Went here tonight to see a show by my favorite acoustic trio, Toh Kay. The show was wonderful, but I know you all want to hear about the venue... When I walked in I found my way over to the doors of the mezzanine of "Downstairs Live". A young man, (who's name I don't remember), who was very nice led my friend and I over to our seats on the mezzanine, up at the bar stools at the counter. Almost as immediately as we sat down, our waitress by the name of Caitlin (the blonde Caitlin) greeted us and asked us if we wanted something to eat. We ordered wings and some sodas, all of which were absolutely fantastic. Probably the best wings I have ever eaten. My friend also ended up ordering a burger which he claims was fantastic and great fries that we both picked at. All of the staff was super friendly, and the food exceeded my expectations. We had a great view of the stage from the mezzanine. The sound of the venue was very crisp and clear. The acoustics in the room are also very nice. World Cafe Live is a very clean and nice looking place. Seriously, it was probably the best looking venue I've been to. The online tour doesn't show the place justice. Overall, my experience at Downstairs Live at World Cafe Live Philadelphia was great. I have no complaints. Everything was very clean, (even the bathrooms!) If you have a favorite music artist playing here, look forward to a truly amazing experience.

I had a wonderful experience on New Years Eve With The Philly Bloco Band performing and dancung. Awesome!!!!!

I really loved this place! Had an amazing time at the Kimbra Concert and the VIP meet and greet was so amazing. Definitely a nice small venue to see good music and not be overly smooshed

WORLD CAFE LIVE IS HANDS-DOWN THE BEST CONCERT VENUE IN THE AREA. I've been going to shows all around Philadelphia and the suburbs for twenty years, and this place takes the prize for best acoustics and sound, best customer service, and most comfortable show environment. The shows at Downstairs Live (the larger of the two venues in their building) are generally set up with a mix of tables, so you can enjoy drinks and a meal or snacks during the show. There's a bar area at the back of the space, which tends to be a little noisy. There is really not a bad seat in the house. If you're up for a really top-notch experience, try the mezzanine seating.at Downstairs Live. The mezzanine is a large open balcony that looks over the lower level and stage. The first row of mezzanine seating is big, very cushiony couch seats. The second row of mezzanine seating is bar seats that sit up pretty high, so you can easily see over the couch seats in row one. The wooden bar seats are a little tough to sit on for a whole show, but they're not bad. (Better than standing on a sloped floor at the TLA any day.) All mezzanine ticketholders can use the tables they have set up at the rear of the space to have dinner before the show. Then you can mosey over to your couch or bar seat and relax and see the show, with waitress service throughout your stay. There is a ticket premium for the mezzanine seats, but I think it's worth it, especially for the first row. The Upstairs Live area is a smaller, narrower bar/restaurant set-up with a stage to the rear of the space. Easiest to see the performers if you're seated near the front; definite visibility issues at the back tables. Bartenders are very friendly, and the menu is a great. Sitting at the bar is a great option for seeing a show solo. There are multiple bathrooms throughout the building (multi-stall restrooms on each level), so there's never a long wait. The building is easy to find. There's lots of metered street parking on the upper level, and if you can't find a spot there, you can circle around to the big new public parking lot at 31st and Walnut. (Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.) The box office staff, hosts, bartenders and wait staff are, with very few exceptions, friendly and professional. The food is very good, though the menu can seem limited at times. (It changes frequently.) Overall, it offers a first-class concert experience with unrivaled creature comforts and customer service.

pure jerry luvin