged and threw to the pavement because they didn’t move fast enough at the end. They have the fantastic Joey Shields and the Wheels on of a Friday night downstairs so I thought all is not lost but the atmosphere was spoilt because they have the DJ upstairs blasting out at the same time so there’s only a few people down there now, sabotage??? I think so. I got barred on Friday because as I was going in the doorman said I didn’t leave straight away weeks ago (I’d just moved and told a friend that I’d see him outside). They have taken our Jacaranda from us, they didn’t respect those who’ve frequented the place for decades and have done their best to get rid of us. People from all over the world would go there because of its Beatles connection and they’d be greeted with a lovely friendly atmosphere but that’s all over now. It angers me that the likes of that bully on the door represent me as a Scouser. Seems to me that they want to turn it into a mini Heebie Jeebies for those who can’t get into HJ because they’ve got no ID on them. Know this management; Scousers are known for their fighting spirit and sense of fair play and I’ll be voicing my opinion about our Jacaranda wherever possible.

The jacaranda, what a real shame Liverpool Lost this bar. Despite the fact it is still there in name, it has lost everything that was great about it. The Décor, the random juke box, the cheap drink, the randomness and friendly attitude of visitors and most importantly the atmosphere. The Jacaranda has tried to be turned into another dark, overpriced souless bar.
Its trying to be a Heebie jeebies, when infact we already have one and the shipping forcast and peacocks and numbers of other places if you want to be pretentious. This was once a great little bar however alas its been lost and no surpirise its nowhere as busy as prior to its depressing makeover. Somewhere in town a lucky bar will stumble across the same combination the real Jac use to have and will reep the benefits. RIP The Jac!

I’ve been to the Jac several times on visits to Liverpool, and since I’m a bit of a Beatlemaniac, this place was a must-​see. It didn’t disappoint.
I enjoyed seeing the murals painted by the Fabs and the rest of the tribute stuff to the band. The atmosphere is distinctly Liverpudlian and great fun. Folks are always friendly and there is an open mic night that is a hoot. Get drunk enough and you too can play where the Beatles did!
A wonderfully crazy place.

Nice pub to visit, especially if you’re not familiar with the city. Get all walks of life in there from students right up to pensioners.
Gets full most nights of the week, and during the day too. Drinks are fairly priced and there’s a decent selection. Music is normally good playing a variety of different genres.

Top pub with quite a bit of history, in relation to a few local lads who started a band & apparently played here. Nice upbeat vibe with array of student types due 2 well priced drinks. Always a good starting point 2 my night round town & nice selection of tunes on the old jacbox. I always seem 2 strike up conversation with random or 2 which contributes 2 the Jac’s friendly atmosphere.

The interestingly named Jacaranda has been part of Liverpool’s night life forever, the Beatles even met here all those years ago.
The Jac is like no other pub Ive been to. Upstairs is decorated with wooden panels, wooden floors and coordinating tables. There are booth-​like seats, bar stools and tables and chairs. The jukebox is excellent.
Downstairs is filled with long tables and benches mainly. There are also 2 tunnels in which to sit in, the like of which I have never seen elsewhere. These can be a quiet although very warm haven away from the rest of the pub. The décor downstairs is a mix of modern art and artwork which has been here since the seventies.
Upstairs is a newer bar which is light and airy and available to hire out. At the busier times all 3 floors will be open.
The drinks served here are inexpensive but are of a high quality. The beer always tastes good and is never flat. At certain times of the week they serve shooters for £1 and there is always pints of bitter available for £1.
The staff are friendly and work hard to ensure that customers are served quickly. The pub is cleared of glasses regularly and the tables are kept clean. This is a definite gem.

I’ve been to the Jac so many times I could recount every detail of its layout from scratch, although you wouldn’t want to hear me do it as it’d be brain-​meltingly boring. Go and do something else.
Feeling like seventeen buildings knocked into one, the Jacaranda is notorious for not lining up at all. There are plenty of nooks and crannies to squirrel yourself away in and argue the trivialities of life as visceral rock classics blast from the speakers like elephants. Two of the more entertaining corners are the underground alcoves downstairs, where the jaundiced walls are covered in graffiti that takes hours to read and/​or contribute to.
On the ground floor, the walls are filled with Beatles memorabilia which isn’t that surprising as this is the pub they played their first gig, although back then they were called the Silver Beatles (hence the sneaky reason the sign says ‘the place the Fab Four first played’.)
Even though it can get packed at the weekends and has prices that increase with glacial fearsomeness, the Jacaranda is still one of the best pubs to sit in with a pint. What you want the pint to be of on the other hand, is up to you.

At first glance I wasn’t taken with The Jac’ mainly due to the smell that hit me like an iron bar round the chops as I walked in, and the crazy old guys that were huddled round a table at the side, however, this was the afternoon after the night before and it does draw quite an odd mix of people.
After finding my mates and taking a window seat I quite got into the atmosphere, looking inquisitively at Paul and John’s School Year photos and all the memorabilia and mellowing out to the tunes that were echoing from the Jukebox.
I’ve also been when it’s been busy and been downstairs crammed into one of the cavern-​esque burrows which had a table shoved in it; a great little spot to huddle with some mates and read the grafitti when you can be arsed pushing your way to the bar. A grower and a charmer!

Known affectionately as the Jack to all who regularly sail in her, this bar is simultaneously one of the most and one of the least cool places you could drink in Liverpool city centre.
Upstairs the place has the look and feel of that place at the end of Trainspotting where Begby beats up a guy for spilling his pint. A hazy soporific atmosphere, a black painted bar, the walls decorated with Liverpool regalia a cast of regulars who seem, either, to be about stick their fingers in your beer or fall asleep.
Downstairs has a caverny feel with nooks and hollows filled with little benches and a jukebox filled with post-​punk and alternative 80’s classics. The clientele are mostly students and in the know young locals and are a generally friendly bunch. You might even feel — if the £1 beers go down the right way and should the Cure keep flowing from the speakers — that you should do a little dancing and you will be welcomed and maybe other people will even join in. Nice.

You can’t help but love The Jac with it’s history in popular culture, cheap drinks, good music but really I’m not sure why. The Jac is pretty smelly for one thing but so are most pubs so that’s not a big issue I guess.
Cheap drinks can’t be the only factor that appeals because if that were the case then Slater’s Bar opposite would be the best pub ever — and event if they do call themselves ‘the college of knowledge’ it’s not.
Then finally there is the music. The jukebox is pretty legendary round here and most will consider it the best in town. The problem with that is you NEVER get to hear your own tunes! Unless of course you start drinking at 11am on a monday morning and stay there till 10pm on Tuesady night — true story, a mate of mine actually used put tunes on Saturday night with their first drink, have night out and party, return for Sunday afternoon session and hear the songs from night before. Great Jukebox but everyone knows it.
It’s also a pretty uncomfortable place to sit and have a drink as most of the hard wooden chairs get taken pretty quickly only leaving the even harder wooden windowsill.
After all this The Jac is generally a safe place to meet mates and start a night out. It’s right in the middle of town and it’s not pretentious.

Everyone who comes by this place seems to say the same thing. ‘That’s the Jacaranda? THE Jacaranda?’
Yes it is indeed. The intricate Beatles history woven into the venue makes it popular with true Merseybeat die-​hards. The boys have played there several times and it used to be owned by their former manager. The walls are entirely plastered with images of the Beatles — photos, memorabilia, the works, and there’s plenty to entertain your eyes with a drum kit above the bar, the stage the Beatles themselves played on downstairs and the ears will soon be soothed with the sounds of the 60s onwards from the jukebox.
There are three floors to enjoy here, so it’s something of a Tardis with its misleading exterior and its somewhat weather-​worn furniture adds to its charm and character. The bar staff are particularly friendly and the punters are all pleasant, from young students to tourists and some loyal regulars who sit at the bar. You’ll find some of the cheapest drinks in the city here, with unbelievable prices including bottled beers for £1 and a great range on tap. This is quintessential Liverpool with all its local nods and quirks, and it’s a very memorable bar.

Also known as The Jack, this is yet another of those pubs in Liverpool that lays claim to links with The Beatles. Full of memorabilia and nostalgia, this is a nice chilled pub both day and night. It consists of a basement, ground floor and upstairs, none of which are particularly spacious, but it’s one of those places that no one minds rubbing shoulders with the next person.
There’s not a massive choice of drinks, but enough to cater for everyone. The music ranges from 60s onwards, and there is a jukebox that everyone seems to make use of, as well as some old fashioned sweet and nut machines — 20p for a handful of pistachios and then you can cause murder throwing the shells at people!
Not somewhere for a lively night out, but at the same time, not always the best place for a quiet chat, especially as they tend to have the music quite loud. Still, if you want your Beatles fix and you’re nowhere near Mathew Street or the docks, this is a good alternative.

The Jac is a great pub for students with cheap drinks and a good selection. There’s always someone to talk to and it’s a great night out to take a bunch of friends and go and sit in the little booths downstairs.

the jacaranda, or the jac as its more commonly known, is another one of those rarities in Liverpool. a pub with character and soul.
putting aside that its most well known claim to fame is the place where the beatles played one of their first gigs, the jac has so much more to its name.
It is one of those places where a quick drink after work, or before a night out, can more often than not last the whole night.
This is because of the wide array of characters that turn up and chat or tell you a yarn or two.
also, the jukebox is one of the best ive come across. offering everthing from the beach boys, duran duran, to metallica and the ramones.
The jac appeals to everyone, young and old alike.
even if you dont drink, go for the atmosphere and the history. on the ground floor, all along the walls by the bar, are photos charting the beatles fame and success through the decades.

The Jacaranda is a great place to go to experience real Liverpool night life, instead of going to these horrible chain bars which are the same everywhere! The drinks ear cheap (especially midweek) and they have a jukebox which usually plays old indie rock from the 60s onwards, including a bit of the beatles of course. The ‘caves’ downstairs are a great place to sit with a bunch of friends and you always end up chatting to someone new and everyone’s really friendly!

This pub is great for students and those not wishing to hang about in places like Yates! The music is great, with sounds from many decades and a jukebox that you can use to select your favedrinks are cheap and the staff a friendlier than other pubs. There is no pretentious people here, and if you want some privacy, you could try and nab yourself a seat in the tunnel spaces at the back!!!

Perfect for a boozy weekend. This student filled place offers all sorts of fun. From cheap beer and shots to quiz and open mic nights. Its no frills décor and local feel make it a favourite hang out in the centre of town

The Jacaranda is the perfect pub as far as I’m concerned and it embodies Liverpool! Unfortunately it is flanked by a couple of less attractive bars, but don’t let that put you off!
The combination of a quality jukebox, cheap drinks, quiz machine and atmosphere make this a must-​visit Liverpool pub. The walls are lined with musical memorobilia and you can imagine John, Paul, Ringo and George banging out a few tunes downstairs in the cave-​like bar! In fact, The Beatles are said to have played the Jacaranda cellar bar on a number of occasions back in the 60s. What a sight it must have been to see them there!
In terms of regulars, there’s a healthy mix of locals and students who happily mix and chat away. The best nights are usually wednesday and thursday but you’re pretty much guaranteed a lively night whatever day you choose!
You HAVE to experience the Jac!