The House of Jazz (Maison du Jazz) in Laval is a venue I had never experienced until recently. But thanks to Mister Fantastic, standup comic Charles Daghlian, a friend and I accepted his invitation to drop by for a dinner and show package.
While the House of Jazz has been a landmark of entertainment, cuisine, and history in Laval for the last decade, Daghlian began presenting monthly comedy evenings three years ago. They have caught on. As for the venue, it hosts jazz performances Wednesday through Sunday evenings.
Daghlian will be back with another comedy event on Tuesday, June 3. The bar and kitchen open at 7 pm, with showtime at 8 pm. There is a terrific house band called Cobra Kai and featuring Chaz Coats-Butcher on vocals, Steve Creep on bass and Oliver Thompson on drums. This rock trio serves up a mix of modern and classic hits.
The House of Jazz is a beautiful venue, with immaculate chandeliers and seating for about 120 people. For the comedy nights, they offer more of a pub menu. My friend Glenn and I started with some drinks, a beer for him and some prosecco for me. We shared a generous serving of nachos with assorted dips. Glenn ordered the ribs and fries plates, giving a big thumbs up. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender, each bite bursting with smoky flavor from hours of slow cooking. A rich, caramelized barbecue glaze coated the ribs, balancing sweet, tangy, and spicy notes perfectly.
I went for a generous-sized cheeseburger and fries. It was a hearty and satisfying meal, featuring a thick, juicy beef patty—perfectly seared on the outside and tender inside. Melted cheese blanketed the patty, dripping slightly over the sides. Toppings included crispy lettuce and thick-cut tomato slices.
The place was packed and most folks happily sampled the menu. Indeed, the House of Jazz was rocking. Cobrai Kai started things out with some great tunes and on to the stage came Mister Fantastic himself. From a very young age, it has always been Daghlian’s purpose to make people laugh, whether at school, family events, or talent shows. He got his first professional opportunity at the age of nine when he co-hosted one of the French galas at the Just for Laughs Festival. While completing a degree in film production, his passion for stand-up comedy was reignited. He has become a regular on the local Montreal comedy scene for almost eight years now, performing at various venues multiple times all week long, in English, French, Spanish and Armenian! He calls his House of Jazz galas “ Laval’s Got Jokes.” On this night, he welcomed professional comics Dustin Searcy, Olivia Beneroche, Daniel Carin, Renzel Washington, broadcaster turned comic Ted Bird and fabulous headliner Mike Patterson.
A big thanks to longtime manager Alexandre Crépeau, who runs the operation.
The House of Jazz is located at 1639 Boulevard de L’Avenir. Log on to https://www.houseofjazz.ca/laval/ or call (450) 669-3000
For the comedy shows, go to https://misterfantastic.ca/
Mike Cohen, born and raised in Côte Saint-Luc, has long been active in the community as a volunteer, journalist, and consultant. He profiles restaurants in Montreal and beyond.
mikecohen.ca