Chan’s Restaurant program schedules

Chan’s Fine Oriental Dining, also known simply as Chan’s, is located on 267 Main Street in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Chan’s has been in operation since 1905: first as the Shanghai restaurant, then as the New Shanghai restaurant in 1938, and then under its present name after being purchased by Ben Chan in 1965. Ben Chan’s son, John, took over the restaurant in 1977 and introduced “Eggrolls and Jazz,” which integrated live music performances into the restaurant setting. Under this concept, John Chan has hosted more than 3,000 live music events at Chan’s from 1977 to the present.

The live music events hosted at Chan’s are blues and jazz performances. John Chan developed an interest in the music genres while a student at Providence College in the 1970s. Performances at Chan’s feature local Rhode Island blues and jazz musicians, as well as national blues and jazz acts. Several of these musicians have recorded live albums out of their performances at Chan’s, and many return to the restaurant more than once throughout their careers as live performers.