Vieux Carre

We absolutely love this place. Every time we want to get away from the busyness of life we come straight here after work for dinner and for light music. The food is fantastic! The dishes are so well out together with really unique flavors. We are total foodies and we really feel like the chef really understands how to make exceptional dishes. The music is gentle and pleasant to the ears and happy hour is a great time for drinks. A total St. Paul gem! If you are a husband or boyfriend wanting to impress the lady take her to this place. You won’t regret it!

Lower level winding halls lead you to a hidden gem! The drinks are strong, the ambiance inviting, and the band was phenomenal.

The majority of people there obviously weren’t there for the music. They were so loud and rude. Was really hard to hear the music. I felt very bad for the musicians. They destroyed the acoustics from when it was the AQ. It’s no longer a music bar. Waste of a cover charge. It’s now more a speak easy. Actually a cool place for one, with no live music.

This place was in the lower level, I wasn’t sure where to find the place when I walked into the building. There was a security guard there pointing people, the right direction. It isn’t a large place and when we were there, it filled up to capacity and we were forced to wait for some to leave for the night before being let in.
Once in, the music was good. It was a dark intimate setting. They have a full bar, I think, I had hard liquor. The menu was limited but decent. We had a server that was great, Melanie, who was very friendly and she wasn’t afraid to get down and talk into your ear because the music made it hard to communicate. She made some recommendations and we bounced some questions off of her. I had a margarita and my wife had a beer. We decided to order some food. We had already had eaten dinner so we went with the crab cakes. They were very good and it was presented like a fine dining restaurant. I was impressed with the food, service and the good music.
They do have a dance floor but some people just danced by their tables. I would love to go back but I will make sure that I am early so I don’t end up having to wait because they are at capacity. Maybe I will see you there!

Vieux Carré (which I abbreviate as the VC) is a top-​notch establishment. Tucked away in the lower level of the Hamm Building, you feel you’re in a secret, cozy, members-​only club that is truly a place to completely unwind and immerse yourself into the rich culture of jazz, cocktails, and fine dining. Delightful no-​cover performances are available starting at 6:00 p.m., and their happy hour runs until 7:00 p.m. which is the same time cover-​charge performances are often set to begin. VC’s assistant manager, Teigen, master bartender and expert mixologist, can make you any cocktail you desire, and even ones you should desire. The food is absolutely outstanding. I can’t think of any restaurant in the Twin Cities that would have better gumbo (which takes nearly 24 hours to prepare), or any other amazing New Orleans-​inspired dish – of which VC has many. Good food, good drink, and great local jazz – there are few things better to increase the quality of life.

We stopped by on a Thursday night for a glass of wine and a quick bite. Our server was great, attentive but not pushy or too familiar. The gumbo and spare rib were tasty. We even had some wonderful piano and bass with no cover. We’ll be back for sure, with friends next time.

How can you not love a dark, tucked-​away bastion of jazz goodness? When you walk down the steps, you get the feeling you are making your way into some secret New Orleans speakeasy. The place is not huge. But I would call it cozy, not cramped. It’s not overly fancy, but it does have a wonderfully electric feel.
I had the French press coffee, which was tasty with an awesome presentation. My husband had a beer, so I can’t comment on the cocktails, though the ones coming out of the bar looked good. We shared the seasonal salad for two and a bowl of gumbo, which was plenty for a light meal. The salad was fresh and lovely, and the gumbo had a superb spicy, earthy taste.
There were two bartenders behind the bar, and it was busy the night we were there. One bartender was working his tail off giving everyone professional, gracious service, and the other seemed more interested in chatting with his friends than serving anyone. I almost took a star off for that alone, but everything else was so good, I just didn’t have the heart.
However, the highlight of the evening was the jazz. The music that night held so much heart and energy, I was blown away. I do hope that they continue to book the many wonderful jazz musicians we have in the area. When the Dakota moved away from St. Paul to Minneapolis and seemed to shift toward national acts, I was bummed, but I understood it from a business perspective. I am so happy to see that Vieux Carre is offering a venue that jazz lovers can once again enjoy the local jazz scene.

So fun to have a speakeasy in St. Paul. Really reminds us of the Blue Note in Tokyo or New York. Full bar. Great food. Super music. Couldn’t ask for a better place. Just don’t tell our friends in Minneapolis who think that nothing goes on in St. Paul. They’d be shocked. We had a shrimp and lobster po boy. As good as we’ve had in New Orleans. And to think its walking distance from our place. Very, very pleased. We will be back. Next time it will be to enjoy a Side Car martini and the music.

We were semi-​regulars at the old Artist’s Quarter and were saddened when it folded. But its reincarnation (just one visit so far) seems just as good – classic little jazz club in the basement. Only three things have changed. The new chairs and tables are a fine upgrade. The art on the wall is now scenes of old NOLA. And there’s a kitchen that cranks out some nice chow. (We used to bring caramel corn to the old AQ; no decent food there at all.) We only had the cheese plate and dessert, but they were really good. The music was lovely, as one would expect – guitar and piano, no cover charge. We will return. Thanks to Mr. Pickett and the Dakota for bringing this cool little club back.

So absolutely enthralled that there’s still a cool jazz club in downtown St. Paul. The lighting is excellent, service was great, music was special, cocktails well put-​together. We had a great time and will return again and again.

This is a great place for live jazz and good drinks. You have to try it! New in St. Paul, let’s keep it going. Nut, they need to have the music later than 11:00!