Johnny's Bar & Café is an independent live-music venue and café at 96 Queen's Road, Watford (WD17 2NX), open daily 11:00–23:00. It has a purpose-fitted basement with its own PA and equipment used for both open-mic nights and full-band performances, plus a ground-floor bar and an upstairs bar/seating area, and it's joined to Vinyl @ Johnny's, the owners' record shop. The long-running Dial Up Open Mic has been hosted here since 2010, traditionally on the first Sunday of the month (2–4pm, free entry, suggested £5 donation) — though as of mid-2026 the regularity of that specific monthly session is no longer confirmed. The venue itself remains active for live music and band bookings.
Queens Road · Every 1st Sunday of the month · Free
Johnny's Bar Open Mic
First-Sunday-of-the-month open mic at Johnny's — intimate Queens Road room.
Open mic at a glance Johnny's Bar · Watford
Sunday
Open mic night
May 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
10 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Watford open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
Johnny's Bar Open Mic — Quick Facts
First-Sunday-of-the-month open mic at Johnny's — intimate Queens Road room.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DaySunday
Start14:00
Sign-up walk-in
Slot length10 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic · Poetry
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
Johnny's Bar96 Queen's Road
Queens Road
Watford WD17 2LA
Queens Road, Watford — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
Walk-in sign-up
Music, Poetry welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
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About Johnny's Bar
About This Open Mic
Every 1st Sunday of the month in Queens Road, Watford
Kicks off at 14:00
Free entry for performers and audience
10-minute slots
Gear & backline — we’re on it, no info yet
Part of the Watford open mic directory
The Night
The Dial Up Open Mic at Johnny's Bar (96 Queens Road, a five-minute walk from Watford Junction) runs on the first Sunday of each month, 2pm to 5pm. It's a daytime session in a dedicated performance room with its own bar, welcoming a genuinely broad mix — acoustic and electro-acoustic, folk, jazz, comedy, poetry, drama, dance and even musical-theatre showtunes. Johnny's has supported performers since 2010. Free entry (a £5 donation is suggested by some listings to support the night).
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How Johnny's Bar’s Sunday night runs.
14:00Kick-off
17:00Last songs
Every 1st Sunday of the month 10-min slots Free entry
Find Johnny's Bar
96 Queen's Road, Queens Road, Watford WD17 2LA
Planning Your Sunday Night
Arrive early to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 17:00. Bring your own gear.
Part of the Watford live music scene.
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Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Watford's Johnny's Bar open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at . Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Watford open mic nights for alternatives.
BYO PA, mics and instruments.
10 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Watford mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
96 Queen's Road, Queens Road, Watford WD17 2LA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Watford regulars across the Watford open mic scene. Watford open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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